Cultural Differences and Documentation

[Empress]

Being fairly new to Armageddon, one of the things i've really enjoyed about this game is learning about its rich and deep cultures.  The difference in fashion styles between Tuluk and Allanak, and even the attitude differences between its people have been fun to learn about in character.  However, it is only recently that I finally figured out the Tuluki tattoo system, and how my character (being from Tuluk) should have had them from the very start.  I think information about the tattoo system should be put into documentation somewhere that new players (to Tuluk) have to read.  Maybe when you point to Tuluk from the starting room, the game tells you to read a certain help file explaining how it works.  I've only had a couple of characters so maybe it does say somewhere and I just missed it.

Oh and lastly, I remember hearing or reading somewhere that Northerners generally have fairer hair and skin tones than southerners.  I think it would be cool to have it say that in the character creation process so maybe more of the playerbase will take it into account when making their PC.  I know PCs only make up a small percentage of the population, but my character has very dark hair and it's just because I didn't know that when making the character.  Just some thoughts!

[Bestatte]

Bear in mind, that "fairer hair and skin" doesn't necessarily equate with "pale hair and skin." It is fairer than the south, which is commonly dark to very dark.

So a tanned person in the north might be considered "usual" while a browned person in the south would be considered "usual."

Pale is unusual (but not inappropriate, per se) within either city, however it might be considered - abnormal for tribals, who spend most of their lives out of doors and exposed to the elements more.

Also I have seen the entire spectrum of skin colorings in both cities, so I wouldn't get too worked up about it if your PC has dark hair in the north.

[Agent_137]

Great tips, Empress. Thanks!

It's really hard for us who've read all the docs twice and thrice to know what's missing from a  new player's point of view.

[Agent_137]

P.S.

I wish I could play paintball with you. Unfortunately, i'm on the opposite side of the world, kinda.

<---- Austin, Texas

Hrm.

I should make a texas crew website. We've got quite a few.

[aruna]

I agree that parts of the docs can be easily missed, but for future reference (if you haven't found it already): Tuluki Caste Tattoos

[sarahjc]

I do think that the commoner cast tattoo should be something that would be acquired in the hall of kings when you point to Tuluk, just like your accent. I never liked the fact that people had to go and find the guy that gives the tattoo.  I mean, you should have had that tattoo within the first few days of you being born. I would think there is even some kind of ritual behind it.  It would be something that soldiers look for on small children and fine the parents if it is not done.  Or if a kid has no parents, that the kid has to have it done and some physical labor fine is given for them to pay for it.

It should be something that is widely known and people are proud to wear. As it stands now, half the population doesn't have one and many don't even know what it is.

Also if you make the tattoo mandatory, it would make it much easier for people to spot foreigners and make prejudices stronger.


Good observation Empress

[jhunter]

I do think that the commoner cast tattoo should be something that would be acquired in the hall of kings when you point to Tuluk, just like your accent. I never liked the fact that people had to go and find the guy that gives the tattoo. I mean, you should have had that tattoo within the first few days of you being born.

Agreed.

[Spoon]

Yeah, I agree too. I think if my first character was a Tuluki, they wouldn't have had any caste tattoos. You might as well add a "I'z a n00b i can't find teh tattooizt!!1" tag on their sdesc.

[Cuusardo]

I've always though that Tuluki caste tattoos should not cost to get.  You can get them for free through some clans, why not make them free, period?  It just doesn't make much sense for people to have to spend some of their starting coins on them.

[Akaramu]

I do think that the commoner cast tattoo should be something that would be acquired in the hall of kings when you point to Tuluk, just like your accent.

If you meant that it should be acquired automatically like the accent, I disagree.

There may be some character concepts that require that you do not have the tattoo. It would be bothersome to wish up because of this, only to have the tattoo removed after entering the game. Also, what about the tribals who point Tuluk because there arent any good alternatives for them?

[Ghost]

I think you can just add the caste tattoos on your main desc, right?  So it does not cost at all.

[sarahjc]

If you meant that it should be acquired automatically like the accent, I disagree.

There may be some character concepts that require that you do not have the tattoo. It would be bothersome to wish up because of this, only to have the tattoo removed after entering the game. Also, what about the tribals who point Tuluk because there arent any good alternatives for them?

Well, there are also some PC's that shouldn't have a northern accent and they do. It's a simple wish, Or maybe they could put in their notes that they should not have the tattoo. I just think that it would make things over all more uniform.

Or maybe you could have two selections, City Tuluk, Non-City Tuluk.

