Planeshift as a "Utopia": Why not?

[zanzibar]

The subject of strife between the characters of Planeshift keeps coming up again and again.  The argument goes that everyone getting along together and working together goes against realism.  People also complain that such rules would restrict how people could roleplay.

The question is this:  Are realism and freedom good enough reasons to allow conflict in Yliakum's society among its citizens?  What about the benefits of keeping conflicts between players and NPCs as opposed to between players and other players?

[Volund]

 It goes with players in PS not going with the "stone labryinths" or yliakum goverment. Npc and Player have conflict constantly with camp spawning etc. With player against player confilict is more of a mind game. What do you mean by allow zanzibar?

[LARAGORN]

Are realism and freedom good enough reasons to allow conflict in Yliakum's society among its citizens? 

I think it is. I also think it wont be as previlant once other levels and cities are introduced along with goverments. Things are very restrictive right now with only a small portion of the 'world' complete, but I think it is a necisary evil to keep within the vission of the finnal settings.

In any country, city or town you will find some sort of conflict with its people, no matter if it is religion, politics, agriculture or education people will have opposing views of one another. Conflict is in our nature.

[zanzibar]

In any country, city or town you will find some sort of conflict with its people, no matter if it is religion, politics, agriculture or education people will have opposing views of one another. Conflict is in our nature.

But Yliakum is a fictional land.

[lordraleigh]

It is quite possible that the more fanatic worshippers of Laanx sometimes get rougher and brutal among themselves in the wilderness, away from the eyes of Yliakum law.

For many years, Laanx observed in a subdued way what the Xacha were doing. Some of them, circumvented extinction and went back to their ancient traditions, while the others spontaneously created a clergy and faith based on the Book of Names. The head of this second group was a handsome young man named Galeran Tarbius, endowed with endless charisma and with an overwhelming will power. Laanx was immediately interested in him and one day he appeared to him. When Laanx left Galeran, his eyes sparkled with mystic fury, and his body glittered of the chaotic power of raw magic.

Galeran had the power to transmit his fanaticism to the most possessed of his followers. In their opinion, Laanx was the god that had given new life to their race and therefore had the right to claim their lives whenever it was necessary. Galeran led the Xacha to Yliakum and there, they settled on the first level and began immediately to use their ancient knowledge to built an iron temple consecrated to Laanx.

There is a gang of rogues on the region of the Bronze Doors road near Hydlaa. Also there is an incredibly significant amount of rogues, specially in the wilderness.

A whole shop was raided by criminals according to a quest.

There are "fanatics" in the sewers.

The "rogue invasion" GM event in Ojaveda needed to be approved by Talad himself. An utopian world won't suffer from such thing.

[bilbous]

Until the AI can act all human-like a lot of human-human conflict is inevitable. Humans are more variable and unpredictable than any AI is likely to be in the next 10 years. Perhaps when quantum computers are prevalent, whenever that may be, if ever, AI will approach human status.

[zanzibar]

I guess I didn't explain myself very well.  Players will have conflicts with NPCs, NPCs will have conflicts with other NPCs, but players will not have conflicts with other players.

[Garile]

The goal of Planeshift is to creat a game where one actually roleplays aswell, The goal of roleplaying is to create a character and try to create w world by making it act as close as is possible to how it would react if botht the character and the world it is in were real.

This been said I think it is obvious that human vs human conflict would also have to factor in. There are simply to many wa already in the setting of conflict, like rangers and farmer, Laanx followers and Talad followers. goverment and rogues. To just say noone can play evil characters that fall in the same category as those rogues would in my eyes be seriously limiting RP, but would also seriously limit the plots in Yliakum as all evil will depend on AI and GMs.

So yes I feel Player versus player conflicts should remain, even if it is only limited to political conflicts and not armed conflicts.

[stevenw9]

Well I haven't played much, but I believe duels should be allowed between player and player anywhere in the game. This would allow PvP conflicts RPly everywhere and not just limited to an arena. To further this, a DM (Deathmatch) option could be available to the players if they both agree. Now in the future, guards can be set to stop the fight and even jail the assaulter. This would be a very interesting feature indeed as well as a fun one . I've said it before and i'll say it again, this game reminds me of another that I shall leave unnamed to stop advertisement, however i'm sure quite a few people around here know of the game I speak about since its vast land and customizeability is really only rivaled by PS. It should be looked upon as a base of what can and maybe should be done.

Player VS Player conflicts are needed to allow greater RP, however it should be understood that these conflicts should not be taken to Out Of Character states.

[Nikodemus]

Planeshift as a "Utopia": Why not?   Because it doesn't exist by definition.

[emeraldfool]

We, the players, are all humans, ergo there will be strife. It's what we find interesting, and it's what's in our nature. You can't change that, and you can't expect people to change that.

Any story has to have conflict. That's what makes something a story: conflict and resolution. If something lacks conflict it's what we in the business call "excruciatingly boring"

[Volund]

steven are you talking about runescape? If PS EVER comes close to that Im quitting.

[dying_inside]

The creators of Yliakum themselves are conflicted!
It is in essence hypocritical to expect  the followers of two Gods, one who hates the other, to play house with one another.
The settings also give examples of conflict! The Ylians Driving out the  Enkidukia, this was stopped by Talad in the end yes, but it probves that Yliakum cannot exist in perfect harmony, because this would mean that all beings are without desire.

[emeraldfool]

Yliakum cannot exist in perfect harmony, because this would mean that all beings are without desire.

You're right. In fact, It would mean there are no beings in Yliakum. Even plants compete with each other for light and nutrients...

[Gharan]

Player vs player conflicts are what makes PS interesting imo, it would be pretty dull if everyone got along 100% of the time. Don't you think?