Cotton picking discussion

[Vanth]

Discuss the cotton picking job here.

[Fathi]

Hot DAMN.

[Synthesis]

I hope the security is very good if you cannot leave at all until picking a set amount.

/paranoid
//doesn't mean they're not after me

[Archbaron]

Hot DAMN.

[AmandaGreathouse]

This is about the greatest week ever for changes (well, 2 weeks, I'm still pretty stoked about pouring, too).

[That70sDrovian]

I can't wait to be able to try it out

[Ammut]

Wow, playing a commoner just got easier in Tuluk.

[Ourla]

Whoah.

All my loves are belong to you.

[number13]

You must pick a minimum amount of cotton for Dasari before you can leave, and you will be paid for all the cotton you pick for them.  Just as with the clay digging job, you will need an empty container to put the cotton in.

What happens if you enter the field without the empty container?

[Synthesis]

You must pick a minimum amount of cotton for Dasari before you can leave, and you will be paid for all the cotton you pick for them.  Just as with the clay digging job, you will need an empty container to put the cotton in.

What happens if you enter the field without the empty container?

The mul slave uses your ass as a "container?"

[Winterless]

Total Wyn.

[Thunkkin]

Awesome.

Also, don't forget Niddy Noddys.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niddy_noddy)

[tortall]

*This project began with Laeris in 2003 or maybe earlier.  During its long gestation it has been worked on by a number of staff members without whom it would not be possible.  Kudos go to Laeris, Vendyra, Ashyom, myself, Nyr (for helping me test) and Morgenes (because I am a scripting idiot, and he is a scripting god).

I remember Vendyra... She was at APM 2002 with me... And ASHYOM! My Kadian imm... ~sniffle~ I so overloaded him with updates... But he loved me anyways!

Oh, yes, code, AWESOME!! Can't wait to get a change to try it out.

[mansa]

This is fantastic.
Maybe it should be added to "what you know" along with the clay and wood logging jobs - so new players have "something to do" when they get into the game.

[brytta.leofa]

Amazing to see Arm the First getting new things like this.  Thanks.

(Obligatory: even if it is for them durn northies.)

[jhunter]

Dammit! This is cool but I won't be able to check it out with my current character. *sniffle*

[Jdr]

See, this is why the South is better than the North. Where Southies get by with an honest hardworking labor job of being a mercenary trained in the art of battle, your plebian Tuluki picks cotton and shovels clay. 

[Zalanthan]

See, this is why the South is better than the North.

I was under the apparently false impression that the North specialized in silk and the South specialized in cotton.  I now presume the farms outside Allanak are primarily devoted to grain production, which makes sense for a population of that size.

[Riev]

I've had so many characters that I started in Allanak, simply because I understand the basics behind mining and salt grebbing, and each were an "easy" source of income, with appropriate dangers (Well, once I had a giant walk across the flats, that was scary enough to make me stop for a while)

This makes it SO much easier to make a little money as an independent, which I thought was very lacking for new players in Tuluk. NOT everyone knows about the best places to go for wood and other things. While I -would- like to see more of a danger, thus more of an income, this makes it easy even for Wall-Dwellers to make enough 'sid to drink and eat.

Thanks for all the effort, -all- of you imms!

[SMuz]

See, this is why the South is better than the North.

I was under the apparently false impression that the North specialized in silk and the South specialized in cotton.  I now presume the farms outside Allanak are primarily devoted to grain production, which makes sense for a population of that size.

Hmm.. why is it that bread and flour isn't very easy to find in 'Nak then? Or maybe I'm just not looking at the shops right.

[number13]

This makes it SO much easier to make a little money as an independent, which I thought was very lacking for new players in Tuluk. NOT everyone knows about the best places to go for wood and other things.

It's common knowledge, I think, that life as an independent is easier in Tuluk.  As for the wood, there's a forest -- right outside of the gates. Try the woodworking helpfile for additional hints.

[Cutthroat]

See, this is why the South is better than the North.

I was under the apparently false impression that the North specialized in silk and the South specialized in cotton.  I now presume the farms outside Allanak are primarily devoted to grain production, which makes sense for a population of that size.

Hmm.. why is it that bread and flour isn't very easy to find in 'Nak then? Or maybe I'm just not looking at the shops right.

