[MUD-Dev] Pocket PC Development

[Paul Schwanz]

Peter Tyson wrote:

>  Using his PDA in a meeting he orders more raw materials, sets the
>  priorities for manufacture, changes prices, sends messages to his
>  guildmates and organises the training/hirring of a new NPC. When
>  he goes back to his desk he re-syncs his PDA and the data is sent
>  to the Server and confirmed.

While I like the idea of using a PDA to stay in touch with a game
while away from home, I think that a good intermediate step (and one
that would appear to have fewer technical challenges) might be using
a web interface to similarly extend the reach of online games.
While many users are precluded from actually playing online games
during the day because they are hidden behind proxies and firewalls,
most have access to the web.  Also, tracking stocks or researching
other investments while at work seems to be quite acceptable in many
company cultures, but

having 3D fantasy characters cavorting around on your screen...not
so much.  It seems to me that a nice, customizable web interface (it
could really be very similar in design to My Netscape or My Excite)
that would

allow the sort of interactions you mention above would be well
recieved.  (By gamers, if not by their managers.  I would think that
there should be at least the option to choose a display format for
the web site that didn't scream, "game!" :P) I have a hunch that the
web interface might actually be used more than game logins by many
players.  It seems to me that this would extend players' involvement
with the game

while not adding significantly to bandwith.

Of course, as we move toward more persistent characters and
economies (as Raph has mentioned for SWG) in online games, a web or
mobile interface becomes more important.  Perhaps even a neccessity.
(*looks pointedly at Raph and raises an eyebrow*)

--Phinehas

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