Names As Keywords?

[mansa]

I mean that the Way functions, according to the lore, via names. You dial up someone's name and find their mind.

I wasnt able to find anything in the documentation on this.

Of course my access is limited right now.

Would someone find me where it says this in the docs?

It's not in the public docs anymore.

[mansa]

I mean that the Way functions, according to the lore, via names. You dial up someone's name and find their mind.

So what's keeping us from contacting the mutitudes of VNPC characters that just so happen to have the same name as the person you're trying to contact?

Like, you try to contact Amos, but there are five other PCs named Amos, and Tek knows how many NPCs and VNPCs.

The code checks people who are online first, then npcs.  Why?  Because the function of the way, codedly.


From a game design point of view, the way removes the 'global who' command, as well as mailboxes in the city centers.  It helps make the game unique.  It still helps you log into the game, and find your friends online, and go adventuring with them.

Names must always be keywords.  If you're upset about some name, just make it generic, if you want to.  Why do you think there's always a 'shade' or a 'shadow' or a 'grey' nicknamed character in the 'rinth?  Because it's simple keywords that help disguise people.

They will never remove the 'name' keyword from the game.  It will make the game impossible to target anyone with a 100% success rate.

[staggerlee]

Ever tried to rp a scene with two or more cloaked figures who's names you didn't know?
Ever tried to rp in a room with multiple people with the same keyword whose names you didn't know?

I would never want to inflict that on anyone.  I want a reliable method of targeting people in the game.
For every time you can come up with an anecdote about having name for a keyword being unrealistic, I can come up with one where not having a name for a keyword is unrealistic.

As long as keywords are necessary for interaction, wanting to remove them so that your raider will be harder to target isn't really going to be reason enough. As numerous people have said, the inconvenience would out weight the potential benefits.

[Qzzrbl]

Ever tried to rp a scene with two or more cloaked figures who's names you didn't know?
Ever tried to rp in a room with multiple people with the same keyword whose names you didn't know?

I would never want to inflict that on anyone.  I want a reliable method of targeting people in the game.
For every time you can come up with an anecdote about having name for a keyword being unrealistic, I can come up with one where not having a name for a keyword is unrealistic.

As long as keywords are necessary for interaction, wanting to remove them so that your raider will be harder to target isn't really going to be reason enough. As numerous people have said, the inconvenience would out weight the potential benefits.

Ever been tempted to put, "his face completely concealed by the huge face-concealing mask, and his body completely covered by the ample cloak so there's no possible way you can identify him at all unless you're a psion or magicker" in an emote?

I mean, really.

I'm not saying that the inconvenience wouldn't outweigh the benefits, but I'd imagine a compromise could be reached somewhere....

[mansa]

Ever tried to rp a scene with two or more cloaked figures who's names you didn't know?
Ever tried to rp in a room with multiple people with the same keyword whose names you didn't know?

I would never want to inflict that on anyone.  I want a reliable method of targeting people in the game.
For every time you can come up with an anecdote about having name for a keyword being unrealistic, I can come up with one where not having a name for a keyword is unrealistic.

As long as keywords are necessary for interaction, wanting to remove them so that your raider will be harder to target isn't really going to be reason enough. As numerous people have said, the inconvenience would out weight the potential benefits.

Ever been tempted to put, "his face completely concealed by the huge face-concealing mask, and his body completely covered by the ample cloak so there's no possible way you can identify him at all unless you're a psion or magicker" in an emote?

I mean, really.

I'm not saying that the inconvenience wouldn't outweigh the benefits, but I'd imagine a compromise could be reached somewhere....

Learn to hide?

[Qzzrbl]

Ever tried to rp a scene with two or more cloaked figures who's names you didn't know?
Ever tried to rp in a room with multiple people with the same keyword whose names you didn't know?

I would never want to inflict that on anyone.  I want a reliable method of targeting people in the game.
For every time you can come up with an anecdote about having name for a keyword being unrealistic, I can come up with one where not having a name for a keyword is unrealistic.

As long as keywords are necessary for interaction, wanting to remove them so that your raider will be harder to target isn't really going to be reason enough. As numerous people have said, the inconvenience would out weight the potential benefits.

Ever been tempted to put, "his face completely concealed by the huge face-concealing mask, and his body completely covered by the ample cloak so there's no possible way you can identify him at all unless you're a psion or magicker" in an emote?

I mean, really.

I'm not saying that the inconvenience wouldn't outweigh the benefits, but I'd imagine a compromise could be reached somewhere....

Learn to hide?

That's beside the point. Besides, it's hard to raid people and stay hidden at the same time.

Without killing them, of course.

Which is what I'd like to do, raid without killing people.

But I can't.

Because I'd be a very short-lived, or very isolated raider if I let 'em go alive.

