[MUD-dev] Player Manipulation of Environment

[Matt Mihaly]

On Thu, 22 Nov 2001, Paul Schwanz wrote:

> When you allow players to manipulate their environment, how do you
> ensure that manipulation doesn't create imbalances?  Should you
> even try to do this?  What about if the imbalances lead to some
> sort of dead end.  (i.e. Do you allow the Empire to crush the
> Rebel Alliance?  If not, won't the player actions seem futile?  If
> you do, what happens when the Rebel Alliance is so weak that no
> one wants to be a part of them any more?)  How do you ensure
> player manipulation doesn't impinge upon another player's ability
> to enjoy the game?  Should you even attempt this?

The problem there is that you're trying to create a dynamic
environment out of a static one. If the only two options are the
Rebel Alliance or the Empire, then of course there's going to be
problems. If you're not limiting yourself to the Rebel Alliance or
the Empire, then you have a much smaller problem. Provide the
players with the ability to dynamically create and break these
political organizations, and that problem is dramatically lessened
(though of course it creates other ones). Empires can't last, by
their very nature, due to human nature. It's "just" a matter of
letting that human nature do its work in the case you gave above.

--matt

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