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Layonara Server / Update to text/chat parsing« on: July 13, 2009, 08:58:40 am »
[SIZE=-1]Hello Layonara Community!
Just over a month ago, when I released the current module revision (3.21.3), I included this comment at the end of the list of updates: [/SIZE] Quote from: Dorganath Version 3.21.3 is online! [SIZE=-1]At the time, I was not ready to announce the feature, as I wanted to get some real, in-game testing done on it, both myself and with the assistance of the GM Team. Testing went very well, and now, as the title of this tread suggests, I'd like to introduce everyone to some rather nice changes to the text and chat parsing system. Anyway, on to it (and yes, I know it's a bit long)... Background With Bioware's 1.69 update, they added an OnPlayerChat event handler, which essentially intercepts typed text from a game client and allows a module to process the text and take actions on the text. When we went to 3.2 (and beyond) orth utilized this event to process and *emotes*, which has been significantly faster than processing through our existing listener system. However, it didn't apply to all features, specifically those using self-tells (/o) and those that resulted in replacing typed text with something else entirely (i.e. language parsing). The Result So, I got curious and did some experimenting, and in the course of an evening that led to having an alternate system for handling commands, language parsing, speaking through animal companions/familiars/summons/etc. and that whole set of stuff that you use /o something-something-something to accomplish. The self-tell (/o) is still managed and intercepted by the listener, so what I did was come up with an alternate way to enact a self-tell so that the listener could be bypassed, letting the OnPlayerChat handler process the contents of that equivalent self-tell. Whatever is typed would then be processed and altered in some way before being displayed, if it was to be displayed at all. To accomplish this, I chose a single character that is not ever likely to start any text chat in-game in any way and I used this as the indicator for special text processing. The character I chose is the equal sign (=). So how does it work? Well, it's simple. Any place you'd have used a /o use = instead So instead of /o c sits type =c sits /o e waves -> =e waves /o L Say something in another language -> =L [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Say something in another language [/SIZE][SIZE=-1](note, these are not case-sensitive, but I thought I'd use upper-case L in this example for clarity)[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] The syntax is similar for familiars (=f), summons (=s), and so forth. I hope that makes sense. What else? Part of my motivation for this was to see if the request for GM-spoken text to be highlighted could indeed be done. Well, it can, and GMs now have the ability and option to highlight their spoken text, whether spoken directly or spoken through an NPC. I want to stress: This is an optional system. A GM is in no way obligated or forced to use this highlighting, nor should anyone badger a GM to do so. Some GMs will use it, some will not. There are compelling arguments on both sides, and in the end, I decided it would be best to have it be an option rather than "always on" sort of feature. The end decision as to whether or not to use the system and under what circumstances is entirely up to the GM. When used, GM-spoken text will be highlighted in ORANGE. It's worth noting that this only functions in the "Talk" and "Party" channels. DM and Whisper channels work as they have, and tells are still green. And finally, the extra added goodness You may be wondering, why use the = method when the /o method is so ingrained and everyone knows it? Well, there's two very good reasons. 1) It's faster....much faster. 2) It can handle longer strings of text than the /o method. On the latter, yes, this means that the limit of approximately 100 characters on a typed text string, whether for language processing or speaking through a summons or familiar, simply does not apply using this new method. To put this another way, gone are the days when you type out some well-written comment through a summons, hit ENTER and have nothing show up in the window because it's 3 characters too long. Gone is the need to limit your phrases when speaking in an alternate language to a shorter message so that the listener can handle it. And did I mention it's faster? So there it is. It may take some retraining of everyone's habits, but I think in the end, you'll all be quite a bit happier with how it works than the prior self-tell (/o) system. Self-tells are still going to be an option, at least for now, and both systems work just fine together, but once you use this one, you'll see a significant difference. So enjoy! And of course, if there are any questions, just ask.[/SIZE] The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Oven in Hlint Down for Maintenance« on: June 18, 2009, 11:48:48 am »
*Yastin makes an announcement to the present crowd. Afterwards, he posts a notice board at the entrance to the inn.*
*clears his throat* "Folks, let me have your attention for just a moment. One of the ovens in the kitchen is down for maintenance. I've put in a small oven in its place. Its not as fancy nor as capable as the bigger oven, but it will still cook your meats and fish. Nothing too fancy though. The other one, after a bit of cleaning, it working just fine. Thanks for your attention." *goes back to tending the inn* //Before a bug report is made, I'll explain a bit. I was doing some player (no one was hurt during this filming) interaction and getting used to the tools once again...and...ummm...well...I destroyed the oven. But never fear! Yastin replaced it! Sorta.O.o The other oven is like a house oven. It will all go back to normal after a server reset. Maybe. Hopefully. *crosses his fingers* The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Kudos to...« on: May 28, 2009, 01:55:15 pm »
well, First off, to the whole Team for making a great server to Play on, and to L for this entire world we call Layonara.
But I'd like to give kudos to Minerva for bringing in other forms of media and giving the RP a whole new dimension. *points at this thread ==> http://forums.layonara.com/rumour-has/230472-seen-ports-around-mistone.html * It also shows some dedication to take some time and effort, and give to the community. ~Link092 The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Just for Fun / A found lullibye {Squishy the Beholder}« on: May 28, 2009, 01:43:45 am »
As the years pass, remnants of the presumed deceased bards' journal occasionally surface in the Aragenite temples. One such collection of pages seems to be a lullaby.
Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Little Sarun-Elly Well she loved that Squishy lots And brought him gifts of little paints To make him up with polka dots! Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Together they would travel Upon the lim lim's back With wings held high Like a dragonfly Along the Silver Track And noble elves and wizards would all bow when they came And offer gifts of toys and snacks and laugh at their little games! Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Beholders live for ever But not so little girls And so eye stalks and many eyes Make room for other toils. One grey night it happened And Saru came no more And Squishy the beholder He ceased to go explore His eyestalks bent in sorrow Tears they fell like rain Squishy no longer went to play Along the Silver Lane Without his life long friend Squishy could not be brave So Squishy the beholder Slipped back into his cave Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. Squishy the beholder Lived along the sea And frolicked in the Mist Filled Air In a land of silver kings. ---- {{Fondly Based off of Puff the Magic Dragon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhiho2meScE}} The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Rumour Has It / A Happy Day in Vehl« on: May 24, 2009, 03:55:44 am »
*The lives of some of Vehl's poorest citizens was made a lighter, a little brighter today with the release of 1,000 care packages courtesy of The Vault Bank. Queues stretched for three dockside blocks as Vehl's numerous disadvantaged waited for hours to take possession of their gifts.
Arkolio Salvorre, principal of the banking institution, was said to be on hand the whole time, all smiles, warmth and highly visible generosity. Various citizen's referred to him as " A ray of sunshine in their darkest night" ... and other complimentary references. // 1,000 x Care Packages each containing 1 Potion of Cure Light Wounds, 1 Light Healer's Kit, 10 True // The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Just for Fun / Berylite Death Rites?!« on: February 04, 2014, 10:34:45 am »This is definitely the way I want to go. Cremated and then having my carbons processed under intense heat and pressure into an artificial diamond, and then set into jewelry. Hopefully then I could possess the bearer should they fail a will save, safe within my eternal phylactery. You even get to customize the size, shape and number of diamonds up to your total cremated mass, so if you had the cash you could be made into a crown, necklace, pendant, bracelet, etc... all bejeweled by YOU! I wonder if Beryl's clergy will offer competitive pricing? I think I'd want to be a purple amethyst hue set into silver etched with Celtic designs. Either that or molded wholly into a crystal skull with red tinted gems for eyes. That would be awesome. Or better yet, the Aurin curling snake pendant design from Neverending Story with red emerald eyes. Just imagine, you could have it engraved with your own cryptic message, like "The Bearer of the Heartstone will claim power over all the World and those who walk upon it" in old Latin. People would come across your remains and think they found a piece of the bloody Necronomicon or something!
The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Having Fun?« on: May 16, 2009, 09:51:24 pm »
I hope everyone is having fun exploring and adventuring together with friends this weekend. One of the things I hope to see from this weekend is that players (you) find new friends to adventure with in Layonara, or that some players return to regain the enjoyment of the world. I challenge each of you to go find new players or encourage players to return and enjoy the world. Layonara is built for you, the player/gamer--something we never forget.
We really do have a fantastic GM team that dedicates a whole heck of a lot of time (for 7!! years now folks) to the community. Not to mention all of the "lowly" programmers and module builders that dedicate their time to grow the world and community *ducks for cover behind the content team....then realizes his mistake...* I really do enjoy dogging on them the very few times I get the chance!! Hope all are having a good time. The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Layonara Server / Updated Deity Entries« on: May 16, 2009, 02:59:55 pm »
Hello everyone,
The last few weeks, several volunteers have helped in creating summaries of the new deity texts. These summaries will be around 2 pages long, so approximately 56 pages of new deity information will be put on LORE in the near future. We do, however, have far more, this is less than a third of the information that will be in "Layonara: The Pantheon". We're not clear on when this will be released yet, but with our recent endeavors of a version online and the policy refactoring we thought it a good idea to also release part of the new lore. We'll update you as we go along and the information is put on LORE. A few words of caution: - some dogmas have had an overhaul so will look a bit different, some will be broader in scope, others will have a narrower scope. - some deity texts that are in the current Pantheon book (2006 version) have been completely re-written as their initial authors did not allow us to use the texts. This also means some sects or parts of some churches will no longer exist, and will in fact never have existed. All of these however, should find a new home inside the new church organization. I'll take questions on these once they've been released. Note that no new entries have been posted yet, we'll let you know when we start and how we progress so that you don't click through LORE needlessly! Once they're there, I will be taking questions on the new entries in the "Ask a Gamemaster" forums. Last but not least, some words of thanks: Thanks to all the writers for writing the new deity texts! Thanks to rowana, Dezza, ycleption, Minerva for the summarizing. Thanks go to OneST8 and orth for setting up the Trac system to manage this. Thanks in advance to our LORE volunteers to put it all on LORE in the desired format! Thank you for reading this, let me know if you have questions, Ed The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Just for Fun / Hardware Junkiez Myspace Page« on: May 16, 2009, 03:54:37 am »
Hi everyone, the infamous Czukay here.
If you thought Czukay was jilted , you should check out the mastermind works of the man behind the skull. I have been making some killer acid tekno with my good friend Frank Heiss who is a world renound electronic musician who I now have the honor to produce with. Please take a minute and add us to your myspace if you like what you hear. It rocks the house! Play these trax LOUD, annoy your neighbors, terrorize your local township. Heh heh heh.. Hardware Junkiez on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos With much luv Thee Unthuziast The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Something To Consider« on: May 15, 2009, 12:35:20 am »
As and when you perm out a character (after previously taken the newly available One Last Chance Grateful Plea), please, please, please, post something so the rest of us know. Hopefully, if you were traveling in a group, one of your comrades will do this for you. But if you have the misfortune to die alone, it falls to you to blow your own trumpet.
