Hey,
I was using change objective code for mentioning my PC's closest objective in life, something like a quest ie. renting a better apatrment, find a decent gift for lover, find 1000 coins to bribe templar, etc. When PC completes or fails that objective, I change it to new one.
I read Objective Help File a few moments ago, and thought I may be making a mistake.
How do you use it?
The objective command is, as far as I'm aware, pretty much a dusty old relic. It sounds like the way you're using it is fine, as a reminder for yourself. I don't believe staff check up on your objective setting anymore.
That's pretty much how I use it, except if I'm a dwarf, I keep my focus in there.
I'm pretty sure I've seen mention in code for a variety of reasons setting your objective, such as waiting for reimbursement or something like that. But I think that coincides with using the request tool as well as further form of communication. So if that infos up to date I'd imagine staff sees it somehow.
But yes, I've used it for a variety of IG purposes, "Amos wants to join the Byn." etc. Sometimes it seems to help, and I'm pretty sure it's led to NPC animations to help with said objective from time to time, but that was a long time again. Like with merchant tokens when we needed a PC Templar and such.
I still use it with all of my characters. I like it because it helps me to remember what my character needs to do and what to do next.
I'm guessing (?) that the objective shows up on the immortal who-list, the way titles, clan membership, and so on shows up in who lists on other muds. That would also explain its relatively strict maximum length requirements, but I'm only guessing.
Immortals can see player objectives (and I believe could see when people changed them), and my understanding was that they used to (and perhaps still do) encourage people to use it as a brief OOC pointer to see what a character's current motivation is.
It does also tend to show up when you request your account notes, noted for your last active character at the time.
I assume it's mostly been superceded by player reports these days though, which allow people to put in much more detail about what's going on with their characters.
For some reason, I now want to see the staff's input...