[MUD-Dev] Virtual Chemistry

[Jon A. Lambert]

> From: Matt Chatterley <root at mpc.dyn.ml.org>
> Subject: [MUD-Dev]  Virtual Chemistry
> 
> What if we just simulated our own chemistry? Certain objects could as
> 'ingredients' (not really elements, more compounds), and combining these
> ingredients would have predetermined reactions and results. Further
> compounds could be obtained by appropriate mixes, which would all have
> varying effects on the body (infusion of magic could somehow guide these
> effects). This would obviously extend the alchemy idea - the creation of
> poisons, herbal compounds and literally anything in any state (which the
> PC was able to store).
> 
> Has anyone actually attempted anything of this nature, or contemplated it?
> 
An excellent idea.  I think we may have peripherally touched on this
concept in a thread on "assemblies" of objects.  It was my thought that
these assemblies would have there own predefined attributes and methods
that hide unassembled objects attributes and methods.  The assembly class
might have an assemble method and a disassemble method.  The assemble
method checking that all components are present and the disassemble 
creates the aggregated objects upon disassembly.
I think some rudimentary chemistry/alchemy could be implemented using 
this technique.  

Perhaps some attributes of an assembly class could be:

components list
spells list
energy/mana consumer
energy/mana producer
components list destroyed upon assembly
components list released upon disassembly


For instance in an assembly for salt(NaCl) it makes sense to hide
the component objects Sodium and Chlorine since the resulting assembly
shares very little with the aggregate objects.  This is of course very 
simplistic.


JL