Temporary descriptions (semi repost / better forum)

[MorganChaos]

I would really like this feature, or a feature like it. If it was separate from the maindesc, I can't imagine it being any more of a problem than emote. I understand the concern that there's no way to approve it, but adding a paragraph break or some symbol (I'd think it would be fairly easy to code a tdesc to have a * or ~ or a few line breaks before it, but perhaps I think too much like a Java coder) would make it much easier.

*hesitates to say this because knows she is going to burn for it but* Honestly, it gets tiring being told to rp something when it's really something that probably ought to be coded. For example, after rping something messy and doing "wish all hey, can i get these couple of items bloodied? thanks." am I really that wrong to be slightly annoyed when I'm told to RP it? You can emote scrubbing off the bloodied bedroll and stuff, but there are other examples where you're emoting something every time a new person walks in, especially when it's something they probably really ought to be reacting to. Ldesc can help here but there's also when you're walking through somewhere, and you intend to just pass on through, but a pc looks at you and you now have to stop. Wait. Emote whatever it is. Now you can keep going. Or the few moments between entering a room and getting settled and changing your ldesc, when someone comes in so now oop! Emote time! So really, I suppose the point is, tdesc would be very convenient, and probably wouldn't serve any function you don't already have ingame, but it would perform some functions a lot better.

I can see another argument being that this weakens the emote command. Yeah, well, you could argue that ldesc does that too.

[Vesperas]

Emoting 'states' gets highly annoying, and I use ldesc primarily for position, which leaves a lot to be desired.

So, yeah, I'm definitely in favor for it.

[Nao]

*bump*

Just wanted to bring this up again while the imms seem to be all on coffeine...

This seems to be VERY doable without too much potential for abuse - how often do you see an emote that's way off, anyway?

For injuries, hairstyles and other stuff that is too long for the long description (hardly anything really fits in)...

[FightClub]

i ain't a karma player, and I approve, even if it's karma only.  I don't see a problem with it, I don't even use those new emotes, change that much -- just good old emote and say, and think, it's all I need baby.

[Cegar]

I fail to see how a Tdesc would be any more abusable than scribble currently is.

[SpyGuy]

I also agree and love this idea.  No more abusable than change ldesc or any other combination of things.

Moreso, I've seen what slips through the app process in mdescs  :wink:   This would be no more jarring if someone abused it, PCs could just wish up or OOC to ask the character to change it if it was clear it was done intentionally.  But most of all this would be a rather complex command, I strongly doubt anyone without a good conception of the code and therefore the game world would even begin to think of finding and using a command like this.  And if it were being abused immortals should have an ability to flag a character or player no_tdesc or something like that.

Please?

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I throw my hat in the ring for this feature to be implemented.

[Cegar]

Somehow my browser came to this thread... not quite sure how, but I still think this is an excellent idea.

[Cyrian20]

I think what Hally is trying to get at (I am going to lose my char today I bet)

Is there is no way to tell if the pc assigned it or if it was already there and
approved by the staff. If you see a twink emote or ldesc you know the pc did
it and can ignore it. In their main desc you have no clue if maybe it is part of
their normal description and was approved by the staff.

[Forty Winks]

Heh, you might think there's isn't any way to abuse this, but there is. You could make a generic mdesc and have hair, eyes, nose, lips. Then once approved by the staff, could add a temp desc for a scar over the left cheek. And then commit some heinous crime and then switch the  tempdesc to not have a scar at all, or place it on a different location of the face.

I think there would be too much moderation by the staff needed for this to be any benefit for the game.

[Nao]

*shrug* make it obvious that it's a temp description, giving a free line or brackets or some way to know that it's not the main description.

[MorganChaos]

I still think tempdesc is sexy.

[Cyrian20]

To add to my earlier post (fuck edit I revolt!) I think it is a great idea, we
just need some way to make it safe. The concept of a blank line then the
tdesc is a good idea I think. The scars thing can already be done though
(see change locdesc) so maybe some sort of add-on to change locdesc.

Just an idea, of course all you people making slicked back hair and girls
with far far to much make-up better be buying it from me first  :evil:  I go
through to much trouble making and stealing it for you to ignore it  

[rishenko]

The greatest benefit that can come from a tempdesc is not having to continually reference things in your emotes just to show that something is there.  For instance, if my hair is singed because a Krathi chick got all hot and bothered, having a temp desc (I like Nao's idea - just put brackets around the damn thing) would make life much easier than having to tag or show that in my emotes every three or four minutes when somebody new walks into the tavern.

Please...please...pleeeeeeaaaase consider it, try it, give it a week or so, see how it pans out.

[Cegar]

What if you have henna tattoos? What if you're wearing your hair up in a bun? What if you are decked out in warpaints? What if you shaved? Grew a beard? Got bruised?

I'd just like to bump this and revoice my support in this thread, since I think that it is something that will be extremely useful in fleshing out characters and certain roles (finally a use for all of those jars of henna).

