[MUD-Dev] Re: Recursive look

[Matthew R. Sheahan]

Ling propagated a meme to the effect of:
> Out of interest, how do people feel about mundane messages like arrival
> being 'spiced up'.  Instead of:
> 
>   Bubba arrives from the east.
> 
> It becomes:
> 
>   Bubba walks in from the east.
>   Bubba strolls in from the east.
> 
> And so on.  Would this become annoying?  I think the chances are it'll
> probably be an overwhelming yes.

why would it be annoying?  because it's more difficult to script triggers
for?

on Lost Souls, we use a movement verb appropriate to the actual mode of
locomotion in use.

  Bubba walks in from the east.
  Bubba flies in from the east.
  Bubba swims in from the east.
  Bubba hobbles in from the east.  (Bubba is missing one or more feet.)
  Bubba crawls in from the east.  (Bubba is missing one or more legs.)

saying things like "Bubba leaves west" and "Bubba arrives from the east"
just seemed like presenting a much more abstract grade of information than
is called for.  you're basically presenting a bare-bones statement of a
change in containment relationships between objects; i really think it
needs a little embellishment if it's going to promote immersion.

we don't let people designate whatever verb they want to use like a MUSH
would because we're into some degree of consistency between effects; if
someone "jets west on a massive column of flame", i want to know why the
piece of paper on the ground didn't ignite.

i kind of think there are two big schools of thought there: the throwing
around whatever character strings we like school, and the phenomena
modelling school.

								chiaroscuro