Idea to improve gameplay -- limited message system.

[hcwalker]

This has probably been the subject of past threads, but here goes...

Overall I am very satisfied with the manner in which players communicate in Armageddon.  I like that  'who' doesn't tell you the names of everyone who is on, and I think the psionics/contact system overall is excellent.

A failing of the game, particularly in the context of permadeath, is that players who wish to do things together and advance significant in-game plots often do not log on at the same time or play sporadically enough that they are unable to communicate in-game.  How many times have I logged on and wondered "gee, I haven't spoken to him in weeks and we had such great plans, I wonder if he's dead, etc...?."

I think a useful function would to be able to contact players regardless of whether they are off-line and at least leave a brief message.  Perhaps after successfully contacting a player who is not on-line the message would read "<insert player's name> is asleep and unable to respond to your message."   Then you could do something like...

psi [or some other similar command word] I did this and this and our plans are advancing as anticipated.  OOC  We'll meet with the others on Wednesday 8 PM CST.

The next time the person who was contacted logged in they would receive a message...

You were contacted during your sleep with the following messages, or whatever.

This would of course require significant coding and might be difficult because of name redundancies, etc...  but I strongly feel it would improve gameplay and plot advancement.

What does everyone think?

[Akaramu]

I love the idea, at times I have been very frustrated with the inability to find people online to coordinate something or tell them about something terribly important, when realistically, it should have been possible to reach them somehow.

The problem I see with this system is that it would allow people to check if someone is logged in or not... on the other hand, failing contact 6 times in row does the same thing. Maybe some sort of seperate "psi buffer" could be implemented that stores way messages no matter if the person is offline, or online and AFK or disconnected. Have you ever tried to notify a PC of something terribly important, and after 5 successful psi messages a staff member told you that the person is disconnected?

If this buffer was implemented, it would need to be limited in length / number of messages that a single PC can send to another, to avoid spam, and force people to be spare with it.

[Delirium]

What about PCs that have the same names?

[wizturbo]

This would really help advance a lot of plots...but the method isn't too great.

I really think a "communications" merchant house would be the best solution.

Go to your local "Mindbenders Union" and collect your messages *grins*

Make it strictly an NPC organization, and just have it be a merchant house consisting of many scribes, who take messages and you can visit one of their shops in the major cities to retreive messages for a fee.  I think House Nenyuk could potentially provide this service as well, since they already basically have the facilities for it.

Could be something like this:

To send:
message <codename> <message you want delivered>
Costs sid.

Receive:
retreive <the name/codename>
Costs sid.


So basically you'd have to swap codenames with certain people that they can leave you messages under.  This would allow anonymity, and -also- allow for spies to intercept these messages by learning the codeword!

[Delirium]

Now that I like.

If you trusted Nenyuk to get in on all your dirty little secrets...

[Vettrock]

I think the biggest problem is how you would Identify the person you are trying to reach.  Characters have been known to have the same name, and to give out false or nicknames.  Perhaps, Nenyuk could rent in addition to houses and bank accounts, a mailbox or something such.  So you would go to the message center and say I want to leave a message for 659, they would take the message and put it in the box.  You would then show up later and check if there are any messages in the box.  They could charge for leaving the message as well as picking it up.  I think this would overcome all of the disadvantages and reason why the way messages isn't as practical.  You can still leave messages for dead people, (they would have a hard time picking them up) and therefore couldn't be abused in that manner.  The messager could contact you via the way to say that you had messages waiting when you logged in.

Yes I know its illegal for commoners to write, but The Nenyuk bank has slave scribes in it, (at least according to the description)

[Bestatte]

1) if the person you're trying to find is dead - how to send a message to a dead person, without your finding out that VERY IC info that he's dead?

1a) Theoretically, once a character is dead, their bank account and any coded reference to that character is deleted from the codebase. He ceases to exist.

2) If someone -wants- people to think he's dead - it would be WAY too easy to abuse that system by trying to send him a message. What if he's around but his barrier is up, or is otherwise inaccessable via the Way? I can think of several plotlines that would be totally ruined because of something like this.

3) There used to be different echoes for people who were logged out of the game. It was abused horribly and the echoes were removed. As much as I hated the idea at the time, I've grown to really appreciate it.

I don't like the idea of being able to pass messages in this manner, at all. If you need to send OOC info to set up login times, there's e-mail, AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, MSN, Trillian, PM, IRC, the various Clan forums for clan-related RPTs, etc.

[Gilvar]

I don't so much agree to the first post as I do to the psi-buffer sort of thing.

If you are alive (on-line or not) it would be neat if you could be contacted, even when not online, and then a person would deliver a message. Because technically if your alive and awake you'd be receiving messages, even if not online.

