[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface

[Alex Oren]

On Thu, 25 Sep 1997 22:41:05 PST8PDT, Caliban Tiresias Darklock wrote:

} On Thu, 25 Sep 1997 20:40:41 PST8PDT, "Travis Casey"
} <efindel at polaris.net> wrote:
} 
} >The instructor is still holding back, however -- if he hadn't been holding
} >back, but had been acting like a truly hostile opponent would, you wouldn't
} >be around to exchange these messages with us. Further, a good teacher doesn't
} >try to teach advanced techniques until after the students have learned the
} >basics.
} 
} The way things usually worked...
} 
} 	"All right Bob, I'm going to hit you. Stop me."
} 	"Okay."
} 	*WHUMP*
} 	"OWW!"
} 	"You're too damn slow, Bob. Try it again."
} 	"Wait a min..." *WHUMP*
} 	"OWWW!"
} 	"Wait? What do you mean 'wait'?"
} 	"I wasn't ready!"
} 	"Get your ass up, you little girl..."
} 
} Effective, basic, and I don't really call it holding back. You learned
} real fast this way; of course, the instructor was insane, and there's a
} good possibility he would have gotten in real trouble had we gotten
} together and filed a complaint. But you just don't *do* that, you know?
} ;)

I had a similar instructor once.
Although I did learn that way, it was not 100% effective.  I tended to
exaggerate defensive moves and shy back from potentially "unsafe" attacks
because even the slightest mistake *HURT*.  Oh, my reflexes were getting fast
alright but the foundation of the techniques was shaky and it hindered my
progress beyond a certain level.

Later, when I switched groups, I found a better technique.

Instructor: Pay attention to this.
Me: Ok... [Thump!]
I.: See?  Now I'm going to repeat it slowly.  Don't do anything you didn't do 
    before.
Me: OK... [T...h...u...m...p :-)]
I.: Now block it.
Me: OK... [Block]
I.: No.  I'll do it faster and you tell me what you did wrong.
Me: OK... [Block...Thump!].  Oh, I get it.
<several more exchanges>
I.: Now practice this with {some other student's name} and then we'll do 
    variations.
<time passes>
I.: Let's see what you learned.
Me: [Block...Block...Block...Block...Block...Block...Thump!] (you can't get them

    all :-) ).

Only after I was taught the basis and got to practice it on a "low" level, I got
to experience the real thing.  It allowed me to build more confidence, pay
attention to little (but important) details, etc.

Therefore, I believe that the instruction is more efficient when done on a level
slightly higher than the student's.

--
Have fun,
Alex.