[MUD-Dev] Histories and Legends

[Paul Schwanz]

"Koster, Raph" wrote:
> From: paul.schwanz at sun.com

>> If these virtual worlds were more dynamic, if they offered
>> players the ability to accomplish things outside of their own
>> character, and if those things persisted beyond the life of the
>> character, would players be more inclined to accept death as part
>> of their character's life?  And without death, can a character
>> truly be memorialized or become a legend?

> Both real-world death and the simple act of never returning to the
> game provide exactly this form of persona death. I would argue,
> though, that in many ways the real-world death of a player is
> handled better in these communities than the act of
> departure. Why?  Because we build rituals around the one, and
> generally not around the other.

Agreed.  But I would really like to see character death result in
something much closer to these same sorts of rituals.  They can
bring comfort and poignancy to a character's death.  They help
emphasize the story of a character's death over the game mechanics
of the same.  They help promote an understanding that meshes with
our cultural human filters instead of one that meshes with our
game-player filters.  They can help create a sad moment instead of
an annoying moment.  For me, experiencing sadness is much more
entertaining than experiencing annoynance.

For character death to really have this kind of meaning, though, I
would think it needs to be rare and permanent.  Property, items, and
skill might be passed on to prodigy, (to ease player annoyance even
more) but I think the character needs to pass out of existence.

For the most part, though, I don't really think I'd change the way
that combat-style MMORPGs are played.  If, as a developer, I didn't
want a character dead, I just wouldn't have the server kill him.
Most combat would result in a state of unconsciousness.  A hand
might be lost in a particularly nasty battle.  I'd just reserve the
term "death" for something that had a bit more meaning and emotion
attached to it, and try to give the players the tools they needed to
enact those rituals that help make death an interesting story, of
heroism, as often as possible.

When I think of an MMORPG legend, I think of Kazola and her tavern.
I've never met Kazola.  Nor have I had a drink in her tavern.  (I
never played UO, although I was intensely interested in the game.)
If I had, I'm quite sure she wouldn't be nearly as legendary in my
mind as she is.  I don't think she is still serving beverages in her
Treetop Keg and Winery on the Great Lakes' server, but if I could
simply log on and talk to her, in what way would she be a legend?
She might be a wonderful community leader, a large hub in the social
network, but a legend?

I suppose the ability to delete a character could be considered a
form of permadeath, but am I the only one who tends to see a player
who does this as kinda cheap and needy?  I just don't think I'll
feel the same way about the person who does deletes a character for
attention as I will about the player whose character dies heroically
and sacrificially for some in-game cause that she valued more than
her character's life.  Of course, the rub may be found when
attempting to implement some form of death such that the character
never dies accidentally and ignominiously for some cause he valued
not at all, but I'm not overly pessimistic about the possibilities.

--Phinehas


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