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Burke · 08-19-2003, 01:19 AM

Perhaps you consider interacting with npc mobiles the end-all-be-all of RP. I don't.

RP in a strict sense means playing your role, not trying to make the coded world behave in ways the creators never intended (a subjective process at best).

PCs don't sit and talk to npcs in DM, perhaps in your view they should. They don't spend time teaching npcs, perhaps you think they should. They don't RP hiring/paying npcs for jobs they are not coded to do, perhaps you think they should. Maybe you think shopkeepers should negotiate their prices each time and PCs should overpay them on occasion to RP a higher negotiated price that the code does not reflect. If you are going to ask that npcs be treated just like pcs there are many situations that should be done that aren't done in DM. Play your role based on the coded constraints. Its rather arrogant to go to a new MUD and declare it lacking because it doesn't fit your mental model.

If your main complaint is the killing of npcs perhaps you should treat it IC instead of OOC. I consider it OOC to see an npc being killed and reacting in horror in DM. IC, DM is a very tough place and slaughter happens equally to PCs and NPCs alike (there is no advantage to killing npcs in DM unless you are robbing them of their substandard gear as they do not give xp or carry gold). It is decently common and yet you are not RPing as if your character grew up in the lands of Ferdarchi. Leave your RL expectations at the door please. If anything your RP isn't up to DM's standard and you are judging it by other worlds you have played in instead of playing in the world of Dartmud.

In defense of the posters who find DM's RP lacking I will only say that the beginning city is rife with newbies. I agree that 'noob' and 'mob' are not terms that are part of the DM culture. As in any MUD there are experienced RPers and inexperienced ones. Take some time to make friends with more experienced players.

So if you are serious about RP in DM you need to learn the world and figure it out first instead of trying to make DM fit your preconceived notions from other worlds you have played in. Perhaps you will still feel DM isn't the place for you. I think thats fair. No world can be all things to all people. Thankfully this community has many worthy games to choose from. Perhaps you will find Armageddon, Accursed Lands, or Shattered Kingdoms more to your taste. I have played all of these in the past and find them excellent though each is distinctly different.

In my opinion once you spend some time in the world you will see many RP opportunities and my personal favorite is the political landscape. Alliances and plots abound with spying and backstabbing being commonplace. Of course this makes true friends a rare oasis to be savored and appreciated.

RP is about playing a role and being part of a story, not judging other's RP and declaring it not up to your standards. If you enjoy correcting other's RP then Dartmud is not for you.

* In no way do my above statements apply to other MUDs. MUDs do not need my permission or anyone else's to make any rules about RP they wish. These are only my opinions about DM, a MUD I played for many years.

08-19-2003, 01:19 AM	#3
Burke New Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12	Perhaps you consider interacting with npc mobiles the end-all-be-all of RP. I don't. RP in a strict sense means playing your role, not trying to make the coded world behave in ways the creators never intended (a subjective process at best). PCs don't sit and talk to npcs in DM, perhaps in your view they should. They don't spend time teaching npcs, perhaps you think they should. They don't RP hiring/paying npcs for jobs they are not coded to do, perhaps you think they should. Maybe you think shopkeepers should negotiate their prices each time and PCs should overpay them on occasion to RP a higher negotiated price that the code does not reflect. If you are going to ask that npcs be treated just like pcs there are many situations that should be done that aren't done in DM. Play your role based on the coded constraints. Its rather arrogant to go to a new MUD and declare it lacking because it doesn't fit your mental model. If your main complaint is the killing of npcs perhaps you should treat it IC instead of OOC. I consider it OOC to see an npc being killed and reacting in horror in DM. IC, DM is a very tough place and slaughter happens equally to PCs and NPCs alike (there is no advantage to killing npcs in DM unless you are robbing them of their substandard gear as they do not give xp or carry gold). It is decently common and yet you are not RPing as if your character grew up in the lands of Ferdarchi. Leave your RL expectations at the door please. If anything your RP isn't up to DM's standard and you are judging it by other worlds you have played in instead of playing in the world of Dartmud. In defense of the posters who find DM's RP lacking I will only say that the beginning city is rife with newbies. I agree that 'noob' and 'mob' are not terms that are part of the DM culture. As in any MUD there are experienced RPers and inexperienced ones. Take some time to make friends with more experienced players. So if you are serious about RP in DM you need to learn the world and figure it out first instead of trying to make DM fit your preconceived notions from other worlds you have played in. Perhaps you will still feel DM isn't the place for you. I think thats fair. No world can be all things to all people. Thankfully this community has many worthy games to choose from. Perhaps you will find Armageddon, Accursed Lands, or Shattered Kingdoms more to your taste. I have played all of these in the past and find them excellent though each is distinctly different. In my opinion once you spend some time in the world you will see many RP opportunities and my personal favorite is the political landscape. Alliances and plots abound with spying and backstabbing being commonplace. Of course this makes true friends a rare oasis to be savored and appreciated. RP is about playing a role and being part of a story, not judging other's RP and declaring it not up to your standards. If you enjoy correcting other's RP then Dartmud is not for you. * In no way do my above statements apply to other MUDs. MUDs do not need my permission or anyone else's to make any rules about RP they wish. These are only my opinions about DM, a MUD I played for many years.