Code suggestion for Hoods

[Mordere]

This idea may have been suggested before, and if it has, I apologize. Now this suggestion is actually coding on another mud I used to play, that is now closed down, but I believe that doing it would be an enormous benefit to rp.

Basically, it's having two seperate main descriptions (as seen when you look at someone) One for a person without a hood up, and one for a person with a hood up. Now currently a main desc cannot be changed, and maybe this "hooded" one can't be either, once it's set in game, though I think it would be nice to be able to, so descriptions can more accurately fit the cloak. A person wearing a heavy sandcloth longcloak might trade it in for a silk one, and vice versa depending on environment.

Now, I'm not a coder, and I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to accomplish this, but I'd -love- to see it.

-M

[Agent_137]

of course, the new cloaked mdescs would have to be approved. but,  past the extra work, i'm very for this. it solves the problem of mindbenders seeing past a cloaked-masked person.

[Reiloth]

Remarkably original idea and solution to:

Raiders being recognized instantly and killed by mobs of people.

Thieves being recognized instantly and killed by mobs of militia.

Assassins being recognized instantly and killed by anyone who feels like it.

blah blah blah.

great idea.

[Larrath]

In theory, I am all for this.  A raider riding at you in full speed with the hood up during a sandstorm...well, you are not going to see the pink dot tattooed on the side of his neck, more than likely.

The question is, how can you tell whether they are wearing a separate hood, or using some veil, or wearing a full-body thobe?  Maybe it's just a sleeveless abaya?

Just how much should the new description hide?  It obvious cannot refer to the garment itself, either.  Your alabaster-skinned Lord Fancypants might suddenly find himself hiding in the alleyways in Tuluk wearing some rotten, linen hood.   I doubt he'd keep his face only partially covered, or that the tip of his nose would be visible from under the silken folds.

Theoretically, I think this is a good idea.  The main problem is that it is impossible to know which parts of the character will or will not be visible under the hood/overgarb.  It's pretty silly to have a special desc for every type of overgarb coverage, and give every greatcloak a special flag of its own.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I've seen a multidescer type system put into a mud before that worked pretty well, can't remember where though.

Basically at chargen you describe every limb, and equipment changes your description based on what parts are covered.

Granted, it got annoying sitting there describing body parts for a long friggin time, but it was pretty cool.

[Reiloth]

I think that...The description should be preety general. Maybe only three or four lines. It shouldn't include anything with physique or how buff you are, how you have toenails like your mother...It should just be like:

"You see a man who's face is encased by a deep shadow, his hood hanging low over his brow."

Line about eye color

"Despite the intense shadow, you notice the man has intense, mercury-blue eyes like frozen blue flames"

Line about a nose, if at all.

"Poking out from the blackness is a hawkish, acquiline nose, spotted with small blackheads."

Thats it. So it wouldn't matter much what you were wearing
If you're wearing a facewrap, you could always just leave it vague enough to just cover your hair and eyes.

Dunno, shrug. Opinions?

[hcwalker]

I like this idea.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could describe physique. At least, the obvious stuff. Massively broad shoulders, exceptionally skinny, squat and chubby. THough just brief mention, since an ass -v person tells you some of the build

[Tamarin]

If this is implemented, which it won't be, it should go something like this.

Outside the Gate of Allanak [NESW]

>stat

blah blah blah
You are currently wanted in: Allanak.

>raise hood
>e

Inside the Main Gate of Allanak [NESW]
A big motherfucking guard stands here, looking way buffer than you.

>e

A big motherfucking guard steps in front of you and says, in southern-accented sirihish:
  "Hey, get that hood down before you come in here."

[Linedel]

Heh, while my average character lifespan is pretty long...  I imagine the 1 char a week people wouldn't like describing each limb too much, or we'd start seeing a ton of clones.

Two descriptions is probably the most that is reasonable to expect people to do without sacrificing quality to a pathetic level.

Alternately, the secondary/limb descriptions could be optional, and require an admin adding them later, perhaps emailed to a specified staff member after a character has 5 days of played time to reduce admin burden... and they could be subjected to greater scrutiny than the standard description; the main description showing while hooded until a secondary is added.

The code here is trivial.  The real issue is human time involvement.

[sarahjc]

I like it, a new solution to a very old problem.  I don't know if it would or could be implemented, but is sounds like the brightest idea to date.

[spawnloser]

Meh...the multiple limbs thing?  Too much work.

Mdesc and hooded-mdesc?  That I could go for.

[Bestatte]

Not a new idea, not a new issue, not a new set of suggestions. The current suggestion - to have a main desc and a "secondary" main desc - is here:

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=90594&highlight=#90594

and I'm sure it's been suggested before as well. I think it's a great idea, but apparently too many people didn't like it, or maybe the staff felt it wasn't something that really needs to be fixed.

