[MUD-Dev] Ghostmode (was: Re: SW:G)

[Michael Tresca]

From: Lars Duening [mailto:lars at bearnip.com]

> We tried to implement something like that once in a text MUD, but
> it never really took off. One reason was a lack of manpower to
> adjust all the existing areas to allow ghosts to wander around;
> the other inertia from both players and wizards - sightseeing was
> apparently not cool enough for players, and for wizards
> implementing non-combat oriented features for ghosted players
> would have required *gasp* imagination.

We had ghosts similar to this on Retro.  Only you had to die to
become one.  Once you became a ghost you could wander around and
view everything.

And guess what happened?

They became the ultimate spies.  Newbies would die to check out
unexplored areas.  They would die to go visit an area that was
blocked by a particular monster.  They would roam around as ghosts
for hours, providing ultradetailed maps for everyone.

In short, the mode was utterly abused as a metagame construct.

I understand the appeal.  It's sort of like reading the script of a
movie after viewing the movie. You can see the nuts and bolts of the
product after it's done and thereby get a new form of enjoyment out
of it.  But that's just it -- if you're looking for that level of
enjoyment, it (by virtue of its nature) nullifies enjoying the
product on a visceral level.  Unless we can somehow keep people from
communicating information to them, this happens:

I'm in a movie theater and I've read the script to the movie.
Someone who's seeing the movie for the first time is sitting next to
me in the movie theater.  And I shout out, "Don't worry it looks
like she's dead but she's not" every time.  Yeah, *I* got enjoyment
out of reading the script, but by sharing it with someone who isn't
interested in that level of involvement, I actually RUIN their
experience.

In short...explorer-types taken to an extreme are deterimental to
new players who do not have the same play style.

Mike "Talien" Tresca
RetroMUD Administrator
http://michael.tresca.net
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev at kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev