From: mdm@hadrosaur.cis.ohio-state.edu (Michael Moore)
Subject: Up-coming graphical Mud 
Summary: Request for comments
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept. of Computer and Info. Science
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 14:55:16 GMT


        Hello everyone!

        I've been out of the mud world for a while now, but have finally
gotten around to doing productive work in the area again.  Well, sort
of.  Really many might not consider what I am doing to be a "true" mud
but it comes close enough for me.

        What am I doing, you ask?  The best way to explain it is to
provide some examples :

o  Ever play Ultima V?  This is the same thing with multiple players and
   a world builder (minus the 3-d dungeons)
o  Every play nethack?  This is the same thing but it uses bitmaps,
   is multiple players and has a world builder
o  Ever use the adventure construction set by Electronic Arts?  This is
   nearly exactly the same concept, with multiple players.

        I have completed the initial groundwork for this, and with the
initial completion of the editor it will be time to start implementing
game specific rules.  This is where I need a little help.  I've got my
own ideas, but I've not played muds very much these days and even when
I did it was mostly as a wizard.  So based on this inexperience, I am
looking for any comments and ideas people might have on the manner of
doing things which I propose.  

        Currently I am looking at two basic things, combat and stores :

Combat)
        My current plan can best be explained with a crude diagram or
two.  Say you have two players (P1 and P2) inside a dungeon corridor
in the following manner.

    ----------------
    |    | P1 | P2 |
    ----------------

        Then player 2 decides to attack player one.  He does this by
moving into the middle square (on top of P1).  The server then arranges
for the following to happen :

1)  Create a combat area, for the sake of simplicity consider it a square.
2)  Add hooks on the outside of the area as appropriate, so that when a 
    player moves on it he is transported back out to the main area in the
    appropriate place.  Here is an example :

        -------------------------
        |   | a | a | a | a |   |    
        -------------------------
        | d |   |   |   |   | b |
        -------------------------       Note - players can't move diagonally
        | d |   |   |   |   | b |
        -------------------------
        | d |   |   |   |   | b |
        -------------------------
        |   | c | c | c | c |   |
        -------------------------

        Here the a squares would be hooks to the main area square where 
combat is taking place -1 in the y direction.  b is the main area 
square +1 in the x direction, c is +1 in y, and d is -1 in x... If there
were a barrier in the hooks respective direction, then the hook would
not be placed there, and the area would not be exitable from that direction.

        This means the actual combat take place on the squares inside
the hooks, since moving onto a hook will cause you to leave the area.
If a player on the main area is within view of a combat square, they will
be forced to enter the combat arena and attempt to reach the opposite
hooks in order to make it past the square.  

        This also allows for creatures to travel in packs on the main
area, separating into individual monsters only when in an area on the
scale of the combat arena.

        
2)  Player Items

        This is where I really wonder.  I don't want the craziness which
a lot of earlier muds were plagued with, so I'm trying to create a 
situation where everything will be balanced.  My current plan, while
sketchy, is this :

        Make weapons and items much like the skills used in muds
today.  Everyone can afford the basic items and they get to keep them
for as long as they live.  They can upgrade them in the same manner as
their skills.  No player can use another player's weapons.
 
        Make up some reason why players cannot use weapons and objects
on other things they kill.  Perhaps some personal code of honor.  

        Players can save their game and keep all their items only
in "safe haven" areas. 

        Hmmm... I have too many ideas floating around in my head.  
I need to get them all sorted out before this mud opens to the public.
I will also need world builders, people who can be trusted to 
develop coherent, fun, exciting worlds.  And above all it would
be most helpfull to have playtesters when the time comes... people
willing to put up with constant crashes with the assurance that 
it will result in a more or less stable game.  Also I can't draw 
at all, so good bitmap designers would probably be nice.  I am
currently using 32x32 bitmaps, but a person could write a package
that uses any kind of pixmap (color or b&w of any size) or even
ascii characters.  I only have so much time, however, so I'm going
with what is fairly easy but still looks decent.  But a good artist
or two creating nice looking icon packages would be a great bonus.

        Anyway, if you have any ideas on this subject, would be 
willing to offer services in on of the above-mentioned areas, or any
comments please let me know.  I'd be especially interested in hearing 
if you would be interested in such a game.  It makes little sense for me
to spend all this time working on it if no one is interested in playing
it.  I hope to have it open for mass consumption in a month or two,
open to play testers in a matter of a week or two (maybe three :-) ).
For the client I am writing X-Windows is necessary.

        Thanks for your replies,

        -Michael

PS :    Oh, and Julia (loffit@wam.umd), if you're out there, are you 
still interested in collaborating?  

PPS : If anyone interested in this project knows how to write Tcl/Tk
      scripts please contact me!!!

-- 
|\  Michael  Delbert  Moore     _   /|     Home   : (614) 471-1937         /|
| \ OSU Student  Programmer     \`o_O'     Office : (614) 292-7161        / |
| / Undergraduate CIS major       ( )      Email  : mdm@cis.ohio-state.edu\ |
|/-------------------------        U       --------------------------------\|
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