[MUD-Dev] text user interface

[Eli Stevens]

Alright, I have a question that I know is very similar to topics discussed
before, but slightly different.

I am thinking of a multi-tiered command parsing system.  If one set of
commands (say, all the wizzard commands) cannot/does not recognize a
player's command, it will get passed on to the next tier.  That tier, in
turn, tries to parse the command, etc.  When a command is actually parsed,
it is not sent to the next tier.

Please note that I am not talking about attaching commands to objects and
such.

Say a player is using the online editor to write a note to send to another
player.  I see them having tiers like the following:

Account commands (login, logout, password change, etc.)
Character commands (say, movement, attack, etc.)
Note commands (append, insert, clear, show, etc.)

Other command groups might be:
OLC (new room, new mob, etc.)
Administration (ban, log, etc.)
Combat (kick, bash, etc.)

My question boils down to this:  should the note commands be able to
override the character and account commands?  Or, said another way, should
the player's input be parsed from a high level command set, then lower ones,
or low to high?



My thoughts:

- The available command set should stay consistent no matter where or what
the character is involved in.  Low then high.

- Low level command sets should not have to worry about breaking
(overriding) higher ones by adding new commands (and hence possibly making
them useless or impossible to exit from).  High then low.

- The mode that the player is in should dictate the available command set.
Commands that make sense in the context (say OLC) should be available,
regardless of if they are present elsewhere.  High then low.

- The effect of a command should never be in question.  Having the same
command trigger two entirely different events is/can be confusing.  Low then
high...

Sigh.  Now that school is out, I would like to get some real coding done...
But wouldn't we all?  ;)

<//> Silence is golden           RUIN, v.  To destroy.            <\\>
 ||  Eli                         Specifically, to destroy a maid's ||
 ||  wickedgrey at wickedgrey.com   belief in the virtue of maids.    ||
<\\> www.wickedgrey.com            -- Ambrose Bierce              <//>






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