1575 (Year 35 Age 21)
    Several merchant houses make silt skimmer expeditions into the Sea of Silt, pressing into the unknown reaches south of Red Storm. Sometime during the trip, they attract the attention of the enigmatic and impossibly large Silt Giants, also known as "true giants." The giants chase the skimmer expedition back to shore, making landfall in Red Storm East. Over the course of the next few years, a few giants, so tall that their silhouettes are visible for miles, settle in Red Storm East, driving out the farmers and workers who, until then, produced much of Allanak's grain. Famine sweeps through the southern parts of the known world as grain becomes all but unavailable in Allanak and elsewhere.

This is a good change, though. I especially can't wait to see those new craftable cotton items coming into the game.

[DustMight]

Oh, it's great!  And I mean that seriously.  Having the ability to harvest resources, give some to the city and craft the rest or sell is awesome.

Can't wait to see "wheat picking" or some other resource like it for Allanak - you know, one where 1 day old warriors don't stand a real chance of dying to get at.

I hate to say it, Nyr, but once again this is an example of the North getting stuff (include Luir's in this) and Allanak getting the boot - to which I was referring in my vitriolic post on Luir's and their Kadian shop.

[Thunkkin]

Oh, it's great!  And I mean that seriously.  Having the ability to harvest resources, give some to the city and craft the rest or sell is awesome.

Can't wait to see "wheat picking" or some other resource like it for Allanak - you know, one where 1 day old warriors don't stand a real chance of dying to get at.

I hate to say it, Nyr, but once again this is an example of the North getting stuff (include Luir's in this) and Allanak getting the boot - to which I was referring in my vitriolic post on Luir's and their Kadian shop.

I bet there's a constructive, polite way to suggest this to the volunteers making us free stuff to play with - instead of somehow believing that they are persecuting you.  You are not getting the shaft.  You are not getting the boot.  You are getting a free game.

Also, street sweeping in Allanak would be -awesome- if coded. 

>forage dirt

[DustMight]

Thunkinn - it's not ME getting the shaft - it's the city of Allanak and all the players that prefer that city. 

I believe I wrote "Alanak is getting the boot."

I can not say why or how the staff figures out which goodies go where, I'm just pointing out that it is uneven and artificial while most of the game seems very organic and real.  I am suggesting the staff look at balance and add to point A and then to point B. 

There is little doubt that we have loyal players of either city that prefer only to play those cities.  To be fair to both, it seems balance would be in order. 

I ask you - do more players play Tuluk because the culture is so rip-roaring awesome or because there are more coded opportunities.

I submit it is the latter.

In the end it makes the rest of the world boring and it isn't logically consistent with devastation that befell Tuluk not so very long ago.

But - as I mentioned - I think coded jobs are awesome and adding another is great.  I did mention that didn't I? Yeah, I did.

[spawnloser]

I hate to say it, Nyr, but once again this is an example of the North getting stuff (include Luir's in this) and Allanak getting the boot - to which I was referring in my vitriolic post on Luir's and their Kadian shop.

Oh, and Allanak doesn't have salting?  Mining?  Down, boy, down.

[Nyr]

Oh, ok.


--container buying options on some merchants in Allanak
--Red's Retreat
--extra building work on making Allanak more 3D
--jars of kohl for the perfume seller in Allanak
--fixed tattoo scripts (on both custom tattooists)
--Senate Meeting
--water templar script (granted, in planning stages, but still a change to make)
--new "nicer" (heh) wildlife around Allanak

Yeah, nothing's been done in Allanak and nothing is going to be done in Allanak at all.

[Riev]

In honesty, besides clay digging (which most apparently did not know about), Tuluk really didn't have a method of monetary gain beyond crafting and selling to various shops (Which can be VERY lucrative if you know what you are doing).

Allanak and its Salting alone could support someone forever. On a day of spam-foraging on an old character, I spent the entire day, slept the night in a tent, and spent a couple hours  in the morning, and made over 200 'sid. Without a GOOD forage skill either. Plus, Jal never says "We have enough, go away".

[Semper]

I ask you - do more players play Tuluk because the culture is so rip-roaring awesome or because there are more coded opportunities.

People play in Tuluk for both the culture and the environment. If there was little or no culture to go off of, no matter how much coded benefits there were, eventually the novelty would die off. If the culture is the greatest, but there's very little in means to survive, the same applies, and players would play elsewhere.

On the flip side, Allanak has its own culture and unique (coded) environment (compared to other places). The only detriment to Allanak with improvements in other areas of the game are that the PCs start drifting away, but this is inevitable over the passage of time. Once the novelty of playing in Tuluk wears off, people'll come back to Allanak. For the culture. For the rp. For the environment.

