PlaneShift

Gameplay => Wish list => Topic started by: drah on February 21, 2007, 03:58:26 am

Title: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 03:58:26 am
It would be nice to be able to create items specifically for RP purposes only, where we could pick any name for the item as well as it's icon and weight.

Objections...

The world would be cluttered with everyone's custom junk.
This could be solved by making the items have a temporary lifespan, so that they just disappear after a day or two.

People could try to create a fake Silverweave SS (just an example) and sell it
This could be avoided by stating clearly at the top of the items description that it is an "RP ITEM" as well as having "Silverweave" and a few other strings reserved. 

Not only would it make the whole custom-items-within-a-roleplay more tangible, it would also be easier to RP with new players as you wouldn't need to act out giving someone a special item (or have to explain that you are RPing the action)... you could actually give them the items you refer to in the roleplay instead.

It also means that characters who are carrying too much have to deal with the issue of encumbrance when adding an RP item to the weight... by tying the game-mechanics in with RP items, this would make RP-items dependent on the characters situation and add more dilemmas to roleplay.

Obviously, the main thing I see this used for is quest items.

It would also stop the person-standing-around-for-ages issue ... where, for example, 'treasure' of some sort.. could be left out in the wilderness... and you wouldn't need someone standing in the spot where you'd hidden it to know that someone had actually found it... they'd simply bring up their trade window and give you the 'treasure'.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: zanzibar on February 21, 2007, 05:15:45 am
This has been discussed in the past... do a search...
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 05:37:28 am
EmeraldFool posted about renaming items in January, I'm talking about creating them from scratch with their own weights, etc.

Other than his thread... I didn't find anything else that matched "player created items" on the 4 pages of results.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: emeraldfool on February 21, 2007, 04:24:57 pm
No, that's pretty much word-for-word what my suggestions were :P

I said, rename items and/or create and/or buy fake 'blank' items off of NPCs and write a description for them, etc.


And quest items were the primary reason I stated. Also; guild badges/rings/uniforms, custom-named weapons, pamphlets/notes, RP items such as custom-made drinks, glyphs and potions, etc.

The arguments against it were pretty weak but no devs seem to really care :P
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Zan on February 21, 2007, 07:33:22 pm
I don't understand the reason for this.

I do understand that there aren't many items at the moment and roleplay can be colored in with this option but it shouldn't be needed. Eventually the game world will be filled with items that can be used. Then what is the point of self-created items besides creating items that either shouldn't exist or shouldn't be acquired without any work.

I don't like the idea of giving us all the power of creation .. not realistic and way way too easy to abuse.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: lordraleigh on February 21, 2007, 07:36:03 pm
Making a "Uber Doomsday Device" or a "Scepter of Suppreme Death" won't help into roleplaying immersion
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 08:28:13 pm
But it would help entice those who are new to proper roleplaying into it.

As for things like your proposed "Uber Doomsday Device"... it'd last for a day or two then disappear, so what's the big deal?

Additionally.. you could make it costly to create a unqiue player-created item... maybe 10,000 tria, maybe more... but enough so people don't use the function wastefully or childishly.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Karyuu on February 21, 2007, 08:29:36 pm
But it would help entice those who are new to proper roleplaying into it.

Could you explain how this would be accomplished?
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Lolitra, Celorrim Purrty Twins on February 21, 2007, 08:52:43 pm
I RP... That is all I do really, and this is a reasonable idea, however, I feel that being able to create Items is not really feesible Idea, as it is open to corrupting the game with 'spam' of stupid RP items, and would also not be protected against the 'godmod' players who would use it to make 'impossibly powerful' items...

So for the sake of a short term RP fix when the Dev's already are streached in creating more areas and alike.. I think this request is unrealistic and a wish not a need... But I have to admit occasionally wishing I had more Items I could use as props - that are not able to be stolen by RP-spoilers... you know exactly what I mean if you have ever been to a wedding RP.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 09:02:44 pm
Okay...

It makes RP-ITEMS more tangible, more perceptible in general.

As a result of this, it means that when you try to give someone, ESPECIALLY a new player to PS... an item for a certain player-organized quest, they understand it, they can see it, they can touch it, they can feel it, their CHARACTER can feel encumbered by the very weight of it and their inventory is effected by the very possession of it.... without needing to be told to "RP It".

I like and appreciate everyone's efforts at RPing.. but what's so bad about tying some of that into the game-mechanics too... so that everything is in sync???

It also puts additional dependency on the character... rather than the player who can carry unlimited everything in an RP sense.  It ties the RP and the game mechanics closer together.  Enhancing both without nullifying either.

