Random idea: no intro, no way

[Fnord]

A random thought just came to me: what impact do you think it would have in game to make waying people not so easy? What if you had to make some form of physical contact with a person first. For the sake of argument, talking to them first, or looking at them first.

Would this allow bad guys to be more anonymous, or just be annoying? Again, random thought. Have at it.

[Gimfalisette]

It would make it impossible to Way the Byn sergeant after you just got her name from some guy at the tavern. You'd have to rely completely on chance meetings or intermediaries known to both parties in order to start talking. Bad for game functionality and playability, especially for off-peakers and casual players.

If we had written communication to use instead, this might be OK.

[AmandaGreathouse]

It would make it impossible to Way the Byn sergeant after you just got her name from some guy at the tavern. You'd have to rely completely on chance meetings or intermediaries known to both parties in order to start talking. Bad for game functionality and playability, especially for off-peakers and casual players.

If we had written communication to use instead, this might be OK.

Totally agree.

It's hard enough on off-peakers and people with low/sporadic playtimes without throwing extra difficulty into the mix.

While I like it in theory, I think it would greatly harm playability.

[Pale Horse]

Great idea that I like!

..But can't support, for the reason's stated above.

[MarshallDFX]

My model predicts a Known-Worldwide depression.  Up to a 20% fall in gross domestic product.

edit to add:  But a 50% increase in uninvited touching and feeling.

[musashi]

edit to add:  But a 50% increase in uninvited touching and feeling.

And thus, I throw my full support behind the idea!

Eh, honestly I think it would hurt game play more than it would help, for reasons already stated. If the way were going to be changed, I'd be more in favor of something like the need to share a common language in order to communicate via the Way being introduced.

[MeTekillot]

edit to add:  But a 50% increase in uninvited touching and feeling.

And thus, I throw my full support behind the idea!

Eh, honestly I think it would hurt game play more than it would help, for reasons already stated. If the way were going to be changed, I'd be more in favor of something like the need to share a common language in order to communicate via the Way being introduced.

I think if you don't share languages you get the "Their mind is too foreign for you" or something like that. I'm not sure, though.

[Gimfalisette]

I think if you don't share languages you get the "Their mind is too foreign for you" or something like that. I'm not sure, though.

Incorrect.

[musashi]

I think if you don't share languages you get the "Their mind is too foreign for you" or something like that. I'm not sure, though.

Incorrect.

Incorrect. That's for when you try to contact raptors, bahamets, kylori, and Gimf.

[brytta.leofa]

I think if you don't share languages you get the "Their mind is too foreign for you" or something like that. I'm not sure, though.

Incorrect.

Incorrect. That's for when you try to contact raptors, bahamets, kylori, and Gimf.

And Sandy Claws.

[musashi]

And Yam ... seriously.

[Gimfalisette]

I think brytta just implied I don't exist IRL 

[Bluefae]

I think brytta just implied I don't exist IRL  

    But . . . I always kinda thought you were an avatar for Mistress Ginka . . .  ( )

    Great idea, and it would pretty much kill the "When can I use the Way to get a sdesc?" perennial discussion.  It also has a certain IG logic to it, and would further delineate the difference (presumably) between a 'bender and everyone else.  However, as stated, without written communication, this would have a harsh impact on establishing lines of communication for off-peakers.

    Editted to add:  Although it might give an IC incentive to interact, even casually, with strangers and thus encourage rp.  Hm.

[KankWhisperer]

I feel like a newb for asking, but if you are blocking can someone still contact you?

[Yam]

I feel like a newb for asking, but if you are blocking can someone still contact you?

Gotta find out IC on this one.

[Qzzrbl]

Personally, I love this idea and have heartily endorsed it since I first saw it mentioned.

Need to get in contact with that Byn Sarge? Hang out at the Gaj, ask around, find out when he's usually around, have people pass word along for you-- interact with other people in your quest to find this guy.

