November 1997

• DESIGN: ECONOMICS: Money Supply coder@ibm.net
• Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
• • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
  • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
    • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
        [Marian Griffith:]
        > It still is the way I like to play, even if it is not the 'official' way
        > to play muds.
        
        I think this is the key to the whole issue. If you get rid of an
        'official' (or, more accurately, 'standard') method to play the game,
        it will simutaneously appeal to more players from different backgrounds
        and with different ideas of what's fun, and be more flexible and
        thereby more entertaining in the long run to the players as a whole.
        Of course, the hard part about this is that it's difficult to make a game
        which seems to have some sort of purpose to it, especially when you first
        start the game. I think Ultima Online has done a very good job with this
        sort of an approach, but still the main complaint I hear (especially from
        those used to the more directed form of playin single player computer games)
        is that they can't figure out what they should be doing when they start
        the game.
        Personally I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on this. We've touched
        on it before but I don't think ever dived in very deeply. Usually the
        short answers are 'good, accessable documentation' and 'good character
        creation.' Also we've talked about newbie guides (NPCs with a script or
        players who volunteer themselves) taking you through the
        basic features of the game in an interactive tour (a great idea, IMO, one
        I've seen used to excellent effect on several muds). Still, these
        are just tack-on features, ones that try to make the user more at home
        in an unfamiliar environment. When they actually go to dive into the game
        on their own, what can they _do_ right away that is productive and at
        least mildly entertaining for them? I tend to think this is highly dependant
        on the given game, so I was wondering what (if anything) the various folks
        with well-defined game ideas (Nathan, Raph, Jeff K, maybe JC...?) plan
        on allowing or requiring new players to do first. Commonly players are
        just tossed into a random town with a message of 'Good luck' at which point
        they type 'score' and see that they need three points to reach Rank 2.
        Simple, boring, and linear - not to mention, with the complex skill systems,
        body-stealing, or other methods of character advancement availible, this
        doesn't work anyhow.
      • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
        • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
          • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
            • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
              • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
                • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
                  • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
                    • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
                      • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
                        • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
                        • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon Leonard
                        • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
                          • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
                            • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
                        • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
                        • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
                          • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
                            • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
                              • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
                          • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Vadim Tkachenko
                          • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
                      • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
                    • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
                    • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
                      • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon A. Lambert
                        • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Chris Gray
                          • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Matt Chatterley
                        • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
                      • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
                      • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Derrick Jones
                        • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Jon A. Lambert
                    • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
                  • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Adam Wiggins
                  • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
                  • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Richard Woolcock
                    • • Less numbers, more roleplaying. coder@ibm.net
        • Less numbers, more roleplaying. Marian Griffith
• SUMMARY: Skills and Skills improvement coder@ibm.net
• newbie Marc Eyrignoux
• • newbie coder@ibm.net
  • newbie Miroslav Silovic
  • newbie Sauron
  • • newbie Derrick Jones
    • • newbie Chris Gray
    • newbie coder@ibm.net
    • • newbie Matt Chatterley
• Fear of magic (was:Usability and interface)y Adam Wiggins
• Sorry... Bjarni Norddahl
• OT: threading list messages Alex Oren
• • OT: threading list messages coder@ibm.net
  • • OT: threading list messages Alex Oren
    • OT: threading list messages s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
  • OT: threading list messages Chris Gray
• AI Path Finding Todd Lair
• A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
  • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
  • • A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
    • • A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon Cline
      • • A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
        • • A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon Cline
          • • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
            • • A flamewar startingpoint. Brandon J. Rickman
            • A flamewar startingpoint. s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
            • • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
              • • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
                • • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
                • A flamewar startingpoint. Miroslav Silovic
                • • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
                  • • A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
                    • • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
                    • A flamewar startingpoint. Miroslav Silovic
          • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
          • • A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
            • • A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
              • • A flamewar startingpoint. Jon A. Lambert
                • • A flamewar startingpoint. Chris Gray
                  • A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
                  • A flamewar startingpoint. JC Lawrence
