[MUD-Dev] The Lessons of Lucasfilm's Habitat

[clawrenc at cup.hp.com]

In <199706020309.WAA16765 at dfw-ix13.ix.netcom.com>, on 06/01/97 
   at 08:19 PM, "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc at ix.netcom.com> said:

>> From: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
>> The initial incarnation of Habitat uses a Commodore 64 for the
>> frontend. One of the questions we are asked most frequently is, "Why
>> the Commodore 64?" Many people somehow get the impression that this

>300 baud network with a C64 on the front-end?  Graphics probably
>similar to "Zak McKraken and the Alien Mind Benders" or "Neuromancer"
>if anyone remembers those.  

Have a look at the first URL I quoted.  It contains images of the
actual game in progress.  Quite illuminating.

>I particular like the way they define the
>range of user interface from an unacceptable "There is a tree here."
>to a  Quake-like rendering with animation and stereo sound.  There is
>in fact a large range of middle ground to explore here.  I think the
>cartoon-like interface might be attractive for a couple reasons.

Alphaworld fairly well deomnstrated that a highly detailed user-built
3D graphical world *could* be done, and done with decent performance, 
Its worth looking at if only for the screen shots.

>1) Even non-artists could produce acceptable graphics with the aid
>of some good drawing tools and quickly too.

'Dat's da biggie.

>If your theme is a dark and brooding one, Cartoon-like can be a
>distinct turn off.  ID's Heretic had cartoon-like textures and 
>creatures which hurt the feel of the game IMO.  Quake on the other
>hand has the opposite effect.  Its downright disturbing. 

A lot of this can be handled by increasing the palette depth.  Move
away from the crayola primary colours and it gets a lot easier to
convey emotive value in images.

>> by typing on the keyboard. The text that a player types is displayed
>> over his or her Avatar's head in a cartoon-style "word balloon".
> 
>This is cute.  The word balloon idea is neat.  I was leaning against
>avatars since the range of emotions expressed might be limited.  

It also is rather twee.  Have a look at the various Habitat inheritors
like Palace and V-World.  The general impression is more of kicks and
giggles than say Conan the Barbarian's testosterone grunts.

>Any thoughts on avatars, good or bad?

Dr Cat (I think I sent him an invitation once, please feel free to
send him another), did a *really* good summary of the comparitive
interface benefits and game-experience implications of 1st person PoV,
overhead, back of the head, avatar, etc back in r.g.m.* about 8 - 10
months ago.  (I'd dig it out, but I don't have time now.  If you find
it, please cross to here).  My own tendency is that the avatar
approach leads to a more PacMan or pinball'ish approach by the players
where the seperation of experience by the player and his avatar on
screen is so extreme that the avatar gets treated like an insenate
robot.

--
J C Lawrence                           Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                           Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------------(*)               Internet: clawrenc at cup.hp.com
...Honorary Member Clan McFUD -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...