Armageddon General Discussion Board

General => Code Discussion => Topic started by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 12:11:52 PM

Title: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 12:11:52 PM
I am an avid user of the 'think' and 'feel' commands (and also 'dream'), and was thinking about situations in the game where the syntax echoed to the game is pretty clunky.

As it stands you can feel an emotion or you can think words, but what about imagining stuff? I think a lot of my (real life) thoughts are visual and I would like a way to represent this in game without using workarounds.

As it stands:

Quote

> feel angry

You feel angry.

> think That was pretty annoying

You think:
       "That was pretty annoying"

> think (dreamy) *remembering your past lovers face* I wish I could see her again...

Feeling dreamy, you think:
      "*remembering your past lovers face* I wish I could see her again..."


Would like to see:

Quote

> imagine every contour of her face, the smell of her hair in your nostrils and the way the light reflected from her eyes.

You imagine every contour of her face, the smell of her hair in your nostrils and the way the light reflected from her eyes.

> imagine the taste of succulent chalton meat melt in your mouth (Krath, I'm hungry!)

Imagining the taste of succulent chalton meat melt in your mouth, you think:
      "Krath, I'm hungry!"


I know it's minor....but it's bugged me from day one! I also think it lend itself better to dreams...which is another place that I feel I have to use *'s or similar to remove what I'm doing from the existing syntax. I would prefer the dream syntax to be more like 'imagine' or 'feel' rather than set up for words...most dreams are visual experiences rather than experiences of you talking to yourself.

Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Riya OniSenshi on May 22, 2012, 12:17:12 PM
Also see:
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,37303.0.html
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: boog on May 22, 2012, 12:26:50 PM
Quote from: Maso on May 22, 2012, 12:11:52 PM
I am an avid user of the 'think' and 'feel' commands (and also 'dream'), and was thinking about situations in the game where the syntax echoed to the game is pretty clunky.

As it stands you can feel an emotion or you can think words, but what about imagining stuff? I think a lot of my (real life) thoughts are visual and I would like a way to represent this in game without using workarounds.

As it stands:

Would like to see:

Quote

> imagine every contour of her face, the smell of her hair in your nostrils and the way the light reflected from her eyes.

You imagine every contour of her face, the smell of her hair in your nostrils and the way the light reflected from her eyes.

Her face is really sharp, when you whiff her hair you get a bunch of sand up your nostrils, and that light is the glassiness from her spice high.

> imagine the taste of succulent chalton meat melt in your mouth (Krath, I'm hungry!)

Imagining the taste of succulent chalton meat melt in your mouth, you think:
     "Krath, I'm hungry!"

And then you remember, you probably can't afford anything that could be described as succulent!

I'm just teasing, because I'm an imaginer myself. I like the idea and think it's great. I just needed to poke fun at something or else I was gonna have a baby-crying-my-life-away-meltdown.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 12:29:03 PM
Ha!

Pretty fond of this idea:

QuoteID the distinct sensation of burning emanates from your peehole.

The distinct sensation of burning emanates from your peehole.

ID You think "I really wish I could rustle up the coins for a thal-knot of tho."

You think "I really wish I could rustle up the coins for a thal-knot of tho."

ID As you look at ~man, you imagine him doing naughty things to you.

As you look at the buff, hard-bunned man, you imagine him doing naughty things to you.

ID Feeling the sensation of burning magma eating away at the flesh of your hand, you dream of boiling alive in a volcano.

Feeling the sensation of burning magma eating away at the flesh of your hand, you dream of boiling alive in a volcano.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: lordcooper on May 22, 2012, 12:57:13 PM
Quote from: Maso on May 22, 2012, 12:11:52 PM
I think a lot of my (real life) thoughts are visual

That's kinda interesting as mine are always purely word based unless I'm specifically trying to picture something.  I'd never considered the fact that this varied between individuals.  'Tis kinda cool.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: RogueGunslinger on May 22, 2012, 02:30:55 PM
think *a shudder run down your spine after imagining a giant teddy bear chasing your through the streets* Gosh I hate teddy bears.


Feeling a shudder run down your spine after imagining a giant teddy bear chasing your through the streets, you think:
           "Gosh I hate teddy bears."