The only way coded perks in one area could make the other areas of the game boring is when all the players flock to that area. After a time they'll go back to the other areas of the game that interest them. It happens. But aside from that, not much else changes with the rest of the game areas because of some improvements here and there. Rather, I'd think it improves the game overall.

And as Nyr mentioned, Allanak isn't forgotten. If Allanak is getting boring, it's mostly because the preferences with the player is changing. Complaints or gripes, whether voiced are not, do affect perception. Look on the bright side of things. It'll improve your day, too. 

And I should note: I keep hearing about how Tuluk's culture is messed up and how it's illogical that it could spring up after complete destruction. Although it would be nice if things worked out perfectly, it's a game in the end. Forget the past, and just go with how things have turned out, rather than dwelling on the good ol' times, or what could have been. You miss out on a lot by doing that. Take Tuluk for what it's turned out to be. It isn't all that bad.

[SMuz]

--water templar script (granted, in planning stages, but still a change to make)

IMHO, Allanak's the better of the two city-states. Mining and foraging salt alone's already good enough. Tuluk is generally safer, Allanak is more brutal on all sides, from hunting to scavenging, but it pays better. Nothing at all wrong with Allanak; there's plenty of culture and money-making opportunities. You can easily make daily 150 obsidian mining, 250 glass mining, and 200 salt foraging - and that includes the costs of stabling, water, and the salt sack. If you're a good fighter and skinner, you could even add a bit on top of that.

Tuluk is still the forgotten one, IMHO. Pfft.. culture indeed.

[pitchfork]

Sorry to interrupt, but I have something to say about, you know, the actual topic here..

Despite having read the topic and being not completely stupid or a newbie, I still managed to get stuck in the fields.  My only experience with a "gathering quest" in Arm is salt foraging in Allanak, so I assumed that a specific cotton-carrying container would be required, and that such an object would be sold by one of the NPCs related to the task.  By the time I discovered that I was being naive, it was too late.  Since I had read Vanth's post, at least I understood what had happened, but right now it is far too easy for anyone who isn't informed to wind up in an extremely frustrating and inexplicable situation.  Thanks again to the Imm who kindly punted my PC over the fence.   

A few ideas:

1. Put the NPCs outside the fields, or otherwise make it clear in game that you are about to enter the cotton fields and won't be able to leave again until certain criteria are met.

and/or

2. Deny entry to anyone who doesn't have an appropriate container in their inventory.

and/or

3. Put an NPC who sells cotton-carrying containers inside the fields.

and

4. Put an OOC note in the first room description, or a link to 'help cotton picking' or something similar - as in tailors' or in the stables.  I was able to work out fairly quickly that I needed to 'forage cotton' but that isn't going to be obvious to a new player.  It should also be made clear what sort of containers are appropriate for this task.  If any container will do, that should be stated explicitly.

Oh, and I absolutely love this addition.   

[Mood]

3. Put an NPC who sells cotton-carrying containers inside the fields.

The best solution, imo. Perhaps they could loan them out, and collect them back from you when you leave the fields.

[WarriorPoet]

Maybe I'm all alone here, but I get a little sad when yet another way to amass insane amounts of coin is opened up to commoners.

I like options and new features, don't get me wrong, this is cool if only for the sake of being new and cool as fuck, but yet another sid/salt option doesn't make me glow inside. Oh no.

[My 2 sids]

It's not simply a way to accumulate sid though -- it's a way for a PC (independent PC) to accumulate sid.   

It's a slow conversion to player-driven economy and groups and plots (Arm.2 anyone)?

[staggerlee]

Maybe I'm all alone here, but I get a little sad when yet another way to amass insane amounts of coin is opened up to commoners.

I like options and new features, don't get me wrong, this is cool if only for the sake of being new and cool as fuck, but yet another sid/salt option doesn't make me glow inside. Oh no.

It's not simply a way to accumulate sid though -- it's a way for a PC (independent PC) to accumulate sid.   

It's a slow conversion to player-driven economy and groups and plots (Arm.2 anyone)?

This kind of thing would seem to call for a hike in clan salaries.
It's awful unfortunate when the elite guard of lady so and so is making less money than the local escru farmer.

[WarriorPoet]

It's awful unfortunate when the elite guard of lady so and so is making less money than the local escru farmer.

