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May 18, 2000, 3:30pm

Just out of curiosity, but if and God forbid for your sake, AWCOM goes
under, what are all you poor saps goin to whine about then?
Will we find Eep on irc, whining that the text scrolls by too qwik?
Or will all you guys join up on everquest getting your ass' whipped
daily?
Just was wondering.
I await the on slaught of negative, narrow minded, long winded replies

Jun 4, 2000, 8:05pm

First, don't use a footballer's name when it isn't you.

Next, I guess AWCom, if it goes under, will not go under, but be bought out.
--
Andy

[View Quote]

Jun 5, 2000, 9:35pm

That is what I was going to say in my reply.

Also, whoever bought them out would probably have the capital and resources
to advance it much faster.

Nothing personal to Roland, but one programmer can only work so fast.

[View Quote]

Jun 6, 2000, 1:08pm

2 programmers now, with HamFon, although Roland still does more, I'm sure...

I still think AW should be developed and oriented more towards gaming (and not like all those silly classic card/board games either, but on-par with the likes of Thief, Quake, Drakan, Tomb Raider, etc--and, note, just because it's "game" does not mean it has to include blowing things up and shooting everyone!). http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/ for more info.

[View Quote] > That is what I was going to say in my reply.
>
> Also, whoever bought them out would probably have the capital and resources
> to advance it much faster.
>
> Nothing personal to Roland, but one programmer can only work so fast.
>
[View Quote] --
http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, The Sims
Enable line/word wrap if text not wrapping. Don't quote sig when replying.

Jun 6, 2000, 10:20pm

However, blowing things up and killing people on teams such as citizens and tourists (with the cits being fewer in number and having entrenched themselves for battle and established permanent bases, as well as having larger weaponry) would be quite fun. And quite possible with a world and some creativity. Use existing paintball "technology", combine it
with a bazillion artillery shell bots, and put together a world with limited building and crap, and make avatars that can be "flown" and drop bombs (simply paintball again), and if anyone gets caught flying without an aircraft, they get ejected (and i dont mean paintball ejected either).

Ok, enough of that,
--Wing Cmdr
Citizen 305004
Wing 'n Jess 4eva

[View Quote] > 2 programmers now, with HamFon, although Roland still does more, I'm sure...
>
> I still think AW should be developed and oriented more towards gaming (and not like all those silly classic card/board games either, but on-par with the likes of Thief, Quake, Drakan, Tomb Raider, etc--and, note, just because it's "game" does not mean it has to include blowing things up and shooting everyone!). http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/ for more info.
>
[View Quote]

Jun 7, 2000, 11:40am

Just as long as we can avoid the mentality where you getting the highest
points when giving what-for to Granny and her walker (i.e. Carmagedon).

Jun 7, 2000, 8:44pm

[View Quote]
I disagree. If you tried to turn AW into a giant online computer game,
you'd have to go up against all the *other* giant online computer games
out there, and end up getting squashed. AW started out as being just a
fancy chat room, nothing more. (like it's cousin WorldsChat)

That being said, AW is a unique beast. Even though it's a chat room,
it's unique in that it has the potential to be so much more. You can
make AW into a game, or you can make it into an e-commerce site, or you
can make it into a center of education. It's the fact that AW can have
so many applications that makes it enticing. The video/computer game
industry is one of the most competitive industries out there, and unless
you have something *really* original, you'll end up with "just another
game". I mean, when something as simple-minded as Pokemon can become
hugely popular, even in amongst all of these other graphics-rich,
overblown, multiplayer shoot-em-ups, that says something. It ain't
graphics that get you the business, it's originality. And AW has it in
spades.

Unfortunately, having such a unique product puts COF in the unenviable
position of having to try and please as many people as it possibly can.
And when you have only 15 or so people on staff total, it's not easy.
Let's hope the people they hire for these new positions they're posting
are actually willing to do their jobs properly. Personally, I think AW
should lean more towards the "community" aspect and work on making AW a
place where people actually want to go to hang out with friends and
whatnot, instead of having people logging on, building some random
thing, and then abandoning it a week later. Give people a reason to keep
coming back!
--
Goober King
Just my two hay-pennies.rwx...
rar1 at acsu.buffalo.edu

Jun 7, 2000, 8:44pm

Lose points for directing fire at civilian buildings. Lose all your points
if you hit the whorehouse LOL

[View Quote] > Just as long as we can avoid the mentality where you getting the highest
> points when giving what-for to Granny and her walker (i.e. Carmagedon).

