[MUD-Dev] RP=MUSH/PG=MUD

[Jeff Kesselman]

At 12:37 PM 6/30/97 PST8PDT, JC Lawrence wrote:

>Full graphical rendering of the MUD world loses an incredible set of
>values from the flat text version.  I'm not sure if I know how to
>avoid that.  A key problem is that an increasing percentage of players
>are both unable and actively unwilling to read or type (not 

At risk of giving away a design concept from the thing i mcurrently workign
on, I think its worth mention a few compromise solutions.

(1) A multi-headed approach.  My low level core is designed for this. It
isolates the interface between MUD world and display device (be that text,
2D ,3D or whatever) in a "viewer" class that is sub-calssed to drive
various types of "views". My goal in thsi si to eventaully support 2D, 3D
and vanilla text all in the same play space.

(2) A layered approach.  The graphical interface generates textual commands
and all those commands (plus others) are accessible also through a text
input.  Similarly the GUI contains generic textual output mechanisms
(pop-up boxes, etc) that can be commanded to open from the MUD.

The biggest palce IMo textual interfaces fall down is in the richness of
expression.  Text MDUS can be easily customized with unique descriptions of
charatcers and such by peopel with no equiptment or artistictalent (though
ability to write well helps.)

By going with a hybrid approach alot of that can be brought back in.

Jeff Kesselman

Jeff Kesselman
Snr. Game Integration Engineer
TEN -- The Total Entertainment Network -- www.ten.net

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