Player/Staff Meeting 2 : 2/21/09 - Part 4 - Open Discussion [Part 1]

[Morgenes]

<Nessalin> OK, we're opening the topic up to misc questions.

*** Nessalin sets mode: -m #main

<Lysine> Are there any plans to make older bios available to players to
 read?

<Morgenes> you should be able to read your bios on the website

<Venomz> I'd suggest 'poop' is reworded as 'manure' or 'dung'. I like
 the job, but think the wording is a bit off.

<Sanvean> your own or other people's?

<Lysine> I mean bios wirtten by other players.

<Lysine> After they get suitably old, that is.

<Sanvean> Yeah, we've discussed doing that and I think it's a neat idea

<Adhira> I would point out that some people might not want you to read
 their bios.

<Lysine> But why not? After the character is long dead?

<Suser> ... Could it be a new submissions section?  Maybe a topic per
 submitted character?

<Adhira> So that would need to be considered.

<Morgenes> it would have to be like Original Submissions, you'd have to say
 you want your bios posted

<rishenko> There we go.

<Hedrai> All I have to say is: Armageddon Staff have done a great job
 and I know they'll keep doing one. - Thanks Guys. I'm out.

<Adhira> Well, a lot of people write bios for themselves. As Morgenes
 says, some kind of permission system.

Morgenes> I think a new part of the Original Submissions page would be a good
 place to surface that

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Has specific body-part affliction been discussed?
 Specifically in regards to poison. For instance, if you were only grazed
 with peraine in the arm, you might lose feeling only in that arm.

<Nessalin> I don't believe the combat code has gotten that far, no,
 HATSnHARLOTRY

<Amanda> Yeah, thank you all. You guys spend tons of time making Arm a
 great place to spend time, and a very detailed, very amazing other world.
 Mass staff kudos.

<Booya> Related to Arm2, could we have more flexibility with
 skills/guild choices so the ones we haveare able to get aren't cemented in
 the character creation before we get a chance to play the character please?

<Sanvean> Boya - we do intend to have a more flexible system than the
 current one.

<rishenko> Again, I want to thank all of the imms for providing random
 world animations.  It's been giving me a definite, sometimes exponential
 increase in immersion.  (even for little, two emote anims)

<Sanvean> HnH - that hasn't been discussed, but its a neat idea

<Cutthroat> Are there any plans in place regarding the tending of
 helpers@armageddon.org?

<Venomz> What?


<Terri> Agreed, the animations have been top notch. I thank you all for
 the time spent on that.

<Venomz> We have our own mass emailing addy?

<Morgenes> it is for staff support of helpers

<Sanvean> Cutthroat - we need to get someone handlign it more
 actively,t here are plans for that

<Senga There is staff handling it actively now. We haven't recieved
 any email.

<Cutthroat> Okay, great. Thanks

<Venomz> Is this chatroom -always- open, or only for these meetings?

<Lysine> I read a suggestion on the GDB that has some merit. It's the
 notion of annual cultural events. They could be automated, even. For
 example, once a year everyone places a lit candle out on the doorstep, to
 ward off desert spirits. Or a yearly procession of robed gemmed to do
 obseisance in the Dragon's temple and leave offerings.  Does this attract
 any interest?

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Is there plans to include a more complex 'punishment'
 to PK than win/lose? Currently there is kill or be killed, not much in
 between. This relates to my previous question regarding poison.  How are
 wounds to be treated? If I stab some guy in the leg with a spear I'm not
 awful savvy with him running off.

anda> Are there anymany animals in Zalanthas that are generally
 accepted as there but not represented by mobs/npcs?

<Nessalin> Lysine, I think events like that would add a lot to the
 game, es.

<Adhira> Lysine - we used to have automated morning devotions happen in
 Allanak.

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Futhermore, if such a thing could be improved/implemented,
 would the physicianing side be improved similarly?

<Adhira> There were some code issues with it, I believe that stopped it
 being used, but that could be one thing to get looked at.

<Venomz> Please bring back devotions.

<Venomz> They were awesome.

<Sanvean> I need to book here, I'm afraid, got an appt I need to get
 ready for, but I'm staying idle here so I can scrollback later. Thanks,
 folks!

