[MUD-Dev] Time Theory

[David Kennerly]

Mats Lidstrom wrote:
>From: "Anderson, David" <david.anderson at tfp.com>
>> From: Mats Lidstrom [mailto:mats.lidstrom at torpet.ac]
>>> From: "David C.Z. Wacks" <david at dreamzion.com>

>>>> I am toying with the idea of keeping ticks for events
>>>> (healing/combat/etc) but using real time to synch mud time. so
>>>> 1 day=day

>>> The downside of that is that since most people got a couple of
>>> hours a day to play they will always experience the same stretch
>>> of time in your MUD. If your MUD is on the other side of the
>>> globe from me and I log in when I'm home from work I always see
>>> the nighttime/early morning in there.

>>  3. 24 hours = a real life day.  Basically what you're saying, so
>>  you can say January the 15th at 5pm, and it will match up
>>  exactly with the real life date/time.

> Since I'm a believer in keeping it simple this is the method I'd
> use. Just add or subtract your tz difference and you're set for
> your meeting. Then just run the day/night changes 4 times a day
> and call them quarters so you could actually just say "December
> 24:th, third quarter" to pinpoint an event.

There are two player needs:

   1. Variety of solar experience.
   2. Easy player appointment scheduling.

Has someone combined these following configurations?

    Game Sun Period = 1 hour;
    Game Date = Real Date;

This satisfies both needs without introducing a problem.  Many
players don't care about an inconsistency between time (e.g. 1:30
p.m.) and sun period (e.g. Sunset).


  Sun Period = 1 Hour

I say "Sun Period" (sunrise through sunrise) instead of "Day" to
prevent confusion between scheduling (a date) and solar-dependent
events (day/night events).

  Sun Period (every hour):

    Sunrise   0:00
    Noon      0:15
    Sunset    0:30
    Midnight  0:45

  In crontab format:

    00 * * * * Sunrise
    15 * * * * Noon
    30 * * * * Sunset
    45 * * * * Midnight

This is convenient to remember and decreases wait-time for a sun
period trigger, such as a quest that only occurs at midnight.

One could then test the exact day-night ratio and adjust as desired.
For example: if most players prefer 85% daylight (instead of above
50% daylight), shift above schedule to: 00, 25, 50, 55.


  Game Date = Real Date

Scheduling meetings for groups of players (guild, village, world) is
best done through real-world dating.  Of course the real-world has
time zone problems.  So be it.  In the real-world many have to
schedule time-zones with others in other time zones.  This is more
reason not to burden the player with yet another conversion to
remember.

All time-dependent effects, such as spell durations, are listed in
real-life time.  Poison lasts 5 minutes.  End of explanation.  While
a protection spell that lasts 1 hour is lasting through a complete
sun period, again, many players don't care about this inconsistency.

David

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