Mob Prog Survey (Was: Re[2]: {dmitri's stupid response})

From: Gary Barnett (gbarnett@POLARNET.COM)
Date: 12/30/97


On Tue, 30 Dec 1997 13:43:13 -0600
"Drago's" <creed@I-55.COM> wrote:

> >>> ATTENTION PEOPLE OF THE CIRCLEMUD MAILING LIST (AKA POTENTIAL FLAMERS). I
> >>> DID NOT SEE THE SMILY FACE... although im not really sorry i  might as
> well
> >>> pretend i am..... SORRY! 8)
>
> >>motion: boot this idiot.
> >>all in favor?
> >I say aye. --Acme
>
> I think we have a second to that motion, urm, anyhow :)
>
> ObCircle:
> I'm just wondering how many of you use the mobprogs provided on the circle
> site.  I've been using them on my building site for about a month, and they
> have caused a good deal of misery.  Half of them just don't want to work,
> and one mob prog was trashing players descriptors when they came in contact
> with it (hey, don't ask me man).  Just wondering what the general concensus
> of this was.
I will relate my experience with mobprogs:

1) Newbie mud admin downloads circle code.
2) Newbie mud admin says, "Cool! I like! Now how do I go about making
my mobs do more than stand there and absorb damage?"
3) Newbie mud admin wanders around the internet. Finds mobprogs.
4) Newbie mud admin downloads and patches in the Wrong Version!!!
5) Newbie mud admin restores from his backup (he's not _that_ new)
6 Newbie mud admin installs mobprogs. Studies docs. Tests implementation
7) Newbie mud admin repeats step 6 until he's out of patience, has the
wife staring daggers at him for staying up till 4 am 3 nights in a row,
and wants to kick the dog just because it'd make him feel better..
8) Newbie mud admin gets a flash of inspiration; "Mobprogs Suck!"
9) Newbie mud admin goes on a six month journey to create his own
scripting language that 'Doesn't Suck'.
10) After creating said language he looks back and goes, "Hmm. That's why
they sucked. They are a real PITA to get even close to right and a
continuing job that lasts as long as the mud lasts putting in the next
Gee Whiz feature Mr. Builder just _has_ to have to finish his area (yeah
right)".
11) Not-So-New mud admin ponders his creation and can take comfort in
one thing. Any crash bugs are of his own making and he'll have half a
snowball's chance in a very hot place to fix it w/o having to pore
through code that makes no sense, as it was written for speed and
not readibility by someone(s) who assumed any future users of their
code will have a crystal ball or a ph.d in C to figure out what they
wrote and why..

This is not a flame at the creators/users of mobprogs. After all, we all
would still be using horses if the model T hadn't come along. But who
today would drive to work in a model T? (The freeway drivers would
eat you alive.)

--Mallory


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