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<H1>[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway?</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway?</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: ##Make Nylander <<A HREF="mailto:thenewt#use,usit.net">thenewt#use,usit.net</A>></LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 17:08:17 -0400 (EDT)</LI>
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<PRE>
[Original message sent by Caliban Tiresias Darklock]
First, thank you for an excellent posting that echoed my
sentiments almost to the word.
| So here's my question. I know it was a long time in coming, but really --
| what sort of things do you look for in a MUD? How would you like to play,
| if you were to log onto someone else's game and find that it was exactly
| what you've always wanted?
Most of what you mentioned falls under basic principles of
user interface design (consistency, visibility, appropriate
response to user, error handling). Sadly, many of us programmers
sacrifice user-interface implementation to increasing internal
complexity of the game driver.
An extensive, feature-loaded user interface isn't necessarily
a bad thing IF it's also _configurable_. Let the player decide
how many bells and whistles he/she wants. The game should not
impose any features on the player. I can understand that a
programmer, having spent numerous hours implementing a nifty
feature, wants everyone to use it regardless of whether it
actually increases playability or "fun-factor".
I personally do not believe a MUD, as a game, should be
"realistic". If I want to buy bread, going through
> buy bread
Your hands are full.
> sheathe sword
You sheathe your sword, freeing your right hand..
> buy bread
You are holding no money.
> get 10 gold from purse
You aren't holding that.
> remove purse
You remove a purse and hold it in your right hand.
> get 10 gold from purse
Your hands are full.
> get 10 gold from purse
Your hands are full.
> drop shield
You drop your shield, freeing your left hand.
> get 10 gold from purse
You get 10 gp from a purse and hold it in your left hand.
> buy bread
You give 10 gp to the baker.
The baker gives you a bread.
You take a bread and hold it in your left hand.
> draw sword
Your hands are full.
just plain pisses me off. What some implementors seem to
forget that expecting a player to emulate in detail
real world actions with the limitations of a text display/
keyboard interface is just ridiculous. Okay, going through
the above drill turns some players on, and that's fine, but
not offering players an "autosheathe/autodraw" option is
bad user interface design.
I guess what I expect a good MUD to be is a storyteller.
A good storyteller grabs your attention, diverts you
from noticing little inconsistencies and unnecessary
details and maintains suspension of belief. A good MUD
user interface is non-intrusive, it contains enough
functionality for interaction with the game world in a
consistent, precise manner, but it does break the illusion
by distracting you.
In MUDs, like in any make-believe games, the game acts as
a source of stimuli to the player's imagination. Game
reality, as perceived by the player's mind, is more extensive
and complex than its actual physical representation (text
on screen). If the system underestimates the player's imagination
by force-feeding unnecessary details or requires the
player to concentrate on encoding input/decoding output by
having too complex an user interface, no amount of
technical sophistication can produce a good MUD.
-- Newt
--
I never regret my failures, but I regret every missed opportunity.
</PRE>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] PK again (was: Character evolution)</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01344" HREF="msg01344.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] PK again (was: Character evolution)</A></strong>,
Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Sun 21 Sep 1997, 19:32 GMT
</LI>
</ul>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01253" HREF="msg01253.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to</A></strong>,
Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Thu 18 Sep 1997, 06:02 GMT
<UL>
<li><Possible follow-up(s)><br>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01317" HREF="msg01317.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to</A></strong>,
Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Sat 20 Sep 1997, 16:01 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01318" HREF="msg01318.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to</A></strong>,
Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Sat 20 Sep 1997, 16:02 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01242" HREF="msg01242.html">[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway?</A></strong>,
##Make Nylander <a href="mailto:thenewt#use,usit.net">thenewt#use,usit.net</a>, Wed 17 Sep 1997, 21:11 GMT
<UL>
<li><Possible follow-up(s)><br>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01259" HREF="msg01259.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway?</A></strong>,
Maddy <a href="mailto:maddy#fysh,org">maddy#fysh,org</a>, Thu 18 Sep 1997, 12:43 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01345" HREF="msg01345.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Sun 21 Sep 1997, 22:35 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01260" HREF="msg01260.html">[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway?</A></strong>,
##Make Nylander <a href="mailto:thenewt#use,usit.net">thenewt#use,usit.net</a>, Thu 18 Sep 1997, 14:46 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01237" HREF="msg01237.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is supposed to be playing, anyway? (Was: PK Again)</A></strong>,
Caliban Tiresias Darklock <a href="mailto:caliban#darklock,com">caliban#darklock,com</a>, Wed 17 Sep 1997, 17:47 GMT
</LI>
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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