Falling off Silt Skimmers.

[KankWhisperer]

I don't mind the silt sea being dangerous.
The only thing I do not think actually adds anything to the game is the greatest danger coming from lag or a typo of the pilot.

So I say that the chance to fall off the skimmer while standing just doesn't make much sense to me.
It almost feels like a forgotten and ill designed piece of code kept around more because staff just don't care about the silt sea and adventuring on it.
(I could be wrong on that end because I have never seen how fleshed out the silt sea is mostly because of my hatred of the code)

[maxid]

Ever tried to stand up in a canoe?

[Synthesis]

Falling off of silt skimmers is dumb.

Being snatched off by a silt horror, on the other hand....

[Qzzrbl]

Ever tried to stand up in a canoe?

Read the description of a silt skimmer IG and tell me it's anything at all like a canoe.

[Synthesis]

Falling off of silt skimmers is dumb.

Being snatched off by a silt horror, on the other hand....

Come to think of it, some lazy, evil coding genius could just change the echo from "you fall overboard!" to "a tentacle snakes over the railing and drags you overboard!" without changing the underlying code process.

Problem solved.

[johnhodgmanyourewelcome.jpg]

[Qzzrbl]

Falling off of silt skimmers is dumb.

Being snatched off by a silt horror, on the other hand....

Come to think of it, some lazy, evil coding genius could just change the echo from "you fall overboard!" to "a tentacle snakes over the railing and drags you overboard!" without changing the underlying code process.

Problem solved.

[johnhodgmanyourewelcome.jpg]

So anyone and everyone who stands up on a silt skimmer would get dragged off to their doom by a silt horror?

[Synthesis]

Falling off of silt skimmers is dumb.

Being snatched off by a silt horror, on the other hand....

Come to think of it, some lazy, evil coding genius could just change the echo from "you fall overboard!" to "a tentacle snakes over the railing and drags you overboard!" without changing the underlying code process.

Problem solved.

[johnhodgmanyourewelcome.jpg]

So anyone and everyone who stands up on a silt skimmer would get dragged off to their doom by a silt horror?

Makes about as much sense, with considerable aesthetic improvement.

[musashi]

I agree that if the skimmer is one of those gigantic ones then there shouldn't be much of a chance that you'll fall overboard.

But there are also some tiny skimmers that are very much like a canoe, and those should still be dangerous to stand up in, imho.

[Kismetic]

Code Select Expand


At the helm of a dusty, long-sailed silt skimmer, pointing to the horizon,
the swarthy, golden-braided man says, in sirihish:
  "Sail 'er off the edge of the Known, lads and lasses!  FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

A dusty, long-sailed silt skimmer flies south.
The swarthy, golden-braided man flies north, disappearing into the silt.

Blinking rapidly, and looking aside at the male wearing a dusty sandcloth facewrap,
the scarred, olive-skinned woman woman says, in sirihish:
  "Where the fuck tha Captain go?"

[roughneck]

The awkward thing is that I believe combat makes you automatically stand if you are sitting or resting.  The code also doesn't allow you to sit in the middle of a fight.  So you type 'pilot n' because something attacked you and you may fall off because the code made you stand.

I'll give kudos the coder however in giving you safeguard against accidentally walking off into the deep silt because your mind slipped and you walked south instead of pilot south.

[musashi]

I'll give kudos the coder however in giving you safeguard against accidentally walking off into the deep silt because your mind slipped and you walked south instead of pilot south.

This has been added in as a feature?
I hope so. I remember a character dying about a year or so ago from standing up and walking north in a deep silt room because the player was half asleep at the keys and thought we were already back to shore and was in a hurry to go quit out.

[Dakota]

I'll give kudos the coder however in giving you safeguard against accidentally walking off into the deep silt because your mind slipped and you walked south instead of pilot south.

This has been added in as a feature?

Yeah :/ It has been.. Which I actually don't like. Finding bodies along the shield wall was a great way to supplement income.

[Synthesis]

The awkward thing is that I believe combat makes you automatically stand if you are sitting or resting.  The code also doesn't allow you to sit in the middle of a fight.  So you type 'pilot n' because something attacked you and you may fall off because the code made you stand.

