[MUD-Dev] Semi Graphical Muds

[the_logos at www.achaea.com]

On Tue, 6 Feb 2001, Jon Lambert wrote:

> In response to the graphics == less imagination arguments, I once
> proposed eliminating all adjectives from text muds in order that
> players would be free to exercise their imagination even further.

That really brings up an interesting point. I do tend to agree that
graphics = less imagination as somehow literal (as opposed to
representational or encoded information like text) images lock your
mind into a very small box. Logically then, adjectives would seem to
do the same thing.

Perhaps they actually do, but I know I wouldn't want to play a mud
where typing 'tango with Bob' gave me the output:

   You tango with Bob.

I've got no more interest in reading that than Dick and Jane. I'm much
more interested in seeing something like:

   Something animal in you is aroused as you hear a tango in your
   head. You grab Bob and swoop across the room, dancing the dance of
   passion with unearthly grace.

Why though? Why are graphics more limiting to the imagination than
words? Another example. I saw the trailer for the Lord of the Rings
movies recently (loved it until that ridiculous tagline about "Find
the adventure before the adventure finds you." God, where did they
hire their writers from?). I quite enjoyed it, being a (surprise)
massive Tolkien fan. But, even though I enjoyed it, as I watched it my
mind couldn't help but tarnish the experience a bit by wondering
whether character X looked as you thought he/she should, or whether
the New Zealand landscape looked quite right to me.

On the other hand, I just bought a radio drama of The Lord of the
Rings produced by the BBC that is really fantastic. Into the 7th hour
of it (13 hours long or so) and really loving it. I'm completely
enthralled by it, in fact. I suspect the movies will be a major
disappointment to me after this. The speech isn't stripped of
adjectives of course and is generally quite enjoyable to listen
to. Yet somehow, I don't feel like adjectives constrain my mind. I
feel like, when used properly, they assist, but do not dominate,
whereas graphics simply overwhelm and dominate. This is a poor way of
explaining it, but I was just struck by the question of why an
adjective and a graphic seem to affect the imagination in different
ways, despite seeming equivalent in their own realms.

--matt

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