07-11-2003, 07:44 PM
Sorry, I really cannot draw the parallels between Diablo and real life (Of which I'm currently slogging through Act II) like other people.
So, let's try and hammer out this PK = RL Murderer analogy.
First of all: "People band together to punish such rogues." Well, maybe in ye olde days when the height of technology was a rock on a stick and ballistic missiles comprised of a burly man hefting stones at their neighbour, but in the big blue room we call "outside" that rarely happens these days. Many nations employ judicial services for a reason: To see that what's right happens. Of course in the olden days many an innocent man got a pickaxe through his skull by an irate mob because he happened to be near the tanner's when the aforemention leather worker was cruelly murdered. In countries where there is very little law, or where what passes for justice is nothing more than corruption, innocent folk get framed and executed without any reasonable defense. Need I point out the ugliness of a lynch mob? How's about the Salem Witch Trials where countless old biddies with a fondness for cats ended up tied to a teeter-totter near the local lake. All examples of mob justice, all examples of why people banding together to punish criminal elements is a bad idea, all examples why the best form of law enforcement is by those running the system (in this case Blizzard) are those best suited with dealing with the lawlessness.
Hmm, I might have hit upon something: Salem. Much of the arguments for the executions were that if the subject was a witch then they;d be able to magick their way out of their execution while the innocent were basically screwed beyond telling. You're part of a mob, intending to bring cheaters to justice. How exactly does that work? For if they are not cheaters, then they would have to be extremely skilled or lucky to survive. If, on the other hand they've got a boatload of hackeduptotheass gear and more hacks than a tabloid newspaper, in which case the mob will be nothing more than a series of pretty-coloured smears across the landscape. Of course, the regular, legit PKs worthy of receiving such a smackdown from a passing vigilante group will probably croak, but how many of them have you seen recently?
Essentially, what we have with Bnet is anarchy. A world in which there are no real laws, where criminals rise to the top and the innocent are either victimised by the badniks or their innocent bretheren due to stupidity. Anarchy does breed mobs, anyone watching a shipwreck knows that debris and flotsam will gravitate towards each other, and the same goes in the world of Diablo where the very structure of society is ruined. Mobs aren't the best way to deal with things. Mobs can be worse than the scum they're trying to eliminate, and the only way to deal with a big mob is to form a bigger mob.
Hmm... PKs result in PKK clans being formed. PKK clans are generally indiscriminate with their targets, relying on nothing more than rumour and very little in actual evidence than the testimony of some guy who was killed. Eventually, PKs will cling together to form tenuous clans, and their targets are truly indiscriminate. Anyone could be a member of a PKK clan, or trying to kill them, so it literally becomes a "kill or be killed" world. Not the ideal situation.
Anyone played Neuromancer? Yeah, the book was better, but the game had an odd little idea: If you do something illegal, and in the game that could be pretty much anything, and a Lawbot carts you off to a Justice Booth where you face a quick trial, an option to defend yourself and explain your actions and reasonings, and (Because in the world that is Neuromancer the law is corrupt) inevitably a fine or the death penalty. Nice little concept though in practice - If a player is caught by Blizzard, they'll have a chance to defend themselves in a fair trial with a suitable penalty enforced if found guilty. Unfortunately, this would require Blizzard running the show, and given that player reports are untrustworthy (Why, I could send an e-mail to Blizzard tomorrow with a list of suspects. Whether they're guilty or not is open to debate) they would literally have to monitor every single action taking place, or enforce strict patrols of games where Blizzard representatives drop by into games to monitor things. Is this going to happen? Nope, I wouldn't think so even after a huge dose of hallucinogenics.
Best way to deal with things? Conspiracies of One. Every single player is responsible for their actions, trusting no one but those that truly deserve trust and even then only dealing with problems personally on a one-to-one basis. Wanna just curl up in private games so no one bothers you? Go ahead, just don't drag anyone along with you unless they want to come to. Wanna go dispense ye royale smitedowne on a PK that just waxed you? Be my guest, just don't beg for help from others.
It's everyone's responsibilities for the care of their character(s) and gameplaying experience. True, there are those that come along with the sole intention of ruining either or both, but when that happens you shouldn't be expected to amass a posse and go round up the varmint. Deal with it in whatever way you want. One of your options is also waiting on Blizzard to ban the turd, but don't hold your breath.
And if I'm murdered in my bed tonight, well I'd rather rely on the police, as inept as they are around here, to arrest the culprit and the justice system to serve a due penalty. I wouldn't want my family and neighbours to go grabbin' pitchforks and impale some random guy because a mate of a cousin who lives near the granny of a boy who said he thinks that Jim in number 18 killed me.
