The Shartak Wiki - User contributions [en]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-08-18T09:37:29Z

MorkaisChosen:

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
official_id=24|
open_to=outsiders|
clan_image=|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Five (wiki), four (in-game)|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Anyone's welcome in, regardless of class.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
sort_as=|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders and Natives interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits and occasionally becoming one themselves. One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

The clan has an agreement with the Colonial Police: we don't attack them and they protect us as humans.

Membership is open to all characters, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=888 DarkFerret]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=3983 James Moriarty]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

I have managed in discorporal form to reach the town of York. I am near the shamen, but he does not seem to notice me nor is he trying to revive me. Either he is tired of reviving outsiders or he will not revive people from another village. I guess I must return home as soon as I am rested as I do not see any way of investigating right now.--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 20:21, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

Talk:Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-08-18T09:35:40Z

MorkaisChosen:

Would you consider opening up membership to natives as well? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 18:53, 2 May 2006 (BST)
Yeah, OK... Native guides and that, plus talking to Shamans... Consider it done![[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:20, 5 June 2006 (BST)

== Colonial Police ==

The Colonial Police are interested in starting relations with your group. We can protect you in human form, if you don't scare us to death. --[[User:MickR|MickR]] 06:28, 5 June 2006 (BST)
I think that's fair, I'll put it in the description. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:20, 5 June 2006 (BST)

:Just remember, contact us on our forums about any criminals that attack / kill you. They will be dealt with accordingly --[[User:MickR|MickR]] 21:43, 16 June 2006 (BST)

== Shartak Preservation Front ==

The [[SPF]] seem to be agressive twords our group. [http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=1607 Marco] has recently killed me twice in a row at the York, Durby, and Dalpok intersection. He said we were destroying the forest and commiting genocide on the natives. I advise that everyone purchase trekking, avoid the roads, and try to convince the SPF that we mean no harm to Shartak's ecosystem. Please post any sightings or communcations below--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 19:59, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

Right then, we're now officially native-friendly. Getting some language skills and Trekking would be dead useful anyway... [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 09:35, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

Suggestions:Items

2006-07-27T10:38:49Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Camera/Spirit box */

{{Suggestions header|page_type=Items}}

== Items ==

=== Absinth ===
Could have a very low chance of being found, and would display as "Bottle of absinth" (in addition to the existing "Bottle of beer" and "Bottle of water"). Would result in a distortion of game display, showing some kind of living beings (native, outsiders or animals) as another kind (a native could be displayed as an outsider or an animal), causing the intoxicated character to attack people he wouldn't have attacked otherwise, or trying to role-play with an angry elephant. --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 03:53, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*No reason to drink it then? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 23:37, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
**I'm sure someone would drink it anyway. Could bring back some HP, of course... --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 23:50, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*The whole "distortion of game display" thing sounds too complicated. If it's a powerful enough hallucinogen, it could work as a teleporter to a random nearby location ("As the effects of the absinthe wear off, you realize that you have moved to a different part of the jungle."). But I think it'd be better theme-wise to introduce a plant native to the island with such an effect; also, these "strange herbs" would give outsiders something to confuse healing herbs with. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:24, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Spear ===
It could be the native warriors main weapon, give it a base damage of 3, same to hit as machete but it wouldn't cut through jungle -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:02, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*A spear for stabbing or a spear for throwing (i.e single use) ? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:49, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**I like the idea of a spear for stabbing. We have enough single use weapons in the game, already. What would make it so different from a blowgun, if it is throwable? Which brings up another question: With a weapon that deals 3 damage and is reusable, who will bother with a blowgun?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:54, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*The machete is already better than the blowpipe if you've got the three melee upgrades, and the spear would represent a third melee weapon warriors like me would need to carry around (along with a knife for writing and a machete for chopping). I don't see a point, unless it's to compete with the heavy sword, in which case I'd recommend that the heavy sword be toned down. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:32, 21 May 2006 (BST)
*I like the idea of having the spear become the second “super” weapon in shartak, rather than increasing its damage potential its accuracy could be raised instead so that instead of 20 it could be 30 percent yet still have the same damage base of 2 like the cutlass/machete, while having other stats same or similar to the heavy sword. that would pretty much solve all the problems mentioned above--[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 04:29, 22 July 2006 (UTC)
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=== Head-shrinking powder ===
This could be either a melee or area weapon used by natives.

