[MUD-Dev] Game Law Example (fwd)

[J C Lawrence]

------- Forwarded Message
From: "H. McDaniel" <haji at DEATH-TO-SPAMMERS.wolfenet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.admin,rec.games.mud.misc
Subject: Game Law Example
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 19:19:07 +0000

Okay, on a serious note:

I've been saying since around 1992, and I'm sure that I wasn't the first
one, that ALL rules that a player is subject to should be made plain in
written form and available to the player for review at anytime (say
from a "help" or "rules" command.)  Admin and players are free to copy
and modify the following example game law, provided you credit the
author. Note that players should be able to easily access a copy of any
rules that they are *presently* subject to. If the player moves into a
game area that has special rules, she should be notified of this.

It is NOT my intent to say that all games should be operated as I like to
operate my own. The specific rules are up to you. It is only essential
that you give players access to the rules and present them in a way that
leaves as little ambiguity as possible. Perhaps you will find some sections
in the example that you like, or get some ideas for how to write your
own rules.


Author: Henry McDaniel        Drafted in 1993
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       "This is the Supreme Law of Stellar in all Matters"
             The Constitution of Stellar Genesis


1.0     Public and other terms defined
A public act is anything readily found by *all* users of tha game.

1.1     Players defined.
A player user is any user who has no administrative duties or
responsibilites.  An adult player is any player who's game age
is atleast 1/2 the age of the average player user or greater
than 45 hours playing time.

1.1     Non-player defined
Non-player users (as designated by either the trinity council or game
implementor) must follow all public guidelines created by those that 
designated their position.

2.0     Player Freedom from outside interference
Players, being those users who have no permanent administration position,
shall not have either their freedoms restricted nor their power increased
by any non-player user in any manner or form whatsoever unless the player(s)
spacial location is within the domain of the user and the user had no direct
role in conducting the player(s) to their domain.
(For information on player coded law, see section 4.0)

3.0     Trinity Council 
The Trinity Council consisting of the 3 most powerful non-player users as
designated by the game Implementor (who cannot be a member of the council)
may prescribe punishment or rewards for actions taken by any non-player
or player user.  It is the council's responsibility to provide consistent
interpretation of this constitution at the request of both non-player and
player users in addition to any prescription.


3.1     Spirit of the council
The council is intended to provide a supreme court for outstanding and
public disputes between players and non-players or non-players and other
non-players.  The council should not make decisons without first having
a public meeting or hearing.  Where precedence exist, the council will
also consider previous cases.

3.2     Implementor supercedance 
The game implementor has the right to decide a council debate if
it is deadlocked (eg: 2 for, 1 abstaining.)  

3.3     
Council members may ask any user to take their seat on the council
at any time.  The user may decline such request.

3.4     Public meetings 

Public council meetings/hearings shall be held on any one of
the major trade worlds in a location provided for that purpose.
The meeting time and location must have been made public atleast
1 week in advance of the event.

4.0     Exceptions to Player freedom from outside influence 
        (Intended to spawn communites with player written law)

Any non-player user may act as if within their own domain when
in an area that has neither any player written laws to govern it
and is not protected by this constitution.


4.1     Player Government and Organizations
When eight or more adult player users claim an area of specified
location and have demonstrated their ability to defend the territory
from outside interference they have setup a colony (if it is outside
any existing player owned area, an organization or province otherwise.)

Any public laws created by the founders of the colony (or those
designated to do so per these laws) when within the bounds of this
constitution are as valid as this constitution.

5.0     Protected Domains
The main trade worlds of Stellar are protected from *any* non-player
influences regardless of their player written law status.  Any
laws drafted by the administrative users inorder to protect the
spirit of this constitution may be enacted on the main trade world(s)
of Stellar.

6.0     
No additions or modifications of this constitution may be made.
However the tri-council is free to establish laws governing
interstellar space aswell as unclaimed areas.

In effect the tri-council owns the main world(s), interstellar space
and all unclaimed or donated areas.  

- -end-
- -McDaniel

------- End of Forwarded Message



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