[MUD-Dev] Alignment

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199708260030.TAA05736 at dfw-ix9.ix.netcom.com>, on 08/25/97 
   at 07:01 PM, "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> said:

>Who really wants to run for office on a chaotic evil platform against
>one running on a lawful good platform? ;)

This calls into question the more interesting area of value systems,
which in turn calls into question the entire area of popularity
campaigns within MUDs.

Consider:

  The prime concentration in a MUD is to have "fun", however that
"fun" is defined.

  The prime concentration in RL is to survive, or to improve one's
survival.  

Survival is not always synonymous with "fun".  Additionally the value
of survival is considerably lower.  IRL few would consider a program
which slaughtered hundreds for the possible benefit of a few (enemy
hundreds or no), yet in a MUD this is pro forma.  Additionally any MUD
activity or program which is seen as "fun" will be championed, and
activities strictly geared to survival downplayed.  Few want to spend
their MUD time scrubbing pots and pans behind the Inn while earning a
liveable MUD wage.  Many are willing to grab a rusty piece of lightly
hammered iron with one less-dull edge and run off to confront Tiamat's
rotisserie oven.

Reverting to the above quote for a GOP game:

  I'd suspect that an chaotic evil platform could easily be played to
the hilt, making it very fun, with all sorts of crafty embellishments,
jibes, digs, and finger pointing at the stodgy enemy.  "Yes!  You too
can wander in the pits of hell turning up the flames on your favourite
enemies, pouring acid on their festering wounds, awarding yourself the
choice selections from their EQ...etc,"  or even the more probable
fun-thru-corruption campaign.

As Hollywood has long known, Bad Guys are fun.  The recent otherwise
abysmall Batman movies are perfect cases in point.  Who remembers
Buster Keaton's role in Batman 1?  Who remembers Wolf Man Jack as the
Joker?

Given this, the whole question of popularity campaigns within a MUD,
especially something like the Rank Point system I proposed earlier, is
questionable.  It would seem that the "civilising" influences will now
have to be embedded in the game (otherwise unplayable chaos will
result) with the players acting as injected corrupting influences.  

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
...Honorary Member Clan McFUD -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...