''Comments''
*What are the effects of it? Causes X HP of damage? Loss of AP? Loss of XP? Instant death? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
**Could be used on a body to create a totem of some sort. This can then be placed in a square. People from the same village or settlement as the now shrunken head take twice as many AP to move through because of fear. Disintergrates after x number of people have moved through the square. {{unsigned|Hyper tyger|17:18, March 18, 2006 (BST) }}
----

=== Meat ===
Heals 2 HP. Used by both outsiders and tribals. It appears in your inventory when you kill a beastie. [[User:Bungalow Bill|Bungalow Bill]]

''Comments''
*But you can only carry 200 pounds of meat back to your wagon. <nowiki></oregontrail></nowiki> --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:15, 13 February 2006 (GMT)
*Or you have to cook it, taking one AP and possibly a fire-lighting skill (who wants to eat raw monkey?).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:12, 20 February 2006 (GMT)
**Maybe you don't have to cook it but you get less HP and possibly lose HP to food poisoning. [DarkFerret]
*Or, to make it more, hm, tribal, you could need to bring it back to specific places in the village where it could be (instantaneously) cooked and used as a replenished "health pool" any player could use. You would still have the occasional berries to eat in the forest, but real meal would occure at a settlement. It would also provide a more efficient healing system (as currently, you roughly get to spend 50 AP to recover 4 or 5 HP, which makes death the most efficient way to restore your HP). -- Leaf
**''There is a large pot of stew cooking, it appears to be half full.''
***''You eat some and feel better. After a few spoonfuls you find your friend's pocket watch.'' [DarkFerret]
**Make it 1 HP per kg of meat (basing carcass size loosely on the animal's starting HP), and make each HP of carried meat fill 1 inventory space (and pretend preservation isn't a problem). Put an ever-boiling pot in each village (in a boring oudoor place; we could use more points of interest), and give people experience points whenever they contribute meat to any pot (more meat gives you more XP, and putting meat in the pot of your home village gives you extra (double?) XP). Omnipresent spices and palate differences could make food at Outsider villages inedible for Natives, and vice-versa. (Pirates ought to be able to eat from any pot, but for half the health benefit. Maybe they should even be able to eat meat raw.) Any non-meat added to the pot would simply disappear (and poison from poison berries would be broken up by the heat). This system would (1) encourage community, (2) increase realism (there's currently no realistic reason for a non-warrior to kill a non-threatening animal), and (3) provide another theme-fitting non-combat XP path. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
***As per Elembis. For example, a meat item could be eaten raw for 1HP per 1 inventory space, or returned to a cooking pot (imho only in native camps...). Drinking from a cooking pot could restore 2HP, until "The pot is currently empty". Non-meat items could not be added to the cooking pot -- the game menu functionality would be limited by the user interface (for example, Add Meat to Cooking Pot doesn't appear or doesn't work until you have meat in inventory, and adds meat to the cooking pot when clicked). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:37, 16 June 2006 (BST)
***We should keep in mind that eating from a pot should heal faster than searching for and applying herbs and kits, or else players in need of healing won't bother. (6 searches per FAK/herb means 7 AP per 5/10 HP healed for non-scavengers, so 2 HP per bowl of food should be fine.) Also, I think that pots should treat pirates like normal outsiders, that all camps should have pots (since outsiders are surely capable of cooking meat), that the item should be "piece of meat", that the description for a square with a pot should read something like "There is a fire here with a large pot over it.", and that the button should read "Add Meat to Pot" (or perhaps that feature should just be linked to the "meat" button in the inventory list). — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:20, 16 June 2006 (BST)

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=== Radio beacon/receiver ===
A radio beacon/receiver for outsiders to pinpoint specific locations of interest.

''Comments''
*What's wrong with using the GPS co-ordinates of a specific location? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
*Perhaps a way to have GPS waypoints or markers IN one own's GPS? --[[User:Wcervantes|Wcervantes]] 19:39, 16 February 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Holy Scriptures ===
Used to convert Natives into Ousiders. Requires "Religious Devotion". Most likely found around Outsider settlements --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Nobody wants to have a class change againt their will. -Grigoriy
*Noone wants to die against their will either, but it does happen ;-) Might be irritating, but also might be quite interesting. It would have to be possible both ways of course, natives to outsiders and outsiders to natives. Perhaps the outsiders can convert natives to outsiders with holy scriptures using the religious devotion skill and natives can convert outsiders to natives with a bottle of beer using the seduction skill! ;-) --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:28, 4 March 2006 (GMT)
*Class conversion gets awfully mucky, when you consider available skills. I would say that a better idea would be for use of Holy Scriptures on a native to prompt the natives with an invitation to change sides--without changing class. This would make them see outsiders by name, make natives anonymous, and cause them to show up on the map as "1 convert" to outsiders (as opposed to "1 native") and as "1 traitor" to natives. Converting back would require a shaman with an equivalent skill (which can, of course, offer outsiders an opportunity to be accepted into native communities).
:Note, though, that I have no idea how difficult that would be to write in, given the existing code.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:01, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*Such a feature would allow anyone to change class bath and forth at will by just using another of their characters of the appropriate class to effect the conversion, which makes classes virtually pointless.
*Class conversion sounds bad. Religion might be interesting, but this seems like a messy and unpleasant way to include it. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== GPS Unit (Redesign) ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Item, modification|
suggest_scope=GPS unit|
suggest_description=This is a suggestion to change the gps unit into an object that presumably fits better with the game setting. We currently have no other modern item available for use (anachronism - VOCABULARY WORD!). Perhaps we should use a sextant? And rather than reveal the position all of the time, it requires a 1 AP use in non-dense, non-enclosed area.|
suggest_time=21:48, 23 February 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Yes, GPS units are indeed ''malapropos'' (another vocabulary word :D)--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:33, 27 February 2006 (GMT)

