The Feel Command

[Larrath]

How do you all use the Feel command?
Not how regularly, but what do you type in when you use it?

Personally, I make pretty primitive use of the command which looks like this:

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> feel happy, surprised and sheepish.

What is your method?

[LauraMars]

Sometimes I just go:

feel <word>

But sometimes I will get increasingly elaborate such as

feel <as if you are sitting at the eye of a storm of panic, fear, and misery, the walls shuddering and closing around you and the center of barely contained calm but not quite touching.  It's intense.>

But most often all I have time for is:

feel <word>

[Naiona]

Actually, feel <word> was pretty much what the idea was implemented for.  Such use of the command is fine and dandy.  Anything else is just icing.

[Tamarin]

I'm still getting acclamated to this myself.  I often find it hard to use, since the feeling I'm trying to portray is complex and specific, and often a mix between several different emotions.  The other problem I'm finding, having taken a psychology course or two, is where to draw the line between unconscious & subconscious mind processes, and feelings.  Does the feeling lead to the thought, or does the thought lead to the feeling?  In a lot of cases, this causes me to just stall and do nothing, losing the moment and then having to react to more action-based matters.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I didn't know there was a feel command.

Right on.

[Spoon]

> feel templar

that's how I was using it.

[Delirium]

I use it for emotions and physical sensations.

>feel a headache

>feel irritated

>feel all tingly in her toes

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

HAHA.

[Fragmented]

I too, use it for both feeling and physical sensations, sometimes separate of each other.

feel (a cold twist of fear in his belly)

feel (a burning sensation in his arms and shoulders as he works/fights/plays/digs/climbs/picks his rump)

[Larrath]

I like the feedback I've been getting so far, thanks.  How do you portray more complex feelings (or sentences) with the Feel command?

For example, if your character is happy at being given a Red Templar's Robe but is a little curious and insulted at how it was tossed at their feet.

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> feel mostly happy, but a little curious and insulted.

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> feel happy at being given a higher Templar rank but curious--and slighted--about the manner the robe was presented.

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> feel thrilled and delighted about being presented with a Red Templar's Robe, the thing Amos has been dreaming about since he was six years old, but at the same time curious and a little insulted at how his beloved superior, Lord Templar Ikillyu Borsail, just threw it down as if in disdain.

Would you use any of these options, or anything else?
Any theory behind your choices?

And finally, what do you feel about the way the feelings are presented?
That is, the "You feel happy." as opposed to the two-line form of the Think command.  It tends to make me feel a bit awkward, but I could never think of a better way to have that command display.

[Fragmented]

Not to derail the thread, but while we're on these topics, I would like a third feature added to the think command.. the ability to present images in the mind, instead of feelings, or with feelings. A good example of what I'm talking about is the guy who was the teacher in that movie The Village where all the kids were blond headed psionics. At the end of the movie, to block his mind from them, he kept picturing a huge, brick wall.  He wasn't thinking "I need to picture a wall." He was thinking of a wall, to block his thoughts.

Sort of like me saying.. okay, whatever you do, DON'T think about breasts. BAM. Got you all. Thought images should be better portrayed in the game I think. -Especially- in dreams (thinking while asleep).

As it stands right now, I can't just think of breasts. I have to do funny little think *great big jiggling boobies* which then tries to act like I'm feeling great big boobies.  :twisted:

[mansa]

For example, if your character is happy at being given a Red Templar's Robe but is a little curious and insulted at how it was tossed at their feet.

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> feel mostly happy, but a little curious and insulted.

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> feel happy at being given a higher Templar rank but curious--and slighted--about the manner the robe was presented.

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> feel thrilled and delighted about being presented with a Red Templar's Robe, the thing Amos has been dreaming about since he was six years old, but at the same time curious and a little insulted at how his beloved superior, Lord Templar Ikillyu Borsail, just threw it down as if in disdain.

Would you use any of these options, or anything else?

I would only use the first one, and never the second or the third.  I would use the think command for the second and the third.

The feel command should be only for emotion, and not 'reasons why', which should be in the 'think' command.

[amoeba]

I don't  know.  I rather like the second and third statements.  Whereas the think command is a first person narrative, the examples shown give a third person perspective.  They have a more literary feel to them.  I think especially the last one would be diffucult to work well in the first person.  I'm curious as to the IMM's take on the examples given.

[amoeba]

Not to derail the thread, but while we're on these topics, I would like a third feature added to the think command.. the ability to present images in the mind, instead of feelings, or with feelings. A good example of what I'm talking about is the guy who was the teacher in that movie The Village where all the kids were blond headed psionics. At the end of the movie, to block his mind from them, he kept picturing a huge, brick wall.  He wasn't thinking "I need to picture a wall." He was thinking of a wall, to block his thoughts.

