March 1998
- Describe Concept Stephen Zepp
- Describe Concept Jon A. Lambert
- Describe Concept J C Lawrence
- Describe Concept Jon A. Lambert
- Describe Concept J C Lawrence
- Describe Concept Vadim Tkachenko
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XI: Lexical Scan Revisited Jon A. Lambert
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XII: Miscellany Jon A. Lambert
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XIII: Procedures Jon A. Lambert
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! Chris Gray
- VEIL Network Protocol Brandon Gillespie
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XIV: Types Jon A. Lambert
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XV: Back to the Future Jon A. Lambert
- Tutorial: Let's build a Compiler! - Part XVI: Unit Construction Jon A. Lambert
- For Ling's FAQ Koster, Raph
- MUD Ratings jlsysinc.ix.netcom.com@ix.netcom.com
- Random Generation Tools Ling
- ANNOUNCE: DB Robin Carey
- THE DARKWHOLE TESTS J C Lawrence
- Magic as Metaphor J C Lawrence
- Magic as Metaphor J C Lawrence
- Magic as Metaphor Jon A. Lambert
- Magic as Metaphor J C Lawrence
- CT - A Hypothetical Session (mid 1995) J C Lawrence
- 2Cyberconf: An article J C Lawrence
- (long) AnarchyMOO Primary Log J C Lawrence
- (short) AnarchyMOO parting salute J C Lawrence
- AnarchyMOO purpose J C Lawrence
- (fwd) CODE RELEASE: [client] Spod! (Java mud client) J C Lawrence
- (fwd) CODE RELEASE: [client]: lyntin (hacker's client) 1.1b Released J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole Test #1 J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole Test #2 J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole test #3 J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole test #4 J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole test #5 J C Lawrence
- DarkWhole test Identity Crisis J C Lawrence
- The Craft of Adventure J C Lawrence
- What in THE Hell was that? Stephen Zepp
- What in THE Hell was that? Ben Greear
- What in THE Hell was that? J C Lawrence
- What in THE Hell was that? Jon A. Lambert
- (fwd) Varying Time Commitment Levels: what's an admin to do? J C Lawrence
- Hello, and a brief intro cimri
- Hello, and a brief intro Ben Greear
- (no title) Time limits? s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- (no title) Time limits? Justin McKinnerney
- (no title) Time limits? J C Lawrence
- Speaking of Avatars Jon A. Lambert
- Speaking of Avatars Jon A. Lambert
- Speaking of Avatars J C Lawrence
- Speaking of Avatars Jon A. Lambert
- Re: Vadim Tkachenko
- META: Broken mail headers coder@ibm.net
- META: Broken mail headers Alex Oren
- META: Broken mail headers J C Lawrence
- META: Broken mail headers Alex Oren
- META: Broken mail headers J C Lawrence
- META: Broken mail headers Chris Gray
- META: Broken mail headers J C Lawrence
- META: Broken mail headers Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- META: Broken mail headers Chris Gray
- Turn-based MU*'s Sauron
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement cimri
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Justin McKinnerney
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement J C Lawrence
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Jon A. Lambert
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Ling
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Jon A. Lambert
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Matt Chatterley
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement J C Lawrence
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Jon A. Lambert
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Matt Chatterley
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Adam Wiggins
- Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement Joel Dillon
- SfD: Clientside Caching Nathan F Yospe
- SfD: Clientside Caching Jon A. Lambert
- SfD: Clientside Caching Nathan F Yospe
- SfD: Clientside Caching Chris Gray
- SfD: Clientside Caching Jon A. Lambert
- (subject missing) J C Lawrence
- Balancing Addicts Ling
- Balancing Addicts Richard Woolcock
- Balancing Addicts Ling
- Balancing Addicts J C Lawrence
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Ben Greear
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Niklas Elmqvist
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Jon Leonard
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Ben Greear
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Jon Leonard
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Ben Greear
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Chris Gray
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Niklas Elmqvist
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Jon A. Lambert
- Transport layer (UDP vs TCP) Ben Greear
- Time Limits? Jon A. Lambert
- META: topic and thread culling (was Balancing Addicts -> soft vs. hard enforcement ) J C Lawrence
- (subject missing) J C Lawrence
- XShipWars J C Lawrence
- (fwd) INFO: [client] Chaco looking for new parent for Pueblo J C Lawrence
- SIMULATING FUTURE HISTORIES: THE NAU SOLAR SYSTEM SIMULATION & MARS SETTLEMENT J C Lawrence
- (fwd) Functional Security J C Lawrence