Y'know, the "GPS Unit" item has stuck out like a sore thumb to me too. I'd be very much in favor of a lower-tech replacement, if only because it makes the game more timeless. But what tools ''did'' explorers of earlier eras use to measure latitude and longitude while traveling by land, anyway? And how accurate were they? Alternatively phrased: if you were trapped on a desert island without a GPS Unit, how would you estimate where you were? Lint's suggestion for a lower-tech replacement item, requiring AP and suitable terrain conditions for proper use, appeals to me. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:03, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

I've done some research into this and as Lint said, a sextant is what was used. Unfortunately though, a sextant doesn't do both longitude and latitude very quickly, you need charts/tables and several hours. See http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/longitude/secrets.html for info. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:55, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

: Ahh; yeah, I had just been checking out http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=1268 myself. If I'm reading it right, it sounds like the bulk of the hours of calculation involved were due to being at sea and having to figure out what time zone you're in first as part of the equation. (Both pages mention a "chronometer" which was finally invented to try to solve that problem.) On land, though -- and especially on an island of Shartak's size -- you pretty much know where you are, and you're not likely to be crossing time zones. A quote from the Lewis & Clark page: "If time can be fixed along any meridian of longitude, then longitudinal distance can be determined by comparing time at that meridian with local time, usually based on the point at which the sun reaches its zenith." So. I wonder if we could fudge a bit with this sextant business by assuming that everyone on the island is able to determine what time it is on Shartak -- after all, we do get timestamped event messages! ;) -- and therefore we can apply that bit of knowledge to help determine longitude, overcoming the sextant's weakness. That could even go in the FAQ. I'm not really all that scientifically inclined, so please do feel welcome to correct me if if my thoughts are way off base. In closing, I still like Lint's ideas about making it cost AP and require suitable terrain. The former would represent the investment of time in setting up the equipment and doing the calculations. The latter would give players a reason to clear a square of jungle. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 16:07, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

:: That all sounds good. I think there is a skill in there as well - I don't suppose a sextant is as accurate as GPS, so why not have it not produce the same result all of the time? Someone with the "Skillful Sextant Supervisor" skill gets more accurate results. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 16:17, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

: The AP cost of a sextant or other device could easily be added to the GPS unit by requiring that you 'use gps' to get the reading rather than it being on all the time. Whilst redesigning the GPS unit, how about thinking of something for natives to find out where they are - obviously not as accurate as a sextant, but something to guide them around or to specific locations. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 16:30, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

:: Just consider it a redesigned sextant that some mythical character dropped around the island and call it "Professor Inglewood's Speedy Sextant And Nano Tables" or some other such nonesense and leave it working the same, just with a different name. As for natives, maybe they could see/read totems at different points in the jungle, indicating where resources/towns are. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 17:06, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

:: Natives divine their position with animal feces. It can be a new skill ;) Actually, in all seriousness, perhaps something involving animal bones? It would need to be something mystical, as there just isn't a more primitive method than the sextant. That way, it sort of balances; you use animal bone dice for a few minutes to divine your position accurately, and outsiders sit dow nand use a sextant.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 29 March 2006 (BST)

:: I'm currently of the opinion that the Natives don't need a version of the GPS. It helps a little with the mapping projects and location scripts. But my Shaman was just as lost than my gps-using Settler when I was traipsing through the Jungle. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:10, 30 March 2006 (BST)

::: So natives need a sensing skill that gives them direction and distance to the nearest village. Natives seem to flail at the beginning compared to outsiders: every outsider counterpart item/skill is stronger (especially gps, blowpipe vs rifle, and the lack of bottled water). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:43, 10 May 2006 (BST)

:::: How about giving Natives a 'always on' ability (like the GPS is now). They have been born and raised here, they _always_ know where they are (or perhaps it should be modified so that they always know where they are in relation to their village - ie, (201N, 34E of Wiksik). Make the GPS a sextant and require an AP to take a reading and perform the calculations. I would go so far as to suggest that it be tied to the Cartography skill or possibly an additional skill in the Cartography tree.[[User:Anothertwilight|Anothertwilight]] 06:20, 10 May 2006 (BST)

::::: I like this idea as well as Frisco's. Rename the GPS unit a sextant, keep its 0 AP use cost, and give all natives the ability to "Sense Position" for 1 AP and be told the direction and rough distance of the nearest village. ("After several minutes of attentive communion with the spirits, you sense that Raktam is about a day's journey north of here.") <s>Maybe even take the GPS away; the natives should know their way around better than the outsiders.</s> — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

How about we just get ride of the gps unit in general and in its place have item called "a map and compass" and rather then being a 0AP cost item, it cost 1AP to tell the coordinates (exactly like an gps unit would) anywhere and gives no experience. --[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 04:41, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

