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

[J C Lawrence]

Not a bad set of questions posed by JB.  Comments?

Note: Before getting into this it is worth reading "The Craft of
Adventure" with particular attention paid to the "Bill of Player's
Rights" section about an eight of the way down.  You can find it in
the Library, with a local copy stashed at:

  http://www.kanga.nu/mirrors/ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/programming/general-discussion/Craft.Of.Adventure.txt

What exactly should a player be assured of in approaching a game
problem?

------- Forwarded Message

From: JB, aka Tempus <jbbeabNOjbSPAM at primary.net.invalid>
Subject: Fair/Unfair? Scenarios
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.misc
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1999 21:27:32 -0800

I have a couple of hypothetical situations I would like to discuss
which have been designed into quests on Dirt/Aber type muds in the past
(and quite possibly muds of differing codebases).  I want to know your
opinion of these situations and why you feel they are fair or unfair or
perhaps conditionally fair or conditionally unfair, and of course why.

 - Scenario A -
When running through a quest, a player inadvertently enters into a room
in the quest wherein a mobile of significant strength is located.  Once
the player has entered the room, the exits of the room are removed or
barred.  Additionally, the mobile has a 100% aggression factor, a very
high number of strength points, between 10 and 30 armor, and between 20
and 30 damage.

Prior to entering this room, the player had no clue or warning that
this mobile might be present and therefore has no reasonable way of
knowing what lies therein, thereby enabling the player to obtain
sufficient armor, weapons, and food which may be necessary to defeat
the mobile, or allowing the player to choose not to enter in the first
place until a time when he/she feels confident that he/she may stand a
chance with said mobile.

In addition, no notice is given in the quest information warning the
players not to enter the zone unless they are of sufficient level and
experience to endeavor on the quest with a high degree of confidence
that they might finish the quest and live through the process.  There
is no code in place preventing lower level players from entering the
zone, nor a sign in the zone itself providing a warning in the event
that a player may not know his/her whereabouts.

Ok...so after the player enters, a battle ensues.  The player, without
having an opportunity to flee is forced into combat with a mobile that
is potentially significantly tougher than the player can handle.

What are your thoughts on the above described scenario?

- - Scenario B -
This has less to do with a specific occurence a player might run into
within a quest and more to do with a quest on a high level.

Should quests be self-contained?  Meaning...should you be given the
tools necessary to complete the quest within the zone area of the quest
itself?  Or, is it reasonable to expect a player come equipped with
tools/equipment from other quests that have nothing to do with the
current quest but may be required to complete the quest.

For instance. A quest is designed with significantly tough mobiles
which might be too tough for any player to defeat regardless of how
well armed and armored he or she is unless the player has acquired one
or more full heal potions.

Is it not reasonable for the quest the requires the potions to supply
them?  Or is it reasonable for the quest to be written so that they are
required but only obtainable from other quests which the quest author
may or may not have written.

Also, in this scenario, what impact does this have on quest
looting...i.e. running into a quest to steal all the 'good stuff',
possibly leaving the quest without tools/equipment that may be needed
for that quest which were included by the quest author specifically for
that quest and weren't intended to be used elsewhere?


I look forward to reading your opinions.  Lets keep in mind that this
is a very opinionated subject and try to keep down on the flames this
time, shall we?

Best Regards,

JB
aka Tempus

------- End of Forwarded Message

--
J C Lawrence                              Internet: claw at kanga.nu
----------(*)                            Internet: coder at kanga.nu
...Honorary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...


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