Member Discussions

Well, the mud isn't open yet, but there are two sets of rules:

#1: Rules for EVERYBODY (Immortals & Players)
#2: Rules for Immortal Behavior

The first set are the usual, no double logging, no harassment, etc, etc.

The second set of rules deal specifically with immortal behavior and include the following:

Rule #1: NO Immortal is above ANY of the rules of the MUD, that includes the Owner (me).

Rule #2: You do not under ANY circumstance use your Immortal to modify or alter ANY other immortal's work without first asking their permission, and if they say no, the answer is no. The sole exception to that is correction of spelling/grammatical errors. (Hey, everyone makes spelling mistakes)

Rule #3: There will be no insulting, downgrading, or in any other way showing disrespect to players or other immortals.

Rule #4: There is to be no showing of favortism or bias to anyone, regardless of reason.

Rule #5: If you don't know how to do something, ASK. You'll never be penalized for asking a question.

Corollary to Rule #5: If you screw something up, let me know or your mentor (higher level immortal who helps train newer immortals) so it can be fixed. Covering it up just makes things worse.

Rule #6: Please follow the game design and only build areas approved by me (my mud has 5 worlds, and several planes. We have specified areas that HAVE to be created first. Some creativity and flair and totally new areas are ok, but the main stuff is needed first)

Rule #7: NEVER give out your Immortal password to anyone.
Exception: Husbands/wives only.

Now, I do not specifically disallow playing a mortal if you're an immortal on my mud, but, it's stated that penalties will be more severe if they use their immortal to assist their mortal.

Punishments: depending on offense. If it is something really bad (like crashing the mud on purpose, giving out quest items, making super-powerful weapons/armor, or whatever, it's immediate demotion of the immortal to a position they cannot do the offense again, this is permanent unless later re-promoted by re-earning my trust, except in the case of crashing the mud, that is immediate and permanent site lock/banning.

Otherwise: 1st offense: warning. 2nd offense: demotion. 3rd offense: deletion of the immortal/possible site lock.

Now, under no circumstances do these punishments affect their mortal player if any, unless the offense was dealing with the assisting of their mortal with their immortal char. Then that mortal is dusted immediately, since it'd be too difficult to figure out what they earned as opposed to what was "assisted with".

Either way, all my immortals are told (and it is also stated in the actual policy file) that everyone is to be treated equally, there will be no exceptions, etc. If you're caught committin the "crime", you do the time.

> Rule #1: NO Immortal is above ANY of the rules of the MUD,
> that includes the Owner (me).

> Rule #2: You do not under ANY circumstance use your
> Immortal to modify or alter ANY other immortal's work
> without first asking their permission, and if they say
> no, the answer is no.

[snip]

> Rule #6: Please follow the game design and only build
> areas approved by me

But if they do build a non-approved area, and won't give permission for you to change it, what happens then? It seems rules 1 and 2 would prevent you doing anything about it.

AHh, but you've forgotten a rule!!

Rule #8: Whatever the Owner(me) says, goes... Period.
(So, no worries... You can delete that Immortal's area, no questions asked!)

Sort of reminds me of IRobot for some reason... Those three rules, however well-thought out the scientist believed they were... The system still failed.

By the way, this has nothing to do with Death's Realm and its success.

RE: But if they do build a non-approved area, and won't give permission for you to change it, what happens then? It seems rules 1 and 2 would prevent you doing anything about it.


The builders of the mud build things but I connect them. Therefore if the area is not approved, it is not connected/linked into the playable areas.

: Rule #7: NEVER give your Immortal password to anyone.
: Exception: Husbands/wives only.

Hey, this is the 21st century, you know! Don't forget registered domestic partnerships and civil unions.

re: Luxian's post: Hey, this is the 21st century, you know! Don't forget registered domestic partnerships and civil unions.

Oops, you're right. Thanks, you just gave me more work. Now I gotta update the help files again. (regarding player harassment, immortal policies...sigh, an owner's work is never done.)

re: Luxian's post: Hey, this is the 21st century, you know! Don't forget registered domestic partnerships and civil unions.

Oops, you're right. Thanks, you just gave me more work. Now I gotta update the help files again. (regarding player harassment, immortal policies...sigh, an owner's work is never done.)