: Making a map an item would require the skills of ''exploration'' and ''cartography'' to be changed or eliminated, which I'd rather not do. Also, the grid-like map already gives us a compass of sorts, so a compass as an item, while interesting, wouldn't really do anything. And finally, a 1 AP use cost for the GPS unit / map and compass / sextant would probably result in the creation of a Greasemonkey script that would store one's coordinates in a cookie, modify them for each movement based on which "move" buttons was pressed, and show the resulting coordinates all the time (at no AP cost). I suppose this could be done already for players without a GPS unit (that is, you could anchor your coordinate system by finding a known hut or landmark and inputting its coordinates), but the GPS unit makes it a lot easier. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 16:54, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

=== Refillable containers ===
Does it really make sense that after drinking something, you automatically discard the container it had been in? I propose a modification to the inventory system so bottles/gourds work similar to rifles and blowguns--they can be refilled if they are empty. Obviously, you can't just carry around spare water like you can ammo, so to refill a water container, you have to be in water. This would clearly make areas near water more popular, which I don't think is a bad thing, or without precedent. Furthermore, this could lead to new and interesting directions, such as other liquids that could be carried around, causing various effects. Off the top of my head:
* drinking too much "ocean" water will make you sick (reducing your hit % temporarily)
* a "create mysterious serum" skill the shaman/scientist can eventually learn that (along with certain ingredients) lets them create a "buff" potion.
* special healing water springs that have double the recuperative effect
This would also address one of the concerns I've had regarding healing skills. To my knowledge, there is no place in Shartak where you are more likely to consistantly find healing kits/herbs, etc. its all fairly random. By comparision, UD has certain buildings where you can only find certain items (i.e. hospitals = first aid kits). IMO, its currently too difficult/AP consuming to heal. Without a way to consistantly find/create healing items, it's not likely there will be "healers" willing to use their hard-to-find healing items on anyone else. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:14, 25 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Have you found the hut in Dalpok with all the drying herbs hanging up? Says something about a shaman being busy, I seem to have a reasonable success rate at finding healing herbs there. Not sure if there are more around. --[[User:Snarf|Snarf]] 22:17, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**No, I hadn't noticed such a hut(s), I've assumed they were all pretty much the same. If certain huts are more likely to contain certain items, I've another suggestion--'''label them'''. Any opinion on my primary suggestion of refillable containers? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:31, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
***I can confirm that huts may look identical on the outside, but their inside descriptions can differ significantly. Fortunately, anyone with the right tool can carve a message on a hut's outer walls, such as "Empty Inside" or "Shaman's Hut". --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*Refillable containers? Give the user the choice to discard the container? Sure, sounds cool to me. About the water supply: I agree that ocean water (water right off the beach) would be bound to be salty and unpotable in a real-world scenario. According to the [[Locations]] page, there's a river off the south side of the mountain, which would seem to be the only known terrestrial fresh water source on the whole island. Hmm, a thought: If we were to have refillable containers, then might one also expect there to be wells in or around the villages? --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
**There is at least one more (much shorter) river near Derby. I'll bet there is a lake or two somewhere as well. Wells are probably not a bad idea. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 15:05, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
***According to the [http://www.itechsc.com/misc/shartak/ubermap/ uber map] there are three lakes (two are close to each other) in addition to the river, and a pond by Durham. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
* Refillable bottles and gourds added. Not sure about buff potions etc though. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 19:29, 29 June 2006 (UTC)
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=== Remove uber sword of doom(aka heavy sword) ===
I don't even have a heavy sword yet but I can already tell(from the item page) that it makes a lot of things utterly useless.Just for reference the heavy sword is(when maxed attack skills) 45% hit, 5dam= '''2.25dam/ap'''. What does it make useless, well let me begin. 

1.Rifle skills- reason: the ap you spent getting the xp for those skills was better used searching for a heavy sword. 

2.Rifle- reason: the dam/ap for the rifle is lower than a the heavy sword '''before''' factoring in the search for ammo part. The math: the rifle is 5 dam,60% hit,1.5 ap/shot( 3ap per 2 shots i think)= (5*.6)/1.5 =3/1.5 = '''2ap/dam NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

3. The blowpipe- reason: the blowpipe sucks as it is, the machete makes it pointless(unless they actually poison) and the heavy sword just makes it absolute garbage(even if they poisoned). The math: 4 dam, 20% hit, 2ap/shot(assuming you have to reload after every shot i don't use the blowpipe so I wouldn't know)= (4*.2)/2=.8/2= '''.4 dam/ap NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