[Delstro]

If it is sooo bad, I would prefer a command to turn off one of the keywords that -you- added, than to not have that keyword at all. Even that I have problems with though. I've been in way too many bar scenes where twelve+ sets of people have the same keywords and you don't want to type out "clandestine" to interact with the only "amos" in the bar. Drives me up the wall.

Being able to turn off your added keywords would be marginally better to me than saying "Oh, yea, you don't have to have a name as a keyword."

[staggerlee]

Ever been tempted to put, "his face completely concealed by the huge face-concealing mask, and his body completely covered by the ample cloak so there's no possible way you can identify him at all unless you're a psion or magicker" in an emote?

I mean, really.

I'm not saying that the inconvenience wouldn't outweigh the benefits, but I'd imagine a compromise could be reached somewhere....

I'd identify you as the excruciatingly suspicious masked man wearing lots of layers and standing out like a sore thumb.  But I don't want to have to type that out to say hi.
And I should still be able to tell you apart from the naked, masked dwarf and the tall masked elf with six arms.

[Yam]

If you're a raider in a world of telepaths, don't expect to be able to set foot near civilization.

[mansa]

If you're a raider in a world of telepaths, don't expect to be able to set foot near civilization.

Or learn to barrier?

[Gimfalisette]

it's hard to raid people and stay hidden at the same time.

Without killing them, of course.

Which is what I'd like to do, raid without killing people.

But I can't.

Because I'd be a very short-lived, or very isolated raider if I let 'em go alive.

My problem is right here. While I want to believe you that you'd prefer to not kill victims...and maybe YOU would...I just don't believe this is true of the majority of raiders.

Also, if you really wanted to not kill your victims, you just wouldn't. (General "you" again.)

But this whole argument always comes down to "I want what's good for my character, more than I want what is good for the game."

[Lizzie]

Sucks to be you.

First of all, that isnt needed.


Secondly, I'm not anti-interaction, but a lot of my "naughty" pc's are exactly that, anti-interaction.

MANY un-lawful pc's are anti-interaction, and many un-lawful pc's get screwed due to the fact it is mandatory that they have a "name" as a keyword.

The only reason they're getting screwed, is because you are trusting SOMEONE with your character's actual name. If you don't TELL anyone your character's name, then no one will be able to use it. Seems simple enough to me.

Although it is considered ridiculously rude to do so...it is codedly possible to tell everyone your name is Joe, and not have Joe as your keyword. The way to do it, is to not name your character Joe in chargen.

[Qzzrbl]

Ever been tempted to put, "his face completely concealed by the huge face-concealing mask, and his body completely covered by the ample cloak so there's no possible way you can identify him at all unless you're a psion or magicker" in an emote?

I mean, really.

I'm not saying that the inconvenience wouldn't outweigh the benefits, but I'd imagine a compromise could be reached somewhere....

I'd identify you as the excruciatingly suspicious masked man wearing lots of layers and standing out like a sore thumb.  But I don't want to have to type that out to say hi.
And I should still be able to tell you apart from the naked, masked dwarf and the tall masked elf with six arms.

Well, of course I wouldn't wear my raiding gear everywhere. Only when I'm out a-raidin'.

Most everyone would just "look figure" and get my description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Yet again the introduction code rears its head as a great way to deal with knowing PCs.

If you know that Sam is Sam, then you can use Sam to talk to him. If you do not know that Sam is Sam, and think that he is Riker, you can talk to him. If you have never met Sam, then you can't do any of that.

I have always liked the idea of encouraging face-to-face contact, rather than using the Way nearly exclusively for passing messages and the like. If you want to get hired, go where the Bosses are. If you want to control your minions, take roll call and put foots in their asses because you had to go physically find them.

That said, I suspect that the Way will always be something we deal with, and that's alright.

But with the introduction code, and with the psi skill beacon, all bases are covered.

[Gimfalisette]

Most everyone would just "look figure" and get my description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

Uhh...you're a little off-topic, darlin'.

[staggerlee]

Sucks to be you.

First of all, that isnt needed.


Secondly, I'm not anti-interaction, but a lot of my "naughty" pc's are exactly that, anti-interaction.

MANY un-lawful pc's are anti-interaction, and many un-lawful pc's get screwed due to the fact it is mandatory that they have a "name" as a keyword.

The only reason they're getting screwed, is because you are trusting SOMEONE with your character's actual name. If you don't TELL anyone your character's name, then no one will be able to use it. Seems simple enough to me.

Although it is considered ridiculously rude to do so...it is codedly possible to tell everyone your name is Joe, and not have Joe as your keyword. The way to do it, is to not name your character Joe in chargen.

