[MUD-Dev] Eye movement.

[quzah]

Hello everyone. I had another idea the other day, on something
I've never seen implemented, that would make a great deal of
sence to implement. Eye movement, or rather, the catching of
the eye.

Example:

Bubba is in a room, just sort of lazying against the wall,
when in walks Boffo. On your typical diku-esque, you just
see something like:

Boffo has arrived.

Or some such. I can't speak for any besides diku-derived as
that is what I am most familiar with. At any rate, the idea
I'm toying with, would be a little more complex than just
putting a 'x has arrived.' message. Since I plan on using a
'direction facing' in my mud, this will add to the reality
of things, and I hope, won't be too spammy. I will add in a
sort of focus, which will determine how much of an eye-catch
things are in the room.

Depending on direction, and location of persons in the room,
I hope to have the messages for things happening be different.

[In regards to Boffo entering the room from the north
Buffy the mage, in deep concentration on a tome, facing NxNe
{North by Northeast}
would see something like]:

A shadow passes over your tome for a moment and you faintly
hear footsteps as someone passes.

Or something...

Bubba, just lazying around, facing west, would see something
like this:

You glance a bit to the right, as a stranger, clad in a 
ragged, gery cloak, which masks their identity, slowly walks
into view. Your eyes follow their slow movement, as they pass
on the far side of Buffy, continuing past, they slowly walk
from sight into the dim light of the ally to your left.

Or something like that? I haven't figured it all out yet,
(naturally) but I thought I'd write anyway, and see your
thoughts as a whole on the matter. Things like arrows flying
in the room would be an eye catch, if just for their impact,
and persons dropping items and such. The above example rids
the world of the extra need for "look stranger" as they enter
the room. Also, it's a lot better for thieves and such this
way, you don't have to spook them by:

You exit to the north.
[insert new room description]
[insert item in room list]
[insert players and mobs in the room list]
[player prompt]
Bubba looks at you.   <--- There ;) now you're suspicious!

Or maybe it's just me and the way I play...
Also, I was hoping to get around such things as having to
do the standard "look bubba" in a responce to their looking
at you. (Since that is what mostly happens on diku-esque muds,
when someone looks at you, you look back for the most part.)
Example sort of:

You step from the ally, into the somewhat brighter light of
the plaza. Upon doing so, you notice a stranger clad in poofy
blue pants, and an overly large shirt, turn and stare at you.
Sheathed at their side is a sword, longish in size, by which
hovers their hand. Their facial features do nothing to settle
your lunch.

The stranger flashes an odd little grin, and you hear a
muffled clink when they shift their weight - probably the
sound of heavy armor muffled by their odd clothing.

End of example.

(Now this would be similar on the 'stranger in the odd
clothes's end [the guy already in the plaza], but it would
read a bit like: You hear a slight movement behind you, and
turn around. You see... )
% grin stranger
You grin at the stranger who doesn't seem to give it much
thought.

Now again, I'm not sure how I'll go about doing all of this,
but it's something I've been mulling about a bit, for a few
anyway... And agin, it would solve some oddities in the usual
diku interface. I guess more than just 'eye movement', it
would be more of a 'typical reaction' which would varry with
your 'alertness' and such. (Yes, I have an alertness stat.)

Well anyway, comments and such are very welcome; after all,
that's what I wrote for. ;)
-Q-
PS: Thanks everyone for not picking on my spelling ;)