[MUD-Dev] Trouble Makers or Regular Citizens

[Jon A. Lambert]

J C Lawrence wrote:
Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Trouble Makers or Regular Citizens 

>
>On Mon, 27 Mar 2000 11:22:55 -0800 
>Justin Rogers <justin at mlstoday.com> wrote:
>
>The fact that central server models implicitly support dictatorial
>powers on the part of the admins leads to, and even encurage all the
>standard abuses (Jon Lambert has a coined a nice phrases for this
>area) doesn't help.  

Thanks.  That be "Lifeguard administration".  I didn't think anybody 
read it.  It needs a little work, sub-variations, etc.  :-P
I've been obsessing with patterns.  I see them everywhere, especially
on the list.    There are dozens more in the archives, both technical and 
social.   These are endlessly posted over and over using different 
terminology and variations causing me to get these overpowering feelings 
of deja vu everytime I read a post (my own included).  They scream out 
for names.  

>You can attempt to apply various counter
>balancing agents (as LambdaMOO has for instance), and they can be
>quite successful -- but they also rest on the fact that they can
>only be instantiated in the first place by an absolute dictator
>(which is ironically neat).
>
>Capricious excercise of administrative power doesn't encourage good
>games or popular/populous game worlds.  

It is interesting that one of the very popular muds, in terms of longevity,
hard-core addiction and rabid loyalty, had some of the most capricious, 
and, dare I say, mean, hated and feared staff of administrators.  Me thinks 
they were a fluke, an exception to the general case, where code, theme, 
and especially timing, triumphed over benevolent personalities.  

>..or when the
>average age of your player base moves from 25 years to 14 years or
>40 years.

There's a topic that hasn't been explored here...muds for the middle-aged
(something I'd know very little about anyhow ;-)).  Me thinks there's an 
audience (think $$E-Trade$$) with the right theme and user interface.

>> I've read the many things this particular person has done via his
>> TFC memoirs or whatever you might call them.  It seems this person
>> spends a bit too much time online and may take your worlds far to
>> seriously.  Since this person lives in your world they try to
>> impose changes as they would in the real world.  They want to make
>> the world you offer them more realistic and fair.

>

The "Crusader" also known as "Ideologue", "ButtonPusher" or "AgendaMan/
AgendaWoman".  They are looking to Convert, by reason, force or flaming tire 
necklacing if necessary.   They will make appeals to open-mindness, fairness, 
equal time, pushing the envelope, free speech and censorship.  They come in 
many flavors.  The best and most delicious kinds come in the same flavors as 
I do.  ;-)  They are either positively lovable and endearing or obnoxiously annoying, 
depending on whether they are into strawberry or chocolate.
They need some opposition to exist happily, ergo if there's no opposition they'll
get bored and move on.   If banned, the "Crusader" will often become the 
"Guerrilla" (to be documented later) or the "Martyr" (search archives for keywords 
"lambert & victim & support & adminstrator").   Crusaders are less common on 
"club-size" Muds (pop. ~1-40) -- unless their roles are in administration -- they
much prefer "party-size" muds (pop. 40-100).  Crusaders get progressively rarer 
on muds as the population increases and attention decreases.  
  
--
--*     Jon A. Lambert - TychoMUD Email: jlsysinc at nospam.ix.netcom.com     *--
--*     Mud Server Developer's Page <http://jlsysinc.home.netcom.com>      *--
--* "No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." Thomas Jefferson *--





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