mounts

[daedroug]

ok this is a post i made a bit back in the submissions forum on this thread: http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=216754#216754
but it never seemed to have gotten answer so i decided to bring it back up.

out of curiousity as of now are mounts coded as NPCs or objects? it would be nice if when you bought a mount they gave you the authority to command them, that way mounts can be given just as much personality as a PC might develop, a mount might become more liking of a certain type of food, become protective of their owner, so on and so forth. Also another thing about mounts (while i'm on the subject) is that when you name a mount it only lasts until you stable it, what kind of a person changes their mounts name each time they stable it anyways? would make it a bit harder for people that have stolen mounts as well, sure they can still ride it but the mount never warms up to them like they did with it's first master so it never listens to them as easily.

[Hymwen]

Mounts are NPCs. The thing is that when you stable a mount and then retrieve it, it's actually a new mount that gets loaded. That's the way the code works, and that's why it doesn't keep its name. That doesn't mean that you can't RP as if it's the same mount - most people do - and you noone's preventing you from developing any kind of... relationship... with your kank. Ahem.

[Yokunama]

out of curiousity as of now are mounts coded as NPCs or objects? it would be nice if when you bought a mount they gave you the authority to command them, that way mounts can be given just as much personality as a PC might develop, a mount might become more liking of a certain type of food, become protective of their owner, so on and so forth. Also another thing about mounts (while i'm on the subject) is that when you name a mount it only lasts until you stable it, what kind of a person changes their mounts name each time they stable it anyways? would make it a bit harder for people that have stolen mounts as well, sure they can still ride it but the mount never warms up to them like they did with it's first master so it never listens to them as easily.

I think they are NPCs.

[John]

noone's preventing you from developing any kind of... relationship... with your kank. Ahem.

Although kank's can't be taken into indoor rooms so you can't take them to your apartment

[Hymwen]

noone's preventing you from developing any kind of... relationship... with your kank. Ahem.

Although kank's can't be taken into indoor rooms so you can't take them to your apartment

That's probably for the better.

[jstorrie]

I find it unnecessarily jarring when I can't solo-RP fucking my kank in my richly appointed noble's bedroom.

MORGENZ PLZ FIX

[Morgenes]

I find it unnecessarily jarring when I can't solo-RP fucking my kank in my richly appointed noble's bedroom.

MORGENZ PLZ FIX

I'll get right on that.

[slipshod]

I think it would be helpful if you didn't limit yourself to those two options.  Are they objects or NPCs?  They are a third category all their own.  They are mounts.  They don't behave like either of the others, codedly.  They are separate and unique yo.

[Djarjak]

tell kank (as ~kank swivels his head in irritation) Yeh, buddy. I know. Bynners stink.

emote As ~kank nudges !me hard, @ grunts and looks around.

You can give your mounts personality without needing to command your mount...

Although, if you can give a really compelling argument for anything more than this, I'll say it's -possible-. But that's certainly not a committment that anyone will -do- it.

[Angela Christine]

I can't find it now, but I remember someone on the GDB telling a story of a time when a person driving a wagon could order the animals pulling the wagon to do stuff.  So one day an argosy pulls up next to the guy, and the mek pulling it says, "Get in."   :shock:  :twisted:


I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to make an NPC orderable but unable to use the say or whisper commands.  But the point is that orderable NPCs are a big responsibility, which is probably why they are only given to PCs that have a lot of imm attention (ie. special roles like nobles).  If those NPCs are animals it is a huge responsibility.  The player suddenly has to make sure not only that his character is behaving realistically, but that the NPCs he controls are also behaving realistically, and sometimes the realistic desires of his PC and the NPCs will be in conflict.


Like if the sort of mobile "pets" were available here that are available in many MUDs, it would be totally realistic for most PCs to use those pets as a meat shield.  I would.  No matter what the pet costs, it is still better to order the animal to attack the target and then assist the animal.  You can rescue the animal if necessary, or flee if the target turns out to be much more trouble then you expected, because losing an expensive pet is better than being mauled or killed.  The PC is behaving realistically by using the animal that way.  However, it often would not be realistic for the animal to go along with those desires.  An animal routinely being used as a meat shield is likely to desert or turn on it's handler, or at least refuse the absurdly dangerous orders.  Unfortunately NPCs aren't able to think for themselves, so they keep obeying bad orders until the staff interferes.


I realize that this suggestion isn't about making mounts or other animals fight or talk.  But what is true and obvious for those extreme situations is also true for more subtle situations -- the animal will have different goals and desires than the PC or the player.  My mom's dog once found a dead seal on the beach and rolled around on it until we got close enough to stop her, because apparently dogs think dead seals make good perfume.  Bleh.  I'm not sure that it would be good for players to split their focus enough to work out the needs and desires of both the PC and the animal companion.



I guess I am in favor of orderable mounts (and perhaps other animal NPCs as well) but only as a special app type thing, not as the default.  Giving every player the power and responsiblity to control multiple personalities for the price of a kank seems like it could be too much.  Making it something rare and special (like orderable NPC guards) not only prevents abuse, but also ensures that the player will cherish the NPC companion.  If it is a special thing then you know that if you lose it you will have to convince the staff you have a good reason to get another one, and explain what happened to the last one.


edit ps.  It would also be good if there were more documentation of what kind of "personalities" those animals are likely to have, to help people make their mounts behave realistically.  I know how pet dogs, cats and rats behave, and I've read lots of stories involving horses, though I've only ridden one once.  But I'm pretty sure that gigantic insectoids wouldn't have personalities similar to any of the mammals I am familiar with.

[Halaster]

I can't find it now, but I remember someone on the GDB telling a story of a time when a person driving a wagon could order the animals pulling the wagon to do stuff.  So one day an argosy pulls up next to the guy, and the mek pulling it says, "Get in."   :shock:  :twisted:

Yeah, I've heard that too, and I believe it's true.

[LoD]

I can't find it now, but I remember someone on the GDB telling a story of a time when a person driving a wagon could order the animals pulling the wagon to do stuff.  So one day an argosy pulls up next to the guy, and the mek pulling it says, "Get in."   :shock:  :twisted:

Yeah, I've heard that too, and I believe it's true.

It might have been me.  When wagons were first introduced, they were hitched to a giant lizard NPC which you ordered from inside the wagon.

>order lizard south
The wagon moves south.

After some experimentation while bored, I found out that not only could you order the lizard to move, I also found that you could order it to talk and it was a cleric class with about 800 health.  Wagon Lizard Tank FTW!

>order lizard south
The wagon moves south.

Dusty Road [NEW]
The tall man is standing here.
The short man is standing here.
The just right man is standing here.

>order lizard say Get in.
Ok.

>order lizard south

Before the Gates of Doom [N]
The Lich King stands here, pulsating with black energy.

>order lizard kill lich
Ok.

>order lizard cast "cure serious" lizard
Ok.

Ah, the silly days.

-LoD

[Jherlen]

I knew a PC who -did- have some sort of relationship with his kank. Good ol' Captain Veeno. (That was the kank's name, not the PC.)