[MUD-Dev] Point of View

[Ted L. Chen]

Greetings list,

Someone in the Narrative thread (Paul Schwanz, I think) uttered
something about the old adage about "show, not tell" as it pertained
to NPC dialog.

Now that got me thinking about using flash-back devices to 'show'
players said quest item, or location, or whatever you'd normally
attribute to the incredibly expanding dialog text (ala Morrowind).
Of course, this device, in the form of in-engine cut-scenes, is not
unheard of in solo adventure games.  My musings pretty much ended
there, and I'd like to ask the list first if there's any precedence
in using flash-backs in graphical MUDs/MMORPGs as part of the
game-mechanic.

Second - and hopefully something to provide a seed for discussion -
why are we all so ingrained into providing only a point of view in
our games that derive from a simulationists' perspective?  That is,
the only things we see are what is observable from our avatar's
perspective.  Is this a result of technical limitations (switching
POVs requires a lot of wholesale state changes), or is it merely a
matter of tradition?

To me, it seems that limiting ourselves to only observable
viewpoints is part of the difficulty in conveying an engrossing
narrative.  Imagine if Shakespeare's plays could only be shown from
one actor's perspective?  A lot of the plot devices employed require
that the audience knows more than any given character.  This does
border the "what the player/or character knows" thread from a while
back.

So, what say you?

TLC


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