This. But I don't like the idea of just increasing clan salaries. I WOULD LOVE to see the Immortals fall like a ton of shit on people for running hog-ass wild with glasshacker, forage skill, or whatever else those barbarous bastards in Tuluk use. Maybe the Templarate could, ah,appropriate the 10k sid in that unaffiliated, upjumped commoner's Nenyuk account for the greater good. Public works. Silks and whores. Things the city NEEDS.

[DustMight]

Actually, maybe that's the crux of my issue with this change - another way for indies to be successful indies and that hurts clans, the backbone of Arm.1.

The more I think about it - that could be it.

Spam foraging aside (someone mentioned making tons on salt this way) which is, IMO, bad RP to spam anything, making things "easy" for indies is against what drew me to Armageddon in the first place. 

The more I think about it - it is why I prefer Allanak to Tuluk.

I recently had an IC discussion with a clan member who said he socked nearly 4k away as an indy before clanning.  This shouldn't really be possible and if it was that easy for him, giving more opportunity for this is not fixing what's broken.

Then again, as someone pointed out - maybe the Imms aren't fixing what's broken but testing ideas for Arm2.

Either way - easy is cheesy and the auto-filling barrels of clans, the laid-back ease of getting food and water in Tuluk (and the coins for it without much risk) make the city lame.

And Nyr, you've a point - things have been done to 'nak - but not like Tuluk.

Where are the culture docs?  Where are the advanced art and poetry?  And Salt grebbing might be great - if your one day warrior doesn't run into a tough scrab or a salt worm or gith or spiders - no such risk for cotton grebbers.

Actually - to keep the post topical - I'll ask a direction question to staff - when you put in a job like cotton grebbing do you also add extra risk factors?  Will it be possible for me to rob the grebbers?  Will it be possible they will be attacked by raptors or other aggressive creatures?

What is the risk for the benefit?  If none, then the change is a little lop-sided, I think.

Edit to Add:
I will make the concession that the new IC rules about over-hunting and harvesting in the Tuluk area are AWESOME.  That is a great way to make things harder and have it appear organic.

Edit to Add (part 2):
That I don't mean to come off as mean-spirited or unappreciated - but obviously I'm just a concerned player who likes the game and envisions it one way and that may well not be the way the staff is taking the development.

[staggerlee]

It's awful unfortunate when the elite guard of lady so and so is making less money than the local escru farmer.

This. But I don't like the idea of just increasing clan salaries. I WOULD LOVE to see the Immortals fall like a ton of shit on people for running hog-ass wild with glasshacker, forage skill, or whatever else those barbarous bastards in Tuluk use. Maybe the Templarate could, ah,appropriate the 10k sid in that unaffiliated, upjumped commoner's Nenyuk account for the greater good. Public works. Silks and whores. Things the city NEEDS.

Taxing the holy hell out of commoners would be fun.

Joe the sid hacker brings in 10k worth of sid every day. At the gates they search him for spice, check his load, smile and tax him 5k. Sure he can work hard, but half of what he makes is going to go towards making the the nobles and templars richer, keeping him just as poor as ever in relative terms.   Everyone profits.

The same tax could be applied to finished goods sold by the unclanned, protecting the profits of the gmh.

...and then there'd be room for smugglers and even a black market, giving an economy and purpose to certain shady areas of the game.

[DustMight]

Taxing is a great idea - especially if it goes into the PC templar and nobility's hands so that it moves around the economy.

I remember once playing an Oashi noble that wanted to have all foreigners who carry weapons taxed.  Seemed like a good idea.  The Senate, at the time, didn't agree so much.  Alas.

[Nyr]

And Nyr, you've a point - things have been done to 'nak - but not like Tuluk.

Where are the culture docs?  Where are the advanced art and poetry? 

Different cultures--and culture stuff should be brought up in its own thread, really.  There isn't as much documented for Allanaki culture (the arts and the like) but that doesn't mean there can't be, or that existing practices don't exist within southern clans.  Approach a staff member for a southern clan, see if one of them wants to tackle some cultural documentation expansion.  Part of the reason Tuluk has had an expansion of their documentation was due to its confusing nature at times.

And Salt grebbing might be great - if your one day warrior doesn't run into a tough scrab or a salt worm or gith or spiders - no such risk for cotton grebbers.

Actually - to keep the post topical - I'll ask a direction question to staff - when you put in a job like cotton grebbing do you also add extra risk factors?

You're in a cotton field.  You might get Krath struck.  You might not get the cotton harvested.  You might not have time to deal

Will it be possible for me to rob the grebbers?

It's possible to rob anyone anywhere if you go about it the right way.

