Hitchin' Posts

[Synthesis]

Option 1
So suppose I'm an enterprising NPC.

And suppose I notice folks often have to leave their mounts unattended in the bazaar while they attend to their business.

And suppose I notice that, well, that's just not a very bright idea.

And suppose I go about to start a hitchin' post service in a central location in a bazaar, such that, for a fraction of the price of a regular stabling fee, I'd look after folks' mounts for a little while.

In the Middle of a Teeming Bazaar [NESW]
    This is a bazaar.  There are people milling about, hustling to and fro, and haggling over the price of various bits of this, that, or the other.  The sun beats down, and every footstep kicks up a small cloud of dust, because it's dusty.  It's also hot.  Because of the sun.
A small stand is here.
A lean, half-elven roustabout is standing here, looking over some mounts.
-He is watching a black war beetle.
-He is watching an inix.
-He is watching a yellow sunback lizard.

> dismount
You hop off of a chalk-shelled gaj.

> rent fluffy
A lean, half-elven roustabout accepts the reins of a chalk-shelled gaj.
A lean, half-elven roustabout says, in sirihish:
    "Here's your ticket.  The charge is 5 'sid an hour.  If you're not back in two hours, you'll have to retrieve your mount at the city stable."
A lean, half-elven roustabout gives you a strip of braided, tattered cloth.

> look

In the Middle of a Teeming Bazaar [NESW]
    This is a bazaar.  There are people milling about, hustling to and fro, and haggling over the price of various bits of this, that, or the other.  The sun beats down, and every footstep kicks up a small cloud of dust, because it's dusty.  It's also hot.  Because of the sun.
A small stand is here.
A lean, half-elven roustabout is standing here, looking over some mounts.
-He is watching a black war beetle.
-He is watching an inix.
-He is watching a yellow sunback lizard.
-He is watching a chalk-shelled gaj

> enter stand
You enter a small stand...

Option 2

In the Middle of a Teeming Bazaar [NESW]
    This is a bazaar.  There are people milling about, hustling to and fro, and haggling over the price of various bits of this, that, or the other.  The sun beats down, and every footstep kicks up a small cloud of dust, because it's dusty.  It's also hot.  Because of the sun.
A small stand is here.
A lonesome hitchin' post is here, waiting to be used.

> dismount
You hop down from a chalk-shelled gaj.

> hitch fluffy post
You hitch a chalk-shelled gaj to a lonesome hitchin' post.

> You notice: a thievin' gaj-rustler attempts to unhitch a chalk-shelled gaj from a lonesome hitchin' post.
Someone in the crowd shouts, in sirihish:
    "Hey, that's not your mount! Thief! Thief!"
A thievin' gaj-rustler is now wanted!

> smirk
You smirk.

[musashi]

I voted bacon before ever reading the post ... because I <3 bacon.

[Bushranger]

Everyone loves bacon.

[Lizzie]

I really wish we could vote twice. But, bacon got my clickie.

I do like the idea of a hitchin' post

[Cutthroat]

I like both ideas combined. Some posts could be watched, others would be Park At Your Own Risk posts.

+1

[tortall]

Can bacon be for both? 'Cause I'm with Cutthroat on this. I like 'em both. :-D

[RogueGunslinger]

Good idea.

[Kassindra]

Love both ideas.

[janeshephard]

I see this as something that would be very nice in more distant outposts and tribal areas. I don't see it as valid in Tuluk and 'Nak unless we're talking the tribal market in Tuluk.

It's less civilized than stabling.

I like it though, and five sid should be all you pay for stabling anyway! Stables get so much business.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Some posts could be watched, others would be Park At Your Own Risk posts.

"park at your own risk posts" sound exactly like

dismount
emote ties his inix to a hitching post here.
leave

to me.

[Aaron Goulet]

My concern with hitching posts and roustabouts is that people may favor them over stables due to the lesser fee, despite the fact that they are just a temporary, short-term solution.  Stables do more than just shelter your mount; they feed, water, and otherwise care for it, hence the steep fee.

On the code side of things, save rooms currently only account for items, not NPCs, so this change might require a little more code than one might think at first glance...  Unless, of course, you're willing to risk losing your mount in a crash.

[brytta.leofa]

I like these ideas very much.

Idea: hitching fee is proportional to time yer critter's left there.  One whole IC day = 20 'sid.
Idea: when it's dark out, you can unhitch and take anybody's critter without you get a-flagged.

[Aaron Goulet]

I like these ideas very much.

Idea: hitching fee is proportional to time yer critter's left there.  One whole IC day = 20 'sid.
Idea: when it's dark out, you can unhitch and take anybody's critter without you get a-flagged.

Those ideas would certainly assuage my fears of people abusing the system.    Way to be solution-oriented, brytta!

[evil_erdlu]

...
On the code side of things, save rooms currently only account for items, not NPCs, so this change might require a little more code than one might think at first glance...  Unless, of course, you're willing to risk losing your mount in a crash.

If I remember right, [SAVE] rooms save mounts. At least a merchant house must have a stable room where you simply leave the mount and it saves between reboots. Though my memory is fuzzy right now.

The idea? Eh.. Putting someone that looks after the mounts while you're shopping may be interesting. But my final decision is, of course, bacon.

[zanthalandreams]

My concern with hitching posts and roustabouts is that people may favor them over stables due to the lesser fee, despite the fact that they are just a temporary, short-term solution.  Stables do more than just shelter your mount; they feed, water, and otherwise care for it, hence the steep fee.

On the code side of things, save rooms currently only account for items, not NPCs, so this change might require a little more code than one might think at first glance...  Unless, of course, you're willing to risk losing your mount in a crash.

I agree - but depending on the character I'm playing, I may not want, need, or choose to pay someone else to feed, water, or otherwise care for my mount.

[Spice Spice Baby]

My concern with hitching posts and roustabouts is that people may favor them over stables due to the lesser fee, despite the fact that they are just a temporary, short-term solution.  Stables do more than just shelter your mount; they feed, water, and otherwise care for it, hence the steep fee.

On the code side of things, save rooms currently only account for items, not NPCs, so this change might require a little more code than one might think at first glance...  Unless, of course, you're willing to risk losing your mount in a crash.

I agree - but depending on the character I'm playing, I may not want, need, or choose to pay someone else to feed, water, or otherwise care for my mount.

Heeeeey, I remember you.



More relevant to the discussion at hand: save rooms do save mounts, so there's no need to worry about that.

This is a fantastic idea, especially if there would be some way for an inspiring scoundrel to sneak off with a critter. After dark sounds good to me.

[spawnloser]

Just so that it is said, I'm pretty sure that save rooms do save NPCs.

[Cavaticus]

New character concept: the half-elven hitching post

[janeshephard]

New character concept: the half-elven hitching post

Make it karma restricted or everyone's mount will go missing.

[Cutthroat]

New character concept: the half-elven hitching post

Make it karma restricted or everyone's mount will go missing.

With those half-elves, I'd be more worried about consent...