USING THE BC-MOO
I. Introduction
A MOO is essentially a virtual environment accessed via a computer. The word "MOO" comes from a combination of the initials of MUD (the acronym for Multi-User Domain) and Object-Oriented (describing the type of programming language used and not the "feel" of the program as it is used). MOO's can be used at two levels: as a site at which a number of users can gather to hold simultaneous conversations via the Internet and as a virtual location at which participants can construct their own virtual settings.
The new generations of MOO's (such as the latest incarnation of the BC-MOO) are web-based and can use pictures, hyper-links and even sounds. Historically, the environments created within a MOO were generated by text and simple ASCII character graphics. The web-based MOO's construct an environment that has the feel, flexibility, and ease of creation of other web-based products and which can access all of the broad-range of resources available through the Internet.
II. Special Notes
A. System Requirements
Make note of the system requirements directly below the log-in button on the first page of the BC-MOO web site. An Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later browser or Netscape 4.08 or later browser is a must. Make certain that cookies are allowed by your configuration of the browser and that Java and JavaScript are both enabled. On the Bridgewater campus, these are set as defaults.
B. Browser Window Size
DO NOT resize the main browser window while studying in the BC-MOO. This window is the first one to show after a user has logged into the BC-MOO. Resizing makes the window function incorrectly. ALL OTHER windows in the MOO may be resized to make them fit the user's screen as necessary.
C. Only One Browser At A Time
For security reasons, the web-engine working behind the scenes, called the enCore Xpress, is very sensitive to having more than one browser connected at a time to the MOO. So if the connection fails for any reason, close all browser windows and start all over. Or if an error message shows up during log in, and you are not allowed to log on, then close all browser windows and start again from scratch.
III. Enrolling A Class
Bridgewater professors may have all of their students in a given class added as users to the BC-MOO. Contact Richard Bowman ( rbowman@bridgewater.edu ) stating which class you wish to enroll in the BC-MOO. All necessary student names and email addresses will be culled from the BC Online Information System, thus if any additional students need to be added, send their names and email addresses separately.
IV. Logging Into The BC-MOO
Accessing BC-MOO is as simple as going to any Internet address. If this document is on the web, simply select ( http://www.bridgewater.edu:7000/ ) and login. Or copy this URL into the address field on your browser and press <enter>. After arriving at the log-in webpage, add its address to your list of Favorites, that is, bookmark it.
(Note: The screenshots shown in this tutorial are from enCore Xpress version 3.0.1 as implemented in the BC-MOO with refinements made during the summer of 2001.)
If you have already received an account including a password, use these to log into the BC-MOO. If you simply want to peruse the MOO as a guest, then leave "Guest" as the "User ID" and press the "Log in" button without entering a password. Up to 11 persons may be logged in as guests at any one time.
Logging in places the user at the Entrance to BC-MOO (see below).
V. Setting User Options
Guests, after logging in, will see an additional window (which may have gotten submerged by the main Entrance, allowing them to make a few adjustments to their "guest" character. Complete this preference form and then press the "save" button to continue exploring the BC-MOO. If this window has been hidden, move to the Windows taskbar and click on its "button" to make it the active window.
Regular users (students and professors) should immediately use the "options" button at the top of the main page of the BC-MOO to change their password to one that they can remember and that is still secure. Also use this form to add a description of you as a BC-MOO user.
To enable the users to see both their input and the results of those commands, the "option" can be used to "Edit Talk Area Settings" so that the commands typed are echoed in the text area to the top left of the main MOO screen.
VI. Conversing And Navigating In The BC-MOO
Conversing and navigating in the web-based BC-MOO is accomplished from the main webpage that has three frames. The upper-left frame records the text output from the MOO much as was done in the previous telnet-based version of the BC-MOO. The right-most frame is the primary web-active frame. Here the description of the rooms and other objects in the MOO will appear. At the bottom of this frame are a number of hyper-links showing who is in a room, what exits are available and what objects are present that can be viewed in this web format.
The bottom-left frame (a small empty frame) allows for text input from the user. (Note: In some browsers, the user must first click once with the mouse in this frame, to select it, before any typing will be allowed.)
Below are a few hints to help a user get started with MOOing.
1. To converse with others, simply type a double quotation mark and then your message followed by the Enter key.
Example- "Hi, how are you?
This will broadcast this greeting to all players in that area or room of the MOO.
2. To express an emotion, in words, type a colon and then the words.
Example- :smiles
This will result in the MOO server typing out your player name followed by the word "smiles."
(Note: To the left of the text box are three "radio" buttons that allow the user to select a default mode for typing so that the double quotation marks or the colon are not required for correct action. If you are moving about the MOO, leave the "normal" mode turned on. If you are chatting a lot, then selecting the "say" mode saves some typing.)
3. To move out of an area and into an adjacent one, simply type the command that is listed in square brackets when the description of the room you are in was given in the upper left web frame. For example, from the Entrance of the BC-MOO,
Example- mall
places the player on the Mall, from where the player can then move to the different houses of the academic departments on the campus of Bridgewater College.
(Note: After moving to the Mall as shown above, typing "display map" [without the quotation marks] will cause an interactive map to be displayed where the user can move to different "houses" in the Mall by simply clicking on the appropriate location on the map.)
4. The following commands may be useful from time to time.
look - a description of the room or area in which the player is presently located is typed including all exits into outer parts of the MOO from that area. One can also look at an object to see what it is all about.
Example- look tel
entered while visiting in the Astronomy Classroom in the Physics House will show the telescope and a description of how it can be used.
(Note: The word "tel" is not strictly an alias for the telescope. However, identifiers for rooms and objects may be shortened to saves time in typing while a user is navigating the MOO. The shortened "word" must be long enough to unambiguously identify the room or object of concern.)
who - a list of all present players is produced with their present locations. However, in the enCore Xpress web interface, this function is really carried out well by the "who" button.
examine <object> - the owner of the object, any aliases it posses, a description of the object, and all associated verbs (possible commands) are typed out.
read <object> - the read command is carried out on the object specified.
Example- read assign
will "read" the assignment note, if such an item exists in the room where the user is.
(Note: Rooms and entrances and exits may also have aliases, that is, short names that can be used to identify them in a command instead of needing to type out their whole name. For example, to go to the English House, one must only type "eng" while visiting in the Mall.).
@go <room> - to move quickly to any other room without going through various exits and entrances in turn, use the @go command.
Example- @go writ
will move the user immediately to the Writing Center from where ever the user is presently located.
VII. Build It!
Participants in the BC-MOO may also build their own "rooms" or areas and attach them to a given department's house. Professors already own their own corridor and all rooms attached to it on the inside. So add to them or tailor them as you wish. Use the "objects" button at the top of the main BC-MOO webpage to create a new room (and any entrances and exits) or other object. For more complete editing of an object, use the "program" button.
Students should contact their instructor if they are interested in creating or are instructed to construct their own environments. These student additions can be attached to the associated instructor's corridor through an exit and entrance created by that instructor.
Professors may contact Academic Computing to learn more about using the BC-MOO and building in it.
VIII. Problems?
1. To learn more about how to get around and use the MOO, type "help" (from within the MOO and without the quotation marks) to see a list of general topics
2. Or use the "help" button.
3. To learn more about using MOOs in education, check out the following:
MOO Sites and Tutorials:
Reference Books (excellent, readable and thorough):
--(c) Richard L. Bowman, 1999-2003 (last modified: 12-Aug-03)
