[MUD-Dev] not about pk anymore

[Huibai]

<<List Owner Comment: Original message fragmented by broken mail server 
upline from me.  Message fragments re-assembled with possible missing 
lines at this comment.>>

[lots of snipping; forgive]
::: The only problems I see with who lists, 
...
: realistically it's important to the players 
: to know if somebody else is playing too.

I've decided that by default, regular players will have
their names displayed in the Who list, as will gods.
Roleplayers will not have their names listed.  There
will be a toggle for anyone to have their name omitted
or included as they see fit. (Privacy if you want it, or
publicity if you're waiting for someone.)  Regardless,
the total number of people connected will be in the Who.
Who.  (maybe i should call it the HowMany command? :)

::: I forgot to bring up about making stuff less game termish,
::: So that you don't have someone saying "Oh man, that 50th
::: level dragon took off 200 hit points per round, he's tough."
...
: I'm afraid you'll find many players will not like it at all. They
: prefer the clarity of numbers over the deliberate obscurity of
: phrases. In a game where combat and hit-points mean 
: everything I don't think I can blame them, and a sliding bar
: to indicate your health is really much the same as numbers.

both things being pretty much the same, i'd rather implement
the bar, so that they don't know the mechanics.  in this manner,
"hit-points" don't become the whole game...staying alive does.
same thing, admittedly - i just want to control the focus away
from the play-by-the-numbers so that no one forgets what the
numbers are there to measure in the first place.  i also hope
that the descriptions equate to "limits of perception" vice 
"deliberate obscurity of phrases" (since the text is, after all,
the only means we give to players for perceiving the world).

On a new note, I've never wanted to include the attributes
Wisdom and Intelligence in the player characters.  To do so
is like telling a player (or roleplayer) what their creative limits
are.  I figure the WIS and INT are traits that the person sitting
at the terminal brings to the character.  "No you can't answer
this math question; your character is too dumb." Ack!

-John G. [am i the only one not to drink this July 4th? :]