I think it would encourage more interaction among the playerbase, even for off-peakers. I mean.... Unless there's literally five people online, and you don't know any of them. But at a time like that, the chances of finding any one person in particular are way down there anyway.

[Synthesis]

Why would they turn around and make it more difficult to Way people, when they just got finished making it -easier- (by boosting newbie contact)?

[FuSoYa]

Why would they turn around and make it more difficult to Way people, when they just got finished making it -easier- (by boosting newbie contact)?

They boosted newbie contact?  I've been gone for awhile so I missed that.  Thread?

Brandon

[Fnord]

Why would they turn around and make it more difficult to Way people, when they just got finished making it -easier- (by boosting newbie contact)?

The two are only related by proxy. There was a skill boost to the started contact skill. What I'm suggesting would make certain things more challenging, such as "contact cloak" (not sure if this still works), contact gith (or random other race), hearing about a bad guy and contact pinging to see if they're in game, and certain other abilities that are possible simply with a name. It would not affect other things, like a recruit trying to contact their sarge, if they've already met. It might also be so inconvenient that it's not viable for playability purposes and I'm cool with that. Thought it would be interesting to discuss though.

[MarshallDFX]

Why would they turn around and make it more difficult to Way people, when they just got finished making it -easier- (by boosting newbie contact)?

They boosted newbie contact?  I've been gone for awhile so I missed that.  Thread?

Brandon

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,35511.0.html

[FuSoYa]

Why would they turn around and make it more difficult to Way people, when they just got finished making it -easier- (by boosting newbie contact)?

They boosted newbie contact?  I've been gone for awhile so I missed that.  Thread?

Brandon

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,35511.0.html

Thanks and awesome.

Brandon

[Lizzie]

I thought the primary reason that contact/psi was made available to everyone (and not merely psionicists) was playability. If you want to take playability away, then just get rid of contact/psi for everyone except psionicists. If you want to retain playability, keep it as is.

"Oh hang out at the Gaj and wait for a Byn Sergeant to come by." Yeah that's great. Except, if the Byn Sergeant is in the Byn barracks dealing with stuff one day that you're logged in, and on a contract the other day you're logged in, and now you're dipping into your Byn fee to pay for food and water, and you spend a RL hour sitting at the bar by yourself because it's off-peak and no one else is there. And you're just sitting there, waiting for someone to show up, because you're no longer allowed to use the Way to attempt to find the mind of someone who is known, and who your character *probably* would've seen in the Gaj plenty of times before you, the player, began to inhabit the VNPC who is now your PC character.

Or how about if you're in Allanak, and trying to find a Kuraci, and you just found out all the Kurac PCs went up to Tuluk. Sure you -could- go up there. Except, you're a Gemmer. So that won't work. You KNOW that the Kuraci's name is Talia-di. You've seen her, but from a distance so you never actually "looked" at her. You've watched her have conversations with other people, but you've never had need to talk to her before so you've never been introduced. And because of that, you -cannot- find her mind and ask her to bring down a full suit of scrub camo?

What's the point of having tavern boards, if you are required to have up-close and personal interaction with anyone you might have need to be in contact with at some point or another? "Word has it, Lord Borsail is looking for a traveller who can provide him with lots of wood. He is a nooble, and therefore doesn't yet have an aide. He's looking for one of those too, and can sometimes be seen at Trader's Inn where grebbers aren't welcome, or upstairs at the Azure Dragon, where commoners aren't allowed to go. Don't bother trying to find his mind, you can't. Bwahaha.

Yeah that sounds like a lot of fun. Not?

[Myrdryn]

I think the idea has merit, but it does have problems that would make it more difficult than it would benefit.

As far as those sniffing for short descriptions, I don't think it's possible to 'contact figure' unless the target is in the same room.  What if in those cases it returned with "You contact the figure in a dark cloak." rather than revealing their sdesc?

But it would be interesting if the people of zalanthas had differing psionic affinities (or magickal) with other people (or things, like possessions or places) based on different kinds of interactions (magickal, physical and psionic).

