[MUD-Dev] META: FAQ and Thread Summaries

[Brandon J. Rickman]

On Wed, 3 Dec 1997, Adam Wiggins <nightfall at user1.inficad.com> wrote:
>[coder at ibm.net:]
>> Deduced reasons:  Partly it is as trivial as vocabulary (we have evolved
>> our own terminology and connotation frame), partly it is reference frame
>
>People are getting confused by constant references to Bubba? :)

Making common vocabulary and references clearer would be useful, but
might lead to heated discussion of "What is a spoof?" and
"Could the Great God GooGoo create a rock so big he couldn't life it?"

>> (we all have a fairly decent idea of each other's projects, design goals,
>> and base approaches), and partly it is sheer discussion history
>> (scenarios, named topics, etc).  
>
>I think that's the most important thing.  As I mentioned above - people
>hop in and start talking about a subject that we beat into the ground
>just two months ago.  In some cases, it's the same thread - just that
>thread has already evolved into a more complex topic.  They, of course,
>look at it and come up with the same things that were broached earlier
>in the thread.  I tend to ignore those posts, which I suppose doesn't
>much help, but I don't feel like repeating myself (or worse, repeating
>others).

I think anyone building off of certain test scenarios would be happy
to have those scenarios as part of some reference, FAQ or otherwise.
You can often tell who wrote a scenario based on the character names
they use, that kind of information might be useful as well.  I don't
know how JC might be planning on distributing this info, it is likely
to become large and unwieldly despite the best intentions.

Here is the kind of information I would be interested in sharing, is
this too much, too vague?  Should I just put it all in my .sig?

[my secret agenda -- SPOILER!]
Brandon Rickman - currently a graduate student, University of California
Los Angeles, department of design. ashes at zennet.com

Favorite characters: Shoehorn, Motch
Favorite scenarios:
- [Shoehorn and the rabbits]
Favorite concepts:
- Big Universe: a game world so large all the characters would be unable
to cumulatively explore it in less than ten days.
- randomness versus indeterminacy
- storytelling should be concerned with what the player is interested
in, not with simulation.
- decaying details

more info: http://...
[end of my secret agenda]

I'm running out of steam, the point is that my terminology can be very
particular about certain things, like "details", and if you [mis]used
a certain word or phrase you would be very likely to get a response
from me.

- Brandon Rickman - ashes at zennet.com -
While I have never previously found a need for a .sig, this
may be considered one for the purposes of this list