[MUD-Dev] Importance of User Documentation

[Alex]

Sanvean wrote about his mud Armageddon, so I figured that I'd write
about my mud, VieMud as well:
> a) Tried to make the help files follow the same syntax
We've done this one VieMud, as well as putting together a few hel entries
describing the syntax, format, and so forth of every single help entry.
Everything on VieMud is cross referenced as much as possible, and we've
split off entries into four main groupings:
* General
* Skills
* Spells
* Areas

This does cause some difficulties unfortunately, but once people figure
out how it works, they invariably say that they prefer it.  The only
problem that we're encountering is in the initial explanation.  We also
have it so that if you do not type enough characters, it'll give you a
listing of all partial matches so that you can choose the one that you
want (ie 'help s' would list all entries that start with 's', 'help
contents' lists the entire contents of the file).

> b) Written a script that, when someone requests a helpfile that isn't
> there, writes the requested word to file
We've done this also, so that if a lookup fails _entirely_, then the
word gets stored (along with their room and status).  I've found that
this has helped me add in a whole slew of words that in 20/20 hindsight
seem to be _perfectly_ obvious, but were not apparent when I initially
wrote up the entries.  This has also helped me expand on various entries
and consolidate stuff so that everything is quite well explained and
cross referenced to explain how the entire game works.

> c) Provided a way to access all the helpfiles through the webpage.
We have ours up in text format, as I have not yet come up with a good
way of making them available through a webpage (ie, with CGIs) in a manner
that is similar to the in-game versions.

> It is effective, but it's only effective to the extent that players are
> willing to read them.
This is completely true.  No matter how good or how shitty helpfiles are,
some people will always try to read them to get as much information as
possible, and some people will _never_ read them.  By making them as easy
to read as possible and as accessible as possible, the enjoyment of those
people who want to read them will go up, and their frustration level will
decrease.  The people who don't want to read them will just increase my
frustration level since they'll ask me.  *grin*

> In any case, it reduces the number of wishes requesting information,
> or at least provides something you can readily point the wisher at.
And this is such an underrated thing that it really surprises me.  My
logic with respect to this kind of thing is more or less as follows:
  If it is documented fairly readily, then the player has no grounds
  of complaints due to not knowing about something.

Ae.
VieMud -- http://viemud.inetsolve.com/




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