Players policing themselves (was: [MUD-Dev] MMO Launch issues ruining potential segments of themarket.)

[Marian Griffith]

In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Sun 29 Jun, Derek Licciardi wrote:
> From: Matt Mihaly
>> On Thu, 19 Jun 2003, Chris Holko wrote:

>>> Non PvP games are popular because a majority does not care to
>>> have their gameplay dictated to them by another player.  Players
>>> CANNOT be trusted to police themselves.  Just as you cannot put
>>> code into the client because of hackers you cannot put justice
>>> into the hands of players.

>> Players cannot expect to police themselves, it is true.

Players can police themselves, but PK is rather a crude method.

> I'm not sure I buy this.  The entire statement seems to fly in the
> face of the whole "cultural norm" observations happening in many
> MUDs/MMOs.  In SB, player killing is largely controlled by the
> city leaders and the siege system.  Freehold cities are known for
> their rampant player killing but I can tell you that each of my
> R4+ characters have never been PKed at any point in their
> development.  Cultural norms seem to police the player base
> properly and they are most definitely setup by the players.  In EQ
> rare, uber spawn points are policed by players through the use of
> lists and other tools. (web sites) As a player you cannot get
> access to those spawns without getting on the list and
> circumventing the list could blacklist your character pretty
> harshly.  The same effect happens with discipline rune in SB.  I'm
> sure we could all come up with other examples.

The problem with all this is that, to be able to play, each player
MUST be involved (or willing to be involved) in PK activity.  This
drives out those players who want a more laid-back experience.  It
is of course just a reiteration of the Tailor's dilemma.

You are right that it is a matter of game culture (or societal mo-
res), and so far nobody has been able to provide a good way handle
the dilemma.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey
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