That's what you call a "feature."

[Thunkkin]

The first skimmer-crafter who invents the seat belt is going to be rich.

[Saellyn]

The first skimmer-crafter who invents the seat belt is going to be rich.

Til it breaks.

[musashi]

A seat belt you wear while standing up? 

[Is Friday]

A seat belt you wear while standing up? 

Yeah man, haven't you ever ridden in a helo?

[musashi]

We call that a tether 

[Is Friday]

We call that a tether 

That's not what aircrew calls it!

[musashi]

Yeah well they don't call them seat belts either! 

[Potaje]

First off, if you are standing in a skimmer, you don't type pilot (direction) because, what the drov are you doing trying to pilot standing. You will chance falling out.

Second, I know its must be impossible to do, but rope and knots come to mind to tie off, (tether) oneself to the skimmer, at least in some cases, they have sails so there must be a mast. And at least enough rope that one could pull themselves back into the skimmer. However maybe skiimmer would be capsized by someone climbing in, but then it would from a silt beast crawling over the side.

Moreover, the safe guard that is in place from falling in is only with the "stand" command. This will echo the possible danger of your choice. Though this stand command is supposed to work at the docks. I believe it does not, currently. (And I believe a bug for it has been requested.)

It is at this time, simply an area of the game you don't play when you tired, and take extra time in the things you do to avoid the simple (and easily made) mishaps.

Pondering possibilities:
since silt is so odd, would be cool if you rested that you floated, but could not move so are prone to silt beasts, but in this way you could be subdued and drug back on deck of the skimmer with a little addition to -throw person skimmer- or something.

[Kismetic]

Potaje, I think the argument is, that if you're sailing on a boat on the ocean, you don't just fly off the boat when it moves in a direction.  Your position on the boat is grounded by gravity.

But the Silt Sea is very windy, yada yada.

[X-D]

say (looking at ~skimmer) So...you managed to think of a way to travel on the great silt sea, over came all the problems...but a guard rail never entered your mind?

The dusty dwarf tells you in sirihish, "Hey, You just said you wanted a way to travel on silt...you made no mention of a need to survive."

[Saellyn]

say (looking at ~skimmer) So...you managed to think of a way to travel on the great silt sea, over came all the problems...but a guard rail never entered your mind?

The dusty dwarf tells you in sirihish, "Hey, You just said you wanted a way to travel on silt...you made no mention of a need to survive."

Sig'd if I can fit it.

[Reiloth]

I'll give kudos the coder however in giving you safeguard against accidentally walking off into the deep silt because your mind slipped and you walked south instead of pilot south.

This has been added in as a feature?
I hope so. I remember a character dying about a year or so ago from standing up and walking north in a deep silt room because the player was half asleep at the keys and thought we were already back to shore and was in a hurry to go quit out.

And drunk, don't forget drunk.

[Saellyn]

I don't mind the silt sea being dangerous.
The only thing I do not think actually adds anything to the game is the greatest danger coming from lag or a typo of the pilot.

So I say that the chance to fall off the skimmer while standing just doesn't make much sense to me.
It almost feels like a forgotten and ill designed piece of code kept around more because staff just don't care about the silt sea and adventuring on it.
(I could be wrong on that end because I have never seen how fleshed out the silt sea is mostly because of my hatred of the code)

I've never seen a silt horror tentacle, much less a silt horror xD

[Semper]

I think the risks are appropriate for the setting.

In response to the OP, if you are so worried about a pilot making a mistake, why not just be the pilot yourself? You also put your character in the same danger following a leader while travelling the Known. There's plenty enough stories of Byn units riding off the Shield wall, so it's happened before that human error has led to the death/injury of others. All apart of Zalanthan life I say.

[Forget what I wrote here. I was too tired to write everything that I wanted to say about this topic.]

[number13]

It's nice there's an uber dangerous part of the game that is expensive and usually lethal to explore.

It's not so nice if the primary danger comes from pratfalls.

[Bilanthri]

The primary -accidental- danger comes from said pratfalls. There's plenty of honest-to-goodness danger out in the Sea of Eternal Dust.

