[MUD-Dev] characters per account

[F. Randall Farmer]

Timothy Dang wrote:
 > I'm sure there's no way to absolutely prevent multiplaying, but I'd find
> suggestions on how to reduce it without destroying the appeal of a game
> very useful.

Actually, I'd like to see a set of reasons for even _attempting_ the goal of
one character per player.

Why have this goal at all?

In most multiplayer role playing games (combat or social) I've participated
in over the last 30 or so years, dozens of paper-and-pencil or
computer-mediated, this hasn't been a particular requirement.

What I'm looking for is positive arguments, not statements of the negative
form; For example let's avoid arguments like "multiplaying is evil" that
then
go on an describe a system in which this statement is true because the
aforementioned system was designed with a flaw that could be exploited
by multiplaying. :-) I've already ranted about lazy multiplayer game design.

I personally think that "beefing up" reputation systems for
characters/identities (increasing character "investment") is the way to go
for making stronger social systems, and it would go a long way (as a
_side effect_) to reducing the character/player ratio. I just don't see why
there should be some magical arbitrary limit of "1". If someone wants to
spend the time/money/gold/experience/whatever/reputation to create two
or three sterling members of the community, why try to stop them? A
good counter example is "staff" characters Gods/Wizards/Janitors
wouldn't they be exceptions to this rule? Why should they be the only
exceptions? Oh yeah, and what about people who take turns with a
single character? That way the ratio would actually be LESS THAN 1. :-)

Asking too many questions,
Randy








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