Cooperative Plot Creation Project

[derula]

If it's filled out by the player it kind of loses its search value. Because what one calls a "sneaky character of doom" another calls a "stealthy warrior" and another ones calls a "roguish fighter" making it hard for someone to actually find the character he or she wants.
The way it is done, you just cross rogue and fighter and everyone can find the character easily.

Yeah, except if you can't check any of the values because nothing really fits your character all that well. What, e.g., if your character is a child?

- Description field contains a tab character by default

On TODO list

Edit 110711: Tab removed.

Yes and no. Now it adds a linebreak and a tab at the and of the description if you edit a character. You need to have something like sprintf("\t<textarea>%s</textarea>", description) instead of sprintf("\t<textarea>%s\n\t</textarea>", description). I know it hurts the inner eye of how HTML code should look like, but... yeah.

Also, can you pleeeaase either add a replace(description, "\n", "\n<br />") or, like I suggested, do

Code: [Select]

<p style="white-space:pre-wrap">(Character description here)</p>on the character display page? Pretty please? I don't want to be forced to add HTML to my description just to see line breaks in the output.

[Sangwa]

You're missing the point here. Look at the name. "Cooperative Plot Creation." The list is not meant for you to look at people's characters and see who is the best, or to choose your very best friends from within.
It's there to help creative people with their plots and in most plots the cooperating characters involved fit some general type. Example: If you want to make a roleplay about someone who stole your ring, you'll find for a rogue in the list and then ask the person if they want to play along. Simple.

Of course novacadian can make it so you don't need to fill out the character type thing obligatorily. Not much use though, unless people are looking for something pretty specific that happened to be invented by another bloke.

[novacadian]

I was talking about the character types such as fighter, rouge, entertainer, etc. I think that should filled out by the player. Race choice and link to wiki is perfect, I don't think that needs to be changed.

One solution would be to allow key word searches against the Description field. There one is encouraged to explain things as they wish; within the limits of 800 characters.

Edit 112510: A Character Description Search is now available in the Character Search Link of the logged in menu.

The whole scripted duel thing is a no for me, so I should probably mention that on my character profiles. I like expecting the unexpected, but I'll put it out there to everybody that I'm fine with meeting their character at some place, but I won't plan what will happen between them.

Using the One Swing Exchange during the RP will still offer the unexpected; however attached to some reality of the weighted odds of equipment, abilities and luck with respect to the characters involved in the combat. Experimenting is under way, with a Java client that already interacts with the same Perl library used on the site. In this way, a small Java window may be able to be offered players to use the one swing at a time requests; without the need of the players to have loaded web browsers.

There is already a command link variable that will halt much, if not all, of the html returned with most links to the site Instead, only the raw data is returned which any page has retrieved from the MySQL.

If it's filled out by the player it kind of loses its search value. Because what one calls a "sneaky character of doom" another calls a "stealthy warrior" and another ones calls a "roguish fighter" making it hard for someone to actually find the character he or she wants.
The way it is done, you just cross rogue and fighter and everyone can find the character easily.

Having a Description one key word search should address Geoni's suggestion.

Edit 112510: A Character Description Search is now available in the Character Search Link of the logged in menu.

People search for certain character types to RP with? The pompous pricks.  

It is likely that folks search for a multitude of reasons; none of which is mutually exclusive to the fact they could be pompous pricks.  

You're missing the point here. Look at the name. "Cooperative Plot Creation." The list is not meant for you to look at people's characters and see who is the best, or to choose your very best friends from within.

In fairness, we are only delivering information after all. There is no restrictions for using the site to retrieve the information it is designed to deliver; although, like you, my hope is that the site will help creative people with their plots. Any web tools being added is with that intent in mind.

Yeah, except if you can't check any of the values because nothing really fits your character all that well. What, e.g., if your character is a child?

Again, my hope is that making a key word search available on the Description field should accommodate that.

Edit 112510: A Character Description Search is now available in the Character Search Link of the logged in menu.

Also, can you pleeeaase either add a replace(description, "\n", "\n<br />") or, like I suggested, do

That has been addressed using $description=~s/\n/<BR>/g;. Let me know if that is not enough.

Thanks for the input all!

- Nova

[Geoni]

I don't know, I just like it because you can see who is online, and that by looking at their characters you can tell that they are roleplayers, unlike the "who's online" part of PS's site. (I forget how to locate that, but the problem with it is that it lists PLers). So I like to see if there is a significant amount of people online who roleplay. That motivates me to actually get in the game. Now that I know there are people on who roleplay, I will go online and start up some spontaneous roleplay. Which is what I am used to doing. I think scripting and creating plots before hand ruins the impromptu creativity of roleplay, and when somebody establishes a goal or an ending to the plot, I feel like I'm being forced to roleplay in progression to the end of that plot. I don't like that. But hey, one does what one wants. Pre-plotted roleplay is just not the roleplay I know, so I stay away from it.

