Institutionalizing human behavior (was RE: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items)

[Sellers]

Ola wrote:
> "Sellers, Michael" wrote:
> > In the current example, consider for example how a simple change like
> > randomized spawn points would change the nature of farming items.
Combine
> > this with player-run stores (ala UO) and the ability for people to
transfer
> > either gold or dollars as they choose, and you have the beginnings of a
> > robust and subtle solution that embraces the former problem.  And not
> > incidentally, strengthens the game and the players' devotion to it.
> 
> What would the ethics of research be if one could just pay, rather than
> work, to get good grades and recognition? As some other people have
> pointed out, the problem is that dollars make the unfairness that you
> usually are forced to accept painfully clear when a newbie can buy
> himself a high position. (Perhaps more pronounced in a small community
> than in a big one?). For MUDs that try to distance themselves from the
> realities of the physical world, that is no good...

People have been chewing on this since Magic: The Gathering came out.  It
turns out that buying all the cards (or in this case, all the way cool
items) doesn't make you a better *player*.  There are also a variety of
in-game designs that you could use to ensure that you can't twink your way
to having the most powerful character in the game.  It does not follow that
just because you *can* trade items for other items or for cash, that the
person with the most items or cash wins.  Unless, that is, your design is
awfully limited.  

Mike Sellers



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