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<H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</H1>
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<LI><em>To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#null,net">mud-dev#null,net</A></LI>
<LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</LI>
<LI><em>From</em>: <A HREF="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</A> (Chris Gray)</LI>
<LI><em>Date</em>: Fri, 19 Sep 97 08:19:02 MST</LI>
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<PRE>
[Caliban:]
:I have a vast number of things to add to this, but they are almost all
:off-topic. Suffice to say that in many places graphic interfaces are not
:actually appropriate, and MUDs are one of those places. Graphic interfaces
:are inherently limiting in expression, which I think we all agree is Bad on
:MUDs.
Limiting expression is bad. That does not imply that graphics is bad. It
only implies that a limited graphics-only input system is bad.
:> Even mainframes have abandoned such archaic interfaces.
:> Telnet really does suck and turns off thousands of potential users.
:Then let them go to Quake servers and join Ultima Online. Graphic MUDs are
:another topic entirely.
Why? I can be just as lazy as them. I read lots. Likely not as much as
you, but I've got thousands of books. I still prefer the simplistic
graphical output that my system has over straight text. It's *easier*.
:> I see no need for player
:> documentation to be printable or downloadable.
:
:If I can't download the documentation and look at it while I'm not on your
:game, it's harder for me to learn my way around. If I can't print it, it's
:harder for me to find information on commands. Hardcopy and local copies
:are important. But as the game's designer, or as one of its primary
:founding players, you won't understand it... it's easy, see, not that much
:at all.
Agree 100% here.
:> I like consistent themes. I wouldn't find it amusing to run into
:> Elvis in Babylon.
:
:I would find it vastly amusing, provided he wasn't presented as 'Elvis' but
:as 'An aging and overweight man with long sideburns, wearing a bright white
:gem-studded suit and dark glasses. He jerks his head and gyrates his hips
:at odd times, and seems to have some form of nervous disorder.' Dropping
:Elvis into Babylon is stupid. Dropping someone that *looks* like Elvis into
:Babylon is funny.
Disagree here. There are lots of amusing stories around about Elvis being
a space alien, being a strange person hiding out somewhere, so why not
back in Babylon. Someone other than Elvis that looks like him is just a
big anachronism (dark glasses???) and very out of place.
--
Chris Gray cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA
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<li><strong><A NAME="01310" HREF="msg01310.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>
<ul compact><li><em>From:</em> "Jon A. Lambert" <jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com></li></ul>
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<ul><li>Thread context:
<BLOCKQUOTE><UL>
<LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM>
<ul compact>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01513" HREF="msg01513.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Brandon J. Rickman <a href="mailto:ashes#pc4,zennet.com">ashes#pc4,zennet.com</a>, Sat 27 Sep 1997, 20:58 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01514" HREF="msg01514.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Travis Casey <a href="mailto:efindel#polaris,net">efindel#polaris,net</a>, Sat 27 Sep 1997, 23:15 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01530" HREF="msg01530.html">[MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Maddy <a href="mailto:maddy#fysh,org">maddy#fysh,org</a>, Mon 29 Sep 1997, 13:40 GMT
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01549" HREF="msg01549.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Brandon J. Rickman <a href="mailto:ashes#pc4,zennet.com">ashes#pc4,zennet.com</a>, Tue 30 Sep 1997, 22:04 GMT
</LI>
</ul>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01275" HREF="msg01275.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Fri 19 Sep 1997, 14:46 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01310" HREF="msg01310.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Jon A. Lambert <a href="mailto:jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com">jlsysinc#ix,netcom.com</a>, Sat 20 Sep 1997, 06:22 GMT
<UL>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01326" HREF="msg01326.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Caliban Tiresias Darklock <a href="mailto:caliban#darklock,com">caliban#darklock,com</a>, Sat 20 Sep 1997, 20:19 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
</UL>
<UL>
<li><Possible follow-up(s)><br>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01380" HREF="msg01380.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Usability and interface and who the hell is suppo</A></strong>,
Chris Gray <a href="mailto:cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA">cg#ami-cg,GraySage.Edmonton.AB.CA</a>, Tue 23 Sep 1997, 06:15 GMT
</LI>
</UL>
</LI>
<LI><strong><A NAME="01267" HREF="msg01267.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] Something complete different</A></strong>,
Brandon J. Rickman <a href="mailto:ashes#pc4,zennet.com">ashes#pc4,zennet.com</a>, Thu 18 Sep 1997, 22:35 GMT
</UL></BLOCKQUOTE>
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