Btw Sangwa, I don't know if what you said was directed at me or Derula, but I don't "look at people's characters and see who I think is the best," or "choose my best friends". I don't have friends on PS, my characters do. If they happen to see their friends they will go and talk to them, and if they see a person or situation that interests them, they will greet that person, or try and watch or involve themselves in that situation. That's just my style of doing things, so I'm just clarifying that.

Edit: @Nova: the pompous pricks thing was an exaggeration, I know that some people have their reasons for doing certain things. I like that solution you mentioned though, but it's your choice on what to do with this, I'm just giving you a players reaction. It's your project thingy.

[Sangwa]

Geoni, it's good that you've found your own use for the site.

You still haven't grasped what our definition of plot creation is though. It's not about "scripting roles". It's about creating a roleplay plot. Every good roleplay has a plot, it's like an orientation established by some variables: usually NPCs and their relation.
In this case we can only control PCs, so we use them. However it's not an actual "scripted role" where everyone has to do as they're told. The point of having a list of characters is that you can create a plot with an orientation that allows depth. (Rather than simply allowing people to mingle in a middle ages chat.)
The purpose is the design of plots that will hopefully motivate certain characters. This design part influences mostly which characters are present at the beginning (and not what they will do) and what variables (items, relations, etc.) shall be acted upon. It doesn't tell what the exact reaction of each intervening character is though. And even if it usually depends on characters to be somewhat consistent, some surprises can add lots of entertaining outcomes.
If well done this creates material for spontaneous roleplay (since it augments relations between certain characters) and the plot will have outcomes that can be used, rather than a definite end.

As you can see, it's there exactly to help you out with your spontaneous roleplay.

[novacadian]

Well as Sir Roled might say, "The proof of the pie is in its taisting".

In that regard a player has brought to my attention a very interesting RP idea which will be kicked off via the site.

Hopefully we may all find common ground; and express our different style of preference and play; via our participation.

- Nova

[Roled]

Pie? Did someone mention pie? 

[derula]

Also, can you pleeeaase either add a replace(description, "\n", "\n<br />") or, like I suggested, do

That has been addressed using $description=~s/\n/<BR>/g;. Let me know if that is not enough.

It is okay, but you shouldn't make that replacement *while editing* the details, but *while displaying* them. So, the database only saves notmal linebreaks, but the browser gets HTML ones. Thanks.

[Ruya]

Nova and I have hatched a little idea along the lines of a plot generator, and I'd like to see if anyone has any suggestions about it before I start doing the writing.  

Unless you're on PS 24/7, your characters spend a lot of time "off-screen" while you're logged off.   What are they doing while you're not playing them?   I'm a pretty big fan of coming up with ideas about this re: my own characters, and incorporating it into actual RP.  It helps flesh the character out, provides conversation material during those tavern chats where nobody has any interesting news to talk about, and just generally makes RP feel much more natural.  

Essentially, the idea is a small tool that offers randomized suggestions for what's happening to your character off-screen.  Relatively small, non-earth shattering things, but the kind of events that come up in conversation and might impact your character's mood, behavior, etc.   For example:

• You got a letter from a childhood friend, full of happy news about your friend's plans to get married.
• A street vendor sold you a meat roll they said was made of prime goujah, but you've had an upset stomach ever since and you're pretty sure it was actually rat.
• That was some dream you had last night!   You're not sure if you should tell your guildmates what you dreamed you saw them doing or not.

If it's hooked up to the CPCP database, it can be further fleshed out, with ideas specific to guild status, races, and religions.  For example:

• You accidentally defiled a little statue of Laanx.  You'd probably better find some way to redeem yourself, or you may be in for a run of bad luck.
• A stranger insulted your guild to your face, and the two of you got into a fight.   You won, but they gave you a big black eye before turning tail and fleeing.
• A time comes in every Enkidukai's life when they get fur mites.  Congratulations: that time has come for you.  Better invest in a fine-toothed comb and some soap.

Sound like it might be fun?   Got any interesting ways to expand it further?   And if you've got any good ideas for  entries, PM me, I don't want to write all of them myself.   

[novacadian]

@Ruya: If the database was used for this scheme then it is not hard to envision other features....

Player Generated Quests could use the same database table if a different type flag were added to the record.

For example a player might make a public quest that whoever excepts it will then remove it from being offered to others.