Oh c'mon.... someone back me up or throw me a bone here!!!  hhehee ;)

Also, some of the objections people are raising, I've already dealt with in my posts.  A fee for creating items (no matter how OOC that may be), items only existing for a short time-span, etc. -- are items I've already covered the objections for.

I'd like us, especially those of us who would like to organize events, to have this ability, and for us to find a way to have it whilst also safeguaring against abuse.

If you remove the assumption that it'll be abused or used childishly, just for a minute... does it not seem like a good idea?  Could we work around this? ...

Maybe give player-created items a small symbol on their icons.. to make it even more apparent that these items are unusual. 

Maybe make it so that only guild leaders of guilds that have been around for at least 3, no... 6 months have the privilege of being able to make these items!!! 

Maybe make it so that people who abuse this privilege can have it stripped from them easily.

Maybe make it so that each item is identifiable to the person who created it, so that if their is a lot of dropping of stuff, it can be traced back to the person responsible... much like the crafter responsible for crafted items.

Lolitra.. it's the Wishlist.. not the needlist. :)

But I can agree with you on some things for sure... during guild-quests, etc... I've often found there's always someone running up and grabbing stuff and potentially spoiling things.

--------------

also, Zan... you say there will all the items needed in future...

What I'm thinking is... because my character deals with assassins, etc. I may have a job for someone that involves smuggling and disposing cut-up body parts out of Hydlaa (just an example).. and I'd like to use the armor icons for the body parts and give them a bit more weight than normal.

I don't foresee these 'items' ("Severed Arms", "Severed Legs", "Dismembered Head", etc.) being created in the future. ;)

This isn't the ONLY thing that such things can be used for, it's just an example of how this probably wouldn't be catered for in upcoming changes, no matter how many versions of the game we see.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Parallo on February 21, 2007, 09:22:27 pm
/me creates a computer.

Too easily abused to help with rp. That's that.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 09:29:13 pm
Well.. if you're a good roleplayer.. you can always make a decision to IGNORE any nonsense items... and report those to a GM who can swiftly eliminate all items created by that player and put a block on them making silly items in future.

**sigh**

Anyone got any REAL objections that can't easily be dealt with???

I can see why EmeraldFool said the arguments against the idea were weak... they are and they depend on the assumption that the system would be a free-for-all without any safeguards whatsoever, where that isn't the case I'm suggesting!!!

Because the current objections have either already been dealt with or could easily be dealt with via some safeguards.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Parallo on February 21, 2007, 09:31:16 pm
Oh yeah, the GMs will clear up the mess. That's a lovely attitude to take.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Zan on February 21, 2007, 09:42:04 pm
I assume that there could be a very good reason that the items you mentioned won't be created, Drah. This game is open for all to play and that includes children. There is still a certain level of restraint, including graphic images or descriptions of gore and other adult matters, that needs to be executed by the creators of this game to make it childfriendly. Your example would go against that and is a great example of one of the ways your system could be abused.

To me it is simple .. if it is not made to be in-game (eventually) it does not exist for my character.

I do have an alternative idea because I understand what you want Drah and I want it too but the way you want it just isn't going to work in my eyes.

... so I request for some sort of simple "Item Request Feature". Probably here on the forums where we, the players, can request items and give these items icons and descriptions to be used in-game. The Devs who are responcible for them will then be able to sort through and include the items that don't pose any problems. Items that aren't childfriendly, weapons or other items that grant an actual specific use within the game mechanics will be ignored. Only those items that don't really do anything besides being equiped or shown for roleplaying purposes have a chance.

I know that this basically goes against the Dev's policy about not including any specific content that is suggested by the players but in this case I do think that changing that policy would actually benefit the roleplaying aspects of the game.

This idea won't work as fast as Drah's will but it has a lot more control and can't be abused anymore. The items that make it in-game will generally be available from the right merchants or can be found in nature.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Gyerfry Stoemsaber on February 21, 2007, 11:16:46 pm
thats a pretty good idea. Players can also request a lifespan. Or, if it's some kind of sword, say with the same atributes of a shortsword, devs can go through the players' inventory, and replace one the the players' shortswords with the requested item. Then theres the rP-use only items that have no value or stats (but possibly weight) in game, which wouldn't require a charge (except maybe 10 trias). Sorry, I'm just spewing ideas here. All these ideas are for costums, or one of a kinds. They should have a mini icon on the item icon tosymbolize a custom. Players might provide a model and/or a model, but that would cost 100 000 trias, since it's hard to impliment a new model and everything. Using an exististing ingame model/icon should be much less costly.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 21, 2007, 11:51:32 pm
The GM thing is a LAST RESORT... and would only come into play for someone who is abusive after 3-6 months of running a guild already.  So it's not like a load of grief would be dumped on the GMs.

