RE: [MUD-Dev] Trouble Makers or Regular Citizens

["Zak Jarvis" <zak#voidmonster,com>]

> From: mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu [mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu]On Behalf Of
> Justin Rogers
> Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 1:34 PM


>     Banning a player does several things.  It causes them to want 
> to perform actions against your server and your name.  I know I've hacked several

This issue is far, far more complex than this.

In a game that provides any degree of PVP -- be it combat, social or political -- simple user-based squelching is hideously abusable. Furthermore, there are many players who (fairly or unfairly -- I usually think it's the latter) would *rather* a disruptive player be banned than need to personally squelch them. After all, squelching does nothing for what other people see that person doing, and many trouble makers will be happy to follow around a squelcher and generally try to make them look like an idiot to anyone else who sees.

Another thing I really must take issue with is the idea that my/your actions as an administrator will be dictated by the possible actions of the player. This is like telling the police not to arrest someone they think might become violent (this is a minor exaggeration in the name of good hyperbole). This is what computer security is for. This is why you don't use a code base with known holes (or leave them).

And as for badmouthing, there isn't a damn thing you can do to prevent it. If someone doesn't like your MUD/Product, they're as likely as not to take out a www.<yourmudhere>sucks.com address and shout to the heavens with doctored capture logs of all the admins raping sheep. This isn't something you can prevent. No matter how much admins might wish otherwise, they cannot control the behavior of others. Ever.

---

The more interesting issue out of all of this though, is that it raises the question of what is the default value of a player?

It's my theory that the default value of any given player varies wildly from game to game. It can *never* be the same in a small free MUD as it is in a large-scale commercial game. I'd be very interested in seeing how admins gauge player value. It's a tricky issue, and it has a great deal impact on the quality of management.

-Zak Jarvis
 http://www.voidmonster.com




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