[MUD-Dev] UI Issues: Anti-scripting techniques

[Marian Griffith]

On Mon 06 Oct, Shawn Halpenny wrote:
> On Sun, 5 Oct 1997, Travis Casey wrote:

> > Brian Price <blprice at bedford.net> wrote:


> How does one tell the player what skill level he is at with a
> relative system such as that?  I detest seeing "Your broadsword skill
> is at 80%".  It is incorrect to say "You are very good at picking
> locks", since not all locks require the same amount of skill to pick
> (nor are all locks requiring a range of skill X to Y necessarily
> similar, which would render the message "You are very good at picking
> Yale locks" acceptable).

Probably a silly question,  but why would you want to tell the player?
If they really care to know they can find out by comparing their skill
with that of other players  they know also are good at the same skill.
This has the additional advantage that reputation actually means some-
thing on the game. E.g "If you want to know how good you are at swords
you should go to Boffo.  Everybody says she's the best."  Boffo  might
not be at all good with swords but could have a reputation that scares
off enemies.

> In a relative skill system, how
> does one effectively (without misleading) convey a newbie's skills to him?
> Do they all start out as "You're okay at just about everything"?  I know
> I'd rather have an inkling of how good I am at picking locks before I play
> my newbie Houdini...

Realistically speaking the character has lived in the world for many
years and can judge, to a reasonably degree of certainty,  the skill
levels that she has encountered in the city she lives in.

Marian
--
Yes - at last - You. I Choose you. Out of all the world,
out of all the seeking, I have found you, young sister of
my heart! You are mine and I am yours - and never again
will there be loneliness ...

Rolan Choosing Talia,
Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey