[MUD-Dev] Magic system that can do anything

[John Buehler]

matt hellige writes:

> i've thought a lot about this. one of my big questions about such
> a game is: how do you keep it a game?

> in other words, what kind of interface for magic/building/etc
> would you advocate in order to prevent the game from turning into
> nothing but "duelling programmers"... presumably, at the very
> least some kind of scripting/macros would be
> necessary... otherwise, so much typing might be required that the
> pacing would turn it into a virtual play-by-mail.

If you don't want it to be a case of dueling programmers, make all
magic easily detected, as well as opposed or disrupted.  This way,
when somebody invents magical dynamite, it is far more easily used
as an excavation tool and less as a weapon of war.  If it's far more
difficult to research, compose and summon a spell than it is to
disrupt an arbitrary spell - even one that you have no idea of its
effect - then use of spells in any sort of contentious environment
will be largely impractical.

This means that the game world must provide all sorts of
opportunities for players to employ their magic.  The resulting game
is the one of discovery and socialization, instead of discovery and
then killing and achieving.  Achievements would still be available
for those who master magic, of course, but they would be in
conjunction with those who have other skills.  Because magic is
easily detected and opposed, all cases where there is contention
will eliminate the potential use of magic.  This gives grief players
an easy outlet, but I leave dealing with grief players as an
exercise to the reader of MUD-Dev.

Such a formula might work very well for teenage children who are
working on their reasoning and social skills.  Carefully monitored
by adults, of course.

JB

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