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

[Mik Clarke]

J C Lawrence wrote:
> 
> The idea that the game world (or game designer for that matter) is
> going to come up to me prior to every "dangerous" section and warn
> me off (however subtlely), or ensure that I can never trap myself
> without a means of escape is somehow deeply offensive.

And there lies the difference between reality and a game.  Games are
things people do for fun.  They invest a part of their leisure fun in
participating in the world.  They should have the opportnity to
survive (they don't have to take it and it certainly shouldn't be
forced on them, but it should be there).  This is more like the players
being in a story where the hero might look behind the rocks or turn
back when they saw the rune of death - or they might not.  This is
the players decision and they need that degree of control over their
fate (even more so in a permadeath game).  Those who play carefully
and pay attention should be able to survive - those who do not end up
as a red smear.  Unwarned of insta-death rooms deny the intelligent
players the chance of survival (yes, the inn might be miles away,
but it should be hard to get to te mine without going past the inn).
Inescapable areas are just bad design - the player should be either
dead or able to escape (or maybe be rescued by someone with less
than divine powers).  Getting trapped is a real pain if you don't
have a recall ability - if the mud also doesn't do death from
starvation/thirst then the only way to return the character to play
is through direct divine intervention - which spoils the sense of
belief in the world.  Role playing someone trapped forever in a small
dark cave is fun for about 5 seconds...

Mik





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