<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and --> <!--X-From-R13: ptNnzv-pt.UenlEntr.Sqzbagba.OP.QO (Quevf Uenl) --> <!--X-Date: Sun, 14 Dec 1997 18:11:39 +0000 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 9712141815.8o1t@ami-cg.GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00817.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00819.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00870.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00828.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00818">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00818">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00818">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: <A HREF="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</A> (Chris Gray)</LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Sun, 14 Dec 97 11:15:36 MST</LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> [Adam W:] [ChrisG rubs hands with glee - something to pick at!] This is not at all meant as an attack, but more a reminder that there is a lot that has to go on behind the scenes, in order to make a MUD do what looks like simple things. We sometimes forget that in our discussions here. Alternatively, some of the MUDs that are out there may just be a lot more sophisticated than I imagine! :You're confusing 'name' with description. The situation you describe :should look like so: : : ] n : You enter Arms 'R' Us. : This is a large, bare room. On one wall are mounted quite a few different : swords. On another wall there is a myriad of armor. On a third wall are : several dozen helmets. : Bubba the shopkeeper is standing here. : ] look swords : There seem to be around 20 different swords. Most of them are typical : longswords, but you notice two particularly rusty swords, three short-swords, : two claymores, and a rapier. : ] get short : You get a shortsword from the wall. : Bubba says, 'That's an excellent weapon for any use. Sold to me by an older : hobbit fellow younger today, he said it served him quite well.' : ] examine short : You take a close look at the shortsword. : It weighs around six stones. The blade is about three handsbreath long. : The hilt is wrapped in leather. Delicate paterns are etched into the : well-worn blade. It could use some sharpening. : ] : Bubba says, 'Only fifty coppers for that fine item.' : ] name sword Sting : You will now call the shortsword 'Sting'. : ] l in purse : You have three copper pieces. : ] doh : ] return short : You return the shortsword to its spot on the wall. : Bubba says, 'You'll regret giving up such a bargain, my friend..' : ] l : This is a large, bare room. On one wall are mounted quite a few different : swords, one of which you recognize as the shortsword Sting. On another : wall there is a myriad of armor. On a third wall are several dozen helmets. This looks quite nice. Too nice, I think. Going through this with the eye of an implementor, I see a lot of things that would take a lot of work to implement. Some MUDs will have some of these, but does any have them all? First, the description of the room is algorithmically generated. This requires the code to be maintaining location of objects within the room, in order to associate them with particular walls. The code also has to be able to do dynamic grouping of objects based on their names. Similarly, the description for 'swords' is generated, but uses some different rules to extract more detail. It has had to decide what details are important (perhaps the MUD scheme is that only "important" details are actually stored on the objects). All of this has been done while maintaining pleasing English output. Sting: (hey, isn't that the Grey Mouser's weapon?) The output requires that the MUD have recorded some history on the weapon (or perhaps it is on the shopkeeper, but keyed to the specific item - is it there only because the sword actually is special, or are such things generated and maintained for all buy/sell transactions?). Sting needs some sharpening. Well, is that added description given to everyone who examines it? I would imagine that only those with some experience with swords could make that judgement. Would an IQ 60 troll see it? Should he? Looking in the purse. Well, the output isn't generic for looking in a container, since that would likely be along the lines of "the purse contains ....". Does the 3 coppers total include all money that the character is carrying, or does it purposely only report the money in the purse (reasonable, but unclear given the output syntax). It is quite reasonable to group money in reports, but it should be noted that perhaps the purse contained a 2-copper piece as well as two half-copper pieces, and the code had to add up the values. [Aside: I've always thought it would be fun to use the old English monetary system in a MUD - its so colourful, with farthings, ha'pennies, thre'penny bits, shillings, etc.] -- Chris Gray cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00828" HREF="msg00828.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Adam Wiggins <nightfall#user2,inficad.com></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00817.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00819.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00870.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] META: what's with these vcard.vcf attachments?</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00828.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00818"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00818"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00839" HREF="msg00839.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics</A></strong>, Maddy <a href="mailto:maddy#fysh,org">maddy#fysh,org</a>, Mon 15 Dec 1997, 17:26 GMT <UL> <li><Possible follow-up(s)><br> <LI><strong><A NAME="00866" HREF="msg00866.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Guilds & Politics</A></strong>, Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Thu 18 Dec 1997, 15:55 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00835" HREF="msg00835.html">META: what's with these vcard.vcf attachments?</A></strong>, Alex Oren <a href="mailto:alexo#bigfoot,com">alexo#bigfoot,com</a>, Mon 15 Dec 1997, 13:17 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00870" HREF="msg00870.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] META: what's with these vcard.vcf attachments?</A></strong>, Vadim Tkachenko <a href="mailto:vadimt#4cs,com">vadimt#4cs,com</a>, Thu 18 Dec 1997, 19:45 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00818" HREF="msg00818.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></strong>, Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Sun 14 Dec 1997, 18:11 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00828" HREF="msg00828.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:nightfall#user2,inficad.com">nightfall#user2,inficad.com</a>, Mon 15 Dec 1997, 03:27 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00857" HREF="msg00857.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Introductions and</A></strong>, Matt Chatterley <a href="mailto:root#mpc,dyn.ml.org">root#mpc,dyn.ml.org</a>, Thu 18 Dec 1997, 09:11 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00773" HREF="msg00773.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] OT: Books</A></strong>, Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Sat 13 Dec 1997, 06:56 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00763" HREF="msg00763.html">LIST: Forced unsubscriptions due to persistant bounces</A></strong>, coder <a href="mailto:coder#ibm,net">coder#ibm,net</a>, Sat 13 Dec 1997, 00:36 GMT </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>