[MUD-Dev] PvP Systems

[John Buehler]

Jon Lambert writes:

>>> For what it's worth, roleplaying will be far more common when the
>>> NPCs outnumber players 10 to 1 and are far more intelligent and
>>> interactive than they are today.  That will establish a framework
>>> in which players will be encouraged to act 'in genre'.

> Like I said above this is an entirely different animal.  When RPing
> players outnumber GOPing players 10-1, then you a have framework for
> RP.  The number of NPCs is irrelavent, because NPCs can't role-play,
> unless of course a player or GM is running them.  ;-)

The number of NPCs is relevant in that it establishes a setting, just
as the buildings, buckets, horses and other items establish a setting.
There are no laser guns or automobiles, so people don't think in those
terms.  With enough NPCs doing things that establish the setting, the
players are encouraged to behave in a given way.

NPCs roleplay very well.  They simply don't speak to players very
intelligently.  Something that will be addressed someday, but not this
decade.

Not very much effort has gone into the NPCs of the big graphical
games.  They merely serve a functional purpose, encouraging only
goal-oriented gaming.  Ever played Caesar III?  The NPCs there are
fairly simplistic, but they are quite entertaining and produce the
atmosphere of a roman city.  School should be let out and the kids
should head home.  The guards should be wandering the city, visiting
shops, talking with shopowners and other citizens, etc.  There are
many background actions that NPCs can do in order to develop the
atmosphere of a town.

Imagine, in contrast, a town with only players in it.  Nobody
establishes the atmosphere of the town, so it becomes whatever the
players say it is.  And there's no guarantee that such an atmosphere
is entertaining for anybody.  The atmosphere certainly isn't set by
the game, letting the players know what the game world normally
expects from them.

JB

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