@Coin said:
@crusader
This basically just tells me that people like that want to app in with power, not play the game to gain it. So no, those people aren't really going to have the BEST time at a game with NPC powers they need to overcome.
Well. It's a tricky situation. Those same PCs often end up driving most of the RP in a sphere, while at the same time, even the best staff inevitably succumb to fatigue when trying to portray multiple NPC powerbrokers.
It's not a knock on anyone. But in nearly twenty years of MUSHing, I've noticed that no staffer can handle serious NPC involvement in an ongoing story without going insane. AQ might have come the closest on HM to making it work, and if AQ were with us today, I'm sure he could tell everyone how fun that was.
The best, long term solution, is to shove as much of that power and influence onto the playerbase, while keeping perhaps, one or two 'pivot' NPCs in reserve, and basically let them be responsible for the dynamic. The counterpoint to that, is designing resources, territory and influence in such a way that makes players want to meaningfully compete for such things. This doesn't lead inevitably to PK and conflict.
A good solution I saw once was to use an NPC archon type character, who would come down harsh on anyone who was threatening the masquerade or breaking the rules by drawing attention. (So firebombings and rampant stakings were discouraged). This forced players into a more subtle, long-term conflict with each other.
But yes, sadly, you really only get the kinds of people who want to play mastermind/political type concepts who come in as them, and not gradually work their way there. It's less selfishness (since those roles are typically an ass ton of work) and more about the nature of writing and envisioning a character.