[MUD-Dev] Better Combat (keywords: downtime, socialization, UI)

[Eric Random]

Douglas Goodall wrote:
> Paul Schwanz wrote:

>> It seems to me that in this example, freeing up her hands to chat
>> involves a better UI design, not additional game-created dead
>> time.

> I came to a similar conclusion earlier today. There are two
> separate problems: downtime and socialization.

> Downtime is a design flaw. It's (arguably) accepted as a design
> flaw in every other genre, unless you're talking about a pause
> button. CoH corrected this flaw. Socialization should be an
> unrelated problem, but it's connected to downtime because of the
> interface.

[snip]

> Give me a better interface (or built-in voice chat or, preferably,
> speech-to-text-to-speech) and you can have your cake and eat it
> to. Easier said than done, I know.

This is a great point, and I agree there is more to improving
socialization and interaction than simply implementing downtime. I
would still stand on downtime as effective depending on the
implementation. I don't think this is an either-or aspect, such as
having a better UI means you should remove downtime.

There are certainly additional design methods of obtaining greater
interaction, such as tools which better facilitate finding a
"best-fit" group, game design which increases individual value in
group dynamics, stronger group goal motivators,
character/group/world story arc intersection, etc.. These serve to
reduce the setup costs further for organization as well as provide a
vocabulary and context in which the characters can interact and
socialize within.

As you have stated, there is a bottleneck of activity that all
players face, the input method of a keyboard and mouse, and the
feedback method of a screen and speakers. Only so much can fit on a
screen, more can be done with sound, and our hands are limited in
dexterity on the keyboard/mouse beyond which lies errors and
frustration. Only so much activity can receive our focus. I agree,
there is much room for improvement in the UI, which is evolving.

I agree that it's difficult to socialize with your typing hands when
they're being used for battle. Even more so is it difficult to relay
complex directives and concerns in the middle of battle, especially
when it's engaging, complex, and dynamic. Allowing for greater
freedom in communication during battle will allow for greater
strategy and organization. I think it would be better to make battle
more engaging, complex, and dynamic with an improvement in
communication. I would hope that one of the most engaging features
of the game is not so trivial as to have people discussing the
latest quest or where so-and-so received their breastplate. There is
a difference between interaction and socialization. Socializing can
certainly occur during engaging interactions, but it is most
meaningful between engaging interactions.  Further, it is important
to understand when socializing is clearly appropriate and less than
appropriate. On a personal or friend basis, this is trivial, but it
is not when you are in a group of strangers.  There are obstructions
to communication when it is simple for misunderstandings to
occur. Structural social indicators of busy/notbusy,
appropriate/inappropriate are needed to reduce barriers to
socialization among diverse, unrelated members.

Finally, concerning downtime specifically, it is most contentious
when it is wasted time. For example, if downtime exists for
socializing, what happens when there is no one to socialize with?
What if I have nothing to do, both in-game and in RL during
downtime.  I'm...just...sitting...there. That's not good, in any
sense of game design. Instead of trivializing the engaging moments
for socialization to occur, why not make downtime more
engaging. There is a level of activity above -no- activity in which
meaningful socialization is still possible. Granted, this activity
would be need to be somewhat trivial, and have sufficient low
activity requirements in which someone can still keyboard chat, or
even carry on a more meaningful verbal conversation. There should be
a variety of activities for characters to engage in such that they
can still socialize during downtime. Some activities could be purely
entertaining, others could be more practical in advancing the
character's goals.  I also believe there should be a number of
geographically independent, interruptible engaging activities one
can participate in as well, but I won't get into the holistically
dependent implementations which are associated with that. In some
game designs, this is perhaps too limited. Simply crafting, although
-one- option, can become too mundane, as it is highly repetitive in
current designs, and requires preparation and planning prior to
finding oneself in a downtime predicament. It normally lends itself
to being close to resources and near high socializing activity,
which is something the wilderness will not offer, and therefore, to
a degree, geographically dependent.

   - Eric
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