Psionic Content

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

So, this bastard is too lazy to post this, and I'm doing it:

Personally I feel like the current implementation is extremely wonky and just promotes additional metagaming culture though to a different extent. People will still (and are able to) "psi-sniff" your sdesc/outfit/hidden/invis/nakedness which gives the outside party way more relevant information than is really necessary. Moreover it doesn't even really stop someone who uses additional keywords to completely sniff out your sdesc via psionics/keyword command if they're in the same room.

I'm all for revealing the outside party's sdesc as a default with some caveats: an outside party (the attacker) can choose to conceal/obscure their outgoing sdesc at the cost of concentration/having to have a skill (while also perhaps sending messages to someone anonymously for extra plotting/politics), and the defending party be able to "challenge" or unveil the hidden mind (but not immediately uncover the sdesc, just end the anonymity) at the cost of having to expend stun points.
Mini-psionic battles of will that might otherwise end in broken anonymity (why is that templar's aide causing trouble?), or curiosity as to why that someone tipped you off about ABC when you can't uncover them.

Situations would end up like this:

Code (normal) Select Expand

The tressy-tressed aide contacts your mind.
The tressy-tressed aide sends you a telepathic message:
     "Heeeeeeeey. *warmth* Just checking in!!!
You sense the tressy-tressed aide withdraw from your mind.

Code (obscured) Select Expand

A foreign presence contacts your mind.
A foreign presence sends you a telepathic message:
   "Meet me at the the bench at Theyaks' Walk for your package."
You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.

Code (mental "combat") Select Expand

A foreign presence contacts your mind.
>>unveil
>You attempt to unveil any concealed minds. (Could roll a vs against every mind individually?) (Could tell the 'attacker' they've been revealed if its a minor success?)
The tressy-tressed aide sends you a telepathic message:
     "Abigail Oash is spreading rumors about you to all the other Lords."
You sense the tressy-tressed aide withdraw from your mind.
The tressy-tressed aide contacts your mind.
The tressy-tressed aide sends you a telepathic message:
     "Actually, ignore that."
You sense the tressy-tressed aide withdraw from your mind.

Furthermore, I agree with this idea.

[mansa]

I could see it happen this way.

The player sees:

>contact templar swarthy
You reach out through the way, and contact another mind.

>psi Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!
You send a telepathic message to the swarthy, blue-eyed templar:
   "Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!"

>cease
You withdraw from their mind


And the templar sees:

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The tall, muscular man sends you a telepathic message:
   "Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!"

You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.


This 100% removes the sdesc sniffing aspect of the initial contact.

[creeper386]

What I'm curious about, is the fact the sender would get a sdesc when sending a message, indicates that the sender receives information without the recipient trying to send. Rather that's naturally part of making a connection or they are just "taking it."

Perhaps this could be something like a nosave option where you can either choose to do it or not. But when choosing not to do it you have to succeed on a psionic roll to not do it?

Think the sender sometimes not receiving positive information on who they were contacting could lead to all sorts of IC fun if they aren't careful. Would probably want real names and solid description, and possibly even then maybe some confirmation to ensure you are talking to the right person.

[Nao]

I got to say that I absolutely hate the recent changes here, too. I put in a bug request because I thought they couldn't possibly be intended to work that way, but apparently it's meant to be that way.

It gives away certain magicks, but only those that change your sdesc. If your ldesc is what gets changed and you would be able to see it from a room away? Nope, not over the way.

It gives away certain effects you can have on your cloak (or any other items of clothing that change your sdesc), but only if the hood is up. Keep the hood down and absurdly enough? You're suddenly safe from anyone way-sniffing what you're wearing, or detecting effects on your clothing.

It gives away if you're hiding/in the dark or in a sandstorm. It's already very hard to keep a secret in game, so why make that shit even easier to sniff out? I still don't think staff thought this through before implementing this change.

[Cabooze]

I had an idea or two to toss in with all of this:

Drunk-waying. Instead of having a chance to blur out your entire way to be incomprehensible, you should instead have a increasingly higher chance of contacting the wrong person the more drunk you get. And the fun of it? You have no idea you contacted the wrong person. It tells you that you contacted the proper person. ..And so you've gotta be careful what secrets you spill!

Code Select Expand

>You are plastered
>contact golden.tressed.woman
>You contact the golden tressed bronze skinned woman
>psi So, lady templar tor still isn't dead, why are you blundering so badly?!
>A foreign presence contacts your mind
> The red tressed, bronze toned templar sends across the way: "You are to come to the Dome, immediately."

Simultaneously it should let the person you've contacted know that you're a bit fucked up: "A slight, wavering, foreign presence contacts your mind".




The second idea would be a higher-level of the contact ability. Either a rework of what functions are available at higher skill-levels or an end-level psionic skill branch for mundanes called 'tether', which instills a stronger psionic connection with your target which can persist and be communicated through during combat or while being protected by a barrier.

Your hunter that has been hunting and well disciplined for years.. Is suddenly attacked and is under great threat by a kagor! Oh no! You can no longer focus on your psionic connection!

Code Select Expand

A kagor attacks you!
You can no longer maintain your psionic connection

Instead, I'd like to see:

Code Select Expand

A kagor attacks you!
You maintain your psionic connection through your tethered mind
psi Bah! I am tired of these Kagor interrupting my ride!

Or for the being able to communicate through a barrier: It provides an extra layer for mundane protection away from REDACTED interference or REDACTED.

[Bogre]

I could see it happen this way.

The player sees:

>contact templar swarthy
You reach out through the way, and contact another mind.

>psi Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!
You send a telepathic message to the swarthy, blue-eyed templar:
   "Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!"

>cease
You withdraw from their mind


And the templar sees:

A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The tall, muscular man sends you a telepathic message:
   "Hey, Lord Templar, I'd like to report a murder!"

You sense a foreign presence withdraw from your mind.


This 100% removes the sdesc sniffing aspect of the initial contact.

I like this.

[X-D]

I think I am with anybody who thinks this cure is worse then the disease.

Before I could contact and get your sdesc "The tall muscular man" Now I can contact and get your hooded/masked/hidden/invis sdesc AND your unhooded/uninvis/unhidden/unmasked sdesc...win win for me...you only get my sdesc...so...3rd win for me.


Well, unless the change was to make it so that abuse of the way was even better...if so...FIVE STARS!!!!

No really, I am enjoying knowing that somebody is likely a sorc or whiran just from contact.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I really like not knowing for sure if you've contacted the right person, without having a few additional talents to do it. Keeping it "someone" all of the time kills all of the concerns there are, period. Yes, it's vague, but that's alright. Mundanes aren't supposed to be particularly talented at psionics.

I like the idea that an person who can do things like lock their minds up via barrier could also choose to share or not share themselves more or less fully, thus some function allowing others to see your sdesc when you send a message.

I also like the idea that someone who can lock their mind up could try to pry that identity from you, but it should never, ever be more than your generic sdesc. No cloaks, no helms, no glowings (yes, I'm aware that's not a word  ).