[MUD-Dev] Re: Recursive look

[Brandon J. Rickman]

Meanwhile, the less technically inclined (or those less inclinded to speak
technically) were discussing:

On Sat, 24 Oct 1998, Marian Griffith wrote:
> In <URL:/archives/meow?group+local.muddev> on Fri 23 Oct, Brandon J. Rickman wrote:
> > Aw, Marian, you're no fun.
> 
> I am, just not about sexist things. Must be my feminist side acting up.
> I have the same reaction to movies  where women's armour consists of a
> fur-rimmed swimsuit.

Ah, +2 Leather Armor of Ample Cleavage.  Don't know if you've seen the
kind of avatars people use on Palace (the graphical chat program).  The
spectacle of a dozen hairless-chested Leonardo DiCaprio's.

> > Besides, muds already objectify players, at least the characteristics that
> > are important to social interactions:
> 
> If this means what I think it means then that is fine. However you are
> asking for a great deal of trouble  if you treat some group of players
> as different from another group.

Well I wasn't making any judgements (at least not yet), but there are
developing attitudes directed towards cetain types of players.  It is just
that the groups don't seem to have any real world physical characteristics  
defining them.  There may be social distinctions, players with more money
can afford to spend more time online, have better machines, &c.  But the
groups I was trying to point out were those based on in-game
characteristics, and the kind of in-game discrimination practiced towards
those groups.  Not just PKers, but:

people who just sit and chat all the time - they must think they're so
cool, but really they're losers.
people who use macros and clients - don't bother to talk to them, they
aren't paying attention.

> Somehow I don't think this is in the same league as showing every male
> character  who happens to look at a female character  something in the
> line of  'You notice she has ... tits'.  (fill in the qualification of
> your choice), or showing every female character who happens to be seen
> by a male character '... is undressing you with his eyes.'  Not funny,
> not necessary and all in all a very bad idea.

I think most people would agree as to how pointless that kind of activity
is, especially in a text-based world.  But who knows what kind of
tolerances and fashions will emerge as virtual worlds develop?  Given the
boys club that tries to control the computer game industry...

- B