[MUD-Dev] Locations vs Social Spaces (was: I Want to Forge Swords)

[Paul Schwanz - Enterprise Services]

Brian Hook said:
>At 02:21 PM 5/13/01 +0800, Alex wrote:

>> Now imagine if this had been the case originally and every city in
>> the old world had as rich an environment surrounding it. I think
>> then having a siginificant travel time between cities would be much
>> less of a burden and more of a feature since it wouldn't be seen as
>> a requirement.

> Other than you can't play with your friends early on.  This was
> probably one of my most significant complaints with EQ very early on
> (before taxi-cab teleportals were all the vogue).  By choosing what
> class/race you wanted to be, you were then forced into a
> geographical situation where you would not be able to adventure with
> your friends who were similarly low-level.

I suppose this demonstrates that many other design decisions might
have an impact on an attempt to implement localization, but I
certainly don't see that what is true for EQ has to be a problem for
other games.

So, if localization is important to you and you want to design a
system that makes it possible, you might want to ensure that:

  1) Each candidate for a locale is semi-self-sufficient to the extent
  that it allows players to reach character goals without forcing them
  to travel extensively to do so.

  2) Players are not forced to reside in a specific geographical
  location because of other choices such as class/race.

  3) Players are allowed to permanently relocate their "home" to some
  extent so that there is further flexibility in choosing one's
  community.

Also, I'd like to point out that simple interface decisions could also
have a big effect on the boring nature of travel.  I'm not familiar
with UO's or EQ's method for handling travel, but AC seems to require
constant keyboard input.  I think this is a Bad Thing.  It means you
can't walk and talk at the same time, so it is impossible to make the
travel time go faster by holding a conversation with traveling
companions.

I'd like to see a travel interface with these features.

  * If you have a map that shows your current location and the place
    you wish to be, you should be able to click on the distant
    location and automatically walk there.  You should also be able to
    set waypoints.

  * You should be able to save a route.  Click "save route" at the
    beginning and end of a trip, then name the route.  You should now
    be able to repeat the trip in the future simply by selecting the
    route.  (Might need a bit of fudge room or other help finding the
    starting location of your route.)

  * You should be able to "follow road."  Automatically walk down a
    road until you reach a town or other decision point
    (i.e. crossroad).

  * You should be able to group characters and travel together to a
    distant location specified by the leader, automatically at a speed
    such that everyone's pace is accomodated.

Once you've freed your players of the tedium of constant keyboard
inputs (don't fool yourself into thinking that these inputs are
keeping your players from getting bored; they do the opposite), you
might also consider letting them do additional things while
travelling.  Read a book.  Research a spell.  Compose a song for their
lute.  Whatever fits into your world and is appropriate for the
balance of your game.  Of course, as someone else mentioned, little
travelling sub-games would be welcome to alleviate some of the
boredom.  Anyone up for a game of Alphabet?  ;-)

--Phinehas

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