Conclusion- I realize there are problems with the blowpipe but as far as I can tell with the rifle there are none. The knowledge of there even being a heavy sword is enough to discourage those that would take rifles training as a skill. The sword is just too powerful to balance in game as the only way to balance it would be to add another item that is just as crazy powerful, making it rare does nothing to the balance as people can still find it and it makes those few ,whom the RNG loves, ridiculosly overpowered. If the RNG loves somebody they should get multipul hits in a row not the ability to destroy everybody who can't/doesn't want to waste the ap to gain that ability. And after all just because it is rare doesn't mean we all can't find it, I know eventually we would all find one and there would be no variaty whatsoever in battle. Take urban dead for example they balanced the shotguns,pistols, and fireaxe evenly so there is no superior choice its about how you want to play. With the heavy sword it makes all other items pale in comparison BEFORE search rates are keyed into calculations, in urban dead it is AFTER that they are about even. This suggestion to remove something doesn't punish anybody because as of right now we do not know where to find the heavy sword, the only ones were stumbled across randomly so nobody would really have "wasted" the ap to find it(unless they have but I know after reading a bit I didn't for the fun reducing factor everybody having one would bring). Also don't bring up things about how I don't know how it works ingame because unless it takes 6ap to attack the math shows it is unbalanced. Please Simon fix this unbalanced weapon by removing it, not by making everything else oh so much better. ANybody who is with me sign in the comments please.

'''Comments'''

*The math looks sound. And I agree that having everyone run around with Heavy Swords would make for a plain game. However, I don't see why it needs to be removed completely. Is there anything we can do to the sword mechanics to make it more even with the existing weapons? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:04, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I agree. The machete with maxed out melee skils is arguably better than any other weapon, and the heavy sword makes that look like a butter knife. Yank it or make it so rare it would be like winning the lottery twice. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I disagree with some of the logic in this argument. If the heavy sword were a common weapon, then I could understand the concern; however, the "über sword of doom" is hardly of such availability. As far as I know, only one player has the sword. Having rare items like it add a new dimension to the game - a sort of treasure hunting aspect. I would even propose that even more superior weapons are "hidden" around the island, possibly protected by superior animals. --[[User:Gandhi|Gandhi]] 00:34, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
** One player on the [[Game design]] page has commented on how he has acquired 3 Heavy Swords. Don't get me wrong, some weapons should be better than others to allow for diversity (that's why there's knives, daggers, and whatnot). However, as it stands, the Heavy Sword to our knowledge is the single best weapon available. Everyone is going to be running around with it and if you don't have one, you won't be able to compete. It'd be like playing Rock-Paper-Scissors-Nuclear Bomb and Nuclear Bomb always wins. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:52, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
*Are these even real? I mean, how many people claim to have gotten them? one? This almost looks like a pretty funny joke. Also, Simon has stayed silent on this, implying some sort of uber sword conspiracy, so perhaps we shouldn't rock the boat. (Cue up suspenseful music) -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 06:02, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
**i have 3 swords ,but i'm reading it's really rare. I feel really lucky :). Oh , and i think it's too powerful compared to other weapons. Maybe there must be other rare ranged weapons (like some 6 or 7 o 8 damage rifle) or something like this --[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 09:38, 27 March 2006 (BST)
**I thought I'd made them fairly rare (after the initial burst of finding them) but I think I made them too rare perhaps. There are still only 4 people with them, looks like the same 4 who had them originally. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 00:01, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Do you even have one Simon? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:17, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Nope. No heavy sword for any of my characters. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
*The original poster is correct about rifles/blowpipes being too weak. The rifle's AP/damage ratio is actually much lower than even the machete's, let alone the mysterious heavy sword. The rifle's accuracy is its edge, but 60% maximum accuracy really isn't *that* high or that much of an advantage over the 45% machete accuracy. The introduction of two new skills to the firearms skill tree, "Marksmanship" and "Expert Marksmanship", each of which would add 10 or 15% to rifle/blowpipe accuracy, would help to solve this problem I would say (I dont know if anything like this has been proposed before). Dont remove the heavy sword, just make rifles more powerful. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:29, 8 April 2006 (BST)
* With the addition of the forgotten blowpipe skills, that should help the blowpipe ratio, and I'd say ignore the heavy sword since it seems so rare that you'll be lucky to get one unless someone trades one in for some essential supplies. Not sure about 80% accuracy with either of the ranged weapons - would those skills be available to all or just as an extension to firearms/blowpipe training? What happens to the blowpipe damage if the poisoning suggestion is implemented and the poison effect is added that takes away 1-5 HP over the next 5 AP unless you use serum or first aid kit (damage numbers not definite, just a rough figure)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**I was thinking that the new skill(s) would be part of the ranged weapon skill tree (how can one be a marksman if he does not have firearms training). I like the idea of making a ranged skill available to all though. A maximum accuracy of 20% for all non-soldier/warrior characters seems very low. Maybe the first skill in the tree should be available to all, but the next 2 or 3 skills only for soldiers/warriors? Just an idea. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
* I think adding one skills for rifle and one for blowpipe is really cool. Marksmanship is a nice name , but not to add accuracy, but to add +2 to damage. Poisoning for blowpipe go well too. Oh, and one of my swords is gone ç__ç. And about trading, i tried to trade one of them , but the trader didn't have 49 gold coins..and i think you can add some powerful and rare rifle--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 08:42, 10 April 2006 (BST)
* Currently the rifle (w/both skills) gets only 0.75 damage/AP total (searching, loading, and shooting) based on my calculation, and 3 damage/AP in combat (only shooting). The machete (w/all three skills) gets 1.35 damage/AP and obviously requires no searching or loading. I think that new skill(s) for the rifle/blowpipe to get their damage/AP ratio closer to (but not equal to or past) the 1.35 machete ratio would be the best way to go. If a new skill or two increases ranged damage by 2 as JonesDye suggested, the result would be a ratio of 1.05 total damage/AP, and 4.2 damage/AP in combat. (If skills are added to increase maximum accuracy to 80%, the result would be 1 total damage/AP and 4 damage/AP in combat.) This, I think, would be a better balance. Ranged weapons should be superior to the machete in combat, and they are, but currently they are only 2.2 times better (3 vs. 1.35). The proposed new combat ratio of ~4 damage/AP would be three times better than the machete in combat, although still inferior in total damage/AP ratio. (Note that the combat ratios mentioned above are exact, but the total damage/AP ratios are not exact because I do not know the % chance to find ammunition. The total damage/AP numbers used above assume that a total of 5 bullets can be found in 10 searches on average, which may be a liberal estimate but seemed accurate based on my experience.) -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**Still, 3 damage per AP isn't that bad. You can track someone down, kill someone outright in ~25 AP with a rack of rifles, and run far away -- whereas a machete might take 60 AP to cause ~81 damage. The blowpipe needs a lot of help: you can only carry half as many loaded pipes, and so you have to waste time in combat reloading. I believe that blowdart poison could cause another 1 dmg/turn for 4 turns (8 damage total if they don't heal) and it still wouldn't be overpowered. 20% to hit is totally useless, though. I would suggest something like a 20% -> 35% marksman upgrade for all classes, then 35% -> 50% -> 65% for soldier/warrior. Unless a non-soldier can attain a 35% or 40% to-hit rate with a rifle (higher with a blowpipe), the weapon serves absolutely no purpose -- it is just a glorified 1/3-gem. And if the heavy sword has the same break rate as other blades in the game, then there is no problem with a 1/3000 find rate or whatever. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:59, 10 May 2006 (BST)
*As long as the heavy sword is extremely rare and quite powerful, why not replace it with a single "elephant sword", or something with a similarly grand title. There would only be one on the island (or one per village: "The Elephant Sword of York", etc.), its carrier would not be able to drop it (or, if dropped, it would be given to the next player revived by that village's shaman), players would get a special message upon being attacked by it, and it would change possession to the player who would kill its carrier. Also, its carrier should get a movement penalty so they'll be easier to catch. (And perhaps every person should have a sixth sense to divine the location of their village's Elephant Sword.) In short, if the sword is going to be rare, ''make it special''. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
*I personally like the idea of having super weapons in shartak but rather than just being able to find it lying around, you should only be able to get by doing something specific (as reward for quests perhaps). Personally I like the idea a secret shop(s) (see my secret shop suggestion) where you could purchase a heavy sword and/or other hard to get items at hyper-inflated prices in the range of 100 to 1000 gold coins for one.----

