[MUD-Dev] Re: A little help

[Richard Woolcock]

Ling wrote:
> 
> On Tue, 29 Sep 1998, Robert Woods wrote:
> 
> > A method that I have seen that encourages this well is having different
> > ranks of immortals, based on achievement.

[snip]

> I find this 'tried-and-tested' heirarchy ironic, given that most (large)
> businesses strive for an open management style, as flat as is possible.
> Bear in mind what management knowledge I know is from various lectures and
> videos I've been forced to take in as opposed to first hand experience.

An interesting approach I used on the first mud I helped to design (Eternal
Confict) was to have levels 1-49 as normal 'mortal' levels and levels 50-100 
as 'avatar' levels.  Level 101 was Implementor, whilst level 100 'avatars' 
could be given various imm powers (including the ability to become truely 
immortal).  This created a very flat immortal heirarchy, but proved somewhat 
unwieldy in the long run.

God Wars went for 6 immortal levels, partitioned as follows:

* Builder:     Lowest level, basic stuff only (mainly for building).
* Quest Maker: A few extra commands to help in running quests.
* Enforcer:    Watch over/help out the lower imms, help out players.

* Judge:       Most of the imms powers (without coded restrictions).
* High Judge:  As above, plus system commands (reboot, shutdown, etc).
* Implementor: Top level.

Note the gap between Enforcer and Judge - Anything below judge had many coded
restrictions to help prevent cheating, thus to reach 'Judge' level required
proving oneself trustworthy.  Once again I found this system somewhat unwieldy,
although for the opposite reasons as Eternal Conflict.

The Dark City heirarchy is still not finalised, but currently looks like this:

* Ambassador:  Very basic stuff - guests from other muds who want to chat.
* Builder:     Terraforming commands.
* Architect:   As above + can allocate locations of world to builders.
* Storyteller: Top level.

I'm considering dropping the builders and Architects altogether, but for now
I'll leave them in.  It seems I've come a full circle back to where I started ;)

I think the number of immortal levels really depends on how many immortals
you have.

KaVir.