nu.kanga.list.mud-dev

14543: Re: [MUD-Dev] Introduction System

J C Lawrence wrote:
> On Fri, 14 Jul 2000 01:32:54 -0500
> Eli Stevens <wickedgrey@wickedgrey.com> wrote:
> 
> > I must respectfully differ.  While there I do not see any danger
> > in a single player having another players "true name" (be it an
> > account/character pair, an ID number, whatever it is that uniquely
> > identifies that player), storing the data on the client side would
> > allow two players to compare notes.
> 
> Aye, I definitely wrote without considering the implications there,
> and this is another exposure with putting the namespace locally.  If
> you are masking identity, its not wise to put identity in the
> client's hands.

If the player does something to change their identity, why would the
objref necessarily remain the same?  I'd been considered the concept
"real userid" with "effective userid" as well tied in.  If you don a
disguise, why should anything within the game (AI, etc) have any
advantage over recognizing you that a player doesn't get? (More so if
you make it so that AI is just Yet Another Client.)

I've seen situations involving a justice system where something like
this is a problem and players wearing disguises are still recognized by
the system and prosecuted for their heinous deeds.

There's likely problems with this type of arrangement, but it is a
possible approach. (Like address space utilization if you are limited to
a 32 bit userid?)

I think that if the idea of user-customizable client-local data is taken
further than just providing a namespace for renaming users, it could do
interesting things.  I haven't seen yet how they add to game play, but
who knows.

 - Bruce



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