[MUD-Dev] A flamewar startingpoint.

[Matt Chatterley]

On Fri, 19 Dec 1997, Jon A. Lambert wrote:

> On 18 Dec 97 at 22:39, Matt Chatterley wrote:
> [snippy snip]
> > 
> > I will have groups of players who are adventurers (picture a D&D party, or
> > somesuch; this is the sort of thing I'm working to get players into), and
> > by definition adventure. This is as opposed to the soldier, or politician,
> > or entrepreneur style of gaming (all of which should be possible, except
> > perhaps politics, but then, certain politics are possible).

[Snip]

> > The food is not a restriction within itself (the typical player should be
> > wealthy enough to eat fine in town, or skilled enough to hunt/forage for a
> > decent meal), unless the circumstances make it so (seiges, and so on).

[Snip]

> Full agreement with this critical use of food.  I'd call it adventuring
> logistics.  Now it does pose some interesting difficulties in a mud that has
> the following feature/lack of features:

'Adventuring Logistics' is an interesting term - perhaps one I'll start
using to describe what I mean. ;) Use of food in this fashion evolved, as
did many of our central concepts. We started out as 'yet another LP mud'
in the style of so many others, and then someone thought 'Wait, having an
over-world map would be cool', and thus began our 'full world simulation'.
It just sort of went potty from there. Use of food came in as one method
of regulating travel by this overworld map.
 
> Teleport or Recall is severely limited or unavailable.

Magical teleportation spells exist, but are powerful and dangerous (and
items which are enchanted with them tend to be one-shot, or
occasional-use). They are generally in the form of 'dimension door' or
'gate' type spells (at least on some level), and the less powerful ones
have severe range limitations ('blink' type effects are easy to achieve,
but the range is a few feet from start).

> Travel distances are realistic and problematic.

Travel distances are *fairly* realistic, and will tend to cause trouble if
you do not think about where you are going. There are ways around nasty
journeys (for instance in some places, flying carpets are very
convenient), but typically a decent trot by horseback or a caravansai will
be used. It might take about a minute of game play to cover a couple of
miles if you are uninterrupted (this is made unrealistic because overworld
play can become very tedious, and when push comes to shove, we are
creating a game not a simulation).

> Characters remain in-game upon logout.

We don't actually do this, but, are considering it. I'm not sure that I'm
entirely keen on the idea.

> Auto-debiting and purchasing of food/water is automatic unless "turned
>    off" or unable to perform (ala. purchasing in wilderness, debiting when 
>    none available). 

It is switched off when supplies are not freely available (eg: outside
safe-areas).

> Pack and Transport animals are also implemented as well as consuming
>    provisions themselves.

Yup, they are. As well as 'vehicles' (such as caravans or flying carpets),
and flight for some PC races (and of course magical flight).

[Snip scenario 'cos I don't have any comments]

Regards,
	-Matt Chatterley
	ICQ: 5580107
"I shall never believe that God plays dice with the world." -Einstein