[Cindy42]

A wood-framed submarine with glass windows and sandcloth walls. more expensive version; more wood than sandcloth. no one would fall out, until a silt horror, in the intelligent and cunning way that coded animals in any game act, repeatedly bangs its head on the sub until it breaks, leaving the equivalent of a silt skimmer you could fall off of.

unfortunately since the submarine was invented within the last few hundred years (don't know) it seems a bit too high-tech.

onwards, unbelievably unreliable craft, to our deaths!

[Sephiroto]

Once this issue becomes a priority, maybe the staff will work on changing it.  I'd wager they could fix it if they had the time and energy to do it.

So, I have an idea.  Why doesn't everyone who wants a code change go to Red Storm, buy a skimmer, and pilot around until people fall overboard.  If you keep the app queue filled to the brim with new requests for Skimmer Captains and crew members, then maybe staff will get tired of dealing with all those apps and change the code to include some safety features (code fixes) to skimmers.

Or, you could just ignore the Silt Sea altogether because it's big, nasty, deadly, and bodes no return.  What does everyone think is out there?  A rainbow with a pot of gold at the end?

[Morgenes]

This is something I specifically added to add an element of danger to be standing up while riding on skimmers.  I am still not convinced to remove it. 

Note that the majority of the time when moving while standing you will be forced to sit into the skimmer.  It's only a critical fail chance to fall overboard.

So, if you don't like it, don't use the code.

[janeshephard]

Or, you could just ignore the Silt Sea altogether because it's big, nasty, deadly, and bodes no return.  What does everyone think is out there?  A rainbow with a pot of gold at the end?

I would roll a mundane Silt Sea adventurer if I thought it was doable. It just seems like a big death trap to me though so the effort isn't worth it.

In two years of play I can't say I've seen a lot of IC interest in exploring the Silt Sea. Just seems like a waste.

[number13]

. It just seems like a big death trap to me though so the effort isn't worth it.

The entire game is a big death trap.  And it is a good thing that certain parts of the game are even more of a death trap.  Exploring the INSANELY DANGEROUS area X should be something that feels like an accomplishment.

I've no idea how common pratfalls from silt skimmers really are, but from Morgenes's post I'm starting to wonder if the premise of this thread isn't overblown. If tripping over the edge is really, really common, then simply adjusting the chances of critical failure would be enough.  One out of a hundred seems pretty reasonable to me; one out of two much less so.

[Synthesis]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

[Potaje]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

The question is, does  -pilot- disengage your homie when he is locked into combat, or does it leave the homie in the clutches of the beasty and thus tosses him over board as you ferry the skimmer and the rest of the crew which might not of stood up, away.

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down. Once in combat you character is locked to the opponent unless they themselves flee (?)

?= this is the questionable part, and is posed as how the code work in general in other areas of the game.

[X-D]

Blah, Just make it so if a nasty is in the room you simply cannot move the skimmer, There, all problems solved without a silly DT style bit of code.

Code Select Expand

pilot north
Your skimmer is bogged down under the weight of big nasty..Fool.

BTW, I have taken Morgs advice myself, none of my PCs have ever been on a skimmer and never will be long as making a simple typo, lag or a roll of the dice means instant no possible escape death.

[Synthesis]

Basically it sounds like the "fallin' overboard" code is there because 'pilot' (I suspect) can be used as an autoflee out of combat, thus negating the flee skill and bypassing the reel and combat command-lag code, thereby rendering the nasties somewhat less nasty.

Thus, the "fallin' overboard" code forces the captain to make a choice:  if your first mate is reeled and dying do you a) remain stationary and hope your HG lands a killing blow in the next round, at the risk of the silt horror striking first and killing your homie or b) pilot away from the horror and risk someone falling overboard?

In that sort of "rock, paper, scissors" context, it makes sense, I suppose.

The question is, does  -pilot- disengage your homie when he is locked into combat, or does it leave the homie in the clutches of the beasty and thus tosses him over board as you ferry the skimmer and the rest of the crew which might not of stood up, away.