=== Ranged weapons ===

I never used a rifle, but the blowpipe feels quite useless at the moment indeed (unless it poisons). I was wondering if a ranged aspect could be added to those weapons to make up for their poor hp/ap ratio and their ammo requirement (and their lack of poison?). In practice, that would mean that once the rifle (or the blowpipe (I wonder if it poisons)) is selected from the attack drop-down menu, the target drop-down menu would include the entities from the surrounding squares. That would allow for some slightly safer attacks, especially in difficult terrain, or for around four minutes of triumph for having attacked someone from the distance (and poisonned him?), before being machetted to death anyway. That is: not much, but the satisfying feeling to have used a special weapon, with its own pros. -- Leaf
* Ranged weapon skills for warriors to boost the blowpipe are in the pipeline. Seems I missed a section from my notes when adding skills. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:12, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sweet --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 06:34, 14 March 2006 (GMT)
**A bit of poison on that blowdart (1 hp dmg per move for 4 turns e.g.) would be nice. The current blowpipe is totally hopeless as a weapon, even for warriors. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:22, 20 May 2006 (BST)
:* ''bump'' - like the poison added the other day then. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 12:44, 24 June 2006 (UTC)
::* Yep, Blowpipe is not longer useless. If you wanted to add a limited benefit of range, you could have the Blowpipe and the Rifle deal damage to Animals as a ranged effect. In other words, the elephant couldn't trample you because you're hiding in the Jungle with your ranged weapon (still in same square). In fact that might make more sense than (or in addition to) a 6 damage blowpipe vs NPCs - NPCs don't get to use Reactive Attacks against a Ranged Weapon. (Although perhaps the Huts/Villages are too small to get true Range on the Trader or Shaman...) --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 14:33, 24 June 2006 (UTC)
:::* (Game designer has implied that ranged weapons do indeed reduce the chance of being reactively attacked by an animal. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 23:24, 10 July 2006 (UTC))
----

