Best posts made by Rook

In any sampling of MU*ers, I think that 1 out of 20 is a dirtbag for any of the following reasons:

• racist beliefs, subtle or overt
• sexist beliefs, subtle or overt
• hidden need to dominate/ruin others in the name of 'fun'
• someone simply looking for sex/rape/BDSM RP, no matter the theme of the game, or even discussion leading up to.

It's been pretty much my experience that WoD games simply have a higher concentration of these assholes, as most people don't equate other genres with at least the last item above. The first three? Everywhere. EVERY. WHERE.

Anyone who MUs has run into one, or a dozen, of these pricks, and yet people still sort of freak. Staff still acts dubious, gives plenty of chances, meanwhile pages are happening and people are quietly leaving...

Yet, no one wants to hear of a staff that sets the reported player SUSPECT and carefully watches EVERYTHING that they do on the game, including pages. That's a violation of privacy. Well, if you feel that way, fine, but you leave the Staff one course: play he-said, she-said and maybe rely on logs that may or may not be edited to support whatever argument they are presenting.

Torment: Tides of Numeria is on 60% off today.

So back to my point: I am happy to debate this from a technical perspective. If you envision ways that things can be done better, start with some constructive mockups.

In @Arkandel's web-based CharGen, someone start building a webpage with all of the data, and we can start looking at ways to interface that submission with the MUSH.

Again, happy to help here. In fact, this sounds like a good project for my own game. I'll start on it this afternoon, and see how feasible things are. It just so happens that it will actually help my project(s) effort(s) to lay this out more.

Fuck cancer.

It is the singular one thing that I'm asked about when I list the systems that I've coded. Allowing people to auto-roll successes and create objects that can then be sold, given away, and +equipped as +sheet-altering modifications (think magical sword adding to-hit bonuses, magical armor doing it's expected adjustments).

Again, it isn't meant to supplant RP but to enhance it. RP the scene making the order, discussing and haggling... then make a roll and give the resulting object in exchange for the requisite coin, and keep on RPing.

That sort of idea ballooned into an economy system request/interest where non-combat characters could use non-combat skills to set up interests for their character that they utilize off-screen to generate income. Tailors tailored and gained income, miners mined and gained income - or simply gained minerals that they could sell into the planned economy. Players could have a mini game for a stock-market sort of economy, shipping minerals from port to port, buying finished goods and so on... all for the backstory of their profit, their fame, whatever.

The idea was that shipping lanes affected by war at sea would affect costs, could effect economy, and non-combat ways of taking out your enemies was "born". All just facets to a game. Optional, absolutely, but there if a select group of people wanted to play with it.

Is there a way to ignore threads completely? Mark them as 'entirely not interested'?

From the Random Bitching thread, conversation about manliness brought this to mind. Highly recommend.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/

Recently ran into this webpage (caution, slow to load) on The Laws of Online World Design, with a distinct lean toward MUDs (and thus MUSHes), and it is a very interesting read. Lots of advise delivered in one-liner, no-nonsense sort of format, designed to be thought-provoking instead of lecture. Ultimately, it is a collection of wisdom from various people, sources and experiences.

I found that most, if not all of these, can be useful information for a MU Owner or Staff, especially if just starting out. Several of the contributors are seasoned MUD developers.

https://www.raphkoster.com/games/laws-of-online-world-design/the-laws-of-online-world-design/

This is a game creation script, intended to be run on a brand-new, no-changes-made DB right after your first 'Startmush' command (or Startmux equivalent). This is built to be quoted/pasted by the #1 God character.

