Re: RP systems for non RP muds
That assumes though that each player is either "always pregnant or always not pregnant". I don't believe that the majority of mudders are either always RPers or always hack n' slashers. People have different moods, and like to do different things on different days. Some days I want to roleplay, some days I just want to zone out and kill, or focus on improving my mechanical skills. I don't want to have to switch between different worlds in order to achieve that.
I'm not bothered about "being a roleplayer" or "being a hack and slasher" - I just am, and I don't try to live up to different labels. Sometimes I just want to fight something and not give a monkey's toss as to why my character would want to do so, other days even the tiniest detail must have a motivation behind it. Yes - you can say that's not consistent and therefore I'm not a real roleplayer (and I'd probably agree with you), but like I said I really am not bothered about trying to be one or the other. I just go with the flow; this is all about relaxation after all.
Is that a difficult thing to achieve in terms of designing a game? Yes, from my experience it is. Like you said, it's difficult to accommodate both sides on a single game, while not ostracising either (or having either side leave because the other is there). I think it boils down to player respect. People who are roleplaying shouldn't harangue hack n' slashers for every minute detail, or get into the whole elitist snobby mode. Hack n' slashers should be respectful of roleplayers and avoid killing things in a place where others are roleplaying. If there isn't that basic respect between players and the game staff are not willing to bring it about one way or another, or show that they care, then I agree with you that the end result is both types of players will clash, become frustrated and probably end up leaving.
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