[MUD-Dev] Fair/Unfair? Scenarios (fwd)

[Sellers]

Matthew Mihaly wrote:
> It's not an either complete-random-danger or no-random-danger situation
> though. Either one is not good I think. Total-random-danger is bad
> because, well, it sort of implies constant death. No-random-danger implies
> 100% predictability within the game insofar as anything that might
> possibly hurt you is concerned. That's also bad I think. We definitely
> have places in Achaea where there are no posted warnings, but if you walk
> in unprepared, chances are, you're going to die. Are they places that rank
> newbies can get to? No. Gotta get them addicted before you let reality
> knock them upside the head. I guess I just don't see the value in total
> predictability in terms of danger, and I don't think players 
> wwant that.

Agreed.  Early on in my role-playing development, an experienced player told
me that you could spot the experienced players because their advanced
characters always had a few 'escape routes' planned from a combination of
skill, magic items, and geography (and if all else fails, pleas to the DM :)
).  I think that advanced players in MUDs often go to great lengths to
prepare their characters for all sorts of contingencies, and that we should
give them the opportunity to test those preparations!  But unleashing
instant death situations on those who are not and cannot be expected to be
prepared for them is just no fun -- no matter how realistic it is. 

Mike Sellers



_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev maillist  -  MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev