[MUD-Dev] Introductions and

[Mike Sellers]

At 12:54 AM 12/12/97 PST8PDT, coder at ibm.net wrote:
>>> What I'm thinking of doing is creating name stacks, such that there would
>>> be no warnining or alert of the name collision above.  Thus "Bubba" would
>>> end up refering to the elf, but could be prompted for earlier assignments:
>>> 
>>>   > l
>>>   Bubba is here
>>>   There is a troll here.
>>>   > l at Bubba?  // The '?' request assignment stack expansion
>>>   Do you want:
>>>     1) Bubba the elf (current default).
>>>     2) Bubba the troll.
>>>     0) Cancel command?
>>>   >> ...etc...
>>
>>this seems to be an inconcistancy within the system.  I see Bubba and a 
>>troll.  Yet, if that troll was the one I named Bubba, when I get to the 
>>list and type 2, I look at the troll that I previously didn't recognize 
>>as Bubba the troll?  I don't know him, and then I do? 
>
>True, this is a weakness.  <sigh>  I really don't want to have to do a
>category deliniation every time I have two objects with identical assigned
>names...(ie find a suitable deliniating difference).  More thought is
>required.

I don't see this as too big of a problem, given the private name spaces.
You don't have multiple "Bubbas", you have Bubba the elf and Bubba the
troll (both of which you've named Bubba -- kinda like George Foreman and
his kids ;) ).  Internally they are stored not just as 'Bubba' but
'Bubba'+ObjID. If you've named them (and have the skill to tell one troll
from others), you would see

  A troll named 'Bubba' is here.
  An elf named 'Bubba' is here.
  Marilyn is here.

The difference with that last line is that somehow you know that 'Marilyn'
is not in fact just a use-name you've attached to this person/thing, but in
fact it is a person who thinks of herself as Marilyn.  Stating it this way
demonstrates the familiarity.  

Of course if you name a troll 'Bubba' that should not confer the ability to
recognize that same troll again if you're unfamiliar with trolls in
general.  A recognition roll might result in statements like

  A troll is here.   [Your troll Bubba, but you can't tell.]
     vs. 
  A troll that looks like Bubba the troll is here.
     vs. 
  A troll named 'Bubba' is here.


Mike Sellers                     mike at online-alchemy.com
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