While We Wait: Part 4

[Chandrasekhar]

This is a point where I've never really understood the opposing side. It seems self evident that a NES, unless it explicitly states otherwise, should strive to show outcomes that logically follow from the state of the previous turn and the orders of the players. Some people I've spoken to have said stuff along the lines of "It's just for fun, it doesn't matter," but it seems to me that it's not fun for anyone if crazy stuff happens just because one player ordered it. It's not fun for the other players, because their plans had implicitly assumed that events in the wide world would stay within the realm of "possibility," and I can't imagine how it would be fun for a mod to have his NES jerked around by the whims of unreasonable player assumptions.

Basically, what I'm saying is that realism should be the rule in NESes, not the exception. I suppose some NESes could be fun if they're unrealistic in predictable ways, but unless you have some set of rules you're working from, it's just arbitrary - and I don't see how that can lead to a satisfying experience.

But anyway, that's just my two cents as an observer. I'm not sure how much this all relates to EQ's NES, since I don't follow many NESes that I'm not actively participating in, but apparently this is still a point of debate in the NESing community.

 

[Symphony D.]

Chandrasekhar puts it well. As I see it, you've got two choices from the moderator's perspective, assuming rational players.

A1. Receive rational orders.
A2. Construction rational outcomes.
A3. ???
A4. WIN.

or

B1. Receive rational orders.
B2. Construction arbitrary outcomes.
B3. ???
B4. FAIL.

You see, if cause doesn't follow effect, there is no need for realism, or rationality at the root, because the input has no bearing on the outcome. So the entire idea of acting in a responsible fashion, roleplaying, story-writing, and long-term planning goes out the door because all that rational behavior amounts to nothing, and you may as well be irrational and do whatever the hell makes you happy.

You wind up with a game that encourages players to screw around and generally mess things up. Sounds great to some people I'm sure, but if I want that I can play this little thing called Civilization. This is a higher form of game. That's why it exists. You don't want to acknowledge that, fine, but you don't con people into thinking you do in the process.

 

[Chandrasekhar]

Chandrasekhar puts it well. As I see it, you've got two choices from the moderator's perspective, assuming rational players.

Just as a thought experiment, suppose you don't have rational players. What then?

 

[flyingchicken]

Then being arbitrary is the way to go for rational outcomes!

 

[Symphony D.]

Just as a thought experiment, suppose you don't have rational players. What then?

The moderator can try and reign in their actions, either overtly ("your action is denied") or covertly ("the Senate has refused to grant you a Declaration of War") to provide a sense of rationality, and try and promote it... or the system goes to hell and the game crashes and burns pretty much right after take-off.

There are a good sample of the latter, and have been a few attempts at the former (though more in select instances than systematically) throughout the forum's history.

 

[Luckymoose]

So das, why are there hundreds of dead baby penguins in Brazil?

 

[Dachs]

So das, why are there hundreds of dead baby penguins in Brazil?

Wait ten days at the most and he'll tell you, maybe. I think a better question is "How are there hundreds of dead baby penguins in Brazil?"

 

[alex994]

The Dark Knight, was, is, and will be uber. I recommend it to anyone.

 

[human-slaughter]

The Dark Knight, was, is, and will be uber. I recommend it to anyone.

Why so serious?

 

[alex994]

I'm not sure what you mean...

 

[~Darkening~]

....I think he was pulling a pun....

Wow. My first post, in what, three or four days .

 

[human-slaughter]

I'm not sure what you mean...

Ok I didn't think I would have to explain this. It makes it much less awesome. The Joker's tagline at the early part of the movie was "Why So Serious?" As such I used that quote to express my agreement with you that it was awesome and a wonderful final performance for the future award winner Heath.

 

[alex994]

Do they give awards posthumously?

You know, I did hear a rumor that he took drug overdoses to forget the memories of BEING the Joker....

And also, I'm just recovering from the two hours of the Avatar Movie with all those catchy phrases. After almost a hour has passed. Go figure

 

[human-slaughter]

Do they give awards posthumously?

You know, I did hear a rumor that he took drug overdoses to forget the memories of BEING the Joker....

I believe they do and it would be a dishonor if they didn't. It would have been amazing even if he didn't die.

And yes at the moment it appears he died from a cocktail of sleeping and anti-anxiety pills. He had prepared himself for the role by sequestering himself and living in a darker manner to prepare himself. However it is unclear if it was an accident or suicide because of the apparent depression the role caused.

 

[silver 2039]

I heard it was good, but is it worth seeing it in the theater or should I just rent it from the pirated dvd shop down my road instead?

 

[alex994]

Well, I sat in the third row of the movie theater. So I can't really say if my experience was normal Though I would suggest you go watch it at the theater.

 

[Perfection]

Batman needs to be seen in theaters, unless you have some high end home video system.

 

[human-slaughter]

Pirating this movie would be a crime to humanity.

 

[Perfection]

Why do you say that?

 

[alex994]

Pirating this movie would be a crime to humanity.

You mean we would have to add another crime to silver's list of crimes against humanity along with genocide, religious persecution, mass murder and etc etc? He LIKES committing crimes against humanity at times

Pirating this movie would BENEFIT humanity silver. You don't want that to happen right?