[MUD-Dev] Expectations of in-game reality

[J C Lawrence]

On Thu, 25 Oct 2001 07:52:11 -0700 
Jeff Freeman <Freeman> wrote:

> 'Course the issue of consistency doesn't have to be resolved by
> introducing death.  It could be resolved by having all the NPCs to
> stop pretending that some other NPC died, deleting the graveyards,
> and so on.

There are two sorts of internal consistency: logical and dramatic.
In Gibson's Neuromancer the lead character spends almost the entire
book bemoaning the fact that he wants to jack in and can't.  During
that time he has untold opportunities to and doesn't.  

Yet the story works.

A 50 tonne dragon with wings the size of postage stamps flying is
not logically internally consistent, not unless you can also fly by
wiggling your ears.  It makes good story however.  Why?  

  "Because its a dragon silly, and everybody knows that dragons can
  fly and people can't.  

  "Why?  'Coz that's just the way it is and it makes the story work.
  Now stop picking at the stitching (or how sausages are made)."

--
J C Lawrence
---------(*)                Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas.
claw at kanga.nu               He lived as a devil, eh?
http://www.kanga.nu/~claw/  Evil is a name of a foeman, as I live.
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