Jun 8, 2000, 11:35am

Did you even bother to read what was at the below URL I gave, Goober? It =
doesn't seem like it... If you did you would realize that I don't mean fo=
r AW to be just another online computer game like Ultima Online, EverQues=
t, 10six, etc. AW is for all intensive purposes, a multi-user level edito=
r. That is what differentiates it from all the current 3D game level edit=
ors (WorldCraft, QuArK, DromEd, Drakan's level editor, etc, etc ,etc). Pl=
us most, if not all, of the current level editors allow level editing (wo=
rld building for AW) quite like AW does. Most level editors are complex, =
confusing, and clunky to use. Most don't over real-time building in 3D--u=
sually only in 2D views with a 3D preview mode. It's in these aspects tha=
t makes AW unique and a worthy competitor. However, while RenderWare 3 ha=
s boosted AW's technological level some it's still a few years behind mos=
t, if not all, 3D games with level editors.

But once DirectSound and multiple lights are added (hopefully to AW 3.1 i=
f Roland and HamFon have anything to say about it), then AW will be on a =
more competitive level, technologically, with most 3D game level editors.=
However, AW would still need a few more enhancements before it could tru=
ly begin to compete. Some of these are on my AW improvements page (http:/=
/tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.html). The main thing, believe it or not, as sim=
ple as it seems, is the ability to jump. Jumping is so fundamental to com=
puter games that for AW to not even have it (yet have avatar gravity, mom=
entum, and now collision detection) seems odd. The other basic game featu=
re is shooting, and although it IS immature and mindless, it would attrac=
t more attention to AW.

Anyway, AW has a LOT of potential, but until Rick and JP see this potenti=
al and steer AW's development toward it, AW will continue to flounder and=
always be mediocre at best compared to other 3D games/environments. I SE=
RIOUSLY hope Rick and JP give the 3D game potential a try because I'm wil=
ling to bet my citizenship that AW's popularity would skyrocket.

[View Quote] [View Quote] > out there, and end up getting squashed. AW started out as being just a
> fancy chat room, nothing more. (like it's cousin WorldsChat)
>
> That being said, AW is a unique beast. Even though it's a chat room,
> it's unique in that it has the potential to be so much more. You can
> make AW into a game, or you can make it into an e-commerce site, or you=

> can make it into a center of education. It's the fact that AW can have
> so many applications that makes it enticing. The video/computer game
> industry is one of the most competitive industries out there, and unles=
s
> you have something *really* original, you'll end up with "just another
> game". I mean, when something as simple-minded as Pokemon can become
> hugely popular, even in amongst all of these other graphics-rich,
> overblown, multiplayer shoot-em-ups, that says something. It ain't
> graphics that get you the business, it's originality. And AW has it in
> spades.
>
> Unfortunately, having such a unique product puts COF in the unenviable
> position of having to try and please as many people as it possibly can.=

> And when you have only 15 or so people on staff total, it's not easy.
> Let's hope the people they hire for these new positions they're posting=

> are actually willing to do their jobs properly. Personally, I think AW
> should lean more towards the "community" aspect and work on making AW a=

> place where people actually want to go to hang out with friends and
> whatnot, instead of having people logging on, building some random
> thing, and then abandoning it a week later. Give people a reason to kee=
p
> coming back!

--
http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, Th=
e Sims
Enable line/word wrap if text not wrapping. DON'T QUOTE SIG WHEN REPLYING=
!

Jun 8, 2000, 10:05pm

[View Quote]
But what's the point of turning it into a level editor if there's no
game to edit levels for? My main point was that if you were to do that,
AW would end up going up against all those other level editors you
listed and get squashed by the competition, even though it technically
wouldn't be a "game". Just cause you have a spiffy level editor doesn't
mean you'll be successful. Let's face facts, AW started out as just a
fancy chat room, and for all intents and purposes, (that *is* how it's
written, btw ;P) still is. It's just with the introduction of bots and
other SDK applications that we are starting to get into the gaming
aspect of it.


> But once DirectSound and multiple lights are added (hopefully to AW 3.1 if Roland and HamFon have anything to say about it), then AW will be on a more competitive level, technologically, with most 3D game level editors. However, AW would still need a few more enhancements before it could truly begin to compete. Some of these are on my AW improvements page (http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.html). The main thing, believe it or not, as simple as it seems, is the ability to jump. Jumping is so fundamental to computer games that for AW to not even have it (yet have avatar gravity, momentum, and now collision detection) seems odd. The other basic game feature is shooting, and although it IS immature and mindless, it would attract more attention to AW.


Totally agree. AW is seriously behind in the graphics and physics
departments, although I wouldn't be inclined to think that shooting is a
basic game feature. Technically speaking, that's already in AW anyway.
(with the ability to detect avatar clicks)


> Anyway, AW has a LOT of potential, but until Rick and JP see this potential and steer AW's development toward it, AW will continue to flounder and always be mediocre at best compared to other 3D games/environments. I SERIOUSLY hope Rick and JP give the 3D game potential a try because I'm willing to bet my citizenship that AW's popularity would skyrocket.


I suppose when you only compare it to 3D games, it does seem mediocre.
However, I still think they shouldn't limit AW to being just a "3D level
editor". Perhaps if you give users the *ability* to use 3D gaming
conventions (like jumping, item collection, etc) then let *them* decide
if they want to turn their own world into a 3D game or not. (or their
area of AW, COFmeta, or whatnot) AW has always been, and I hope will
continue to be, a virtual community. But in order for it to be a true
"community", users have to have a say in what goes on. If you were to
make it into just an editor, that would all just disappear and AW would
just get tossed in the pile with the other level editors out there.

But I do agree that AW has tons of potential just waiting for the right
people to pick up on it. (and let's pray the new batch of employees
they'll [hopefully] be getting are those people) Still, if they limit it
to just gaming, I doubt it'll be as popular as you make it out to be.
Innovation is the key to success, and level editors, in any form, have
been pretty much done to death.
--
Goober King
Thinks perhaps Eep should find someone to rewrite one of those other
level editors instead... :)
rar1 at acsu.buffalo.edu

Jun 8, 2000, 11:57pm

[View Quote] [View Quote] > AW would end up going up against all those other level editors you
> listed and get squashed by the competition, even though it technically
> wouldn't be a "game". Just cause you have a spiffy level editor doesn't=

> mean you'll be successful. Let's face facts, AW started out as just a
> fancy chat room, and for all intents and purposes, (that *is* how it's
> written, btw ;P) still is. It's just with the introduction of bots and
> other SDK applications that we are starting to get into the gaming
> aspect of it.

No, let's face facts: AW started out as a 3D environment creator. The cha=
t pane used to be a single text entry field; the 3D pane was the largest =
part of AW. Just look at early screenshots of AW at http://tnlc.com/mauz/=
awpics.html for proof. AW has ALWAYS been a 3D environment creator FIRST,=
chat program SECOND. Just ask Roland since he's been with AW since '95.

=2E1 if Roland and HamFon have anything to say about it), then AW will be=
on a more competitive level, technologically, with most 3D game level ed=
itors. However, AW would still need a few more enhancements before it cou=
ld truly begin to compete. Some of these are on my AW improvements page (=
http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.html). The main thing, believe it or not, =
as simple as it seems, is the ability to jump. Jumping is so fundamental =
to computer games that for AW to not even have it (yet have avatar gravit=
y, momentum, and now collision detection) seems odd. The other basic game=
feature is shooting, and although it IS immature and mindless, it would =
attract more attention to AW.
>
> Totally agree. AW is seriously behind in the graphics and physics
> departments, although I wouldn't be inclined to think that shooting is =
a
> basic game feature. Technically speaking, that's already in AW anyway.
> (with the ability to detect avatar clicks)

Avatar clicks hardly constitute shooting. Most games (arcade/video/comput=
er anyway) are based around shooting.

ential and steer AW's development toward it, AW will continue to flounder=
and always be mediocre at best compared to other 3D games/environments. =
I SERIOUSLY hope Rick and JP give the 3D game potential a try because I'm=
willing to bet my citizenship that AW's popularity would skyrocket.
>
> I suppose when you only compare it to 3D games, it does seem mediocre.
> However, I still think they shouldn't limit AW to being just a "3D leve=
l
> editor". Perhaps if you give users the *ability* to use 3D gaming
> conventions (like jumping, item collection, etc) then let *them* decide=

> if they want to turn their own world into a 3D game or not. (or their
> area of AW, COFmeta, or whatnot) AW has always been, and I hope will
> continue to be, a virtual community. But in order for it to be a true
> "community", users have to have a say in what goes on. If you were to
> make it into just an editor, that would all just disappear and AW would=

> just get tossed in the pile with the other level editors out there.
>
> But I do agree that AW has tons of potential just waiting for the right=

> people to pick up on it. (and let's pray the new batch of employees
> they'll [hopefully] be getting are those people) Still, if they limit i=
t
> to just gaming, I doubt it'll be as popular as you make it out to be.
> Innovation is the key to success, and level editors, in any form, have
> been pretty much done to death.

You still haven't read my AW page...I elaborate on all of your rebutts th=
ere. Please go read it already! I never said AW should ONLY be limited to=
games or JUST level editors, but that if it had the ABILITY to be more g=
amelike and a MUCH more enhanced "level editor" (world builder or environ=
ment creator) it would become much more popular. Just look at how popular=
the simple board/card games (checkers, bingo, spades, etc) have become. =
Now imagine what inventories, shooting, or even the ability to die and/or=
get injured would do to AW's marketability. Go read my AW page for more =
elaboration on these points!

But, no, Rick and JP still seem to think their over-hyped-yearly-catch-ph=
rase "e-commerce" way is best. Sorry, but compared to gaming/entertainmen=
t, more people will want to play games than spend money buying crap they =
don't want in a pseudo-store. Think about it, Rick and JP...do some more =
research on what the AW community actually wants before you go imposing y=
our views of what you THINK they SHOULD want on us, eh?

> Thinks perhaps Eep should find someone to rewrite one of those other
> level editors instead... :)

I've tried to get Core Design to release their Tomb Raider level editor (=
see http://tnlc.com/eep/tr/editor.html) but they're stubborn and greedy.

--
http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, Th=
e Sims
Enable line/word wrap if text not wrapping. DON'T QUOTE SIG WHEN REPLYING=
!

Jun 9, 2000, 2:44am

The new generation of Role Playing Games, such as *Vampire*, which came
out yesterday, & *Neverwinter Nights*, include editors that seem to be
capable of online building that is as good as or better than AW 3.0 can
do. (See the screenshots & movies at http://www.neverwinternights.com &
similar sites.) It's true that they aren't multiuser level-editors, but
they can script automated bot avatars (Non-Playing Characters), do
runtime events, handle weather, compute the shadows from torches carried
by characters, etc., in ways that are far beyond AW. The editors come
with the regular game, but can be used to create your own worlds and the
characters and legends to fill them. (In my opinion, the biggest thing
missing from AW worlds is inhabitants: even the established generation
of RPG, like Ultima Online & Everquest, have cities and wildernesses
that are full of animal and human life, only you can't really build your
own worlds for your own adventures.)

Both *Vampire* & *Neverwinter Nights* will let you create a world & its
people & quests, & run your world using their game engine on your
computer (peer-to-peer, having your friends or visitors link up to you
over the internet). You can portal to your friends' worlds & their
creatures & struggles, without going to any centralized server or paying
fees for storing your world & inhabiting your own fantasy. The user
interface is very sophisticated, & you can adjust it to fit your
preferences; on the other hand, the beautiful 3-D effects, like armor
that reflects light or swords that blur when they go fast, come at the
expense of AW's 1st-person-view & visible sky (the moonlight comes and
goes, or the sunlight changes from pink to orange, but you can't see
moon or the two suns).

I personally think the idea of a network of worlds, each created & run &
filled with creatures & events by individual owners, is so powerful & so
convincing that it will be a serious challenge to AW, unless AW quickly
finishes 3.0 & begins doing a lot of the things mentioned.

[View Quote]

Jun 9, 2000, 11:46am

Until level editors become MULTI-USER and allow real-time 3D editng, noth=
ing will be as good as AW in that aspect. Neverwinter Nights seems to be =
of the old school level editor variety which is of the design mentality: =
build first, immerse in later. <yawn> It's been done a bajillion times be=
fore. Only when level editors are REAL-TIME edit/play will they then be T=
RUE competition for AW. However, it shouldn't be long before some "genius=
" (I use the term loosely only because I just can't believe no degree-rid=
den marketing suit hasn't thought up the idea already--especially since I=
've mentioned the idea NUMEROUS times in various computer game-related Us=
enet newgroups) goes and makes a SIMPLE modification to any of the curren=
t level editors (hell, even Duke Nukem 3D's Build editor would work) and =
makes them multi-user edit/play. It's such a no-brainer to me and it's a =
shock no 3D game developer/company/publisher hasn't done it already consi=
dering how long 3D game level editors have been around. But perhaps the g=
aming industry is SLOWLY getting a clue. 10six at least is more of an AW =
competitor than Neverwinter Nights, but is primitive compared to what you=
can do with AW. http://tnlc.com/eep/compare.html (which I still have to =
update for AW3) to compare AW to a few 3D games, including 10six.

It's only a matter of time before the rug is pulled out (rather, slowly I=
might add) from under AWCI's feet and they are left with a failing "comm=
unity" and wanna-be "e-commerce" waste of code. Then AW will go the way o=
f VRML as a MUCH more versatile, customizable, TRUE community-backed (jus=
t look at the 3D game mod community) multi-user level editor/game comes o=
ut. It's only a matter of time...and I keep hoping Rick and JP get that d=
amn clue before it's too late...for them.

[View Quote] > The new generation of Role Playing Games, such as *Vampire*, which came=

> out yesterday, & *Neverwinter Nights*, include editors that seem to be
> capable of online building that is as good as or better than AW 3.0 can=

> do. (See the screenshots & movies at http://www.neverwinternights.com &=

> similar sites.) It's true that they aren't multiuser level-editors, but=

> they can script automated bot avatars (Non-Playing Characters), do
> runtime events, handle weather, compute the shadows from torches carrie=
d
> by characters, etc., in ways that are far beyond AW. The editors come
> with the regular game, but can be used to create your own worlds and th=
e
> characters and legends to fill them. (In my opinion, the biggest thing
> missing from AW worlds is inhabitants: even the established generation
> of RPG, like Ultima Online & Everquest, have cities and wildernesses
> that are full of animal and human life, only you can't really build you=
r
> own worlds for your own adventures.)
>
> Both *Vampire* & *Neverwinter Nights* will let you create a world & its=

> people & quests, & run your world using their game engine on your
> computer (peer-to-peer, having your friends or visitors link up to you
> over the internet). You can portal to your friends' worlds & their
> creatures & struggles, without going to any centralized server or payin=
g
> fees for storing your world & inhabiting your own fantasy. The user
> interface is very sophisticated, & you can adjust it to fit your
> preferences; on the other hand, the beautiful 3-D effects, like armor
> that reflects light or swords that blur when they go fast, come at the
> expense of AW's 1st-person-view & visible sky (the moonlight comes and
> goes, or the sunlight changes from pink to orange, but you can't see
> moon or the two suns).
>
> I personally think the idea of a network of worlds, each created & run =
&
> filled with creatures & events by individual owners, is so powerful & s=
o
> convincing that it will be a serious challenge to AW, unless AW quickly=

> finishes 3.0 & begins doing a lot of the things mentioned.
>
[View Quote] ng
W
a
eep

--
http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, Th=
e Sims
Enable line/word wrap if text not wrapping. DON'T QUOTE SIG WHEN REPLYING=
!

