Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!xlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!cyber2.cyberstore.ca!nntp.cs.ubc.ca!newsserver.sfu.ca!sfu.ca!neilg
From: neilg@kits.sfu.ca (Neil K. Guy)
Subject: Re: More rambling
Message-ID: <neilg.753578585@sfu.ca>
Sender: news@sfu.ca
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
References: <4gu8Mfu00WB_J_xTse@andrew.cmu.edu> <1993Nov17.160955.970@vaxa>
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1993 23:23:05 GMT
Lines: 44

pmunn1@vaxa.hofstra.edu writes:

>An overall design (the abstract elements, what subplots will be made, mood,
>etc) would have to be made by an author or group of authors before subplots
>could be farmed out to other committees.

 Certainly, there'd be a place for a coordinator of sorts in such a
project, who would help make sure that the various subplots do fit
together well, both game-wise and technically as you point out.
Conditional events - fuses going off and such - can be quite
nightmarish as it is in a single game, as you have to cover *so* many
contingencies. In my game, for example, you can swim in a lake, you
can wander an endless desert, you can shut your eyes, you can be in a
dark room, etc. Now what happens if an NPC wanders into the room?
Obviously if the player's eyes are shut it does no good to have a
message like "You see the NPC walk in..." or "The NPC wanders into the
room..." when you're outside, etc.

>Changes of mood and purpose from section to section will betray the game as
>having been designed in a compartmentalized fashion, as might the different
>authors of the displayed text.

 This could be a strength or a weakness, I think. Ideally the game
could be designed in such a fashion that differences in style would be
part of the fun. Perhaps a time-travel epic, where different styles
might add to the flavour of each epoch. Or a game with a widely
distributed geography, which would mean a jungle theme would feel
different from a rainy European city or whatever.

>Just something to think about.  If something like this comes up, it would be
>very interesting to see what kind of game hybrid would result from the smashing
>and experienced authors who frequent this group.  A r.a.i-f group game might
>turn out to be very interesting indeed.  After all, we'd just need to email the
>code to each other but like I said before, someone or some few would have to
>set down ground rules before anything started.

 Hmmm... Could be interesting. I wonder if anything like that could
happen - I imagine horrible religious flamewars concerning the
development system. Would you volunteer to organize such an
undertaking? :)

 - Neil K. (n_k_guy@sfu.ca)
-- 
  49N 16' 123W 7'  /  Vancouver, BC, Canada  /  n_k_guy@sfu.ca