My two cents. Where's the penny jar for 'em?
So, let's try and hammer out this PK = RL Murderer analogy.
First of all: "People band together to punish such rogues." Well, maybe in ye olde days when the height of technology was a rock on a stick and ballistic missiles comprised of a burly man hefting stones at their neighbour, but in the big blue room we call "outside" that rarely happens these days. Many nations employ judicial services for a reason: To see that what's right happens. Of course in the olden days many an innocent man got a pickaxe through his skull by an irate mob because he happened to be near the tanner's when the aforemention leather worker was cruelly murdered. In countries where there is very little law, or where what passes for justice is nothing more than corruption, innocent folk get framed and executed without any reasonable defense. Need I point out the ugliness of a lynch mob? How's about the Salem Witch Trials where countless old biddies with a fondness for cats ended up tied to a teeter-totter near the local lake. All examples of mob justice, all examples of why people banding together to punish criminal elements is a bad idea, all examples why the best form of law enforcement is by those running the system (in this case Blizzard) are those best suited with dealing with the lawlessness.
Hmm, I might have hit upon something: Salem. Much of the arguments for the executions were that if the subject was a witch then they;d be able to magick their way out of their execution while the innocent were basically screwed beyond telling. You're part of a mob, intending to bring cheaters to justice. How exactly does that work? For if they are not cheaters, then they would have to be extremely skilled or lucky to survive. If, on the other hand they've got a boatload of hackeduptotheass gear and more hacks than a tabloid newspaper, in which case the mob will be nothing more than a series of pretty-coloured smears across the landscape. Of course, the regular, legit PKs worthy of receiving such a smackdown from a passing vigilante group will probably croak, but how many of them have you seen recently?
Essentially, what we have with Bnet is anarchy. A world in which there are no real laws, where criminals rise to the top and the innocent are either victimised by the badniks or their innocent bretheren due to stupidity. Anarchy does breed mobs, anyone watching a shipwreck knows that debris and flotsam will gravitate towards each other, and the same goes in the world of Diablo where the very structure of society is ruined. Mobs aren't the best way to deal with things. Mobs can be worse than the scum they're trying to eliminate, and the only way to deal with a big mob is to form a bigger mob.
Hmm... PKs result in PKK clans being formed. PKK clans are generally indiscriminate with their targets, relying on nothing more than rumour and very little in actual evidence than the testimony of some guy who was killed. Eventually, PKs will cling together to form tenuous clans, and their targets are truly indiscriminate. Anyone could be a member of a PKK clan, or trying to kill them, so it literally becomes a "kill or be killed" world. Not the ideal situation.
Anyone played Neuromancer? Yeah, the book was better, but the game had an odd little idea: If you do something illegal, and in the game that could be pretty much anything, and a Lawbot carts you off to a Justice Booth where you face a quick trial, an option to defend yourself and explain your actions and reasonings, and (Because in the world that is Neuromancer the law is corrupt) inevitably a fine or the death penalty. Nice little concept though in practice - If a player is caught by Blizzard, they'll have a chance to defend themselves in a fair trial with a suitable penalty enforced if found guilty. Unfortunately, this would require Blizzard running the show, and given that player reports are untrustworthy (Why, I could send an e-mail to Blizzard tomorrow with a list of suspects. Whether they're guilty or not is open to debate) they would literally have to monitor every single action taking place, or enforce strict patrols of games where Blizzard representatives drop by into games to monitor things. Is this going to happen? Nope, I wouldn't think so even after a huge dose of hallucinogenics.
Best way to deal with things? Conspiracies of One. Every single player is responsible for their actions, trusting no one but those that truly deserve trust and even then only dealing with problems personally on a one-to-one basis. Wanna just curl up in private games so no one bothers you? Go ahead, just don't drag anyone along with you unless they want to come to. Wanna go dispense ye royale smitedowne on a PK that just waxed you? Be my guest, just don't beg for help from others.
It's everyone's responsibilities for the care of their character(s) and gameplaying experience. True, there are those that come along with the sole intention of ruining either or both, but when that happens you shouldn't be expected to amass a posse and go round up the varmint. Deal with it in whatever way you want. One of your options is also waiting on Blizzard to ban the turd, but don't hold your breath.
And if I'm murdered in my bed tonight, well I'd rather rely on the police, as inept as they are around here, to arrest the culprit and the justice system to serve a due penalty. I wouldn't want my family and neighbours to go grabbin' pitchforks and impale some random guy because a mate of a cousin who lives near the granny of a boy who said he thinks that Jim in number 18 killed me.
My two cents. Where's the penny jar for 'em?
When in mortal danger,
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
BattleTag: Schrau#2386
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
BattleTag: Schrau#2386