Will it be possible they will be attacked by raptors or other aggressive creatures?

Inside the walls of a city?  It's doubtful.

What is the risk for the benefit?  If none, then the change is a little lop-sided, I think.

Risk vs. benefit isn't the only thing to look at--it's merely one of the factors.  There are pros and cons.  Pros:  cotton picking is a safe job.  Clay foraging is a safe job.  As such, the cons are that they produce relatively low profits (though in the case of cotton picking, you can also craft the cotton bolls all the way into clothing, which can sell for higher profits--which requires more time and crafting to get to that point).  If someone can stay alive in the harsh environment around Red Storm while spice sifting, or grebbing for salt or obsidian, they can get higher profits.

We try to monitor automated systems like this, and try to keep track of people that use them unrealistically.

Edit to Add (part 2):
That I don't mean to come off as mean-spirited or unappreciated - but obviously I'm just a concerned player who likes the game and envisions it one way and that may well not be the way the staff is taking the development.

Understood.

[Doppelganger]

Maybe I'm all alone here, but I get a little sad when yet another way to amass insane amounts of coin is opened up to commoners.

Anything that "pays somewhat better than clay digging" might be imperfect, but it is far from insanity in my book.
And even if cotton fields are just another salt flats, I could be careless, because when you have one source of unrealistic income, you might as well have hundred of them, it does not change much.

They have their ideas to repair economy and we have been warned beforehand. We could see these fields comig from few years ago, so the sooner they start in-field testing, the better.

Besides, I don't want, but I have to admit that cotton picking is a better idea than dung sweeping.

[DustMight]

For me the big difference between cotton picking and salt grebbing is that grebbing salt puts you at risk for npc critters while cotton grebbing does not.  This is a problem, in my mind. 

[Yokunama]

For me the big difference between cotton picking and salt grebbing is that grebbing salt puts you at risk for npc critters while cotton grebbing does not.  This is a problem, in my mind. 

Its not. You can make an awful lot salt mining.

[Doppelganger]

For me the big difference between cotton picking and salt grebbing is that grebbing salt puts you at risk for npc critters while cotton grebbing does not.  This is a problem, in my mind. 

Agreed, actually the first urge I had was to pick some reasonable fellow, like pitchfork, and go check his pockets IG to see if he makes reasonable amount of money or not. And I might have some complications with that due to hightened security and current skillset.

But then again, in a more serious tone, it's not different to pits in the middle of commons, neither in terms of security nor in terms of income.
The only ones who look really affected are clothmakers. And I am all for giving them silk worms and flax farms at the price of removing NPC fabric dealers completely.

[DustMight]

Yes, but you can DIE salt grebbing.  Not so within the walls of Tuluk (I understand this is where the cotton fields are?).

[tortall]

Yes, but you can DIE salt grebbing.  Not so within the walls of Tuluk (I understand this is where the cotton fields are?).

With salt grebbing you can make nearly 200 a day. With cotton picking, from my understanding, you might make 20 a day. I think that extra 180 covers the danger, which is the point.

[Vanth]

I set one of the NPCs in the fields to sell a cheap bag, based on player feedback.

[pitchfork]

I set one of the NPCs in the fields to sell a cheap bag, based on player feedback.

<3

Also, to you guys who are really upset about the idea of people getting rich off of cotton picking, please note

Cotton picking pays somewhat better than clay digging (I will probably be adjusting the pay for clay digging soon, so they'll be about equal).

So it pays somewhat better than the current rate of clay digging.  And if Vanth's thread asking for clay digging feedback is any indication (I wouldn't know, since I was among those who never realised that you could dig for clay), clay digging is just about the last thing you'd ever want to do if you want to make coin.  The last thing.  Ever.  And this pays somewhat better?  I suspect that this is more intended as a way for crafters to get ahold of raw cotton, than for anyone to get rich.  I mean, come on.  Your hypothetical twink who wants to get rich quick - is he really going to have the patience to spend an IG day out there in the cotton fields and get a handful of sid when he could be pulling in a couple small mining sid or glass?

[Twilight]

I like that this has been added.  I like the direction staff is taking for adding in sid making opportunities.

Although, a part of me does fondly remember killing gith captains for spice knots to sell in Tuluk.

[Vanth]

I also updated the NPCs with talk scripts.

[Ender]

I also updated the NPCs with talk scripts.

Cool!  I'm personally really excited to see that new stuff like this is constantly going into the game, and I wanted to give my thanks to the staff for doing their best to make the game more enjoyable for the players.

