[MUD-Dev] Non-combat advancement and roleplay

[Ashen Temper]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian 'Psychochild' Green" <brian at psychochild.org>
> To: <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 2:12 AM
> Subject: [MUD-Dev] Non-combat advancement and roleplay

> I propose that the prestige be player run, and that rank is
> derived from prestige. You will not be ablt to be mayor, unless
> your prestige is above a certain level. The players are then asked
> to 'vote' for, say 10 levels of prestige.

While I agree with the first part, I disagree with the latter.
Perhaps I missed the part on how prestige could be gained (I just
joined the group...  by the way, hi =-) but my guess is through some
type of notoriety or reputation system.  Unfortunately, these types
of systems will be flawed because there are some players out there
that are just damn sneaky and can manipulate these systems with
ease.  Instead, the entire "government" system should be entirely
player-run.  On top of that, they should have various templates to
choose from, such as a democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, and republic.
This way, some governments can be set up where the originator has
all the power... and if you don't like it, you either leave or
destroy the guild.  On the other side of the spectrum are
governments where every member has equal say (and then there are
those governments that are a mix of the two using a form of an
"inner council").

Within each individual government there should be a ranking system.
Ranks are not assigned by the computer but instead by the government
system (the players).  Of course, this does not assist when a player
of one government is in the territory of another.  Let me use an
example for this next part.  Say I am a Bard in my lands
(Seaninatia) and the King (in our Monarchy) has bestowed upon me the
rank of Loremaster (a very high rank for Bards).  I travel to a
neighboring land where I have never been before and learn they are
ruled by an oligarchy type government (a government created by a
group who wish to share power only between themselves and retain
that power indefinitely).  While in their city, I run across a
fellow Bard by the name of Mark.  Mark looks at my status and sees
that I have the rank of Loremaster in the lands of Seaninatia but
the rank of "Unknown" (the default rank) in his hands (Marksville).
After staying in their lands for a few weeks, telling tales of
adventure and intrigue and having a profound knowledge of numerous
items and events in history, I am taken to the Inner Council.  I
share a few tales with them and they agree that I am quite skilled
in my profession so they bestow upon me the rank of Lorekeeper.
Now, when anyone in Marksville views my status, they see I am known
as a Loremaster in Seaninatia and a Lorekeeper in Marksville.  A few
months later I come back to Marksville and the Inner Council summons
me again.  They have found an item but none of their Bards or other
Lorekeepers know quite what it is.  When I see it, I instantly
recognize it and tell the Inner Council to destroy it.  They ask how
I know of it and I tell them that the King of Seaninatia received
the same item and that it is a trick by the God of Mischief known as
Ashen.  If left within the kingdom for a month, the plants will
begin to wither and die and the land will be soured for a year.  The
Inner Council destroys the item and thanks me for my help by
bestowing the title Loremaster in the lands of Marksville.

This way you put the power in the player's hands, with the correct
tools.  There are systems working like this already... the
leadership of Guilds and Clans.  They just do not have the right
tools (in-game), for the most part.

Now, how does this work in the scenario of "Kill the King".  It
doesn't and shouldn't.  The guards should be loyal to whomever hired
them (and also that person should be able to place people on a list
of "People to Protect").  So, in if Joe Bob the aspiring assassin
tries to kill the King, the guards assist the King.  If Ashen the
Assassin, feared and wanted in 10 kingdoms, comes to kill the King,
the guards will still assist the King.  If Todd the Terrific,
champion of this kingdom and renown hero of 5 others comes to kill
the King, the guards should still assist the King.  Now, if the
Queen comes in, who is on the King's list of People to Protect, and
tries to kill the King, the guards should pretty much stand around
dumbfound... unsure of what to do.  And if the Queen is smart, she
hired her own guards.  The King is not on the Queen's list so her
guards attack the King.  The Queen's Guards (only her person) is not
on the King's List so his guards attack her guards.  Could come out
to be quite a scuffle.

Anyhow, when it all comes down to it, I think the control should be
solely in the player's hands, but with the right tools.  When you
take it out of their hands, chaos will ensue because some players
will learn how to circumvent the system and even use it to their
advantage.  I've already seen it happen in a few games.

Sean
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