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Dynamic character description

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:00 pm
by Robaczek
Ok, I've got a suggestion, which - I'm nearly sure - would be very nice improvement for everybody. What I'm talking about is character description.
It would be textarea, placed just below and editable just like the char name textarea on character page. In this area each other character could write a description of that char. Ex. performed functions, physical apperance and any others things he would like to remember. This text would be displayed only on the character page.
In my opinion, very important argument for this idea is quite easy implementation. I mean, adding one more textarea, acting like existing one (char name) isn't very difficult, is it? :)

Title edited to describe the contents more precisely. -SekoETC

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:34 pm
by SekoETC
You should do some searching. This has been suggested several times and people were against it because
1) if everyone could write what ever they want and it will instantly be visible to people looking at the character, people could use the space for obscenities, OOC text and spam. Counter-argument, no one is forced to look at a person's description and they could just as easily speak out the stuff than put it in their description, unless they're locked up in which case people are going to ignore them anyway.
2) Translation issues. Characters could be recognised as members of a certain language group before they ever open their mouth and someone might for example look at a person's description and think "I don't know what the heck that is in English but they're clearly foreign so lets kill them". While forcing everyone to write in English because it's the common language wouldn't work either because many characters live on their own region and never run into foreigners.

My solution would be having a drop down menu for languages and a person could if they please save their description only in their own language and leave the others blank, or replace unknown languages with English. It's a very simple solution but I doubt this is going to get implemented because people don't trust other people. They don't trust that most people could agree to use it right even without moderation.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:44 pm
by Robaczek
No, no, no, no.
I think you misunderstood me.
I'm talking about describing text, which would be written (and remembered) by other characters. Like the name.
Maybe my English isn't good enough, so here is the example:
My char knows a person, named XYZ, who is leader of the town ABC, captain of the ship DEF, and has long, black hairs and moustache.
So, I go in this character page and have got two textareas there. In first I type "XYZ" and this text will be displayed as a name, when the XYZ is talking or doing something. And in the second area I type: "Leader of the ABC, DEF's captain. Long black hair and moustache.". And i could see this text on this char page, every time when I, for example, forget how is he look like or what function he is performing. And nobody else could see this text, because this is something like my character memory.
Do you understand now? :)

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:00 pm
by SekoETC
Oh, that thing. That thing was also suggested in another place. I think it would be useful and I don't see any arguments people could have against it except that it takes a little bit of room in the database and ProgD would have to add an extra box to character descriptions.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:14 pm
by Oasis
I would really like this. I'm one of those players that add details to another chars name so I remember things about them, and it sure gets long and cumbersome to look at when they're active.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:32 pm
by Robaczek
SekoETC wrote:t takes a little bit of room in the database


Maybe this could be a problem, but not very serious I think (ideas taking far morr space are under consideration).

SekoETC wrote:and ProgD would have to add an extra box to character descriptions


But this argument is just absurd. :P I don't think adding one additional textarea on one page is very hard work. ;)
Generally speaking, I think this is one of the less difficult idea to implement that has been ever suggested. And, on the other hand, one of the most useful for players. :)

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:43 pm
by Averus Wolfmaster
Ideas great. I'd really like to see it in-game. As soon as possible. :)

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:58 pm
by Elros
Yeah I love this idea as well. Many times someone describes themselves in some way(eg. rubs their beard, or comments on their eye color), and it would be nice to be able to have a box to put that info in and remember it. I have a hard time remembering the color of my wife's eyes in Cantr! ugh...

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:04 pm
by JackTR
Add it up!


Elros wrote:I have a hard time remembering the color of my wife's eyes in Cantr! ugh...


And the eyes of the wife outside of cantr?

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:08 pm
by Elros
I'm only 18 years old... Not married yet. :wink:

I was exagurating a bit. My wife's eyes in Cantr are light green, and she has blond hair(I remember), it is impossible though to remember everyone you meet.

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:22 pm
by SekoETC
I have a hard time remembering my own characters' eye colours :(

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:37 pm
by Oasis
I'm with you there, Seko! I gave up trying to remember my charries hair colour even, but since there is no dye in the game, I guess most of them are just grey now anyways. :lol:

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:28 am
by DELGRAD
I would really like to give characters extended descriptions.
I hate trying to put it into their name.
Events get really cloged. I agree with Oasis.

This should be one of the top priorities for Prog.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:13 am
by Leo Luncid
Accepted or not, for the record there will never be a time where the need to use this feature arises in my future. In my soon-to-be-obsolete-opinion, it seems pointless to me, but only because I don't really care what characters actually look like. As for remembering their titles, epitaphs and such, I got no problem with my head.
Again, a circumstantial opinion, I suppose.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:55 am
by DELGRAD
There and more than enough players that would like to remember things about other characters that would greatly add to RP.