[MUD-Dev] On socialization and convenience

[Ian Collyer]

J C Lawrence wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Jun 2001 08:10:28 -0700
> Raph Koster <Koster> wrote:

>> The logic against it goes like this:

>>   * Yeesh! HOW much storage per player again? That's (takes out *
>>   calculator) WAAAY too much money!

>>   * Won't they use email anyway? We can't possibly make a nice *
>>   enough email system to match Outlook!

>>   * Yikes, think of the complications--email to account or to
>>   user?

> So make real email the default fallback after attempting the
> target character.  First thoughts;

>   -- Have each account register an email address (double opt-in
>   plus periodic validity checks)

>   -- If the recipient is currently online, have them receive the
>   message in-game by whatever manner.  If they log off before
>   receipt, treat exactly as if they were offline upon sending.

>   -- If the recipient is not currently online, have messages be
>   translated into email and sent to the registered address.

>   -- Have mailed objects and other internal mail spiffiness be
>   embedded URLs in the message which effect RPC's to create/do the
>   appropriate actions (authentication may be required).

> Your storage requirements at that point are just for the extra
> feature stuff (mailed objects etc).  With a little care and cipher
> work you can embed most if not all of that data safely in the URL
> (think MD5 hash of both party's IDs and the object's ID plus a
> timeliness string as the auth code in the URL)

Or alternatively...

Write a pseudo-POP3 server that can be queried by any POP3 compliant
email client but is in fact just a method for giving external
visibility to in-game personal messaging and message boards.

Allocate all characters a <charactername>@mymud.com style dummy
email address on character creation.

Voila! For some relatively simple emulation code and minimal storage
overhead you have now made integrated in-character communication
available outside of the MUD. Even better if replies can be
translated back into in-game communications.

It could serve as a useful retention tool keeping players informed
of MUD events even when they have not played for some time.

With some little thought even more of the world could be made
accessable through non-standard interfaces.

Player-player trading with one party in the MUD and the other on a
WAP phone anyone?

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