Then maybe when you next log in, you could review way messages before the MOTD or something, and they'd be like...

On Waleuk Day #whatever, in the Early Afternoon,
The bald man sends, We will be travelling to Allanak next week, meet at the Sanctuary at High Sun.

On Nekrete Day #whatever, in the Late Evening,
The bald man sends, Seems we have missed you. We'll meet up later then.

The only problem is that people may think your online and just ignorning them, and then get subsequently upset. But that seems to be the only way to do it without implying your not online.

[Tlaloc]

Whats wrong with hiring a friend, underling, assistant, or goon to take the messages for you? Also: I'm personally amazed at the oft-unused advantage that nobles have, that is writing: if you have a buddy-noble who logs in during peak hours, but you don't...write them a letter with your instructions.

If you're worried about it...seal the letter.

This becomes harder with lower status PCs, who are illiterate...but I think you can still hire buddies to help deliver messages for you.

[sjanimal]

It seems like every single post in this thread brings up very good points.  I'll post something as soon as I have something important to contribute to this.

[wizturbo]

I should have elaborated further on what a "codename" is.

A codename would basically be that "mailbox", however you can use whatever name you want.

Lets say you want to tell your assassin friend you want Lord Fancy Shoes dead.  Your assassin friend said, whenever you want to leave a message for him, use the codeword Redrum as the name.

Nenyuk doesn't care who Redrum is, its just the word you need to collect whatever the message is.

Now lets say master spy Joe happened to learn this codeword Redrum, they could use that to retreive someone elses messages, or even use it to send anonymous messages!

Something like, "I know your relationship with that Kadian merchant...i'll inform the templarate if you don't pay me 1,000 sid. Send a response to "blackmail" to arrange payment"  *cackles...damn i'm evil*


You could make these codewords public knowledge, like...if your a merchant you could just use your real name so customers can contact you.  Each person can have unlimited codewords they use, if they have the desire.  

Does this put Nenyuk in a situation to intercept information, yup, sure does...but everyone would know that, so they could use codes if necessary, or just not use this service for secretive things.  I'd imagine this system would be mostly used for business stuff.

[sacac]

I like the psi-answering machine idea.

As for the communications house.. it wouldn't have a place IG. IMHO.
Because commoners can contact each other all the time.
And the nobles and templars wouldn't let a bunch of commoners learn how to read and write for the benefit of the other commoners (With exceptions).
Example of that would be the garden in allanak, obviously strains the commoners and does little to the nobility.

[wizturbo]

I like the psi-answering machine idea.

As for the communications house.. it wouldn't have a place IG. IMHO.
Because commoners can contact each other all the time.
And the nobles and templars wouldn't let a bunch of commoners learn how to read and write for the benefit of the other commoners (With exceptions).
Example of that would be the garden in allanak, obviously strains the commoners and does little to the nobility.

It would not be used by commoners as much.  Most wouldn't be willing to pay the fees for use of the service.  To a noble or wealthy merchant however, a fee is a drop in the bucket.

[X-D]

I'm gonna go with gilvar on this one.

Being logged out is OOC, the PC is still alive and in the world, therefor, should still be contactable.

The problem of people thinking the pc was ignoring them? No problem that I see, all of mine have at one time or another, for whatever reason and if you got the messages when you logged on you would be able to think up excuses:)

The only problem I see is in the case of dead pc's, You can't have contact so and so after they are dead. So the way, once again could be abused to find out if somebody was dead.

Though, a good way to solve that I think would be for the current message "Something is blocking your telepathy" to be expanded to cover more, maybe even make it the default message for any NON-mindbender who fails a contact for any reason. Non-mindbenders, not being expert in the way would simply have to try again, with no clue as to the reason, which, is as it should be.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Something is blocking your message.

You contact *blankityblank*.

You sense that you can send a message. (This latter should fire whenever you make your psi skill roll, whether there is actually a person there or not. Even if that person is dead, you should be able to do it. The current message you get, which says...) You cannot reach their mind. (...this message should be alternated with the message in green above. That way, you never know if they are alive, dead, on-line, off-line....)

[hcwalker]

Thanks for all the interesting replies.  Keep them coming, I'm still formulating my thoughts as well.  

It is clear that a "psi buffer" type of function would require some coding to sort out player's real names, who is dead, etc...perhaps with a codeword or something similar.  I think it is realistic to know through the way when someone has died.  If you are proficient in the way, you should know when your pal is no longer there.  Remember just because a player is logged out it doesn't mean they're not in some virtual place in the game resting or sleeping or whatever.  