[Lizzie]

To be a little more constructive than I was in simply shooting down the idea, I think expanding contact to involve other criteria is a good idea.

Not to require it..but to involve it.

1. So, for instance, if you're a rinthi, and you're trying to find someone from the rinth, but you've never met "officially" but know their name/handle, and/or their sdesc..you can find them.

2. If you're a rinthi who's never been to Tuluk, and you're looking for a Tuluki, you could find them, but not as easily.

3. If you're a rinthi vivaduan who's never been to Tuluk, and you're trying to find a vivaduan you've heard lives in Tuluk, you could find them easier than #2, but not as easily as #1.

4. You're a rinthi dwarf vivaduan who's never been to Tuluk, looking for a non-magicker Tuluk elf you've heard of but never met. You have a chance of finding his mind..but it's gonna be time consuming and suck a lot of stun when you succeed.

So there could be levels of mental connection, based on all kinds of things. The more you have in common with the person, the easier it is to find their mind even if you've never met them. You could -still- find their mind if you have nothing in common with them, but you'd find it more difficult.

[KankWhisperer]

Just make it such that if you are blocking then no one can reach you if this is not already the case.

Otherwise:
I almost want to say the old private public name thing.

Someone with your private name can contact you normally.
Someone with your public name cannot contact you while you are cloaked or blocking.

[Lizzie]

Barrier and contact aren't on/off skills. They're skills with levels of profiency. If my "contact" skill is higher than your "barrier" skill then of I'll be better at getting through than you'll be at preventing me from getting through.

[musashi]

What if in those cases it returned with "You contact the figure in a dark cloak." rather than revealing their sdesc?

This would make me such a happy panda. Although I would really like to see it taken just one tiny step further ... where when you put on a mask or put a hood up, your PC's list of keywords is completely replaced by those provided by the cloak or mask. That way people couldn't just "keyword <character name that I've heard of even though I've never actually met them or been told what they look like>" to discern someone's identity.

[Synthesis]

Problem:

'rinther gets a Tor-emblazoned cloak

'rinther adds keywords "Lord Uberthagus Tor"

'rinther raises hood of cloak

Now 'rinther -is- Lord Uberthagus Tor over the Way, and nobody can tell, if all people see is "the figure in a Tor-emblazoned cloak."

Edited to add:  and yeah, if the cloak replaced all the keywords, it would be impossible to contact people whenever they had their hoods up, unless they had a totally unique hood.

[jcljules]

Musashi, I like that idea except for the fact that it would make all Byn contracts and many other clan outings miserable and impossible.

[Lizzie]

What if in those cases it returned with "You contact the figure in a dark cloak." rather than revealing their sdesc?

This would make me such a happy panda. Although I would really like to see it taken just one tiny step further ... where when you put on a mask or put a hood up, your PC's list of keywords is completely replaced by those provided by the cloak or mask. That way people couldn't just "keyword <character name that I've heard of even though I've never actually met them or been told what they look like>" to discern someone's identity.

And what happens if <character name that you've heard of> happens to also be your best friend/sister/lover/mother? Why -shouldn't- you be able to contact them using their name when they have a mask on?

The problem sounds like more of a complaint about certain people taking too much advantage of a code that most people don't take too much advantage of. And that sounds more like a player complaint, than a code issue. Honestly, the staff has weighed in on this numerous times. It is OKAY to be able to identify someone with their hood up using the Way. It is OKAY to be able to identify other people, period. The game is set up to do it, the staff says it's okay to do it, and it gets done, regularly.

Now, if people are ABusing this..rather than just using it, then it calls for a player complaint. Not a change in the code. The code is doing exactly what it should do, in the way it should do it. If the players aren't using it in the way it was intended to be used, then the players need to be brought back in line. You can't adjust the code on every little thing that bothers every player about every possible subject on every possible command. At some point, you have to trust the players to behave themselves, and resort to complaints if the player betrays that trust.

