Observing games

[Don Hopkins]

I want the multi player version of Micropolis (SimCity) [the new one 
based on Python that we're developing, not the old X11/TCL/Tk multi 
player version] to support different roles, including observing and 
chatting.
Some roles (like observing and commenting, or wrecking destruction by 
playing the monster or tornado) would be simpler and easy for young kids 
to play, and others would be more advanced and require more skill and 
trust and communication with other players.
Each player who joins the activity could be shown on the map as an 
animated sprite (color coded of their XO user colors) which depicts 
their role, that they can move around on the map.
For example, to just observe and comment on a game, you could fly the 
helicopter around, and speak to other nearby players through the "PA 
system", but not edit the map or change the tax rate.
Different roles come with their own abilities and simple focused user 
interfaces (playable with the game controller buttons), like editing the 
map with various tools.
Roles could be dealt out to different players like pokemon or magic the 
gathering cards, and players could switch between the roles they've been 
dealt, instead of everyone playing in "god mode" with all actions 
available at all time.
Players, possibly including observers, could vote on various issues, 
like building zones, changing the tax rate, electing other players into 
offices or jobs, like treasurer in charge of finance, demolition 
bulldozing, building roads, zoning land, etc.
Players should be able to publish remarks (time stamped and geocoded) 
and articles with screen snapshots (and graphs and charts and map 
overlays) in the city newspaper, a blog-like journal that's saved with 
the game.
You should be able to view all geocoded articles as icons on the map 
like "point of interest" markers, and also on a timeline with a calendar 
like a blog.
The Micropolis journal would be something like the stories in The Sims 
"Family Albums" that you can upload to The Sims Exchange along with the 
game save file, to share with other players.
But it would be more geographically oriented, and more like a regional 
newspaper than a family album.

    -Don


Edward Cherlin wrote:
> While talking with Josh Waitzkin about the chess software he would
> like to donate, I realized that it would be very helpful if there were
> a way to share games on XOs not just with players, but with observers,
> including kibitzers who want to comment on a game in progress, or have
> a discussion with the other observers. This function is provided on
> most game servers, with the players unable to tap into the discussion
> channel. Chess TV in Russia especially, and weiqi/go/baduk TV and
> xiangqi/janggi/shogi TV in China/Korea/Japan also have expert
> commentators discussing games in progress, and there is a market in
> DVDs of commented games.
>
> What would we have to do to the XO collaboration model to make that happen?
>
> If we can do that, what would it take to extend it to games with
> multiple players or even teams online? Chaturanga, the earliest form
> of chess, was a four-way battle. Many combat card games permit fairly
> large matches, although I haven't seen any larger than eight players.
> World of Warcraft has team voice communications that the other team
> doesn't get to hear.
>
>
>
>