[MUD-Dev] Languages (slightly offtopic, was Text Parsing)

[Jon A. Lambert]

On 4 Jun 99,, Matthew Mihaly wrote:
> On Thu, 3 Jun 1999, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:
> 
> > On 08:42 PM 6/3/99 -0700, I personally witnessed Matthew Mihaly jumping up
> > to say:
> > >
> > >Obviously it shouldn't be about typing. That's why you use macros. Everyone
> > >uses macros. It is a given. No one can fight without them. 
> > 
> > My game needs macros too. So it *offers* them. In-game. No client required. 
> > 
> > Why doesn't yours?
> 
> Separation of expertise. Zmud, Tinyfugue, Rapscallion are all very
> capable. Why duplicate their efforts (and it would be large effort, given
> how competent these programs are (well, I can only comment on Zmud and
> Tinyfugue, having never actually used Rapscallion))?
> 

I have a couple of thoughts, which I've stated often before...but I 
shan't let that stop me.

Many of us here are designing games, or what we hope to pass off on the 
unsuspecting user as games. <grin>  Some of us design solely for what 
pleases ourselves.  Yet I do think that most have expectations that what 
we implement will be experienced by others.  

Why then do we take our lovingly crafted and painstakingly complex 
"games" and surrender complete control of the user interface and 
presentation to the likes of Nick Gammon, Ken Keys, Kathleen MacMahon, 
and Zugg?  While I'm certain that most of these persons are very nice 
people and quite competent, just what do _they_ know about your game?  
Does it bother anyone that the vast majority of _newcomers_ to mudding 
will be entering your world via clicking a web page link and seeing a 
badly wrapped and ill-formatted hard to read white screen with black 
letters (MS Telnet)?

I wonder how successful other popular net-games like chess, checkers, 
hearts, backgammon, etc. would be if the implementors chose NOT to design 
a user-interface?

Anyway, there's my two-cents. :)

--
--*     Jon A. Lambert - TychoMUD Email:jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com             *--
--*     Mud Server Developer's Page <http://pw1.netcom.com/~jlsysinc>      *--
--* To fight the empire is to be infected by its derangement. Whosoever    *--
--* defeats part of the empire becomes the empire; it proliferates like a  *--
--* a virus... thereby it becomes its enemies." -- P.K. Dick               *--


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