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The time lapse between conversations...

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:27 pm
by Leo Luncid
Throughout all my replay in Cantr, I've seen alot of those who seem to disregard the passing time when it comes to contining/resuming conversations from one another. I'm not saying that people shouldn't do this; I'm just wondering if they ever at least notice this.

ie. From top to bottom:

1900-1: Jahal says: "Dofer, do you have a steel dagger I could borrow?"
1900-2: You see Jahal efficiently hurt a cow using a waster.
1900-2: You see Jahal efficiently hurt a scarab using a waster.
1900-2: You see Jahal efficiently hurt a horse using a waster.
1900-6: You see a man in his twenties talking to Jahal.
1900-6: You see Jahal talking to a man in his twenties.
1901-1: You are hungry.
1901-4: Dofer says: "Sure, here you go."
1901-4: You see Dofer give a steel dagger to Jahal.

Even if nothing was happening between those two events, surely a better response maybe:
1901-4: Dofer says: "Hey Jahal, here's this steel dagger you asked for yesterday."

Would it be somewhat ackward to not do something like this? Or has this habit of casually speaking over the hours seem to be part of our oh-so-unique-Cantr culture?

This is initially for discussion purposes. This has been occuring throughout the Cantr years; it's just hasn't been brought up until now.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:32 pm
by the_antisocial_hermit
I don't think it is a better response because of how the game is set up and how it is played. People just aren't always on at the same time because they're playing from so many timezones.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:40 pm
by Leo Luncid
Well, even so, this is played in a seperate world; characters won't be able to know that, so that shouldn't influence them from noticing.

Eventually they would get used to it, but in my opinion they shouldn't spawn that way, should they?

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:53 pm
by SumBum
I think it's just something unique to the way Cantr is played and most don't seem bothered by the fact that hours or even days can pass during a single conversation. It's even stated on the game's description that one meeting can last a week.

Characters often say they're sleepy, then a day or two later "wake up" but yet know everything that was done or said during their rest and it's not seen as odd.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:21 pm
by the_antisocial_hermit
Leo Luncid wrote:Well, even so, this is played in a seperate world; characters won't be able to know that, so that shouldn't influence them from noticing.

It is natural to their way of life. Cantr has its oddities and because of the way it is, with a wide range of people from all over the world playing, time means very little to them, other than in the hours it takes to do something or how many days they've been alive. It is a slow paced game, not a fast one. Days will blurr together because they have more "laters" or "nows" or "when I wake agains" or "in a few hours" or "in a few years" and fewer "tomorrows" or "next years" or "yesterdays". If they use "yesterday" it seems to quite often refer to several days ago.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:10 pm
by Valsum
I'm with Hermi and SumBum. Cantr is very realistic in a lot of ways, but original in others. Given the slow-paced nature of the game, some people (including me) don't give too much importance to time, but to write in their journals and sign official documents.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:13 pm
by Oasis
I understand your point, and have to agree, Leo. Oftentimes it is just a comment, not accompanied by the giving of something, that gives no clue as to what they're responding about.

Quite often my char will say something to someone, and by the time they respond with a generic "Yes", I'm left guessing what the question was, and have to hit "show all" and scroll down to reread. It would be so much easier if they could say, "As to your question about blah blah, X, I say yes" Just a simple example, but when time has passed, it does help to let people know what you're referring to.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:22 pm
by the_antisocial_hermit
Yes, I do agree with giving some sort of hint like repeating the question in the form of an answer if much is going on in a place and time has passed. I generally try to do that.

Re: The time lapse between conversations...

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:33 pm
by Chris
Leo Luncid wrote:Even if nothing was happening between those two events, surely a better response maybe:
1901-4: Dofer says: "Hey Jahal, here's this steel dagger you asked for yesterday."

Yes, it's better. And sometimes there is a lot happening in between. Putting in a little more detail doesn't take much work; it's just a few words more.

For me, it's not an issue of RP. It's basic courtesy from one player to another. Be clear. Don't make others scroll through the events, or scan their archives, to figure out what you mean.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:18 am
by the_antisocial_hermit
My point is that the yesterday isn't necessary. Just saying "here's the steel dagger you asked for" is enough, but the demarcation of time is irrelevant.

Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:30 am
by DylPickle
For me, if the gap in the conversation is roughly four or more in game hours, then I throw the time lapse into the game. If less than 4 hours, I just ignore it.