cloak clasp/unclasp

[bloodfromstone]

I poked around the boards a while and, while I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this idea, I didn't see a posting about it anywhere. It's pretty simple. Basically, the idea is that cloaks could have two states, clasped and unclasped (opened and closed, etc, etc. Whatever you want to call it.) This would toggle revealing/hiding the wearer's weapons, belt, shirt, and whatever else might be hidden by a cloak at current. This would open up a little more customization as to your character's state of dress, let nice shirts and cool breastplates actually be seen, and over all just make more sense. Sure, most people would stick to clasping them and raising hoods, but it would actually mean more if the other option was there. Confident toughs could wear them open to show off their blades. Silky aides could show off their low cut tops. Wormy thieves and paranoid sneaks could keep them drawn shut. Pretty boy heart-throbs could run around with a cloak and no shirt! What more do you need?

 *Codewise, I think it would be easiest to just tag on the option to anything that can be worn 'about body', but it would be nice to see some weeding as to what can and can't be clasped and unclasped. Capes really shouldn't cover your shirt and your pair of megaton hammers. Pull over robes should always cover these things, like it or not.

 Anyway, just throwing the idea out there. Thoughts? Opinions? Flames?


*Please bear in mind that I know very little about coding. This may be a huge undertaking that I underestimated.

[Cyrian20]

This doesn't sound like it would be an overly easy task, but it is still a great idea. Maybe something someone can play with in thier free time.

[Aldiel]

It seems very similar to what the coding for raise and lower hood must be.  I -really- like it!  I could finally show off  my new breastplate!  

[RogueWarrior]

I, personally, like the idea. But it raises another question. With one of my previous characters, I had a cloak, as most characters do, and a helmet, and a fairly small one at that. Now, from the description, this helmet (actually closer to a cap) just barely fit on the head, but when the hood was raised, the helmet was still visible. Now, call it just one of those code gaps, but I would think that if my hood was up, that would mean my entire head would be covered, including the helmet. Did that make any sense to you guys?

[ale six]

I love this idea. All for it.

[Agent_137]

This would be great to have.


and roguewarrior, i understood you, but I think it would be more difficult than beneficial if you were to code "show head location when hood up" only on large head gear and not on small head gear.

Though, they could just make "hood up" always cover headgear, unless the headgear is marked HUGE and in which case you couldn't raise your hood. Like that horned helmet you got there. har.

I think this is more nitpicky than necessary, and would personally just be overjoyed with clasp/unclasp.

[spawnloser]

I like the idea, however, you CAN always take off the cloak.  I used to do it ALL the time with a character of mine that like showing off the clothes beneath it.

[Morgenes]

Funny you guys mention this, and that it seems similar to raise/lower hoods.  When I wrote in the code to handle raise/lower hoods, I stubbed in code for open/close cloaks.  There were some questions then about whether it would impeded drawing weapons and I believe a few other questions.  But just so you know, we've already had this idea and the framework is in, it just needs to be finished.

[Hexxaex]

There were some questions then about whether it would impeded drawing weapons

I would imagine that a closed cloak would not only stop peering eyes to see shirts, breastplates and belts, but it would also stop the wearer from removing them or drawing weapons from the belts.   That being said, would most cloaks in Zalanthas be designed with a quick unclasp in mind?  Something along the lines of only one or two clasps instead of a whole line of buttons, so that one could draw weapons quickly enough.

[Agent_137]

Heh. I wouldn't mind if you had to unclasp to draw weapons. it'd make for interesting scenes:

The dark swordsman stares at his opponent, reaching for his cloak.

The young soldier shifts on his feet slightly, watching the dark swordsman closely.

The dark swordsman unclasps his cloak, slowly fingering the clasps.
(notice ability to add emote to the command!!)

The young soldier looks at the dark swordsman with a critical glance.

The young soldier's glance turns to one of trepidation as he notices the dark swordsman's silt horror armor and steel blade.

The young soldier turns to run.

The dark swordsman leaps at the young soldier with a quick draw of his weapons.

The young soldier flees to the west.

The dark swordsman pauses in his pursuit, relaxes his form, and reaches up to his cloak again.

The dark swordsman clasps his cloak, slowly fingering the clasps.

This would create problems in the wastes, though. Hood up but cloak open? What are you more afraid of? Sand or scrabs?

I'd rather see a cloak auto-unclasp when you draw your weapons, than have to do it manually.