I still like the idea though - adds to realism without sacrificing playability. Would be a headache for the staff I think - they have a hard enough time catching all the typos and misspellings and grammar mistakes and really REALLY "wrong" main descriptions as it is. Adding a secondary main desc they'd have to deal with - heh - I just don't see it coming any time soon, if at all.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

The simple fact is that it would be much easier and good-for-play if they would just toss in the code generated long desc, based on your height, weight, etc, etc. Make it only work with certain hooded cloaks and a good face covering, and call it a day.

[Incognito]

Please see the link below, for a possible solution to this issue.
I did not want to repost the same message twice, hence the link.
Cheers,
Incognito

http://www.zalanthas.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9687

[jmordetsky]

I think just masking the mdesc ala when a person wears a mask, is fine, even for "certain" hoods.

Why not just make X% of hoods function like masks? Or provide more mask objects for raiders to buy.

[Morrolan]

The simple fact is that it would be much easier and good-for-play if they would just toss in the code generated long desc, based on your height, weight.

I like this idea.  Sure it's open to abuse.  Like ski-masks.   :lol:

Paraphrased from Strange Days:

"Let me guess, Templar deSade.  Your  APB is for 'two cloaked men on kanks'."

[X-D]

Personaly, I think ALL hood/mask hood/facewrap combos should zap mdesc. There is no reason why it should not, plenty of information can still be gotten without it, which the smart criminals will be able to get around, as it should be.

The coding/script should be simple enough, simply give mask flag to all face covering items of a large enough size (IE not sunslits or nose rings)
change mask to -ONLY- work if hooded flag is active. Then change mask flag a little more, instead of showing the "mask" item as it used too, simply make the mdesc go away, When you look at somebody all you get is the however tall and such hooded face covered figure. Later, if you really wanna get fancy you could even work peek so that at high skill it might be possible to get an mdesc.

I know it is talked about before, people (including myself) think the way needs to not work with keywords, and I have two ideas on this. First, it should be simple to make it so that contact does not work on -temp- keywords. But even without any coded changes to the way, It's much simpler to be able to log somebody contacting you to find your desc and send it to the mud, easy for the staff to check on also.

Not saying if I like the secondary desc idea or not, but I do think it would be a lot of work for the staff, in other words, unlikly to happen any time soon. Main reason I look for fixes that would be simple and a slight mod to existing items/code.

[Incognito]

With reference to the OOC Issue of Mdescs mentioned above, here's a possible solution:

Let us say PC A is using any of the various "camouflaging" devices available, which might include things like hooded cloaks, hoods, masks, veils, facewraps etc.

For starters, we could change the way the LOOK command currently works. Instead of showing the 'looker' the target's entire mdesc and gear, it could be made to hide the mdesc, and only show the gear visible, after taking into account the effect of each 'camouflaging' device worn by PC A.

Something like a customized 'result' for the look command, based on each respecitive item worn.

For example:
A mask would hide all face, ear, nose items.
A hood would hide all face, ear, nose, head, neck, about throat items.
A hooded cloak (raiseed) would hide all face, ear, nose, head, neck, about throat, belt, waist, body items.
A veil would hide all face and nose items.
An aba (non-hooded) or shawl would hide forearms, arms and hands items.
A skirt would hide ankle and (possibly) feet items.
- The list could go on, but you get the gist of it.....

Coming back to the point, what this would do is, it would firstly not show the entire Mdesc of the target, to the casual looker and secondly, only show the items depending on the various 'camouflaging' items worn by the target, which is realistic and makes it harder for people to identify each other from OOC inferences.

However, lets say the looker still wants a better look at his target, i.e. he wants to see the actual Mdesc of the target. In such case we could have an additional command - something like: stare <target> or focus <target> or something similarly appropriate; which would allow the looker to see the target's Mdesc as well as his gear. It would also convey to the target that the looker has infact gotten a better look at his face, and might possibly be able to identify him/her.

I feel this would be a better alternative than using hardcoded items which hide the actual Mdesc of the PC (unless warranted in special cases of course). I am sure players on Arm are mature enough to realise that they cannot automatically memorize someone's exact looks just be looking at a cloaked and hooded figure, possibly in adverse conditions like sandstorms or even faint lighting conditions, with possible obstacles in between the two PCs. If the situation calls for only being able to see the target's physical build, then it should be RPed as such. However, the way the current look command works, whether you like it or not, you get a peek at the target's Mdesc. And its all downhill from there, so to say :)

Think of it as - you would use the 'look' command as mentioned above, in a street or the sands, but, you would use the 'stare' command mentioned above, in lets say a bar, or in a meeting with someone, or when you really want to take a peek at someone with his knowledge.


(The idea was cool, but I think I messed up the explanation - I hope you guys get the basic idea).
Incognito