Guild / subguild selection

[Raesanos]

I find that we get a lot of requests for people to change their guild or subguild because they selected the wrong one by mistake.  I'm curious if there is anyone who perceives that there is a problem with the guild / subguild selection dialog?  A bug?  Just badly designed or confusing?  Since its a pattern I've noticed, but I don't know of any issue, I want to hear what you think.

[Jherlen]

The menus can be a bit annoying to keep track of and I can see how someone could type the wrong letter by accident when picking guild or subguild... maybe having someone type the actual name of the guild they want to pick at the prompt instead of typing a letter would help?

[LauraMars]

My gut reaction is to go with the reason that because the guild/subguild menus (but especially guild) are not very well designed, there are problems.  If the guild options were in a list format, rather than a block format with large gaping holes in it that are later filled as you get karma, it might be a little more user friendly.

Same with race selection.  So I'd like to see the chargen screen look something more like this...

Code Select Expand

>Pick your race - you have the following races to choose from.

1. Human
2. Half-elf
3. Dwarf
4. City Elf
5. Desert Elf
6. Half-giant

>1

>Pick your guild, you have the following guilds to choose from.

1. Assassin
2. Burglar
3. Pickpocket
4. Merchant
5. Ranger
6. Warrior
7. Water Elementalist
8. Earth Elementalist

>Pick your subguild, you have the following subguilds to choose from.

1. I am not listing them all, there's a ton.
2. You get the idea.

and so on and so forth.

[mansa]

Also, the ability to find out more about the selection they are choosing, through "help guild" or something like that FROM the command line.

[Maybe42or54]

For me, I've always had problems picking which subguild I want because A lot of the time, I look at all the names and my pc really hasn't any need for any of them.

I'd rather just not have a subguild sometimes.

[Folker]

One frequent problem during selection is with the subguilds. Sometimes I look at those 3-4 columns of subguilds and pause. Then I open a new window, get to www.armageddon.org site's helpfiles and check the subguilds description to get the idea. I do this even though I played those subguilds numerious times. It really 'would' be nice to have an ability to get a help <subguild> ability. Perhaps making people type more then just a letter to select a guild/subguild.

You're given an option a-z for guild/subguilds.

You can type 'look' to have the list prompted to you again, you can type 'help <guild/subguild> to get a helpfile description, or you can "select <letter>" to choose which letter. Currently it's possible to get a list, type <help> and choose 'H' guild.

[Spud]

there should be a way to not chose a subguild.

[Maybe42or54]

Subguilds, themselves, aren't very easy to choose from. My character was never a thug, carpenter, bard, mercenary, or any of those job-like subguilds. I usually always pick a more personality based subguild, like a con artist, scavenger, thief, and subguilds along those lines. IMHO, subguilds would be a lot better if they were based more on personality, than recent professions.

I've always favored ideas (read: Subguilds) like the following, and these are just what I could think of in 5 minutes, so they are just ideas. They are prone to change.

Quick learner- Prone to failing more at their skills, but they learn better.

Con artist- Has a natural tendency to bend the truth, haggle for better prices, basic altering-item skills ("Hey! you stole my pet rock!" "No I didn't." "Yes, You did, look, there is paint where I dropped paint on it." "No, I dropped paint, look, I also chipped it a long time ago, look!"

Thief- Has a tendency to steal things just laying around. More likely to find a ten 'sid piece in a crack on a black road.

Naturally Quiet- Tends to be quieter, not talk as much. Usually has better vision and hearing. Usually better at blending into tired crowds.

Hot-headed- Tends to be stronger than others. Prone to rage. Tends to feel trivial amounts of pain and anguish than others.

Dancer- Usually on the skinnier side of things. More agile than others.

Hard headed- Doesn't learn as well as others, but can make things that require more skill than they currently have.

Lazy- Less endurance than others, usually weaker and less agile. Smarter.

[Kalden]

As if not having a subguild would make you RP your character better.

[Armaddict]

I only do it when I choose subguild and enter the game and don't like the skills.

(Yes, joking.)

[Maybe42or54]

As if not having a subguild would make you RP your character better.

It'd make me feel better. Then I could always fit my subguild into my background instead of fitting my background to my subguild.

[Tarx]

I'd like to offer my assistance but I can't recall what that list even looks like.  

[jhunter]

The times I have done it it was because I accidentally hit the wrong letter and didn't realize it.

I think all that needs to be done is give a prompt after selection to double check if that was the intended choice.

You have chosen option a) assmonger guild. Is this correct? y/n

[Bebop]

Wow you guys are worse than Florida voters  

I did this once to with a guild.

Anyway, I think that it is because all of the guilds are smooshed side by side I don't like it, it's not concise.  And perhaps you should have it to where you must type in the option that you want.  

Code Select Expand

Choose Your Guild (type in the name of the guild you choose):

Ranger
Merchant
Astronaut
Ninja

>ninja

You have choosen the guild "Ninja" correct? (yes/no)

>Yes


And at the end of each selection you confirm.

[Maso]

Wow. You get a chance to review your choices at the end...How hard is it really to have a quick look and make sure you picked the right one?

Height, now thats an annoying one, cause you don't get a chance to go back and edit it.

[Gristhart]

Heres how I'd do it, but this is just me...

Code Select Expand

You have the following guilds to choose from:

[b]Assassin
Burglar
Fire Elementalist
Lightning Elementalist
Merchant
Pickpocket
Psionicist
Ranger
Shadow Elementalist
Sorcerer
Stone Elementalist
Sun Elementalist
Templar
Void Elementalist
Warrior
Water Elementalist
Wind Elementalist

[/b]Please enter the first three letters or more of the guild you wish to choose.

(Warrior)
You have Chosen Warrior...
[b]There is only one calling which warriors follow: to fight, and perhaps to die fighting. Although motivated by innumerable goals, there are a few commonalities among warriors. In nearly all warriors there exists some notion of honour and fairness, and often a vague conception of glory.

A warrior's skills involve only the many aspects of fighting. Every warrior possesses an aptitude for all weapons, and can learn to master them far beyond the meagre abilities of other guilds. Unarmed combat, expert battle maneuvers such as disarming, the ability to hurl missiles, and the eventual expert use of bows and arrows are all part of a warrior's skills. Some master warriors can learn to bandage the wounded.

Warriors are the easiest persons to employ. They are invaluable as guards, soldiers, mercenaries, military advisors, outriders, scouts, gladiators, or even as assassins and spies. No other guild can match a warrior's combat prowess, and thus all warriors are much needed parts of any clan or mercantile operation.

Master warriors are sometimes unwillingly and automatically nominated as leaders of small armies, or as captains of tribes and outposts.

[/b]Is this Correct? [b](Yes/No)



etc...



The description was taken directly from the helpfile, merely copy and paste. None of the first three letters in each guild is the same (Subguild also, I believe.)

This is a quick, easy way to navigate through guild and subguild selection.