[MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking

[Lee Sheldon]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu
> [mailto:mud-dev-admin at kanga.nu]On Behalf Of
> Travis S. Casey
> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 1:26 PM
> To: mud-dev at kanga.nu
> Subject: RE: [MUD-Dev] Justifying twinking
>
> On Thu, 27 Apr 2000, Lee Sheldon wrote:
> > > On Tue, 18 Apr 2000, Raph Koster wrote:
>
> > > > Yes; although players are not stupid, and will quickly
> > > realize that a rat
> > > > that happens to look like an orc king is still a rat.
> > >
> > > Is this actually true?  Or if it is true, does it matter?
> > > I'm sure that
> > > most players are quite aware that the rat they are bashing is
> > > not a rat
> > > at all, but just a collection of bytes on a computer
> several thousand
> > > miles away from them, and is just dressed up to look like
> a rat.  Why
> > > should it be any different to dress it up as an orc?
> >
> > I disagree.  The entire point is to get the player to
> willingly suspend her
> > disbelief to the point where she "forgets" about bytes and
> computers, and
> > engages that foul creature in a contest of strength and courage.
> >
> > So it -should- matter, shouldn't it?
>
> From my own experience, I'd say it does matter.  Playing paper D&D, I
> don't feel belittled by having my 1st-level PC beaten up by
> orcs, goblins,
> and such.  On muds where my newbie PC is beaten up by squirrels, rats,
> etc., I *do* feel belittled.
>
> To me, it seems ridiculous -- no real squirrel or rat is likely to
> inflict significant harm on a normal, healthy, awake & aware adult
> human even *without* armor and weapons.  To have my PC be at
> significant
> risk taking on a squirrel while wearing armor seems to be a
> declaration
> that my PC is no more physically competent than a toddler.
> To me, that
> feels insulting.

I didn't snip because this is reasonably short, and I'm reasonably confused.
I was answering your question "Or if it is true, does it matter?" with an
opinion that it matters for the suspension of disbelief to think of it as an
orc OR a squirrel, NOT bytes on a computer.  I wasn't arguing the relative
merits of orc maiming vs. squirrel squashing.  So are we agreeing, or
disagreeing, or ships passing in the night?

Lee




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