Writable Books

Malvita Rynal · Post by **Malvita Rynal** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:08 am

I'm pretty sure this might have been proposed before, but I'll bring it up again. Why don't we make an item, "A blank book" that when opened will bring up a book, or will say "What do you wish to write in the book?" and allow you to type a message, however long or short (up to the GMs) into the book. Once you use (shift+click them like the books in the library) it says the message. This could be useful for many RPs, cutting down on the use of PMs for RP and opening jobs for messagers carrying books (or scrolls, parchments, letters, love notes, etc) between people. Since it's typed, it could be coded so even if the messager reads it, he gets nothing from it, and it would, I think, add to a good number of RPs.
Killing a messager that loses a message, intercepting enemy messages, sending love letters secretly. It's not a big change, since we already have books of the type in the library, they just aren't rewritable, but I think it could be something to look into. What do you think?

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:59 am

But then you would get some guy who just writes a bunch of books that have profanties and racism in it. You couldn't just write something and have it ingame, it would need to go through the Gms.
NEVER TRUST THE PLAYERS!

The Returner · Post by **The Returner** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:03 am

Grant Herion wrote: NEVER TRUST THE PLAYERS!

The next ironicity award goes to...

Grant Herion · Post by **Grant Herion** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:13 am

HA HA HA HA HA GOOD ONE RETURNER! OH WAIT!
That isn't a word!

Gro'bul · Post by **Gro'bul** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:56 am

I like the idea, but somehow it is too easy. Obviously you would need to buy ink and pen/quill/writing utencil, and paper. I think a minimum intelligence would keep characters who have maybe 3 intelligence from writing rediculously complex messages, like what goes on in the rpg forum. I think low-end of average intelligence would be reasonable. Now then, I think it should have random spelling mistakes, which would be based on your library research skill. Basically you roll the dice and get so many spelling mistakes randomly interjected into your words. Basically random letters, example: "Dear Madame Josephine," a person terrible in library research would be like: "Daer MadAamiae Joasehhpeaifn" or something like that.

Library research is studying not only the subject written, but the language itself. The more you see the correctly spelled words, the less you make mistakes, I think that makes sense. As for doing it in game: You could submit your story to a gm via pm or something, then they log into the game and a book binder character sells your character a blank book for you to write in.

Bloodhearte · Post by **Bloodhearte** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:23 pm

A good idea, but it sounds like one of those wee-bit-too-complicated ideas that can be role played through to ignore the technical limitation.

Shi'voc · Post by **Shi'voc** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 11:29 pm

actually, things like that are on the todo list... though they need big changes to the client so they won't be possible until after the new client is finished...

Nilo · Post by **Nilo** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:04 am

Would this not just clog up the server more?

Kasume · Post by **Kasume** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:06 am

Yes! Don't clog up the server! We need it to powergame in! We can't be furthering RP by having writable books!

Domitrio · Post by **Domitrio** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 5:16 am

I like the idea, but sending it through the GMs? That would put even more stress on them. Couldn't we just ENFORCE the no racism/etc/etc rules. If a book was found with your handwriting (have it say "written by (99999)" with anything against the rules, then you're banned. Just as simple as if you would have walked up to someone and said it.

Nilo · Post by **Nilo** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:00 pm

So your saying there would just be books lieing around everywhere?

Gro'bul · Post by **Gro'bul** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:18 pm

Sam could sell various sized books. Small book: 5 ingots, 100 characters (including spaces). Medium book: 6 ingots 200 characters. Large book: 10 ingots 500 characters. Tome: 30 ingots, 1500 characters. Yeah something progressively less expensive per character or something. Good way to get more money out of illarion. Less money means its worth more.

Bloodhearte · Post by **Bloodhearte** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:27 pm

Sounds pretty damn expensive for a bundle of papers with ink on it.

Rackere Diplomatre · Post by **Rackere Diplomatre** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:31 pm

100 Characters 5 ingots? That very expensive. A short message on a mobile phone has more chars and less price.

Brendan Mason · Post by **Brendan Mason** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:34 pm

100 characters? How many words is that, 20, 30?
I see a really obvious problem with this-people would use net speak and text speak to convey their messages. Granted, the more experienced roleplayers wouldn't, but when people who are new to the game inevitably do, one way or another, they'll start writing such messages.

(About 100 characters ^^^)

Rackere Diplomatre · Post by **Rackere Diplomatre** » Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:40 pm

The worst thing is that books are only writeable once. And in that case 5 ingots are too much.

Nilo · Post by **Nilo** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 1:16 am

Plus, the useres will simply message each other over msn, aim, icq, and other messaging services rather than spending that much money....

Gro'bul · Post by **Gro'bul** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 3:12 am

Please keep in mind every book had to be made by hand, paper was not cheap, and book binding is a profession. They would have to be imported ontop of that. A one time thing? No this would be bad, because the people who buy tomes and big books would probobly keep journals of their lives and findings for others to find. I think this after some time would open up tons of player quests not needing support from gm's. I think it would be quite fun continuing where another character died off.

Dónal Mason · Post by **Dónal Mason** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:53 am

How the hell do you keep a journal of your life with ony 1500 characters? That's just too small.

martin · Post by **martin** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:31 am

Rackere Diplomatre wrote:100 Characters 5 ingots? That very expensive. A short message on a mobile phone has more chars and less price.

*ROTFL*

You MUST be kidding.

Martin

martin · Post by **martin** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:35 am

Before discussing such details, we need to have the technical possibility to do all that.
First off, there is nothing implemented yet to even *show* the contence of a book other than now, which is not very nice.
Secondly, the server does not support writing books at all.

You are focusing on unnecessary details. You are on the wrong side of the whole thing. You can't start with the details when the rough thing isn't figured out yet.

Martin