[MUD-Dev] BlackSnow sues Mythic for online property rights

[Frank Crowell]

From: "Ola Fosheim Grøstad" <olag at ifi.uio.no>
> "Freeman, Jeff" wrote:
>> From: Frank Crowell

>>> We are at the embryo phase of virtual worlds. It's very possible
>>> that sometime before I die there will be several models of
>>> character and object ownship.  One approach could very well be
>>> the completely transferrable character -- or portable character
>>> as I have called them.

>> I've played the same character in every MMORPG on the market, and
>> in a few FPS's as well.

>> What is it that the game companies could be "bundling up" and
>> shipping back to you?

> There are general research (and standardization) efforts directed
> towards making such things possible. I.e. avatar attributes,
> personal profiles, meta data etc... These efforts can easily be
> extend to other areas, such as RPG mechanics. Not that I see the
> point, except it might make it easier to get people to switch over
> to your game. (just like insurance companies let you keep the
> bonus you have saved up with another company)

I guess it really depends on your perspective.  The VRML (Web3D)
people are heavily commited to things like this because they have
little notion of a centralized server model.  To them, objects are
transported through space and their whole model is based around that
idea.

The character can be seem as a shell, such as in The movie The13th
Floor, where it is always at the server farm, and you enter it from
time to time.  Or as you own avatar -- one that you customize
according to you own desires and use in whatever ways you want and
in whatever system you want.  You can see a sample of this on the
modern message boards where you can upload you own image.  Some
people use the stock images, other upload.

I remember a time when people used to ask me what they could do with
a personal computer.  I always answered "I know what I use one for,
I have no idea why what you would do with one".

People define themselves by the stuff they have.  Even homeless
people push around large shopping carts every day and those carts
are filled with their stuff -- maybe junk to us -- but try to touch
their stuff and see what you get.

This is a big world and there is more than one way to get a donkey
drunk.  I am firmly, entirely, completely, forever in the camp of
personal characters, personal virtual stuff, personal worlds.
Anything less than that is merely "renting an apartment until I can
afford (find) better".

frank

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