We all appreciate that this is a tough time when losing a loved character (or even two much loved characters within 24 hours *cough* Dorax Windsmith (Anthony Moore) *cough*). However, after you've picked up the laptop from the other side of the room, or balcony, and/or replaced the pane of glass from the window, be sure to let us know. Unfortunately, by playing here, you become part of the community, and your character(s) becomes part of Layonara, and as such part of its history. And history should be allowed to record the deeds of the fallen and honour their passing. Regards, Script Wrecked. The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Just for Fun / Crows and Daggers« on: May 14, 2009, 03:27:58 am »Quote from: darkstorme Minor additional point, not crucial but a bit jarring when I read it; a dagger any bigger than a throwing knife would be very difficult for a crow to lift; it's not a matter of where it grips it, it's a simple matter of weight ratios. Daggers in-game weigh a pound - a one pound bird would be hard-pressed to lift its own weight again for any real distance. Carillon comes home and checks the forums and goes to find Darkstorme, taking him to task on this oversight Carillon: You're wrong about the dagger, you know. Darkstorme: What dagger? Carillon: The one the crow carries. Darkstorme: No ... that's the point. The crow cannot carry a dagger. Carillon: Sure it can. It could grip it by the haft. Darkstorme: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's a simple question of weight ratios! A five ounce crow could not carry a one pound dagger! The biologist in Carillon pauses. Carillon: Full grown crows are about a pound ... Darkstorme: It was an immature crow. Carillon: Oh, alright then. *** Several hours later .... Darkstorme: Look, it doesn't matter. It was just a minor point. Carillon: Wait a minute! It could be carried by a Voltrexian crow! Darkstorme: Oh, yeah, a Voltrexian crow maybe, but not a Dregarian crow. That's my point. Carillon: Oh, yeah, I agree with that. *** Later that evening, Carillon pokes Darkstorme awake ... Carillon: Supposing two crows carried it together? The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Traveler's Guide to Mistone (v2)// OOC discussion expected« on: May 12, 2009, 07:49:20 pm »
[SIZE=18]A Traveler’s Guide to Mistone[/SIZE]
[SIZE=16]Introduction[/SIZE] Dear Reader, If you have just been given this guide by a merchant who is distributing it because of my recommendations of their store, please do not discard it immediately. I assure you that the information contained herein is of utmost importance, and may prevent your untimely death. You are interested in living, aren’t you? Good. Then read on. I promise not to waste your time. -Lady Z [SIZE=16]General Ways to Enhance Your Survival While Traveling[/SIZE] Travel is dangerous. Layonara may have always been a desperate place, but it is absurdly so now. Likely due to magics from various Gods of entropic predation, all that you meet attacks with suicidal mania. Nothing ever flees, even if badly wounded, and pursues until either you or it are dead. So prepare for travel as you would for war, expecting assaults from the most unlikely quarters: hawks, skunks, rats, deer, shrubbery. See the pretty little butterfly? It’s trying to lick you to death. To deal with this fact of life, please consider the following suggestions:
[/SIZE]The Law of the Roads, a tradition that stretches back to antiquity, states that no traveler shall ever bring trouble on another, or more generally, upon civilization. You are a beneficiary of this Law, for it means that you are not subject to sudden ambuscade as you travel. Many willingly break this law. But even those who are not predators on civilization may find themselves unintentionally in violation, by fleeing for their lives from some horror which follows them into potential contact with the traveling public. And, may I say, how dare you consider your own worthless life in higher regard than the law! Certainly, death is a painful experience, and having a bite taken out of you by the "Soul Mother" even worse, but it is your duty as a Rolfereinite paladin to stand and die, stand and die, repeatedly, so that you may leave a particularly young and good looking corpse, if your manner of death actually allows for it. In case you are not a Rolferenite paladin, and have cravenly fled towards a civilized area, you are a lawbreaker subject to jailing. That is, if you don't manage to undo the harm you have done by removing the danger you brought with you. In this situation (which I assure you is entirely theoretical), you should first and foremost stay nearby to warn travelers. In addition, consider sending a homing bird to a friend who is known for their battle prowress (and discretion in reporting things to the authorities). Together, you may be able to clear the danger, or at least lure it away. I, Lady Z, offer myself as a recipient of such birds, as the case may arise. I must finally point out that the Law Of The Roads does not only apply where there are large roads, but also to any trail between regions. If you leave a creature where it might ambush a traveller just arriving to a place, and do so with no warning, then you will be subject to harsh penalties if you are caught. [SIZE=16] A Listing of Mistone’s Regions and their Relative Safety[/SIZE] [to be continued] The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Layonara Server / 2x XP and 1.5x GP Weekend« on: May 12, 2009, 11:18:29 am »
Layonara will be running a 2x XP and 1.5x GP weekend from May 15th - May 17th. These are always great times to join up with friends and to explore the world, while also being well rewarded.