Seeing player feedback taken into account and used to make something better and more functional really makes me happy.

[Vanth]

If a Dasari noble likes you, you may be able to get a special benefit from them.

[tortall]

If a Dasari noble likes you, you may be able to get a special benefit from them.

O.O Quick! Someone app a Dasari and find out what it is!!

[Doppelganger]

If they really like you, Dasari provide an unconfirmed antidote when they test an unconfirmed poison on you.
Depending on success, they might throw in an unconfirmed wreath for your funerals too.

/not Dasari, obviously

[manonfire]

If a Dasari noble likes you, you may be able to get a special benefit from them.

O.O Quick! Someone app a Dasari and find out what it is!!

Ugh, then they'd have to actually play a Tuluki noble.

[Semper]

If a Dasari noble likes you, you may be able to get a special benefit from them.

O.O Quick! Someone app a Dasari and find out what it is!!

Ugh, then they'd have to actually play a Tuluki noble.

Or be a partisan. Or a loyal slave. Partisan is better.

[evil_erdlu]

While salt mining, creatures attack? Oh really?

C'mon.. let's be honest.. All the creatures close to the west side of the salt flats are annihilated regularly, so regularly that I wonder where I would find a scrab if I played a ranger or a warrior these days. Gith? It's my eighth character and I've yet to see a gith. I guess they are also killed quickly.

Still, of course, salt gathering is dangerous because you're alone, exhausting yourself in a lawless area. At least one hand of yours is weaponless, you're not atop your mount. Thinking you may end up living a life of luxury just by salt gathering, the danger balances the pay.

And cotton picking? I tried it. You may possibly end up poorer because it drains the moist from your skin faster than a bulldog eating from a bowl. Staff is right.. I wonder if anyone other than tailors will ever bother collecting cotton. Maybe for an off-peak Bynner it's a legal forage action where he can solo-RP till he gets bored.

And my advice to the ones who are going to try picking cotton. Do _not_ offer the bag with the bolls you're sparing for crafting. The NPC will purchase all of them and pay you the price. After that stomping the ground, swearing or veiled threats; anything you do, the NPC won't care, leaving you with a handful (a halfling's hand that is) of coins.

[Nyr]

Gith? It's my eighth character and I've yet to see a gith. I guess they are also killed quickly.

I think there might be another reason you have not seen any gith.

edit to add:  and once again I leave off the link and quote.

1579 (Year 39 Age 21)
An army of gith holds Allanak in an extended period of loose seige, using the citystate's extensive sewer system to infiltrate the city from beneath the ground. An organized defense effort consisting of the Arm of the Dragon, the T'zai Byn, and the Great Merchant Houses beats back the majority of gith forces within the city. A large portion of the gith threat claims the Borsail estate, however, despite House Tor's concentrated defense of the noble's quarter. The farming villages, responsible for much of the city's grain production, are attacked at roughly the same time, though the gith hoarde is defeated with a counterattack, led by Lord Templar Samos Rennik. The besieged Borsail estate, declared to be treacherous, is sunk into a pit of lava shortly thereafter by the Black Robe Tarith Kasix, effectively ending the gith threat.

[Synthesis]

The inability to leave without picking cotton is pretty annoying.

I was this close to murdering the guard and shoving a handful of cotton bolls up his ass.

I stopped by with my hunter to see what all the fuss was about, and couldn't get back out because I didn't have a motherfucking bag that wasn't chock full of bullshit.  (There's no telling whether the NPC takes the whole bag of loot, a la the salt merchant, or just empties out the cotton.)  Fortunately, the duskhorn skull I was toting around served as a suitable container.

I just don't see what the fucking point of trapping people inside the fields is.  It's almost like a Blackmoon North Road holdup:

The squat mul has arrived from the east, sprinting in.
The enormous half-giant has arrived from the east.
The tall, muscular man has arrived from the east.
The squat, muscular dwarf has arrived from the east.

The enormous half-giant begins guarding the west exit.
The tall, muscular man begins guarding the east exit.
The squat, muscular dwarf begins guarding the north exit.

The squat mul subdues you, despite your attempts to struggle away.

The squat mul says, in sirihish:
     "forage cotton"

[brytta.leofa]

What if the NPC were to give you a cotton sack upon entry and take it back when you leave?

[Yam]

It's still really annoying. There's no warning that you're going to get stuck in there. I accidentally stumbled in and spent the next half hour foraging cotton while thinking about murdering that guard.

