Poll Closed: Default for cloaks being open or closed

[Morgenes]

I will close this poll in 24 hours as I want to get this finished.

I am working on allowing cloaks to be open or closed to allow you to show what's underneath them.  This will also impart a slight additional delay to draw/sheath if you leave your cloak closed.

If you consider what is in the game today, the current behavior acts as if everyone's cloaks are closed (you can't see the person's belt or what's on it).

In adding this, one way or the other needs to be the default.  In my mind I can see both answers.  Having it default to open seems more likely how you'd put on a cloak, the problem is to get today's behavior that everyone is used to, you have to do two commands, 'wear cloak; close cloak'.  Having it default to close is the current standard behavior of cloaks, yet it will force you to open it to draw your weapons without delay.

On a related tangent, this code change will also add command emotes to the open and close commands.

[Cutthroat]

Defaulting them to open makes sense to me. This is awesome.

Also, command emotes for open and close is awesome.

You are awesome.

[Good Gortok]

That is just amazing. A lot of awesome things have been going in lately that we've been requesting for ages. I voted for open as default, because that's how it would be when you put it on and closing it would be an action, just as hoods are down when you don a cloak or robe.

Thanks, Morg!

[mansa]

I think the act of wearing a cloak makes them closed by default.

[AmandaGreathouse]

I voted for closed, because I would think that the fabric would naturally fall together to cover the midsection as it is now. But I love the idea of having them open and close-able.

PS: Thank you much, Morgenes for all the great changes to the code lately.

[mansa]

Would the delay for drawing your weapons be the CURRENT delay, or an even longer one?

...This will also impart a slight additional delay to draw/sheath if you leave your cloak closed.

Oh.  Hmm.  I should read the Original Post.

[Good Gortok]

Oh, and also, could some "about body" items be set to always open and not closable? I'm thinking things like tabards, capes, pelts, harnesses and bandoliers.

[th3kaiser]

Yay! I saw this done on another mud years ago, very happy to have it implemented here.

[Morgenes]

Would the delay for drawing your weapons be the CURRENT delay, or an even longer one?

This would be a delay in addition to the current delay.

Oh, and also, could some "about body" items be set to always open and not closable? I'm thinking things like tabards, capes, pelts, harnesses and bandoliers.

Yes, I will try and fix this while I'm at it.

[BlackMagic0]

I believe being set to closed would be best as everyone is familiar with that and those that want it open can then settle upon opening it in my thoughts.

Also.. Is this 'closed cloak' delay going be really noticeable? Or is it a minor add on to the current delay? I mean pushing fabric aside is not -that- much... may only take a couple extra seconds. Simply curious.
So would we really notice a huge or minor difference between the open and closed delay / no delay? From the current. 

Oh, and also, could some "about body" items be set to always open and not closable? I'm thinking things like tabards, capes, pelts, harnesses and bandoliers.

Yes, I will try and fix this while I'm at it.

That is awesome. 

[Morgenes]

Also.. Is this 'closed cloak' delay going be really noticeable? Or is it a minor add on to the current delay? I mean pushing fabric aside is not -that- much... may only take a couple extra seconds. Simply curious.

There will be other advantages granted for having your cloak closed that I'm not willing to discuss, that said it needs a penalty to go with it, and so forgetting to open your cloak before drawing/sheathing will incur a time penalty. 

So would we really notice a huge or minor difference between the open and closed delay / no delay? From the current. 

I'm hoping it'll be noticeable enough to make it something to consider, but not painful.  It'll likely take some balancing to get right.

[a strange shadow]

How will sheathed items worn as/on a belt be affected? (i.e. knives in knife sheaths)

What about sheathed items worn on a location not covered by the cloak, when it's closed?

[brytta.leofa]

Closed.  You wear a cloak to protect yourself from the elements and from prying eyes, and the default behavior should be the most useful.  In inherently dangerous environments (wilderness), you'll have weapons drawn anyway.

And a vile suggestion: give cloaks a 15% chance of silently closing themselves whenever you move from one "room" to the next.

[Sephiroto]

Closed.

1) Because all cloaks are closed by default right now, even though we don't have the benifits that Morgenes is coding for them.
2) Because I'd rather have default protection from sneakies who don't have "Peek".
3) Because real fighters sheathe their weapons on their backs (Morgenes, please make sure that drawing from the back isn't messed up when cloaks are closed)

[AmandaGreathouse]

And a vile suggestion: give cloaks a 15% chance of silently closing themselves whenever you move from one "room" to the next.

I wouldn't think this should always be an issue though. I mean, whats the reasoning here, if I may ask? Weather? If so, what about multi-room indoor areas? What about the rare times when there is no wind?

[brytta.leofa]

What about sheathed items worn on a location not covered by the cloak, when it's closed?

Seems like the cloak draw delay should be location-dependent:
  Extra delay for weapons hung on belt, in belt-sheaths, quivers worn on waist, etc.
  No extra delay for back, armsheaths, boots.

[a strange shadow]

Agreed. I wanted to make sure it was being taken into consideration.

[Ammut]

My character doesn't wear clothes, just because it was there.   

[Prince Prig]

Open.

When wearing a jacket or cloak, the act of closing requires further attention. I always imagined cloaks and the like to be "worn on the body" as the location says. If the need for further protection from elements or other is required, the wearer would button up and bundle up, so to speak.

That, and the fact that there's added delay when it's closed.

And who wears a closed up cloak except when necessary?

[Sephiroto]

Has your character stepped outside of a tavern lately?

[FantasyWriter]

I voted for closed.
Mostly because that is the current default.

Also, Morg, I agree with Seph [and others that posted after him], that a large weapons sheathed on the back (presumably over the cloak since you can currently see them on a cloaked character) should be unaffected.  Will this be the case?

[brytta.leofa]

If the need for further protection from elements or other is required, the wearer would button up and bundle up, so to speak.

I imagine otherwise: you flip the thing around your shoulders and fasten the clasp, then pull it back over your shoulders a bit if you want to show off your fancy shirt.

And remember, you don't have to wear a cloak all the time.  You don't lounge around indoors wearing a heavy jacket, do you?   (But this is complicated by the fact that the cloak itself is the de facto insignia for several clans, not least the 'nakki militia.)

[FantasyWriter]

Would it be possible/worthwhile to make belts wearable on the outside of cloaks since this is a real life possibility?

Also, I would think this would remove the open/closed option for cloaks once a belt was fastened around it, and it would be stuck the way it was before you put on the belt.

[Marauder Moe]

 

Awesome.

Anyway, hmm, I'd have to say open.  To me it seems analogous to hoods, which default to the least-concealing mode.

Will the inventory-view sdesc of the cloak change to reflect that it's open or closed?  Like...

<worn about the body>  An open, dark hooded cloak.

or

<worn about the body>  A closed, dark hooded cloak.

?

[FantasyWriter]

Will the inventory-view sdesc of the cloak change to reflect that it's open or closed?  Like...

PLEASE!