Don't forget sheep and horses either! There's a statewide petition to legalize beastiality in Washington state. You need to stay on the cutting edge of societal evolution.

Tyche you're just twisted. Are you my long lost twin? lol

Quoth Tyche:
'Don't forget sheep and horses either! There's a statewide petition to legalize beastiality in Washington state.'

Egads, this is just embarrassing. I don't think the Dems in Washington (aka the Fascisti) have been reading the paper recently. A man in a more rural area died of a perforated colon after becoming intimate with... wait for it... c'mon take a guess... hmmm... drumroll please... that's right, a horse. Now there's a darwin award for you. How do you just wake up in the morning and decide you want to be uh 'loved' by member equidae?

I hope if this initiative makes it on the ballot that sanity will prevail... even in Washington... seriously folks... just say 'neigh' won't you?

Don't forget sheep and horses either! There's a statewide petition to legalize beastiality in Washington state. You need to stay on the cutting edge of societal evolution.

No there's not:
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/people.aspx

Beastiality was legal in Washington State, until that guy got killed while visiting one of our once glorious sex farms. Any ways I just wanted to defend my home state.

Beastiality was legal in Washington State, until that guy got killed while visiting one of our once glorious sex farms. Any ways I just wanted to defend my home state.

Maybe I read it backwards.
Washington just made it illegal.
I guess it was okay until now.
I guess this puts 'civil domestic(ation) unions' back a bit.

How do you just wake up in the morning and decide you want to be uh 'loved' by member equidae?

Ah let us not be so quick to judge. I mean why should genes (or jeans) get between a man and his apaloosa. Coming soon to theatre near you... Bareback Mountain 2.

Scenes:
'What's with the horse Bill?'
'He's just...err...a fishing buddy, Fred'

*love scene*
'I just can't quit you, Seattle Slew!'

Quoth Ashon:
'Beastiality was legal in Washington State, until that guy got killed while visiting one of our once glorious sex farms. Any ways I just wanted to defend my home state.'

Are you defending the State or Beastiality? Regardless, since you live in Washington I guess that makes us 'neigh bores'.

Someone stop me. Please.

What happens between a man and his horse is none of my concern.

...as long as I don't get bridled with any extra taxes because of it.

...It was obvious that it was time to reign in this type of behavior.

...It's time to put this thread out to pasture.

I do not condone, defend, or participate in Beastiality, I just wanted to correct people, and defend my state

Quoth Tyche:
"Ah let us not be so quick to judge. I mean why should genes (or jeans) get between a man and his apaloosa. Coming soon to theatre near you... Bareback Mountain 2."

Tyche I think you meant to say 'Bareback Mounting 2' starring Mr Ed... Polyamory plot twists previously unimagined except perhaps by soap opera writers and those consumed by prurient interests.

Egads.

*RE: But if they do build a non-approved area, and won't give permission for you to change it, what happens then? It seems rules 1 and 2 would prevent you doing anything about it.


The builders of the mud build things but I connect them. Therefore if the area is not approved, it is not connected/linked into the playable areas.*

So you are saying that if I were to build a zone that was based on the children's show "Barney" that the zone would not be linked, but also would not be deleted....Sure players may not see zones like this but you're still wasting precious space on the server by not deleting such zones... :)P

Tip: Use Krysis's rule #8 as the bypass not the concept that only you link the areas....

Well, I did say it wouldn't be deleted, never said the rooms wouldn't be re-used/reset. Grin

Seriously though, an area that will not be linked will be deleted. If a builder is terminated or chooses to leave, their areas that are not linked will be deleted. However, the policy was meant that no areas will be deleted by anyone other than the Owner, ie: other builders, CTs, Overseers, etc. Even the other DMs, aside from myself, as Owner and primary DM do not have the authority to do so. I've since altered my policies to include that.

I think we all operate to pretty much the same code of conduct, however we express it. Personally, I found it hard to list all the 'Thou shalt not...' type rules, and instead made a list of things along the lines of 'Good immortals do these things...' and 'Bad immortals do these...'

I also don't like fixed penalties because they hogtie you, the person who's dispensing justice. I can risk this because I know I'll just get a warning, first time...'

