Computers can't....

[Jeff Kesselman]

>>>SOAP BOX ON

Sometimes I think we use the above too freely.  Its come up numerous times
in comapring a MUD to a human judged system, and i muyself have said it in
regard to roleplay.

Its important IMO to take a step back, take a breath, and remember what we
have at our disposal. Thsi machien i am typing mail on has more raw power
then the VAX 780 I shared with 10 other people simultaneously in college.

Just because it isn't easy, or hasn't been done before, doesn't mean it can
not be done.  This is especially true in areas that have not had a huge
amount of academic study.  The turing test, we can be reasonably sure, is
not beatable now (if it ever will be) but is full turing test response
necessary for roleplay?

My whole approach to our design for DSOII, which is suppsoed to be a game
that captures the pen and apper AD&D experience, has been to take a step
back from each problem encountered and ask "how does a judge solve thsi"?
In just about every case there has been a reasonable analagous automated or
semi-automated mechanism that I coudl build into the game.

I woudl encourage those who dismiss creating RP type experience because "a
jhudge can <X> but a computer can't..." to look again before dismissing it
entirely.

<<< SOAP BOX OFF

JK