Improvements to game messages for newbies

[CodeMaster]

I wrote a post about changing the output of 'score' a little while ago (http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php?topic=47565.0) but maybe there are other messages that could be improved for newb-friendliness.  The ambition of this thread is for it be a place to suggest small tweaks to the game's language (at least on mundane skills?) that will make things clearer or to newbies or just better overall.

I will kick it off with an easy one...

I didn't know you could flee, I just tried to leave in a direction and it told me I couldn't while I was fighting.

This seems like an easy 'problem' to address:

Current message: (I think)
"No way, you're fighting for your life!"

Friendlier version:
"You're fighting for your life, you'll have to flee!"

Joke version:
"Hang in there, you might get another couple hits in."

[Harmless]

Nice idea. I wonder if a full set of more helpful, hint or command-giving messages could be visible with an option you could toggle off after your first few characters. "If you would like less helpful messages from the MUD, you may toggle them off with nosave advice.

>nosave advice

You will no longer see helpful messages from the MUD. Good luck!

This will preserve the "hardcore" experience.

edited to add: lol rahnevyn..

[Rahnevyn]

In my experience, way too many players have "nosave advice" stuck in a permanent 'on' status.

[Fujikoma]

Upon leaving the gates:

You're going to die, you know that, right?

Upon drinking cleaning fluid:

Next time use "sip".

Whenever the word consent pops up OOC:

For the love of god, say NO!

[Barsook]

I dig this idea.

[CodeMaster]

Currently the messages for climb/air rooms are, I think:

Code Select Expand


You try to go (up/down/n/e/s/w), but fall.
  S/he tries to go up, but falls.

You try to climb (up/down/n/e/s/w), but slip.
  S/he tries to climb (up/down/n/e/s/w), but slips.


(The former happens if your destination is a room that requires flight, and the latter happens if it requires a climb; I think these messages even appear if you're trying to climb while falling)

But the problem is these messages look incredibly similar.  In one instance I've seen someone trying to climb up into a fly room using a rope, over and over, without grasping the futility of his task - he was literally trying to fly.

Maybe the first set of messages should be more along the lines of:

Code Select Expand


You try to go (up/down/n/e/s/w), but there is nothing to grab onto.
  S/he tries to go up, but falls.


[Barsook]

Yeah, that makes more sense.  That slip doesn't really.

[RogueGunslinger]

Yeah, this would be great.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Why in the world wouldn't the message for trying to climb into a fly room be, "You cannot fly." Anything else seems rather obfuscating.

[CodeMaster]

This one I noticed in the recent RP log (I actually didn't know about the distinction between the following bolded messages):

drink gourd
You drink the water.
You are no longer thirsty.
It's about half full of a clear liquid.

drink gourd
You drink the water.
You do not feel thirsty.
It is empty.

Two different levels of hydration producing very similar messages.  Maybe the second one should read "You are fully quenched."

[Harmless]

Yeah, the "you do not feel thirsty" has always thrown me off.

"Ok." This message shows up in a lot of places where I think it could be replaced with a more informative thing in certain cases, but it also feels like this is a catch-all "negative/null result" message that has to be as general as possible.

[Barsook]

+1 on the changes again