Prompts, who needs them?! (changed)

[Nathvaan]

I have decided to remove prompts all together because they are cramping my limited screen real estate on my 12" monochrome CRT monitor.  So discuss!

Seriously though, I am looking into creating a branch to make some adjustments to the good ol' prompt! There are many changes that we put in that are just too heavy in the mechanics of the game to solicit suggestions early (sometimes at all) in the process, this is not one of those!  So I would like to get a discussion started on that topic.

So this is a -perfect- place to discuss what things you always thought you might like to be able to see in your prompt!

But, to be perfectly clear, I am not saying that if you suggest something in this thread it will be implemented.  But I can tell you it will be discussed and vetted among staff per our normal processes as I build a design document.

Also, as a note: Please do not go off on tangents about what other things, code or other wise, you would like to see implemented.  That really just muddies the waters and makes it harder for me to suss out the ideas from the din!  If you feel you want to go off on a tangent, please create another thread!

What would you like to see available in the prompt?
What, if anything, would you like to see changed in the prompt?

[BadSkeelz]

I'd like to have a flag available in the prompt telling us if we're being followed (NOT shadowed). You know, for those times when your big dramatic exit is spoiled by dragging half the clan along with you.

[FantasyWriter]

I would like to know which, if any, observation skills I am currently using: Scan, Listen, Watch, or more precisely when the skills toggle off.

[James de Monet]

Off the cuff, it would be great if the position flag told you if you were mounted.

[BadSkeelz]

Off the cuff, it would be great if the position flag told you if you were mounted.

You can already flag yourself to say what mount you're riding, or none. It's what I use to keep myself notified. It IS long, though.

[Marauder Moe]

* A status effects list (spells, psionics, diseases, poisons, etc).  That is, the list that shows up in score.
-- For a short version(s), maybe just display flags for being under broad classes of effects (magick, psionics, poison).

* Position (%s) should have a value for "mounted".

* Hunger, thirst.

* Intoxication.

* Server timestamp (maybe useful for logging).

* Item in primary hand.  Item in secondary hand.

* Status flags for various skills not currently included: scan, watch, listen, guard

[FantasyWriter]

It IS long, though.

I don't use it for this reason. I would much rather see it as a single word (mounted) in the position slot as suggested.

[LauraMars]

I would like to know which, if any, observation skills I am currently using: Scan, Listen, Watch, or more precisely when the skills toggle off.

This would be great.  This would go in my prompt.

I wouldn't mind seeing hunger/thirst status so I could alias my client to choke out the "You are a little hungry" "You are thirsty" etc, messages.

[Molten Heart]

If we're making wish lists, I'd like to see prompt options available in the infobar.

[Reiloth]

To be honest, I just use the code-generated prompt, because all other prompt's i've made get in the way of my screen!

It would be great if it were an info bar.

[Quirrilicious]

I'd like to have a flag available in the prompt telling us if we're being followed (NOT shadowed). You know, for those times when your big dramatic exit is spoiled by dragging half the clan along with you.

Also good for when leading an adventure to know if you've lost the people following you or not because reasons.

[Quirrilicious]

I would like to know which, if any, observation skills I am currently using: Scan, Listen, Watch, or more precisely when the skills toggle off.

This. And the watch option to have a modifier that you can opt to add to see who/what/direction you are watching.

[Bushranger]

Wanted.



Seriously it's bad when you forget you're wanted and wander past a soldier. This is available in "stat" so I think having a flag for legal status would be neat. %c (for crime)  wanted/unwanted

Then again I don't really want to walk around with a prompt that has the phrase: You are unwanted.

%n has %h, %t and %v. It is %e %d. You are %A and %c

[CodeMaster]

I'm lazy and didn't check the helpfile to see whether these were already available:

- Current percentage of total HP, percentage of total stun, etc. (a mud client could easily do this, but seems easy to code serverside).

- Since it was brought up in another thread, the condition string that's being tacked onto your ldesc (bleeding lightly, bleeding heavily, appearing very tired - etc.)

- Who your mind is currently in contact with via the Way (or an empty string if none).

