Scan Echo

[Suhuy]

I'm sure this has been brought up before, but it may have been a while since it's been discussed and perhaps could use re-discussion. Or in my case... discussion.

What's up the the message everyone sees in the room when another person scans? It doesn't make much sense. If they're intently scanning the room then that is what they're doing at that particular moment. But all they're really doing, in a coded sense, is essentially turning scan on. They're not constantly scanning the room, or else an ldesc or similar function should inform us of this. There used to be a message the room would receive when people would listen, but that was eventually done away with, presumably due to the rediculousness of the situation. In fact I think the room echo said the person was crouching down and carefully trying to listen. There's no action the room should see if you're simply trying to pay more attention with your ears. Why then should we receive one for scan? The current scan message would make sense if scan only lasted for a moment. Because in that case you really are intently scanning the area. But I'd rather not know people scan the room now. OOCly it hints at what guild they most likely are, but on an IC level it doesn't do anything at all. It's merely a byproduct of an older Diku era in Arm, IMO.

Thoughts?

[Delirium]

Agreed.

[Ktavialt]

I think so too, although if you wanna do what makes sense, there should be a hemote-type message (to perceptive people) as well as people who take a look at you while scan is on.  I think you should be able to tell (sometimes) if people are observing their surroundings regularly and with scrutiny.

[Kalai]

I don't think you can append an emote to it. So, yeah, I don't really care for it echoing. If knowing someone is scanning is something important for reasons, seems like it would make more sense to put it on a watch or extended assess rather than just at the start of the scanning bit.

[Morrolan]

Thoughts?

I feel that now that hemote has been added, that code should be hijacked for a number of commands.

• look <target> (no command emotes)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks at the blond ragamuffin.
• scan (or move to something visible on assess)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks around intently.
• watch (direction)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man stares off to the east.
• barrier (barrier or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• contact (contact or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• talk (at a table, etc., if "listen" does not kick in)
• sip
• taste

[Suhuy]

Those are really good ideas, Morrolan. I only don't like the one about scanning. And here's why.

When you scan, the skill stays "on". So this means you are not actually standing there, swerving your head from side to side as you scrutinize everything around you. You're simply deciding to be more visually alert about your surroundings for a while.

If scan is truly meant to be like the situation above (head swerving analysis of the entire visible world around you) then it shouldn't be a turn on/turn off skill at all and instead should last but a moment. If, however, it's meant to be a more casual awareness then I'd rather not see any echo applied to scan - even a hidden one.

[Delirium]

Scan, like watch, should show up in verbose assess, or have a chance to be noticed at 'turn on' via a hemote, to the watchful.

[Rhyden]

Thoughts?

I feel that now that hemote has been added, that code should be hijacked for a number of commands.

• look <target> (no command emotes)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks at the blond ragamuffin.
• scan (or move to something visible on assess)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks around intently.
• watch (direction)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man stares off to the east.
• barrier (barrier or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• contact (contact or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• talk (at a table, etc., if "listen" does not kick in)
• sip
• taste

I agree wholeheartedly. Sometimes less is more.

[RogueGunslinger]

Thoughts?

I feel that now that hemote has been added, that code should be hijacked for a number of commands.

• look <target> (no command emotes)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks at the blond ragamuffin.
• scan (or move to something visible on assess)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man looks around intently.
• watch (direction)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man stares off to the east.
• barrier (barrier or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• contact (contact or a hidden skill contested vs. watch)
  You notice: The tall, muscular man pauses for a moment and his eyes lose focus.
• talk (at a table, etc., if "listen" does not kick in)
• sip
• taste

I agree wholeheartedly. Sometimes less is more.

Yessss.

[BadSkeelz]

I agree with morrolan on all points, except I think Talk, Sip and Taste are fine as they are.

[Maso]

Up until recently I didn't actually realize that scan was an on/off type thing. I thought that if you used it, you only had a chance of spotting something at that moment...because of the echo.

[Drayab]

I'd like to see scan and look (without command emotes) become hemotes, but I like the others on Morrolan's list as-is.

I do like being able to use command emotes with look in some situations, like inspecting the troops or leering at a pretty person, but the look spam when somebody walks into the room can be mildly jarring. Hemote would help with that.

And I wholeheartedly agree that the scan echo is not consistent with how it actually works. I think detecting scan should be similar to detecting watch.

[Delirium]

I agree with morrolan on all points, except I think Talk, Sip and Taste are fine as they are.

I like the idea of talk being a hemote because it helps add spatial relevance. If you're at the bar you're probably not gonna notice the animated conversation going on unless you're specifically watching somebody at the table.

[thatkid]

I agree with morrolan on all points, except I think Talk, Sip and Taste are fine as they are.

I like the idea of talk being a hemote because it helps add spatial relevance. If you're at the bar you're probably not gonna notice the animated conversation going on unless you're specifically watching somebody at the table.

Also, it would totally help to reduce line-clutter during large tavern scenes and such, where you have a bunch of groups at separate tables or something.

[musashi]

I wish scan did not echo. I frequently try to turn scan on before going into PC populated areas if I want to use it, because I don't care for the silly echo.

[TheBadSeed]

Yup. Scanning should really be a somewhat stealthy activity. More than a room echo, I would suggest something that shows up on their temporary description.

[BleakOne]

Code Select Expand


Someone intently scans the area

The tall, muscular man says, in sirihish:
              "Did you just hear someone looking?"


[bcw81]

:/ Having scan on all the time forever is just as bad. Shaming people out of it with the echo is fun.

[ghostymudy]

I don't really think that surveying your surroundings enough to pick out a master hide player is going to be that covert but making the initiation a Hemote would kind of be acceptable as long as you can spot scanners in the same way you can spot watchers. There's a difference to being perceptive and constantly keeping detailed track on your surroundings.

Also, BCW, having scan on all the time is pretty lame, yeah.

[musashi]

Where as having listen and watch on all the time is the epoch of great RP amirite? 

[bcw81]

No, but marking other bad roleplaying qualities isn't a great debate method.

[ShaLeah]

An observant or paranoid person doesn't stop being on edge. Scan peepoles!

[musashi]

No, but marking other bad roleplaying qualities isn't a great debate method.

Who's trying to debate with you?

I reject the premise that scanning "all the time" is bad. Just depends on the kind of character you're playing. Some people are on edge in taverns and have ample grounds to use their skillset there. Guards come to mind.
Likewise, I reject "shaming people out out of it when they echo" as legit justification for having the command echo.

If it didn't echo I'd probably spend more time with scan off, ironically. If I'm in a tavern and I have it on, I'd like to be able to switch to watching the person I'm talking to, then switch back to scanning the room at large when the conversaiton wraps up, but meh, at the moment I just leave scan on because I'd rather not constantly spam the room with that transition.

[kayza]

I really tend to ignore it when others use scan.

Because honestly if you don't, I feel strange constantly commenting on it if someone is using the skill a lot.
OOC I know they are trying to do something code wise and responding in this manner is bad, IC - they are just looking at those around them a lot, not that rare in a place where you might get mugged and killed in the streets.


Truthfully I like it as is..
For OOC fun reasons of when you play a sneaky type!

[RogueGunslinger]

Most people respond or react to canned echo's in extremely retarded fashion, so yes please.


You don't have to take every echo literally people.