[Divunal-author]author efficiency

[Michael Dartt]

(This is long; please bear with me.)

Glyph--

	While the slowdown is certainly a result of scheduling and other
issues on my part, I think there are several things about Divunal and the
way it's managed that need to be improved.  I'll discuss my problems and
then suggest solutions, so bear with me.  The changes I see being needed
fall into two basic categories: project organization/management and game
design.

	We need to be more independent of you and Dave (Y&D).  At this
point, that's really tough to do, mainly because there isn't much in the
way of documentation about the world, features available, or how to get at
those nifty features.  It's really not feasable to do much creation or
coding without having an AIM or IRC session open to Y&D because of this,
and that's not the best use of anyone's time.  Also, there's evidently a
bunch of stuff that's been decided/developed that no one outside of Y&D
know about, e.g. the magic system.  I've had many a discussion with you
where I've been told that something--history, area, feature, etc.--has
already been dealt with; none of us outside of DCIT knew about it, though.
(Or I wouldn't have asked.)  At the risk of sounding caustic (which I
don't mean to be), it often seems that Ridgefield is like a secret lab or
monestary, which occassionally feeds those of us outside the fold a little
morsel of knowledge to keep us feeling like we're involved.
	In your email, you ask us to let you know if we're not interested
in doing stuff.  My question is: what stuff needs to be done?  There's no
list anywhere, and I know that I've come up with ideas for things only to
have them rebuffed as unecessary, not crucial, or already done.  Again, we
shouldn't have go to Y&D for this: there should be a list of things to do
posted on the web site, covering at least programming, web stuff, docs,
and writing/design.  I want to make a note about the last of these.  I've
been explicitly told that we really don't need people who can't code.  I
think that's wrong--I'd rather have one good writer than two great
programmers: we have (most of) the tech we need; now we need puzzles, a
world, and a plot.

	This brings me to what's become my biggest concern: what is this
game about?  We still haven't answered this question.  Yes, we've got "an
immersive, text-based environment", but that doesn't say much about the
game itself.  It's like only telling someone that Baldur's Gate is a CRPG,
or that Zork is a puzzle-solving game.  We've talked about it being
puzzle-centric, but we haven't any real reason for people to solve
puzzles, and without one, we're fundamentally the same as a MUD.  There,
people kill stuff for the sake of killing stuff; in Divunal, they solve
puzzles for the sake of solving puzzles.  
	The amnesia thing is an interesting idea, but it's still
insufficient, at least in the long term.  Why should I want to find out
about my past?  Why is it important to me?  If there's no effect on myself
or the world once I figure out who I was (or while I'm figuring it out),
then there's little motivation to do it, and it becomes little more than a
gimmick.
	Figuring out the plot--the central idea of the game--is *hard*,
but it's at the heart of any RPG.  Our job is especially difficult b/c of
the multiplayer element.  Still, we need to give the players distinct
goals to pursue, and reasons to pursue them, or we're going to end up with
a bunch of puzzle-solving machines and waste the richness of the world.  I
should note that a lack of long-term, complex goals is exactly what kills
the role-playing in MUDs, and it'll do the same to us if we're not
careful.  On the flip side, if we can come up with something good, we will
*rock*.
	What I said above applies to this, too.  While plot, world, etc.
elements can be developed in an ivory tower, everyone else should know
about them ASAP.  In fact, the initial development is probably better done
by a small group: devising ideas in a committee is basically impossible.
Still, when something's developed, it should be posted quickly so people
can use and/or critique it.

	Finally, you need to trust us.  I've also had several
conversations where we've talked about things, esp. stuff outside the
library, and I've basically been told, "Dave and I are doing everything
outside of the library.  The rest of you can stay in your sandbox and play
where you won't hurt anyone."  I understand that there's a certain amount
of learning that needs to happen, but comments like that, the fact that
there's almost no documentation (making it hard to learn), and us having
to filter all of our web site stuff through you (stuff which doesn't
always get looked at),  make me feel like you want to keep a very tight
rein on us, that you have to be in control of every little detail.  Think
of it like being a parent: how will you ever trust us unless you give us a
chance to prove ourselves?  (Esp. when we haven't done anything to make
you think otherwise, AFAIK.  Is this residue from previous projects?)

	Those are my biggest problems; perhaps I should have mentioned
them sooner, but I have to admit that I was worried they wouldn't be
considered b/c I haven't done a huge amount of work on the game yet.  In
any event, I'm certainly not one to gripe about something without trying
to devise some solutions, so here are some "action items" that Y&D and the
rest of us can do:

	- *This is the most important* Y&D, as the guys in the know,
should shift your focus away from adding new things and put your energy
into documenting what already exists.  This will allow the rest of us to
work independently and faster in a shorter amount of time.  The
documentation should include at least: what the design parameters are
(i.e. what guidelines exist for creating new areas and adding to existing
ones, e.g. what do I have to keep in mind if I want to add to the
underground city?), what features we have available and how they work
(e.g. extending, those popup windows), and the history, society, etc. of
Divunal.
	- Everyone: when you learn something, either through talking to
G&D or by figuring it out on your own, document it, even if it's small.
Less work for everyone that way.
	- Figure out a plot--what the characters should be trying to
achieve
	- Post a wish list
	- Update the documentation and post to the list as soon as
something new is decided on or developed

	Basically, I don't think we're *ready* to be working hardcore on
Divunal.  There's a lot of foundational work that needs to be done before
we're going to be in a position to make a good story and a good game.


--Mike