Gossip Function

[Bovel]

Gossip is in my oppinion one the most useful tools in any RP enviroment. In a SAW scenario with multiple victims gossip behind backs will decide who gangs up on who. In a puritan village it will point out who is the witch and in a city it might ruin your business. Possibiliies are endless cause they don't even have to be true, just believable by someone.

There is a thread dubbed Tavern Gossip Thread here. It sums up the idea pretty good, but there are downsides with having it in a thread. The majority of players don't read threads and those who do wont make sure to read the same old thread all the time, especially when all old gossip is up there. In essence it will be distributed to us, the players in such a way that we can see what players might want us to believe and what is a lie.

Even though the idea is that RPers should overlook this, all the better to try and bypass the human factor! What I suggest is something GM controlled and offical that is easy to access or take part of as a player. And it boils down to two options;

- The Town Gossip; A system that is implemented ingame in various NPCs all over. I have no, whatsoever incling of the coding, but to give a serie of phrases a NPC will blurt out like once an hour or something. Or a randomized rumor when you speak to it? Having the gossip there, right infornt of you during RP can easily spice up a dry and boring situation.
(I imagine clicking 'Rumors' in an Elder Scrolls game.)

- The Gossip Table; This would be a window on the site much like the shoutbox. Or it's own submenu. It all depends on how many rumours you want rolling around out there and if you want them arranged in a certain matter, dwarf gossip could be an example on a sub-menu. This option would be more optimal for when handling a larger group of gossip but still relies quite alot on the players.

Where should all rumors come from then? A collective effort by GMs and players. Someone or several GMs should be appointed to act as filters for what rumors should be added and if they should be changed in any way. Sometimes removing a narrowing fact might open up even more RP. Instead of the treasure being hidden in a specific poll of Stonard it might be hidden anywhere in the southern parts.


Thought, ideas?

[Piroska]

I really like the idea of implementing this. One of the things that a lot of us lament about when playing World of Warcraft is that our actions don't really have impact. This would help offset that. It would also introduce further roleplay opportunity, particular for those who don't frequent the forums.

I have two concerns:

• I'm not sure how exactly this can be done. This thread outlines NPC casting and speaking, but not having worked in this particular area before I'm a little wary of how effective it is.
  
• How would we decide what is rumor-worthy and what is not? We probably would want to establish what things would be spread via gossip and in how large an area. For example, locals may discuss a wedding held in Stormwind, but it wouldn't be a topic of interest in, say, Lakeshire unless it was fairly extravagant.

[Bovel]

[*]How would we decide what is rumor-worthy and what is not? We probably would want to establish what things would be spread via gossip and in how large an area. For example, locals may discuss a wedding held in Stormwind, but it wouldn't be a topic of interest in, say, Lakeshire unless it was fairly extravagant.[/list]

This is firstly moderated by what manner the gossips will be presented. But I think it should be mainly be centered about events of the server and big happenins in the world dictated by quests. Like now when alot of RP is in BB, most energy is put to give NPC there gossip that is centered around the area. Not only, but a majority. Gossip can also travel far but change on the way. The coffin of copper in Silverpine might be a ruin with gold in Stormwind.

If it is just a litte marquee box in the banner, one might wanna limit the gossips to the most essential and meaningful ones to events, stories and in-game plots. If it is a big page with sub-menues you can really add loads with no real limit to what is unfitting. I think this is mainly a matter when or if it is decided to be done in the first place. But the last word should always stand by a GM in this, or else it will loose it's credability.


The one big issue I can predict with this is that people will use it with bad OOC intentions. Trying someone or someone's event or story seem silly. At times it can be hurtful, but at times it can add new RP too.

[Bovel]

MAJOR BUMP!


I still think this is an idea worth considering, especially as a feature for the restart. Anyone of you programmers that can tell what is and is not possible?

[Jurkey]

To make it easier to code this, you could just put, like 3 rumors up for a NPC in a week and change them a week or 2 after.
Ex: Lets say that there were rumors of a assassin organisation starting up in Booty Bay and 2 other rumors.
Then the Booty Bay NPCs would have these 3 rumors listed when you click the "Rumors" button.
But if something new happens, a week after the new rumors would be listed in the NPCs.

This would crave less coding, but more time.
I think there should be made a official topic, where you can submit rumors or crimes and can tell how much importance the rumor has.

[Azheron]

I assume it'd only require of someone to change the original rumours so that they say something different.

[Jurkey]

MEGA BUMP OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

I think this topic is rather important.

[Totesherz]

Bumpity bump. I quite like this idea, I think it could be a pretty cool thing to implement, if possible.

[Xigo]

This is still a lot of work for the GMs to do. I'm not pushed on it. I say people should just stick to that thread on the forums, and if you don't read it, tough luck.

[Aphetoros]

Perhaps a link in the main menu can be added to said gossip thread?

[Bovel]

I am of the oppinion that a regular thread will not work or be a suffice enough tool. Why? Cause players are erratic, inconsistent and do not have to keep to roleplay community into consideration. That is why I heavily suggest this would be modified by the GMs.

(And I do not see why it would be so much work if the scrips for NPC are already done?)

[ManDudely]

I've seen, in other CRPG communities, that threads were opened where players could post their own rumours. An example thread would be 'Rumours of Stormwind' etc. But yes, I suggest GMs pay careful not to them to not let things get absurd if people were found to be posting improperly for such a thread.