MXP/Extending MUD Technologies (Was Re: [MUD-Dev] Object Representations?)

[Jeff Freeman]

At 12:11 PM 8/24/00 -0500, Patrick Dughi wrote:

>On Thu, 24 Aug 2000, Jeff Freeman wrote:
>> Art wise?  You'll show exactly what they show.  Maybe more, if you use art
>> that they've chosen not to.  Or a different/larger range of colors than
>> they choose to.  Or art that is a "rare item" on the real deal and which
>> most people have never seen, doesn't have to be so rare on your server
>> (which means for most people, you have something that the real deal
doesn't).
>
>	Wouldn't you have to modify the Ultima Online/etc client though?

You wouldn't have to modify the client if you're just making a "rare item"
more common on your own server, or to use artwork that OSI doesn't use (or
doesn't often use).

You can change the colors of things without modifying the client or the art
files, too.  The server tells the client what object to display, and what
color to make it.  The "green ranger armor" on OSI shards, for example,
didn't require an art update.  The server tells the client to display
leather armor, and to make it green.  So some private shards have all sorts
of differently color leather armor (and everything else), with or without
different properties in-game.

>I was lead to believe that the art was stored within it's bowels instead
>of served to the public via a server.  Did UO/EQ/AC open source their
>clients?  How do you expect to make these changes?

You wouldn't have to, although there's also a utility for UO that edits (or
recreates entirely) the worldfile, so that you don't have to use the stock
map.

>> Art wise?  You'll show exactly what they show, or more.
>> 
>	Unless you actually alter the client, and then serve this client
>to your users, I don't see how.  I also question the legality of giving

More variations.  You can't display anything that isn't in the art file,
but you can display it in different colors.  Also, there's some art that
they just don't use (like the children, the funky blue vortex, the sea
monster, and spam, for examples), that you could use.

You could make red chainmail, name it "dragon scale armor" and make anyone
wearing it immune to fire.  Without changing any art files (or anything
else client-side), you've just made a new type armor that they'll never see
on the real servers.

>> Gameplay wise, I think you're right, you'll probably be worse. 
>
>	I'm confused.  2 sections above, you state state "Gameplay wise,
>you can do MUCH better."

You CAN do much better, but most people don't.  They just download SPHERE
and run it.

>> But most text muds suck, too.
>
>	That gives weight to any (even unmentioned) arguments....how
>exactly?

I don't get the impression that most people running muds are very good at
running muds.

The private shard operators seem to be worse (younger, inexperienced, and
completely clueless that resources like, say, MUD-Dev even exist).  They
also don't seem to be very innovative - stock mud syndrome, sort of thing.

But, I can pick any MUD at random from mudconnector, login, and it's about
90% likely that I won't enjoy the place, so it makes me think "most muds
suck".

Maybe I'm just being cynical though, and those are all great gaming
experiences for other people, whose tastes differ from my own.

>Most popular muds, graphical or not, demonstrate some unique
>characteristics - including admin attitude or player society.  Those which
>are nearly identical to others (whether they're graphical shards, or stock
>diku) are not going to be as popular.  Being graphical won't let you
>overcome this, and being text won't doom you to it.

It depends on what you mean by "nearly identical".  There's an awful lot of
flexibility, even if the graphics are the same.  While "a nose helm" will
always look like a nose helm, it can have a different color, different
name, and can do something different.  With a game system that's different
on top of that, that isn't something I'd label as being "nearly identical".
 I mean, all text muds LOOK the same.

--
  http://home.swbell.net/skeptack/




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