## --------------- Start linenumber-dbref matching.  (#1 is God character.) ------------------
@pcreate Paradise=secretpassword!!
@pcreate wiz3=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz4=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz5=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz6=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz7=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz8=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz9=secretpassword!!
@pcreate Wiz10=secretpassword!!
@create CodeObject11
@create CodeObject12
@create CodeObject13
@create CodeObject14
@create CodeObject15
@create CodeObject16
@create CodeObject17
@create CodeObject18
@create CodeObject19
@create CodeObject20
@create CodeObject21
@create CodeObject22
@create CodeObject23
@create CodeObject24
@create CodeObject25
@create CodeObject26
@create CodeObject27
@create CodeObject28
@create CodeObject29
@create CodeObject30
@create CodeObject31
@create CodeObject32
@create CodeObject33
@create CodeObject34
@create CodeObject35
@create CodeObject36
@create CodeObject37
@create CodeObject38
@create CodeObject39
@create CodeObject40
@create CodeObject41
@create CodeObject42
@create CodeObject43
@create CodeObject44
@create CodeObject45
@create CodeObject46
@create CodeObject47
@create CodeObject48
@create CodeObject49
@create CodeObject50
@create DataObject51
@create DataObject52
@create DataObject53
@create DataObject54
@create DataObject55
@create DataObject56
@create DataObject57
@create DataObject58
@create DataObject59
@create DataObject60
@create DataObject61
@create DataObject62
@create DataObject63
@create DataObject64
@create DataObject65
@create DataObject66
@create DataObject67
@create DataObject68
@create DataObject69
@create DataObject70
@create DataObject71
@create DataObject72
@create DataObject73
@create DataObject74
@create DataObject75
@create DataObject76
@create DataObject77
@create DataObject78
@create DataObject79
@create DataObject80
@create DataObject81
@create DataObject82
@create DataObject83
@create DataObject84
@create DataObject85
@create DataObject86
@create DataObject87
@create DataObject88
@create DataObject89
@create DataObject90
@create DataObject91        
@create DataObject92        
@create DataObject93        
@create DataObject94        
@create DataObject95
@create DataObject96
@create DataObject97 
@create DataObject98 
@create DataObject99
@dig Master Room
@dig Master Storage
@dig Parent: OOC Rooms
@dig Parent: IC Rooms
##  ---------- End linenumber-dbref matching ------------------
@dolist 100 101 102 103 = @set #[##]=FLOATING SAFE

##  ----------------- Post-build setup ------------------------
@dolist [lnum(2,10)]=@tel #[##]=#101
@dolist [lnum(11,99)]=@desc #[##]=%%R%[space(5)%]This object is required by the game, and should not be touched by anyone other than the game's Code Staff.%%R%%RAttributes:%%R%[columns(sort(setdiff(lattr(me),Desc Created Modified)),20,4)%]%%R
@dolist [lnum(11,99)]=@set #[##]=SAFE STICKY; @tel #[##]=#101; @link #[##]=#101;

@desc #0=%R%R%R%R%R[center(%chA single point of light.%cn,79)]%R%R%R%R%R

@dolist 100 101 102 103=&_OOC #[##]=YES;&_GRID #[##]=OOC

@name #11=Commands - Global IC
@name #12=Commands - Global OOC
@name #13=Commands - Global Admin
@name #97=Register - Global Objects
@name #98=Functions - CharGen Specific
@name #99=Functions - Game Globals

@dig/tel OOC: Welcome Room
@set here=FLOATING
&_GRID here=OOC
&_OOC here=YES
@parent here=#102

@dig OOC: Rules Agreement Room=Next <N>;n;next
next
@set here=FLOATING SAFE 
&_GRID here=OOC
&_OOC here=YES
@parent here=#102
@open +Agree;agree=#0

agree
@set here=FLOATING
&_GRID here=OOC
&_OOC here=YES
@parent here=#102

@dig OOC: Idle Room=Idle Room <IR>;ir;idle;idle room,Out <O>;o;out;exit;leave;bye
idle
@set here=FLOATING SAFE QUIET BLIND FUBAR DARK
&_GRID here=OOC
&_OOC here=YES	
@parent here=#102
o

##  Desc the MR and MS.
@Desc #100=%R%TThis is the Master Room for all code that is critical to the game. Any objects in this room are searched for matches every time someone types anything on the game. If you are in this room, your underwear is showing, and you should have the common decency to leave. Please do not touch anything in here unless you know what you are doing, and your work is well-communicated to the Admins.%R%R%T%ch%crATTENTION:%cn Coding conventions on this game dictate that all DATA is stored on separate objects and stored in the Master Storage room (#101), NOT on Commands objects! Keep your functions confined to one of the Functions objects in the Master Storage room, as well, please.%R

@conformat #100=Objects:[iter(lcon(#100,OBJECT),%R%b%b[switch(name(%i0),Commands*,%ch%cr[name(%i0)]%cn,System*,%ch%cy[name(%i0)]%cn,%ch%cg[name(%i0)]%cn)] %(%i0[flags(%i0)]%))]%R

@desc #101=%R%TThis is the storage room for all objects that are critical to the game, but do not contain commands that need to be game-wide available. Please do not touch anything in here unless you know what you are doing, and your work is well-communicated to the Admins. If you use a DataObject or CodeObject, the very first step you need to take is to rename your object according to the game code conventions. This removes it from the 'available pool' so that someone else doesn't mess with your stuff.%R

@conformat #101=%b%b%ch%crNext CodeObject:%cn [first(sort(squish(iter(lcon(#101,OBJECT),ifelse(strmatch(name(%i0),CodeObject*),%i0,)))))]%R%b%b%ch%crNext DataObject:%cn [first(sort(squish(iter(lcon(#101,OBJECT),ifelse(strmatch(name(%i0),DataObject*),%i0,)))))]%R%RObjects:[iter(lcon(#101,OBJECT),ifelse(or(strmatch(name(%i0),CodeObject*),strmatch(name(%i0),DataObject*)),,%R%b%b[name(%i0)] %(%i0[flags(%i0)]%)))]%R

Next, you will need to edit your server-side .conf file. This is where you ssh to your server and edit the file using vi, emacs, joe, whatever your editor of choice is. Most server bases have these lines already in there, so you might have to search for the configuration entry and edit it. If they are not present, check your wizhelp entries to ensure that I have the right configuration item, then just add it to your file.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with your .conf file, then read through it. Read through your wizhelp files on the game. Learn them. These are critical, and you should know them as the owner of your game.