[musashi]

When talking about having the keyword replaced, I was talking more about when someone looks at you or uses the keyword command. Not contacting telepathically.

[Yam]

I think the way is fine as it is. With the emphasis on names and psionic connections in Arm, I figure it is reasonable that people can conjure up either a name or an image in their mind to try and find someone's brains.

[flurry]

What if in those cases it returned with "You contact the figure in a dark cloak." rather than revealing their sdesc?

It would be interesting, I think. Probably would change some things for the better, and maybe some for the worse.

For instance:

New problem: How do you know who you're really in contact with, if you see them as hooded?
Possible solution: What if you only saw the altered (hooded) sdesc for contact, but if they psi you back, only then do you see their actual sdesc?

What I mean is something like this:

Code Select Expand


>contact amos

You contact the figure in the dark cloak.

>psi Amos? That you?

You send a telepathic message to the figure in the dark cloak:
    "Amos? That you?"

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The tall, muscular man sends you a telepathic message:
    "Of course it's me. What can I do for ya?"


That would both prevent sdesc fishing, but also prevent people from using a hood to engage in anonymous psionics.

[Zoltan]

I think the way is fine as it is. With the emphasis on names and psionic connections in Arm, I figure it is reasonable that people can conjure up either a name or an image in their mind to try and find someone's brains.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I agree with flurry's concept.

[musashi]

I think flurry has a good idea.

[Thunkkin]

I like flurry's idea.

[Synthesis]

I think flurry's idea is how it actually used to be, many years ago.

[Dar]

Can simply make it a toggle.

Make it so you have to intro to someone or them to you to be able to contact them directly, if you toggled "intro only".
But if you are a public figure and wish to be contacted easily, just toggle the intro only and then you can be contacted like anyone else, 'maybe' even at an 'easier' time then now.

This way, a noble can keep the intro only, and ask their aide to be available through the way, so if anyone wants to contact the noble, they'll be forced to go through the aide. It also solves the problems with recruiters, since they can simply jump from one toggle to another dependant on the situation.

I would even go as far as to say, that if you were not in physical/psionical contact with an introed person for let us say ... 2 game years, you lose the intro.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I think flurry's idea is how it actually used to be, many years ago.

Not exactly. You used to get the message about contacting a cloaked figure, but if you actually used PSI, you got their real sdesc.

[Spice Spice Baby]

I think it's fine as-is, but if changes were made, I'd support flurry's proposal.

[RogueGunslinger]

I think it's fine as-is, but if changes were made, I'd support flurry's proposal.

[Ender]

I think the solution is just to make barrier a more robust and effective defense against contact.  If people start with a contact bonus these days, give them a barrier bonus too.

I'd honestly like to see barrier revamped as to make it very effective against mundane contact even at lower skill levels.

[FuSoYa]

I think the solution is just to make barrier a more robust and effective defense against contact.  If people start with a contact bonus these days, give them a barrier bonus too.

I'd honestly like to see barrier revamped as to make it very effective against mundane contact even at lower skill levels.

I can get behind this izzle.

Brandon

[Spice Spice Baby]

I think the solution is just to make barrier a more robust and effective defense against contact.  If people start with a contact bonus these days, give them a barrier bonus too.

I'd honestly like to see barrier revamped as to make it very effective against mundane contact even at lower skill levels.

Agreed. Barrier can be very effective when wielded in the hands of a long-lived character, but I'd like to see it ramped up significantly. One of the things I've always regretted about Arm is how next-to-impossible it is to fake your own death or hide from authority in any meaningful way, due to how keywords and contact work.

[musashi]

I think the solution is just to make barrier a more robust and effective defense against contact.  If people start with a contact bonus these days, give them a barrier bonus too.

I'd honestly like to see barrier revamped as to make it very effective against mundane contact even at lower skill levels.

