[MUD-Dev] Introductions and

[Richard Woolcock]

Adam Wiggins wrote:
> 
> [Stephen Zepp:]
> > I am wondering about the inconviencience of walking into a store and
> > seeing 20 different sword descriptions, 100 pieces of armor, and 35
> > types of helmets...NONE with names until I "name" them...don't get me
> > wrong, I like the idea, but ( I may have missed it ), couldn't _most_
> > text style interaction have some sort of "auto-naming" convention to
> > keep you from having to name 150 objects in a room that you may never
> > see again?
> 
> You're confusing 'name' with description.  The situation you describe
> should look like so:
> 
>  ] n
>  You enter Arms 'R' Us.
>  This is a large, bare room.  On one wall are mounted quite a few different
>  swords.  On another wall there is a myriad of armor.  On a third wall are
>  several dozen helmets.
>  Bubba the shopkeeper is standing here.
>  ] look swords
>  There seem to be around 20 different swords.  Most of them are typical
>  longswords, but you notice two particularly rusty swords, three short-swords,
>  two claymores, and a rapier.
>  ] get short
>  You get a shortsword from the wall.
>  Bubba says, 'That's an excellent weapon for any use.  Sold to me by an older
>   hobbit fellow younger today, he said it served him quite well.'
>  ] examine short
>  You take a close look at the shortsword.
>  It weighs around six stones.  The blade is about three handsbreath long.
>  The hilt is wrapped in leather.  Delicate paterns are etched into the
>  well-worn blade.  It could use some sharpening.
>  ]
>  Bubba says, 'Only fifty coppers for that fine item.'
>  ] name sword Sting
>  You will now call the shortsword 'Sting'.
>  ] l in purse
>  You have three copper pieces.
>  ] doh
>  ] return short
>  You return the shortsword to its spot on the wall.

Out of interest, shouldn't that be "You return Sting to its spot on the wall"?
That is what my code would do, if I wrote object-recognition in the same
way as I have written player-recognition.  It would also prevent me typing
'return short' - I would have to type 'return sting' (although if I do ever
decide to code object-recognition, I might well change that part of the code
for objects).

>  Bubba says, 'You'll regret giving up such a bargain, my friend..'
>  ] l
>  This is a large, bare room.  On one wall are mounted quite a few different
>  swords, one of which you recognize as the shortsword Sting.  On another
>  wall there is a myriad of armor.  On a third wall are several dozen helmets.

I was thinking of doing something similar for groups of people - something like:

"You see a large crowd of people, three of which you recognise as Bubba, Boffo
 and Biffo."

The problem I can see is - if the crowd is really big, would I actually be ABLE
to recognise everyone (or even anyone)?  What if you barely know them?  Could
a thief (as in someone who had just robbed you, rather than thief class) hide 
in a crowd to escape the authorities?  Maybe you should have to push through a
crowd in order to find someone?

Just food for thought.

KaVir.