[MUD-Dev] Re: You think users won't number crunch and statis

[Adam Wiggins]

On Sun, 12 Jul 1998, Matt Chatterley wrote:
> Right. I also feel that replacing the numbers with more descriptive information
> is conducive to a different approach to gaming (more below). It also (to my
> mind) makes it 'friendlier' to those who are unaccustomed with this type of
> game, and requires less instruction - "My strength is 18? What does that
> /mean/?" versus "Okay, so I'm very strong.." (of course, the logical
> continuation is similar, since it is ".. compared to what?").

This is, IMO, a larger problem of establishing a frame of reference.  You
need to do this for ALL elements in your world, not just numerical stats -
although those can be the easiest.  For example:

% stats
You are a female ogre.
You are very strong compared to most ogres.
You are very intelligent compared to most ogres.
% info ogre
  Ogres are big and smelly.  They are by far the strongest humanoids in
the land, but generally not too bright.

Given this, the player can imagine that they are going to probably be
stronger than any other humanoid they meet.  They can also assume that
they'll be smarter than most ogres they meet, but probably only average
among other races.

I suppose many muds would use "help ogre" instead of "info ogre".  I use
info because that's how I cut things up on my server: "help" only gives
info about the interface (the parser, general purpose commands, object
interaction, and other rudimentary game mechanics) whereas "info" gives
data about the game world which changes from player to player.  Ie, "info
ogre" if you're an ogre would probably presented in a tone like, "We ogres
are by far the biggest and strongest of any race in the land.  Sure some
say we're not as bright, but what good is a smarty-pants brain when you're
dead because you were too weak to defend yourself?.."  Skills, spells,
flora and fauna, geographical layouts, and so forth, all came from player
knowledge.  Each player starts out with knowledge in certain areas (such
as geography of their hometown, history of their race..) and can expand as
they play the game.  Knowledge of skills and spells comes directly from
their skill level (the secondary value, actually, the one that doesn't
decay).

Frame of reference is important in anything which you plan to present to
an audience.  If it's not made readily availible to them, they will get
frustrated and leave very quickly.

Adam