Changing the long desc...overcoming the character length.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I have thought of a solution to the problem of the ldesc. Currently, we are limited to a few characters for setting our ldesc. IE:Change ldesc perchs here on a stool, arms crossed. The actual number of words and characters allowed is dependant upon your short-desc's length. Hoever, let us try to conteract this, while adding yet another intricate tool to our RP arsonel.

How about implementing a secondary ldesc that is only seen when looking at a character? I will give you an example.

A Smooth, Sandstone Road [NSW]
The even-toned tannish color of this sandstone road cuts through the
surrounding scrub in a north-south path.  Lying within the Scaien Gates,
this road is kept clean of most debris and allows easy access to the small
village than can be seen off to the north.  The pieces of stone that make
this road easily accessible are each square-shaped and one cord by one
cord in size.  
The short-haired, heavy-set man leans against a building here.

>look man

Well-combed brown hair, that has been cut evenly, wraps around
this man's head.  Above his narrow-set, auburn colored eyes rest
a set of bushy brown eyebrows that seem to be combed as well.
His mid-section bares some hefty love-handles making his overall
appearance very heavy-set.  
The short haired, heavy-set man is in excellent condition.

The short haired, heavy-set man is using:
<worn on torso>          a bleached wool tunic
<worn as belt>           a black belt
<hung from belt>         a slender bone sword
<worn on legs>           a new pair of soft leather leggings
<worn on feet>           a new pair of brown knee-high boots

This is currently what you see. With my proposed solution, you could change ldesc just as he did, and do the 'leaning against a building' gig. Then, you could type change xldesc and come up with a three line or less added main desc. One can see the result below.

A Smooth, Sandstone Road [NSW]
The even-toned tannish color of this sandstone road cuts through the
surrounding scrub in a north-south path.  Lying within the Scaien Gates,
this road is kept clean of most debris and allows easy access to the small
village than can be seen off to the north.  The pieces of stone that make
this road easily accessible are each square-shaped and one cord by one
cord in size.  
The short-haired, heavy-set man leans against a building here.

>look man

Well-combed brown hair, that has been cut evenly, wraps around
this man's head.  Above his narrow-set, auburn colored eyes rest
a set of bushy brown eyebrows that seem to be combed as well.
His mid-section bares some hefty love-handles making his overall
appearance very heavy-set.  
He leans against the wall of a brown building along the east
side of the road, his arms crossed over his thick gut. His auburn
eyes, squinted against the setted Suk-Krath, rove over the
pedestrians passing by.
The short haired, heavy-set man is in excellent condition.

The short haired, heavy-set man is using:
<worn on torso>          a bleached wool tunic
<worn as belt>           a black belt
<hung from belt>         a slender bone sword
<worn on legs>           a new pair of soft leather leggings
<worn on feet>           a new pair of brown knee-high boots

(PS: I know that it's not formated perfectly, but you get the idea.)

[Dakkon Black]

Flipping wicked idea. I could be abused but you know what. So can everything else. I love it and hope it is implemented. I think it would add a ton of atmosphere to a scene that someone walks into.

[creeper386]

Yeah, but then you'd be forced to acctually use look alot more on people to get the whole scene other people are seeing. Although in might make look more common. I see alot more people going around grumbling about people looking at them, and I kill people for stuff like that, and steal their account and character.



Creeper likes the idea but doesn't know about side effects, but he's also live with being sick and such as some of those side effects of drugs are wicked.

[gfair]

The secondary ldesc - kinda like the brief command, almost.

I forget who it was that described the ugliness of stepping into a bar with 20 PCs, all of whom have ldescs requiring 2 lines of text, plus a room desc of 8-14 lines.

When you look at the room you see the regular length ldesc, when you look at the person you see the extended ldesc.  Good idea.

[Gorobei]

Ldescs are little used, in my opinion.  If there was this second ldesc feature, I doubt many people would use it at all.  There's no point in typing in what's essentially a long emote when no one's going to see it anyhow.
What I would like to see is extending the ldesc length to the second line.  People generally go for the code generated ldesc anyhow, so I don't think it would increase screen spam much.  It would, however, let you give close to four times as much information to players who enter the room.

[Mr.Camel]

Flipping wicked idea.

Dakkon Black said it. Yep, yep.

[creeper386]

It'd acctually allow about three times more then what you are allowed currently. You are allowed alittle over half a line generally, it'd give you a line in a half.

And, ldescs are commonly used enough that it'd cause a problem. Say half the people use it with eight people... Instead of eight lines of just character ldesc there is now twelve lines. I think I see about 40 lines through my client. Some people see less. Already room descriptions and items and NPCs and PCs in a not so crowded room tend to take up most of the screen. Add in busy emoters I'll enter a room and most everything well already be scrolled past. In an acctual busy tavern or something... ick...

We don't need more scroll. Not in any way. It's already bad enough when a character's ldesc goes to two lines because they MUST have a hood on and a veil on and Tek' only knows what else.



Creeper thinks the idea might work... Perhaps with a command that allows you to see the new extend ldesc and what they are wearing only and doesn't echo? SHRUG. How things stand I could see it having annoying baggage later on.

[grog]

Already room descriptions and items and NPCs and PCs in a not so crowded room tend to take up most of the screen. Add in busy emoters I'll enter a room and most everything well already be scrolled past. In an acctual busy tavern or something... ick...

Yeah, though it makes it easier to get the feeling of looking for somebody in a busy place.  Of course the fact that I'm either typing look again and again, or looking back at my history to read through all the sdesc's makes it harder to type of emote to that respect.

[sacac]

I like this idea, but (For the sake of being an asshole, recently) I see that there is no problem with this idea.

Why because when you see
"A tall brown-haired commoner is leaning against a building here."
That is just what you get from a glance or a scan of the room.
and when you look at someone, it is just taking a closer look at them which should tell you more then they are just standing there.
as in everything.. yes it can be abused.. But i think it is an awesome idea