From: clary@iastate.edu (Jeffrey S Clary)
Subject: Re: Player killing ....
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 22:35:35 GMT

In <1992Nov21.095226.5639@news.unomaha.edu> dburgdor@cwis.unomaha.edu (Darryl Burgdorf) writes:

I didn't see the original posting, but I couldn't resist...;)


>Well, I'm noticing an interesting trend here.

>So far, since my original posting, EVERY response has been from someone who
>either (a) opposes player killing or (b) supports player killing only among
>relatively equally-powerful characters or in cases where there is clear CAUSE
>for the "execution".

I've never been much of a player-killer, but I have no problem with it as long
as it doesn't involve what I would call "asshole" tactics.  These include
attacking someone of a much lower level, hanging around recall points to
finish off half-dead characters, etc.

Actually, come to think of it, I don't really have a problem with those kind
of tactics either, if that is the norm on that particular mud.  It so happens
that the implementors on the mud I've played most frown on that sort of 
"dishonorable" player-killing.

*Unless* a particular mud has rules or customs to the contrary, I don't have
a problem with a player-killer choosing a target just for the Hell of it...it is
a GAME, after all, and human beings make ever so much more exciting opponents
than virtual beasties.

>How odd.

>Judging from this thread, you'd get the impression that those who kill other
>players for the sheer "joy" of it are few or none.

I've done it, but not often.

>And yet ....

>I myself ran into two of them on two different MUDs in one weekend.  I hear
>stories of other actions by such folk fairly often.  Some MUDs seem dedicated
>to their philosophy, and I've seen posts on other threads when someone happens
>to mention having gotten killed that run along the lines of "Hey, if you don't
>wanna get killed, go to a wimpy MUD .... Some of us LIKE killing each other".

Quite a sensible idea, I think.  There are muds out there that completely
disallow player killing.  Those people who like that style should play one of them.

>Are none of them willing to attempt a "rational" defense of their attitude?

Why should they?  I repeat...DikuMud is a *game*...if they like player-killing
and it is allowed by the rules of the game they play, why should they have to
defend themselves?

>So far, all of the people who have posted in response to my original question
>are people I'm basically inclined to agree with, and not the people I was
>actually hoping to hear from.

I guess I'm not exactly what you want to hear from, since I have not been all
that bloodthirsty.

>I know there are players out there who enjoy pkilling simply for the sake of
>pkilling, and who don't give a damn if they have a "reason" to kill someone or
>not.

>To them I issue the following challenge:

>Speak up.  Stop hiding behind anonymity.  Defend your choice of "playing
>style" publicly.

>And if you're not willing to do so, then maybe you'd better seriously
>re-think that style.

Again, I can't really claim to be a bloodthirsty killer, but if I was in the
group you are trying to reach, my initial reaction would be:

   Why don't you just bite me, Darryl?

>	Yours,

>		Darryl


> /------------------------------------------------\
> | dburgdor @unmcvm.unmc.edu or @cwis.unomaha.edu |
> \------------------------------------------------/

-- 
**************************************************************************
* "Rub her feet."  --  L.L.                          * Jeffrey S. Clary  *
*                                                    * clary@iastate.edu *
**************************************************************************
Xref: sparky rec.games.mud.misc:1311 rec.games.mud.diku:921 rec.games.mud.lp:4268