OOC Area and Portals

[kalbaern]

As we go forward, I'll add some more prtals to the Start Area so folk can jump into the game closer to where they desire to restart. I will however make it a requirement that you can only access portals to places you've already been though. This should limit folk powerlevelling each other to some extent as a newer player will need to take the "long" way the first times.

[Toreavamp]

How'd that work in reality this 'having been there before' ?

Love
Hanne

[kalbaern]

Well ... before being allowed to use the portals for anywhere but Orlbar, you'd have had to have actually travelled to the other places by normal means. I may enable them as destinations after you first travel to them ... or even have considered "portal access" to them as OOC quest rewards.

[Toreavamp]

So in other words .. another item to take up room in inventory ?

Love
Hanne

[kalbaern]

Nope, no new items. I'll use an existing item and write variables on it.

[Toreavamp]

Sweet

[kalbaern]

Just to be abit clearer on the subject of variables. We'll like most PW's have a "Players Guide" issued with each new PC created. Viewing it's description will bring up some "General Rules", "Credits", "Contact Info", etc... I'll attach a "Special Use" to it that will open a conversation with the "book" allowing players to read more indepth on various subjects pertaining to playing here. Using a "conversation" as book text makes it easier for any builder to update the books.

Using "local" or "campaign" variables would require a script each time to set them. "Local" variables are also lost with a reset and "campaign" variables require a call to the module data base that can cause lag if we have too many other functions making constant calls to it as well. The "campaign" variables can also be lost if the database gets corrupted or a player crashes before saving the latest information.

Variables written to "items" however are always there unless changed or the item is deleted. To set "portal" variables I need only paint a trigger at the towns entry point with an "On Enter" script attached to set the variable on the books. IE ... after the first time a player finds his way to the Elven Outpost for example, he'd automatically be able to return straight there via a portal from the OOC area. It wouldn't be level dependant either. If a 20th level PC has never visited an area, any portal there will be closed to him.

Since these books will be undroppable (and weight reduced to 0.1lbs ) they'll make excellent base items for storing variables.

Lastly, While I could just as easilly use the Ingame Journals as the rules lookups, I'm also looking at a few of the "mapping" systems available for the game. Most would actually display "maps" under the Journal Entries sections instead and would mean doing the above later anyhow. So as a hedge bet, I'm doing it now. No promises on the "maps" yet. They'll still take alot of work and some custom map making in the end. But it'd be nice to enable a "Baldur's Gate" type map system down the road.

[Toreavamp]

I'm going to be your local b.itch (maybe I should get that builder tag changed to that *nodnod*) but instead of an actual -book- which takes up 2x2 squares in the inventory, can't we have something that's only one or two square in size ? I think holdables books are that, and then all wizzies and other bookworm characters would have a book so they can be all fancy when they sit and read.

Love
Hanne

[kalbaern]

The 2x2 book seems to be a standard thing most places and catches the eye quicker. I also might be able to use the book inplace of the individual language widgets later. In theory I should be able too. In reality I have to first rewrite the scripts. For all the other "tokens" the book will let us avoid ... it could be twice as large and still worht it.

[Toreavamp]

With multiple ways of use it, then it's good, otherwise it's just plain annoying when that space could have been used for .... Clothes !

Love
Hanne

[kalbaern]

And speaking of clothes. Some folk are just plain clothes crafting maniacs.

I'll be adding "clothing sacks" that we will allow players to carry and we'll not count them toward any "bag limits" ingame. We will however expect players to ONLY use them for clothing .. and not as extra room to carry any other loot or supplies.

[Toreavamp]

I have no idea who you refer to !!