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

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 23 Sep 97 at 8:35, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:
> 
> Given that the availability of documentation is so restricted (not 
> downloadable or printable), chances are that I've built my first character 
> without a clear understanding of what will work best in the game. Ever go 
> to a gaming convention and seen a guy running some game say "Who's the 
> cleric?" -- and the whole group raises their hands? Or *nobody* raises his 
> hand at all? Bad situation. Same thing when you start up a character on a 
> MUD... you log on as a troll, and the first thing you see is thirty trolls 
> running around. Screw that, I want to do something different. What do you 
> mean, 'no'?

You're getting into a different area of documentation here.  This is 
one where I would agree.  This is a failing of muds typically where 
there is no well thought out theme.  You login to find yourself 
presented with 20 classes and 20 races.  Races like 'splurgh' and 
classes like 'ahkarri' with little or no background information or 
help.  It's my opinion that most muds _should_ have an associated web 
page with a good summary of the theme and roles that players can 
assume.

OTOH should one expect my introductory documentation to detail and 
describe the all the spells/skills/talents/flaws that professions or 
cultures receive and at what levels, then they are probably logged in 
to the wrong type of game.

Usually at a gaming convention the GM will have pre-generated 
characters on hand and likely they are designed with the scenario 
to be run in mind.  Muds need to be a bit more flexible in that any 
profession or race available to players has to be playable in the 
game.  I have noticed on certain mud-types when the implementors 
implement a new or unusual race or class within a couple of days 
there will be a huge quantity of such character types.  If the type 
is unbalanced in any way you'll see either many playing the type or 
very few.  Part of the problem is that character customization is 
very minimal on many muds and is limited to class and race.

> Remove the who command, and I log on and see a series of people that may or 
> may not be PCs. I try to find out where something is. I can't tell who's a 
> PC, who's been here a while, who's high level, who's of an appropriate 
> class, it becomes a major pain in the behind. I see plenty of NPCs who 
> would be able to help me, *if* they were able to understand and respond to 
> the question, which they aren't.

If the interface, game concept, rules and theme are clearly 
documented and help is available, what sort of questions would you 
ask of players?  This goes right to point of "type of game".  

[telephone pole and burning crosses discussion]
> With the same primitives that allow them to build something you as the 
> designer never thought they would.

I have taken a reverse approach to this problem.  Not quite as
satisfactory as allowing full freedom.  Assembled objects need to 
be pre-defined by builders in terms of the primitive resources, 
skills, etc that are required to create an object.  So that sword you 
are carrying has creation and destruction mechanisms.  It's a 
collection of iron, leather, weaponsmithy, time, energy and tools.
Object creation is inextricably linked to skills and economy.  It 
forms a subgame unto itself.  The command used is quite simple and 
consistent, "make <object>" brings up a menued dialog.  The dialog is 
also consistent across objects.  One of the problems with this 
approach is that even the most mundane objects require a bit of 
thought to design and balance.  I've been considering an "inventor" 
type profession or position.  Players can then design toys from 
commonly available parts and primitives and once approved and tested 
they become part of the game and can be built.  Sounds like *fun* to
me, YMMV.  Your burning crosses abuse then becomes possible although 
it is in the nature of my RP environment to ask of the designer many
questions IC-ly.  What is a cross?  Why do you burn it?  What does it 
symbolize?  This likely would not meet the test of the muds theme and 
likely requires OOC knowledge.

--
Jon A. Lambert

If I'd known it was harmless, I would have killed it myself.