[MUD-Dev] Re: MUD-Dev digest, Vol 1 #142 - 4 msgs

[Matthew Mihaly]

On Tue, 31 Aug 1999, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:

< things snipped about a rock-paper-scissors combat analogy >


> Given this type of situation, "might" becomes very much in doubt and direct
> combat becomes much more iffy. (It's sort of a "purer" version of might:
> you *might* win.) As a result, players will be forced by the odds to locate
> other methods of achieving their goals. Military intelligence becomes more
> valuable: if you know what weapon your opponent uses, you can acquire the
> appropriate defense and countermeasure. Subterfuge becomes more valuable:
> if you can convince your opponent you use a different weapon, you can trick
> him into defending against the wrong thing. (Born and bred in the briar
> patch, Br'er Fox...) Psychological warfare is a natural consequence.
> 
> It can be argued that since combat and competition are still the major
> measures of success, we've just redefined "might". Maybe so... but at least
> it's become more than just what equipment you have.

Our combat system is a much more complicated version of what you
described, and might definitely makes right. Psychological might is just
as valuable as physical might, and in all cases (outside of just our
combat system or muds in general) might makes right. I can't imagine of a
case where mighgt doesn't make right, unless you define right in some
arbitrary manner in the way the superstitious or believers in natural law
do.
 
Might certainly makes any other sort of "right" irrelevant.
--matt





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