- (fwd) Functional Security Ling
- (fwd) Functional Security Chris Gray
- (fwd) Functional Security Matt Chatterley
- (fwd) Functional Security Miroslav Silovic
- (fwd) Functional Security Felix A. Croes
- (fwd) Functional Security J C Lawrence
- SIMULATING FUTURE HISTORIES s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Character development [was ] Matt Chatterley
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Matt Chatterley
- Character development [was ] Travis Casey
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Travis S. Casey
- Character development [was ] Marian Griffith
- Character development [was ] Travis S. Casey
- Character development [was ] Vadim Tkachenko
- Character development [was ] Travis Casey
- Character development [was ] Vadim Tkachenko
- Character development [was ] Travis Casey
- Character development [was ] Vadim Tkachenko
- Character development [was ] Marian Griffith
- Character development [was ] Vadim Tkachenko
- Character development [was ] Marian Griffith
- Character development [was ] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Character development [was ] Marian Griffith
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Cimri
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Character development [was ] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Character development [was ] Caliban Tiresias Darklock
- Character development [was ] Vadim Tkachenko
- Character development [was ] Ben Greear
- Character development [was ] Matt Chatterley
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Matt Chatterley
- Character development [was ] Travis S. Casey
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Koster, Raph
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] Koster, Raph
- Character development [was ] Alex Bertoglio
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] J C Lawrence
- Character development [was ] John Bertoglio
- 3D engines for MUDs Niklas Elmqvist
- 3D engines for MUDs Chris Gray
- 3D engines for MUDs J C Lawrence
- 3D engines for MUDs Niklas Elmqvist
- 3D engines for MUDs Chris Gray
- 3D engines for MUDs Ling
- 3D engines for MUDs Koster, Raph
- 3D engines for MUDs Mike Sellers
- 3D engines for MUDs Niklas Elmqvist
- 3D engines for MUDs Koster, Raph
- 3D engines for MUDs Ling
- 3D engines for MUDs s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Dynamic Loading of Modules Niklas Elmqvist
- Dynamic Loading of Modules Greg Munt
- Dynamic Loading of Modules J C Lawrence
- Parlez vous NPC? Matt Chatterley
- Parlez vous NPC? Vadim Tkachenko
- Parlez vous NPC? Matt Chatterley
- Parlez vous NPC? Chris Gray
- Parlez vous NPC? Matt Chatterley
- Parlez vous NPC? Nathan F Yospe
- Parlez vous NPC? Matt Chatterley
- Dynamic Loading of Modules Niklas Elmqvist
- Dynamic Loading of Modules Chris Gray
- Dynamic Loading of Modules Jon A. Lambert
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Jon A. Lambert
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Greg Munt
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ross Nicoll
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ross Nicoll
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Jon A. Lambert
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Jon A. Lambert
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Joel Dillon
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Matt Chatterley
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Adam Wiggins
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Orion Henry
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Nathan F Yospe
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Vadim Tkachenko
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Greg Munt
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Ben Greear
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Jon A. Lambert
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? Chris Gray
- World Persistence, flat files v/s DB v/s ?? J C Lawrence
- Jukebox Vadim Tkachenko
- Another recruit for the list? Joel Dillon
- OT: Martin Keegan J C Lawrence
- Old code Joel Dillon
- Old code Michael Hohensee
- UML/Commercial v Free Muds Greg Munt
- UML/Commercial v Free Muds Nathan F Yospe
- UML/Commercial v Free Muds Jon A. Lambert
- Heightfield Terrain Rendering Paper Niklas Elmqvist
- (subject missing) J C Lawrence
- (fwd) Roleplaying J C Lawrence
- (fwd) Roleplaying s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, J C Lawrence wrote:
> From: cimri <cimri1@gte.net>
> Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.admin
> Subject: Re: Roleplaying
> Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998 22:31:46 -0800
>
> KaVir, Richard Woolcock, and Aristotle, in their brave fight
> against spam wrote various words more or less summarizable as:
>
> - life has levels
> - no it doesn't, it's more like skill-based
> - no no, life is like both skill-based and level-based systems
>
> and the phrase 'a single level' (apparently meaning using a single
> value to express a complex set of attainments, experiences, powers,
> and the like) was used, presumably to distinguish it from having
> 'many levels.'