Jun 9, 2000, 8:18pm

Just my .02 for what it's not worth ;)

This "network of worlds" is what I have always hoped would come from people
being able to have their own world servers. I always kind of envisioned
that people would work to weave their worlds together thematically, and
would take advantage of the SDK to create bots (NPCs) to add ambience and
intrigue to the virtual content. Virtual Reality is the ideal resource for
storytelling online, and our community is chocked full of creative and
imaginative people - I would hope that at some point some of the minds would
get together and build an RPG or adventurous worlds......

Lucrezia

[View Quote] <snip>
>
> I personally think the idea of a network of worlds, each created & run &
> filled with creatures & events by individual owners, is so powerful & so
> convincing that it will be a serious challenge to AW, unless AW quickly
> finishes 3.0 & begins doing a lot of the things mentioned.

Jun 9, 2000, 10:49pm

*gasp* COF sighting! COF sighting! First Young Shamus, now Lu... Just
coming outta the woodwork, ain't they? :)

There is hope, ladies and gentlemen!
--
Goober King
Marks this day on his calendar...
http://lavender.fortunecity.com/heat/318/index.html

Jun 10, 2000, 8:03pm

Hope? With as much good as it may bring, along with it comes the bad

--I broke my signature :(

[View Quote] > *gasp* COF sighting! COF sighting! First Young Shamus, now Lu... Just
> coming outta the woodwork, ain't they? :)
>
> There is hope, ladies and gentlemen!
> --
> Goober King
> Marks this day on his calendar...
> http://lavender.fortunecity.com/heat/318/index.html

Jun 12, 2000, 4:34am

Alright. I suggest we compromise on this subject. Draw up a compromise plan
and we can submit it to AWCOM if we agree, and let them think about it, then
if it agreed to it, then done. *snaps finger* *beautiful women coming over
to Eep and Goober King and massages them* So, what do you say? I am offering
you a offer you can't refuse. *"Godfather" theme music* Take it or leave it.

[View Quote] [View Quote] No, let's face facts: AW started out as a 3D environment creator. The chat
pane used to be a single text entry field; the 3D pane was the largest part
of AW. Just look at early screenshots of AW at
http://tnlc.com/mauz/awpics.html for proof. AW has ALWAYS been a 3D
environment creator FIRST, chat program SECOND. Just ask Roland since he's
been with AW since '95.

if Roland and HamFon have anything to say about it), then AW will be on a
more competitive level, technologically, with most 3D game level editors.
However, AW would still need a few more enhancements before it could truly
begin to compete. Some of these are on my AW improvements page
(http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.html). The main thing, believe it or not, as
simple as it seems, is the ability to jump. Jumping is so fundamental to
computer games that for AW to not even have it (yet have avatar gravity,
momentum, and now collision detection) seems odd. The other basic game
feature is shooting, and although it IS immature and mindless, it would
attract more attention to AW.
>
> Totally agree. AW is seriously behind in the graphics and physics
> departments, although I wouldn't be inclined to think that shooting is a
> basic game feature. Technically speaking, that's already in AW anyway.
> (with the ability to detect avatar clicks)

Avatar clicks hardly constitute shooting. Most games (arcade/video/computer
anyway) are based around shooting.

potential and steer AW's development toward it, AW will continue to flounder
and always be mediocre at best compared to other 3D games/environments. I
SERIOUSLY hope Rick and JP give the 3D game potential a try because I'm
willing to bet my citizenship that AW's popularity would skyrocket.
>
> I suppose when you only compare it to 3D games, it does seem mediocre.
> However, I still think they shouldn't limit AW to being just a "3D level
> editor". Perhaps if you give users the *ability* to use 3D gaming
> conventions (like jumping, item collection, etc) then let *them* decide
> if they want to turn their own world into a 3D game or not. (or their
> area of AW, COFmeta, or whatnot) AW has always been, and I hope will
> continue to be, a virtual community. But in order for it to be a true
> "community", users have to have a say in what goes on. If you were to
> make it into just an editor, that would all just disappear and AW would
> just get tossed in the pile with the other level editors out there.
>
> But I do agree that AW has tons of potential just waiting for the right
> people to pick up on it. (and let's pray the new batch of employees
> they'll [hopefully] be getting are those people) Still, if they limit it
> to just gaming, I doubt it'll be as popular as you make it out to be.
> Innovation is the key to success, and level editors, in any form, have
> been pretty much done to death.

