LDMs (large dynamic maps) was Re: [MUD-Dev] Unique items

[Mike Sellers]

At 10:06 PM 2/18/98 PST8PDT, coder at ibm.net wrote:
>On 16/02/98 at 02:25 PM, cg at ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA (Chris Gray)
>said: >[Chris L:]
>>:Why not hand-design the gross features of the world, its basic terrain,
>>:resources characteristics, etc, and _then_ define the rules which govern
>>:the use of those resources.  Plug it in, flick the switch, bake at 400 for
>>:an hour and Voila!  Instant world of 12 million rooms (if you're still
>>:using rooms).	Want cheaper, easier, more interesting?  Do allt he same
>>:definition work, but skipp the baking step,  Just load the raw dough onto
>>:your servers and throw your players in like yeasty raisins.  As soon as a
>>:player opens his virtual eyes, the world creates itself about him.  The
>>:question of the tree falling in the woods is finally answered: with nobody
>>:there, there is no tree, there are no woods, and there are no ears to
>>:hear.
>
>>Pant, pant, drool! That's what I'm slowing heading towards, but I'm sure
>>the professionals will be there long before I am.
>
>I've spent most of the last 48hours working this one over.  Its possible,
>its a data structure nightmare, but it can be done given enough horsepower
>(and it will need a lot of horsepower).

I'm not so sure.  I'm fairly close to completing a prototype along these
lines.  I hate to dangle this one out there, but I can't say a lot more
just yet.  If it continues to work, it should be pretty interesting.  And
the map is, well, big. 

>The key datum however is that an area containing (or percieved by) a
>self-realising object can't be torn down, whereas an area not containing
>only self-ignorant objects can been freely torn down and rebuilt without
>impact (presuming your rebuild and prediction tools are good enough)

Yes, this is key.  

>...I think I'm going to try this.  _BUT_, I'll use a mostly
>persistant world (fixed terrain, mostly fixed resource maps, fixed major
>objects etc), and the make the chaff dynamic.  

Good luck!  Who knows, maybe this is the wave of the future. :)


Mike Sellers                     mike at online-alchemy.com
     Online Alchemy             A division of The Big Network

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