@kestrel said in Heroic Sacrifice:
So the question becomes, as a game creator, how do you tackle this? How do you encourage your playerbase to step back a little from their need to play heroes? From their need to avoid obstacles, reject risks/stakes, and inhibit progression or complexity in a story?
I don't think that this can be done on any MU.
For the most part, MU culture doesn't flock to mushing because they want a lot of complication that they won't be able to control. They're looking for complication and conflict that is titillating, but not frustrating. You're talking about a lot of people who are going online to write and roleplay fantasies with a strong emphasis of escaping the elements of their daily lives where they cannot control the outcome.
I've mushed for over a decade, and if you look close enough you'll see this forum (and I've seen its predecessors) touch point on this every few months or so. This will never, ever, ever, ever be resolved due to the general pulse of the MU community.
In short: For a number of people, this is gaming. For a larger number of people, this is writing.
I personally advise you find, keep track of, and do your best to maintain positive relationships with people with similar mindsets, but understand that you're going to be surrounded by players with this hero concept that you described. You'll often hear it as the "My Story" concept, where when they make a character, their concern is for my story, and they want to ensure that my story is fulfilling for them. The general idea is that whether they're reasonable about it or selfish, it's that losing (pc death, failure, etc) isn't fun, and that others should be willing to find ways to also accommodate resolutions to the story that are fun for everyone (in the way that some people argue on behalf of everyone when it really is arguing for their own characters).
So in the least negative way possible, I'm advising you to just let it go.
Now, from a GM perspective? If you want to show people that their OOC desires aren't going to run the show, the best way to do so is by mandating dice rolling. Dice rolls ensure that it isn't the will of the OOC personality that mandates pass/fail. Without dice, many mushers have learned that OOC tactics work best for cutting the red tape: Making friends, roleplaying within cliques, character assassination, being difficult until they're given what they want, manipulation, schmoozing with staff, etc.
Not intentionally being negative, but as a musher what you're asking will be something you will struggle with for your entire time mushing.
