[MUD-Dev] Java and Javascript

[Mike Sellers]

At 09:45 PM 2/25/98 PST8PDT, Jon A. Lambert wrote:
>On 25 Feb 98 at 19:31, Ben Greear wrote:
>>  Jon A. Lambert wrote: 
>> > I would bet that more than half of current mud players couldn't make 
>> > a symlink if their life depended upon it, let alone a registry 
>> > change.  Installation of a client should be totally automated.

Truer words have rarely been spoken.  From my own research, I believe that
problems getting over the installation threshold may be the *biggest*
reason why more non-gamers don't play games -- or download cool things from
the Web.  This is, IMO, just another variant of the character creation
problem found in most/all MUDS.  Someone might want to try out your MUD,
but just getting started in it is so daunting they give up and play yet
another game of Freecell instead.  

>> I got the installation for my java appliction down to:  download,
>> unzip, type <java path>\java hegemon
>
>"Unzip?  Where do I get that?  What do all these parameters mean?
>OK I typed it, now where did it go?"  
>
>You may even get slapped by a user after telling them to unzip.
>More often the response these days is "What are you wearing now?"

Ha!  Right.  People who think "just these few steps" are easy should work
in software customer support for awhile.  :) 


>> It seems ppl will live with longer download times and limited
>> abilities (ie you can't save you're aliases/actions etc) in applet
>> mode.  Still, if it gets used at all, it is in this manner..
>
>JavaBeans can be made persistent.  And they are a good idea for 
>whole lot of other reasons.  I like modular components like ActiveX, 
>JavaBeans, lego kits, erector sets, train sets, etc.  Then again, I 
>believe the mud builder and user interface should look more like 
>"Widget Workshop" or "The Incredible Machine" rather than the ever-
>blinking and oppressive ">".

Exactly.  This is a very important point in being able to create high
quality online worlds without going broke.  (BTW, it's no coincidence that
besides two of the other principals from Archetype/M59, our new company
includes, among others, the creator of Carmen Sandiego and Widget Workshop.
 This is not precisely related to MUDs, but the design philosophy is
important.)  


--

Mike Sellers   Chief Alchemist -- Online Alchemy   mike at online-alchemy.com

"One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others 
may despise it, is the invention of good games.  And it cannot be done 
by men out of touch with their instinctive values."  - Carl Jung