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

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199709272314.TAA16305 at polaris.net>, on 09/27/97 
   at 04:23 PM, "Travis Casey" <efindel at polaris.net> said:

>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).  

Yes.  Most of them seem to be Web based.  Rock is a new example at
http://www.deltapolis.com/rock/.

>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?

Nahh, just make default round times, with a defined tolerance for
submissions.  Exceed the tolerance and you either get a default action
(eg continue what you were doing last round), or do nothing at all.

>In any case, though, it should be noted that typos are an artifact of
>the interface -- if the player actually *were* his/her character, it
>would be impossible for him/her to try to weld a sword when he/she
>meant to wield it.

Good point.

Can it not be considered that typos are a good analogy for physical
fumbles?  Typos == clumsiness?  The neat thing of course would be for
the server to attempt to track such typos, and to then generate
in-game bumble actions (trips over own toes, swings sword and cuts
self, fumbles potion and pours it over floor, stutters, gags, burps,
farts, etc).

--
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...