[MUD-Dev] Player Justice

[Jester]

John Buehler Wrote:

> But what I've been reading for a few days now is statements about
> in-game "justice" for what amounts to grief play.  I've always
> assumed that grief play was defined by actions that players take
> that is counter to (damaging to) the intent of the game.  That it
> is 'outside' the game experience.  If I'm playing chess with
> somebody and a griefer comes along and flips over the board, we
> don't dock him a queen in his next match.  We eject him from the
> place that we're playing.  Perhaps after a warning.

As it stands at the moment many of the current games have not even
tried to implement control over antisocial play in this way. So to
use your example If you are playing chess at a particular venue you
do so knowing the risk that some idiot may come and flip the board,
and that you will have no recourse against them.

The fact that this has stood as the 'norm' for so long is a major
obstacle in designing a system to control 'griefers'

> The "ultimate punishment" is to eject a player from the game
> (support issues are expensive).  Obviously, this is fraught with
> the usual re-emergence problem where a player just starts up
> another subscription to your game.  But that is a real world
> battle with a person who is acting against the interests of your
> game company.  It has nothing to do with putting that player's
> character in virtual jail.

I disagree, as you pointed out a banned character can easily regain
access to the game, so rather than eject the player in the first
place (loosing track of them in the process) use a system that makes
their in-game experience less pleasant i.e. Being locked up, fined,
subjected to public ridicule etc. That way the more they try to
spoil thing for others the more *their* enjoyment of the game is
negatively effected.

There will still be issues where a ban is needed, emoted rapes, or
other antisocial actions that breach the terms of play, but the
issue of killing another player simply to spoil their enjoyment of
the game is then addressed with consequences.

My personal view is that non-consenting PvP can be addressed through
a bounty hunting system (as discussed previously in this list) I do
not claim this idea is a full justice system but it does deal with
one of the most common causes of 'grief'

> So am I right in observing that many here are attempting to come
> up with in-game justice for griefers?

I for one am, but only one particular aspect of grief play.  the
concept for which can be found at:

  http://www.futuremmorpg.org/capture.asp

Jester
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