Re: PBM report

From: tim@leaphome.pelican.org (Tim Franklin)

Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Paul Walker <arafel@spamcop.net> wrote:
>
>>with our internet systems to allow players access to their information
>>online even if they want to play offline. Toss in a more powerful database
>>backend and the exact same game world and that's what we're putting together
>
>Hmm ... now that's hit an idea button. :-) A game client that'll work almost
>equally well offline as well as online, up to a point. Wonder which way
>would be best for doing that.

Connect, slurp all the info in the player's vicinity, disconnect.  You need to
be *very* careful about showing the player things he has no right to know, and
about what information comes back from the client, but it can be done.

Basically, assume that the off-line client has been hacked by people far more
clever and malicious than yourself, and treat the data accordingly.  That's
where the cheat-fest on-line games (such as Diablo) went wrong :(

I don't know how much this offers you over receiving an information 'packet'
for the client by email (a la VGAPlanets, Stars! et al) - I guess if you can
dynamically set the scope of what's 'interesting' to your position, request
additional information (extracts from the data banks / auguries from the gods)
you could do something interesting with it.

I've not thought about it too hard, as I've always been biased towards an
'information packet' design - mainly due to the cost / hassle in staying on-
line for long periods in the UK.  SurfTime and ADSL may well change that
anyway.  Some kind of online / offline bursting client could well fill a gap
and allow players to play it whichever way suits them (and their phone bill).

Regards,
Tim.

References

Re: PBM report
MindShift Design LLC <mindshift@my-deja.com>
Thu, 12 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBM report
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Fri, 13 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBM report
"MindShift Design LLC" <admin@mindshiftdesign.com>
Fri, 13 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: PBM report
MindShift Design LLC <mindshift@my-deja.com>
Thu, 12 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBM report
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Fri, 13 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000
Re: PBM report
"MindShift Design LLC" <admin@mindshiftdesign.com>
Fri, 13 Oct 2000 00:00:00 +0000