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Old 08-29-2007, 09:41 AM   #235
Lasher
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Join Date: May 2005
Name: Derek
Location: Orlando
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Re: What does "Free" Mean?

Not sure whether it's a minority or majority, but the only "side" I am on is adding a search option that is useful and less open to interpretation. It will have to default to "Not specified" for existing MUDs just as the newly added option for "rating" does, but like that field will require completion when the MUD listing is edited.

There is a fine line between adding useful information and so many options that search is impossible. We could pick almost any of the dropdowns (pk, roleplay, worldsize, originality) and endlessly categorize them. We provide a high level category and interested players can choose to search or not search on it if they care about that particular subject then read the description and/or visit the MUD for more information.

I use the PK example a lot because it is a good equivalent but with the emotion taken out and in my own experience it is a subject that a certain portion of players care about significantly. Here's some searches that may or may not be fair:

Player: "Restricted PK? - screw that, I want full PK"
Admin: "The mud is entirely based and balanced around PK. Everything we have ever done for the past 5 years has been to facilitate PK and make it fun. It is labelled 'restricted' because you can't PK new players under level 10. Some people will flame us if we label it full PK and there is even a single exception."

Player: "Full PK? I don't want to have level 89,000s killing me at level 2, next".
Admin: "We labelled it full PK because anyone can attack anyone anywhere, but you cannot be killed again for an hour and cannot be killed again by the same person for a day. It isn't so bad." (Maybe this one should be labelled restricted, maybe not).

Player: "No PK at all? That stinks. I don't like predatory MUDs but I do like arenas and the chance to duel others or take part in group arenas/battles/whatever."
Admin: "Oh, we have those, but we don't really consider them PK so listed ourselves NOPK."

Player: "So wtf is PK on this mud?! It isn't specified"
Admin: "Well the categories didn't fit us. You can be nopk. You can join a faction and have restricted PK against other factions or you can join an army and, for you, the MUD is 'full PK'"

Keep in mind in each of these scenarios the player is a player looking at options in the search window. The 'admin' line is something the admin might say if they got a chance to respond, but they won't unless the player is interested enough in the rest of the MUD details to check it out and ask. Is the searcher moving on to a different MUD a fair outcome to the MUD in question? When every MUD tries to distinguish itself and do different things in different ways, trying to categorize them all is pointless.

Some experienced players feel very strongly on PK one way or another and will filter out a MUD based on the category without giving it the benefit of the doubt. Other's don't care. Other's will see if they like the look of the MUD and have a mental note to "ask about PK".

My point with all this? When you take out all the emotion from the debate the payment model selections are no different.
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