>
> </synopsis>
>
> Like that fella from Fiddler on the Roof says: you are all right.
>
> A working definition for the sake of discussion: I propose that 'level'
> mean 'level of experience' and refer more or less to what we mean when
> we say 'that person has a great deal of (or not much) experience.
>
> Yes, level has been used as a single expression of power, where your
> level expressed how good you were at everything, or at least how
> good you were in the collection of powers and skills related to your
> chosen profession. This is clearly silly, though I don't think any
> where near as silly as most would have us believe. That is, though
> I think there are better ways to do it, still, using level as a
> single expression of power can be defended fairly well without
> stretching too much.
>
> And yes, the idea of HPs rising with level stretches things a bit too.
> ALSO not as much as people would have us believe. For instance, it
> is not that great a stretch to look at HP as some sort of expression
> of one's ability to absorb/avoid/maneuver away from damage, not JUST
> bodily physical damage. So as one 'rose in level' one gained more HP
> which represented a certain experience reflected in combat survivability
> through (for example) wiser use of maneuvers, or whatever. I do think
> it makes more _sense_ to leave HP pretty much constant and to vary
> your 'survivability' by adding in combat-related dodge or parry or
> whatever skills. But rising HP with level is by no means totally
> indefensible.
As I recall, this very nicely summarizes how AD&D's system is _supposed_
to work. The main problem that people have with a Level/HP based on level
system is that there seems to be an inconsistancy. HP represents not only
physical toughness, but also the 'survivability' mentioned above. The
perceived discrepancy comes from overlooking the resulting complexity of
the rest of the system. By simplifying 'toughness' and 'survivability'
into one value, you have to complicate the rest of the system to
compensate... which many people forget. I'll use one of my favorite
Dragon Mirths (from Dragon Magazine... I forget which issue, but I can
look it up if anyone is interested) as a case in point. An ogre is tied
to a tree, riddled with arrows and sneering. A mage with a clipboard is
tallying the Ogre's remaining HP and telling the archer near by "Ok, 2
more arrows should do him in!" The scene in question forgets to
compensate for the Ogre's reduced ability to use his 'survivability', due
to his restraints. Unless the archer is a complete pleeb, he should have
been able to do the Ogre in with at most 2 arrows. This happens all too
often with such systems, and is, IMHO the primary cuase for people
discounting them as 'unrealistic'.
> ---
>
> Okay, all that said, one could easily still have a skill-based system,
> or at least a system which includes skills/abilities/etc which are
> somehow increased in effectivenes through use or practice, and each
> may be increased independently of the other, generally. And this
> skill-based system could still use the idea of 'levels of experience.'
> And this could still represent, in some meaningful way, an analog
> to real life.
[...]
> Either way, levels of experience, or just levels, can be meaningful
> as an expression of some sort of overall attainment, and levels are
> not at all incompatible with skill-based OR roleplaying systems.
> Or so I would happily assert.
I agree entirely. You just have to remember to take into account what all
you are lumping together into a 'level' and how that 'level' is used
within the rest of the system. Remembering that you can't just blindly
apply the rules of the system to a level, that you have to modify how the
level is interepreted and affected based on the situation, makes levels
(or hp, or any other lumped-together value) quite viable. A well built
MUD should have no problems with such a system. Of course, the key words
there are "well built". ;)
-Greg - (fwd) Roleplaying Katrina McClelan
- (fwd) Roleplaying Ling
- (fwd) Roleplaying J C Lawrence
- (fwd) Roleplaying Travis Casey
- (fwd) Roleplaying s001gmu@nova.wright.edu
- Predicting future motion intelligently J C Lawrence
- META: New Mail server and ISP J C Lawrence
- (rec.games.mud.admin) Roleplaying (fwd) Nathan F Yospe
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Jon A. Lambert
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. J C Lawrence
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. J C Lawrence
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Chris Gray
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. J C Lawrence
- Persistant storage.... My current idea. Ben Greear
- UML & CORBA Greg Munt
- [MUD-Dev]: smoothing J C Lawrence
- [MUD-Dev]: smoothing J C Lawrence