Musical Instruments?

[formerly known as hf]

Please also see: [url]http://www.cantr.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7021]From the topics 'Music and art' and 'Musical Instruments?'.[/url] regarding a discussion about music in cantr via RP etc. - i.e: how it may be done using current methods, and not implementation of new features

[wichita]

So, I have thought it would be cool to start to work in some sort of functional musical intruments for some RP flavor. I imagine they could work a bit like radios, having a button that could be activated in the character's inventory to produce an entry like:

999-9: You hear a man in his twenties playing a reed flute.

It could be just that simple and not carry much hard coded, predefined hint of the music that would be played. I know all of this could be emoted, but it seems like it could be a nice way to add function and bring to life an item that would otherwise be added simply for roleplaying value.

Would people still be terribly against something like this?

[goitre]

999-9: You hear a man in his twenties awkwardly playing a set of bagpipes.

[nateflory]

I rather like this idea. Yes it could be emoted, but a simple item would be neat.

Not sure of the coding behind the scenes yet, so I can't say how easy it would be to make a "use" button unless there was some sort of "instant project" defined to use the item on...which could display the "you see a person playing XYZ" to the public events....

[Chris Johnson]

I rather like this idea. Yes it could be emoted, but a simple item would be neat.

Not sure of the coding behind the scenes yet, so I can't say how easy it would be to make a "use" button unless there was some sort of "instant project" defined to use the item on...which could display the "you see a person playing XYZ" to the public events....

Sounds like a nice project for an Aspirant Programmer

Objects can have a generic usage button added to them in the database - usage just needs to point to a special subroutine

It could be abused - but then so can knocking, note dropping and talking - in reality this can be handled in-game in most cases.

[Jos Elkink]

I like this simple solution . The code required is about, say, 15 lines? Very nice.

Indeed very good for an aspirant programmer.

[Marian]

Cool, so instruments are being added?

One of my chars wants a kazoo so she can annoy everyone around her!

[Chris Johnson]

Moved to Accepted Suggestions as its currently being worked on.
Current planned implementation is as :

So, I have thought it would be cool to start to work in some sort of functional musical intruments for some RP flavor. I imagine they could work a bit like radios, having a button that could be activated in the character's inventory to produce an entry like:

999-9: You hear a man in his twenties playing a reed flute.

It could be just that simple and not carry much hard coded, predefined hint of the music that would be played. I know all of this could be emoted, but it seems like it could be a nice way to add function and bring to life an item that would otherwise be added simply for roleplaying value.

Would people still be terribly against something like this?

[TatteredShoeLace]

Look who originally posted the suggestion.

ME!

[formerly known as hf]

If I was able to shake my head at you all in a disapproving manner via a forum post, I would.

I have deep worries about this.

First off, I can well imagine that all the instruments that people are thinking of are western.
I can not beg hard enough, PLEASE, do not make the musical instruments western-centric.

Secondly, I doubt the validity of adding musical instruments to Cantr.
Music and rhythm have had at least 3,000 years of development in human history.
It is so engrained into cultures of all kinds, that I do not see that it will at all be possible that an implementation of musical instruments into Cantr will not bring with it heavy cultural and social links.
It is already very difficult to roleplay without brining in personal value systems and cultural backgrounds.

I would love to see religious cults based around music in cantr, I would love to see musical instruments used as some form of secret communication, I would love to see music integrated into political rituals, or religious rituals, ect etc.

Instead, what I see more likely to happen is Cantrians gathering around a piano and belting out 'roll out the barrel'

I am very worried that if musical instruments are introduced, especially if they are overwhelmingly western in design, that they will be utilised and and roleplayed with in such a way as to import even more cultural values from the outside world.

This is all well and good if it is relevant to the situation in Cantr. But I already see various cultural and political beliefs being upheld in Cantr that make no sense in the situation of Cantr, and are clearly a refelection of the value systems of the majority of players. Music, such an engrained part of our cultures, will only increase this import of non-relevant cultural and social constructions.

[nateflory]

I read and understand some of the concerns there H_farmer.
However I envision also that the resource department does a great job at spreading out the valid types of instruments. From Reed Flutes and Djembes, to Ocarinas, Qanun, and Zithers (*grin*)
The actual events should be pretty generic

You see a man in his thirties playing a Zither.

It would be up to the characters to react accordingly.

[wichita]

I agree with you as well, Farmer, and think I voiced similar views previously in the thread. At this point, I think it should be left up to the players what to do with it to flesh it out. If we add just the simple functional statement of "an instrument is played" the player can choose to let that suffice, or roll with it like we have been doing to flesh out the rhythm, tone, etc.

I guess I see the functionality as a handle for stimulating quality RP. As the player base has shown in the past, it is capable of crap RP and quality RP, and few implementations skew that one way or the other.


As for ethnomusicology, if we start adding instruments, I for one will try to keep them either fairly generic (reed flute, a small drum, etc) and/or culturally diverse (sitars and shamisen in addition to guitars).

[Doug R.]

They already have cultural clothing (kilts, etc), so the demon's already out of the box. I want a bagpipe to go with my kilt...

[fishfin]

I always wanted to play the bagpipes, now I might be able to in Cantr!!
but I also think that there should be a wide veriaty of instriments like the Chinese pipa or the African drums

[nateflory]

You see a man in his twenties play the bellows.
Now that's something I'd liek to see sometime! LOL!