More Emote Options: draw, sheath, put, drop, drink, eat

[mansa]

As I watch the mud multiverses and new code additions, Shadows of Isildur just implemted some new features.  I like these features, and I'd like to see them carry over to ginka.

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* Added the ability to use bracketed emotes to the draw command: For example, you may now 'draw longsword (eyes fixated on ~troll)', and it would show 'A scared man draws a shiny longsword, eyes fixated on a big, angry troll'. You can use both objects and people, with * and ~ respectively. Currently, the display is similar to the SAY command in that it doesn't change the keywords to 'you' properly - this may be fixed in future. [Japheth, 08.12.2006]
* Added bracketed emotes to the sheathe command. [Japheth, 08.12.2006]
* Added bracketed emotes to the put command [Japheth, 08.12.2006]
* Added bracketed emotes to the drop command [Japheth, 08.12.2006]
* Added bracketed emotes to the drink command [Japheth, 08.12.2006]


Now, currently, the drop command that armageddon uses allows us to attach an elaborate long description to the item, like, "drop body Wasted away from the desert sands, ~ is disposed here, a large gash through his face.

We will probably have to change this syntax, if we want to be able to give more descriptive ways of 'dropping' items.

What do you say?

[ale six]

Command emotes are already in for the eat command (and taste and drink and sip).

Yes to get, put, draw, and sheath.

For drop... you could maybe do one of two things... either let us change the ldesc of objects in the room without picking them up (please?), or just let command emotes be inserted in before the ldesc when dropping an item like normal. Something like...

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>drop [with an annoyed huff] sword (and it lands with a clatter) in the sparring circle.

With an annoyed huff, the woman drops a sparring sword, and it lands with a clatter.

And looking in the room would show "A sparring sword is here in the sparring circle." like normal.

[Yang]

I'm against adding any more emote functionality to draw and sheath, simply because Shadow of Isildur probably isn't as wantonly a pkill environment than arm. There is a skill and items for masking your weapons movements, but adding ()[] emote-functions would allow attackers the advantage, as it may take a few critical instants more for the target to react.

With the right terminal, you can use ; or + or whatever to execute an actual emote at the same time as these commands on armageddon, and I think more people should explore this versatility of the arm code. However, I see no reason why put, drop and drink shouldn't have ()[] added, though it's not a race agains SoI, cause we school them in so many other places.

[ale six]

Just like with all other command emotes (and emotes in general) you don't HAVE to use them when you're in dire jeopardy. No one will get angry at you for just hitting "draw sword" without an emote when you get attacked. There are plenty of times when combat isn't immediately imminent, though, where command emotes on draw would be nice.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Yes to command emotes for EVERY IC command in the game.

[jstorrie]

Yes to command emotes for EVERY IC command in the game.

[creeper386]

Yes to command emotes for EVERY IC command in the game.

[Morgenes]

Yes to command emotes for EVERY IC command in the game.

We've already said we'll do this as we have time.  Please create a poll, don't just chime in 'me too', especially not by quoting over and over the same person.

[Hymwen]

About drop emotes:

I like SoI's better. You can change the description of an item on the ground without having to drop it. So many times have I wanted to drop a body or a piece of furniture with a special description, but haven't been strong enough to carry it. And sometimes it's awkward having to pick something up to change the description too. This way we could have both drop emotes and the ability to change the ldesc of dropped items - it seems like most people don't fully understand how it currently works anyway, very few people seem to know that you can use ~ when dropping an item, and instead end up with something clumsy like "the round table is here placed in a corner of the room" when the "is here" could be avoided.

[Grey Area]

I'd love emotes added to dismount and mount. Because I'm sick of emoting about leaping onto a kank and riding off, only to sheepishly walk back into the room to collect my mount from where I left it.

[Synthesis]

RE: Draw emote functionality.

I think what one of the posters was saying is that, if you can spice up 'draw' with a bunch of fancy emotage, it takes longer for people to realize that you just drew a weapon on them.

It's:

Joe draws a longsword.  vs.  