[Bestatte]

Or - have a pause in the Hall of Kings. If you point at Tuluk, you are paused and sent a "Do you want the standard two Tuluk caste tattoos? Y/N"

If so, they are placed automatically in the appropriate spots of your character's body prior to his entering the game itself.

If not, your character shows up in the game without them and can get them, or not, whenever he feels like it.

[Akaramu]

It's a simple wish, Or maybe they could put in their notes that they should not have the tattoo. I just think that it would make things over all more uniform.

Or maybe you could have two selections, City Tuluk, Non-City Tuluk.

Its not so simple. For an off-peak player, it can easily take several RL days until an imm able to change such things is found online. Would be a bit bothersome to have to instantly buy gloves just to hide the tattoo, and prevent other PCs from getting a wrong first impression.  :wink:

The two selections solution sounds like a great idea.

[Agent_137]

I've always though that Tuluki caste tattoos should not cost to get.  You can get them for free through some clans, why not make them free, period?  It just doesn't make much sense for people to have to spend some of their starting coins on them.

On this note, I've always felt starting coins represent things that your character has already bought, ICly, but just not codedly. So spending starting coins on them makes perfect sense.

I don't know how much they cost, though. They -should- be cheap. They're very simple designs.

[Delirium]

I've always though that Tuluki caste tattoos should not cost to get.  You can get them for free through some clans, why not make them free, period?  It just doesn't make much sense for people to have to spend some of their starting coins on them.

On this note, I've always felt starting coins represent things that your character has already bought, ICly, but just not codedly. So spending starting coins on them makes perfect sense.

Agreed with the Agent. It's not like they're all that expensive.

[Xamminy]

So, by this logic, having people have to pay for caste tattoos...that reduces starting cash for other things...which means that Tulukis are poorer than people from any other region of the world?  This doesn't make sense to me.

[joyofdiscord]

The Tuluki caste tattoos are pretty cheap.  My solution for my next Tuluki character, which I intended to do with my previous and only Tuluki char but forgot, would be to put them in my mdesc.  Don't cost a thing there.

[Ghost]

I dont think Caste tattoos should be free to buy.  After all, there is a dye used in that job.  The dye is not free.  Also, the guy there is going to ask for his time, to be paid as well.  The tattoos are cheap already.  But if you want them free, add them to your main desc so your PC will have bought them far earlier, which wont have effect on his current coins.

[Larrath]

The caste tattoos aren't all that cheap.  You need to buy two of them for a combined worth that's usually over 10% of your starting cash.

This can mean one weapon, article of armor, or roughly four arrows less.
This is meaningful.


I'm not saying it should be automatic, since some Tulukis may not have any caste tattoos (they would make the extremely rare exception to the rule), but lowering the cost of these tattoos could be a pretty nice thing.  Shrug.

As for making them more accessible and easier to find...I say save it for the newbie equipment bazaar idea, but that's because I'm just tired.

[Cuusardo]

I think combined the two cost something like 150 coins.  Why should they be free for clans, but not everybody else?

[Angela Christine]

The problem with making them free or cheap from a tatooist is that any bozo visiting from Red Storm can get a full set of caste tattoos.  He could even get them without knowing what they mean, perhaps getting the ring around his ankle and the star on his ass, just because he thinks they look pretty.

I like the idea of getting them when you point to Tuluk, with or without a y/n choice.



AC

[Xamminy]

Back when I was till relatively new to the game, I hadn't played in Tuluk much at all and didn't know much about the caste tattoos and I had a character get a certain Bardic Circle tattoo and got in a whole heap of trouble.

I'm not advocating making them publicly available for free.  I don't like the idea of having them forced on everyone that points to Tuluk.  Someone that points to Tuluk wasn't necessarily born there to get the blue and purple inked band.  They also aren't necessarily a citizen of the city.  It's just a convenient starting point for someone from the area.  An option I would prefer goes back to the 'starting gear' ideas from before.  Basically the idea would run that pointing to any region would not send you straight to the current start point in that area, but to a room where you could spend your starting cash on things designated as 'starting gear' for that area as well as, in the case of Tuluk, get your appropriate caste tattoos for free.  You would actually not start with any gear, besides the basics: torch, coins & pack.  All clothes would need to be purchased.  When done, you would leave this area in a particular direction that would send you to the area's 'starting location' so that you can enter the game.  This would solve the caste tattoo issue, as well as the issue where people can identify new characters just by seeing what they're wearing.  Granted, we would hope that that would not influence people's interaction with these people, but I'm not naive enough to believe that on some subconscious level, the fact is known and does influence people's interaction with new characters in some fashion.

[Gaare]

Xamminy's idea is great!

Just single problem: Newbies...

We would have at least a few newbies linkdead PCs in that room each week.