Habitat Emails

These are logs/diary entries which were taken from Chip Morningstars Habitat Archives.

May 1986

May 14th

From aric Wed May 14 10:03:13 1986
Subject: CES presentation
	Randy and I talked yesterday about ideas for the CES presentation.
Following are some of the ideas that came out of that discussion...

Purpose of demonstration:

	Show off avatars (variety, capabilities)
	Show off objects (variety, portability, containership...)
	Show off Regions (variety)
	Show off Telecommunications (multiple players, shared host)
	Show off potential for game play

Possible demonstration:

	Begin with avatar at home...

Scene:	Inside of avatar home. Surroundings include; fishtank,
	answering machine, avatar, chair, window.  Answering machine
	is blinking indicating that it has a message.

Action:	Avatar can move things around the house and then later moves to
	answering machine and gets message that FRIENDX is coming over.
	Moments later, doorbell rings and FRIENDX arrives.
	Conversation follows regarding visit to...fountain, park, atm, arcade.
	Avatars decide to travel to arcade.
	Avatars leave house via front door.

Scene:	Front of house.  Surroundings include home, Sun, trees, mailbox.  Flag
	is up on mailbox.

Action:	Avatar opens mailbox and retrieves letter.  Avatar can read contents
	if desired.  Flag lowers on mailbox.
	Avatar realizes that he has no cash, and requests that they stop at
	atm on the way to the arcade.

Scene:	Next region over.  Contains convenient teleport booth, fire hydrant,
	trees.

Action:	Avatars walk to teleport booth and ZAP tm. to side of bank. (we could
	set destination choice with function keys to get us to any region
	desired!)

Scene:	Outside of Bank.  Brick wall in back and ATM attached to wall.

Action	Avatar performs correct mumbo jumbo and Tokens arrive.  Avatars are
	now ready to go to the arcade.

Scene:	Park.  Lots of trees and bushes

Action:	Walk through

Scene:	Arcade.	Contains targets and guns

Action:	Shoot targets together, for points, sound effects.

Scene:	Outside of Cave.  Dark entrance with stonework around edge.

Action:	Decision as to whether to travel inside.

Scene:	Inside of Cave.  Dark background with Rocks on floor and stalagtites
	hanging from roof.  A locked treasure chest lies on the floor here.

Action:	Use target gun to shoot Rocks, Stalagtite, Treasure chest.  When
	the chest is opened (there should also be a key around somewhere)
	a gem will be found inside.  Avatars should decide who gets the gem.

	This is a preliminary layout for a possible demonstration, but many
new objects need to be added in order to give us a larger range of possible
actions.  I think that using a scripting system in important in order to
view all of the possible variations that we can present.

		--aric

November 1986

November 11th

Taken from janetEst.

From quantum Tue Nov 11 09:16:37 1986
Received: from shem by moth; 11 NOV 86 09:16:37 PST
From: quantum (Janet Hunter, Quantum Computer Services)
To: chip
Received: by shem; 11 NOV 86 09:16:36 PST
Subject: Time estimates
Status: RO

Chip, 
   Here are my time estimates for the
Beta Test Prequisite Tasks:

  6 Capacity Monitor - 2 days
                       target 11/14
  7 Rebuild Regionproc - done 11/11
 15 Oracle response - 1 day
                      target 11/17
 16 Bank acct utility - 1 day
                        target 11/16
 18 Text input utility - 1 day
                         target 11/19
 67 Avatar to ghost - done
 68 Online-only ghosts - done
 69 Exclude non-beta testers - done
 40 Msg of the day - 1 day
                     target 11/20 (?)
 72 create avatar w/ token - .5 day
                          target 11/14

 OOPS: Target date for #16 should be
       11/18, not 11/16.

 Note: Question mark on target date for
       #40 is because it is assigned to
       both you and me.

April 1987

April 19th

Taken from newprocedure.t.

From nancy Sun Apr 19 19:02:01 1987
Subject: Friday meeting outcome
file notes
4/17/87 Habitat team meeting w/sda

In order to achieve release into beta test and to revise project completion
plan with better time estimates--

1. confirmed commitment to daily playtesting w/QL at 5:30 (our time)--Aric,
Chip & Randy will let me know of any conflict not allowing them to be on.

2. revised playtest debriefing procedure:  a hard copy bug reporting form
will be created by Chip for distribution to all playtesters.  completed
forms will be turned in to Randy asap (next morning fax from Janet) for him
to maintain tracking system; Chip will review with him Randy's assignment of
disposition daily.  so, rather than the on-line PC debriefings immediately
following a playtest & conference calls after receipt of the tapes to review
the list, Randy will maintain a bug tracking system to, 1) improve efficient
use of everyone's time, 2) improve response to reported bugs, and 3) improve
communication & confidence between us & QL.  I'll discuss this procedure
revision w/Janet & Rob during the scheduled 10:00 conference call Monday
morning.  Assuming their agreement, Cathy & I will review the bug tracking
reports via near-daily conference calls & flag ones needing discussion among
the team.

3. established daily status reports:  Aric & Randy will mail to Chip
(copying each other & sda & me) at the end of each day a brief list of their
accomplishments for the day, notes explaining significant delays in any
tasks, and a list of tasks expected to be undertaken the next day, including
time estimated to complete.  Chip, including his own tasks, will issue a
Habitat daily status summary of accomplishments relative to start of alpha,
start of beta, & estimated time to release.

4. reduced frequency of entire team QL conference calls:  to be scheduled by
Cathy & me as needed, usually at 1:00 our time.  We'll discuss this process
with her on Thursday when she's here.

5. established weekly Habitat team meetings on Friday afternoons, to review
accomplishments of the week & goals for the next.