[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] Removing the almighty experience point...

[cruise]

Thus spake Aurel Mihai...
> Here's a scenario. I walk up to a locked door a year after the game
> has begun with my newly created character. The lock has a difficulty
> rating of 1100 and a strength rating of 2500. The door itself has a
> strength rating of 1500. How is this decided? Well, the lock has been
> successfully picked by most players, but it hasn't been broken by many
> at all. However, the door has been bashed in more often than the door,
> though not as often as the lock has been picked. I don't see any of
> these ratings, but I do get a nice description of the door as being a
> solid oak door that's seen better days with a crude, but strong lock
> made of iron. This can be visual or text. I decide to try bashing the
> door in... lightly. The door barely rattles in its hinges. Its
> strength rating goes up to 1510. (Or there could be a ceiling at
> 1500..) My skill at bashing in doors goes to 995 because I feel
> slightly demoralized. These numbers are all internal. To me, the
> character, I just feel a little bummed that I couldn't break down the
> door and I don't even need a message to that effect. It's a natural
> feeling and I'll be less likely to break down future doors. Sorry for
> being so verbose, but I hope this conveys what I'm trying to get
> across adequately.

It's becoming a seperate point, but textual descriptions definately help 
with the immersion in a game.

Just to demonstarte, I added an option to play my web-combat thingy with 
textual descriptions or numerical values:

http://casual-tempest.net/projects/gd/systems/combat/1player.php?text=1
http://casual-tempest.net/projects/gd/systems/combat/1player.php?text=0

(and yes, there is a 2player.php which will take the same options if 
you're bored at work :)

Certainly I find myself much more involved, even though what's actually 
happening is less clear - I suspect the uncertainty involved in trying 
to estimate your opponent's state is actually part of the fun...