From: ksdavis@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Karleenus Schwartz Davis)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.admin
Subject: Re: ATTN: skill based muds
Date: 16 Nov 92 15:44:08 GMT
Organization: Indiana University

In article <1992Nov16.072223.3893@leland.Stanford.EDU> whale@leland.Stanford.EDU (Stephen Schmidt) writes:
>Couple comments on the running threads:
>
> [. . .1, 2 deleted. . .]
>
>3. I think the main reason that most MUDs promote players who make level
>20 is that for some strange reason most players want to become wizards,
>and having a firmly defined method of reaching wizhood attracts players.
>Do MUDs that don't have a firm player -> wiz promotion policy get players
>as effectively as those that do? I don't know, but I suspect not, especially
>since so many socially-oriented players play MUCKs or what-have-you instead
>of LPs. I'd also prefer to move away from the level-promotion system but
>I'm not sure it's possible to do it: entry-levels players may demand a
>codified method of wizard promotions, and so far level-oriented promotions
>are the only game in town.

But really, the level oriented promotions have less to do with skill
than they have to do with character age.  Persistance is the key.  So
how about we implement a minimum age for wizards?  Combine this with a
subjective evaluation like "Do I want him on my team?" or "Who the
hell is this guy that's been idling for three days?" and it should be
clear and fair.  I don't personally feel that all players who reach a
certain goal MUST be rewarded with wiz abilities.  If it's my mud,
it's my decision.  Develop another reward system for persistance, and
grant wizships to long-standing players with the abilities you want.

If you reduce the persistance element to age, it's going to allow the
players a bit more room to enjoy your world.  I'm not everybody, but
if I get onto a mud and find out that to wiz I *don't* have to bore
myself to tears hacking at orcs, but rather impress the current gods
and wizards with my ideas and motivations, then that's a mud that's
got me for good.  If you improve the "idea" system, perhaps rewarding
players whose ideas get implemented and providing a thought-out reply
to ideas that are turned down to encourage them to revise the idea or
to keep suggesting more, you'll have a means to get to know your
players and their would-be worth as a wizard.

It all boils down to what your goals are for your mud.  I'd bet that
the biggest goal is to get a lot of players and become a legend -- how
you do that is by creating a playable environment.  Some muds handle it
themselves, by luck; the right players log on, and they help newbies,
the mud grows. . .but you do want to do all you can to encourage these
things.  Abacus (NuclearWar) has it right with their tour-guide
system, where existing players are rewarded based on the evaluations
given them by their charges.  Someone here mentioned that to learn
skills, you must learn them from someone who already has the skill,
not from a skill-shop -- interesting idea.  These are the things that
are going to make it a world.  I don't wager you'll LOSE players by
having a more subjective wizzing system -- and if you do, are the
players you lose going to really matter?  Wouldn't you rather have
players who are intrigued by the changes you've made and who are
willing to add their ideas to your world in order to earn themselves a
wizard position?

-sz
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