Agreed. Barrier can be very effective when wielded in the hands of a long-lived character, but I'd like to see it ramped up significantly. One of the things I've always regretted about Arm is how next-to-impossible it is to fake your own death or hide from authority in any meaningful way, due to how keywords and contact work.

I think that a change in play style could be just as effective when it comes to this. It seems like most PC's train barrier only to the point that it regularly stops failing for them, if they train it up that high at all.

Start asking friends to practice with you, the same way folks spar. Make it an important part of a training schedule or something like that, and it would likely be more effective for younger character's.

[Spice Spice Baby]

I think the solution is just to make barrier a more robust and effective defense against contact.  If people start with a contact bonus these days, give them a barrier bonus too.

I'd honestly like to see barrier revamped as to make it very effective against mundane contact even at lower skill levels.

Agreed. Barrier can be very effective when wielded in the hands of a long-lived character, but I'd like to see it ramped up significantly. One of the things I've always regretted about Arm is how next-to-impossible it is to fake your own death or hide from authority in any meaningful way, due to how keywords and contact work.

I think that a change in play style could be just as effective when it comes to this. It seems like most PC's train barrier only to the point that it regularly stops failing for them, if they train it up that high at all.

Start asking friends to practice with you, the same way folks spar. Make it an important part of a training schedule or something like that, and it would likely be more effective for younger character's.

Those are good points, but I was actually referring to experiences I've had with characters that had long since maxed the skill, or at least gotten skilled enough to branch from it. In my experience, it just seems like the barriers of even super long-lived PCs (even super long-lived psionicists) seem a little too easy to break down even when the skill is capped.

For newer characters, I don't think anything needs changing. I just wish barrier performed more reliably at high levels, for those who have had a reason to practice it frequently.

[ibusoe]

I like this idea.  I think it would improve the game.

A random thought just came to me: what impact do you think it would have in game to make waying people not so easy? What if you had to make some form of physical contact with a person first. For the sake of argument, talking to them first, or looking at them first.

Would this allow bad guys to be more anonymous, or just be annoying? Again, random thought. Have at it.

[My 2 sids]

The entire point of having the Way is for playability -- something like this would greatly hinder playability.  Thus, if people like this idea so much, we might as well get rid of the Way all together (except for mind benders)


horrible idea

[Qzzrbl]

The entire point of having the Way is for playability -- something like this would greatly hinder playability.  Thus, if people like this idea so much, we might as well get rid of the Way all together (except for mind benders)


horrible idea

>kill strawman

::Edit to add::

Ir -really- gets annoying when you try to play a PC you want to keep out of the public eye.... Because all it takes is for -one- single solitary person to see your sdesc for everyone in the Known World to have an sdesc keyword with which they can use to contact your character.

It happens all the time.

The system as is makes certain roles entirely unplayable.

[Fnord]

Ir -really- gets annoying when you try to play a PC you want to keep out of the public eye.... Because all it takes is for -one- single solitary person to see your sdesc for everyone in the Known World to have an sdesc keyword with which they can use to contact your character.

[Potaje]

Even so if you use a mask and hood then they look at you they should only get your equipment list and not your desc to fish out a further conntact desc when your barrier is up.

[Lizzie]

Even so if you use a mask and hood then they look at you they should only get your equipment list and not your desc to fish out a further conntact desc when your barrier is up.

That just doesn't make sense. A person's main description -shouldn't- consist entirely of a person's head.

With a mask and hood up, you can STILL tell that the buxom, tall woman is a buxom, tall woman. Her main description should not be hidden. Even if she's wearing a cloak..if she's truly buxom, she's gonna be bumpy enough in the chest area that people will notice.

If her hair goes down to her waist (which every tressy-tressed buxom woman's hair does, as you all know), then you -will- see some of that hair with her hood up and wearing a mask. If she's got it all coiled up in a bun, you'll see a clot of -something- sticking up from under her hood, and it won't be too hard to guess that it's hair, knotted in a bun.

If the man has really big broad shoulders and a barrel chest, a mask and hood won't hide that.

