Newsgroups: alt.fan.pern,rec.games.mud.tiny
Subject: Re: Rider Distribution
From: mark@eis.calstate.edu (Mark Crother)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 22:38:53 GMT
Organization: California State University

In article <C1Hx2M.DLK@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Edward.L.Wallace@dartmouth.edu (Edward L. Wallace) writes:
[stuff nuked]
>
>*  Just what is it that holders can *do*.  A lot of people don't see
>roleplaying as something to _do_ (and in my opinion they are missing
>out on the best part of a Pern MUD).  The excitment isn't in staying at
>your hold and doing mindless chores day in and day out... and it seems
>implausible for all the Holders of all the Holds to suddenly be on
>vacation and wandering about Pern to 'see the sights'.  Then again,
>perhaps the Holder Players represent only a very insignificant portion
>of the entire Holder population and this wandering about could be
>thought of as typical.

I think to intrest people as holders, you need to give them more powers.
Be it building, or admin/guide work, that is debatable.  But in the
books, the holds are just as important as the weyr and hall.  Maybe more
time needs to be given to developing a working economy, where food, cratfs 
and such are needed to live.  

How hard would it be to make characters buy food and eat every so often,
or they can get sick and die?  

Just some thoughs....
>
>*  Crafters Craft.  That's pretty easy.  
>
>*  Should the attempt be made to represent _all_ of Pern, I mean, every
>hold, etc. etc.?  Part of the roleplaying excitement is interacting
>with other people -- if everyone is spread around a variety of
>different locales... how plausible is it that you will run into
>someone?  
>
I think it is better to expand as the populous grows.  Try to come up
with a critical mass that makes each weyr/hold/hall fun and productive.

>*  Should the wizards be 'Janitors' and leave the 'leadership' to the
>people of 'In Character' responsibility?  Personally, I think wizards
>often spend too much time (as wizards) tending to too many details.  I
>know I did (perhaps, however, I'm just derranged).  It's all too easy
>to totally blow off real roleplaying, and in character responsibilities
>for all that wiz-work.  Do 'untouchable' wizards really accurately
>portray the MUD they run?  Do they represent it?  Should they?  What
>role?

 Too many variables on a person's time to judge this by, other than a
 case by case.

>
>*  How do you go about reinforcing the idea that there's more to Pern
>than getting an object you can @set puppet and fly around on?

Like I said before, give out powers as the role demands.  Do riders
actually build/make anything in Pern other than their own weyr/ledges and
personal items?  
Give them B flag or higher quotas to the holders and crafters.
A working economy would add lots of power to holds and crafts, cause
they supply all for the weyrs.
>
>*  I've discussed various ideas about Impression with various people. 
>One person, whose opinion I hold very highly, discussed 'fandom'.  I
>don't know enough about it to discuss it -- perhaps someone more
>experienced can elaborate?
>
>*  Another method:
>
>What about NPC golds and bronzes?  Basically people 'earn' (is this the
>proper word) the right to be a part of a Flight, handle the Impression,
>etc. etc. etc.  The true population of a Weyr resides in the 'colored'
>(I don't like that designation, cuz they are _all_ colored) dragons. 
>The person in charge of the Weyr essentially, is the Weyrsecond.  If
>you allow women an equal opportunity to Impress any color (Which most
>enlighted MUDs do these days), then anyone, male or female, who is
>qualified, can lead a Weyr.  This person would be aided by the
>wingleaders/seconds and weyrlingmaster.
>
>Could that work?  Would it be _more_ political?
>

One thing you could try, do not let weyrs grow faster than hold or
hall.

>
>Basically -- how does one keep a Pern MUD from being some assinine
>competition amoung people for 'the best' dragons and ensure it's
>continued functioning as a _roleplaying_ mud.  Let's face it, we are
>supposed to be there for roleplaying.. some OOC friendships and
>comraderie.. and fun.. Why waste the time and energy being all
>political minded and bitching about who gets what?  That isn't what
>pern is about.  Roleplaying Pern is about recreating the environment,
>not reliving the novels.. All arguments to the effect of: We should be
>rider-oriented because the books are should be forwarded to
>/dev/stupid.  I don't accept _imitation_ as a valid RULE of
>roleplaying.  Roleplaying is about creativity.

Well said!!

>
>Please keep the flames down to luke warm.  I'm just in 'random thought'
>mode, and none of these have been _thought out_.  It'd be nice to see
>some discussion tho'.
>
>F'ryx, rider of green Impth @ PernMUSH.

--Mark (T'per)




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