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

[Caliban Tiresias Darklock]

On 07:58 PM 8/31/1999 -0700, I personally witnessed Matthew Mihaly jumping
up to say:
>On Tue, 31 Aug 1999, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:
>
>> 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. 

See the above: *It can be argued that... we've just redefined "might".*

And when your system gets "much more complicated", it's not the same
system. Very minor omissions and nuances can completely change the face of
a game. Small things are everything.

>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.

As opposed to defining "might" in some arbitrary fashion. Yes, no matter
what you do, if there is some method whereby anyone can obtain an advantage
over others, that method is a method of obtaining might. When strength
doesn't matter but dexterity does, then dexterity is might. When money
doesn't matter but political faction does, then political factions become
might. When knowledge of the command structure doesn't matter but macro
construction does, macro construction becomes might. 

However, it seems reasonably obvious that when someone says "might makes
right", they mean the traditional interpretation of things revolving around
"do what I say or I'll kick your ass". When someone can say this with
impunity, you have such a system. If you can walk around and say "you can
never beat me in combat" -- you know, like you do -- with a reasonable
degree of conviction, then you have such a system. 

But if anyone, even a brand new player, could very well be capable of
pounding your cocky belligerent ass into a stain on the carpet... well,
then you have things a little different, don't you? Can you throw your
weight around and say "no one will ever beat me" when any intelligent
person looking at your offensive and defensive capabilities can easily
identify several readily available weapons against which you have no
effective defense? When anyone you come across may very well have them,
through sheer blind luck if nothing else? 

Have you ever met anyone who claims to be undefeatable at
rock/paper/scissors? Nope. Why? Because you *can't* be undefeatable.
Elegant, isn't it? 

-----
| Caliban Tiresias Darklock            caliban at darklock.com 
| Darklock Communications          http://www.darklock.com/ 
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| 774577496C6C6E457645727355626D4974H       -=CABAL::3146=- 


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