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down. Once in combat you character is locked to the opponent unless they themselves flee (?)

?= this is the questionable part, and is posed as how the code work in general in other areas of the game.

I think it's pretty logical to assume that there would be no reason for the "falling overboard" code to be implemented if being currently engaged in combat guaranteed that you would fall overboard if the skimmer moves.  The only practical reason I can see for it to even exist is to add the risk factor to fleeing skimmer-based combat.

[Sephiroto]

An idea:

Skimmer Pilot: alias GTFO shout Everyone hold on to your asses!  I'm pullin' her around!

*Ship goes out to sea.  Danger ensues.

Skimmer Pilot: gtfo ! !

*wait 5 seconds as people sit or fail to take heed

Skimmer pilot:  pilot <direction>

[brytta.leofa]

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down.

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

[Potaje]

Doubly so, once in combat your pc is made to stand, unless knocked back down.

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

I suppose you hg on board could knock the engaged party down.

Pilot shouts back along the skimmer is silty-accented gibberish " Yo, Big-un, grab hold of Amos, I'm get'n da feck out of here!"

One-eyed HG silt-pirate says is silty-accented gibberish, while charging towards the Thin fella fighting a silt beasty " Arrrrrr, Cap'n, Pilot Sir"

The skimmer shifts and tilts from side to side, nearly tossing folks into the silt as the hg gets close enough to sweep a massive arm into the Thin fella, knocking him down on deck, himself standing proud for a quick job.

suddenly, the sails snap ridged as whira's breath fills them and the hg stumbles towards the edge of the skimmer, making a mad attempt to sit quickly, but finding himself tangled as the nose of the skimmer is drawn up and he takes a spring boarded dive off the back and into the silt.

[Gunnerblaster]

Let folks sit down while in combat, at the risk of getting moar hurted.

Or you could, you know... Try bashing it? I mean, if you don't have the skill - You're 90% likely to miss and end up in the sitting position.

[Synthesis]

Did you just suggest bashing a silt horror from within a silt skimmer?  I hope you were joking, but sadly, from some of the shit I've witnessed recently, I know full well there's a possibility that you are in fact serious.

Note to noobs: don't do this.

Actually, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were dire consequences associated with failure of such a maneuver, but perhaps Morgenes is less malevolent with his approach to code than I would be.

[Thunkkin]

A silt horror nimbly dodges your bash!
A silt horror opens its giant maw and you go tumbling inside!

In a Dark Belly [U, Save]
It is very dark here and smells like rotten oysters smeared on ass. There's really no air and everything is dissolving in stomach acids.
A grey soapstone pebble is here.
A few blocky pieces of dark stone are here.

[jstorrie]

Not only should silt horrors be able to swallow you, but PCs should be able to hack their way out from the inside, D&D stylez.

[Kismetic]

Not only should silt horrors be able to swallow you, but PCs should be able to hack their way out from the inside, D&D stylez.

Like the scene where everyone's standing there after the beast is killed, and they're all sad that their favorite stump just got eaten.  Then, right before the horror falls below the silt, you see something beating on the flesh.  And then the stump busts their way out (after a successful strength roll), covered in 'goo,' like, "<joke of the week>, guys!"

Good ol' DnD.

[Gunnerblaster]

Did you just suggest bashing a silt horror from within a silt skimmer?  I hope you were joking, but sadly, from some of the shit I've witnessed recently, I know full well there's a possibility that you are in fact serious.

I was dead serious.

But, then again, I've never even ridden on a silt skimmer before so I guess my advice probably isn't the best to be taken

[Blur]

Exploration: Because your character's stats sucked anyways.




"For Krath's sakes, Amos! Stick to the plan! Stop dancing with the beast's tentacle and just bash his ass down already!!"

[Kismetic]

"For Krath's sakes, Amos! Stick to the plan! Stop dancing with the beast's tentacle and just bash his ass down already!!"

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

[EldritchOrigins]

If the game crashes while a skimmer is out in deep silt, do the occupants die when they re-enter the game?

[Sephiroto]

If the game crashes while a skimmer is out in deep silt, do the occupants die when they re-enter the game?

