[Home] [Groups] - Message: [Prev in Group] [Next in Group]
21882: Re: [MUD-Dev] Continuous versus Discrete Functions
[Full Header] [Plain Text]
From: "Dave Rickey" <daver@mythicentertainment.com>
Newsgroups: nu.kanga.list.mud-dev
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 12:40:20 -0500
Organization: Kanga.Nu
-----Original Message-----
From: John Buehler <johnbue@msn.com>
> This pattern is fairly common and I'm stumped as to why the
> discrete function (apparently implemented as tables or cascading
> conditionals) is the function of choice for system designers. My
> time on flight simulators showed me the power of continuous
> functions - especially when multiple continuous functions are
> contributing to the outcome of any activity.
Two reasons:
1) Players seem to hate discontinuous feedback from the system.
To them, something either works, or it does not. This tends to
reflect itself as extreme criticism of any portion of the game
system that provides a spectrum of outputs.
2) Linear functions require less CPU. A discrete function can use
boolean or integer math, a coninuous function almost demands the
use of floating point math. When handling hundreds of players and
thousands of NPC's on a single box, fast is good.
--Dave
_______________________________________________
MUD-Dev mailing list
MUD-Dev@kanga.nu
https://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev