[MUD-Dev] Maintaining fiction.

[Travis Nixon]

From: "Trump" <trump at vividvideo.com>

> In order to create a game that actually fosters RP you must start
> with the Devs.  Call them something else.  Many MUDs use Immortals -
> this works.  Now they cant talk about things like NPCs or the 'net.
> You must develop an in character to out of character dictionary.

Ok, so later on in your message, you came up with one "fiction" that
(supposedly) ties out of character things into the "fiction".
Regardless of whether I think this is a good idea or not (and for the
record, I don't), I'm curious.  Can you come up with another "fiction"
that "works"?  (quotes are because I believe you're trying to tie
things into the game's fiction that shouldn't be tied there, and
because I don't believe it really works) One that doesn't involve you
(the player) possessing or somehow taking control of a character in
the world?  I've been trying, and I can't think of another.  Maybe you
can.

What was that you said later about calling a spade a spade, anyway,
when you want to take issues that are rightly out of character and
call them things like "The Ethereal Plane"?  And what if your game has
a real Ethereal Plane, anyway?  Then what in the blazes does your
"fiction" call real-life.

:)

Fact of the matter is this: The player is the player, and the
character is the character.  The player is not in the world, the
character is.  Trying to meld the two just isn't possible, because
they are very different.  They don't exist in the same place.  Period.
Yes, I agree when people are playing their character, they should stay
in character.  When my character is talking to another person's
character, we should both stay in character.  But to say that every
possible thing I (as in, me as the player) might want to say to
another PLAYER or person (such as a company rep who is helping me
figure out why my character is stuck in a wall) should be somehow
converted to something "in-character" is not just downright silly,
it's impossible except on a very small scale.  And frankly, I don't
think it's even desirable, even if it were possible.  The lines are
there, whether you like it or not, and more importantly, they should
be there.

By the way, I agree with Mr. Hook that your terminology:

  "This native is stuck in a wall so I cant tap him with my wand. My
  silver cord is not very strong today and is over four hundred knots
  long, so I am suffering from the ethereal winds. I think I'll just
  go to sleep now and send a messenger to the ministry of tourism
  about this anomaly."

is just as confusing to a new player as the example you put forth,
using EQ acronyms and shorthand:

  "Using SOW and a DOT SNARE to TRAIN a MOB to a PC who is CAMPING the
  AC SPAWN for his JBOOTS is a violation of the TOS and PNP"

Your CS reps shouldn't be using either.

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