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Layonara Server / Updated World Policies -- Effective 23-April-2009« on: April 23, 2009, 09:38:06 pm »
[SIZE=13]Layonara is a world built for entertainment and community. Years of diligent volunteer effort on the part of the Layonara team has generated extensive and engaging environments, compelling and unique game dynamics, a vibrant and supportive community, and a universe overfull with history.[/SIZE][SIZE=13]
[/SIZE][SIZE=13] To maintain Layonara's entertainment factor and sense of community we strive to: [/SIZE]
We urge everyone to read the updated policies in this thread. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them in our "Ask a Gamemaster" forum.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13] - The Layonara GM Team ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: The policies below represent that which has been updated. It is our goal to merge these into LORE so that there is consistent information both on the forums and in LORE. This process will take a few weeks likely, so please bear with us through a brief period of inconsistency. These policies will also be cross-posted in the applicable section of the forums for convenience. The policies given below are best segregated into three main categories: [/SIZE]
And now, without further ceremony... [SIZE=24]Behavioral policies:[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR] Area level restrictions – Effective immediately, we are lifting all area level requirements. This means that there will no longer be any level-based stipulations regarding where a character may travel. After much internal review, the GM Team feels that most, if not all, places in the game world effectively enforce their own sort of level restrictions, both in difficulty and degree of reward, and it is not beneficial to the Community or the GM Team to police or enforce such limits artificially. The following is a guideline for what each area is designed for danger wise, so that players may knowingly choose their destinations.[LIST=1]
Party level spread – Effective immediately, we are rescinding all previous statements regarding the level split between the highest- and lowest- level character within a party or grouping. The GM Team feels this particular rule has been misunderstood, misinterpreted and misapplied at all levels of the Community including by members of our own GM Team. As a result, it has been damaging to roleplay, it has caused animosity between the Community and the GM Team and has made people feel like criminals just because they associate with a character more than 10 levels different. Special note on the lifting of area and party level restrictions – While we are effectively removing all restrictions regarding character levels, we are hoping to encourage better grouping, better roleplay, a greater sense of adventure and an environment where roleplay is not unduly bounded by out-of-character issues such as level and arbitrary lines on a map. Having said that, the GM Team maintains a single request that can be summed up briefly as:[INDENT]“Don't drag, and don't kite.” [/INDENT]It is possible for a low-level character in a group of higher-level characters to contribute in some form, whether by flinging spells, tossing potions, firing arrows or any number of other contributing things, even if they're not terribly effective. The important part is that they attempt to contribute. Similarly, a high-level character can escort a group of lower-level characters without doing all the work for them. So, in this spirit, we ask for the Community to respect this and to keep these things in mind when going out and about. We're not going to break up a party on Dregar that contains a 5th level character just for that fact alone, nor will we go on hunts when we see a wide party level spread. However, if we see little or no roleplay among the party, if we see non-contributing lower-level characters or we see a high-level character being the primary application of force among a group of otherwise lower-level characters, we may request a modification to the party's behavior. If the behavior persists, we reserve the right to disband the party. We want everyone to have fun, to adventure and explore, and we no longer feel it appropriate to keep these restrictions in place. We ask only that the Community enjoy this expanded freedom and request that it be used responsibly. Muling – Another often misunderstood rule is that of muling. Our official definition of muling, effective immediately, is: “Muling is when you have items (in the bank, in your inventory, in your house, etc. that you have earned or fairly traded for), and then you give those items to a newly created character of your own for free. This also applies to having a character you control gather CNR or other items for another character you control. It is fine to RP a 'sales person' or whatever you may want to call it but from this point forward please do not let that 'other person' be another character under your control." To put more plainly, it is muling to give items, gold or any other assets from one character under your direct control to another, whether you have multiple Bioware accounts or not. You, as a player, are the common factor between them, and giving one character an advantage that another has earned is not something we tolerate. If you must transfer goods between two characters under your control, then do so through a third-party and conduct the exchange like a business transaction, meaning exchange goods or coins in trade. This applies as much to unassociated characters as it does to characters who are directly related (i.e. parent/child relationships). We believe all characters deserve to accumulate equipment and wealth in line with their own accomplishments, and it is unfair to the rest of our Community if some take it upon themselves to give benefits to one of their characters by the work of another. We ask everyone to respect this philosophy for the good of everyone in the Community. Looping and Camping – Looping is defined as going through the same few areas in a short period of time in order to keep continually harvesting CNR, reaping XP and loot from killing the creatures there, etc., and then repeating this sort of thing over and over in a given span of time. Camping is defined as staying effectively in one place, typically one single area, usually for the purpose of waiting for CNR to respawn so your character can harvest another full load, and then waiting again for the next respawn cycle over and over again. Another form of camping is to enter an area, kill the creatures and/or harvest the CNR available, then log out for a time, log back on and repeat the process. We ask the community to limit any looping behavior through a small number of areas to 60 minutes. We ask the community to limit any camping behavior in a single area to 30 minutes. In the case of logging in, harvesting and logging out, we ask that you simply do not do this more than 3 times in a row. The GM Team understands that not everyone has a lot of play time. Sometimes there is only a small amount of time to log in, take care of a few things and then log back out, and we do not wish for people with limited time to feel like criminals. However, we also believe that players should exercise some degree of self-restraint when doing such things. While we will not be actively policing for camping and looping behavior, if we observe such in excess of the stated guidelines, we reserve the right to intervene and inform the party that they have pushed the boundaries of what we would like to