[MUD-Dev] Fallen Age (was Shameless Plug)

[SavantKnowsAll at cs.com]

In a message dated 2/24/01 10:00:55 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
the_logos at www.achaea.com writes:

>> The game *is* the political system.  If your game is good enough in
>> design, you don't need mechanics to force your players to play a
>> certain way.
  
>  That sounds a bit naive. You can influence them to play certain
>  ways with soft methods, but you can never control them completely
>  with soft methods.

It probably is - I won't deny it.  We're a young company.  We've got
mechanics to ensure that grief PKing will not be a favorable option,
nor that being King (or Emperor) over a large portion of the server
will be easy.  The good news is we're doing this with a very open mind
knowing that we'll make mistakes, considering that we're doing things
no MMOG has done yet -- We're willing to change and adjust the system.

>> Of course power only acrrues -- I've yet to meet a single person
>> that likes to invest his time in a game only to regress instead of
>> advance.  And the game is most definitely not linear and
>> single-purposed - no MMOG is.
  
>  So what are you going to do 2 years into the game when newbies log
>  on and realize that there is essentially no chance of them _ever_
>  becoming one of the ruling class, becuase the ruling class consists
>  solely of players who started playing when the game opened.

It really is impossible for the ruling class to remain the ruling
class forever.  Simply because once you are conquered, up to 30% of
your resources are being taken by your King.  Whether he is conquered
or whatever else happens, you're still running at a minimum of 70%
capacity -- this will give you enough time to prepare your counter
attack.  Sure, it may take you a while -- but the system is such that
you *can* fight back, no matter how late in the game you arrive.

Daniel

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