[MUD-Dev] Interpersonal Relationships

[Marian Griffith]

In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Wed 20 Jun, Ronan Farrell wrote:

> Our basic problem is that obnoxious players are common and are so
> powerful that if we were to re-introduce pkilling then these would
> probably go on a killing spree.  Again immortal and code
> restrictions could help that.

> I am wondering if anyone here has had experience in dealing with a
> self-sustaining group of obnoxious people on the mud.  Their
> behaviour has infected the general behaviour with a degree of
> anti-social behaviour that's anathema to a primarily social mud.

Step one.  Be very vocal about that obnoxious behaviour is not tolerated
and can be punished in any way the imm on duty sees fit.

Step two.  Remind the offending players that an imm has more ways to pu-
nish them than they can escape.

Step three.  Ban them.  They come back.  Keep banning them  until either
they get bored of the game of outwitting you, or until you need to go to
even more drastic measures.

Your aim is to disrupt the obnoxious players until they no longer can be
seen as a coherent group.  Never at any cost allow them to drag you into
a match of rules lawyering. They will win that, and it is a waste of ti-
me for you.  Instead be as unreasonable as you have to be  to drive them
off the mud.  Make it clear to the players that obnoxious behaviour will
not be tolerated  (and be certain to do some snooping  between hearing a
complaint  and stepping in  so that you know who is the guilty party, so
that you can ignore all pleas and arguments).
People are obnoxious because it entertains them, or because it is profi-
table to them.  As an imm your task is to make it unentertaining and not
rewarding. Freezing, muting, banning are all proven ways to make the mud
not fun to play.  The typical "reward" people get out of obnoxious beha-
viour is attention.  Making it impossible for a player  to interact with
another is generally a suitable way to put a stop to that. It may requi-
re some coding though,  you will want to lock them away from things like
bulletin boards  and direct links to imms  as well.  This also serves to
prevent them from turning the conflict with you  into a verbal war  that
might annoy, affect or otherwise bother the regular players.
Once obnoxious behaviour is seen as an exception  rather than as a rule,
you no longer need to be  so heavy handed  and only lightly moderate the
game so you know when a player is toeing the line, so to speak, and deal
with him before he becomes a problem. At that stage talking is likely to
be more effective than virtual violence.

All this is,  of course,  based on my own personal belief that is should
not be up to the players to police the behavour of each other.


Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey

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