[MUD-Dev] Mud-Dev FAQ

[Jon A. Lambert]

On  3 Jan 98 at 8:51, Ling wrote:

> 4. What has been discussed previously?
> 
> [Could someone provide this?  JC, did you not make a post last summer
> which summed all the threads posted up to that point?]
> 

Here you go.  This is a current list of discussed topics; an update of
JC's July posting.  I might have overlooked some interesting discussions 
hidden under dubious subject headers (cf. "Ho Hum" <*poke* *poke* :>) 
I've also attempted a split into three broad and fuzzy categories.

-cut-

Server design:
 Affects vs. spoofs
 Security concerns of spoofs
 Component based bodies vs. aggregate bodies vs. atomic bodies
 Rooms vs. coordinate spaces vs. mixed forms of the two
 Methods of handling coordinate spaces: neighborhoods, tree forms
 R-Trees, R*-Trees, 3d arrays, Quad/Oct trees 
 Automated population containers
 Event models
 Internal process models
 Security models
 Multi-threaded server design
 Database design for a server
 Use of transactional databases in a MUD server
 How to avoid resets
 Parsing systems, and language development tools
 Design of internal MUD languages
 Variations on event-driven design
 Disk vs. memory based designs for MUD servers
 IO Socket efficiencies.
 Telnet protocol and terminal emulation
 Design of Object IDs and Object ID recycling
 Artificial probability systems
 Virtual rooms, virtual objects, virtual mobiles
 Sending mail from within a mud server
 String handling and memory
 Verb handling - global vs. local vs. mixed
 Generic objects
 Object assemblies
 Collision detection
 Client scripting and scripting prevention
 Graphical interfaces
 Must have books for programmers
 Web vs. Telnet

Game design:
 Classes of players and what they want from a game
 Levels vs. level-less vs. abstracted levels vs. level-comparatives
 Keeping a goal progression without levels
 Handling of character inventory and representation of inventory
 Families and their impacts on clans, multi-charring, and tactics
 Character senses, representation and extension
 Re-usable quests or plotlines
 Generic quest creation systems
 Rumor systems, handling rumor propagation, and rumor decay
 Races
 Placement of characters in the MUD-world predator totem-pole
 Handling of character death as an in-game event
 Perma-death vs. resurrection
 Economic systems (and lessons learnt by prior experiments)
 Energy-style ecologies and economies
 Ecologies for MUD worlds
 Inter-player communication systems
 Perceived danger levels for characters
 NPC AI, goal-oriented NPCs, intelligently automating NPCs
 Player characters as NPCs/monsters
 Nutrition
 Wounds and trauma systems
 Combat systems (round based, no rounds, interactive, etc.)
 Combat messages
 Combat scripting and action
 Dynamic descriptions and perception
 Views on the "undead"
 User command interface design
 All about bows, longbows, crossbows, etc.
 Festivals and in-game mud games
 Supporting both Rpers and GOPers
 Virtual chemistry/alchemy
 In-game political and social structures 
 Implementing mundane professions (or Nation of Shopkeepers)
 Methods of integrating PK (coexistence with non-PK)
 Handling poison and disease
 Inebriation and drugs
 Dragons - a number of viewpoints
 Spoken and written languages  
 Food - interesting or irritating
 Starting characters or creating characters
 Amalgamud specification document
 Alignment vs. reputation 
 Character positions and rank point system
 Automatic name generation
 Learning and skill progression  
 Classless systems and profession-based systems
 Physics and the mud universe
 Hard sci-fi vs. science fantasy
 Character places of their own
 Character henchmen and servants 
 Thieves - ideas  
 Allowing players to affect the world
 Group play and group dynamics
 Spells and spell-casting systems 
 Characters - heroes, nobodies, or prey species
 Game balance
 Hive minds
 Traps and riddle lists
 Representing character stats - numeric, descriptive and graphic
 Settings for mud worlds
 List members' inspirational fantasy and scf-fi books
 Handling and building of large trackless areas
 Gods and deity systems

Mud Administration/Philosophy
 Lorry's document on wizarding
 The morality of logging and snooping
 Problems with socializers
 Social control and engineering
 Dealing with "problem" players
 Is the virtual world real?
 Gender issues
 Bartle's mud papers
 The purpose of mudding
 Motivating builders and coders
 Role-play vs. Game-Only Play discussion
 PK vs. Non-PK discussions
 The infamous rape discussion 
 Habitat papers and anecdotes
 Overriding players' control of the character 

-cut-

--
Jon A. Lambert
"Everything that deceives may be said to enchant" - Plato