You still haven't read my AW page...I elaborate on all of your rebutts
there. Please go read it already! I never said AW should ONLY be limited to
games or JUST level editors, but that if it had the ABILITY to be more
gamelike and a MUCH more enhanced "level editor" (world builder or
environment creator) it would become much more popular. Just look at how
popular the simple board/card games (checkers, bingo, spades, etc) have
become. Now imagine what inventories, shooting, or even the ability to die
and/or get injured would do to AW's marketability. Go read my AW page for
more elaboration on these points!

But, no, Rick and JP still seem to think their
over-hyped-yearly-catch-phrase "e-commerce" way is best. Sorry, but compared
to gaming/entertainment, more people will want to play games than spend
money buying crap they don't want in a pseudo-store. Think about it, Rick
and JP...do some more research on what the AW community actually wants
before you go imposing your views of what you THINK they SHOULD want on us,
eh?

> Thinks perhaps Eep should find someone to rewrite one of those other
> level editors instead... :)

I've tried to get Core Design to release their Tomb Raider level editor (see
http://tnlc.com/eep/tr/editor.html) but they're stubborn and greedy.

--
http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, The
Sims
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Jun 12, 2000, 11:28am

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I've had a plan for a couple years now: http://tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.html

[View Quote] > Alright. I suggest we compromise on this subject. Draw up a compromise plan
> and we can submit it to AWCOM if we agree, and let them think about it, then
> if it agreed to it, then done. *snaps finger* *beautiful women coming over
> to Eep and Goober King and massages them* So, what do you say? I am offering
> you a offer you can't refuse. *"Godfather" theme music* Take it or leave it.

--

http://tnlc.com/eep/ - Active Worlds, Tomb Raider, 3D game comparison, The Sims
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Jun 12, 2000, 11:28am

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Let me guess... you're studying organized crime in school this week.
(either that or your parents rented The Godfather) Let me know when you
come back to reality, chief, then maybe we can talk. (Heck, even coming
back to virtual reality will do)

[View Quote] --
Goober King
Thinks that "Legion" is a rather apt name...
rar1 at acsu.buffalo.edu

Jun 12, 2000, 6:40pm

AW allows runtime building (people can watch each other build); these
RPG allow designtime building (you build in private). AW does not have a
separate class of objects that anyone can pick up & move; many games
have "items" that are built at designtime for anybody to find & "use" at
runtime.

We have lots of beermugs in AW, but visitors can't carry them
from the counter to their tables. Sure, we can fake this with expensive
bump-sequences (lots of invisible objects, beware the BI), but even
then, *only you* see the beermug seem to move--everybody else on the
site sees the beermug still sitting on the counter. In these games, as
Eep's chart shows, runtime building of items is possible--& everybody on
the site sees you carrying a beermug to your table.

I've posted a ShowBot that can fake this--& everybody would see the
beermug being moved--but it has to be done by the beermug-owner's bot,
on the beermug-owner's property. Plus we are only allowed 3 bots per
citizen, so it's a sacrifice of 1 bot just to assist casual visitors to
your bar. These games have a special subclass of owned objects that can
be designated for nonowners to move (build) at runtime. AW badly needs
such a class to stay competitive.

It's not hard to script an AW PatrolBot, one that wanders around your
site following a set of safe (no-collision) paths, giving the impression
that this is a place with busy inhabitants, as well as visitors. But
again, we are only allowed 3 bots per citizen, & it requires stationing
1 bot per site just to detect visitors. In the new generation of RPG's,
the server automatically detects visitors to a site, triggering NPC's
(bots) that patrol, or work, or attack, or whatever, & each site can
have 100 or more (bot) inhabitants, not 3 altogether, as in AW.


[View Quote]

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