I'm just suggesting more tangible RP-items and tying them to game-mechanics by players who've been around long enough to know better... and you still object!!!

What can I say?!!?! ... this idea, implemented intelligently, could be great and run with far fewer problems than you seem to think.  If you wanna start negging out... just spew out some better ideas that could address this... or circumvent problems you can see with this idea. --- that'd be a little more useful and constructive, rather than a condescending response that ignores the fact that reliance on GMs involvement could be kept to a ridiculously-easy level to manage with a come of restrictions/rules in place.

Parallo, to make the post you've just made.. means you have overlooked some of the points in my previous posts.  I'm not expecting GMs to run around like headless chickens cleaning up other people's mess and have included suggestions to mitigate that specifically.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Gyerfry Stoemsaber on February 21, 2007, 11:58:15 pm
Dude, calm down. I know a few people could be a little more supportive, but hats no reason to snap at them.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: emeraldfool on February 22, 2007, 12:01:02 am
Yeah, I got tired arguing this, and then seeing people completely side-stepping the arguments in favour of not having anything change.

Basically, the argument boils down to "This would be really cool" versus "This isn't cool enough to endure the torture of change"...
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 22, 2007, 12:02:20 am
It's cool... but either Parallo overlooked it (which I've done plenty of times with other people's posts)... or ... I don't know?!?!?

Either way, it's all cool.  It's just that someone was sarcastically responding to me and in doing so, they had missed something that I'd already posted. :)
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Parallo on February 22, 2007, 12:10:09 am
Overlooked what? Time spans and that? I could still go and create 100 computers and throw them all over Hydlaa. That'd be a bit strange. I love the idea but I don't like the potential for abuse particularly given that GMs aren't always around.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: drah on February 22, 2007, 12:14:10 am
Yeah. but you'd be an idiot to do that... and after your six months of being a guild leader you'd lose a lot of respect instantly... and should already know better at that time.

All items spawned by that particular player could be removed in one sweep with one command... easy.

You could make a one-month gap between being able to create the items to counter that argument... but now we're heading into the realms of pathetic arguments.

Say 2 items per month max... and at that, they only last for a maximum of 2-4 weeks.

No person could be capable of creating more than 2 custom-RP-items at any one time, and even to do that, they'd have to have been around a while!

----

As I'm sure you'll find some other thing to poke holes in.... I'll just agree with Zan's idea as a compromise.

... but for most objections, I've come up with a sensible safeguard to keep the concept plausible.

----

@Zan...

Are severed limbs unfitting in a world that employs combat with sharp blades?  Meh.. well, you may have a point anyway as I do know this game is intended for all ages too.

To be honest, an RP that is gruesome wouldn't be given to players that are too young... and it was just PURELY an example, you could replace all items in that paragraph with a magical stone tablet, an antidote, poison, etc... it was probably not the best of examples!! ;)

Anyway... I like your idea. :)
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Parallo on February 22, 2007, 12:35:43 am
Aye makes more sense now I suppose. I'd agree about severed limbs though. Not great.
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: ThomPhoenix on February 22, 2007, 12:39:40 am
I don't think players will ever be able to get items that they do not get from a) own creation b) (npc/player)trade c) quest-reward
Title: Re: Player-created Items for RP purposes.
Post by: Under the moon on February 22, 2007, 01:57:32 am
:/
Walk up to workbench and select bench. Look at it.

"This looks like a bench made for creating things. It has many tools."

[Create] button

"Sorry, you must be in the city for one month before you can use this bench."

*wait one month, and learn how to play the game. Go back to workbench*

[Create]

>create window opens.

"What would you like to create? You may only make one item at this time."

>options show up as pictures of what the items will look like based on existing models of items only. No weapons.

>you decide to make a pot (potion)

"The materials for this item cost X tria and X PP"

>you feel ripped off, but go ahead anyways.

"What would you liie your item to be called? Remember, it must stay true to the Settings, and Game Masters can take your item away if it is not. Use common sense when naming your item."

>you opt out on common sense, and choose:

Uber-duber potion of super-leet

>item shows up in your inventory. You are proud, and show it to some folks, who are not impressed. Your item vanishes. Oh noes!

GM: "You did not use common sense when naming your item."

>go back to workbench. [Create]

"Sorry, you can only create one player item per month. If you wish to make something, try our many crafts! And remember, thinking works best with common sense."

/train common sense

>go back to workbench in a month [Create]

>same proccess as above, but this time with common sense applied:

Grandfather's old mug' appears in your inventory. You are proud, and show it to folks. They smile as you tell them the old story of how your grandfather gave it to you as a child...