Discussion of Read/Write changes.

[650Booger]

Does a piece of writing automatically identify who wrote it?  if not, it would be really fun to create false messages and sign them with other PC's names.  I can see some real counter-intelligence applications for that.

but I agree that it wouldn't be proper to have -everybody- suddenly able to R/W.

[Feco]

These changes rule.

[Nathvaan]

Does a piece of writing automatically identify who wrote it?  if not, it would be really fun to create false messages and sign them with other PC's names.  I can see some real counter-intelligence applications for that.

but I agree that it wouldn't be proper to have -everybody- suddenly able to R/W.

I may have been somewhat obtuse in explaining how writing will work with regards to identification.  We (staff) can identify who wrote what and when.  The characters with read/write do not have the ability to know who wrote them other than who signed the pages (right or wrong).

I can pretty safely say there is no intention to suddenly have everybody being able to read and write.  These changes were needed from an infrastructure perspective and I threw in some feature upgrades for possible future use.

[Barsook]

As some said, I do dig the scribe idea as it could lead to cool plots.

[a french mans shirt]

Special app only, or a couple of subguilds (one for written sirihish, one for written elvish) at high karma levels, sounds good to me. Written elvish sounds like something that the elvish desert tribes would keep, even just to record their legends and great warriors and leaders.

I've always seen the major tablelands tribes as having some small number of literates, but that's just a guess. It would be beneficial for them to do so (to a certain extent, like having an architect in the family), and they are not in danger if they don't do it outside of their tents.

Even if this became a 2-karma subguild, I kind of doubt everyone and their brother would know how to write a couple of months from now. Possessing a skill that, unless you were an aide or the merchant house guy, would instantly get you killed upon the discovery that you had it, with no obvious benefit to having it, does not seem like something people would try *for the awesomes of it.* I mean, really, what benefit is there in this particular world for a commoner to know how to read and write? The detriments are many, and you'd have to be a double-agent for Tuluk or just against Allanak, and be delivering a scroll yourself, to make use of your gift in sekrit ways. You would then become suspect after you used the information in the scroll--- because guess what genius, it was sealed with the seal of House Tor. They -always- are.

Whenever I play an elf babe or a witch babe or whatever, I get the sekrit catcalls for go-to-bed-with-me from human normal men about once a RL month, when I play a lot. That's one of those things we all know will get you banished, whipped and/or killed. So, that's how many literate people I kind of expect to be around after the first few months when everyone's tried it. About one new guy a month. That's not so bad. I could be wrong, but this is my expectations.

[MarshallDFX]

Maybe really basic questions because I'm not in the know...

In the old world, would it have been not codedly possible to learn to read without staff intervention?  Is this no longer the case in the new world? 

When an illiterate character uncovers a buried cache of books in the desert, does this change how we might codedly interact with them?

[wizturbo]

This is probably the most exciting change I've seen in Armageddon in ten years.  It isn't overt, or immediate, like the extended subguilds or whatever...  it's the long game where the impact of this could be staggering. 

[Hauwke]

I suspect that with this change, people will certainly try to find a good reason to have books on hand. Not that it would be hard to find one.

[WanderingOoze]

When an illiterate character uncovers a buried cache of books in the desert, does this change how we might codedly interact with them?

craft book 2.book 3.book 4.book into campfire

[Jihelu]

Do people in this thread think reading is as easy as finding a book and looking at it for a year.

This change is cool. Real cool.
This change also only effects a small amount of the playerbase.

[Nathvaan]

Maybe really basic questions because I'm not in the know...

In the old world, would it have been not codedly possible to learn to read without staff intervention?  Is this no longer the case in the new world? 

When an illiterate character uncovers a buried cache of books in the desert, does this change how we might codedly interact with them?

Correct, it would not have been possible without staff interaction and this is still the case now. 

This change was about making books more manageable and accessible as well as laying the ground work for other features in the future.

I don't see this changing the way you interact with the book at all.  Your character might burn then, use them to wipe their arse or try and sell them to someone who can read to make a few coins!

