[plamzi]

Every individual comes with a unique set of conditions under which they are prepared to suspend their disbelief. It's not so much a sliding scale from purple unicorns to perma-death as it is a collection of random peeves informed by your lifetime experience and, maybe, some natural likes and dislikes. You may think that your collection of preferences "makes sense", except (in your own words) you're turned off by a 20-year-old dying at the hands of a rat while you're perfectly comfortable with instant fireballs. For others, it will be the exact opposite.

The point is that everyone has to compromise on some level to be able to play the same game, or any game at all. The ability to compromise wears off over the years. I've seen many LFM posts by long-time mudders who draw so many lines in the sand that even in the huge world of MUDs they manage to cut themselves off completely. I was being serious when I recommended looking elsewhere in life for entertainment. Either that, or start creating your own MUD.