[MUD-Dev] Game construction and a big mistake

[Matthew Mihaly]

On Thu, 10 Jun 1999, Marc Bowden wrote:

> 
>   It gives them a feeling of power and self-esteem to be able to
> control somoene else's experiences. Anyone who's run a MUD open to
> the public is probably already putting names to the various types
> of antisocial behavior a certain percentage of the player population
> is disposed to in the name of "fun" that echo your experience.
> Called on it, they wrap themselves in the rhetoric of "it's just a
> game" and sneer all-powerfully at the wronged. Until something they
> value is taken away or maligned. Then watch how unfair life is to the
> poor, mistreated innocents.

Yeah. I call it the bully syndrome. Little bastards like to run around
beating up weaker people, and then throw a tantrum when one of the Gods
steps in and deals out some Divine Justice (next on Fox: When Good Gods go
Bad)

> 
>   A subset of "the kids" will always find ways to ruin the experience
> for the rest of the population. That's why they come on. Their limited
> understanding and experience don't give them any other enjoyable
> pastime
> in the virtual world. And their size or social controls they can't
> duck
> out of in the real world.

I think its' important to keep an eye out for these types, and to delete
them at the first sign of trouble. It's pretty easy to spot players like
this (newbies who log on and immediately shout rude things, etc), and
deleting them is such a satisfying feeling.
--matt




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