Things to make Armageddon Better

[Incognito]

In the spirit of making Arm a more and more realistic experience, here's a suggestion for consideration:

For starters, the idea will require inserting NPCs in few areas, who will act like the Tattoo salesman who are currently coded. These NPCs could be named as physicians, medics or medicine-men (as and where applicable). These NPCs would basically sell a variety of 'wounds' (like the tattoos/scars etc which are currently available).

A few examples of what these NPCs might sell:
a gaping slash wound
a deep puncture wound
a bleeding cut
a festering boil
a swelling
a black-eye
a black and blue bruise
a greenish bruise
a teeth-bite mark
a diseased patch
a puss-filled boil
a zit
a palm-shaped slap mark


Basically, players could go over to these NPCs and buy any one of these 'wounds' for 0 coins - when the need calls for such 'realistic enhancements' to their PCs.

Further, if/when the 'wounds' are required to be removed, the PC will have to go back to one of these NPCs - who will in turn charge them a small fee, to get the 'wound' removed i.e. to heal the wound, so to speak.

I think it'd be a nice touch of reality if we could have these 'temporary' embellishments - imagine a brawl breaking out in the gaj, and the guy who gets hit in the eye, coming into the bar on the next day sporting a black-eye on his face. I think it'd boost the 'realness' of Arm to a greater extent.

[Seeker]

It would be cool.  

But I was told that it was just not possible to have a "tattoo"-style marking removed from a PC by any manner short of direct IMM intervention.

There are a couple of deluxe ways to use a temporary tattoo-like descriptor change to a character's wear-locations for IG effects, but apparently the "removing" part just cannot be automated.

It would still be cool.


Seeker

[Xamminy]

If you purchase a new tattoo/scar in a location, it will write over the old one.  Still, to automate adding scars to covere the wounds, we would need to have him or another tattooist selling them.  Your other option is to roleplay getting a tattoo to cover the scar.

[Seeker]

Then why is it not possible to have a "blank" tattoo?

Seeker

[Marc]

A blank tattoo:
<worn on head> a floppy hat
<worn on torso> a shirt
<right shoulder>
<worn on arms>
<worn on legs> a pair of pants

There is a more delicate approach then just making a blank tat.

[Delirium]

Seems a bit awkward to me, IMHO, either way you do it. Personally I prefer seeing it emoted out. I've grown to appreciate the ability to RP the type and severity of your wounds.

Hard coded wounds would be cool, but I'd like to see them be covered up depending on what you're wearing, and plus.. eq spam is already my nemesis.. imagine the scroll of bruises you'd get after a sparring match. It makes me shiver to think of.

(Though if wound locations were hardcoded, you could tag them onto the end of a corpse's description... solving the 'what the hell did this guy die from' dilemma..)

Meh, I'm on the fence. I don't think tattoos are the way to do it though. Nor do I want to do a >look joe and see a page of wound descriptions scroll by. Which I have seen on other MUDS, and it truly makes me cringe.

Perhaps we could leave the wounds out of the 'look' command and keep the general 'excellent, relatively fit, moderate' in there (and tack in a 'good' for when you're still bruised but at full HP?), and have a diagnose command instead, only useable on people who are sitting or resting or unconscious/asleep. That could be a solution.

[jstorrie]

In regards to tattoos/scars:

If you want a new scar, the standard wish-up/email mud account approach would work.

Likewise, if you were in the uncommon position of being able to remove a scar or tattoo (Vividuan magick, perhaps?) wish-up/email would handle that, too.

I don't see any of the three happening -so- often that a new NPC (with a rather jarring, OOC list of items for sale) would need to be written up.