- Whether you're excited or not (preventing you from quitting the game) - useful for combat/sparring types.

[CodeMaster]

Also, users of tinyfugue might be interested to have it possible to display "*\b" in the prompt for their own infobars (more specifically, the backspace character or other GOAHEAD/END-OF-RECORD combinations)

q.v.
http://northstar-www.dartmouth.edu/doc/tf/topics/prompts.html
http://northstar-www.dartmouth.edu/doc/tf/topics/prompt_protocol.html

[manipura]

- Who your mind is currently in contact with via the Way (or an empty string if none).

I didn't even think of this for an option in your prompt.  I think I like it.

[CodeMaster]

Certain commands (like forage, and empty <item>) have a before-delay and a sometimes a very long 'after-delay'.  It would be cool if there was some kind of indicator in the prompt that showed when you were stuck in the after-delay.

[X-D]

Condition...yes please.
wanted...yes again.

EFFECTS....it does not even have to name the effect. just a simple word that reminds you that you might want to check stat before you enter the city...leave your temple...walk into the bar.

[bcw81]

I definitely want to see when I'm high or drunk. I so often forget, especially when being drunk doesn't give echoes to it wearing off.

[Harmless]

Basically all the stuff I have already programmed into my prompt in tintin++.

A visual or very shortened depiction of the time. If it could use color that'd be sexy.
Same as above for weather
Having mounted in the prompt (i already substitute riding: none etc but not everybody uses as many substitutions as I do)
color change for your current hp if below the 60ish% threshold of "needs bandaging or sleep to recover"

Optional:

Number of items in your inventory
whether your hood is up or you have an sdesc hiding item on
The post action delay state as above
the number of opponents currently fighting you that you could see with a 'look'
What you're currently lifting

[X-D]

I can tell you right now the inventory one is out.
having a prompt tell you when something has been planted or stolen....not.

[James de Monet]

I wrote a response about prompts vs. heartbeats that seemed pertinent, but it started to feel like a derail, so I moved it over here.

The general idea was wondering if maybe some of the things we would like to see in prompts might not better be served by a different mechanism.  That doesn't help Nathvaan if he has need to make changes to prompts anyway, but if not, maybe it's a worthwhile discussion.

[Lizzie]

I wouldn't oppose any addition to the existing prompt system. The more options the better. I wouldn't use any other options and I hope that my use of it won't have to change. It's simple and relatively short, just the basics - health, stamina, (mana if I play a mage), and stun.

For everything else I look at stat and score, and I prefer it that way. But again - I encourage more options for those who want them.

[cnemus]

I already use an infobar and squelched prompt to save me from spam, but having more options to add to prompt/infobar are always+ from me! I like all the ideas here. Saves and merciful are what I'd really like to add. I find myself fussing with those a lot and am always checking them obsessively.

[manonfire]

I like condition, wanted status, and effects.

That said, if you break my Mushclient Infobar, I will cut you.

[valeria]

I haven't read through, but I would really like to have intoxication level in my prompt.

[CodeMaster]

- Who your mind is currently in contact with via the Way (or an empty string if none).

I didn't even think of this for an option in your prompt.  I think I like it.

Either this or just something that shows your Way status, if any, kind of like that option that shows [ldesc] only if you set an ldesc:

[barrier]
[contact: the chuckle-faced elf]
[barrier, contact: the chuckle-faced elf]            ;; (I think both are possible simultaneously)

[CodeMaster]

More prompt items that only appear when they are active.  We already have:

Code Select Expand


%l - displays "[ldesc] " if an ldesc is active


Note the extra space after [ldesc], which could be removed (I can always insert that space if I want it).

But what about:

Code Select Expand


%O - displays "[encumbered] " only if encumbrance goes beyond "manageable"
%@ - displays "[accent]" only if you're speaking with the wrong accent for your region
%p - displays "[prone]" only if your character is anything but standing
%r - displays "[hurt]" only if your character is beneath his waking-healing threshold
%K - displays "[riding]" only if you are mounted, otherwise nothing
%W - displays "[psi]" if some psionic skill is active (contact, barrier)


Basically this would let me have a HUGE prompt that's invisible most of the time.