If the game crashes while you're sitting at the bar, are you still sitting at it when you login?

I doubt you'll fall right in, but if your skimmer isn't in the last room you saved in you're going to be in a pickle.

[roughneck]

Exploration: Because your character's stats sucked anyways.

Best line I've seen in a while.

[Cindy42]

I wouldn't try to kill a silt horror unless I was a dwarf with the Focus. because, realistically, a lot of dwarves have died for their focus. they're also careful, I know, but eventually they're going to try.

[Synthesis]

I wouldn't try to kill a silt horror unless I was a dwarf with the Focus. because, realistically, a lot of dwarves have died for their focus. they're also careful, I know, but eventually they're going to try.

But haven't you heard? A silt-horror shell is worth SEVENTY-FIVE COINS!

[EldritchOrigins]

I wouldn't try to kill a silt horror unless I was a dwarf with the Focus. because, realistically, a lot of dwarves have died for their focus. they're also careful, I know, but eventually they're going to try.

When you kill it, just don't let it sink into the silt.

[Potaje]

I wouldn't try to kill a silt horror unless I was a dwarf with the Focus. because, realistically, a lot of dwarves have died for their focus. they're also careful, I know, but eventually they're going to try.

When you kill it, just don't let it sink into the silt.

You have to dive in after it and tie a rope to it to haul it to shore.

[janeshephard]

If the game crashes while a skimmer is out in deep silt, do the occupants die when they re-enter the game?

If the game crashes while you're sitting at the bar, are you still sitting at it when you login?

I doubt you'll fall right in, but if your skimmer isn't in the last room you saved in you're going to be in a pickle.

You can just ask for a ress from the staff for crashes. They even have ress requests in the request tool (last I checked).

[EldritchOrigins]

I'm just trying to point out that the whole silt skimmer idea is a great concept.  But as implemented now, it is more of a novelty than a workable means of play.

[edited to make more sense]

[Naida]

Interesting discussion.  Ropes sound like the answer to me.  Equip a rope (on waist say, or one hand) and then 'lash' or 'tether' yourself to the skimmer.   It should still break if the silt horror pulls you into the depths, but otherwise reduce the chance of falling overboard.  And if you do fall, then have the chance to climb back or be hauled in, as long as you do so beore suffocating.  There might be a combat trade-off, like reduced dodging, but otherwise make it safer for those who were prepared and willing to take the trade-off.

[Dalmeth]

I think the simplest solution to this problem is someone stating definitively whether you can sit down while fighting.

If you can't, you should be able to.  You need to be able to sit down and escape a fight in a silt skimmer.  It's just that simple.

If you can, we really don't have anything to complain about.  Most of the above complaints can be addressed with a competent crew.

[Qzzrbl]

I think the simplest solution to this problem is someone stating definitively whether you can sit down while fighting.

If you can't, you should be able to.  You need to be able to sit down and escape a fight in a silt skimmer.  It's just that simple.

If you can, we really don't have anything to complain about.  Most of the above complaints can be addressed with a competent crew.

You can sit down while fighting, yes.

But if you choose to do so, you take severe penalties in combat.

[Dalmeth]

But if you choose to do so, you take severe penalties in combat.

Most of the above complaints can be addressed with a competent crew.

Honestly, I find the problem here to be the need to solve every situation with 100% certainty.  There are some solutions that can only be worked out by the people in-game. 

[Qzzrbl]

But if you choose to do so, you take severe penalties in combat.

Most of the above complaints can be addressed with a competent crew.

Honestly, I find the problem here to be the need to solve every situation with 100% certainty.  There are some solutions that can only be worked out by the people in-game. 

If by "competent crew" you mean, "Skimmer full of maxxed out 50-day combat classes that could each probably solo a mek"*, then yeah.

Fighting off that ferocious random silt-horror/silt-skimmer duo of terror while taking the sitting combat penalties is no big deal, and likely won't turn into a complete and total waste of time.

But the odds of getting just half a crew so competent is damn near impossible as it is.

*Healthy dose of hyperbole included.

[Potaje]

But if you choose to do so, you take severe penalties in combat.

