[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface

[Maddy]

Previously, Adam Wiggins wrote....

> > Previously, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote....
> > > On Fri, 19 Sep 1997 21:43:02 PST8PDT, Adam Wiggins
> > > >to solve a certain quest (which I have detailed on this list before); many
> > > >spellbooks were written in different languages (written being a different
> > > >skill than spoken, of course); 
> > > 
> > > I don't find that any of these are terribly additive to the game. You
> > > lock anyone who can't find an elf out of Moria; you prevent anyone who
> > > can't speak demon or conjure a demon out of a quest; and you lock
> > > spellbooks out of the accessibility of people. Languages are like locks,
> > > you slap them on something and then the player ends up with this simple
> > > binary 'yes/no' thing as to whether they gain any benefit. 
> > 
> > I think locking spellbooks out of the hands of the masses is a good thing. 
> > You don't want Bubba the barbarian who can barely add 2 numbers together
> > trying to cast magic do you?  Magic is best left to the professionals. 
> > However having one consistant language for magic makes far more sense.
> 
> Actually, I brought up that particular example, because that was extremely
> useful on another mud I used to work on.  Nabbing spells out of other mages'
> spellbooks was a great way to get spells, especially if that mage was the only
> one with the spell and didn't feel like sharing.  Writing your spellbook in
> an obscure language was a good defence, since it makes life that much harder
> on whoever's trying to nab your book.  Plus we tended to drop spells into
> the game by dropping scrolls or spellbooks scribed in obscure/difficult
> languages, which resulted in a party slaying the lich, getting the spellbook,
> then the mage looking it over and saying, 'I can't read this.  We need
> a translator.'  Now they are forced to either learn the language (difficult
> to just do on the fly) or find someone to translate.  Of course, what's to
> stop Bubba the aspiring mage who sure would like that spell for himself from
> pretending to be a translator long enough to nab the spell?  Zany fun ensues.

Hmm yes - that is a good reason I guess.  A spellbook in my mind is a
mixture of "Magic" and your own native language.  It's perfectly feasable
for a mage to write "Here is this really nifty spell", then part of the
spell and then "But don't do this bit until last", more magic, "this bit
should go second", last bit of magic.  Someone who doesn't know the language
could easily cast parts 1,2,3 in that order rather than than 1,3,2 with
explosive results.

Although the way I'd want most mages to protect their books is with magical
defenses.  Not that I've thought too much on how that would work yet.

Maddy