[MUD-Dev] (fwd) MOB or player? Re: Global Communications on Muds

[J C Lawrence]

'Twould seem relevant to the current PK rehash.

From: Richard Woolcock <KaVir at dial.pipex.comNOSPAM>
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.diku,rec.games.mud.lp,rec.games.mud.admin,rec.games.mud.tiny
Subject: MOB or player? Re: Global Communications on Muds
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 20:28:13 -0700

Arlie Stephens wrote:
> 

[snip]

> I also like my fellow players to be friendly. I don't want a world that
> pits me against them, whether because some of us are "evil" or because of
> some built in "war" or clan system. If that were my game, I'd log into
> a straight PK mud.

[snip]

> As for "mindless killing" ... there's a big difference between diku-classic
> (yawn) and interesting "mobs" that actually fight intelligently, react to
> players, etc..  It's not "mindless" when I have to figure out how to kill
> this particular individual NPC, and he summons friends, remembers my
> habits of killing in his area (and reacts appropriately), and of course
> behaves differently depending on his configuration.

[snip]

I am curious about your distinction between player and mob...which of the
following would you fight?

* Boffo the exp mob.  He repops, people kill him, he repops, people kill
  him.  *yawn*.

* Boffo the tough mob.  He's just a normal mob, but with lots of hp, hit
  and dam.  Average fight takes several hours.  *yawn*.

* Boffo the smart mob.  He'll fight back, he'll come after you if you flee,
  he'll kill your friends, steal your equipment, and torture your pet cat.
  If you don't find him first, he'll be sure to find you.

* Boffo the really smart mob.  He's programmed with complex AI, allowing
  him to respond to basic stuff like a player would.  He'll be nice to you
  if you're nice to him.

* Boffo the imm-controlled mob.  He's just a regular mob, except that one
  of the imms has decided to switch into him.  Now Boffo acts the same as
  any player would.

* Bubba the newbie player.  He is trying to find his way around mud school,
  and isn't bothering anyone.  You know you could easily beat him.

* Bubba the average player.  He is wandering around, killing stuff.  You
  could probably beat him without much difficulty.

* Bubba the obnoxious player.  He is shouting abusive stuff, and stealing
  your kills.  You could probably beat him.

* Bubba the mighty.  He's mean, tough, and he's got a great sword that you
  want.  It would require all of your skill to beat him, but you know the
  perfect trap to set.

* Bubba the afk/linkdead.  You could kill him and he'd never even know it
  was you!  Good chance to restock your healing potions, too.

* Bubba the trigger bot.  He's just wandering around, casting spells and
  killing stuff.  Laziness deserves punishment, and who better than you to
  carry out the punishment?


Now imagine an introduction system, so mobs and players look the same.
Imagine that players don't necessarily appear on the who list, and that
dead mobs don't come back (instead, the mud spawns new types of mob).

Is that goblin standing in the room a linkdead player, or just a regular
mob?  Is the dwarf charging around town a spec_prog or a bot?  Was that
guy you grouped with earlier really a player, or was it the imp's new AI
mob?

You said you enjoy killing clever mobs, but not killing players.  My 
question to you is:  Why?

KaVir.

--
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                               Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------(*)                     Internet: claw at under.engr.sgi.com
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...

--
MUD-Dev: Advancing an unrealised future.