see. Unless taken to the extreme, the GM Team will not be applying in-character or out-of-character punishments to any groups caught looping or camping in excess, however we may remove the group from the situation if our requests are not respected. In Summary At no point will there be in-character consequences to the breaking any of these rules; no effects, no spawning of creatures, no going to jail or being tersely corrected by NPCs. There will only be out-of-character actions, which can range from simple warnings to banning, the latter being the most severe of course and only at the extreme abuse of the rules. Please do not associate in-character consequences to out-of-character actions as they are completely separate. iIn-character choices will generate in-character consequences and likewise for out-of-character choices. [SIZE=24]Character Submission and Approvals Policies:[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR] First and most important to the community: by submitting a character, whether or not it is approved, you agree to adhere to all the rules of this server both in game and out. If you have not, by this point, read the rules of the server, it is recommended that you do so now (please follow this link). Name – All names of character submissions must be the original creation of the submitting applicant. They can not be copyrighted names from a game, book, television show, movie or any other medium not covered in this list, nor can they be names belonging to existing characters in Layonara. Race – There are numerous races on Layonara. Not all are available as player races, but there are many options in game at this time. Only the sub races Wemic, Brownie, Ghostwise Halfling, Sea Elf, Dark Elf and Goblin will require additional justification for choosing this race in the biographies. When you chose one of these races, please take into account that the review may take an extended period of time. Due to lore reasons, Tiefling and Aasimar will no longer be an option for new character submissions. For the same reason, no half races (Half elf, Half orc, Half giant, Half ogre) can be born after the year 1421. You can find the current year here. The following races must start out with an alignment of CN, TN, NE, or LE: Dark Elf, Half Orc, Half Giant, Half Ogre, Orc, Goblin, and Deep Dwarf. There is one exception to this; a cleric character that follows Az'atta (regardless of race) may start out with a good alignment. (see further down for more information on alignments in general.) Please see the racial LORE pages for further information. Age – When selecting the age of your character please keep in mind that many age at different rates and some races naturally mature slower as a result. As well, each race has a minimum starting age since we do not allow child player characters. Classes – The mechanical classes of Layonara have several wide interpretations and some have very specific needs. Most standard character classes do not require anything in the way of justifying the choice of class over some other in the character submission. As such, a detailed justification for a particular class is an optional thing, and we will not overly scrutinize them, excepting for very obvious glaring issues (I.E. a submission where a sorcerer studies his magic rather then innately acquires it or a level one fighter is taking on whole mobs of orcs on his own, etc). Clerics and paladins however, must give their stated commitments in their biographies and we would still like them to make clear in their biographies their respect for their deity's dogma and/or organization. Druids also have their own submission requirements, and we would like to have any druid players read the druid information page. Additionally, applications asking for dual classes are not expected to include more then what a single class of the same would require. Resubmissions to add a second or third class after initial approval (excepting druid, paladin, cleric or monk) need only be a resubmitted biography with a few additional lines explaining the IC reasoning. Resubmission to add druid, paladin, cleric or monk (especially if the starting class was monk or druid to begin with and a character is returning to this class) hold the same requirements and stipulations as above with potential extra requirements (such as CDQ, CDT or other need). If you have a character with multiple classes, you must have 5 levels minimum in each class before level 20 (e.g. You cannot have a level 3 rogue, level 17 fighter, you need at least 5 rogue) Monk, Paladin and Druid classes have restricted multi-classing. Policy on Applications for Additional Class and/or PrC past level 20 –Characters approved for an additional class beyond what was established prior to level twenty-one (21) must take five (5) levels or more consecutively upon initiating levels in the new class. This rule reflects what should be inherent of all applications for a new class. By pursuing a new class, the player is pursuing a new avenue for character growth. This growth should be reflected by an investment in the new class beyond a simple label. Taking one level in a new class and then going back to the initial class(es) shows a limited drive to pursue the path for which you were approved. Once five (5) consecutive levels in the new class have been taken, you are free to level as you find appropriate, provided there are no multi-classing restrictions for the new class. Alignment – Most alignments are unrestricted and will not require special support with in the biography to be approved so long as there are no glaring conflicts.(For example, a Neutral Good rogue who mugs and robs travelers indiscriminately to make a living.) Chaotic Neutral remains a special alignment, and the submitting player must have had an active character in the world for four (4) months prior to the submission of the Chaotic Neutral character. There is no minimum level requirement for this active character. You do need to submit, in your own words, an acknowledgment stating your acceptance of the rules of the server and giving a statement acknowledging that Chaotic Neutral is not carte blanch act randomly, expecting to be free of penalty. In the game and in our community, actions have consequences, and if you are not willing to accept the consequences, do not make those actions. Evil too is special and with the heavier requirements. Lawful Evil and Neutral Evil require an active character for at least nine (9) months. There is no minimum level requirement for this active character. As with Chaotic Neutral, on the character submission the player is required to state in their own words that they accept the rules of the server. As well they must state that they accept that the alignment of Evil may put them at odds with the majority of the player community as well as the NPCs they interact with, and that they accept the consequences to their actions. Chaotic Evil is not available to player characters on Layonara, and if a character's alignment shifts to Chaotic Evil territory the character becomes property of the GM team and is no longer playable. The actual approval of these alignments lays ultimately with the GM team, based upon appropriate roleplay of previous alignments. The team holds this to protect the community as a whole and not to target any particular members of it. Realize that by choosing these alignments the review time is longer than for standard characters, as input from the GM team will be sought. Deity – Deities are an active, if indirectly so, power upon Layonara. When a character passes from the world the deity may choose to call their souls to