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Old 03-14-2008, 05:37 PM   #36
prof1515
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Re: RPEI, The New RP Standard

It's not what I believe, or you believe or anyone believes. The term was applied to three MUDs, one of which used code derived from one of the others. There were thus two different, independent projects to take existing H&S code and turn it into something completely different. The term RPI began to be used to describe these games. Since then, a third code has been independently created which also meets these same attributes and one of the original RPI codebases has been overhauled twice creating two variations which still possess the original elements but also more advanced features such as literacy code, etc. These 3-5 codebases have so far been used to create about two dozen games, only six of which are presently open for play and at least a third of which are no longer running.

So, it's not a matter of me listing my preferences or anyone else doing likewise. Preferences are irrelevant. The most accurate criteria for the term RPI can simply be determined by looking at the three MUDs that the term was originally applied and noting the characteristics shared by all three (excluding silly superficial similarities such as "they all have the letters n and r in their name" which, while true, has no bearing on the games themselves). It was those shared aspects which inspired the term, not personal preferences, an attempt at elitism, some subjective standard of quality, or any attempt to belittle other types of games. There are clear similarities which all of them possessed and which newer games, at least one using its own independently-derived codebase, possess. Then there are games using the term RPI which do not...

My own reasoning for the term RPO was that there were several games which possessed many elements similar to the group of characteristics shared by those three original RPIs and yet did not possess all. One might not have permadeath, another might have global OOC channels, and yet another might have visible player identities. All of them had adopted the term RPI without adopting all of the characteristics to which that term originally applied. It wouldn't be fair to classify them alongside games which were nothing more than H&S code with an enforced-RP policy as they were clearly different. But the range of similarities and differences was by no means standard across the board. If the term RPI were extended to include any one of them, it would be at the expense of ignoring at least one characteristic shared by the original RPIs and would result in excluding another game which possessed that characteristic but not another. A simplified example:

Charateristics: A, B, C, D, E

MUD #1 (original RPI) possesses: A, B, C, D, E

MUD #2 (original RPI) possesses: A, B, C, D, E

MUD #3 (original RPI) possesses: A, B, C, D, E

MUD #4 possesses: A, B, C, D

MUD #5 possesses: A, C, D, E

MUD #6 possesses: A, B, D, E

MUD #7 possesses: A, B, C, E

MUD #8 possesses: A, B, D

50 or so other MUDs possess: A

The last five examples all contain at least three characteristics shared with the first three. None however possess all five. Additionally, the only characteristic all five games share with the first three games is also shared by 50 other games which possess none of the other four. How, then to classify MUDs #4-8? I did "lump them together" but not as a means of derision. Quite the opposite. It was an attempt to denote that they share some features of RPI even though they do not possess all the characteristics shared by the original three to which the term was applied.

So, I'll firmly accept that RPO is a flawed term which isn't very accurate. But it's not an attempt at elitism either. RPI, on the other hand, is more accurate if one looks at the shared features found in the three original games to which the term was applied. Then examine every MUD calling themselves RPI and you will find there are several which also share these same characteristics. With one exception, they're all derived from the code of the original three but it is that exception which proves that the term need not refer only to that code family and doing so would ignore that one of the original three also did not share the same code evolution. But the vast majority do not. These games are not RPI.

It's really not a hard thing to do. Most of the controversy seems to stem from personalizing the arguments ("you're elitist" or "you're inferior") rather than simply looking at the facts. I might add that I personally don't care for every RPI (see my comments in the thread about what will make a player NOT play a MUD). That's personal preference. But it's not a factor in saying that they are or are not a RPI MUD.

Take care,

Jason
****ed because a button just popped off his shirt when he snagged something on it...I'm too thin to be popping buttons off my clothing!
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