[FuSoYa]

It's still really annoying. There's no warning that you're going to get stuck in there. I accidentally stumbled in and spent the next half hour foraging cotton while thinking about murdering that guard.

Same happened to me... suffice it to say I was rather unhappy.  And even more so when I got my pay for a mindless 20-30 minutes of cotton picking and waiting (happened at night).

Brandon

[Is Friday]

I got caught in there with a character that had no IC reason for ever cotton picking, and I had to wish up and wait a while for any sort of wheeling and dealing for that to happen.

Still.

Annoying.

[Bushranger]

If they really like you, Dasari provide an unconfirmed antidote when they test an unconfirmed poison on you.
Depending on success, they might throw in an unconfirmed wreath for your funerals too.

/not Dasari, obviously

You are Plisken
Keywords: Snake ruggedly handsome one-eyed human
Sdesc: The ruggedly handsome, one-eyed human
Objective: To rescue the Sun King from Undertuluk and recieve the antidote to the poison the Dasari injected me with.
Long Description: Code generated long description
You are 28 years, 6 months and 12 days old, which by your race and appearance is mature.

Your strength is extremely good, your agility is extremely good,
your wisdom is very good, and your endurance is Absolutely Incredible.

Guild: Warrior Sub-guild: Rebel

MY GOD I SO WANT TO APP SNAKE PLISKEN NOW!

[Archbaron]

I just picked some cotton for the first time, I liked the entire experience! The NPC is very well-written, too. I liked the interactivity.

[Synthesis]

The inability to leave without picking cotton is pretty annoying.

I was this close to murdering the guard and shoving a handful of cotton bolls up his ass.

I stopped by with my hunter to see what all the fuss was about, and couldn't get back out because I didn't have a motherfucking bag that wasn't chock full of bullshit.  (There's no telling whether the NPC takes the whole bag of loot, a la the salt merchant, or just empties out the cotton.)  Fortunately, the duskhorn skull I was toting around served as a suitable container.

I just don't see what the fucking point of trapping people inside the fields is.  It's almost like a Blackmoon North Road holdup:

The squat mul has arrived from the east, sprinting in.
The enormous half-giant has arrived from the east.
The tall, muscular man has arrived from the east.
The squat, muscular dwarf has arrived from the east.

The enormous half-giant begins guarding the west exit.
The tall, muscular man begins guarding the east exit.
The squat, muscular dwarf begins guarding the north exit.

The squat mul subdues you, despite your attempts to struggle away.

The squat mul says, in sirihish:
     "forage cotton"

HAHAHA, the simile is complete:

you can escape the cotton fields death trap by typing "flee self!"

[SMuz]

Lol. Someone needs to rescue the cotton pickers from voluntary enslavement.

[FantasyWriter]

is cotton "production" fully implemented yet?

If so I am having trouble.

[Cutthroat]

is cotton "production" fully implemented yet?

If so I am having trouble.

It's definitely possible to get from cotton bolls to clothing, with all the steps in between. Check out help clothworking and help weaving.

[Jingo]

Is silk weaving in the game yet?

[Agent_137]

am I dumb? Does "west of the plains gate" not mean exactly that? Why can't I find the cotton-pickin' fields?

nevermind. found it. Southwest is a better description than 'west'.

[HTX]

One minor complaint - last time I picked cotton, someone shut the gate... Not realising this, my character went to leave but found the gate blocking his path. But though my character didn't move, the NPC none-the-less took his ticket and I had to get another ticket to leave.

And if you accidentally walk into the cotton fields it doesn't really take long to forage enough cotton to leave, but none-the-less I agree that maybe there should be some sort of warning that you're entering an area which you need a ticket to leave?

Other than that though, I like it.

[number13]

The inability to leave without picking cotton is pretty annoying.

I was this close to murdering the guard and shoving a handful of cotton bolls up his ass.

I wish I had read this before falling into this particular trap. A quit room would be nice, an automated method of bribing the NPCs to let you go, or something.

[Riev]

How would staff feel, about me rolling up a thiefly character whose sole purpose was so hide at the Cotton gates, and steal tokens as soon as players received them?

How long would it take before the entire Arm community set fire to my entire state?

[Xagon]

One concern I've had is.. What if you have no bags, and no sid to buy one? If I remember right, you have to give the cotton to the guy in a bag.

YOU REMAIN TRAPPED FOREVAR?!

[Synthesis]

One concern I've had is.. What if you have no bags, and no sid to buy one? If I remember right, you have to give the cotton to the guy in a bag.