their domain. Some classes require a deity choice but most do not. Do not choose a deity to enter in the deity field unless your character is truly devout as it will bring consequences (both good and bad) to your character. If you do select a deity for your character please use common sense where dogma and your character's worship is concerned and if there is an extreme case, such as a dwarf worshiping Lucinda, make certain the details are touched on in the biography. A final note on deities: The GM team will enforce the accurate portrayal of a character who is devout. If they are caught doing something their deity disapproves of, there may be consequences. These include, but are not limited to, helping the enemy of your deity, doing something strictly against the dogma of your deity, and furthering the goals of an unfriendly or enemy deity. General Biography details and lore – The primary focus of biographies is RP and lore. Despite the above leniencies, lore will still be strictly adhered to and possible conflicts with lore will receive the most scrutiny. In the case of reapplications for alignment shifts, secondary classes, etc, an RP justification will be requested as always, but a few lines should suffice (as long as they are explanatory). When applying using your own format, please link all pertinent information along with your request. Optional questionnaires will be posted for use for both original submissions and reapplications to simplify the process for the player. Character backgrounds can comprise pretty much of whatever you wish but should cover the following:
Languages – Available Ears: Elven, Halfling, Dwarven, Dark Elf, Gnomish, Thieves' Cant, Wemic, Animal, Brownie, Underwater, Sign Language, Orc, Goblin, Draconic and Florane (T'oleflor). Everything except Draconic and Florane are available on initial submission with some additional support in the biography. Races receive their specific ear on creation. Dark elves receive both the elf and Dark Elf ear. Sea Elves get the elf and underwater ear. Druids and rangers start with the animal ear, while rogues start with the ability to use thieves' cant. Certain clerics may also begin with the animal ear depending on domain. Half elves will be able to understand the elven language but the biography and intelligence must support the ability to speak it. These default ears do not count against your bonus languages. Languages may also be learned in game from other players. They cannot be learned from familiars or NPCs, and after creation, your character journal must reflect the learning of the language to have it approved. Approval after initial creation involves submitting a request and a link to your character journal as well as the support testimony of your tutors. In any situation, except for automatic languages and where specified to be outside of the norm, all applicants wanting additional languages need to make certain they have the appropriate intelligence to support the request. The maximum number of additional languages to be requested on submission is two (2). The maximum number of non-racial/non-class languages that a character can learn is equal to the character's base Intelligence (INT) modifier. For example, an elven Druid would automatically receive the elven and animal “ears” when the character first signs into the world. With an INT score of 12 (+1 modifier), the character may learn one additional language, if desired. This language may be granted on the initial approval or learned over time in-game. Restarts/Rebuilds/Relevels – The definition of a restart, for the purposes of this server, is: starting one's character completely over from scratch without any benefit of the previous incarnation's inventory, coin or experience. That is to say you start over from level one with nothing. In addition we will require you to post for a deletion of the old incarnation and create the new version with a slightly different name. Add an extra space, perhaps change one or two of the letters or some other minor change. If the change is not made the database will think it is the same character and will not allow for static quests to be completed, among other issues. It is further recommended that any variation of name be noted in your original character submission thread. Sometimes it happens that we find ourselves not liking how our character has turned out, mechanically speaking, for a wide variety of reasons. Level five (5) and below seems to be the most common areas where this occurs. To that end, all level five and below characters will be granted one (1) free restart when requested in the Character Submissions forums. Between the levels six (6) and ten (10) the Character Approvals team will still consider the merits and problems with a restart at that point and grant or deny based on the result on their findings. After level ten (10), or if a denial after level six (6), a character may use one of their Graceful Pleas for a restart. Once a Graceful Plea is used, it cannot be rescinded and anything needing changed (re-name, re-description, etc) after this restart will count in their normal capacities as if it was the original character. This means whatever Graceful Pleas and freebies previously used will count against the restarted character. The character restart does not refresh the count. Please go slow and pay attention to the details as when recreating the character. A restart does not clear the loss of Soul Strands (see: Soul Strands and the Layonara Death System) and they must be reapplied for once the new character is made. Please post for this action in the Grievance Forum. A rebuild is when a character is allowed to restart and then gain all of their experience, items and equipment. This is only granted for an extensive reason, such as a CDQ or quest that results in the deity change of a cleric or something of that magnitude, or when the development team makes mechanical changes to classes that require such action. They are extremely rare and require the support of at least one GM in the capacity of GM not player witness. A relevel is when one level is removed and given again. This is only granted for reasons such as accidental clicks, misunderstood feats or spells and the like. This falls under the jurisdiction of grievances requests and must be dealt in that forum with the guidelines stated in that policy. Prestige Class (PrC) resubmissions – PrC submissions are changing as follows:
Organizations and Ranks – With all of the above stated there are two very important points to keep in mind. Firstly, just because a player is a Toranite Undead Hunter, it does not automatically mean they are in the order of the Shining Hand. If a character desires to be part of an organization likely a Character Development Quest (or CDQ) or other GM acknowledgment is necessary. Either submit this with the matching class/PrC request or submit for a CDQ to attempt to join the desired organization. Some organizations have very specific procedures and requirements to join (such as the well established Knights of the Wyrm) and can be handled as a group function or as a personal CDQ. Secondly, most level one characters start out as the lowest level above 'student' in any organization they might be a part of. For instance, most starting clerics will begin in their acolyte phase (where applicable). This does not afford them any special treatment beyond being a priest of their faith. If a player wishes to advance in rank within their church, or any other organization it is squarely on the shoulders of the player to initiate CDQs to attain this goal. At present there are certainly some complications, lore availability wise, with knowing what to ask for, but any GM has access to the information and the player need only ask to find out what steps are needed or what general possibilities are available to them. It should be noted that character level is not related to rank in a church. Character Development Quest Rules –[LIST=1]