If a guy has a peg-leg, a mask and hood won't cover that. If a woman is missing her left arm, a mask and hood won't cover that.

Inks all over their skin? Nope. A crimson left eye and an amber right one? Nope. A missing eye? Nope. Remember if the PC can see OUT of the mask, then other people can see IN to those eyeholes.

[Potaje]

Lizzie, i disagree. If you have a peg leg then it should be in your eq list. Your hood could hide the clear view of eyes and hair. The cloak and mask many of the other features. And if i am a shadow then even more so. Also if i am barriered, masked, cloaked and hood and seen as a shadow then looking at my character to see who they are as if i were naked cheapens the idea behind the cloak mask shadow hood barrier. Also i could of had the hair pulled back, not to mention to see my eye color accurately with a hood up you would have to be very close to my face, not across a crowded road.

[AmandaGreathouse]

How would one know whether or not your hair was pulled back to RP seeing it or not seeing it without looking at you? If you are a shadow, you are visible to those who can see you. If you are invisible, you are still visible to those who can see you. A shadow is something you can perceive. If I can perceive something, chances are, it's going to get the same casual once-over most of the shit I consciously perceive does. Sneak/hide/barrier/cloak/mask do not make you invisible. Invisibility does that.

[a strange shadow]

And this is why we need mdesc-hiding and a command to counter it, called 'stare'.

[My 2 sids]

Ok, not a computer person... but, it'd be nice if the Way could only be used with cirtain keywords instead of description.  Upon creation of a PC the player creates cirtain Way keywords.  So..

> contact Lexi
> you contact Lexi, an image of red hair comes to your mind
>psi Lexi, blah blah blah

> contact Xin
> you contact Xin, an image of Nenyuk insignea comes to your mind
> psi blah blah blah


So, something from the main description or affilation could to confirm this is the individual you're actually trying to get ahold of (maybe you can't even way NPCs?)  w/o giving away the sdesc?

[Lizzie]

Ok, not a computer person... but, it'd be nice if the Way could only be used with cirtain keywords instead of description.  Upon creation of a PC the player creates cirtain Way keywords.  So..

> contact Lexi
> you contact Lexi, an image of red hair comes to your mind
>psi Lexi, blah blah blah

> contact Xin
> you contact Xin, an image of Nenyuk insignea comes to your mind
> psi blah blah blah


So, something from the main description or affilation could to confirm this is the individual you're actually trying to get ahold of (maybe you can't even way NPCs?)  w/o giving away the sdesc?

And again, if it's your best friend, your mom, your lover, your sister, your son, or the ef standing next to you with his hood down, facewrap off, and wearing nothing but a loincloth, why -wouldn't- you get his sdesc?

This issue is about player responsibility, not the code. I'm sure I've been desc-checked before. I'm sure everyone has. However, it is up to the person doing the desc-checking to behave responsibly. If the person is wearing head-to-toe bahamet shell chitin armor and a faceless mask, the only thing he -should- notice is his overall height, his overall girth, and possibly the color of his eyes. If he's able to explain about everything on the guy's main desc to a templar, then someone needs to report him for not RPing believably. That doesn't warrant a change in the code. It warrants a player complaint.

[musashi]

How would said templar know that he's behaving poorly? Said templar wasn't there to see the head-to-toe concealed person he's reporting.

How would the person being reported know he's behaving poorly, he obviously isn't there to see the guilty person in question talking to the templar.

So who's going to know to send in a player complaint?

There isn't a decent way to regulate that kind of behavior among peers that I can think of. The best we seem to be able to offer is the honor system ... and I think history has shown that goes out the window more often than not when it comes to "winning" against another PC.

That's why we're talking about coded alternatives Lizzie.