Rolling his shoulders smoothly as a light smirk plays on his lips, Joe draws a longsword and advances swiftly toward you as the red sun casts its ominous rays through the dusty haze.

If you have to sit there and wade through all that, just to see that he's drawing a longsword...well...that might give him all the advantage he needs.

Not really a terribly effective argument against the additional code, but I thought I'd point it out, since people seemed to miss his point entirely.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

All emoted commands are surrounded by the comma, to seperate the action and the emote.

What you saw would be:
Rolling his shoulders smoothly as a light smirk plays on his lips, Joe draws a longsword, and advances swiftly toward you as the red sun casts its ominous rays through the dusty haze.

I think that's just fine.

[Synthesis]

Let's try a more interesting example:

Casting a quick glance toward the tall figure in a hooded, black sandcloth longcloak and the very tall figure in a hooded, reinforced-sandcloth duster, the huge figure in a desert-camouflaged sandcloth greatcloak draws a bone knife, quickly taking it into his hand before sprinting toward a grey-scaled, silver-shelled inix.

As you can see here, the insertion of commas really don't help anything at all.

Granted, attackers already have the advantage of being able to stack commands to get the bonus initial attack vs. unarmed.  This is why I said something to the effect of "it's not a strong argument against the command."

Still, as an argument, I believe it's a valid point to be considered and weighed, as far as pros and cons go.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

If Synthesis' concern is ever even seriously considered by the Staff, here is the fix:

Emote-enhanced PK commands are given a one second lag in addition to whatever lag they currently possess.

Does that fix the problem?

[Editted to be more polite.]

[moab]

I like the 1sec delay.  

Then again, I prefer a slower overall combat experience in general.

[JoeCantLogInANyMore]

I think Synth has a point. That does make draw a bit harder to detect.

Perhaps if there was an echo afterwards...

This sort of emote syntax works for everything normally, save for dangerous actions. I want my visual queue for dangerous actions.

[rishenko]

Let's try a more interesting example:

Casting a quick glance toward the tall figure in a hooded, black sandcloth longcloak and the very tall figure in a hooded, reinforced-sandcloth duster, the huge figure in a desert-camouflaged sandcloth greatcloak draws a bone knife, quickly taking it into his hand before sprinting toward a grey-scaled, silver-shelled inix.

As you can see here, the insertion of commas really don't help anything at all.

Granted, attackers already have the advantage of being able to stack commands to get the bonus initial attack vs. unarmed.  This is why I said something to the effect of "it's not a strong argument against the command."

Still, as an argument, I believe it's a valid point to be considered and weighed, as far as pros and cons go.

I completely agree with what you are saying, but like you I toss the argument under the "you can abuse anything" umbrella.  Either way, I would much rather have the emote then a twink attack (and yes this did happen) with a group of three never before seen hooded figures who enter the room on their kanks, do not emote/speak but instead immediately enter combat.

Hopefully, if a person is being cool enough to use command emotes with their draw, they're cool enough to give you a half second to read and react.

[Lazloth]

This sort of emote syntax works for everything normally, save for dangerous actions. I want my visual queue for dangerous actions.

My opinion differs.  If you want straight canned output or to maintain your "advantage" (re: additional lag for drawing weaps, etc) use client-side #substitutions or #highlights, or game-granted info sniffers like assess.

If someone couches so much emotive overhead around a command to somehow abuse it, reporting that player makes more sense than altering an interface that has been tweaked and balanced with command-lag etc.

The only people who would object to this sort of change (in my head) would be those who rely on direct triggers.

[Cyrian20]

If Synthesis' concern is ever even seriously considered by the Staff, here is the fix:

Emote-enhanced PK commands are given a one second lag in addition to whatever lag they currently possess.

Does that fix the problem?

[Editted to be more polite.]

How does the game know if I am drawing my sword to insta slay you, or if I am going to cut up a giant mek steak my spouse bought?

Or what if you are some assassin running through the streets and I know your coming, I won't really have a chance to attack you as you pass
through if that is my plan with a one second delay, and I won't even get into a guard trying to stop a backstab if he suddenly has a delay after his notice.

[Spud]

I would love draw/sheathe emotes.