RE: Character zen

From: Bullard, Claude L (Len) (clbullar_at_ingr.com)
Date: 10 July 1998


Very nice write up, Michael. Thank you!

  1. We should work out at least a pseudo-code definition of objects for character attributes that includes the non-VRMLable properties. Actually, doing it in real code would be more productive. It is possible to create a protocol and library for vrml-lit. A major issue here is needing a database for persistence. I think we could build this over Daniel Lipkin's work at Oracle, so I encourage Jed to invite Daniel to this list if he is so inclined.
  2. Work out the environment objects and the messages that can set states of characters based on environment, and to a more limited extent, how characters can influence environment.
  3. Since most of this kind of processing might be done externally, what proto interfaces are needed.
  4. Work out a means of expressing session variables that maintain states between world loads so we can pass conditions between world loads.

Given the ability to dynamically set these conditions, plot is a looser concept or can be. Dennis and I have been noodling on this. Given some time this weekend, (it's a two-fer weekend: two gigs in two different locations) I may load a story to the list. Dennis thinks the list could help with concepts on how we might take a linear story and express it in a non-linear way (we need a better term and interactive isn't quite expessive enough but it will do and we won't waste time on that).

As to current events in VRML, I've seen too many languages, companies and systems come and go. I do feel terrible for the our friends at Cosmo. However, we have learned a lot from VRML and I don't think it will go away or die. Also, as I sit here doing ASP/ADO work in JavaScript and VBScript, I am struck dumb by how much this works EXACTLY like the Mentor Context system worked in the eighties. That is, what we have learned will remain viable given system changes etcetera. So, I have no fear of pressing ahead into more advanced applications of that knowledge. We are contentHeads and we know what we have to do.

Len

Ekam sat.h, Vipraah bahudhaa vadanti.
Daamyata. Datta. Dayadhvam.h

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael St. Hippolyte [SMTP:mash_at_trapezium.com]
> Sent: Friday, July 10, 1998 8:00 AM
> To: vrml-lit-list_at_kith.org
> Subject: Character zen
>
> I'd like to address Len's not-so-recent question concerning the properties
> of characters.

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