Random idea: Signal sounds

[Maso]

Something that I often feel the absence of is a coded way to do signal sounds, by which I mean things like whistles, or bird calls or clicks.. some kind of sound that carries that is only really significant to someone who is listening for it.

The idea is.. codedly you have a way to make a signal sound, this sound would only be heard by people who are actively 'listening'. A bit like the sound version of a hemote but with a ranged option and someone actively listening wouldn't have a chance of missing it (someone not actively listening could have a small % chance of hearing). You could technically do this with 'watch' and 'hemote' for close range, but then you lose the ability to be scanning and there is no range option.

So you could either signal or signal far (which would give a next room range, like shout):

Code Select Expand

> fsignal a low, warbling whistle.

You give off a low, warbling whistle.

Someone in the same room (with listen on) would get:

Code Select Expand

You hear a low, warbling whistle.

Someone in an adjoining room (with listen on) would get:

Code Select Expand

You hear a low, warbling whistle from the west.

OR.. close range:

Code Select Expand

> signal a series of three tongue-clicks

You give off a series of three tongue-clicks.

Someone in the room (with listen on) would get:

Code Select Expand

You hear a series of three tongue-clicks.

Someone in the room over (with listen on) wouldn't hear anything, since it's a close range signal.

Just think it would be a pretty flavourful addition that also has some cool RP utility for sneaky types or hunting types or raiding types.

[betweenford]

This makes me wish we had more multi-room instruments and currently existing clans had retooled halfling whistle scripts with different sounds...

Awesome idea.

[Brytta Léofa]

Yes, yes, yes.

But also, make them, the ones that are imitating animal/bird calls, actually blend into the environment.
- Make the appropriate NPCs actually do them (at rare intervals).
- Add them as very rare environmental echos in the appropriate areas.

[Brytta Léofa]

Suggest:

whistle - You whistle. / To the north, someone whistles.
whistle low/high/sharp - You purse your lips and emit a [low/high/sharp] whistle. / To the north, you hear a [low/high/sharp] whistle.

call hawk - You emit a shrill cry like a hawk's. / To the north, you hear the shrill cry of a hawk. [adjacent rooms]
call rat - You chitter like an angry gimpka rat. (doesn't break hide) / Someone chitters like an angry gimpka rat. [only in the same room] (gimpka rats should also do this)
call bahak - You don't know that animal's call.

If you want to really turn it up to 11, make each animal's call something you can only do after hearing it a few times. Wilderness-savvy guilds maybe start the game already knowing a few based on their origin location.



...When a mul comes at you literally roaring like an ankheg, you know you're pretty screwed.

[Iiyola]

This would be particularly useful for Wilderness listen -- I found this skill pretty useless compared to its city counterpart.

[creeper386]

I think this would be interesting possibly some way to track what animals you've heard. Or maybe like the draw skill where it just takes practice. I could see this sort of thing being useful and applicable for more then just wilderness guilds.

Maybe just allow wilderness guilds more options or better starting availability.

[Citizen Puddi]

Suggest:

whistle - You whistle. / To the north, someone whistles.
whistle low/high/sharp - You purse your lips and emit a [low/high/sharp] whistle. / To the north, you hear a [low/high/sharp] whistle.

call hawk - You emit a shrill cry like a hawk's. / To the north, you hear the shrill cry of a hawk. [adjacent rooms]
call rat - You chitter like an angry gimpka rat. (doesn't break hide) / Someone chitters like an angry gimpka rat. [only in the same room] (gimpka rats should also do this)
call bahak - You don't know that animal's call.

If you want to really turn it up to 11, make each animal's call something you can only do after hearing it a few times. Wilderness-savvy guilds maybe start the game already knowing a few based on their origin location.



...When a mul comes at you literally roaring like an ankheg, you know you're pretty screwed.

I was for this idea at the jump.

But reading this, I am really for this idea.

[Veselka]

It would also need to code as 'white' (like a room echo) rather than green (like an emote)

Like the idea.

[Maso]

Suggest:

whistle - You whistle. / To the north, someone whistles.
whistle low/high/sharp - You purse your lips and emit a [low/high/sharp] whistle. / To the north, you hear a [low/high/sharp] whistle.

call hawk - You emit a shrill cry like a hawk's. / To the north, you hear the shrill cry of a hawk. [adjacent rooms]
call rat - You chitter like an angry gimpka rat. (doesn't break hide) / Someone chitters like an angry gimpka rat. [only in the same room] (gimpka rats should also do this)
call bahak - You don't know that animal's call.

If you want to really turn it up to 11, make each animal's call something you can only do after hearing it a few times. Wilderness-savvy guilds maybe start the game already knowing a few based on their origin location.

...When a mul comes at you literally roaring like an ankheg, you know you're pretty screwed.

HRMM.. I'm not sure I like the idea of limiting it to certain coded sounds like that, besides the added complexity from a dev perspective it would also mean people couldn't make up their own sounds and signals for things?

[creeper386]

HRMM.. I'm not sure I like the idea of limiting it to certain coded sounds like that, besides the added complexity from a dev perspective it would also mean people couldn't make up their own sounds and signals for things?

I think for me, there would two items. Mimicking nature. Which if your are in the environment where those noises are common, maybe it's harder to pick up.

And then, personalized call outs. These aren't normal environment sounds and would stand out more.

[Lotion]

[spoiler=snip]

Suggest:

whistle - You whistle. / To the north, someone whistles.
whistle low/high/sharp - You purse your lips and emit a [low/high/sharp] whistle. / To the north, you hear a [low/high/sharp] whistle.

call hawk - You emit a shrill cry like a hawk's. / To the north, you hear the shrill cry of a hawk. [adjacent rooms]
call rat - You chitter like an angry gimpka rat. (doesn't break hide) / Someone chitters like an angry gimpka rat. [only in the same room] (gimpka rats should also do this)
call bahak - You don't know that animal's call.

If you want to really turn it up to 11, make each animal's call something you can only do after hearing it a few times. Wilderness-savvy guilds maybe start the game already knowing a few based on their origin location.

...When a mul comes at you literally roaring like an ankheg, you know you're pretty screwed.

HRMM.. I'm not sure I like the idea of limiting it to certain coded sounds like that, besides the added complexity from a dev perspective it would also mean people couldn't make up their own sounds and signals for things?
[/spoiler]

+1
I would only want the hardcoded calls to exist alongside dynamic ones as described in Maso's OP. Let the uncreative twinks who want to play ankheg roaring muls do that, but it is not enough for me.