[MUD-Dev] Re: Introductions and descriptions

[Richard Woolcock]

Maddy wrote:
> 
> Previously, Richard Woolcock wrote....
> > Adam Wiggins wrote:
> > >
> > > [Derrick Jones:]
> > > > One other detail.  I really dislike those descriptions that give you too
> > > > much information.  For example, 'He wields The Sword of Devistation in his
> > > > right hand.' gives you the proper name of the object (the sword) of which
> > > > the character has no knowledge.  Perhaps simular recognition code could be
> > > > written for objects as well as for people.
> > >
> > > One would assume this would be handled by object inheritence?  Characters,
> > > locations, and items (swords of devestation) are all objects in most
> > > systems, after all.
> > > Note that you'll also need code to implant memory about something you've
> > > read about if you want this.  Ie:[example object-recognition snipped]
> >
> > As a 'cheap' alternative, you could use skills for this.  Thus Bob, who has
> > Survival 0, looks in the room and sees 'a tasty-looking mushroom',
> > while Fred - with Survival 5, sees 'a deadly skull-cap toadstool'.  This
> > is not as 'nice' as learning about each object, but would be less cpu/memory
> > intensive.  Skills such as 'Occult' could be used for strange artifacts,
> > whilst 'Melee' might show you 'A finely crafted steel katana' rather than
> > 'a sword' - perhaps someone with a little Melee might see 'An oriental sword'.
> 
> Well you still have to remember the name of things.  If Bob ignores the
> mushroom and walks back and forth through the room several times, eventually
> he'll succeed.  Likewise, Fred may eventually fail and think it's a tasty
> looking mushroom.

I don't see why you would have to remember the names of things.  If Bob doesn't
know that the mushroom is poisonous, there is no way he's going to find out
unless someone tells him or he eats one.  Admittedly, from then on he would
still be unable to identify which mushrooms were good to eat - but its probably
a pretty safe bet that he wouldn't try eating another one until he did a little
research on wilderness Survival.  Equally, Fred is hardly likely to forget that
the mushroom is deadly - how many times have you 'forgotten', for example, not
to eat something you personally hate eating (or something poisonous)?

KaVir.