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Main Forums => Suggestions => Topic started by: Cruzel on March 30, 2009, 11:10:23 AM

Title: Allow PCs to change their own descriptions.
Post by: Cruzel on March 30, 2009, 11:10:23 AM
This has bugged me for a while. Whenever someone typos or something happens to a PC that affects their appearance, you need to bug a DM in order to get your description changed. Most of the time this is something minor, and while the player would like it, it's not really important enough to warrant a LETO. But really, a Leto isn't needed and a simple script is all that is needed!


I suggest shoving this into a /c command, and allow players to do this themselves.

[hide="Coding!"]
if (GetStringLeft(sMessage, 5) == "desc")
{
   // Appends to the existing description.
     if (GetSubString(sMessage, 5, 4) == "_add")
        {
          SetDescription(oPC, GetDescription(oPC) + "  " +    GetSubString(sMessage, 9, GetStringLength(sMessage)- 9));
        return;
   }
  // Clears the Description and replaces it if we're not appending.

  SetDescription(oPC,  GetSubString(sMessage, 6, GetStringLength(sMessage)- 6));
  return;
 }
[/hide]
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Post by: ExileStrife on March 30, 2009, 01:38:01 PM
I don't think SetDescription works on PCs....?
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Post by: Mort on March 30, 2009, 01:49:45 PM
It doesn't as far as I know. You'd need to use LETO, which is something snoteye could script but I'm unsure if he has the time or if it is desired.
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Post by: Snoteye on March 30, 2009, 02:24:30 PM
Can't be done without Leto, and I'm not entirely keen on making it available to DMs let alone players (and no, I don't have the time).
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Post by: Cruzel on March 30, 2009, 03:12:07 PM
SetDescription works on PCs. I wouldn't have suggested it and posted code if I hadn't tested it to make sure it works :P

I've tested this both with local and servervault PCs, I had someone log into my server and used SetDescription on them, in addition to the usual F9 Testing out of the toolset.  

SetName() doesn't for technical reasons about how the game handles files and playernames, but the description isn't bound by this limitation, so the Description is free game for changes via stock nwscript
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Post by: Snoteye on March 30, 2009, 05:23:28 PM
Son of a bitch. Cruzel is right.
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Post by: DeputyCool on March 30, 2009, 05:35:38 PM
...Shit.
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Post by: tooh on March 30, 2009, 06:23:01 PM
Cool...
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Post by: scribjellydonut on March 30, 2009, 06:26:04 PM
To add to the suggestion if anyone is going to create it, the server I used to play on had different commands to do exactly what you're talking about.  I'm sure if you're having trouble I could get you in contact with one of the scripters, they're pretty nice people.  It's a good idea to have some script that will append to the end of the description since descriptions tend to be long and will run out of the chat window.  That way sentences can be added in one at a time with proofreading
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Post by: DeputyCool on March 30, 2009, 06:59:01 PM
It's not that we're having an issue implementing this. It's that we, for god knows what reason, assumed SetDescription did not work on PCs and thus simply never added it.
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Post by: artfuldodger99 on March 30, 2009, 07:14:08 PM
Putting aside the "can it / can't it be done" discussion (which i think is resolved anyway)....

I think this would be great. Though would need to come with a health warning about abuses of it... people would have to remember to set it back to the original or something after using a disguise etc.

Certainly it would be ace using it for when you PC uses a disguise or uses polymorph/shapechange or as your PC develops and changes from new arrival pauper to rich merchant.

Maybe even as they get that very cool piece of colourful DM loot and want their description to represent it.

Anyway, sounds good so long as the techy stuff is no issue.
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Post by: dragonfire9000 on March 30, 2009, 07:27:38 PM
QuoteSon of a bitch. Cruzel is right.

Oh my dear Lord... I laughed so hard...
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Post by: Kiaring on March 30, 2009, 07:37:57 PM
If this is added I would be very, very happy. The unchanging nature of descriptions is one of my major pet peeves about this game. While I've, over time, moved from the novel-sized description of every single hair in my character's body to a more generalist style, focusing on those details I truly find important, the static nature of descriptions impedes me from being able to (as was cleverly pointed out) add/remove characteristics/traits/marks that would help characterize a PC's development.
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Post by: Thomas_Not_very_wise on March 30, 2009, 07:45:44 PM
Quote from: Snoteye;117589Son of a bitch. Cruzel is right.
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Post by: meow-mix on March 30, 2009, 07:54:12 PM
It would also be sweet for PC's that frequently go in disguise.  You could change your description to match your discreet appearance.

My two cents,
Meow-mix!
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Post by: ExileStrife on March 30, 2009, 08:30:49 PM
Quote from: meow-mix;117618It would also be sweet for PC's that frequently go in disguise.  You could change your description to match your discreet appearance.

My two cents,
Meow-mix!

