(Update: I removed entries that were implemented. The following are outstanding.)
A while ago (I can't find the post) there was some discussion on getting a player collaboration going on improving the HELP FILES (or the echoes) with the intent of helping newbies along so they don't have to break immersion to figure out how to use a coded skill. Here's a stab at starting. I'll try to collect suggestions up here in OP (this post) and if staff finds them helpful and implements them, I'll update the OP (this post) to reflect that too.
MAIN WEBSITE:
o Delete the second 'where':
It is a world where sorcerer-kings and their ruthless servants, the Templarate, govern the two main cities, Allanak and Tuluk. Any magick not granted by the Kings is feared and hated, and where the punishment of such a curse might be death. In this harsh realm, life is a constant struggle, and death may occur over a drink of precious water.
o Elementalists are still listed under 'Guilds' on the main pulldown of the main website.
HELP FILES:
BACKSTAB:
o Add: "Hence, practicing backstab during a sparring session is something that would require a good deal of roleplay to justify. See BACKSTAB ROLEPLAY for more information."
o Add a help file 'BACKSTAB ROLEPLAY' with examples of backstab situations, similar to the PHYSICIAN ROLEPLAY help file.
o See this discussion:
http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,50925.msg937245.html#msg937245BANDAGE:
o You can either use bandages (see BANDAGEMAKING) or a scrap of cloth (see SALVAGE).
o Examples of bandaging RP? E.g. (more controversial):
(i) Even if you get the echo telling you that you can't bandage someone, it is good form to emote out the process first, then give the bandage to the patient or junk it.
(ii) You might have to RP around the code with some injuries. While there are some RP props like splints, slings, and so on, it's fine to add appropriate virtual items to the bandage RP, within reason.
(iii) Remember: Zalanthans are far more robust than Earthlings, so there's no need to make things overly complicated.
(iv) For examples of bandaging RP, see HELP PHYSICIAN ROLEPLAY.
o See also: scar, tdesc.
CAMPFIRE:o Note: Only some kinds of dung objects can be crafted (see CRAFT) into dried dung.
o The recipe for a dung campfire is: craft X Y Z into campfire.
CLIMB:o Add: "If you fail your climb check, you can still type 'up' (or the direction) and attempt to stop your fall, scrambling for purchase. Note that this will sometimes incur damage as a result."
COLOR (NEW):o Add: "Sometimes, players use Zalanthan words or plants to describe a color. Some discussion is available on the general discussion board. See
http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,38103.0.html."
DISARM:o Add under syntax (just like BASH): "While in combat: disarm (No argument needed)"
DISCUSS:o Change the wording:
To determine whether or not an npc has information to give you, try 'discuss <npc> hi' or 'discuss <npc> topics'.
To determine whether or not an npc has information to give you, try 'discuss <npc> topics' (or sometimes 'discuss <npc> hi').
o In my experience, this line is not true: "When the NPC replies, you will be the only person in the room who can hear what they say." (Vennant, for instance, will broadcast his replies to the whole bar.)
DUJAT (NEW):No help file.
FAQ 12Still states that there are sixteen main guilds and that full elementalists exist.
FLIP (NEW):With certain exotic weapons, you may flip them around. (You may also use the 'use' command to flip them.) [NB: I seem to recall there being some important difference between 'flip' and 'use' but I can't remember it now.]
FLORISTRY:o Add: "Skilled florists are also excellent noses, and can make perfumes and fragrant oils, as well as boquets. They are also skilled in the preservation of herbs, leaves, and plants."
o Add: An example perfume recipe (for an ointment and for a perfume, maybe a boquet but that's obvious).
o Add a help file 'PERFUME' to point to floristry.
FOOD:o Spruce up the help file with additional information on food spoilage.
FORAGE:o Clarify the difference between:
You look around, but don't find any X.
And:
It seems that 'artifacts' cannot be found here.
(Or clean up the output.)
o See also: salvage.
FROWN:o Example should include a target (frown <target>)
LOAD:o Add "For sheaths
and knife belts..."
MELEE COMBAT:o Delete this (as it is no longer true): "Bear in mind that fighting while mounted can be extremely risky, since characters are much easier to hit, and generally sustain worse wounds, due to mounts being less maneuverable than a character on foot."
PARRY:o Note: A successful parry on the part of the defender is considered to be a failed hit on the side of the attacker.
o (Staff can sort out the precise language here, but roughly) Note: Owing to a complication with the code, when you reach the maximum proficiency with the two_handed skill for your given Guild [perhaps add a chart here: Pickpocket at X, Ranger at Y, Warrior at Z, etc.], you may request (via the request tool) the parry skill. This is a quirk in the code -- parry will branch as normal from other skills.
PILOT:o Add Note: Even if you do not have the 'pilot' skill, you can still learn to pilot eventually. Just keep at it and the skill will show up on your skill list eventually.
PLANT:o Note: While steal (see STEAL) and plant allow you to pick up or drop objects in the room, palm and slip (see SLEIGHT OF HAND) only allow you to pick up or drop objects in a container (including a bar or table).
o Note: The 'plant' command is governed by the STEAL skill.
o Perhaps have a link to 'Plant Life' to disambiguate.
PLANT LIFE (NEW):The old website has a very helpful guide to interacting with plants via code under 'plant syntax':
Plant Syntax
 There are a wide array of plants that your character might come across while venturing into the wilds of Zalanthas, and the proper syntax used to make use of these plants is likely to vary as well.
The most common kind of plant your character will come across is basically a container. Thus, typing something akin to: "look in plant" will allow you to see if there is anything that your character might be able to harvest. If there is, then something like "get root plant" will work for taking that item.
