[MUD-Dev] Alright... IF your gonan do DESIESE...

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199705310937.CAA10137 at user2.inficad.com>, on 06/01/97 
   at 09:38 AM, Adam Wiggins <nightfall at inficad.com> said:

>Case in point: Chris L is designing what could be classified as the
>most powergame-y mud ever, but I don't see a lack of flexibilty and
>creative ways to do things *there*.  In fact, I see more than any mud
>I've ever played, role-play or not.

Thanks.  

<blush>

While I've never really though of myself as a powergamer (and still
largely don't), this discussion has had the effect of showing me very
clearly that one of my main interests in MUDs are the powergamer
structures.  I actually really like the powergamer environment, just
not the powergamer mode of play.  (How to seperate them?) That and I
*really* like to do things in very elegant non-instantly obvious ways. 


Part of my concentration is to take about fifteen steps back and look
at MUDs in a whole new unit of time.  Look at them afresh without
trying to force them into the AD&D mold, or any other pre-cast model
dredged up from some weary past, or even to make them like any other
game I have ever seen, played, or thought of before.  MUDs are, or can
be, a unique beast, creating a new form of game with no real parallels
in the papre and pencil, RP, medieveal or whatever genre.  I'd like to
take advantage of that.

What is it that MUDs can really do well?  They can't automate social
dynamics worth a rats arse.  They can number crunch very well.  They
can automate simple systems very well.  They can represent incredible
complexity by the interaction of simple systems very well.  They can
model bizarre illogics.  They can handle parallel processing of simple
programs very well.  They can represent simplistic forms of complex
object heirarchies very well.  They can  represent object heirearchy
interactions very well.  Etc etc etc etc.

I *like* these things.

<<I just noted a guy popped up in r.g.m.a with a somewhat similar
seperation of souls and bodies to my idea...invitation going out later
tonite>>

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
...Honorary Member Clan McFUD -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...