[MUD-Dev] Introductions and

[coder at ibm.net]

On 12/12/97 at 05:01 PM, Mike Sellers <mike at online-alchemy.com> said: >At
12:54 AM 12/12/97 PST8PDT, coder at ibm.net wrote:

>>True, this is a weakness.  <sigh>  I really don't want to have to do a
>>category deliniation every time I have two objects with identical assigned
>>names...(ie find a suitable deliniating difference).  More thought is
>>required.

>I don't see this as too big of a problem, given the private name spaces.
>You don't have multiple "Bubbas", you have Bubba the elf and Bubba the
>troll (both of which you've named Bubba -- kinda like George Foreman and
>his kids ;) ).  Internally they are stored not just as 'Bubba' but
>'Bubba'+ObjID. If you've named them (and have the skill to tell one troll
>from others), you would see

>  A troll named 'Bubba' is here.
>  An elf named 'Bubba' is here.
>  Marilyn is here.

The old concepts of surnames, monikers, contractions, and nicknames also
has appeal.  Thus Bubba the troll could be "Bubba", "Bubba Blue Eyes",
"FatNose" etc.  (I currently support muliple names per object, and
multiple token names).  The result then would be that the server would
recognise that there were multiple "Bubba's", and then attempt to derive
unique names from the secondary names.

This would of course require the server to check for name collisions on
name assignment, and then require sufficient provision of alternated to
guarantee that unique values are always possible.

Underneath lies the other, indirectly related but similar problem of
refering to historical objects -- you saw some chap 30 minutes back over
by the fountain, didn't name him, and now want to have something to do
with him but don't know where he is, or exactly how to recognise him.

>The difference with that last line is that somehow you know that
>'Marilyn' is not in fact just a use-name you've attached to this
>person/thing, but in fact it is a person who thinks of herself as
>Marilyn.  Stating it this way demonstrates the familiarity.  

I actually specifically want to keep that level od familiarity coding away
from the game.  I realise that players will want it, and will attempt to
maintain that data themselves -- which is exactly what I want them to do. 
There are certain aspects of the social interface (as well as the game
interaface) which I specifically want to shove into the player's headspace
and keep out of the character and game.

Perhaps its just me being unconciously anti-RP.  Certainly the intent is
to increase the reliance on human player abilities as vs coded abilities
of the in-game objects.  

>Of course if you name a troll 'Bubba' that should not confer the ability
>to recognize that same troll again if you're unfamiliar with trolls in
>general.  

Exactly.  I also want to add in mis-recognition, where a different troll
is reported as literally being "Bubba", even when he is not.

--
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw at null.net
----------(*)                              Internet: coder at ibm.net
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...