YOU REMAIN TRAPPED FOREVAR?!

Any container-object that you can put cotton bolls in will work.

The inability to leave without picking cotton is pretty annoying.

I was this close to murdering the guard and shoving a handful of cotton bolls up his ass.

I stopped by with my hunter to see what all the fuss was about, and couldn't get back out because I didn't have a motherfucking bag that wasn't chock full of bullshit.  (There's no telling whether the NPC takes the whole bag of loot, a la the salt merchant, or just empties out the cotton.)  Fortunately, the duskhorn skull I was toting around served as a suitable container.

I just don't see what the fucking point of trapping people inside the fields is.  It's almost like a Blackmoon North Road holdup:

The squat mul has arrived from the east, sprinting in.
The enormous half-giant has arrived from the east.
The tall, muscular man has arrived from the east.
The squat, muscular dwarf has arrived from the east.

The enormous half-giant begins guarding the west exit.
The tall, muscular man begins guarding the east exit.
The squat, muscular dwarf begins guarding the north exit.

The squat mul subdues you, despite your attempts to struggle away.

The squat mul says, in sirihish:
     "forage cotton"

[ibusoe]

Most of the responses to this topic are humorous.  It's fairly partisan.

Code Select Expand


Oh, it came out of the sky, landed just a little south of Moline
Jody fell out of his tractor, couldn't believe what he seen
Laid on the ground and shook fearin' for his life
Then he ran all the way to town screamin' it came out of the sky


Well, a crowd gathered round and a scientist said it was marsh gas
Spiro came and made a speech about raising the Mars tax
The Vatican said, woe, the Lord has come, Hollywood rushed out an epic film
And Ronnie the Popular said it was a communist plot

Oh, the newspapers came and made Jody a national hero
Walter and Eric said they'd put him on a network TV show
The White House said, "Put the thing in the Blue Room"
The Vatican said, "No, it belongs to Rome"
And Jody said, it's mine and you can have it for seventeen million.



Lyrics courtesy of CCR.

[Nyr]

This is on my list of things to (probably) revamp in some way, at some point, FWIW.

[DustMight]

Wow, playing a commoner just got easier in Tuluk.

<snark>How awesome is that!</snark>

Not picking on you Ammut, but just my old prejudices again.  I suppose it won't matter as obviously Allanak is headed for the center of the earth anyway.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Don't be too sure. Allanak weathers every struggle and comes out on top, and has for years and years and years. Not to say you are wrong - just to suggest that you never be sure about the way something IC will turn out.

[Nyr]

*bump*

[Dakota]

Nice update.

I miss the whole "You can't leave until you pick me some cotton" "Yes massa' sir!"

I felt like it was in the United States in the 1800s. Was funny. Shocking. Very Arm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JjxpGpKNR4

[Mazy]

Ah yes. I picture myself as the hapless newbie clad in nothing more than starting attire wandering around to find herself trapped in a strange field. With the NPC sneering at me and leering, "Ain't leavin' without a cottin' pickin' token, foo'!" Ah, nostalgic, as I remember the first time I wandered into the cotton fields, I'll miss the old enslaved feeling. Not! I'M FINALLY FREE! Due to a novice foraging skill, I've been trapped in those fields for years! I'll never have to worry about getting stuck in those fields ever again!

[WagonsHo]

I hate to point this out, but ... what happens if you bring along your own spindle? 

"Nope!  No cotton bolls here!  Just some yarn in my pack.  I had that before.  Honest."

[Nyr]

In theory you could do this.  However, it would be frowned upon IC and by staff, so do not do this, please.

[Qzzrbl]

I remember a character of mine almost assaulted the guard there after stepping in to check out the cotton field.

"We're sorry, you can't leave until you pick some cotton."

"What?"

"Buy a bag right there.... 'Cause that's the only bag we'll accept with cotton in it."

"I ain' got the 'sid to buy a bag-- jes' lemme out."

Heheh...

[Spoon]

Same here Qzzrbl. I got really worked up after going in accidentally. If I could have guaranteed my PC getting out after killing all the guards, it would have happened.

So, nice update to the place.

[X-D]

I once went in with a PC that Could kill all the guards.

Wish all Hey, Somebody wanna let me out of here before I fight my way out?

Few minutes of a one sided arguement with the guard.

Guards looks at my PC.

Guard says Oh, I did not recognize you Kon, You may pass.

[RogueGunslinger]

How did I not know that you played him?