##
##  Game Configuration setup
##
master_room 100
player_starting_home 104
player_starting_room 104
player_flags NOCOMMAND HALT ANSI COLOR256

Save that file, and then restart your game.

Hello Daphne. @Arkandel, I find myself coveting your broom. I dunno why.

For the several, several games that I have tried out, the lack of anything going on led to me wandering away.

• No one was ever IC. Several games had everyone hanging out in the OOC Nexus. I haven't seen but one exception to this rule (not that it solves the issue).
• I have tried multiple character concepts, thinking that I just wasn't being interesting enough to draw RP. This contributed to the heartache cycle, which for me is the high of character conceptualization... only to step out days later onto the grid and see tumbleweeds blowing by.
• I have been as engaging as possible, as polite and friendly as possible, and while people were friendly back... just seemed that no one was able or willing to RP.
• Any break-in RP getting into anything thematic or group-oriented was seemingly riddled with non-starters. It's hard to RP a character who is in a predictably scary situation and realistically not trusting people in their surroundings.
• Finally, for me a large part of the fun of any character is the realism of them. If they are in a world of murder, monsters and mayhem, then they aren't going to be the trusting, wide-eyed innocent soul that just strikes up conversations with anyone, and certainly not going to trust someone just met for dinner or whatever. Most players don't seem to want to waste time with this 'slice of life' crap, and just immediately jump to telling you all about their Clan, their Pack, their Whatever.

Being a daytime player, I understand that it is hard to find people who are free enough to RP during the day (and believe me, I am comfortable enough with slow posing play, because hey, we all have to make that fat lewt). It just seemed like everyone was chatting during the day, which didn't leave much opportunity. This isn't a complaint, just an acknowledgement of the situation.

@Jeshin said:

It provides an ultimate and fair arbitration to an extent. So where we remove the risk of god-moding or arguments about results we take on the risk of bad roleplayers trying to abuse the system to win. Whereas on MUSHes I would speculate that you support roleplay and take on the risk that people will ignore or fudge the system to win.

There in those two statements is the fundamental reason I think that there is a clear difference in play styles between MUD and MUSH, and the players that each attracts. It also clearly (for me) outlines what most MU*ers differentiate between 'roll playing' and 'roleplaying'.

You and I disagree on your usage of the word 'fair' in the first sentence, ultimately. You see an automated system to grab numbers, crunch them and output an outcome as a defining quality to a game you would sponsor. I propose that automated systems cannot be wholly 'fair' in the context of a roleplayed scene due to the sheer number of variables involved that (to this day) only a human arbitrator can factor in. Again, my opinion.

Finally, on almost every MUSH in existence, there is an unstated expectation that arbitration of scene outcomes is done by those judged fit to do so, and that every involved player implicitly accepts the rulings of that arbitrator. There are appeal and review processes, but in general, what is ruled on the scene tends to go unless there is a complexity or outright error. Thus, players "ignoring or fudging" the system is something that is very handily stomped on in most MUSHes. Even free-form system-less games where lots of hand-waving is done "for the sake of the story over systems" have a line that players can cross into "powerplaying" or "twinking".

Now I am very interested in looking at the codebase. Academically, I'd want to discuss your design document, your coding standards, that sort of thing. Establish rules for everything from command structure to help files. But that's a big undertaking, believe me. I've worked with the Rhost team for years, and while I throw all kinds of shit at @Ashen-Shugar as ideas, and most of them get implemented in one way or another, it is no easy task. I watch that dev team hammer through issues both legacy and limitation-related, and I know it's frustrating.

What can seem like a "small thing" to a softcoder can turn out to be spaghetti-code-diving for the hardcoders to fix the issue causing the gap in the first place. This is why I stick with Rhost, because I've watched that team do rewrites of major chunks of code to make it more secure, faster, better and more featureful.

People in airports acting like they are amazing world travelers, for one. But, when something is announced that is essentially a delay, they inform their friends out loud that they shouldn't traveled with him, for he "attracts this sort of thing". "All the time." "Like, last year when I traveled...."

STFU.

