[MUD-Dev] User interface design [was: Where are we now?]

[Greg Munt]

-----Original Message-----
From: Freeman, Jeff <jfreeman at verant.com>
To: 'mud-dev at kanga.nu' <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Date: 07 May 2001 10:51 PM
Subject: RE: [MUD-Dev] Where are we now?

> From: Madman Across the Water [mailto:burra at alum.rpi.edu]
>> From: Madman Across the Water [mailto:burra at alum.rpi.edu]
>> Bryce Harrington wrote:

>>> Have you had luck with the art?  I've noticed with other games,
>>> this can be sort of a rather limiting factor.  What would be nice
>>> would be to have a universal CPAN-like free game graphics
>>> repository...  something game neutral,

> Making the art game-neutral would help if there were more/different
> types of 2d-isometric type games out there.  Right now the only
> community the art would be useful to would be the UO emu folks (and
> maybe worldforge?  AFAIK, they have their own art anyway).

> Artists don't seem terribly interested in making free art for games.
> I recently started playing on Webrpg and the art is basically the
> same as it was about 3 years ago.  Adding new art to webrpg seems to
> consist entirely of swiping art from other sources.

There seem to be little or no resources for free mud developers who
don't want to develop a telnet-based user interface. I've commented
previously on my thoughts on this subject. In summary, I think that a
text interface weighs down a game with a high barrier to entry.

So, let us say that a telnet interface is a Bad Thing. This is not to
say that a text-oriented interface is a bad thing - just that a
telnet-based one is. Consider how many potential users don't even know
what telnet *is*, that think of the internet as a sprawl of web
servers. To those that say text interfaces encourage a higher level of
intelligence in their users, I know a number of idiots that inhabit
telnet games. I also know a number of intelligent people looking for a
casual gaming experience, so text interfaces are a total turn-off for
them.

I consider the ideal interface to be one that can be accessed through
any graphical web browser. This is mainly because potential players
already have the client on their computer. This avoids losing people
by demanding a lengthy download. One annoying thing about MMORPGs (I
thought we had laid the acronym wars to rest years ago?) is that you
have to buy the client. I dearly want to experience these games (if
only for research purposes), but can't. I don't mind paying monthly
fees, but I do mind paying for a client that I may only use for a few
weeks (or even days), find out I don't like the game at all, and then
have wasted my money.

So. Graphical interface. But what kind? This, iirc, has never really
been discussed here. It's always focused on the server, not the
client. This may be somewhat due to telnet interfaces being
implemented in the server. But - we are not primarily telnet games
here, anymore. So, I hereby encourage such discussion!

Alternatives for a graphical interface:

  1. Java telnet

    This is nothing more than a telnet window embedded in a
    browser. YUCK.

  2. First-person 3D

    Doomesque. High levels of immersion. Anticipated to require
    twitchiness.  Possible for a free mud to provide? I doubt this.

  3. Third-person 3D

    For example: Tomb Raider. For comments, see 2 - wrt immersion,
    twitchiness and possibilities of provision by a free mud.

  4. Tiled 2D

    For example: Gauntlet. More likely to be strategy-based. (UI type
    encourages game/playing style?)

  5. Non-tiled 2D

    For example: Labyrinth.

Any others?

I've been thinking about my interface recently. It's very
frustrating. I have to choose between an interface I don't want, or an
interface I don't have the skills to produce. Someone should set up
freegfxartists.org. Or something.

Bah.


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