My actual belief is this:

You certainly can know that mindbenders exist. ICly.
You don't necessarily know that some echo YOU didn't expect is immediately a mindbender.
You also should at least understand that ICly, a creature that you think can read minds and make you do stuff ... PROBABLY won't like that you "know about them".

I'm basically with Riev on this, from an IC perspective. Your character might know they exist - but they'd never discuss that knowledge. They'd never acknowledge that they know, to other people. Templars know. Nobles know. But commoners knowing, and discussing that knowledge, is tantamount to blasphemy. Same thing with knowing the difference between a sorcerer who gathers from himself and one that gathers from the land. Your character *might* know. But they'd never discuss that knowledge openly. They wouldn't explain it to their VBFF, because they're also superstitious enough to believe that the Templars KNOW when these things are being discussed, and you WILL get caught. Whether that's true or not is irrelevant. Your character knows, that the common society knows, that these things are myths. And your character, if he has any sense of self-preservation, will respect that.

I feel kinda the opposite. The entire 'enemy state' has been coopted by them, disappearing people and causing refugees for so long. I don't think it's fair to have 2 kings ages of 'listless' as an on running plotline and it not affect how real the world believes psionicists are. Especially when everyone has /some/ telepathy. That'd be like denying witches exist when everyone's a little touched. Like. Nah, there's objectively hard proof of it, a large amount of it.

That said, I don't think the average person would automatically know that a psionics fail on them is psionics, and I feel like this could be balanced to a degree by having staff from time to time just sending PCs echoes that mimic failed psionics, both for the vnpc population, but also so that it wouldn't stick out so much when it's a PC failing it. Fool the player, fool the character.

Mindbenders don't exist. They're just scary stories your mom tells you to scare you into going to bed on time.
Similarly, its a 'catch all' for "enemy of the state but I have no proof".

*nervous laugh* Because REALLY, if mindworms DID exist, you think the Highlord wouldn't have enslaved them to do his bidding like he did those filthy witches? The thought of a person ACTUALLY influencing your mind that ISN'T Highlord Tektolnes HIM-SELF is blasphemy.

I'm going to go tell on you to the nearest colored robe I find.

Since we are jumping forward in the timeline, what will the general knowledge be of Defilers, and especially mindbenders in this jump?

I know things were relaxed toward the end of the last timeline, but going in to Seasons it would be nice to have these 'general knowledge' fleshed out. What will we know at start? Has mindbenders become more common knowledge now?

Quote from: Feu de Joie on Today at 05:49:09 PMFor my part, the escapism I wanted from Arm was being able to fight that oppression, and implement many of my dreams or goals in a text world where I couldn't irl, like owning fancy things and having high quality stuff, being able to best the soldier instead of just getting caught, tried and thrown away.

It sounds like you should consider playing a heavy merchantile class or try to be an aide to experience fancier side of the game.

If your character is working as a soldier for the militia standard gear would be provided to your character if they survive recruitment phase, they can always take bribes too to line their pockets. Othewise, merchant houses  would probably provide better gear and salary but its dependant on your character's performance and if they can survive the conflicts.

None of this would change with the idea above. I dont expect people to be in rags rather settle for semi decent gear that is affordable or available. I don't think this is your main point but been waiting for a similar concern to eventually pop up.

I understand that this is a game of survival and oppression, and many players would enjoy getting the degradation of clothing and weapons being a feature.

I live a life of survival and oppression. About a third of my food this week came from scavenging the wilds, and every single one of my clothing items has been donated to me and is barely holding together.

For my part, the escapism I wanted from Arm was being able to fight that oppression, and implement many of my dreams or goals in a text world where I couldn't irl, like owning fancy things and having high quality stuff, being able to best the soldier instead of just getting caught, tried and thrown away.


I'm not looking forward to a future where everything degrades for the sake of degradation, but I do see the value in the economical ebb and flow of wear and tear on items, and those pc's able to fight that and repair those items.

However, if we are implementing something in the future that drops the hard deck of something's quality, the floor going from usable rags to rags that are so worn you can't even put them on your shoulders without another pc helping, I would like to raise the ceiling too.

Staff has seemingly raised the roof of a lot of ceilings in Arm, and I feel this is an important area to focus on too, when discussing crafting. I have knives and weapons (irl) that can be made better with fire-hardening, routine sharpening, and an adept hand at repair. I suggest that if we broaden degradation, we should also broaden enhancement too.

The image of mercenaries all sharpening their weapons to keen edges springs to my mind. Could whetstones be used by anyone to sharpen their swords and spear points? I know of times I've added padded and my own straps to protective clothing. Could scraps of cloth be used to enhance basic leather armor, adding some life or wear resistance to it?

Another thing I've always held as an important distinction between Arm and real life is lack of recorded history ig, certain laws never existing, leaving certain scams/ponzi schemes/crimes being something you could reinvent in the game with a unique twist.


To elaborate on that and make this second point of mine clearer, consider sawdust in meatloaf irl. It's technically illegal in the u.s., and while sawdust might be a legitimately valuable commodity in Zalanthas, other nontraditional items could be added to foodstuffs. Krentakh seasoning that makes whatever you just made still taste kind of good, like real good, mmmmm. Adding warspice to pepper sausages for that heat you can really FEEL. Sure, maybe they end up addictive, or maybe adding so much chalk to that bread makes it genuinely bad for your health or poisonous in large doses but relatively undetectable? I haven't brainstormed much on the idea of foodstuffs recently, but I think everyone who has been in the Byn and wished that their solo RP on using a whetstone actually had an effect on their sword, without needing to be lucky enough to have a specific crafter in your unit and online at the same time.

I hope I've illustrated my point. I'm not against improving/changing crafting, but where we lower a floor, I'd like us to also consider raising the roof, .

Quote from: Riev on Today at 05:34:05 PMJust remember, @Halaster ... degradation is fine until it actually affects ME, and I lose a combat scene/character because someone's razor-weapon destroyed my chestplate.

got it.  If account = riev's account { degradation *= 10}

Just remember, @Halaster ... degradation is fine until it actually affects ME, and I lose a combat scene/character because someone's razor-weapon destroyed my chestplate.

As a concept I'm 100% for item degradation, that is a staple in most survival games.  We're an RPI MUD with survival as one of our themes, so I would like to see it implemented... somehow.  We already have armor getting beat up in combat and needing repair, but as we all know that needs some love.  I wouldn't mind seeing the same for weapons, and some other items.

I think item/gear degradation would be an overall net positive for the game, for a few reasons.  One is that it would give crafters more reason to craft things, because as mentioned, typically once someone gets all their favorite armor and weapons, they don't really need anything else made.  Another is it would be a bit of a money sink, as for most (but not all) players, they know how to make a lot of money in the game.

If we did something more with this, it would be a pretty decent-sized project.  Good ideas for the future!