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Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 09:48:11 -0400
From: John Colagioia <JColagioia@csi.com>
Organization: No Conspiracy Here...
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Subject: Re: What Lebling said...
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tnaran@direct.ca wrote:

> Thus Spake Charles R. <co130982@yahoo.com>:
> > What do you think?
> > http://www.adventurecollective.com/articles/interview-davelebling.htm
> It was interesting.  The biggest thing I agree with him on is how much
> of a throwback these graphic "adventures" like Myst are.  They're pretty
> to look at, but from a playability point of view, there about as much
> fun as web pages.

Agreed.  Then there are other games, like the Seventh Guest.  At one point
playing that, I considered that perhaps the actual game was taking place
elsewhere in the house, and I was just bumping into it (and the plot) at
random intervals, solving arbitrary puzzles just to pass the time...


> I wonder: how can one make a fully 3-D game without requiring a command
> parser (i.e., having to type "take the paper", "fold it")?  Maybe the
> new gesture interfaces out there might help, but has anyone given it any
> real thought?

It might be doable.  Especially verbs like "fold," "rub," "open," and so on
could be done gesturally.

Sorry, let me rephrase that.  You'll always need a parser, by definition.
There will always have to be some software (or maybe hardware, if you're
really specialized) to convert the user's stream of input to internal
commands.  You might be able to use a different input stream to the parser
than text, however, if you're clever about the interface.  The gestures are
probably a good start.

Hmmm...With a three-button mouse, you *might* be able to expand the gestures
to semi-full hand movement, with independant fingers.  That is, depressing
all buttons except the left button ("left" being the term Windows
understands as being the button under your index finger, in case you have a
left-handed mouse--at which point that'd be your right button, but...) would
let you point at things, push buttons, poke people, or what have you.

On the other hand, voice isn't much fun, particularly if you're the sort of
player who likes to run through games while everyone else is asleep...