Most of the above complaints can be addressed with a competent crew.

Honestly, I find the problem here to be the need to solve every situation with 100% certainty.  There are some solutions that can only be worked out by the people in-game. 

If by "competent crew" you mean, "Skimmer full of maxxed out 50-day combat classes that could each probably solo a mek"*, then yeah.

Fighting off that ferocious random silt-horror/silt-skimmer duo of terror while taking the sitting combat penalties is no big deal, and likely won't turn into a complete and total waste of time.

But the odds of getting just half a crew so competent is damn near impossible as it is.

*Healthy dose of hyperbole included.

You only need a competent pilot, and smart enough not to walk off the skimmer, I wouldn't sit fighting anyways, makes no sense and fighting while standing in a skimmer is not the issue. Sit you butts down after, seems more sensible.

[brytta.leofa]

If by "competent crew" you mean, "Skimmer full of maxxed out 50-day combat classes that could each probably solo a mek"*, then yeah. ...

You only need a competent pilot, and smart enough not to walk off the skimmer, I wouldn't sit fighting anyways, makes no sense and fighting while standing in a skimmer is not the issue.

If you're going to put all your money on "pilot" and "flee," you don't need a crew.

[Talia]

I'm just trying to point out that the whole silt skimmer idea is a great concept.  But as implemented now, it is more of a novelty than a workable means of play.

It's my impression that silt-skimmers and roleplay around those aren't intended to be more than a novelty. I don't believe that there ever was an idea that the Silt Sea, or skimming, or the skimming life would ever become a major role that lots of people would be involved in, or that this would be a significant hub of activity or trade or play. It's there to give you something different to experience, to spice up your play a little, to add to the tapestry of the world, but AFAIK that's as far as it has gone, or will go.

[Feco]

I'm just trying to point out that the whole silt skimmer idea is a great concept.  But as implemented now, it is more of a novelty than a workable means of play.

It's my impression that silt-skimmers and roleplay around those aren't intended to be more than a novelty. I don't believe that there ever was an idea that the Silt Sea, or skimming, or the skimming life would ever become a major role that lots of people would be involved in, or that this would be a significant hub of activity or trade or play. It's there to give you something different to experience, to spice up your play a little, to add to the tapestry of the world, but AFAIK that's as far as it has gone, or will go.

[Agent_137]

It's my impression that silt-skimmers and roleplay around those aren't intended to be more than a novelty. I don't believe that there ever was an idea that the Silt Sea, or skimming, or the skimming life would ever become a major role that lots of people would be involved in, or that this would be a significant hub of activity or trade or play. It's there to give you something different to experience, to spice up your play a little, to add to the tapestry of the world, but AFAIK that's as far as it has gone, or will go.

[Feco]

All that said, I'd rather have it as an awesome novelty (it is), than not have it at all.



Back on topic?

[Dalmeth]

You only need a competent pilot, and smart enough not to walk off the skimmer, I wouldn't sit fighting anyways, makes no sense and fighting while standing in a skimmer is not the issue. Sit you butts down after, seems more sensible.

Mainly, you need a decision whether you're going to stand and fight anything that comes along or run away.

Then comes a pilot who will always call out before he begins moving and will check to make sure everyone is sitting before he moves.

Lastly, you need spare crew that will listen to the pilot, even in pitched combat.

And yeah, the only way you're going to guarantee against death is with seasoned warriors.  Is anyone surprised?  Not I.

Look at the bright side, it gives you a good reason to wear heavy armor.

[CravenMadness]

"It's my impression that silt-skimmers and roleplay around those aren't intended to be more than a novelty. I don't believe that there ever was an idea that the Silt Sea, or skimming, or the skimming life would ever become a major role that lots of people would be involved in, or that this would be a significant hub of activity or trade or play. It's there to give you something different to experience, to spice up your play a little, to add to the tapestry of the world, but AFAIK that's as far as it has gone, or will go."


Why wouldn't it be a major role?  Aren't silt skimmer crews the big producers of spice?  I know Kurac doesn't get all their goods from the little silt deposits along the edge of the Sea.  I'd almost expect most of Kurac to be spending time on skimmers.  It'd be as involving as most Desert Elf tribal play... With the crews and ships having their own social structures built through time at Sea and respect/lack there of.

