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Iluvatar · 08-30-2003, 08:42 AM

As a builder who hires volunteer builders like most of you, I’m somewhat amazed by the perception that ‘good builders grow on trees.’ That, to me, is tantamount to lumping all writers into a generic mass and randomly selecting Salvatore or Tolkien or Burroughs as just competent grammaticists who got lucky. Perhaps I live in a fairytale world where I presume the senior managers I respect here actually have high standards for zonal creations used within their worlds. Consistency, congruity, content, theme, imagination, timing and a fair amount of zeal for the art builders have chosen to pursue has to count for something. I agree only the mechanics are learned through professional education but I submit that the nuance and flavor of the DnD or Sword and Sorcery or Time Warping environment creation is based on long hours of study and interaction via many different media. ‘Doom’ style writers abound and do seem to grow on trees, or perhaps under them depending on your viewpoint, but the ones who shine are truly rare yet they suffer the same disdain for ability and value as the 12 year old ‘Doom’ writer. I can understand this perception from the elitist coder world of graphical MUs that thrive on eye candy to the PlayStation addicted masses but not from successful text MUs.

To digress to the original announcement that started this, “heck yah,” 20 bucks is a good deal in an environment that so often treats builders as third class citizens in a coders world. I have one builder who can cough up an easy 5 zones per week and would love the deal. I strongly applaud KaVir for posting a caution note to accepting the offer though for the same reasons he stated and would advise the builder I know to be very careful before jumping into an agreement like that.

Quote: the_logos

This is the part I honestly don’t understand. What does a builder need protecting from exactly? It’s not like his idea is a saleable asset. What does a builder stand to lose that has value, precisely?

Coming from someone I’ve seen high on the pedestal spouting the sanctity of intellectual property, I’m considering this is your comment intended to draw this thread out to another 50 pages of the_logos vs the world in intellectual debate. Perhaps a short “whatif” might nip your confusion in the bud. What if, Salvatore just happened to take 20 bucks to write Menzoberranzen for a MU that bought his copyright when he was just 18 and ignorant of the true hack and slash ways of the world? A good zone is the child of a good author and as a parent they never give up their children.

08-30-2003, 08:42 AM	#32
Iluvatar Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Mississippi USA Posts: 142	As a builder who hires volunteer builders like most of you, I’m somewhat amazed by the perception that ‘good builders grow on trees.’ That, to me, is tantamount to lumping all writers into a generic mass and randomly selecting Salvatore or Tolkien or Burroughs as just competent grammaticists who got lucky. Perhaps I live in a fairytale world where I presume the senior managers I respect here actually have high standards for zonal creations used within their worlds. Consistency, congruity, content, theme, imagination, timing and a fair amount of zeal for the art builders have chosen to pursue has to count for something. I agree only the mechanics are learned through professional education but I submit that the nuance and flavor of the DnD or Sword and Sorcery or Time Warping environment creation is based on long hours of study and interaction via many different media. ‘Doom’ style writers abound and do seem to grow on trees, or perhaps under them depending on your viewpoint, but the ones who shine are truly rare yet they suffer the same disdain for ability and value as the 12 year old ‘Doom’ writer. I can understand this perception from the elitist coder world of graphical MUs that thrive on eye candy to the PlayStation addicted masses but not from successful text MUs. To digress to the original announcement that started this, “heck yah,” 20 bucks is a good deal in an environment that so often treats builders as third class citizens in a coders world. I have one builder who can cough up an easy 5 zones per week and would love the deal. I strongly applaud KaVir for posting a caution note to accepting the offer though for the same reasons he stated and would advise the builder I know to be very careful before jumping into an agreement like that. Quote: the_logos This is the part I honestly don’t understand. What does a builder need protecting from exactly? It’s not like his idea is a saleable asset. What does a builder stand to lose that has value, precisely? Coming from someone I’ve seen high on the pedestal spouting the sanctity of intellectual property, I’m considering this is your comment intended to draw this thread out to another 50 pages of the_logos vs the world in intellectual debate. Perhaps a short “whatif” might nip your confusion in the bud. What if, Salvatore just happened to take 20 bucks to write Menzoberranzen for a MU that bought his copyright when he was just 18 and ignorant of the true hack and slash ways of the world? A good zone is the child of a good author and as a parent they never give up their children.