Listen...

[WhiteRanger]

I like all of the facts from the studys...but those arent studys performed on a zalanthan human, a completely alien race when compared with the earth human. Sure we are very similar but not the same...its a fact. Here is how I see it, the code allows our characters to fall from 60 and 70 feet up into bedrock and though most of us will be unconcious we will still survive, the average earth human would die almost instantly (in most cases). If the code allows my character to do something, then I, assume that the immortal thought it feasable for a zalanthan born race to have that ability, thus if the code allows me to hear and decipher a room full of talking patron's conversations, then I will assume that the immortals thought it feasable for a zalanthan human to be able to do that...They write the code, I play the game. I am all for changes for the better. But I see a whole lot of claims that this isnt realistic, thats not the point, it isnt realistic by Earth standards, not zalanthan standards. When we try to make the game more realistic, that dosent mean try to make it more like earth. I like the fact that a zalanthan human has the ability to hear and decipher an entire rooms conversations, sure I cant do that in real life, but if I wanted to be in real life, I would go next door to McDonalds and sit around and listen, rather than logging in to do so. Its the age old fun factor vs the realistic (in relation to Earth views) factor. I think its fun, its not crippling the game...let it go. Work on something more important like finally getting an answer to the HIDDEN EMOTE question that an immortal has yet to reply on.

[fearwig]

I'm inclined to agree that this is something that could use some change.

It should be relatively simple to listen to one person, or one table's conversations, at least in considerable part. It should, however, not be possible, nor necessary, for you to hear all the conversations at all the tables in the room at once. Give this skill a target (table, door or direction), and instead of being an on/off sort of thing, let it be passive once you set a target.

Typing "listen on" over and over shouldn't get this skill up. Actively listening and failing checks -there- should do it. You'd turn it on for a target table, door, direction, et cetera, and you'd have a chance for it to work whenever someone there spoke.

[DustMight]

As it stands now too much goes unsaid in public because in the back of people's minds they know the listen skill is going to get them.

CRW, I think you show that the problem isn't so much the code as it is the players.  I, for one, occasionally play characters who talk about important business in public places - because that is who they are...lazy, maybe overly confident, perhaps incompetent.  

Sometimes I want other characters to overhear me as I feed them bad information or know that I'm stirring a plot up.

But all that aside, it isn't listen that needs to change, it's the OOC reaction to knowing that your PC may be overheard.  Does your PC know that every T, D & H can hear him?   Probably not, really.  In a dim tavern of rowdy soldiers it's likely he feels he's got reasonable cover to talk to his friend (he could whisper or Way if he must) and listeners could roleplay not quite hearing everything - choosen to gain as much information as they wish from nothing to everything.

[quote = "WhiteRanger"]You have no base from which to argue, because until there is a doc that says "And Zalanthan being's ears function very much the same as a rl human's ears" you have nothing to go off of. [/quote]  This about the silliest thing I've read, though your general point is well taken.  [/quote]

[Bestatte]

I love it when characters talk at intimate corners of crowded rooms, and are roleplayed as being oblivious to the fact that there might be eavesdroppers.

I also love it when people using the listen skill will pick and choose which end of the room they're listening to, and ignore the rest of whatever the code picks up for them.

I try to do the same..for instance if I walk into the bar and see "interesting looking people" sitting at a table, I might take a seat at another table and emote that I am sitting nearby. Or I might emote moving to "that" end of the bar and sitting there. If someone ELSE at the opposite end of the room starts having a conversation that I pick up, it is an effort to pretend my character didn't hear it. But - that's exactly what I do. I, the player, heard everything said. But my character did not, because it's a crowded noisy room and she's trying to snoop on the table at the other side.

It would be awesome if the code could support this. I would absolutely love it. But at the moment it doesn't, and for now the only thing you -can- do is try to remember where you are in comparison to where the eavedropped conversations are taking place, and keep the atmosphere and room noise level in mind.