<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: [MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different) --> <!--X-From-R13: [nevna Uevssvgu <telcubaNvnrui.ay> --> <!--X-Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 13:34:11 -0800 --> <!--X-Message-Id: Marcel-1.46-0115205122-0b0Ky&5#catling,demon.nl --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: 199901150422.UAA40429#under,engr.sgi.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, [MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00191.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00193.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00180.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00203.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00192">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00192">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00192">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: Mud Dev Mailing list <<A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A>></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: Marian Griffith <<A HREF="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 20:51:22 +0000 (GMT)</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> On Fri 15 Jan, J C Lawrence wrote: > On Thu, 14 Jan 1999 13:31:13 -0800 (PST) > The real problem of course is that mule exploit game design > weaknesses where certain functionalities are desirable but not worth > playing with as a regular basis. Hurm. More interesting question: This is already an interesting question I think :) I am wondering why those additional skills are added if they are not made worthwhile to play? I think the most striking example of that is the cleric in the standard mud. Most of the time their only role in a group is to cast sanctuary and healing on the other players. They are supposed to be healers but in reality there is not that much to heal. In some other message it was mentioned 'why bother dragging a cleric along if you can get all the experience alone and yell for help?' Underneath that problem is, I think, the fact that in the typical mud there is only one thing to do, and generally there is an optimal way to do it. Any other approach is going to be perceived as an extra. On most muds that means the only goal is to kill creatures. Things that have nothing to do with that are considered tedious (everybody agrees here, or so it seems, that having to eat on mud is pointless). Adding skills that have nothing to do with killing are also considered use- less and when forced to do them players will find ways to circumvent the restrictions. If you want to have healers in a game then healing must really mean something in the game. If you want carpenters then that too must be applicable in and of itself. If healing is nothing more than a quick spell to increase some hitpoints then basically the presence of wounds is just a solution to keep people from levelling too quickly and being a healer is no profession. To make other professions interesting and worhtwhile you have to re- think the game goals to a certain extent. > Is the existence and use of mules *really* a problem? Why? > Mules add complexity, interdependence, and some amount of flavour to > a game. They are also tantamount to robots (just player based > robots). While not "fun" per se, do they actually *damage* the > game, or do they really add a value in an area a game is already > lacking in? I think the presence of those skills adds complexity and that other things, but the presence of special characters that do not actually play undermines that value again. If the idea is to have healers as a profession for players who do not care that much about fighting, then it will not do if players simply create a secondary character to heal themselves, leaving those who would like to play that role without a meaningfull profession. Similarly if weapons have to be repaired to provide different job opportunities on the mud then the presences of mule characters damages that goal. You can not have complexity and an economy of services if there is no shortage of those services. Marian -- Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world, out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again will there be loneliness ... Rolan Choosing Talia, Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00203" HREF="msg00203.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> J C Lawrence <claw#under,engr.sgi.com></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00180" HREF="msg00180.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> J C Lawrence <claw#under,engr.sgi.com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00191.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00193.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00180.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00203.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00192"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00192"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00153" HREF="msg00153.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Thu 14 Jan 1999, 01:01 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00168" HREF="msg00168.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Mik Clarke <a href="mailto:mikclrk#ibm,net">mikclrk#ibm,net</a>, Thu 14 Jan 1999, 20:45 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00175" HREF="msg00175.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Thu 14 Jan 1999, 21:31 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00180" HREF="msg00180.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, J C Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,engr.sgi.com">claw#under,engr.sgi.com</a>, Fri 15 Jan 1999, 04:22 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00192" HREF="msg00192.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</A></strong>, Marian Griffith <a href="mailto:gryphon#iaehv,nl">gryphon#iaehv,nl</a>, Fri 15 Jan 1999, 21:34 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00203" HREF="msg00203.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</A></strong>, J C Lawrence <a href="mailto:claw#under,engr.sgi.com">claw#under,engr.sgi.com</a>, Sat 16 Jan 1999, 05:14 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00205" HREF="msg00205.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Mules (was something different)</A></strong>, Hans-Henrik Staerfeldt <a href="mailto:hhs#cbs,dtu.dk">hhs#cbs,dtu.dk</a>, Sat 16 Jan 1999, 11:02 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00195" HREF="msg00195.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Mik Clarke <a href="mailto:mikclrk#ibm,net">mikclrk#ibm,net</a>, Fri 15 Jan 1999, 23:10 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00196" HREF="msg00196.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: Levels versus Skills, who uses them and when.</A></strong>, Matt Wallace <a href="mailto:matt#ender,com">matt#ender,com</a>, Fri 15 Jan 1999, 23:30 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </ul> </ul> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>