===studded leather & war gear===
both items have the same effect, except one is for outsiders and one is for natives, upon looking at the names, i cant really tell which would be for who, but that doesnt matter.
theese items could act likee flak jackets, but could (possibly) have the chance of inflicting damage upon being hit, as per, a guy with tons of knives on him being punched would probably cut up his assailant's hands. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Hm. I don't like the idea of inflicting damage on the assailant. I think that's a bit of a stretch. I could see outsiders coming over with breastplates and whatnot (a la John Smith, be it the noble stud from ''Pocahontas'' or the weaselly entrapeneur from history). Natives, though, would be unlikely to have that much. Perhaps, though, a wooden, oblong, leaf-shaped shield. Perhaps it would give a small (10%?) chance of blocking a melee attack. Thus, both sides would have a form of protection, but they would be ''different'' forms of protection, serving to distinguish the two sides.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:31, 10 April 2006 (BST)
----

===animal wearings===
such as teeth and hide could be added to one's [[inventory]] or slot for extra damage, accuracy, etc.. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Honestly, this just seems silly. Why would I suddenly hurt you more for having a tiger tooth in my pocket?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:32, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:*It would be a psychological effect. A tribesman who believes that the spirit of the tiger is strengthening his arm through the use of a magic talismen will fight harder. {{unsigned|Naomi|19:56, April 10, 2006 (BST)}}

::*I ''still'' think it's a huge stretch.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:08, 11 April 2006 (BST)

:::*Yah, shamanic magic being able to cause or prevent damage is a stretch, tell that to the dozens of spirits farming xp in my hut. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:25, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:::Apparently this has been implemented - I just got a tiger tooth amulet from the pirate trader. He doesn't have any others, alas... *brag* [[User:Ssarl|Ssarl]], 12:19, June 16

----

===Messenger Pigeons===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All outsiders|
suggest_description=Allows Outsiders to send messages over long distances. Just type up the message and enter the recepient's name and the bird flies off.
''You watch your pigeon fly off and hope it doesn't get intercepted.''
 Pigeons must be captured with an unamed skill and may be intercepted with a separate skill.|
suggest_time=22:23, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

*How would you handle said "interception?" Would you be notified of pigeons sent off within a certain number of squares, and offered a chance to stop it? Would it show up as an actual animal that one could kill? I would say that the idea of sending a messenger pigeon along as a new, low-hp NPC with a specific destination is neat, but I don't know how hard it would be on the server.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:35, 10 April 2006 (BST)
*Moving an npc pigeon wouldn't be difficult as long as there were only a limited number of them in play at any one time. How would you specify the destination though - pigeons need to know the destination don't they (not sure how homing pigeons work)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:38, 10 April 2006 (BST)
**Mmm. Maybe one would need to specify a GPS coordinate? Actually, I'm fairly certain that birds have been taught to find specific people that they are familiar with. Perhaps once we have a contacts list (do we? If so, I haven't been able to add anyone) we can send it to those listed on it? Then it would be rather like the mobile phone of UD... except that it takes time to travel, and could be killed for EXP by other players :) What kind of limit would you have in mind, by the way? I mean, I can't imagine a whole lot of people using this often enough for it to really be a problem, but as the game grows... You never know.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:12, 11 April 2006 (BST)
**I would say that you would have to have a the person on a contact list before you can send them a messenger pigeon. The pigeon would move like 1 square per 5 mins and would appear as an attackable animal. The limit is that there are only so many pigeons in Shartak. You would have to have a skill to capture one without killing it. This skill could also be used to capture a messenger pigeon without killing it in order to "intercept" the message. Or perhaps tehy are different skills? Pigeons would be reusable. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 01:27, 11 April 2006 (BST)
*Capturing and intercepting pigeons seems quite unrealistic. Instead, maybe you could give each village a communications hut with infinite pigeons, available to people from that village. Pigeons in inventory could be sent up with a message, and after some time they'd appear in their home villages and their messages would be held for their recipients. I like the drum idea better, though. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}

===Drum===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All Natives|
suggest_description=Allows all Natives within a specified area to hear the senders message. Any Outsiders hear random drum beats unless they have the Expert Language skill.
''You hear random drumming in the distance.''
 Requires a drum beating skill to utilize.|
suggest_time=22:35, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

A drum language? Neat. I would make it a native-only skill, though (how difficult would it be for an outsider to learn ''of'' the language, let alone the language itself?), and only one skill. Also, to show the difficulty of true articulation in such a language, it would be good to lower the character limit on drum messages. This way, long messages will be broken up, and will require a bit more AP.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:40, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:Awesome. A great idea to help underpowered natives (no bottles of water in native villages, terrible blowpipe, no gps, outnumbered, etc.) and also a cool new rare item. Doesn't appear abusable. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:27, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:I like this idea and think it should be open to Natives only, for the reasons [[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] gave. Also, it stands to reason that Natives should have some kind of communication advantage, being Natives on the island and everything. Messages should have to be extremely short, or else there should be increasing AP costs for longer messages (1 AP per character, perhaps?). Think of Morse code. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