Seems rather ideal a role for folks like myself who aren't particularly fond of the tavern sitting city scene.  But if it's unrealistically dangerous so that you can't even properly pilot unless you spend five minutes checking your every command/position/everyone else's position as well as watching nearby areas for flying terrors or the random ones that pop up on you (that's another thing, are they actually invisible like anakore and just pop out of the ground with no warning?  Or are they like Dujat, and you can see them coming?  Or do they echo like.. boiling silt around your skimmer .. some sort of warning before they engage the crew, giving the captain/crew a chance to prepare to haul balls?), all while trying to remember the directions you've taken while navigating the big bad Sea.. Of course there's not going to be anyone willing to try and expand in that area of play.

So of course there's not going to be any interest in making it more playable.  So of course making it playable isn't ever going to crop up on anyone's 'To Do' list.  It's a vicious cycle.

[Bacon]

I'm just trying to point out that the whole silt skimmer idea is a great concept.  But as implemented now, it is more of a novelty than a workable means of play.

It's my impression that silt-skimmers and roleplay around those aren't intended to be more than a novelty. I don't believe that there ever was an idea that the Silt Sea, or skimming, or the skimming life would ever become a major role that lots of people would be involved in, or that this would be a significant hub of activity or trade or play. It's there to give you something different to experience, to spice up your play a little, to add to the tapestry of the world, but AFAIK that's as far as it has gone, or will go.

Agreed.
I, like I think a lot of others as well, wanted to see this be a fully flushed out part of the game that could open up some major roles within it. It is disappointing to hear that the vision of the staff in this regard was so detached from that of the players.

[RogueGunslinger]

One persons impression does not equal the entirety of staffs vision on the subject.

[Bacon]

One persons impression does not equal the entirety of staffs vision on the subject.

True enough. But one can only go off what information they have at hand.

[musashi]

I think that the Sea of Silt is meant to be like any other far flung largely uninhabited area of the game. Dangerous, legendary, generally unexplored by any but the epic.

Pick any direction outside of a settlement; north, south, east, or west ... and just start walking ... and you will eventually find yourself in one such dangerous local.

[Lizzie]

The vision of staff, so far as I can tell, was in sync with that of the majority of the players. Which is to say: we don't find roleplay in the silt sea to be a significant enough issue to warrant doing anything new with it.

The majority of players, I am guessing, would want to experience it at least once, just to say they experienced it. But most, I would continue to guess, would prefer not to spend significant time with any of their characters that far removed from civilization/trade/interaction with people OTHER than the people on your skimmer - etc. etc. etc.

There are players who enjoy playing skimmer captains, but they are few and far between - and even then, they don't keep rolling them up over and over again because honestly, once you've fallen in the sea once, you really don't need to experience it a second time.

[Spider]

I've always wanted to make that Silt-Skimmer Captain. I'll probably Spec App it once I can get my playtimes in order.

Anyway, I am of the opinion that you probably shouldn't be fighting the most legendary of beasts in the Known from a rickety boat no matter how badass you are. I'd say, "Whatever you do just stay seated and hold on until we get to land." If a freaking Horror came up to my boat, I'd haul ass away, simple as that. Insta haul.

[Dan]

The vision of staff, so far as I can tell, was in sync with that of the majority of the players. Which is to say: we don't find roleplay in the silt sea to be a significant enough issue to warrant doing anything new with it.

The majority of players, I am guessing, would want to experience it at least once, just to say they experienced it. But most, I would continue to guess, would prefer not to spend significant time with any of their characters that far removed from civilization/trade/interaction with people OTHER than the people on your skimmer - etc. etc. etc.

There are players who enjoy playing skimmer captains, but they are few and far between - and even then, they don't keep rolling them up over and over again because honestly, once you've fallen in the sea once, you really don't need to experience it a second time.

I experienced it once during a pretty big RPT. I think I died twice, and was ressed twice during the ordeal. Oh, Arad, you crazy angsty tattoo-whorled bastard.