[MUD-Dev] Reality check ...(long) [was Re: Black Snow Revisited]

[John Buehler]

Matt Mihaly writes:
> On Wed, 3 Apr 2002, John Buehler wrote:

>> Consider if game items and game characteristics were swapped.
>> You can't give away your items, but you can give away your stats.
>> Does this make stats a real world item?  You can't see them.  But
>> you can trade them.  You can use them.  But you can't destroy
>> them.  Just because a virtual sword walks, talks and acts like a
>> real sword doesn't make it a real sword.  I believe that THAT is
>> what the law will eventually discover.

> And a virtual sword DOESN'T walk, talk, or act like a real sword
> to begin with! Try cutting someone's head off with a virtual
> sword.

What happens when the physical simulation of an environment
reproduces reality with such a high degree of fidelity that the vast
majority of users have the perception that it truly is an alternate
reality?  Does that make the virtual sword a sword?  In my book it
does not.  It doesn't matter how perfectly the game mimics a real
sword.  The game remains entertainment only.

"There is no spoon"

JB

_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev