<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology --> <!--X-From-R13: "Fbal Ivyxvafba" <gbal.jvyxvafbaNqvny.cvcrk.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 13:56:25 -0700 --> <!--X-Message-Id: E117kLg-0004hs-00#kanga,varesearch.com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:tony.wilkinson#dial,pipex.com"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00038.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00040.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00044.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00041.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00039">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00039">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00039">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>[MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <<A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A>></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: "Tony Wilkinson" <<A HREF="mailto:tony.wilkinson#dial,pipex.com">tony.wilkinson#dial,pipex.com</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:45:50 +0100</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Sender</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu">mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> Hi guys, I'm new to the list so if you have discussed this before, please let me know (and perhaps point me to the relevant place in the archives). I'm interested to hear your views on how important or interesting you feel a virtual ecology is with respect to multi-player on-line games. Although I'm writing this from a massive, persistent world point of view (i.e. UO) I see no reason why similar principles couldn't be applied to other formats. It's an area I feel is still in infancy but I'm sure that it could play an important role in the future of these types of games. I am specifically talking about animal/monster species (and individuals) having particular attributes which when applied to an ecosystem, allowing the individual animals to behave in an intelligent manner whether they are interacting with a human player or not. I've written a number of simulations which focus on giving the species and the individual animals a multitude of attributes including things such as bravery, food level, eyesight, friendliness to their own species, friendliness to specific other species etc (you really can create a lot of attributes if you think about it a while :). The food level attribute in particular is very interesting. As an animal, or pack of animals (meat eating or not) is forced to hunt for food you can get some interesting curves in population densities. Also, if the numbers of rabbits are running low, the foxes will begin to starve, and so they must leave their preferred place of habitat in search of food. This allows the rabbit population to begin to increase again. Add to that the abilities for some species to band together when attacked (try attacking 1 wolf in a pack) or when attacking while others run in every direction, and you can very quickly see seemingly intelligent behaviours coming out of the model. What do we gain from all this? Well, the ability to persuade the player that he is in a living, breathing place and that the whole world doesn't just revolve around him. He also will have the ability to perhaps alter the equilibrium. Over fishing the salmon streams will cause those bears to go looking for other food and those pet dogs and cats look mighty tasty :) Fun stuff. Comments and criticisms more than welcome Tony. _______________________________________________ MUD-Dev maillist - MUD-Dev#kanga,nu <A HREF="http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev">http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev</A> </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00042" HREF="msg00042.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Jp Calderone <exarkun#flashmail,com></li></ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00041" HREF="msg00041.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Adam Wiggins <adam#angel,com></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00038.html">[MUD-Dev] mud vs. mush membership</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00040.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] mud vs. mush membership</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00044.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: combat/injury</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00041.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00039"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00039"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Essays on parsing text.</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00063" HREF="msg00063.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Essays on parsing text.</A></strong>, Travis S. Casey <a href="mailto:efindel#io,com">efindel#io,com</a>, Tue 27 Jul 1999, 17:10 GMT </LI> </ul> </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00048" HREF="msg00048.html">[MUD-Dev] OT: Raph & Kristen absent for a bit</A></strong>, Koster, Raph <a href="mailto:rkoster#origin,ea.com">rkoster#origin,ea.com</a>, Mon 26 Jul 1999, 01:46 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00046" HREF="msg00046.html">[MUD-Dev] [ScryMUD] Splitting development, code re-organization.</A></strong>, Ben Greear <a href="mailto:greear#cyberhighway,net">greear#cyberhighway,net</a>, Sun 25 Jul 1999, 06:59 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00044" HREF="msg00044.html">[MUD-Dev] Re: combat/injury</A></strong>, Greg Miller <a href="mailto:gmiller#classic-games,com">gmiller#classic-games,com</a>, Sat 24 Jul 1999, 00:51 GMT <LI><strong><A NAME="00039" HREF="msg00039.html">[MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong>, Tony Wilkinson <a href="mailto:tony.wilkinson#dial,pipex.com">tony.wilkinson#dial,pipex.com</a>, Fri 23 Jul 1999, 20:56 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00041" HREF="msg00041.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong>, Adam Wiggins <a href="mailto:adam#angel,com">adam#angel,com</a>, Fri 23 Jul 1999, 21:16 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00042" HREF="msg00042.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong>, Jp Calderone <a href="mailto:exarkun#flashmail,com">exarkun#flashmail,com</a>, Sat 24 Jul 1999, 00:51 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00054" HREF="msg00054.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong>, Brian Carter <a href="mailto:muddev#wyrms-of-malice,com">muddev#wyrms-of-malice,com</a>, Mon 26 Jul 1999, 16:51 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <UL> <li><Possible follow-up(s)><br> <LI><strong><A NAME="00053" HREF="msg00053.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] The Virtual Ecology</A></strong>, Ilya, SCC, Game Commando <a href="mailto:Ilya#gamecommandos,com">Ilya#gamecommandos,com</a>, Mon 26 Jul 1999, 16:51 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>