1. A completely new mapping system that allows all areas to be properly integrated rather than having to run through areas that act as portals between different maps.

2. *Some* attention to ergonomics in the interface.

3. A faster method of transport, whether that's strategically placed portals, NPCs that offer a transport service or mounts.

4. A much larger death realm and one that isn't so linear in design.  The current one is effectively a single path with a room or two coming off it and it's difficulty to escape is largely dependent on your gamma settings or monitor brightness.

5. Instead of having 3 applications and a seperate process for reporting bugs... have a single launcher application that does it all in one:
a) Manages updates.
b) Allows selection of settings/configuration.
c) Error-report-submission-system (automatically triggered when the game is launched after a crash)
d) Launches the game.

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EDIT:

#2 can be achieved with some tweaks and minor changes.
#3 could be achieved by dumping two NPCs in different locations and creating a portal between maps using a mechanism similar to the Winch access - all of this stuff already exists.
#4 would be a map change, but the amount of black space doesn't require a lot of detail, just a few more walkways could give the place a bit of depth.
#5 is consolidating existing code/applications rather than developing anything new.

#1 though, after reading Thom's post below... I take back... my bad... that'd be far too major a change... but the rest could make use of existing code and existing functionality.

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Also, remember that "simple" can be a subjective term.  To me, re-using or consolidating existing code/functions/etc. is "simple" (I'm a developer btw, so that may have some influence)... so besides my bogus #1 suggestion... I personally consider the rest to be fairly straightforward.

I apologise for being insensitive... I should have wrote:

- It would be a good idea to fix the server crashes that people say happen excessively.
- It would be good to either remodel the maps or change the code that handles the maps so that we don't get stuck on slopes all the time.
- I'd like to suggest ammending the Winch and BD maps or maybe even the lighting system so that they don't cause everyone's computers to have a little problem repeatedly every time an in-game-hour passes.
- It would be marvellous if you could reprogram or tweak the questing system so that we can be able to do multiple quests at once without any negative repurcussions.  I'd love to see this feature come back if it's possible!?
- I love the encouragement to roleplay and mine gold which in turn makes my character find friends and become wealthy... but please could you switch the mobs on a little more frequently maybe by doing something special with the NPC-Client?!
- I like the new inventory system, it seems much much better... except that a few people have problems with item stacks.

But I was impatient at the time.

Get a copy of crystal space... and load up a map.... go up in the sky.. take a screeny and make your own.

If you're mapping out somewhere that has different zone/regions (such as the arena)... take note of the coords and region names... and screen shot each region from the same position. (You can then build those awkward areas into maps by overlaying the screenies).

Of course... these types of maps are brutally OOC because ariel photography doesn't exist in Yliakum... but if you're wanting to make spoiler-maps for your own guild... this is how I did it

For areas where PvP is going to cause an uproar (such as the plaza), just make it impossible for people to attack each other.  (You could do it on challenges but it won't stop a guild war.. so just disable attacks completely.)

This would stop people fighting there... which in turn would stop the petty overreactions.. which would stop people berating each other and having petty arguments about IC/OOC.

It would also mean GMs wouldn't need to kill players who are warring there as that wouldn't even be possible.

So there it is... Make PvP literally impossible on the plaza and anywhere else where it's deemed ICly inappropriate.

"Oh but Drah... people should still be able to kill, etc. for RP purposes as long as they RP the results properly.. and have to hide outside of town"

Yeah, but many will still fight and not be bothered... and if you're going to RP the results properly, you can RP the killing/murder/crime and just have the victim use /die. --- So you might as well block PvP there to save you having arguments in future when other players come along and their actions don't fit in with the settings.

If you like roleplay more than gameplay... you can't beat Planeshift.

Maybe Jayose can be the gatekeeper for publicly available literature... so that if you want him to include a book in his library you'd have to run it by him (aka the settings team) through some sort of mechanism.

As for books not in the library, many civilisations have had banned books yet those books still existed, traded by those who had a desire to seek forbidden knowledge... so in that sense.. outside the library I think a free-press is something that's almost unavoidable.

There were already existing tensions because of an ongoing grudge between guild-#1 leader and a senior member of  guild-#2.

At an auction not long before the war there was some confusion on behalf of a senior member (not the one with the grudge initially) of guild-#2, a member from guild-#1 developed an attitude and started being extremely rude to the guild-#2 member.  guild-#2 member responded that there was no need for that kind of attitude or rudeness, guild-#1 member became even more aggressive, guild-#2 member became aggressive...

Guild-#1 member felt guild-#2 member was an idiot... guild-#2 member felt he'd been greatly dishonored because of the insults... and so they agreed to meet for a fight.

Guild-#2 member turned up at the agreed place only to find that the entire Guild-#1 had turned up... seemingly neither side trusted the other to turn up alone as some of Guild-#2 had come along too.

After guild-#1's member was disposed of... guild-#1's leader confronted guild-#2's member... and with the existing tensions... the arguments soon escalated from individual-vs-individual into guild-vs.-guild.

War was declared, guild-#2 received intel that guild-#1 was calling on their former guild for assistance and so guild-#2 called upon their allies.

Then... there were 2 guilds at war with another 2 guilds.

I can't post logs as the person directly involved in the initial argument had lost the logs when they uninstalled .018... but at least you know the story now... and yes, I've kept it vague on purpose as my intent for this thread was more for posing a hypothetical question.

If you want more details I'd suggest you go and ask those who were involved, in-character.