[MarshallDFX]

Do people in this thread think reading is as easy as finding a book and looking at it for a year.

if you mean me, no, I was just wondering how it worked before.

Code Select Expand

You rent 'Hooked on Phonics - Reading with Tektolnes" from the Allanak Library.

[Hauwke]

Lol, I suspect it might be as easy as getting a book and looking at it for a year to learn to read. Your character might get it wrong but hey reading.

[wizturbo]

Repeated use of the 'teach' command granting the ability to read/write would be a fantastic addition to the game.  Since virtually all PC's that start with read/write are sponsored roles, I don't expect the abuse to be too much of a concern, and any such abuse could be dealt with through IC means (see: it's a death sentence for a commoner).

[MarshallDFX]

Repeated use of the 'teach' command granting the ability to read/write would be a fantastic addition to the game.  Since virtually all PC's that start with read/write are sponsored roles, I don't expect the abuse to be too much of a concern, and any such abuse could be dealt with through IC means (see: it's a death sentence for a commoner).

Yes I guess this was the genesis of my staff intervention question.

[a french mans shirt]

Are there any plans by staff for making reading/writing for nonsponsored folks automated in any way? Like a secret cult that worships the evil snake god and hides from Tektolnes, also the head guy and his elite section know how to read and write sirihish.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I'm not even able to play these days (or regularly for a very long time) ... but thank you. This stuff is exciting to watch from afar.

Same here. I love this shit. Curiously, have you considered support for non-language entries into books? FOr instance, when I wrote books, I'd throw in line dividers and all sorts of artistic flourishes. Those didn't involve language, and it would be neat to have a hash system to denote such a thing, like $$--------$$ where the line remains unscrambled.

[Erythil]

This looks great.

I totally think, for the record, that lifesworn aides of Senior rank should learn how to write.

[Barsook]

I had a character who was close of learning to read and write in the merchant's.

[Nathvaan]

This looks great.

I totally think, for the record, that lifesworn aides of Senior rank should learn how to write.

Thank you!  I do just to make sure it is abundantly clear,  the changes I did were code changes and were in no way a change to the IC way read/write work.  One should still understand this help file is still completely accurate and to my knowledge there is no expectation that will change.

Code (help write) Select Expand


   Please note that literacy is illegal or unknown for most people on
the face of Zalanthas. While nobles and templars are trained in the
arts of reading and writing and the Merchant Houses pass along a
knowledge of how to write the trade-ciphers associated with Cavilish to
their agents and merchants, it is considered treason for common
citizens to possess such knowledge within the city-states of Zalanthas.


[Nathvaan]

I'm not even able to play these days (or regularly for a very long time) ... but thank you. This stuff is exciting to watch from afar.

Same here. I love this shit. Curiously, have you considered support for non-language entries into books? FOr instance, when I wrote books, I'd throw in line dividers and all sorts of artistic flourishes. Those didn't involve language, and it would be neat to have a hash system to denote such a thing, like $$--------$$ where the line remains unscrambled.

I have considered similar things, nothing pending though.  Believe it or not, it's an inordinate amount of work to make changes to this kind of stuff!

[Erythil]

This looks great.

I totally think, for the record, that lifesworn aides of Senior rank should learn how to write.

Thank you!  I do just to make sure it is abundantly clear,  the changes I did were code changes and were in no way a change to the IC way read/write work.  One should still understand this help file is still completely accurate and to my knowledge there is no expectation that will change.

Code (help write) Select Expand


   Please note that literacy is illegal or unknown for most people on
the face of Zalanthas. While nobles and templars are trained in the
arts of reading and writing and the Merchant Houses pass along a
knowledge of how to write the trade-ciphers associated with Cavilish to
their agents and merchants, it is considered treason for common
citizens to possess such knowledge within the city-states of Zalanthas.


I'm aware of the fact that's nothing changed, but I suppose I'm just taking the opportunity to suggest that perhaps a few more people should get to make use of the new code!  I think there'd be more books getting made if books had an even slightly wider audience, and aide roles don't really have a lot of perks compared to some others...