This is one of the major shortcomings with this new possibility.  It's only the description, not the name.  People are still going to metagame you.  We have never enforced role playing other people's descriptions since they are player generated, and have unenforced lengths and contents.  With this I don't see that changing, so expecting to use it as a defense in, "but my description says I put on a fake mustache!" isn't going to work.
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Post by: Relinquish on March 30, 2009, 08:32:16 PM
I will not be checking peoples descriptions every 5 minutes to see if something changed.
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Post by: Porkolt on March 30, 2009, 08:58:00 PM
Just to get this straight:
 
SetName -doesn't- work on PCs, right?
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Post by: Snoteye on March 30, 2009, 09:02:55 PM
SetName does not and will never work on PCs. There are various reasons for this.

We all believed, for God knows what reason (really, I've tried to find out -- I'm positive it has been said not to work on PCs by developers), that it would not work on PCs so we never even bothered trying. There's a very good chance we'll implement this in some capacity, however.
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Post by: TheMoonlightBecomesYou on March 30, 2009, 09:10:33 PM
Do et!
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Post by: artfuldodger99 on March 30, 2009, 09:30:26 PM
90% of the time i imagine changes to descriptions would be for purely flavour reasons, which as Kiaring mentioned, would be great..

Maybe if this is implemented a short guide could be devised to give guidance on it and to re-state (if needed) that changing your description does not give you carte blanche to behave as ExileStrife described?

If it was implemented I would certainly use the description option more, even on PC's I have seen around before or people my Character knows IC.
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Post by: Ommadawn on March 30, 2009, 10:51:17 PM
I really like this idea as well, and not necessarily for disguises. I consider descriptions a vital part of each character, and it can be frustrating when the character changes and evolves and the description no longer "describes" the character. In the words of Cruzel the Right, "Please to be doing!".
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Post by: Kiaring on March 30, 2009, 10:51:28 PM
Quote from: Relinquish;117629I will not be checking peoples descriptions every 5 minutes to see if something changed.


It's for this reason that I'd contend that this change is mostly for 'flavor' purposes (RP, really - I'm starting to hate that word, flavor, such a BBRP term); for the same reason I'd say that using your description to describe your weapons and armor, is a bit off. You can change those IC at will (within reason/as long as you possess the items!) and that (and emotes) should be the primary way for people to interact with what you're wearing/wielding, not your description (which not everyone will bother checking). For big, RP-heavy, 'flavor' changes, though (like, say your character loses an arm, or inks a war tattoo of his new God, or adopts a new faith and starts wearing their holy symbol) it is totally awesome.
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Post by: Mort on March 31, 2009, 12:12:14 AM
Problem with this is that your new description will be 4 lines long maximum.
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Post by: Ommadawn on March 31, 2009, 12:41:28 AM
Quote from: Mort;117657Problem with this is that your new description will be 4 lines long maximum.

Not knowing anything about NWN scripting, would it be possible to enter several "paragraphs" and chain them together to form a longer description?
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Post by: TheMoonlightBecomesYou on March 31, 2009, 12:43:48 AM
Yeah, You can GetDescription and append new to it.
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Post by: Mp3 on March 31, 2009, 02:42:52 AM
If you look at my sample i gave the option to append is already there
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Post by: Cruzel on March 31, 2009, 02:59:56 AM
In Addition to the Above post;

Quote from: Snoteye;117589Son of a bitch. Cruzel is right.


Yesssss.  This makes it all worth it.
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Post by: Kiaring on March 31, 2009, 03:10:09 AM
tbh I always knew the reason you started scripting in the first place was to earn some modicum of acceptance from this community.
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Post by: Portal Rat on March 31, 2009, 03:18:02 AM
Ouch.
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Post by: MexicanGunslinger on March 31, 2009, 06:01:08 AM
this would be so siiick
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Post by: Letsplayforfun on March 31, 2009, 06:16:50 AM
New equipement: disguise kit.
Effect when use: set description to ....
Timer elsapsed: set desciption back to default.
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Post by: ExileStrife on March 31, 2009, 06:20:06 AM
Quote from: Letsplayforfun;117723New equipement: disguise kit.
Effect when use: set description to ....
Timer elsapsed: set desciption back to default.

Read some posts back.  I explained why this won't work.
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Post by: Kiaring on March 31, 2009, 07:16:05 AM
Again, I feel the need to reiterate - disguises and other 'equipment' modifications should be reflected in the way your character looks (actual equipment), behaves (emotes) and talks (ACCENTZ!!!!1), more than in your description. People won't bother looking at your description every five seconds, but, say a new character who has never met yours has just arrived at the island right after you had a pretty bad discussion with your #1 rival. He cut off your left hand. Now, before you get that leto'd, you can change it. Or maybe you've just taken up a different faith, and you'd like to add "wears a symbol of XYZ" to your description. Or you've multi-classed your fighter into rogue, and you want your description to reflect that in some way. The possibilities are many, but since people won't be looking at the description every five seconds, I'd say the best way to disguise yourself is still emoting, and wearing an actual disguise.
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Post by: Snoteye on March 31, 2009, 10:39:05 AM
Added (http://www.escapefromunderdark.com/index.php?pageid=chat).
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Post by: MexicanGunslinger on March 31, 2009, 11:33:30 AM
yessssss