A very simple work around. I believe the code is really flexible enough if you use your imagination.  ;)
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 02:55:51 PM
Quote from: RogueGunslinger on May 22, 2012, 02:30:55 PM
think *a shudder run down your spine after imagining a giant teddy bear chasing your through the streets* Gosh I hate teddy bears.


Feeling a shudder run down your spine after imagining a giant teddy bear chasing your through the streets, you think:
           "Gosh I hate teddy bears."

A very simple work around. I believe the code is really flexible enough if you use your imagination.  ;)

Oh sure. I just think that having to modifying feeling before every imagination or recollection is a bit constraining.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: solera on May 22, 2012, 03:20:05 PM
Yep, we were  wishing for it a few years ago too.
I would love an internal emote.
I would like to "see" the first light catch the high tower, without also having to dig out a think or a feel,  I just want to focus on what my PC is seeing and write it down.
Or another example, reliving a (an?) horrific event from childhood, I would rather just write the flashback without the feels, or for that matter, imagines.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 04:02:40 PM
I kind of feel like the 'Internal Dialogue' solution would be a really flexible way to allow people control their characters minds in a style that suits them.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Malifaxis on May 22, 2012, 04:08:01 PM
I've never been hampered by the current code as it stands.  Using think/feel in conjunction gives me more than enough leeway to properly view how my customer is imagining things in his past coming up as painful or wonderful memories.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Delirium on May 22, 2012, 04:16:18 PM
What Malifaxis said. Also... if you really want to storytell in freeform, unhampered by any code...

Time to write a biography entry ;)
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: bcw81 on May 22, 2012, 04:25:53 PM
I'm going to agree with Malifaxis and Delerium on this one - I've had characters who were straight up hearing 'people' talking to them in their head with the thinks and feels. It doesn't really feel terrible to do it either.

think (a voice whispering into your ear as a cold hand touches your shoulder) *insertcharacternamehere*, you must go murder Nyr! Do it now!

Feeling a voice whispering into your ear as a cold hand touches your shoulder, you think:
"Amos, you must murder Nyr! Do it now!"

Now obviously you can tailor that to use the past tense if you want your character to remember the memory, or keep it in the present if you want  to relive a memory - Or even keep it in the present if you want to imagine some fanciful world filled with 80% water, green grass, and blue skies.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: GithMaster on May 22, 2012, 04:41:36 PM
Do what I do and have almost no inner monologue and suffer the beatings and death threats and attempts. Why should mind Benders have all the fun!
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: HammerofJericho on May 22, 2012, 04:48:29 PM
Yeah I have a hard time using the think and feel commands because imo they are just as Yam said, "clunky".... I can never get into the groove and use them well while doing the emotes and says I do and all the other actual coded skills I'm using too. This is a good idea, it adds a lot of flavor to these commands, in my opinion.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: valeria on May 22, 2012, 05:55:59 PM
I would both like and use an imagine command.  I would really like and use it if 'dream' was transferred over to it, instead of embedded awkwardly in the 'think' command.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Yam on May 22, 2012, 06:00:10 PM
Same here. And yeah, dream should work just like feel or the proposed imagine command.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Spoon on May 22, 2012, 06:20:02 PM
You could have something like...

You feel bored by the half-elf's whining. Instead, you find it far more interesting to imagine that mul across the road smashing his head in.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Delirium on May 22, 2012, 06:35:59 PM
I'm not against a new command, per se, though I am a big proponent of the maxim, "KISS"

There are certain considerations that come with using a more 'freeform' think/feel/imagine command, that doesn't have the echo 'you', that would make this a complicated idea.

Instead I would suggest, essentially, a renamed feel command.

imagine (and when you're asleep, it changes to dream)
feel
think

>imagine rainbows and kittens.
You imagine rainbows and kittens.

>feel happy
You feel happy.

>think Man, kittens are delicious when freshly grilled.
You think:
    "Man, kittens are delicious when freshly grilled."

>sleep
You go to sleep.

>imagine that sugarplums are dancing overhead.
You dream that sugarplums are dancing overhead.

Regardless, I think all of this can be accomplished extremely well and in an enjoyable manner with the two commands available to us now.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: RogueGunslinger on May 22, 2012, 06:42:57 PM
Remember

Hear

See

All could possibly be implemented as new, neat commands that also happen to be easily emoted with the commands we already have. There comes a point where [slippery slope/dilution/over-complication argument].
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Cutthroat on May 22, 2012, 07:14:21 PM
Quote from: RogueGunslinger on May 22, 2012, 06:42:57 PM
Remember

Hear

See

All could possibly be implemented as new, neat commands that also happen to be easily emoted with the commands we already have. There comes a point where [slippery slope/dilution/over-complication argument].