                  • • A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
                    • • A flamewar startingpoint. Jon A. Lambert
                      • A flamewar startingpoint. JC Lawrence
                      • • A flamewar startingpoint. Marian Griffith
                        • • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
        • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
      • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
    • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
    • • A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
      • • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
        • • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
          • • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
            • • A flamewar startingpoint. Sauron
              • A flamewar startingpoint. Derrick Jones
              • • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
            • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
          • A flamewar startingpoint. Matt Chatterley
          • A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
          • • A flamewar startingpoint. Adam Wiggins
          • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
        • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
    • A flamewar startingpoint. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
      • • A flamewar startingpoint. Nathan Yospe
  • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
  • A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
  • A flamewar startingpoint.) Miroslav Silovic
  • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Jon A. Lambert
    • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Marian Griffith
      • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
        • A flamewar startingpoint.) Derrick Jones
        • A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
      • A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
      • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
        • • A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
        • A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
        • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Stephen Zepp
          • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
            • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Stephen Zepp
              • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
          • A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
        • A flamewar startingpoint.) Jon A. Lambert
  • A flamewar startingpoint.) Chris Gray
  • A flamewar startingpoint.) Adam Wiggins
  • • A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
  • A flamewar startingpoint. coder@ibm.net
  • A flamewar startingpoint.) coder@ibm.net
• Noise-to-signal ratio Sauron
• Gender specific Marian Griffith
• • Gender specific Adam Wiggins
  • • Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • Gender specific Marian Griffith
    • • Gender specific Sauron
      • • Gender specific Marian Griffith
        • • Gender specific Derrick Jones
        • Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • Gender specific Mike Sellers
    • • Gender specific Adam Wiggins
      • • Gender specific Mike Sellers
      • Gender specific Ola Fosheim Grøstad
      • • Gender specific Caliban Tiresias Darklock
• Gender specific Cynbe ru Taren
• Eating and sleeping (was: A flamewar startingpoint.) Derrick Jones
• A flamewar startingpoint.y Adam Wiggins
• SUMMARY: Mud Grammar Jon A. Lambert
• You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• • You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
  • • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
      • • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
        • • You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
  • You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
  • • You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
    • • You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
      • • You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
        • • You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
          • • You, the game of philosophy. Richard Woolcock
        • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
        • • You, the game of philosophy. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
          • • You, the game of philosophy. Adam Wiggins
            • • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
            • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
            • • You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
              • • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
            • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
            • • You, the game of philosophy. Marian Griffith
              • • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
              • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
              • • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
                • • You, the game of philosophy. Matt Chatterley
                  • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                  • • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
                    • • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                      • • You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
                        • • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                          • • You, the game of philosophy. JC Lawrence
                            • • You, the game of philosophy. Caliban Tiresias Darklock
      • You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
      • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
      • • You, the game of philosophy. Vadim Tkachenko
        • • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
    • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • • You, the game of philosophy. Derrick Jones
      • • You, the game of philosophy. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
  • You, the game of philosophy. coder@ibm.net
  • • You, the game of philosophy. Chris Gray
    • • You, the game of philosophy. Stephen Zepp
  • You, the game of philosophy. Jon A. Lambert
• Dynamic room descriptions Richard Woolcock
• Naming and descriptions (was Introductions and descriptions) Mike Sellers
• Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
• • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
  • • Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
    • • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
      • • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
        • • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
        • Introductions and descriptions Marian Griffith
        • • Introductions and descriptions Sauron
          • • Introductions and descriptions Marian Griffith
            • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
          • Introductions and descriptions Chris Gray
          • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
        • Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
        • • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
      • Introductions and descriptions Maddy
      • • Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
      • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
      • • Introductions and descriptions Matt Chatterley
        • • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
          • • Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
    • Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
    • • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
      • • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
        • • Introductions and descriptions Maddy
          • • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
