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Why give it your all if you may lose it tomorrow? For the same reason you do so in life (in which you could easily die tomorrow for all you know). It's because the struggle is what matters. Success is not nearly as satisfying nor the experience so realistic if the difficulty is non-existant. The element of death adds to the realistic experience. Yourself, and the people you're talking to don't sound like those looking for a role-playing experience so much as a gaming one. That's fine, but I think you fail to see that what you're talking about isn't role-playing.
Well, there's your problem. These don't even sound like RPIs, they sound like the knock-offs that fans of RPI MUDs don't like seeing the acronym used to describe, for this very reason (and on the off-chance that the first incident took place on an actual RPI MUD, you should have reported it to the staff because no RPI staff would tolerate that kind of behavior). RPIs require you to remain in character so under no circumstances should anyone ever be talking about last night's baseball game. That's why RPIs don't use global channels, restrict OOC information, and require strict in-character behavior at all times. You want to talk baseball? That's what instant messengers are for.
RPI is an extreme. If your MUD is "crossing the boundaries between the little pigeon holes", then don't use RPI to describe your MUD because that's like using "Ferrari" to describe any vehicle with four wheels. Just as "Ferrari" is used to describe a particular type of vehicle, so too is RPI used to describe a particular type of MUD. If your MUD doesn't fit that description because it features other elements that "cross the boundaries", don't use the acronym. Being an RPI (or for that matter, like any other strict definition like "Pure PK") is like being pregnant. Either you are or you aren't.
Well, assuming that the two examples you gave above are your only experiences in "RPI" MUDs, it's a fair guess to say you're speaking from ignorance. So, your assessment is fairly worthless, since it's an assessment of a non-RPI MUD posing as one, not an actual RPI MUD. Now, if you have legitimate examples from legitimate RPIs, that may be different (but again, you should have contacted their staff, since RPI staff are fairly strict about maintaining the quality of the IC environment). But your experiences with Psuedo-RPIs are the very thing fans of RPI MUDs don't like about everyone using the acronym: it presents a false appearance of what an RPI is like.
Not everyone has to like role-playing or RPI MUDs. But the problems those who don't like them constantly butting into conversations regarding them (if you don't like RPIs, move on to another discussion topic) or incorrectly call their MUD an RPI leading to misconceptions about the genre (to play off my above example, if you're a Rolls-Royce, call yourself a Rolls-Royce, not a Ferrari).
These two things would help prevent the continued derailing of topics.
To the original poster: It doesn't sound like you're interested in RPI MUDs but if you are try Harshlands, Shadows of Isildur, and Armageddon (there may be a few more in development as well, feel free to drop me a PM if you'd like me to point out any others when I note them). If permanent death, level-less, strict-in-character role-play at all times within a detailed and realistic world are not what you're looking for, avoid those three, since RPI MUDs are probably not up your alley.
Take care,
Jason
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