[MUD-Dev] Ethical behavior ... a hijacking.

[John Buehler]

Jeff Cole writes:
> From: Matt Mihaly

>> I think what John means here is that avatars don't have rights,
>> and the idea of them having rights is a bit loony. They are just
>> database entries.

> I don't really understand the need for a distinction.  I mean
> beyond engaging in some semantic argument, what is (are) the
> substantive distinction(s)?  I have no problem referring to
> avatars instead of players or vice-versa.  For what reason,
> though, is it necessary for me to use one or the other?

> To make a distinction seems to imply that the separate avatars of
> one player might be entitled to different sets of "rights."

Nope.  The issue here is one of emphasis.  What is important in
gaming and entertainment?  The avatars or the players?  They are not
one and the same.  Yet the games only show the avatars.  Where are
the players?  There isn't even a public identity for a player.  Is
this a multiplayer game or a multicharacter game?

>> John doesn't feel that players are intelligent enough or have
>> enough willpower to limit their playing hours to what he deems is
>> reasonable.

> Well, my point was that in the very post in which he calls for
> player's rights, he talks about knowing what is best for players.
> Hmmmm ... seems like "knowing what is best for players" could be
> used to trample quite a few "rights."

I don't claim to know what's best for players.  I claim that random
evolution, driven by a desire to obtain a maximum number of
subscribers is no basis for ensuring that we do the best thing for
players.

As for trampling rights, what actually has been happening is that
privileges have been taken away from us because enough individuals
in our society have abused those privileges or they are inherently
prone to abuse.  No driving at high speeds.  No walking into
somebody's home without their permission.  No drawing pictures on
public buildings.  No carrying guns in public.  No burning of
rubbish.  Yet all of these privileges are available to those who
still need them.  As we discover additional privileges that are
being abused, they will be reserved to those who can establish that
there is corresponding value to the community.  That's the ideal, of
course.

>> In some cases, he's probably right, but that's their problem, not
>> mine as a developer/administrator.

>> but John feels, I think, that addiction should be the
>> developer/administrator's responsibility rather than the players'
>> (or at least partially the developer/administrator's
>> responsibility).  >

> So, then, it's less about player's rights and more about
> developer's responsibilities? Ack!

There's a military maxim that goes something like "Assign
responsibility commensurate with authority".  And vice versa.
Developers enjoy the privilege of authority to have an effect on the
psyche of tens of thousands of people.  They should be responsible
for that privilege.

JB

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