First, you are no fucking special snowflake, asstard. Many more of us travel for a living, and you sir, and your one airplane ride a year, do not qualify as a fucking traveler. So stop acting all cool to your friends, you clown.

Sorry. I just can't see any constructive usage of IC discrimination, for any reason, surviving in this day and age of SJWs railing on about the Chinese plight during the Victorian era (example in OP) or sexism in the 50s.

All it takes is one loud-mouthed self-righteous opinion to kill people's drive to RP in such a setting, and to do it with a hefty dose of shame.

Everyone* out there knows that discrimination is bad, but in the OP's instance, this sort of thing is key to whatever the setting is proposing as a backdrop to whatever other struggles are going on. Some people just won't be able to see their way past that. I firmly believe that most people are increasingly wearing self-justified attitude blinders, assured that they are okay and correct in their thinking.

*Everyone but the zealots and the neanderthals.

@Jeshin said:

If MUDs aren't your thing you can at least take solace that new engines are still being created for text-based gaming!

You know... it has been bugging me that you, Jeshin, seem to have something against MUSHes. I can't really put my finger on it, but you seem to hold high your own genre/standard when you don't even seem to have the whole story on "text-based gaming".

PennMUSH and RhostMUSH have, and are, still under active development. They are very stable staples in the MUSH circle of the 'text-based gaming' Venn diagram. So yes, despite your misguided attempt at consolation of those that find that "MUDs aren't [their] thing", it is in fact very true.

Now do I have anything against new MUD engines? No, not at all. But it just seems to me that you are coming to this forum to advertise MUD via your website. And given that, as proven by your words in this very thread, don't seem to be all that willing to include the games WE play in your listings (but are more than willing to allow conversation on your forums), I find my interest in reading your posts waning quite quickly because of your slanted language.

Not trying to be a dick.

Give us some MOCK EXAMPLES of what you are trying to fix vs what you would do to simplify the command, please? See below!

I hate it when I see: +command/action <target>=<modifier> <modifier> <modifier>

I want to see: +action <target>

Put it in that format. SHOW US WHAT YOU PROPOSE. It can be a fake command, even! Show us how to take a complex command and make it simple.

Jesus, you're talking to coders here. Ambigious conversation (words words words) gets you nowhere with us!

@Arkandel said:

... but where was the outrage when a plane carrying 224 people was brought down by ISIS only a few days ago? Or when we catch the news on TV where someone suicide-bombed the shit out of entire crowds of non-combatants - a quick search yielded 134 people dying in just one of them?

Sorry, if it isn't on Facebook, MSNBC or Fox News, half of America won't see it. The following of journalistic news outlets has dropped significantly in the wake of the deregulation of news in the US (research Telecommunications Act of 96), allowing for commercially-driven interests to put up their own news outlets. This differs greatly in the news of old, where Congressional mandate dictated that each network provide one free hour of news reporting to the American populace. Now, viewership matters, so 'news' comprises of talking heads, arguments, inflammatory accusations and political bickering to draw eyes. If it won't draw views, it doesn't matter.

This extends into the separation of political views (perhaps this is just me getting older and 'wiser' to the political scene). Popular media is much more pervasive, much more 24/7 than the newspaper and 1-2 hours a night of fact-based journalism that the country had back before the 70s. Popular media ranges from blogs to faux news sites heavily slanted to this agenda or that (lots seemingly put in place SPECIFICALLY to drive social media commentary), all the way to the 'real' news sites having clearly delineated political viewpoints and agendas.

They are all guilty of getting us where this country is today. It is a ripple effect that continues to spread outward, and the ripples are getting stronger, not weaker.

If the average American understood the difference between 'Muslim' and 'radical Muslim', the commentary and conversation in this country would be different. But, agendas have colored understanding of those who spend ten minutes of their day educating themselves to the issues we are faced with, who take the lazy way out by adopting some loudmouthed 'news source' and their take on the matter.

We all have our opinions and standpoints. But, in the large, we have gotten to those standpoints by being heavily influenced by people with agendas. So, when asked why I despise 'conversations' about politics, this is the answer that is given, and I am looked at like I'm some cane-waving recluse shouting about how things were different in the 20s. I am sick of watching Democratic people and Republican people do nothing but hurl insults and untruths about each other's ideas. I am sick of listening to people (not just politicians, but voters too) being lumped into these huge buckets of stereotype, when we all know that we know people who don't subscribe to either viewpoint, diverge from their professed party's stand on various issues. We do it to each other. A populace is /never/ reduced to two opinions on any complex matter, so why are we painting each other with 'red' and 'blue' brushes that are negative no matter which party you subscribe to?

Sorry for the rant.

So.... waita%&$*ingminutehere...

You set up a perfect scene for Something Thematic and Bad To Happen, and Staff tells you to knock it off? Awesome game. Way to go guyz!