[Threshold]

I think that is right on the money. Personal preferences and perspective are everything. Thank god there is more than 1 type of MUD. This is still one area where MUDs do have an advantage over graphical MMOs. There is a lot more variety in in the MUD world than there is in the MMO world.


It is funny you say this, because these are some of the exact same reasons I prefer non-permadeath muds. For me, it is far more dangerous and "raw" when I know that the enemy I make today could haunt me as a nemesis for years and years to come. I will not have an "easy" (imho) resolution of the conflict by killing him (or dying myself and starting over). Knowing that insulting the wrong people or doing something the general populace deems heretical could haunt me for years and years makes the world seem vibrant and dangerous, and it makes me realize how seriously I must take my actions and my words. I know I have to stay on my toes, because there will be no easy escape from any situation. There is no easy out. Like Imhotep from "The Mummy" says: Death is only the beginning.

And in a conflict, victory will never be absolute. Even if I win, I know that my defeated foe is lurking in the background, biding his or her time for an opportunity to get revenge. This can go back and forth many times over the years, deepening the conflict and the hatred. Any time I am triumphant over this foe (not just in PK, but in any competitive situation in the game), the joy is magnified enormously. And the thought of losing to this foe becomes more and more painful to even imagine, since the relationship has developed so deeply.

There are pros and cons to each style of play, and there are areas where each is more intense. I am glad there are games for both styles of play and both preferences.