[Lizzie]

I just don't think there are any good code alternatives to roleplaying responsibly, in this kind of situation. If a player isn't trustworthy, they'll be sussed out eventually and dealt with. I mean sure, you could change the code. I've suggested a change in the past, others have suggested the same or similar. The suggestion, was 2 different descriptions: one for when you're covered neck-up, and one for when you're not. Of course this would result in more limited writing: you couldn't say "the hair on his legs is the same color as on his head" for the "covered" version, because you're not allowed to refer to the color of your hair on the "covered" version.

Or maybe it could be optional - that it isn't required, you could use one desc for both.

The problem is, it ain't gonna happen in arm1, the staff has already said this numerous times. The staff has already made it clear, that using the way to check sdescs is -allowed.- Punishing people who have best friends they know head to toe by not allowing them to discern that the person is who they think they are..simply by not allowing them to see a sdesc over the way - isn't helping the game. It isn't making things "harsher" it isn't preventing cheating. It's just punishing everyone for the inconvenience of a few.

People who want to cheat, will find ways to cheat, no matter what codes you put into place to prevent cheating. In fact, the more difficult you make it in-game to cheat, the more likely cheaters will find out-of-game methods. And that's when things get nuts, because the staff -cannot- do anything about it, once it's taken out of game.

[Qzzrbl]

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,34854.0.html

Personal keywords anyone?

[MeTekillot]

http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,34854.0.html

Personal keywords anyone?

In response to that, how about an intro command?

Short bony man= Amos

without intro, from the tall, muscular man's view.

Code Select Expand

A tavern [leave]
The tall, muscular man is here.
The short, bony man is here.

look amos
You do not see an amos here.

contact amos

You suffer from use of the Way.
You are unable to reach their mind.

contact amos

You suffer from use of the Way.
You are unable to reach their mind.

contact amos

You suffer from use of the Way.
You contact the short, bony man via the way.
You learn who the short, bony man is via the Way.

look amos
You look at the short, bony man.

You suffer from use of the Way.
Your vision goes black.

Now, from the tall muscular man's view, with the short, bony man introducing to him.

Code Select Expand

A tavern [leave]
The tall muscular man is here.
The short bony man is here.

The short bony man says to you, in sihirish:
     "Hey, I'm Amos."
(short bony man uses intro command)

The short, bony man tells you his name.

look amos

You look at the short, bony man.

contact amos

You suffer from use of the way.
You contact the short, bony man via the Way.

You send a telepathic message to the short bony man:
       "Wow! That was a lot easier now that I know your name. And I can pick you out of the crowd now!"


Instead of their truename being a keyword out of the box, you'd have to contact someone or have them introduce to you to you to be able to use their truename as a keyword. And intro'ing to someone will also make using the way easier.

This wouldn't be able to function if someone had their hood up, or a mask on, or something. They'd get an echo akin to "Take that hood/mask off if you want to properly introduce yourself!".

Thoughts?



Edit: Add on to idea
And also being able to introduce someone to someone else.
Malik = tall, bony man
Amos = short, bony man

Code Select Expand

A tavern [leave]
The tall, muscular man is here.
The short bony man is here.

You say to the short, bony man, in sihirish:
   "Hey Amos. You know my friend Malik?"

The short, bony man says to you, sihirish:
    "No. Who's that?"

You say to the short, bony man, in sihirish:
    "Well, he's tall, and he's real bony. He looks a bit like me, except less muscle."

intro amos malik
You tell the short, bony man who the tall, bony man is.

Introducing someone to someone else would still allow them to be picked out of a crowd, but contacting that person via the way would only be slightly easier, instead of with relative ease if they had introduced to you themselves.

[Synthesis]

What if someone else is in the room when Amos introduces himself to Malik, and overhears the conversation?  Wouldn't that someone know he's Amos?  Shouldn't they be able to then contact him, having seen him -and- overheard his name?

If there's an introduce command, it should immediately work for anyone who has the capability of hearing the conversation going on.

