[MUD-Dev] Re: Advantage for outside skills

[T. Alexander Popiel]

In message: <21B26BB5102AD31194D00050049B9F5CA71509 at ORIGIN-MS1> Jeff
Fuller <jfuller at originmail.com> writes:
> Ben Greear wrote:

>> If magic is working with arcane runes and powers invisible to
>> most mortals, how much different is that from getting your perl
>> script to help you in battle? :)

> Because you give a certain class of players a distinct advantage
> with skills outside the scope of the game. People who can and
> understand programming become elite warriors. Those who do not
> become sheep, and in turn become frustrated and leave your
> environment. You end up with a serious imbalance in game
> mechanics.

> It hardly seems fair if some brilliant coder has devised a special
> script that lets him react at twice the speed of a non scripted
> player in your game world, thus rendering your non-scripted player
> weaker due to technology not play skill/knowledge.

> You don't want your RPG to become a test of coding skills? Unless
> of course your game is some kind of game involving programming :)

How is this any different than giving advantage to those people with
the social networking and leadership skills to be able to organize
hunting parties and clans?  It seems that group-independant play is
actively discouraged by most online games, even though that's just
another form of game mechanic bias.

It hardly seems fair if some brilliant leader has recruited a
tight-knit cabal that lets him fight with four times the manpower of
a solo player in your game world, thus rendering your solo player
weaker due to social skills, not play skill/knowledge.

You don't want your RPG to become a test of social skills?  Unless
of course your game is some kind of game involving politics. :)

- Alex (with apologies)
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