It may come as a bit of a surprise to those whom have read the various RP (roleplay) logs on my web site, that a good number of characters, even at times the majority of the characters involved in the logs aren't actual players. This is a common problem with mucks like A Bug's MUCK, that have a very limited number of players. Now, while it only takes two players to create a log, after a while, several-- even dozens of logs with the same two characters would soon become old, and perhaps even tedious. Also, they'd lack the variety we've come to enjoy and perhaps even take for granted. Fortunately, the MUCK program allows us to create additional ‘characters' or ‘puppets' that we use in our logs. Perhaps ‘use' isn't the correct word. I'd prefer to use ‘invite' rather than use, and why I choose to use this term I hope will become evident as I continue through this article. To begin with, a puppet (also termed in MUCK language as a zombie) in its simplest terms, is a program. A few lines of programming code, that allow us to use that program to simulate another player. This rather cryptic description is very cold, and quite unemotional for what the puppets eventually become. The program is simple. Particularly compared to other MPI (the acronym for the program used on the MUCK to create these puppets) programs I've written and used. This is the program: (I've used my puppet Opal, and her MUCK number as an example.) @create Opal @set Opal =z @set Opal=x @flock Opal=me Then the action is linked @action gem=#914 (The number the muck gave me when I created Opal) @link gem=$null @succ gem={force:#914,{&arg}} Now, in addition to this, we like to create a description for the puppets so that others can tell what the puppet looks like. For those whom have done programming, the process is probably quite simple. But what evolves, at least in my personal experience, is so much more. Approximately six weeks after I joined A Bug's MUCK, my first puppet was created. Holly. With a little help, (okay quite a bit of help, but then the only other thing I created before her, was a catapult that tossed livestock at others...) Holly came into being. Then, came the unexpected. As soon as Holly was created and placed on the ground, she seemed to gain a life of her own. This might seem a little strange, but since she was created with a purpose, I had an idea of what role she'd be playing, and what she'd be like. I didn't expect for her to seem completely separated from me, rather than an extension of me. At first, she enjoyed teasing me, and we had some pretty good conversations, but when her personal history came to light, she turned quite vicious on me. A strong feeling of loathing came to be, and would have been more than happy to have me go away permanently. I realize that to the unfamiliar, this might sound quite odd, even well...nuts. But hopefully I can explain why this relationship with Holly developed the way it did. Only having had this relationship with Holly for a short time, I asked another player, Willow, her feelings about her puppets. She told me that they were like ‘an old teddy bear or a invisible friend' I thought this was a cute idea, but I now feel quite differently about it. I've become very fond, and even a little close of each and everyone of my puppets, despite what some of them have done to me. I think the best way to explain this development would liken these puppet to book or movie characters. Holly's personality developed, and she seemed to become more real and an individual, with more depth. There was one time I teased a player on the subject of ‘smore, to which I suggested that they were having a craving. Holly then reminded me of my enjoyment of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Okay, probably more of a passion, then enjoyment, but anyway... Such as this example shows, certain aspects of Holly grew, and as she became more familiar, I started feeling like I was writing ‘for' Holly, rather than ‘being Holly.' Once this point was reached, I no longer felt of her as even being mine, but this female ant whom I'd hired on and even had to make negotiations with on occasion. Okay, constantly. Anyway. This might seem a little odd, but as one player pointed out, that creating a puppet would be like creating a best friend. Unfortunately as my example shows, it doesn't always happen that way. But I think this leads to another important prospect of MUCK puppets. Staying true to their character. One of the most important details that I've found in dealing with puppets, is keeping them true to their character. Now it's rather obvious that an ant wouldn't get down on all fours, pant and behave like an aphid. (Except in OOC but that's a whole other article.) But once you get used to their personality, I've found that this aspect of the puppet can become very fine tuned. Like say for instance, one might have had a childhood friend, whom they envied the color of their exoskeleton. Or maybe wished they had more, less, or even no bothers or sisters. Why I feel this helps, is that you then get an idea of how they react to different situations. Maybe this decision that they'd rather not have siblings could result in friction late in life. Angst then could develop between them, generating desires to take over the colony, the family business, and that sort of thing. Not only good potential for good RP sessions, but the cause of many spiffs between rp sessions in the OOC (out of character) realm. One of my more recent puppets, Aspen, is an 11 year old ant, and friend of Sienna. Sienna is a fire ant who's recently come from Bug City to live at the colony. Now, I hadn't had much of any recent experience with 11 year old kids, so I was anxious about how he'd develop. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to work with them while out of character, so I was able to get some ‘practice runs' so to speak, to become more comfortable and used to him. Yeah, and at first he wasn't too fond of me either, even yanked me from my chamber, rammed into me, knocking me cold, then stuck me in a box with holes in it. Fortunately we've cleared up a lot of conflict, and get along quite well. So, despite the fact that all of this sounds just a little insane, letting puppets get the best of you and all, or even the idea that puppets could do things against a player, it happens. We pretty much just keep in mind that it's their personality, and we've come to expect it. Okay. One last point I'd like to cover in this section, is how we hold the ‘puppet' accountable for their actions, and not their owners. It's not uncommon for puppets and players to develop feelings for each other. And they aren't always the warmest. While some seem to enjoy your company (Even to the extent of having a young female ant develop a little crush on you.) Others aren't quite so happy to see you. One of Willow's puppets and I grew rather despondent of each other, yet despite anything that's happened between the two of us, I've never once put her at blame. It's the puppet who had the feelings against me, not Willow. While again this might sound odd, I've come to accept that its just life on the MUCK, and on the other hand a very helpful way of character development, and perhaps even a little side effect of the way our puppets develop. Perhaps to put it into simpler terms: Our puppets have a life of their own! Which makes for much better and easier to develop personalities. And, no, I'm not crazy. Now, where did I put my Paint Balloon Gun?

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