<Suser> *waves*

<Psionic_fungus> i don't know if any staff play tabletop rpg's... but
 any way about it, i recommend checking out warhammer frpg. it is amazing in
 both setting and mechanics. inspirational, even.

<Amanda> Bye, Sanvean.

<Adhira> Amanda - there are some animals that are virtual only, that is
 something staff have been working on over time. Vanth's latest plant project
 is an indication of that. Trying to add more life where it should be in the
 world.

<Morgenes> Dunno if it's ever been advertised, but we use Runequest as a lot
 of our inspiration, and that will be continued in Arm 2

<Psionic_fungus> hmm.

<HATSnHARLOTRY> I can't take that seriously.

<Morgenes> Personally, my current favorite RPG is Savage Worlds

<Morgenes> great for table-top, not so great for simulation line this

<Morgenes> sorry HnH, can't take what seriously?

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Oh, I read Runescape. Nevermind.

<Psionic_fungus> i've been playing a variety of system, but i'm hooked
 on frpg.  i think it is the careeradvancement scheme that makes it so
 satisfying.

<Venomz> All you staff have had some great drive in adding to the world
 we -live- in right now. THanks,. from the bottom of my heart.

<Morgenes> I'll see if I can find a PDF to check it out

<Amanda> Thanks, good to know. I mean, I always sort of pictured the virtual
 carru and tregils and such, but other animals that I haven't seen.... I
 can't really make myself imagine something that might not be there.

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Is my question overlooked or being mulled over
 currently?

<rishenko> Is there any hope of getting an online system by which
 merchant house people can place orders for specific items?  And the imms
 could use the same web based system to populate the respective NPCs
 accordingly?

<Psionic_fungus> i think what you're asking for is something most
 people want to see, hnh.

<Psionic_fungus> at least, i do.

<Morgenes> Arm 2 will ahve a better system for wounds and physicianship

<Adhira> We have a doctor on staff.

<HATSnHARLOTRY> I remember a time I drug some guy out into the middle
 of the desert, tethered to my gal's beetle, stripped him down and beat him
 unconscious beforehand. He woke up and did standeeeeeseseseetc.

<Booya> Talking of physicianship, my character got a coded illness the
 other day - it was great! Thanks for that.

<Morgenes> I could see a request tool option for orders

<Psionic_fungus> speaking of... whfrpg is so terrible.  hand weapons to
 1d10+strength bonus... and characters have an average of 10 hps.

<HATSnHARLOTRY> Any addition to wounds would help alleviate that
 frustration, thanks.

<Zoan> Krath's touch doesn't last long enough I think _

<rishenko> Morgenes:  That would be awesome.  They could pick from the
 list or view the descs, pick the right item, place an order, etc.

<Psionic_fungus> but you can fight at 0hps... every hit from that point
 on is calculated as a critical, and rolls and an effect chart.

<Suser> l

<Dakurus> l!

<rishenko> You see nothing special.

<Suser> I hate you all.  Ahem.  Are there any character concepts or
 themes you think should be called out more in IC right now?

<Olgaris> I always like to see poor folks, and criminals, and people
 who aren't totally full of themselves.

<Olgaris> But that's a personal opinion.

<Lysine> Totally full of themselves using "think" or in action?

<Suser> Is why I'm asking.  Y'all have more of a bird's eye view of the
 population.

<Morgenes> with that, it's dinner time here, then I'm DMing, so we'll see you
 guys later

[Salt Merchant]

I like the idea of old bios becoming available to read, although it's true that some players might not want to volunteer theirs.

Making it something people have to send in as Original Submissions would likely diminish the "published" bios to a handful of what would otherwise be available. Some players might well have left the game before their bios become eligible (i.e. age sufficiently) for submission. Other players might be discouraged from submitting their bios if substantial work is involved.

Instead, I suggest that a software flag be attached to each account. Players could just switch it on ("reveal bios") or switch it off ("hide bios") according to their preference, just as they can for GDB accounts with respect to email addresses, IM and the like. Biographies would automatically become available as past characters reach a dead-since/retired-since threshold. People that only want to make certain biographies available could still choose "hide bios" and submit only the ones they do want to make public.

Reading through others' bios could easily be inspiring to new players and reinvigorating to old ones, and the more that appear, the greater the effect will be.