[MUD-Dev] Re: Administrative notes

[Jamie Norrish <jamie#sans,vuw.ac.nz>]

Todd Lair writes:

> Risk is crucial for a good game because you can't really have
> players getting reward for typing in ten commands correctly.

This is something that has always boggled me when people start trying
to convert their combat oriented games to a more "role-playing"
focused one. Why is there still this concern about levels, and
advancement, and so forth? If there are any rewards for
role-playing/not killing things, they should only indirectly be
related to any system mechanics. Becoming the recognised leader of a
group shouldn't have any mechanics effects *whatsoever* - it's just
that other characters recognise her as a leader and do what she says.

It is folly, in my view, to try and keep the idea of advancement based
on mechanical risk when introducing non-mechanical tasks. Let those
who fight get better at fighting, and those who heal better at
healing, and leave it at that.

Jamie