Town Crier

Joxia Doral · Post by **Joxia Doral** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:12 pm

It has been put my character several time by a few players that there should be a town crier in Trolls Bane to spread the news and events considering that not all characters know how to read...
At first I dismissed the idea as really unneccessary as Ive felt a dedicated player will read the forums. but after it has kept coming up I decided what the heck it cant hurt.

So...Would it be possible to have an NPC 'Town Crier'?

Post by **Estralis Seborian** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:22 pm

Something like this?

Code: Select all

name="Town Crier" 
sex=male
race=human
position=-100, -100, 0 --Troll's Bane
radius=20
direction=South

cycletext "Cromwell ist wundervoll!","Cromwell is awesome!" 
cycletext "Joxia liebt Gerald!","Joxia loves Gerald!" 
cycletext "Zwerge sind scheiße!","Dwarves suck!" 
cycletext "Zombieattacken sind vorrüber! Frohes neues Jahr!","Mummy attack is over. Happy new year!" 
cycletext "Sir Hawkmoon wurde als neuer Baron der Ostmark bestätigt!","Sir Hawkmoon is the new baron of the eastmark!"

Just... do it?

Post by **Nitram** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:23 pm

The problem is that regular updates would be needed and at this point it gets not that fine...

Why not have a player town crier?

Mr. Cromwell · Post by **Mr. Cromwell** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:44 pm

Nah, Nitters. You just use the "Cromwell is Awesome!" and leave it as it is.

Of course, I know about as much about scripting as I know about quantum theory, but I wonder if you could program some "parrot effect" for the char? That it will repeat what is said to him by someone (the 'recording' would be triggered with another command, like "shout:")?

So, the only thing that needs updating is the char(s) from whom the crier is willing to take messages from. Otherwise it could then be:

Joxia Doral: Shout: "Eat my shorts!"
Town Crier: "Eat my shorts!"

pharse · Post by **pharse** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:12 pm

@Cromwell: That works only until the next full reload or server restart. Then the players would have to update the NPC again.

Dangron · Post by **Dangron** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:16 pm

Let Jox deal with that..

Mr. Cromwell · Post by **Mr. Cromwell** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:20 pm

pharse wrote:@Cromwell: That works only until the next full reload or server restart. Then the players would have to update the NPC again.

Doesn't really seem like a big obstacle to me.

At least it beats having to bug a dev to change the text.

Llama · Post by **Llama** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:49 pm

Just to add my two cents.

If this is going to be done using cycletext, PLEASE make it trigger every 30 minutes or so - if we're going to hear a shout every few minutes it'll irritate everyone.

To combat this make the towncrier respond to the keyword 'news' ("Any news?") which will make him state whatever he was made to state.

Joxia Doral · Post by **Joxia Doral** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:43 pm

I have a volunteer...lets see how a real player works out...

Post by **Estralis Seborian** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:02 pm

You could use file IO, but from my understanding, this causes more problems than benefit.

I also think there'll be an updating problem, no matter what technique you use. Will our players supply the town crier with enough news? On a weekly base at least?

Joxia Doral · Post by **Joxia Doral** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:36 pm

Estralis Seborian wrote:You could use file IO, but from my understanding, this causes more problems than benefit.

I also think there'll be an updating problem, no matter what technique you use. Will our players supply the town crier with enough news? On a weekly base at least?

With the plans we have made for Trolls Bane activities and such, I think so.

Kevin Lightdot · Post by **Kevin Lightdot** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:49 pm

Give it a standard set of shouts which it uses if there's nothing else that he has to yell?

"Get your dwarven ale from Borgate at the tavern!"

The stuff that won't change anytime soon, that way he'll have something to shout when there is nothing that he was told to shout.

rainbird · Post by **rainbird** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:59 pm

I like this idea. Doesn't have to be irritating. A town crier would not be heard throughout the town, just within shouting distance. Additionally, anyone can ask him for news on demand.

Set up with 4-6 "default" news items that are general info items about Trolls Bane, and allow certain characters (or perhaps all characters?) the ability to give him new items to report.

If the system allows it, have "old" news items drop out of his repertoire automatically after a few game days.

Have him wander through town randomly, announcing one random item every 5-10 minutes or so.

Note: He is normally shouting his news, but when a character asks him for news directly, he should speak it in a normal tone, not shout it.

Post by **Jupiter** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:35 pm

Set up with 4-6 "default" news items that are general info items about Trolls Bane, and allow certain characters (or perhaps all characters?) the ability to give him new items to report.

This is not possible. A normal char cannot run to a NPC and change him in anyway.

Vern Kron · Post by **Vern Kron** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:54 pm

Isn't part of the interesting part of the game to find out information on your own? Rather than just being told?

So, your charcter can't read? Ask some one to just give a highlight of news. We do not need an npc for this, IMO. Especially one that has its information given to it, via poor translations that won't make much sense, since everything in english has to be done in german. Atleast, if I recall.

maryday · Post by **maryday** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:14 pm

i see no need for a real bookwriting system though,
following wicked idea has crossed my mind:

((!eletter [up to 32 letters placeable here]; shift+click parchment))...
hmm..STOP!

@pharse: How long is the maximal description lenght of a unique/custom item?
EDIT;((Counting parchments or pells as customizable))

---

*coughs*
((this post is about bribing informational policies,
influence on people who have no 10+nx5 Silvercoins to spend on RP,
and interesting additions to the engine.))

I never post in the wrong thread,
the posts might be read by eyes,
which are attached to brains incappable of diffusive associational processes.
Sorry for that subjectively uttered remark;

Post by **CJK** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:18 pm

um...wrong thread?

Theory · Post by **Theory** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:21 pm

Updating wouldn't be that hard, if you do it a certain way. But then the way I propose can lead to abuse....

When you greet the town crier he'll say something like this.

"Greetings! Do you have any news of the day?"

Then the player could tell him what the news is.

"There will be a celebration in 5 dwarven hours because Cromwell is awesome."

Then the crier would just announce that.....maybe have the town crier reset news everyday if that's possible to avoid abuse.

The crier could number the news....maybe give him 5 slots tops?

AlexRose · Post by **AlexRose** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:26 pm

"Greetings! Do you have any news of the day?"
"[Too rude to be displayed]"

Or even:
"Greetings! Do you have any news of the day?"
"im new were do i get quest?"

That's not gonna happen.

Post by **CJK** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 4:28 pm

AlexRose wrote:"Greetings! Do you have any news of the day?"
"[Too rude to be displayed]"

Or even:
"Greetings! Do you have any news of the day?"
"im new were do i get quest?"

That's not gonna happen.

ROFL. Alex wins.

agreed, only certain people should be able to give news, such as the leader of the town or something.