[MUD-Dev] Quake II has gone GPL

[Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com]

From: John Buehler [mailto:johnbue at msn.com]

> One feature of this approach is that the server is the only
> machine that has the algorithms for movement, and the client only
> makes a statement about what it wants the character on the server
> to do.  At no time does the client declare that the world state is
> a certain way.

Well you are setting yourself up for a minimum lag of several
hundred milli-seconds from when you click to when the event is acted
out. That's actually pretty noticeable, and I've found it to be
irritating. The alternative approach is to have the same pathing/AI
algorithms implemented on both client and server, with the server
obviously being authoritative. Of course that could be problematic
if the server has access to information the client doesn't.

> Another feature of such a system that I like quite a bit is that
> goal declarations are being made less often, permitting voice
> commands to be used to control the character behaviour.  This
> leaves more time for socialization in the multiplayer environment
> - also preferably by using voice.

In some ways, its similar to the auto-run feature of current
commerical games. Its not un-common to be frantically trying to
finish a sentence before you run headlong into a monster you see
ahead. Whilst less sophisticated than what you propose, I would love
to see a feature where auto-run followed forest paths etc., so that
it wouldn't require quite so much human intervention but also
wouldn't be a complete autopilot.

I don't know if you have a windows PC? I experimented with voice
control using a 'Microsoft Gamevoice' and I didn't notice any
performance degradation in my games. This device records samples of
you issuing various commands and associates hot key macros with
them, it also allows you to do voice over ip with other users. I was
a bit uncomfortable talking into it though as its irrates other
people in the room, especially when you had to repeat yourself due
to failed recognition :)

> Obviously, this will place significantly greater computational
> demands on the server, and the developers will have to come up
> with a good mechanism for somewhat more autonomous activity by
> characters.

One has to wonder if the majority wouldn't find the meandoring to
the bakers amusing at first, and then an irritant later. If I just
want to go and buy some bread and my character, who has a penchant
for fine jewellry, stops and looks in the window of every jewellers
on the way, will I become frustrated?  I suspect I might, but I
acknowledge I'm a bit of a power-gamer so perhaps many others
wouldn't.

Dan
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