[MUD-Dev] RP/PG examples

[Jeff Kesselman]

At 08:23 AM 6/3/97 PST8PDT, you wrote:
>On Mon, 2 Jun 1997 21:23:49 PST8PDT, clawrenc at cup.hp.com wrote:
>
>>In <3391bd5b.32580552 at relay.mnsinc.com>, on 06/01/97 
>>   at 09:36 AM, caliban at darklock.com (Caliban Tiresias Darklock) said:
>>
>>>Your example is fallacious. The RPer expects the system to stay out
>>>of his way. The powergamer uses the system to get his way. 
>>
>>You appear to be restating my point.
>
>Let me try a different tactic.
>
>The RPer (in my opinion) does not work 'within' the system. The RPer
>works without regard or concern for the system. The system itself is a
>necessary annoyance. The RPer is instead concerned with the end result

Um... no.  This is nto m yexperience. The roleplayer works within the
system for design and growth of his character.  He is nto hwoever obesessed
WITh the system as a system. he or she sees it as a definitional tool
defining the environment in which he or she plays.

Yes, you Do occasionally get those who try to ignore the world setting and
build ill fitting characters with the given system-- they are genrally NOT
highly regarded within the roleplay community asnd are no more frequent
then your "SDKs" at most. Similarly, those who want to play things abvoe
and beyoind the system, like the typical "gods on earth" characters are
also seen as rather juvenile by the community at large.

Most often though, you see player ignoring the system because the system
provides NO rp support whatsoever, and so they have no choice.

>-- in the word processor example, he wants a document. If the software
>is in his way, he will circumvent it and complain about bad design just
>as much as the powergamer might. 

Or the PvPer does when the PvP is unbalanced. All user complain.  Basic truth.

>
>The powergamer, on the other hand, is not particularly concerned with
>how well the system works, but with how many toys it gives him to play
>with. 

Not in my experience. If those tyoys mean ntohing because the system is so
off balance that there are a very few "right" toys to use... he wil lfidn
the, use them, and complain about it.

> The powergamer is more likely to consider an
>area based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail acceptable, because it's a
>toy and it's cool. The RPer is likely to consider it frivolous and
>inappropriate to the standard heroic fantasy setting.

Nope. I disagree 100%. The pwoergamer is liekly to hate it ebcause it makes
no "sense" and does not have a good game-logic to it that cna be figured
otu and exploited. A "Holy Grail" area woudl be semi-random and by
definition illogical.

On the other hand Roleplayers reallly enjoy a silly diversion. its not
where they sopend most of their time, but games like TOON and Illuminati
have always been VERY popular in RP circles.


JK