Sort of like me saying.. okay, whatever you do, DON'T think about breasts. BAM. Got you all. Thought images should be better portrayed in the game I think. -Especially- in dreams (thinking while asleep).

As it stands right now, I can't just think of breasts. I have to do funny little think *great big jiggling boobies* which then tries to act like I'm feeling great big boobies.  :twisted:

I do it like this:
think *an image of great big jiiggling boobies appears then just as quickly fades*

[mansa]

How about we state what's in the help files:

Help Feel[/url]"]Feel     (Communication)

This command is used to express what your character is feeling. Use this as a role playing tool for the emotions your character would like to experience.

Syntax:
   feel <emotion>

   Examples:
   > feel annoyed

   > feel joyful

   Note:
   Use of this command will not interrupt any ongoing movements such as
   picking locks, and will not take you out of hiding.

   A grammatically correct form is to use a noun or adjective to describe
   the emotion your character will experience instead an adverb.
   (E.g. "anger" instead of "angrily", "passionate" instead of "passionately").

   See also:
   think

And

Help Think[/url]"]Think     (Communication)

This command is used to express what your character is thinking. Use this as a role playing tool for the little things your character would like to say or do, but won't for whatever reason.

You can include an optional description of how your character is feeling while thinking by using '-' (if it's a single word) or by including the description in parentheses (for one or more words).

Syntax:
   think <message>
   think -<option> <message>
   think (<option>) <message>

   Examples:
   > think By Suk-krath that templar is chapping my hide.

   > think I wish I had a drink of water.

   > think -frustrated Where did I leave my apartment key?

   > think (quite elated) I can't believe my good fortune!

   Note:
   Use of this command will not interrupt any ongoing movements such as
   picking locks, and will not take you out of hiding.

   See also:
   feel

I believe that if you're going to describe any reason -WHY- or -WHAT IS HAPPENING- when you feel something, you should use the THINK command with Parenthesis' describing your FEELING or EMOTION.

I think that using the FEEL command and describing WHY you FEEL is using the wrong command.  Do you know WHY when you have feelings?  I believe you just FEEL, and that's that.

[LauraMars]

I don't  know.  I rather like the second and third statements.  Whereas the think command is a first person narrative, the examples shown give a third person perspective.  They have a more literary feel to them.  I think especially the last one would be diffucult to work well in the first person.  I'm curious as to the IMM's take on the examples given.

I agree with this statement.  More literary writing will always trump any vauge attempt to define what exactly we're thinking and feeling when we're thinking and feeling it.  At least for me it will.  As long as you're communicating what's going on in some realistic and believable way, any attempts to make it more beautiful is...just great.  Fully in support.

[mansa]

And I think it's like EMOTING your 'SAY' command.

There's certain commands for certain things, so don't use thinks in the feel command.  If you want, you feelings in the think command by using the ()'s at the start.

You wouldn't type this:

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emote "Stop it", in a sly voice, "Or else I'll..." and trailing off, @ pushes away from ~man and slowly takes off ^me shoulder strap of ~shirt.  !me licks ^me lips and whispers, "I'll never let you see these again..."

[amoeba]

Considering it is a new command, I believe there is room for discussion.  Suprisingly I can and do read help files for myself.  

Back to topic. Now bear with me for not getting the terminology correct, just listen to the jist of the argument.  One element of a good story I find diffucult to reproduce well is the internal dialogue.  Yes we can think, but thinking in this context is an active upfront thing.  Each person's dialogue has more than one voice, there is the overt thought. "I want to kill that man."  Then there is that voice in the back of your head, the one that is usually non-verbal, pushing forth that doubt about you being able to suceed.  

So you could portray the first as: "think -angrilly I want to kill Amos." But how do you supply that second voice.  Perhaps the feel command is not the vehicle for this, but somthing along the lines of "feel feelings of dread and doubt lurking like silent demons sniffing undetected by ^me as a wave of deep anger overrides all else."

In a fruedian sense, the think command reflects the ego, or superego, whereas the feel command represents the id.  In playing complex characters with complicated internal dialogues somewhow seperating the different aspects of this ongoing struggle would prove useful and interesting.  And this is pure conjecture, but it would be interesting to have those able to tap into these thoughts/feelings need to be of a certain level to get the complete picture.

Yes of course you can place all this stuff in a think, and as stated the feel command may not be the appropriate place to put this stuff, but this does not mean we can not discuss the ideas.

[LauraMars]

Also, the main reason you wouldn't emote a SAY is because we have a language command.  You can't sidestep that and start talking to someone in Allundean when you don't have the skill.  However, in your head, things are different.  There are no languages.  There are no skills (well, except all the mindbenders) and there's no real RULES as to what goes on in ones head.