            • • Introductions and descriptions Maddy
              • • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
                • • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
                  • • Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
                    • • Introductions and descriptions Jon A. Lambert
                      • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
                      • • Introductions and descriptions Brandon J. Rickman
                        • • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
                          • • Introductions and descriptions Derrick Jones
                            • • Introductions and descriptions Vadim Tkachenko
                              • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
                            • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
                      • Introductions and descriptions Richard Woolcock
                      • Introductions and descriptions Maddy
                  • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
          • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
        • Introductions and descriptions coder@ibm.net
        • • Introductions and descriptions Adam Wiggins
• Introductions and Matt Chatterley
• • Introductions and Adam Wiggins
  • • Introductions and Derrick Jones
    • Introductions and Marian Griffith
    • • Introductions and Matt Chatterley
  • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
  • • Introductions and Marian Griffith
    • • Introductions and Sauron
      • • Introductions and Marian Griffith
        • • Introductions and Adam Wiggins
          • • Introductions and Marian Griffith
            • Introductions and Mike Sellers
            • • Introductions and Brandon J. Rickman
              • • Introductions and Mike Sellers
                • Introductions and Caliban Tiresias Darklock
            • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
          • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
      • Introductions and Adam Wiggins
      • Introductions and Matt Chatterley
      • • Introductions and Mike Sellers
        • • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
        • Introductions and Jon A. Lambert
      • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
      • • Introductions and Ola Fosheim Grøstad
        • • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
          • • Introductions and Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• Introductions and Maddy
• • Introductions and Richard Woolcock
  • Introductions and coder@ibm.net
  • • Introductions and Ling
    • • Introductions and coder@ibm.net
• Introductions and Richard Woolcock
• mud time (A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• Nostalgy (A flamewar startingpoint.) Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• Communication [was Introductions and..] Matt Chatterley
• • Communication [was Introductions and..] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
  • • Communication [was Introductions and..] Adam Wiggins
    • • Communication [was Introductions and..] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
      • • Communication [was Introductions and..] Derrick Jones
  • Communication [was Introductions and..] Marian Griffith
  • Communication [was Introductions and..] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
• requests Marian Griffith
• • requests Marian Griffith
  • • requests Frank Crowell
  • requests Chris Gray
  • requests Brandon J. Rickman
• more requests Marian Griffith
• Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
• • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Adam Wiggins
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
              • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
                  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
            • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
                  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
            • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
          • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Felix A. Croes
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Felix A. Croes
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Maddy
                  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
      • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
            • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
    • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
    • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
    • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
    • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Koster, Raph
    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Vadim Tkachenko
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
          • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Richard Woolcock
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
                  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Chris Gray
                      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Marian Griffith
                    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Adam Wiggins
            • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
            • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
              • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
                • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
                  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
          • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ling
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
          • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Derrick Jones
          • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Mike Sellers
          • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Stephen Zepp
  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
  • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
    • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
      • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Ola Fosheim Grøstad
        • • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
        • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] Matt Chatterley
  • Guilds & Politics [was Affecting the World] JC Lawrence
• Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
• • Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
  • • Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
    • • Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
      • • Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] coder@ibm.net
      • Adventurer Groups [was Affecting the World] Jon A. Lambert
• fwd: Erasmatron Revs up Interactive Fiction Brandon J. Rickman
• Q: What are the coolest thief skills people have seen? coder@ibm.net
• Lots of things about me (long) Ling
• OT: my web pages Marian Griffith
• Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Ling
• • Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Derrick Jones
  • • Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Michael Hohensee
    • • Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Chris Gray
    • Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Ola Fosheim Grøstad
  • Java, applets, forests and ecologies. Chris Gray
  • (Java, applets,) forests and ecologies. Marian Griffith
• Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Ling
• • Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Adam Wiggins
  • Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Chris Gray
  • Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) Richard Woolcock
  • Thief skills, Dream Park and me (again) coder@ibm.net
• ... forests and ecologies. Mike Sellers
• • ... forests and ecologies. Jon A. Lambert
  • ... forests and ecologies. coder@ibm.net
• Java Chris Gray