[MUD-Dev] \"An essay on d00dism and the MMORPG\"

[KevinL]

>>> "John Buehler" wrote
> KevinL writes:
> 
> > I don't see that it requires graphical interface - such a system has been
> > discussed on mud-dev before, usually favourably.  If I label you
> > as "JB", and
> > then 'tell JB blah' or 'give JB blah', there's no reason the mud can't
> > recognise my naming scheme and act accordingly.
> 
> How do you refer to me so that you can label me as JB?  How am I refered to
> until that point?  How should I be refered to if you don't label me with a
> 'friendly' name?  The best that seems possible is a general description of
> me, which is a cumbersome way to go.

*Orc* enters the room ;)

(stealing from a mud I player and loved once before, whose name escapes me)

Seriously, the issues of fragmenting the namespace are real, but I don't think 
are unmanageable.  If you were really concerned about lack of handles on 
people, then you could show real name and just use local namespace as a mask - 
and provide players with a "whois blah" that returns the realname for them, so 
they can converse.

But personally, I kinda like the idea of not knowing people until they 
introduce themselves - from memory, Legend used to show descriptions instead 
of names, Raph?  It changes the flavour of the game dramatically, true, but I 
don't think it _breaks_ mudding, or requires a graphical interface to make it 
work.

KevinL
(Who actually introduces himself at geek parties as "Kevin, or Darius", and 
often enough gets recognised on the second but not the first ;)

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