I agree with amoeba, again.  You wouldn't nessescarily be able to think of why you were feeling so angry if it was a repressed memory, would you?  But it would be great to be able to explain such a thing.  Well said.

[Anael]

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feel like an idiot
feel like kicking someone hard

Oh the possibilities...

[bloodfromstone]

I used it for a variety of things.

feel annoyed/happy/horny/whatever
feel pain throbbing in your back as a dagger glances off of your rib

But none of them are every particularly wordy. I tend to keep it short and sweet, or I end up getting tripped up by the second person aspect. I think my sig pretty much sums up me at my finest and most literary.

[FightClub]

I didn't know there was a feel command.

Right on.

same.

[Hymwen]

I only used the feel command a couple of times. I have a hard enough time remembering to think. Also in-game. Ahaha. Anyway, I have some questions.

- Are we expected to use feel the same way we're expected to use think? I've heard of people getting commented for never using the think command. Is it the same way with feel?

- Does your feeling reset when you do something, or will you feel the same way until you decide to feel something else? I think I did a 'feel tired' once and completely forgot about the command for several weeks. I hope the IMMs don't think I'm some permanently lethargic zombie.

- So is the Saturday downtime gone for real?

[bloodfromstone]

#1) I dunno for sure. I think it's a little more optional than think. It's also newer, so I imagine there's more room given to let people get used to it. I dunno what the offical stance is, though.

#2) Feel is, fortunately, just a one-shot message. If you "feel overweight", it doesn't set your character's feeling to that or give you any constant overweight flag. Just like think, it's there for just an instance, then is gone.

#3) It sure seems that way! Let's pray it's not a nasty, nasty trick.

[moab]

For some reason I only use feel when it is tied to a thought.

think (a cold twist in his belly) That water tasted .... strange.

[FightClub]

Ohhh! That feel.

Shizzle I've been using that all wrong, but I like it!

I've been using it to emphazise visuals or whatever i might think that can't be put in the text of the think...like.

think (the temple of braxat hides filtering into a vivid image within his thoughts)  Har har, mudsex!
but yeah feeling the temple of braxat hides filtering into a vidid image within his thoughts doesn't sound right.

of i've been using it like this!

think (rage building, as thoughts of his mother dying filter in slowly) Damn neckers are sexy.

[path]

I've really been getting into feel a lot more lately.  I use it for a lot of things that impinge on my characters consciousness, without fully forming into thoughts. Not necissarily emotions. For example:

feel deeply and fully alive as you enjoy the early morning sun upon your face.
think Finially, a clear day.


feel the swish and draw of your new fancy-pants binding across the crotch.
think That shit-eating excuse for a merchant ripped me off! He promised me a PERFECT fit!


I also find it vastly applicable in the use of the way.

feel yourself projecting a part of your consciousness outward.
pmote enormous breasts rise and fall lushously as her breathing deepens.

[spawnloser]

I was under the impression that we were not supposed to use feel in the following matter:

> feel pain as his silk pants rub his crotch the wrong way.

Am I wrong in this?  I'd used it in such a way...but haven't been since the last discussion of the 'feel' command where Naiona posted something about this...and while it wasn't a prohibition, it seemed a strong suggestion.

[path]

Maybe I'm doing it all wrong. Is feel an emotion only thing? That would be a shame.

[HaiWolfe]

The last time this came up, some members of staff confirmed that the command was originally implemented for feeling emotions (happy, sad, angry). However, I don't think it's terribly taboo to also use it for physical sensations (pain, dizziness, fatigue). The one thing I gathered they don't want us to do is misuse 'feel' as a silent emote command.

[EvilRoeSlade]

- Are we expected to use feel the same way we're expected to use think? I've heard of people getting commented for never using the think command. Is it the same way with feel?

I say to those of you who only use think once every two months... you too can be a seven-karma player!

[Halaster]

The last time this came up, some members of staff confirmed that the command was originally implemented for feeling emotions (happy, sad, angry). However, I don't think it's terribly taboo to also use it for physical sensations (pain, dizziness, fatigue). The one thing I gathered they don't want us to do is misuse 'feel' as a silent emote command.

What HaiWolfe said.

It's intention is emotions only.  Will you get in all sorts of trouble for being more liberal with its use, and doing things like feel the swish of his pants?  Nah.

[Angela Christine]

Oooh, Oooh, I just had an idea.  A rule of thumb:

Use feel for things Counsellor Troi would sense.

For non-trek-watchers: things that an empath could pick up, rather than things that a telepath could pick up.  Is there an empathy skill?  Who knows?  The existance of coded feelings would make empathy a logical next step, but since I don't have Level 8 karma I may never know.


Angela Christine