Other plants are objects themselves, and your character can pick up and take the entire plant by typing "get plant".
Other plants have 'pickable' resources, and in order to harvest these, you must type "pick flower plant" or the like to allow your character to make use of the flora. As a general rule, if a plant is 'pickable' it will tell you so at the bottom of the plant's description.
Still more plants might need to be broken in order to get at the fruits or blossoms they hide within. "break plant" is, in this case the proper syntax to use.
If none of the above work, there is also the possibility that the plant was not meant to be interactive, and does not yield any resources your character could make use of.
Hopefully this clears up some of the mystery surrounding syntax usage on plants in the wild. So go out and have fun!
The follow are not on the new system but still available on the old website:
Agastakee
Artotis
Asfadalar/Heartsolace
Ashkiss
Bhluang
Blood Mushroom
Cavern Lace
Chuci
Crone/Poxed Crone
Drovberry
Earummage
Emerald Fungus
Eynana
Fafad
Felaz
Glypah
Gohn
Heinspike
Japak
Japuaar
Jimpka
Kaya
Khee
Kumiss Saucer
Kutai
Kzul
Lady's Mantle
Lavender
Magnisa
Moon Rose
Mossbush
Murfa
Nemik
Oetir
Opsala
Panthis
Pelzaik
Petoch
Pickleberry
Precos
Quirritail
Saltbush
Severed Ear
Sicorra
Stalp
Templar's Heart
Tenichi
Ternak
Thilareyn
Thugi
Thumbberry
Tiktak
Virsha
Wylrith
PSIONICISTS:o Change: "eight karma" to "three karma".
READY:o Remove 'sheath' from the Examples. (You can't actually stow/ready from a sheath.)
RIDE:o Add Note: Even if you do not have the 'ride' skill, you can still learn to ride eventually. Just keep at it and the skill will show up on your skill list eventually.
o Add note: Rangers experienced with handling animals can tame certain types to be used as mounts using the 'mount' command (see MOUNT). This ability is governed by the 'ride' skill.
SADDLE (NEW):"Saddle objects can be placed on mounts using the pack command. See also: pack."
SIT:o Add Note: "If you are seated at a table, any custom ldesc you have set will be overridden."
o Add Note: "You can use 'sit on' to sit on certain objects that are large enough, such as a bar.
SLEIGHT OF HAND:o Add information from HELP STOW and HELP READY into HELP SLEIGHT OF HAND. (That is, make it clear that 'stow' and 'ready', like 'unlatch', 'latch', 'slip', 'palm', are commands governed by the sleight of hand skill and not independent skills.)
o Note: While steal (see STEAL) and plant (see PLANT) allow you to pick up or drop objects in the room, palm and slip only allow you to pick up or drop objects in a container (including a bar or table).
o Note: If SOH commands do trigger the crimcode, it might be good to include the language from HELP STEAL on the topic. If SOH commands do not trigger the crimcode, it might be good to include that information in the Notes section.
o Add Note: "SOH also determines if 'change hands' is silent or noisy."
SNEAK:o Remove (since not true): "It functions for a certain time after a successful use."
o Add Note: "If you character fails to sneak, you will not receive any notification at all."
o Add Note: "You can check whether or not you are sneaking only in the prompt variable (see PROMPT)."
o Add Note: "You can add command emotes to directions, e.g., north (sneaking along sneaky like), and these will only show up to people who can detect you."
o See also: semote, hemote
SPECIAL APPLICATIONSo Add a link to 'Skill Bumps' help file (
not Skill Increases).
o Add a sentence saying "After your special application is approved, make your character as a new character the normal way in the character creation menu" or something similar
SKILL INCREASES (REMOVE)o It appears this is no longer an option.
STEAL:o Add Note: "The STEAL skill also allows you to plant items (see PLANT)."
o Add Note: "While steal and plant (see PLANT) allow you to pick up or drop objects in the room, palm and slip (see SLEIGHT OF HAND) only allow you to pick up or drop objects in a container (including a bar or table)."
STOP:
o Add Note: Some commands like steal, plant, sap, backstab, pick, do not stop when you type stop. To stop these, type 'stand'.
STOWo Remove 'sheath' from the Examples. (You can't actually stow/ready from a sheath.)
TABLELANDS DETAILS:
o Remove incorrect information about Benjari/Jul Taven (these are not open for play).
o Also the line: "If you are an elf, you have a variety of possibilities, since elvish tribes come and go swiftly" is a bit misleading, as you can't role up an unclanned or virtually clanned desert elf. Perhaps make it clear that while there are many elvish tribes that come and go, PCs must be in one of the clanned tribes.
o Akei Ta Var are not a tablelands tribe. Rather they are Gol Krathu.
WEBSITE (REMOVE):o Almost all the links/urls are old. Probably just remove this HELP FILE. Who wouldn't know the website?
WHO:o Add Note: "If you have the clan job 'whoc' (see STAT), you may type 'who c clanname' to see who is on-line in your clan. Note: You can still hide yourself from this list, if you use barrier."
YOMPAR (NEW):Helpfile is missing.
Bonus Edition: Let's Improve The OutputBACKSTAB: Perhaps change the default echoes to be something more 'generic' and less concrete; add command emote option.
CLIMB: Adjust the 'echo' to distinguish between places that are impossible to climb vs. places where you fail your climb check.
PEEK: Change the echo if you don't have the skill: "You aren't really into peeking." (The current echo is confusing.)
RIDE: Change the echo when you do not have the ride skill at all from 'You have no idea how to ride' to something like: 'You have no idea how to ride, but keep at it."
