On Tue, Apr 8, 2008 at 8:04 AM, Niclas Fredriksson <niclas at acc.umu.se> wrote: > > Similarities, sure, but none of them "utilize communication in EXACTLY the > same way as netrek". In fact, no game does. You're splitting hairs, sir. > Netrek built-in communication is the best and most efficient in-game > communication ever made. There is no substitute for the extremely fast, > efficient and reciever configurable communication that exists in netrek. The > reason we can have such fast and effective communication in netrek is that > the things that need to be communicated are few since the playing field > always looks the same and people do pretty much the same few number of > things things. You keep somehow trying to make the point that text communication is somehow "faster" and more "efficient" than verbal, despite the fact that this not only flies in the face of common sense but also seems in opposition to numerous studies that show that people comprehend verbal communication better. I've provided several good examples and I've offered my extensive experience, yet your defense is simply that Netrek is "different" and that its text communication is "the best and most efficient". I'm sorry sir, but I do not believe your opinions are objective. I encourage you to be more open to new technology (well, one can argue that voice communication is "old" technology, but I digress). > Wherever a netrek player is in the "playing field" he can easily > communicate his position ("@ ORG") and everyone will instantly know exactly > where that is, +/- 1-2 second travel time. If a WoW player who's out running > in some forest wants to communicate his position ("Green forest near big > lake") there may only be a few players that know where that is and even if > they know it, the indicated area may be very big. You sir, by these statements, demonstrate your total ignorance of what you speak. WoW Arenas, Battlegrounds, and Raids all take place on consistent terrain, and it is all named, much like Netrek. For example, on the "Alterac Valley" Battleground map there are numerous named landmarks, choke points, towers, and graveyards: Stormpike (AKA SP) Aid Station Stonehearth (AKA SH) Stonehearth Bunker Balinda Iceblood Iceblood Tower etc. I appreciate that you feel that Netrek's system is superior. However, the times have changed and you ought to recognize that or risk becoming obsolete. > This is what I feel that you are not getting. Netrek is a small game with > few things to do and few places to be. As such, the built-in communication > system for the game is perfect and will always be much quicker and more > accurate than voice communication. I will elaborate on this more in my next > mail to Mielke since he too does not seem to get this. What you do not get, sir, is that Netrek was novel and new almost TWENTY years ago. There has been a lot of change since then in gaming, most of it positive. Modern gaming learned a lot from Netrek and its predecessors, and now it's time for Netrek to learn from others. Netrek certainly doesn't "need" to change, but why do you oppose even considering it? It's clear from your responses that you do not have any real objective experience in this matter and I suggest that you go out and educate yourself before putting down an idea. I am certainly not a "clue" Netrek player (at least compared to the others on this list), but I'm certainly "clue" when it comes to team games and online gaming. I find your arguments that my ideas are quaint and ill-informed to be arrogant and condescending. Jeffrey. -- "He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." -- Thomas Paine