[Harmless]

the above is an excellent post. I currently use substitutions to accomplish exactly this, so I have been happy with my prompt for years, but if it were coded into the game it'd make everyone's experience better

[RogueGunslinger]

Yes. Yes again. Good ideas.

[Nathvaan]

Thanks for all the requirement ideas, keep them coming.  I will be letting this go for a little while longer before I start writing the requirement.

Thanks Again!

[Barzalene]

I have a terrible memory. I have wanted in the past to have my prompt remind me of things. How hard would it be to have certain states highlighted? Like armed vs unbolded unarmed.

[Marauder Moe]

I will chime in with support for the idea of having values that act as "flags", only appearing when there's relevant information.

I would also suggest that, especially with the suggested additions, we may have too many options to reasonably use with just single-character options.  Might need to have the command starts parsing for whole words, like %health, %maxhealth, %position, etc.

[CodeMaster]

Someone suggested weather, so this might be the flag version:

Code Select Expand


%~ - "[storm]" appears only if the weather is 'fierce' or worse


(and might show something else if there's insane weather effects I don't know about, like if it's raining fire from the sky)

edit:format

[Harmless]

I will chime in with support for the idea of having values that act as "flags", only appearing when there's relevant information.

I would also suggest that, especially with the suggested additions, we may have too many options to reasonably use with just single-character options.  Might need to have the command starts parsing for whole words, like %health, %maxhealth, %position, etc.

single character % values allow me to set different prompts with in game aliases. Moe's suggestion, if implemented, would make me unable to fit a prompt into the 80ish character limit for in game aliases, so I do not support requiring the full word. If it were optional that would be fine.

[Marauder Moe]

That, to me, suggests then that alias needs a larger limit rather than filling the prompt list with crazy and inscrutable variable characters.

[maxid]

Current darkness/light of the room.

Current weather in the room.

This could be useful for people who have direction sense, or other abilities that make it easy to traverse those areas, but may not wish to make that sort of thing known.

[Culinary Critic]

Off the cuff, it would be great if the position flag told you if you were mounted.

You can already flag yourself to say what mount you're riding, or none. It's what I use to keep myself notified. It IS long, though.

I use this one with every outdoorsy character.  But yes, it can be long. 

As a suggestion, since we can name mounts, can we change "riding: a glossy-shelled, purple-embroidered, two-headed, smoky-grey beetle wearing a gaj-decorated chalton hide saddle" to "riding: Flash"?

[Delirium]

Or better yet, "mounted" "not mounted"

Boom.

[manonfire]

Or better yet, "mounted" "not mounted"

Boom.

Also useful during mudsex.

[BadSkeelz]

Did someone already suggest a "fighting/not fighting" flag? It would be useful in a spam-heavy setting where you might be rescued and knocked out of the fight.

[CodeMaster]

Did someone already suggest a "fighting/not fighting" flag? It would be useful in a spam-heavy setting where you might be rescued and knocked out of the fight.

I believe %s, (your current position) will show

Code Select Expand

fighting: so and so
if you're in combat, and standing (sitting, etc.) otherwise.  A flag version of this (maybe [fighting], which only appears if you're in combat) would be great.

Addendum: I have %A/%s in my prompt, and have my client set to warn me if it ever sees the string "unarmed/fighting".  A flag that shows "[unarmed]" if (and only if) you're simultaneously unarmed and fighting would also be great.

[flurry]

Obviously far from necessary, but wouldn't it be kind of cool to be able to have the number of people logged in display in the prompt? Especially during an HRPT.

[CodeMaster]

*puts on his conical star and moon necromancer's cap*

Hooded status.  Might say 'hooded' if you're hooded, 'veiled' if you're facewrapped, and 'exposed' if neither.

[Barsook]

I dig this!

[MeTekillot]

A prompt for obvious magickal effects, like if you're walking around on goddamn fire and you accidentally don't notice.

[senseofeven]

yus.

[aeglaeca]

Prompt token for mercy on/off please. Also for active opponent's health?