[MUD-Dev] Character Restraint & Capture (bounty hunting)

[Mike Shaver]

Brian Hook wrote:

> If it's non-consensual PvP, why should someone have to pay?  If
> you're a newbie and just got PKed by a high level griefer, how can
> you possibly afford to pay a bounty?

> Instead, simply allow them to "report them to the authorities"
> which then automatically generates a bounty.

> A system wide bounty for the target is then announced, and anyone
> with a Bounty Hunter skill can bring them to justice.  Give perks
> other than just money -- reputation, XP, whatever.

Then I'll get together with my friend and trade bounties on each
other, laughing all the way to the bank, won't I?

I guess I won't if the death penalty is grave, but then a bounty
will be cold comfort for someone who got ganked headed to the bank.

Eve's system has players able to put a bounty on anyone's head who
attacks them, I believe, and it's only paid out when the target is
"podded" (has their escape pod killed, which causes skill loss in
addition to the economic loss of having one's ship destroyed).  The
asymmetry is interesting, to me, in that it deters trading bounties
somewhat, while still making it accessible for people who haven't
suffered the "whole" death penalty.  Of course, once the accumulated
bounties exceed the cost of death -- either of a complete insurance
policy, or item replacement, or just in terms of the player's
perception of the game-money value of that lost to death -- you get
people conspiring to have their friends claim the big bounty and
split it.

Maybe that's not a problem: people _are_ paying to have the target
killed, so maybe they shouldn't care who does, as long as it
happens.  I still suspect that some people will feel cheated if some
of the bounty money ends up in the hands of the target.

Mike
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