[MUD-Dev] Re: pet peeves

[diablo at best.com]

On Sat, 13 Feb 1999, Darren Henderson wrote:

> On Sat, 13 Feb 1999 diablo at best.com wrote:
> 
> I am in ultimate control of the machine, the systems and the game. People
> I assign as admins I have to trust implicitly. I want them to behave in an
> adult manner, act responsibly and adhere to whatever policies that I've
> imposed (or ok'd). (I should point out that I'm not currently involved
> with any "open" muds). In the past I've worked on muds where there were a
> dozen "admin" types...most doing very little. Not a good situation. I
> think we've all played on muds where the controlling bodies were
> heidiously political and quarralsome. Not good either.

Yes, I agree. Control by committee is a horrid thing.

> > but coding is just coding. It's an interchangeable function for the most
> > part. You can always find new coders. Finding someone who has a
> > charismatic personality and who makes mortals want to be on your game is a
> 
> Ouch. Disagree with this big time here. Good coders are neither easy to
> find nor interchangable.

Well, I guess we're coming at it from two different points of view. I can
afford to pay coders, so it's not hard to find coders who are good enough
to code Achaea (it's not rocket science. I've coded the majority of the
game and I hadn't ever coded except for BASIC 10 years ago in high
school). If you can't pay them then yes, I can definitely see where
finding a good, _reliable_ coder is not easy. I only have one person
besides me coding, and I'm going to be slowing giving up some of my
ownership to him, in order that he has a damn good reason to be as
responsible and reliable as possible.

> > much rarer find though, and a contribution like that should not be
> > underestimated. If you have Gods (or immortals or whatever you call them)
> > who make the world a more interesting and intense place for your mortals,
> > then they are very worthy of being in that position!
> 
> I don't think your "god" equates to an "admin" type of position as I've
> seen it defined. You do not need to have the keys to the place to inspire,
> control, direct, encourage good role play.

Nod, you're right. Only two of us even know how to code, and only I have
root access to the server. I do try to hand off some responsibility for
non-coding, non-financial things to other Gods though. 
--matt