That'd be okay as long as you only used the name briefly, or used different names.  But if you're consistently introducing yourself with the same name, you should probably add it to your keywords.

[Qzzrbl]

Most everyone would just "look figure" and get my description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

Uhh...you're a little off-topic, darlin'.

Most everyone would just "contact figure" and get my short description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

Fixed?

[mansa]

I think Gimf summed up the thread just fine.

If you don't want people using your name as a keyword, don't tell people your name.
Use a nickname.   A keyword, perhaps.  You can make as many of them as you want, using the addkeyword command.

Keywords are an OOC tool to interact with the playerbase.  There are commands that help you find keywords in a room, too!  keyword <keyword> will give you a list.

There are coded skills that help you become a better raider or thief.   Sneak, Hide, Barrier, Poisons, Sap, etc.  Become creative!  Look to "Bushman" as an example of a single mundane raider who couldn't be stopped.


As per the MAGICK documents, when you know a TRUENAME, you have power over them.  Infer mysterious magickal things from that.  Also, nosave polymorph lets you turn into a sheep without rolling a saving throw.

[staggerlee]

Most everyone would just "look figure" and get my description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

Uhh...you're a little off-topic, darlin'.

Maybe he's not?    I propose that this happened:


You walk north, holding a bag of money.
The menacing, cloaked figure runs in from the east.
The menacing, cloaked figure shouts "Give me all your money!!!"
You frown.
>Contact Qzzrbl
You contact the menacing, cloaked figure
>psi HA! I knew it was you!

[Gimfalisette]

Fixed?

This thread is about names as keywords. You're on a totally different topic with the "contact figure" issue. Which as mansa mentioned is not that hard to get around.

[Qzzrbl]

Most everyone would just "look figure" and get my description, and tell their local authority figure as soon as I let them go.

Uhh...you're a little off-topic, darlin'.

Maybe he's not?    I propose that this happened:


You walk north, holding a bag of money.
The menacing, cloaked figure runs in from the east.
The menacing, cloaked figure shouts "Give me all your money!!!"
You frown.
>Contact Qzzrbl
You contact the menacing, cloaked figure
>psi HA! I knew it was you!

Here we go.

Much thanks Stagger. 

[Gimfalisette]

Playing a successful raider, or thief, or burglar, or assassin, or noble, or templar, or bard...is much the same. They all need the same skill that isn't on your character's skill sheet.

[Desertman]

But this whole argument always comes down to "I want what's good for my character, more than I want what is good for the game."

One might argue its better for the game to have a raider who goes on to raid ten more people and cause ten more really cool scenes...instead of dieing after the first scene, due to sdesc sniffing, because he let that sdesc sniffer live.

My solution has always been...

If they "look" at me, I kill them. I let them know..."Keep your eyes on the ground or you lose them."

If they are stupid enough to look at me anyways, I kill them.

If I get..."Your barrier is smashed!"...(I always use barrier when I raid)...I kill them, if it wasnt them, thats just bad luck, sorry friend.

Also, bludgeoning weapons are the non-lethal raider's best friend.

When you are a raider, IMO, it is sort of your responsibility to use bludgeoning weapons.

I have had people not look at me, and not contact me via the Way, but still try to resist or run, and because they didnt sdesc sniff me, I have let them live, even after knocking them out.

Be curteous to raiders, they will be curteous to you...well, you know what I mean. Curteous = Leaving you naked, but alive and naked.

[staggerlee]

I think Gimf summed up the thread just fine.

If you don't want people using your name as a keyword, don't tell people your name.
Use a nickname.   A keyword, perhaps.  You can make as many of them as you want, using the addkeyword command.

Keywords are an OOC tool to interact with the playerbase.  There are commands that help you find keywords in a room, too!  keyword <keyword> will give you a list.

There are coded skills that help you become a better raider or thief.   Sneak, Hide, Barrier, Poisons, Sap, etc.  Become creative!  Look to "Bushman" as an example of a single mundane raider who couldn't be stopped.


As per the MAGICK documents, when you know a TRUENAME, you have power over them.  Infer mysterious magickal things from that.  Also, nosave polymorph lets you turn into a sheep without rolling a saving throw.

AND:

Playing a successful raider, or thief, or burglar, or assassin, or noble, or templar, or bard...is much the same. They all need the same skill that isn't on your character's skill sheet.

These bear repeating.
That's your key to playing a criminal on this or any MUD.  It works.  Kind of like the thieves bible only spelled out real simple.  

[Desertman]

You might be the best "thief" in the world, but if you botch one failed attempt after 100 succsessful attempts, and someone recognizes you as "Jack"...

The next day you have an IC Rumor Board post labeling you as Jack.

The day after that you have...fifty of these, constantly...

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

A foreign presence withdraws from your mind.