[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo

[Michael Hohensee]

Brandon J. Rickman wrote:
> 
> On Sat, 27 Sep 1997, "Travis Casey" <efindel at polaris.net> replied:
> >Brandon J. Rickman <ashes at pc4.zennet.com> wrote:
> >>On Thu, 25 Sep 1997, "Travis Casey" <efindel at polaris.net> wrote:
> >>>The orc draws his sword!
> >>... of special dispensation for making a typo.
> 
> >Are there any muds which don't have a "time based interface" (by which I
> >presume you mean a real-time interface, as opposed to a turn-based
> >interface).  Turn-based seems like it would be impractical for a mud -- if
> >one player has to go to the bathroom, should all the other players be put on
> >hold until he/she gets back?
> 
> A lot of things seem impractical for muds (like ZenMOO), but some interface
> questions can't be solved with the typical assumptions of real-time
> mud interaction.  Yes, in a turn-based mud you would have to wait for
> AFK players, and perhaps this is such a fundamental change that these new
> turn-based games fall outside of [the petty world of] mud-dom.  Should
> we talk about these new play-by-mail-ish mud games?
> 

You can always establish a timeout.  This works pretty well in
civilization.  (well, freeciv, anyway.  I presume they have the same
thing in the original civ.)

--
Michael Hohensee       michael at sparta.mainstream.net
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