I initially liked the idea of the message-exchange house, however I agree with some posts in that it wouldn't be that useful for the "real life" Zalanthas scenario where commoners would contact each other with the way whenever they felt like it.  Also most people can't read, so would some Nenyuki dude be sitting alone in a sound-proof room barking out messages to people who paid?  Although it would be cool to imagine setting this up, it just doesn't make as much sense to me.

[X-D]

I think it is realistic to know through the way when someone has died. If you are proficient in the way, you should know when your pal is no longer there. Remember just because a player is logged out it doesn't mean they're not in some virtual place in the game resting or sleeping or whatever.

Though it would probly be more realistic to know, there is a playability issue a stake also.

Besides -proficient- is a relative term, Proficient for the average joe might be less then 1% of a mindbender's abilities, I see nothing wrong with a normal way user not being able to tell if somebody is alive or dead.

[Angela Christine]

Also: I'm personally amazed at the oft-unused advantage that nobles have, that is writing: if you have a buddy-noble who logs in during peak hours, but you don't...write them a letter with your instructions.

It might help if Noble Estates had mail slots.  Writing a message doesn't help if you have no way to get it to your noble buddy.  It can be hard to even leave a note for your own cousin who lives down the hall, if his bedroom door is locked.  You can try dropping it outside the door, but then anyone could take it and it gets "swept up by the housekeepers" if the game reboots before your buddy logs in, because the area outside a door is usually not a save room.  A mail slot would let you push something small (like a scroll or a letter bomb) from one room into the room on the other side of the door.  Hopefully the room the slot drops into is a save room.


AC

[wizturbo]

The communication system I'm suggesting would do more then just allow leaving messages.  It would allow for ANONYMOUS communication.  Something I think would be greatly benefital to various intrigues in the game.

Also, Nenyuki have a great many scribes working for them, as Banks tend to have a lot of paper work so the resources for this are basically already there.

[Tlaloc]

Noble houses do have libraries, storage rooms, and bedrooms, however, all of which are probably safe places to leave a note. It could be very easy to set up a system where Noble's A and B always check the spice-box, stashed on the bookshelf for letters to one another. There is a chance that someone could happen by and swipe the letter, sure...but then thats the risk you take when you leave notes unattended. I, for one, don't believe there should be a 100% chance of leaving a message to someone that is un-interceptable by anyone else.

Also, if you don't like the idea of leaving a note unattended...you can always give it to one of your PC aides, to give to your buddy in question.

Furthermore: letters leave an interesting record of IC events as they pass. It could be fun to read back two RL years later, over some notes that were written in-game between a pair of Nobles, plotting an assassination (or something).

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I agree with Tlaloc. Use your damned writting skill. Geez!

[Quirk]

Thanks for all the interesting replies.  Keep them coming, I'm still formulating my thoughts as well.  

It is clear that a "psi buffer" type of function would require some coding to sort out player's real names, who is dead, etc...perhaps with a codeword or something similar.  I think it is realistic to know through the way when someone has died.  If you are proficient in the way, you should know when your pal is no longer there.  Remember just because a player is logged out it doesn't mean they're not in some virtual place in the game resting or sleeping or whatever.

Not really. It's entirely possible for someone to raise some manner of barrier to the way to prevent themselves being contactable. I very much doubt, given that a measure of ability to do this is in everyone's possession, that a person skilled in the way being unable to contact a friend would automatically assume that they were dead - at least, not until a fairly long period of time had passed in which all attempts to reach them had failed.

Oh, and as an addendum, I've had characters who have for IC reasons tried to stall communications with others using similar routes, and I'd have been very annoyed if they could contact me in my absence when in game I had my mind locked tight against intrusions.

Quirk

[Akaramu]

I agree with Tlaloc. Use your damned writting skill. Geez!

What writing skill?

The majority who is affected by this problem cannot read or write. Nobles can order their aides to relay messages, the average commoner is out of luck.

[Delirium]

Noble houses do have libraries, storage rooms, and bedrooms, however, all of which are probably safe places to leave a note. It could be very easy to set up a system where Noble's A and B always check the spice-box, stashed on the bookshelf for letters to one another. There is a chance that someone could happen by and swipe the letter, sure...but then thats the risk you take when you leave notes unattended. I, for one, don't believe there should be a 100% chance of leaving a message to someone that is un-interceptable by anyone else.

FYI, something very similar to this has been done IG and worked very nicely. It can be done.

[Forest Junkie]

I agree with Tlaloc. Use your damned writting skill. Geez!

What writing skill?

The majority who is affected by this problem cannot read or write. Nobles can order their aides to relay messages, the average commoner is out of luck.

Oh well? People have played around it without much gripe for over ten years. I'm sure you can as well.