You wouldn't need all of those if there was a universal catch-all command for mental RP, like the internal dialogue (ID) command brought up earlier. Which I definitely prefer over the proposed idea in the OP just because it is so free-form.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: musashi on May 22, 2012, 07:28:10 PM
I wouldn't mind seeing something like that in game, an internal emote command that replaces the feel command entirely would be nice. Something wherein you can put your sdesc wherever you want with the @ command just like an emote. That way you can make it a feel, an imagine, a seeing/hearing/whatevering all inside your head. And make the think command emote basic. Without the feeling tag put on so it behaves like an internal say.

piemote Remember the smell of her triggers a feeling of intense jealousy somewhere deep inside @ psyche.

Remembering the smell of her triggers a feeling of intense jealousy somewhere deep inside the tall, muscular man's psyche.

think (with a wave of disgust washing over him) Krath damn neckers!

With a wave of disgust washing over him, the tall, muscular man thinks: "Krath damn neckers!"

I think that would keep it simple and improve upon its current form. Win/win.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: valeria on May 22, 2012, 07:33:29 PM
Quote from: RogueGunslinger on May 22, 2012, 06:42:57 PM
Remember

Hear

See

All could possibly be implemented as new, neat commands that also happen to be easily emoted with the commands we already have. There comes a point where [slippery slope/dilution/over-complication argument].

The difference would be that hear and see are physical impressions, where the rest are mental things. 

The way I see it, we currently we have commands that cover active and passive internal dialogue (think), and passive mental impressions (feel).  We don't have anything that really accounts for active mental impressions and imagery, other think, which is really more of a mental dialogue sort of thing.

If we had something that covered active mental imagery, any "remembrances" could be either dropped into that if they were visual-like, or think if they were more like a dialogue.

Ideally I'd love a more free form internal dialogue sort of thing, but this idea would probably be easier to fit into the current system, and cover something that is presently very awkward to express between 'think' and 'feel.'  Even the sample workarounds I'm reading in this thread read very awkwardly and are clunky to type.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 22, 2012, 07:35:47 PM
Quote from: musashi on May 22, 2012, 07:28:10 PM
I wouldn't mind seeing something like that in game, an internal emote command that replaces the feel command entirely would be nice. Something wherein you can put your sdesc wherever you want with the @ command just like an emote. That way you can make it a feel, an imagine, a seeing/hearing/whatevering all inside your head. And make the think command emote basic. Without the feeling tag put on so it behaves like an internal say.

piemote Remember the smell of her triggers a feeling of intense jealousy somewhere deep inside @ psyche.

Remembering the smell of her triggers a feeling of intense jealousy somewhere deep inside the tall, muscular man's psyche.

think (with a wave of disgust washing over him) Krath damn neckers!

With a wave of disgust washing over him, the tall, muscular man thinks: "Krath damn neckers!"

I think that would keep it simple and improve upon its current form. Win/win.

That would be so incredibly awesome. Basically an emote/think command that only echo's to you. Omg. I want it now. :(
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Synthesis on May 23, 2012, 05:01:47 AM
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,38613.0.html
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,34512.0.html
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,39729.msg557261.html#msg557261

et al.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: lordcooper on May 23, 2012, 05:10:33 AM
Quote from: Synthesis on May 23, 2012, 05:01:47 AM
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,38613.0.html
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,34512.0.html
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,39729.msg557261.html#msg557261

et al.

So?  It was a good idea then, it's a good idea now.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: RogueGunslinger on May 23, 2012, 05:18:32 AM
So; it's always good to read previous discussion on a topic. There's good shit back there. And I think staff prefer old threads be bumped, instead of new ones created. But that might be my misunderstanding.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: Maso on May 23, 2012, 10:43:27 AM
If every post had to be one that was completely original and regarding something that had never been brought up or said before...I think the GDB would be dead.
Title: Re: Lets have a think about this...
Post by: RogueGunslinger on May 23, 2012, 04:56:40 PM
I don't think I said that. Maybe... I think?