One last note: While you wait for your character to be reviewed, perhaps you might look around the forums at some of the in-character threads and more at our Layonara Online Reference Encyclopedia (also called LORE, but should not be confused with 'lore'. Tricky aren't we?) Looking forward to seeing you in game! [SIZE=24][SIZE=13]Please note that as of this date, all previous policies for this forum are no longer valid. The relevant threads will be removed shortly to avoid confusion.[/SIZE] Dispute, Grievance and Requests for Reimbursement Policies:[/SIZE] Graceful Pleas – For some months the team has pondered various options for dealing with the inequalities that the current grievance system suffers. Along with several other polices, this particular aspect was given much thought. The issues and potential for abuse are too numerous for an open return system, yet the current restrictive system created a sense of unfairness and inequity within the community. What follows is a compromise added to the system to grant leniency without making the system as a whole too cumbersome to support. Effective immediately, all players have the right to three (3) “Graceful Pleas” for each character. These Graceful Pleas can be used for a “no fault” return or reimbursement. Graceful Pleas can be used for things such as (but not limited to):
For players wishing to restore a permed character, please read the section below titled: Special note regarding the loss of a character's final Soul Strand. In the event that a player commits a bannable offense, all Graceful Pleas for all characters are subject to forfeit. A Graceful Plea may not be used to reverse a banning decision. Soul Strand and XP Loss– Effective immediately, there are only three scenarios for Soul Strand and XP reimbursement:[LIST=1]
[/INDENT]Special note regarding the loss of a character's final Soul Strand – When a character loses his or her final Soul Strand, the player will be given a one-time choice to request a reconsideration of this final death, given that the above criteria have not already been enacted for the event in question. There does not need to be any special reason, justification or evidence at all for this request. The only requirement is that it comes after the loss of a character's final Soul Strand and the player still has at least one (1) Graceful Plea left for this character. The player will be given a choice between one of the following:[LIST=1]
For the purposes of this contingency, if items are to be sacrificed as part of returning a permed character to life, an item will qualify to be counted if it is:
The exchanges made with either of these options are permanent, and cannot be re-gained through use of a Graceful Plea. The option of this choice will only be available once over the lifetime of any given character. If a character who takes one of these options loses his/her final Soul Strand again, this option will not be available. While it is possible that the XP loss could drop a World Leader (WL) character below the minimum level for WL eligibility, exercising this option will not result in the loss of WL status already gained. If the character's WLDQ is in-progress, the GM Team will evaluate whether or not to continue the WLDQ or wait until the character has regained sufficient XP to qualify. However, the approval to attempt a WLDQ will not be rescinded as a result of exercising this option. The concept behind this idea is to give players that “one last chance” while preserving the concepts of permanency and the gravity of death. If a Graceful Plea is used to restore a character that has permed before the advent of this policy, the character will only have two (2) Graceful Pleas remaining. In addition, we will impose some RP restrictions upon such a case:
Wills – Over the last couple of years, the prevalence of character wills, distributable upon the final death of a character, have become more popular and unfortunately more complex, intricate and difficult to adjudicate. There have been several in relatively recent history that have become very time-consuming for the Team to decide upon and handle. As a result, we have decided it is necessary to set some realistic limits on what can be included and distributed by a character's will. [LIST=1]
Item reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error or a bug (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all item reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. As previously stated, a Graceful Plea may not be used to get back an item sacrificed to return a permanently dead character to life. Experience Point (XP) reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error, a bug, disconnection/crash or unexpected jump (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all XP reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. As previously stated, a Graceful Plea may not be used to get back any XP sacrificed to return a permanently dead character to life. Gold (GP) reimbursement – Unless caused by a GM error or a bug (as defined above under the Soul Strand policy), all GP reimbursements will fall under the policy regarding Graceful Pleas. Bannings – [SIZE=13]GMs and World Leaders are able to temporarily ban a player in-game, pending a full review by the GM Team. Such bannings will not be dispensed lightly, and the burden of proof will fall heavily upon the individual doing the banning. As part of the process, a temporarily banned player may state his/her case here. However, we will require that all arguments, both supporting and refuting the banning, come supplied with ample evidence, in the form of chat logs, screen shots (if available) and witness testimony. Decisions on the reversals of bannings will be made based on presented evidence, testimony and information gathered by the GM Team from in-game observation and server logs. If a banning becomes permanent, the player will be banned from the forums as well, and the only recourse is by contacting Leanthar directly. Historically, very few permanent bannings have been reversed. To help assuage any fears that may come from this new capability, if a GM or World Leader temporarily bans a player for a reason that is reversed and if it happens in a blatant or abusive way, then that GM or World Leader will be reprimanded and perhaps lose their status as a GM or World Leader. Every temporary banning will be logged, and the GM or World Leader who bans someone bears an urgent responsibility to provide the evidence and justification behind the banning action to the GM team shortly after the banning takes place. Banning is something that we take very seriously here, and as such it requires a lot of responsibility and proof. As such, bannings, temporary or otherwise, will not be dispensed lightly.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Graceful Pleas may not be used to dispute or overturn a banning. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Character Rebuild/Relevel –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Rebuilds and Restarts fall under the jurisdiction of character approvals and must be submitted in that forum for consideration with accordance to the listed policy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Relevel requests due to an honest misclick will only be granted within 48 hours of the level being taken AND if less than 10% of the XP needed for the next level has been earned. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]If you find yourself outside of the normal limits for such a request, you may still make the same request with a Graceful Plea by providing the same justification and reasoning.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Character edits –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]This is not so much a new policy but a codification of precedent so that it is clear to the community. Character edits cover a rather broad set of tasks, including:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=13]Name changes – Changes to a character's name requires the character file to be edited as well as about a dozen database updates, and only a small handful of staff are able to perform such changes. As such, we will permit only one (1) “free” name change for a character without a strong RP reason (i.e. marriage, quest outcome, etc.). This allows one to fix an oversight or error during character creation or to reflect the course of RP. Outside of these guidelines, a name change is still possible by using a Graceful Plea.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Description changes – Changes to a character's in-game description requires the character file to be edited, and only a small handful of staff are able to perform such changes. As such, we will permit only one (1) “free” description change for a character without a strong RP reason (i.e. marriage, quest outcome, etc.). This allows one to fix an oversight or error during character creation or to reflect the course of RP. Outside of these guidelines, a description change is still possible by using a Graceful Plea.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Appearance changes – Changes to a character's in-game appearance, such as a change in tattoo, skin or hair coloring or a change in head model can be affected in-game by any GM. As long as these requests remain reasonable and are not requested on a whim, we are content to allow players to request these changes from any available GM directly. Please note that wings and tails as permanent character appearance traits will not be approved or given unless as a result of a WLDQ.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Portrait changes – Changes to a character's in-game portrait can be handled easily in-game by any GM. Please request all such portrait changes directly from any available GM. When requesting a portrait change, please have the name of the portrait file handy. We cannot set portraits with a description (i.e. “The one with the blonde girl in plate armor”). Unless you have the portrait's file name, we cannot set your portrait.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Housing and furniture transfers –[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]This is not so much a new policy but a codification of precedent so that it is clear to the community. Characters may transfer houses and/or furniture to another character provided both parties are in agreement with the terms of transfer and can state as much as part of the request. However, a character cannot transfer a house or its contents to another character under the control of the same player. This would be muling. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]In the case of absentee home owners the new policy stands as this: Absentee house and furniture transfer requests will only be granted if the owner has not logged into the game or forums for six (6) months and cannot be contacted/doesn't answer by most viable means. The requesting party must have some sort of legitimate claim to the property such as marriage or co-investment. Rental contracts are not considered legitimate proof.[/SIZE] [SIZE=13]Properties of banned players are considered immediately forfeit and only in cases of marriage will the properties be passed on to another player. [/SIZE] [SIZE=13]----------------------------------------------------------------------------[/SIZE] For convenience, I'm including the link to an "Ask a Gamemaster" thread here for asking questions and discussing these new policies. The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Just for Fun / Check this guy« on: April 23, 2009, 09:28:35 am »
I remember a little while ago Chongo (iirc) posting a link to some footage of nutbag extreme climbers that just blew me away. Here is the bicycle equivalent.
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Layonara Server / Important: House Cleanup« on: April 19, 2009, 07:31:05 pm »
The following houses are slated to be put back on the market in two weeks unless any players use these homes for valid reasons and would like to purchase the home themselves. There may be a few that I've mistaken as being vacant, so please pipe up if you use these houses and we'll try to clear up ownership on a case by case basis.
I will not accept absent players asking to not sell the house if they do not play here any more on the possibility that they might come back. These homes need to be used by current players. I will not accept convenient teleports in vacant homes as a reason to keep them in the current owner's possession. 102 105 107 109 124 125 134 135 140 141 142 145 150 170 171 - Still in use 172 173 189 201 204 206 207 210 215 216 224 228 231 242 251 - To be returned to market once Script Wrecked gets possessions 260 - Transfer ownership to Wren 263 I will return the homes to the market on a sporadic random basis over the course of a week after the two weeks are up. The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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General Discussion / Hi Everybody! (Hi Dr. Nick!)« on: April 17, 2009, 10:18:03 pm »
How's everyone at my first PW doin'!?
I miss you guys =p What is up? Anything new for any of you? Cool stuff? Cool Server Stuff? Anyone get owned by the Soul Mother that I would care about? What's in the Layo-MMO News? Tell me! As for me, I'm still writing, Just got an internship at a local news paper. Still quirky as ever. Ozy's doing well too! If anyone cares . The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Layonara Server / Layonara 3.21.2 Patch Release« on: April 17, 2009, 08:41:49 pm »
There's still quite a few people who hurt the other community members by carrying so many items. This is even more critical when you yourself crash mid combat with a party, because when you log back in, your party members in combat are suddenly going to spike in lag. I find it interesting that the problem is joked about in some circles and we've increasingly attempt to improve it, but the simplest way is to just ask players to not carry so much. Do you really need seven dragon scales? Do you really need a box of aloe on your player? A bag of something is no improvement just in case you thought it helped. There are plenty of storage options. I'm starting to consider per item surcharges on portals to help promote leaner inventories, any other suggestions are quite welcome. Cheers! The following users thanked this post: Stephen_Zuckerman
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Layonara Server / Layonara 3.21.1 Patch Release« on: April 13, 2009, 07:10:10 pm »
Just a short one:
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Layonara Server / Layonara 3.21.0 Release notes:« on: April 10, 2009, 09:49:01 pm »
[SIZE=18]Version 3.21.0 is online![/SIZE]
Persistent Storage is once again ENABLED It's back, it's faster and it's better than ever! Check out the new features:
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