... or a No Strings Attached Quest, like the ones you are suggesting Ruya.

The Player Generated Quest could be flagged type 1 and the No Strings Attached Quest could be flagged type 2. Although both using the same record schema and table they could be processed differently. Of course as time goes on there could be other types added.

It sounds like it should also allow all the search criteria which Character Search, presently, provides.

- Nova

... you shouldn't make that replacement *while editing* the details, but *while displaying* them. So, the database only saves notmal linebreaks, but the browser gets HTML ones. Thanks.

Edit 120210: Line breaks are now being turned into HTML line breaks during Character Display. Line breaks are saved as normal line breaks using the Character Edit submission.

[Xanthan]

This is a neat development.  I enjoyed reading your plot creation guide-- much food for thought.  I find it quite inspiring and informative.

[Ruya]

Player Generated Quests could use the same database table if a different type flag were added to the record.

For example a player might make a public quest that whoever excepts it will then remove it from being offered to others.

Like a jobs board, then?   That would be kind of wonderful if it were set up correctly.

[novacadian]

Users can not monitor the activity of any character on PS using the Monitor Menu option once logged onto the site.

At the moment only one character can be monitored at a time. This can be expanded if there seems a demand for it.

PS is checked every ten minutes for those currently logged on. If a character being monitored is found to be logged on PS then the time and date are recorded to the database. That data will be displayed to a user monitoring that character when they choose the Monitor Menu option.

The data of the monitored character's activity will be stored in the database of the site until there are 288 separate entries. This would be the same as the number of entries generated if the monitored character was logged on PS for a 24 hour period.

After there are 288 entries, or more, recorded in the database for a monitored character; then that data will be sent to all users which are monitoring that character in an email and the data will then be removed from the site's database via a cron job that will be run each 24 hours. This is to ensure that the database does not become overly cluttered with such monitoring.

Monitoring can be halted by clicking the End monitoring of <character's name> button on the Character Monitor page.

Only the first name of the character should be used when making a request to monitor a character.

Please report any bugs which may be encountered with this option to this thread.

- Nova

[derula]

Okay, man, that's enough now. I told you a whole while back what a security wreck your site is, and you didn't bother to do much about it (only the simplest things). Since you didn't ask me back how to implement sessions properly, I must believe you don't care to implement them.

So I'm telling here, everyone: I highly discourage anyone from using nova's site. It is obviously done by a beginner to web programming. That alone is not a bad thing, but there are many ways which demonstrate why a real web developer *does* need to know a few things. Basically, it is very easy for me to find out everyone else's user names and passwords. In fact, I do have nova's password and could have easily collected all login data from anyone looking at Jana's or Urriro's profile. If you don't want to be hacked by a random guy, DON'T USE NOVA'S SITE! It's incredibly horrible, security-wise (also, it's some of the ugliest designs and worst HTML markup I've seen in my life).

If you want to use something similar, please use the official MyPlane. Horrible name left aside (still better than "Cooperative Plot Creation Project" though), that one is done by someone with actual web programming experience and actually has something you could call design. It may lack a few features from nova's project, but... well, what good are private messages anyway, if any idiot can hack into your account with a little knowledge? You're better off keeping PMs here in the forum...

PS is checked every ten minutes for those currently logged on. If a character being monitored is found to be logged on PS then the time and date are recorded to the database. That data will be displayed to a user monitoring that character when they choose the Monitor Menu option.

The data of the monitored character's activity will be stored in the database of the site until there are 288 separate entries. This would be the same as the number of entries generated if the monitored character was logged on PS for a 24 hour period.

After there are 288 entries, or more, recorded in the database for a monitored character; then that data will be sent to all users which are monitoring that character in an email and the data will then be removed from the site's database via a cron job that will be run each 24 hours. This is to ensure that the database does not become overly cluttered with such monitoring.

Seriously? Is this the best you could come up with?

Nova, I'd recommend you to either fix your site (i.e., implement a proper session management, or make it use HTTP logins for all I care) ASAP, or take it offline. You can't build a fortress for others to live in if you don't know how to build walls. Learn some web programming or GTFO my Internet. Thanks.

[novacadian]

Nice to see you back around derula.

Due to the fact that MyPlane has, coincidentally, offered just about every option that this project had offered; there seemed little sense of throwing more time into the project. It seems to have achieved it's objective if, perhaps, it has been an influence to the wonderful introduction of MyPlane to PS.

As the only feature of this project which seems not available on MyPlane is the monitor option; that will be made the only option left available to users on this project for the time being. There is no security issue surrounding it. No credit info of the user and no password that the user can even generate on their own. Hopefully that will calm your over zealous nerves.

- Nova