[MUD-Dev] Re: Role-playing

[Ling]

On Fri, 16 May 1997, Shawn Halpenny wrote:

> At no point am I required to say "Now there is a network of thieves.  Go
> ahead and use it." in order for there to be a network of thieves.  If
> Bubba the Thief says to himself one day "Gee, I'd like to get a bunch of
> the guys together and start and little B n' E group with benefits and
> pension plan" there's no problem with that.  He can write the code he
> needs to make things work:  if he wants a meeting room, he can make one. 
> If he wants 10% of all members' pilfered gold to go into the network's
> bank account, he can code that in too. 
> 
> Admittedly, if Bubba can't code, his chances at getting a really smooth
> network going are slim, though he can always ask someone to do it for him.

I personally prefer not to expose the players to any code at all if
possible.  The only exception to this could be programming *inside* the
game, even then it would be a very simple form (see Gravity, Amiga
computer game).  In the above, Bob (Bubba changed his name by Deed Poll)
would hire out a meeting room at the local scouts', his flat/house, some
sewer (as is the case :), open an account with the bank using any name he
likes, etc.  If the players need to code something up then I think it's a
problem with the server.  The mud should be able to cater for most needs
except for the most extreme.

Take the most famous merchant example:  If Bob was truely famous then he
would have gotten to know a lot of people, a number of pc's count who know
Bob can be kept.  If this is quite high, then obviously the npc's in town
would also know Bob.  Bob is also well known in the trading centres,
therefore Bob is a merchant.  Royalty bit looks a bit naff to me...

> My approach is to create the rudiments of a world for people to muck
> around in and then let them muck around in it.  I try not to force them to
> conform to how I say things have to be. 

I force them to conform to my universe *then* let them muck about. :)

  |    Ling				"Mental slavery,
_O_O_  Freshwater fish since 1976	 set my spirit free"