Date:	1994-10-28
		From:	Paul
		Subject:	Re: Midway

Whenever we click and drag a piece, the game could automatically generate and store away a text "radio" message equivalent.

I like this, not the least because it is "object oriented" ;-)

These messages would be produced transparently and invisibly in the background and would serve two functions...

I propose broadening the scope significantly; these messages should become a fundamental part of the architecture. We'll develop an object hierarchy (is this a new idea? I think so). What's an Alexander object? Each piece is an object; each city is an object; maybe each continent is an object; maybe each player is an object. And there may be others...

So how would this be applied? Here's a rough example. Let's say a city is building armies. When created, the city sends a message to the new army: "Go to coordinates thus-and-so, and guard the coast." When the army arrives, it might send a message back to the city: "I'm in position." Or maybe it would just report interesting activity: "I'm being attacked by armies on a transport!" Maybe it could be sneak-attacked and killed under certain circumstances, without getting a warning out. Maybe every message sent by a piece would increase its probability of detection... (This last idea is very similar to one proposed by you.)

This idea, extended, could significantly alter many aspects of the game, including detection: Maybe detection would become a probability rather than a certainty - the more messages, the more likely that a nearby piece would be detected. Hmm... interesting, if nothing else.

The really exciting thing about ... great battles ...is the interactions that arise ... between players on the same team

I'm willing to hear more on this subject.

Having apparently achieved my limited Archipelago objective, I'm planning to crank out a few voice cards this weekend and ship Sunday. OK?

Wounded Duk

P.S. Lots of new medical information - call for details.