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Room based VS ???

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David Best

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Sep 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/8/97
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I remember reading a post that said that room based
muds weren't the best. (Can't remeber the words exactly. I have
only played LP muds and as far as I know they were roombased.

What other methods are there? I would appreciate it if someone
could expand on this topic and give me a little info.

Thanks.

Dave

gh...@shell.golden.net

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Sep 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/8/97
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David Best (dav...@nortel.ca) wrote:
: I remember reading a post that said that room based

Well the easiest to understand is a cordinate type system. Just try any
battle-tech type mud. Each player/mech is at a set of cordinates, not in
a room. This is really handy because it allows for easy addition of
ranged combat. Also many graphical muds use this type of system.
The problem with this type of system is it is very hard to use with a text
based mud.

Another type is a cordinate/room based type system. Ie each room has a
certain length/width/depth, and you are located in a certain cordinate in
that room. I have not heard of many systems that work like this, but I
know there is some out there.

Although the easiest method is a room based for a text mud, since there
is little need for change in appearences. Ie A chair is in the room, not
3 inches north, 4 feet east.

I cannot think of any other types of location systems. Any of these
systems can be done with a graphical mud (although the cordinate system is
the best in my opinion), but doing a pure cordinate system is very hard to
do well with a text based system.

draco

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Sep 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/8/97
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gh...@shell.golden.net wrote:

> I cannot think of any other types of location systems. Any of these
> systems can be done with a graphical mud (although the cordinate system is
> the best in my opinion), but doing a pure cordinate system is very hard to
> do well with a text based system.

Thanks alot for the info.. I understand now..

Thanks.

Dave

Alastair Neil

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Sep 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/8/97
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Chris Dolphy wrote:

>
> gh...@shell.golden.net wrote:
> > David Best (dav...@nortel.ca) wrote:
> > : I remember reading a post that said that room based
> > : muds weren't the best. What other methods are there?

> > : I would appreciate it if someone could expand on this
> > : topic and give me a little info.
> >
> > [describes coordinate based and combined room\coor based muds]

> >
> > I cannot think of any other types of location systems. Any of these
> > systems can be done with a graphical mud (although the cordinate system
> is
> > the best in my opinion), but doing a pure cordinate system is very hard
> to
> > do well with a text based system.
> >
>
> Does anyone know of a high-fantasy sword-sorcery mud that uses
> a coordinate based system? Or for that matter does anyone have
> any idea if this can be done effectively?
>
> Chris

well I'm in the process of writing one in java - not ready for prime
time yet though


--
All diese Momente werden verloren sein in dem Zeit - so wie Traenen im
Regen.
Alastair Neil - a...@frii.com
Not an HP employee and not speaking for HP in any way shape or form.

Nathan F. Yospe

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Sep 8, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/8/97
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gh...@shell.golden.net () wrote:

:David Best (dav...@nortel.ca) wrote:
:: I remember reading a post that said that room based

:: muds weren't the best. (Can't remeber the words exactly. I have


:: only played LP muds and as far as I know they were roombased.

:: What other methods are there? I would appreciate it if someone


:: could expand on this topic and give me a little info.

:Well the easiest to understand is a cordinate type system. Just try any

:battle-tech type mud. Each player/mech is at a set of cordinates, not in
:a room. This is really handy because it allows for easy addition of
:ranged combat. Also many graphical muds use this type of system.
:The problem with this type of system is it is very hard to use with a text
:based mud.

This is the classical coordinate scheme. It is usually either point based
(hexmapped, squaremapped, trigonal) or gridded (34Nx65E), and has little,
if any, appeal from a storylike text perspective.

:Another type is a cordinate/room based type system. Ie each room has a


:certain length/width/depth, and you are located in a certain cordinate in
:that room. I have not heard of many systems that work like this, but I
:know there is some out there.

There are, yes. This is an internal coordinate scheme. It has application
more to ranged combat and interaction than anything else.

:Although the easiest method is a room based for a text mud, since there


:is little need for change in appearences. Ie A chair is in the room, not
:3 inches north, 4 feet east.

True, but there is also little support for change in appearances. What if
a dragon flames the forest? Oops, tough patooties, we can't do much about
that.

:I cannot think of any other types of location systems. Any of these


:systems can be done with a graphical mud (although the cordinate system is
:the best in my opinion), but doing a pure cordinate system is very hard to
:do well with a text based system.

I'd like to point out two more varients on the coordinate based system. I
use one of them for a graphical online game (GURU) and one for a textual,
3D game engine (text optional - Physmud++)

The first is the fixed-dimension node based system. This is best when the
subject is graphical, as it allows easy loading and caching of terrain. I
like it also for its easy mapping to Qtrees. It consists of a set of such
points as in the classical scheme, but each capable of handling the local
xyz coordinates. Nodes can only be placed in a 2D form, however, with the
exception of special considerations for the quad tree. An Oct or hex tree
is a possibility... in any case, the net result of this is a 3D map with,
from the user's perspective, no bounds. They never see the points.

The second is the containment node based system. Nodes are linked by both
proximity and containment. Proximate nodes are the type that have linkage
between them, such as two rooms or an adjacent plain and forest. Nodes do
have some kind of transition space, but it is essentially transparent, if
not specified otherwise. Contained (concentric) nodes are things within a
boundary region of a known node. All nodes have their own handling of the
coordinates within, and for my own case, some nodes (inside a sack, or in
a chair) may have no internal coordinates, while others (an asteroid belt
or the surface of a plain) may have vast coordinate scales. Boundaries in
most cases are a matter of feel. A forest may feel like a region, the set
of its glades are all concentric regions... I use local threads to handle
my event system, so there is a real reason to worry about where nodes go,
but the reasoned bounds tend to make sense. The advantage? Spacial descs,
without the feel of rooms, with the option of using a room or whatever in
any case that feels right for it. And the descriptions look good, but are
not repetitive or blocky room descs, but instead get assembled out of the
surroundings and line of sight.

--
Nathan F. Yospe | There's nothing wrong with being a sociopath. Getting
yo...@hawaii.edu | caught is the problem. Mad scientists are for real. I
UH Manoa Physics | happen to be QUITE furious about a lot of things. The
Biomedical Phys. | scientist is also the dreamer. Magic is in your mind.

Chris Dolphy

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Sep 9, 1997, 3:00:00 AM9/9/97
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gh...@shell.golden.net wrote:
> David Best (dav...@nortel.ca) wrote:
> : I remember reading a post that said that room based

> : muds weren't the best. What other methods are there?


> : I would appreciate it if someone could expand on this
> : topic and give me a little info.
>

> [describes coordinate based and combined room\coor based muds]
>

> I cannot think of any other types of location systems. Any of these
> systems can be done with a graphical mud (although the cordinate system
is
> the best in my opinion), but doing a pure cordinate system is very hard
to
> do well with a text based system.
>

Does anyone know of a high-fantasy sword-sorcery mud that uses

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