[Djarjak]

I completely didn't read the other thread, so I apologize if this has already been answered, but why can't you just do this with your emotes?

As he walks in, the stench of @ is palpable.

> l foo
<desc follows>
foo raises a hand caked with filth and scribs at his already dirty face.

Sure, it's a little extra work on your part, but it's a hell of a lot more atmosphere, imo.  Short of a disguise kit, I can't see any good reason to do something like this, and that -would- be abusable for freeform entry.

[Cegar]

How about emoting that you changed your hairstyle everytime you meet someone? That'd become far too tedius, and you're really limited with how you can describe it. There are a lot of other uses too, almost all of which are illustrated in the thread.

As for abuse, it has no more chance for abuse than change ldesc or emote, for that matter.

[Nao]

This gets extremely tedious for every new person entering - also, through an emote, you make things overly noticable and obvious so every single person in the whole room is gonna notice that the tip of one pointed ear is missing cause you're a breed and cut it off. Also, you're pregnant, got a few injuries and are covered in mekillot puke - putting everything in emotes has its limits.

[Malken]

Like any new code, this can of course be abused, but since it would be easy for anyone to notice someone abusing it just by looking at him or her, it could also be just as easily reported.

If someone is found to be abusing it constantly, perhaps have the option for the Staff to remove the ability, the same way they can nowish someone?

I think its a great idea myself.

[rishenko]

... putting everything in emotes has its limits.

Damn straight.  Maybe if you did the emotes once.  But what if you have six people your character knows, each one walking in a few minutes separately from the other.  Now you must emote each time a new person comes in.  The same applies to walking down the street and coming across people.

Now, instead of referencing the exact injury and the nature of the injury, I can simply go "em favors his wrapped left leg."  Then the person can look at my guy and go "Aha!"

[Beux]

I love this idea.

My only issue would be, if the tdesc contradicted with something in the long desc.  

For example:

Somewhere in the ldesc: "Her hair falls loosely around her shoulders"

tdesc: "Her hair is tied up in a neat bun"

-----

ldesc: "His skin is unblemished"

tdesc: "Large red sores are apparent all over his skin"

-----

But thats exactly the kind of stuff we'd want to use it for, so it would have to be accepted that contradictory information in the tdesc overrules the ldesc?

[Nao]

My limits were less along frequency than along the sheer amount of varying stuff that could be put in, even if emoting that broken leg always seemed a bit awkward and gets more than annoying for every person that wasn't present you'll have to throw out a similar emote.

Things that are varying for your character, depending on what you play might be hairstyle, cleanliness (in addition to the coded flags you get on clothing), injuries and general condition to name the common stuff. with a temporary addition to your description, you could easily put this in quickly and nicely.

[Angela Christine]

I think the potential for abuse is actually quite low.  Your total description would be two paragraphs:

1.  Main description, as written currently and approved by staff.  This would still include race, sex, hair, eyes, skin, build and any persistent noticeable characteristics.

2.  Temporary description would be a separate paragraph in which you could detail temporary changes.

The first paragraph wouldn't be much different than what you get now, though items like hairstyle might not be included.  So instead of putting "Her hair falls loosely around her shoulders" in your main desc you'd say "She has shoulder-length brown hair."  Then in your Tdesc you'd say if it was falling loosely around your shoulders, was tied up in a bun or whatever your character's current hairstyle was.  Major permanent changes to your appearance would still have to be done through requesting your main description to be changed, but minor or temporary changes could be detailed in your Tdesc, to keep people up to date with your current condition.  So if your PC is normally well-groomed and tidy, you have a way to indicate that that you are temporarily disheveled when you do something messy.  Or if you are being manly and wandering around without a shirt on, you could use the Tdesc to note your six-pack and superfluous third nipple, things you wouldn't normally put in your mdesc because most of the time you wear a shirt and they are not visible.


Since the main description would be persistent, the Tdesc wouldn't work as a disguise, because everyone can still see your main description.  If you set your main desc to say you have glowing orange eyes, but your main desc says you have blue eyes, you aren't fooling anyone.  I imagine other players would be quick to report PCs whose Tdescs were wildly incompatible with their main desc, and any Tdesc that are clearly abusive.



When you enter the editor to set your Tdesc should give you guidelines and rules, just like when you set your main desc during character creation.  Perhaps all uses of the command could be logged, so interested staffers could keep tabs one what sort of Tdescs are being used, and issue warnings if people start to go too far?  That kind of staff oversight probably wouldn't be necessary though, player policing would likely report any grievous misuses of the Tdesc quite quickly.

[Beux]

I so don't want this idea to drift into the realms of forgotten. It really is a sweet idea. I keep thinking..."If only I could....ahh thats why we need a tdesc"

[Hymwen]

Yeah... I can only hope that the silence from the staff means that they are discussing it among themselves, because this is such an awesome idea that pretty much everybody has praised.