[MUD-Dev] Re: Nested coorindate space model

[Benjamin D. Wiechel]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ling <K.L.Lo-94 at student.lboro.ac.uk>
To: mud-dev at kanga.nu <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Date: Thursday, May 21, 1998 1:34 PM
Subject: [MUD-Dev] Re: Nested coorindate space model


>On Wed, 20 May 1998, J C Lawrence wrote:
>
>> Given a domain which consists of several distinct lumps, the
>> coordinate system ignores the "space" between the lumps.  ie the space
>> between the lumps as defined by the containing coordinate system is
>> treated as of zero size.
>
>Cunning, though for me, it's more of a curiosity than something I'd be
>willing to implement.  Can a builder switch between coord systems?  Say
>from cartesian to cylindrical?  Or perhaps something even more bizarre,
>like transformations to a Z plane:


[snip]

I guess something that strikes me about coordinate systems is this:

The times I have thought about coordinate systems it was for two reasons.
One would be to quickly "build" a very generic area, like a long path, or a
large meadow, where there wouldn't be much change in description.  You could
build a small database within the MUD to handle the coordinates, maybe just
a large multi-dimensional array or mapping.  You could use it with the same
description for all rooms, or have it store unique descriptions, or any
combination.  Or the concept of D-space from MUSH environments like Robomush
from years ago.

The other reason would be to keep track of ownership of areas.... which you
wouldn't even really NEED a coordinate system to do.  That way, as kings and
lords won battles and took over new areas, the ownership would/could change.
This is probably easier handled in a variable in the object code itself
though, rather than a coordinates system.

Perhaps I'm too locked into my old modes of thinking however.  I grew up in
the old LP muds, dating back to the good old 2.4.5 driver/lib.  Maybe for
other games like UOL it makes more sense to use coordinates?

--
Benjamin D. Wiechel
http://www.toast.net/~strycher/
strycher at toast.net