Examples:

> introduce -whisper malik (leaning over and cupping a hand to ^malik ear)  This would introduce you to Malik and anyone who passes a listen check

Malik sees: Amos introduces himself to you, leaning over and cupping a hand to your ear.
Listen-check passers see: Amos introduces himself to Malik, leaning over and cupping a hand to his ear.
Everyone else sees: the tall muscular man whispers something to the tall, brown-haired man, leaning over and cupping a hand to his ear.

> introduce -talk malik (extending a hand to !malik) This would introduce you to Malik, anyone sitting at the table with the two of you, and anyone who passes a listen check.

Malik sees: Amos introduces himself to you, extending a hand to you.
Everyone at the table sees: Amos introduces himself to Malik, extending a hand to him.
Listen-check passers see: Amos introduces himself to Malik, extending a hand to him.
Everyone else sees: At a dirty bar, the tall muscular man introduces himself to the tall, brown-haired man, extending a hand to him.

> introduce -shout I AM AMOS, HEAR ME ROAAAAR! (bellowing loudly over the din of the crowd) Would introduce you to anyone within earshot.

Everyone sees:  the tall muscular man shouts, in sirihish, bellowing loudly over the din of the crowd:  "I AM AMOS, HEAR ME ROAAAAR!"

> introduce -psi Hi, I'm Amos. Would introduce you to anyone you're in contact with, and any filthy mindbenders who happen to be OM NOM NOMMING your brainz.

Malik sees: Amos sends:  "Hi, I'm Amos.
Mindbenders see: Amos sends "Hi, I'm Amos" to Malik. MMMM TASTY BRAINZ.

> introduce -wish Hai guyz come and get me lol wut? Would flag you for immortal brainz eating.

Immortals see: Amos (the tall, muscular man) wants to make a brainz donation, saying:"Hai guyz come and get me lol wut?"

Not that I think this would be a particularly good idea or anything.  This is just how I see it working, if implemented.

[Dar]

Another mud I played had a different type of naming. Basically, the naming was up to the others, not the owner of the name.

A tall, muscular man is standing here.

name tall.muscular as Amos

Nameverbose
Nameverbose is on
A tall, muscular man name (Amos)

Contact Amos, you'll contact a tall, muscular man.

Yes. You'd be able to basically just do a codename <contact person you dont know ABC> and you'll be able to contact him. But ... you have to be in the same room with him to do this. And you cant get anybody 'else' able to contact them, since the name you've given the guy is YOURS, and yours alone.

Add a few refinements to it. Like ... the potential of a "true" name, that if given out by the person, anyone can contact him using it. Inability to name a person who is hooded/masked. A coded way to alter your appearence, to strip all name tags. Maybe some other stuff.

[Lizzie]

How does the code of the other game handle this:

1. there are 2 different tall muscular men in the game, and both are logged in at the same time. You've named one of them amos and now need to contact him over the way.

2. there are 3 different people named Amos logged in. One is the tall muscular man that you named Amos. The other is the stocky blue-skinned dwarf, whose name really is Amos. The third is the shaven crooked elf, who has added Amos as a keyword for himself, though is truename is something else.

[Dar]

How does the code of the other game handle this:

1. there are 2 different tall muscular men in the game, and both are logged in at the same time. You've named one of them amos and now need to contact him over the way.

2. there are 3 different people named Amos logged in. One is the tall muscular man that you named Amos. The other is the stocky blue-skinned dwarf, whose name really is Amos. The third is the shaven crooked elf, who has added Amos as a keyword for himself, though is truename is something else.

The names get stored in the file of the Namer, not the Namee. Therefore there can be ten people who were named Amos by various people. As long as it wasnt you, who named all of them the same, you'll contact the one whom you named Amos. And someone else who named the same character Soma, will contact them via Soma. It's a reverse keyword.

The only time a confusion can happen, is if someone creates a character with a true name of Amos, and you've managed to name some other PC Amos. Then you might accidentally contact a wrong guy. But ... well, then you've just guessed someone's true name. You have to keep in mind, that ... not everyone are going to be using a name so ... cliched as Amos.

[Lizzie]

Oh I know. More often they use Malik