Actually, I'd rather not have this command at all if I meant I had to manually enter unclasp cloak before the draw command.

But that's just me. This idea really interests me. more opinions, please!

[Hexxaex]

Maybe it could be added into your prompt, telling you if your cloak was clasped or unclasped.  Unfortunately, not all people would use it, so you'd get duel moments like the one above, and the uber warrior just gets the message "You have to unclasp your cloak first." As he unclasps and draws, the other guy is already on him.

[ale six]

The way things are now, all cloaks could be considered clasped (because they hide weapons/shirts/belts), and yet people can still draw. I don't see a reason to change that? I like the idea just for cosmetic value.

[Marauder Moe]

On the other hand, I think it'd be neat to have unclasping your cloak and revealing your weapons be an aggressive gesture.

[EvilRoeSlade]

On the other hand, I think it'd be neat to have unclasping your cloak and revealing your weapons be an aggressive gesture.

I can see it now.

The moron who joined the militia and doesn't have anything to do says to you, in sirihish:
    "Clasp your cloak, citizen!"

[Moofassa]

Genius, Love it. I usually have to emote pulling my cloak aside to reveal things.

[bloodfromstone]

The moron who joined the militia and doesn't have anything to do says to you, in sirihish:
"Clasp your cloak, citizen!"

Hahaha. I was thinking this as well.

I, personally, would rather see cloaks either auto-unclasp or not require unclasping at all for weapon draws. I'm in agreement with ale six. It's really just for the look.

[Cale_Knight]

It would also be great for the folks who like to go around all Bela Lugosi with their cloaks draped dramatically over various bodyparts.

[Ghost]

Brilliant idea.

[Akaramu]

I would love if some cloaks covered the main description, as well. Because no matter how cloaked and face-wrapped up your PC is... twinkish players will copy paste the main desc and tell the nearest templar every little detail.  :roll:

[Agent_137]

there's quite a few threads on how to make that happen, codedly. Most of the ideas involve splitting up the mdesc into descriptions of different areas of your body. which has many issues in itself. You may have missed those threads in your absence.

btw, welcome back. I knew you wouldn't stay away forever. Though I'm surprised you held out as long as you did.

[Anonymous]

I would imagine that a properly designed cloak could easily cover the whole mdesc. I am thinking of a full-length, long and wide-sleeved cloak with a built-in facewrap. Can anyone think of mdesc elements that would not be covered by this? Other than say, a three-inch pinocchio nose?  

Oh and Agent, I am stunned, SOMEONE missed me...

...makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Akaramu]

Oops. T'was me, forgot to log in.

[Agent_137]

while that type of cloak would cover your mdesc pretty well, and would make a LOT MORE SENSE THAN MASKS that do the same, I think the immortals have issues with letting that type of stuff into the world. I don't know the details of why, but I do know mdesc covering masks are available only in the rarest of circumstances.

p.s.
I don't think I ever actually played with a character of yours, but I do recall you from the forums. I'm a forum junkie. A mere 600 posts away from Queen AC.

[bloodfromstone]

Though it's a derail (I think unclasp/clasp is pretty much discussed), I originally thought that mdesc covering hoods, masks and wraps were a bad idea. The more I play, the more I realize that everyone (I'm guilty of it myself) ignores hoods. If they want to be IC about it, they'll tell you to lower your hood so they can react properly. Otherwise, they will walk up behind a fully cloaked character, knowing who it is. This isn't really anyone's fault, per se, but I think it's a breech between IC and OOC knowledge. I'm for seeing mdesc covering items again, but I understand there was insanity during the period of time that they were available.

[Rindan]

Cloaks in game are not a magikal shield against people looking at you.  Your face is exposed when you are wearing a hood.  If you really want to conceal who you are, you need to cover your face.  Someone wearing a simple facewrap or even just a bandana over their mouth and nose would probably be close to impossible to reconize.  There is a reaon why bank robbers throw nilon over their face before they rob a bank.  Even with modern day security cameras and criminal databases, it is damn near impossible to reconize someone if they obsecure their facial features.

The best you can do to obscure who you are is to cover up your face with something that is obviously concealing (like a facwrap), and hope that people play along.  To me, hoods just say you don't want to be reconizable from a distance, not that you are attempting to conceal your identity.  Facewraps tell me that you want to conceal your identity at all times.  At least, that is how I RP in the absense of any sort of concealment code.