Finally, your rule that no builder may change the work of another... works fine while your MUD isn't open. What about two years down the line? Players have found a way to exploit Sluggy's area, and Sluggy hasn't connected for five weeks...

In reality, builders have to know that their work is your property, and that you may need to balance it, or fix it. Otherwise, a builder who's desperate for players to visit his area will make it more generous in terms of money or experience points... and an 'arms race' develops.

From Whmudadmin:

I think we all operate to pretty much the same code of conduct, however we express it. Personally, I found it hard to list all the 'Thou shalt not...' type rules, and instead made a list of things along the lines of 'Good immortals do these things...' and 'Bad immortals do these...'


Actually its been my opinion that unless things are expressly written out, some immortals will do things they shouldn't. By stating what is never allowed, they are made aware of the fact that certain things will cause their immortality to be revoked or suspended.



I also don't like fixed penalties because they hogtie you, the person who's dispensing justice. I can risk this because I know I'll just get a warning, first time...'


It is stated that the penalties for subsequent offenses are sterner, and there are no "warnings", every offense carries a minimum penalty of being silenced/muted, or jailed.



Finally, your rule that no builder may change the work of another... works fine while your MUD isn't open. What about two years down the line? Players have found a way to exploit Sluggy's area, and Sluggy hasn't connected for five weeks...


It's also inherent, and noted that I, or another admin has the right to alter/modify any area in the game. There are classications of immortals, builders being those who do nothing but build, then there are others of higher "rank" who have earned that rank by demonstrating various skills, willingness to work, etc, which include Creators (who not only build but may also create monsters and/or objects), and Overseers (who are trainers, mentors, etc and may alter their trainee's areas), and Dungeon Masters who can do all of the above, plus alter any areas that need updating, etc. Above the DMs are the admins, of which there are myself, my wife, and the head coder.

Agreed.

At the end of the day, a MUD's not a democracy. It's your sandpit, and you get to decide when it's necessary to be cruel to be kind... reducing the effectiveness of a certain class, getting rid of a bug that the players liked to exploit... even deciding it's time for a pfile wipe.

In an ideal world, the rules would say "Look: just don't do anything stupid, okay?" I think it takes time to build a MUD community, but it IS possible to arrive at a culture where most people agree the bounds of good taste and acceptable behaviour. In the same way that most students in a class don't like a persistent troublemaker... in my experience a clown is more likely to be shut up by their classmates than their teacher - once things have settled down.

So relax... don't go looking for trouble. It gets better once you've been open for a year or two, believe me.

You forgot rule #0:

These rules are NOT exhausive. Above all else, common sense rules.

Using the Common sense clause , just justifys alot of rule breaking...

If its a rule its a rule.
If its not ... Tuff cookies ^^

Who wants to be a Imm or Player on a server where they do not know if a Imm will be in a bad mood that day dislike the person and use the "Rule #0 Common Sense Clause" to dispose of the player...

Rules are in place for everyone can enjoy the mud.

> Who wants to be a Imm or Player on a server where they do
> not know if a Imm will be in a bad mood that day dislike
> the person and use the "Rule #0 Common Sense Clause" to
> dispose of the player...

The presence or lack of a "common sense" clause won't have any impact on bad imms mistreating players, because they won't care about breaking their own rules anyway. However the lack of such a clause will likely be exploited by bad players, often at the expense of other players.

When you make hundreds of rules that dictate the way people act, you have a society which is absolutely retarded. See, "owners" of muds nowadays can't be bothered with teaching their immortals how to behave. They just implement this:

1) Warning.
2) Second warning.
3) Third warning!
4) Fourth warning. 5 minute silence!
5) Fifth warning. 70 minute silence and public appology.
6) Sixth warning, 75 minute silence, public appology and 42 minute ban.
7) Seventh warning, 3 day ban, slay//eat, public appology, castration, banned from posting notes.
8) Eighth warning blah blah blah blah

That's the WRONG way to host a mud. If you want some guidelines as to how to run a mud, just do the opposite of whatever Adventures Unlimited does, or shoot me an email.

(Comment added by Rowena on Tue Apr 3 8:13:42 2007)

-Row

It was actually a great day when you decided not to come back. We should not have been as nice to you when you were on our mud.

Thanks for leaving,
Ytrewtsu