[MUD-Dev] Re: combat

[diablo at best.com]

On Tue, 26 Jan 1999, Holly Sommer wrote:

> On Mon, 25 Jan 1999 diablo at best.com wrote:
> 
> > With all due respect, your paragraph illustrates one of my major
> > complaints with combat on virtually every mud I've ever played. Why is
> > just doing damage so important? 
> 
> *ding* *ding* *ding* :) Wouldn't it be a far greater challenge to 
> _subdue_ your opponent? I mean really... you don't shoot a wild horse, 
> you "break" it :)

In fact, no. The difference is that what you are trying to do in combat on
a mud (at least what I was always trying to do) when killing someone was
break their spirit. Death in a mud (at least in the ones I'm interested
in) is not permanent like real life. Killing someone repeatedly is
analogous to 'breaking' a wild horse. You heap death upon death on
someone, repeatedly strip them of everything they own, and never let them
walk the land without constant fear of You. Eventually, if they do not
quit the game (acceptable losses), you can show them a little bit of
kindness (give the horse a sugar cube) and then their soul is yours.
--matt