::I'm thinking that drums could be to natives what GPS units are to outsiders in terms of cost, usefulness, and skill requirements. Here's how it works in my mind:
::#All natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can drum a message for 1 AP per character. Outsiders without ''Native Knowledge'' either (1) have their beats carry a shorter distance or (2) have a 20% chance of breaking their drum. (I prefer the second option, assuming drums would be expensive items. I'd rather have drums be completely off-limits for such outsiders, but I can't think of a realistic reason for them to be unable to bang on a drum.)
::#Only natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can determine the direction of a beat. (Bass noises are the hardest to pinpoint.)
::#Only players on the same side as the drummer, and players on the other side with language skills, can interpret beats, as with all other communication in the game. (Unskilled listeners hear "random drumming" instead of "<garbled message>", since extremely short messages will be quite common and language obfuscation doesn't touch the first letter of a word. ''Basic Language'' gives a 33% chance to interpret the message, ''Advanced Language'' 66%, and ''Expert Language'' 100%.)
::#Every beat is audible to everyone in the 13 by 13 square with the drummer at its center. (13 by 13 is just large enough to cover an entire camp, and camps should be communication hubs, after all.)
::In general, this item would benefit natives about as much as GPS units benefit outsiders. The hearing radii and AP costs of messages could be changed easily if drums became too powerful, annoying, or ineffective. And yes, I've played Urban Dead. =)
::— [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:54, 9 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Hammer===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New Item|
suggest_scope=Available to all characters|
suggest_description=A basic hammer. This item seems necessary for potential future building skills such as roads or huts or hut fortifications. Hammers could also be used as offensive weapons. They could also be subject to random breaking like machetes.|
suggest_time=06:18, 1 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Throgonuts|Throgonuts]]|
suggest_comments=

I don't think we need another weapon until there's an actual niche for it to fill. I think hut-building would be great — require that all 8 surrounding jungle squares be cleared before one can be built, make huts destructable by melee weapons or by growing jungle in the immediate area, and turn standard medical/ammunition/trading huts into indestructable stone structures — but we don't need a hammer now. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}

===303===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=new item|
suggest_scope=availible to only outsiders|
suggest_description=a 303's nickname is actually: elepahant rifle,[in real life],a 303 is able to blow a elephants head of 1 shot in the neck i am suggesting this for the further success of the CP against the reefer terror cell,though it could turn against us if lord paul reefer get's his hands on it or one of his group members!.

Damage: 15, special dmg: 16.|
suggest_time=15,25, 17 June, 2006 (EST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Riddick|Riddick]]|
suggest_comments=

No. Hell, I can scarcely understand what you're trying to suggest here. I can see that it's ridiculously powerful, though.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:01, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

}}

===Berries to Increase AP===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Change item's effect|
suggest_scope=Tasty berries (or similiar item)|
suggest_description=There are so many HP-healing items in the game, most of which heal only 1 or 2 HP so are not cost-effective to use (In terms of AP-spent-per-HP-healed), therefore are not used at all by wise players. To make some of these items more valuable and add an interesting dynamic to the game, I suggest that the effect of eating berries should be to increase your AP level rather than you HP level. Eat some tasty berries, they invigorate you and you gain 2 AP (you spent one AP eating them, net gain of 1 AP). All of the long-time players have been in the situation I'm sure (and most newer players too), where we are about to kill an elephant or tiger or an enemy player for that matter, but we run out of AP just as the target is at 3 HP, then we have to go off-line and cant wait about for 20 minutes to finish the target off, as we have real-life obligations (while we are gone the target invariably escapes, is killed by someone else, or kills you!). So carrying around 5 bunches of tasty berries could give you 5 free AP when you really need them. Thus berries would become a very valuable item in the game too, rather than a superfluous item|
suggest_time=00:47, 21 June 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here

I like the idea! You're probably going to end up with a net loss of APs on them anyway, but it's kinda like storing APs... This could work well. -[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 10:54, 21 June 2006
:Exactly, you would definitely have a net loss of AP finding them. There would also be net loss of AP buying them in the trading hut, and once people catch on to how valuable they are they would become tremendously expensive (demand would overwhelm supply), making for an even bigger net loss of AP buying them. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

I could certainly see it getting out of hand. You'd need to cut it off at a certain point. Maybe 5 is about right.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)
:Why would there need to be a cut-off? Even if someone is carrying 50 bunches of berries (which they will have spent many days worth of AP searching for on berry-bush squares), they will get their 50 extra AP and then it's all gone. With a full 75 AP and with 50 bunches of berries, a person could use 125 AP within a few minutes. If theoretically two 80-HP enemies are standing on the person's same exact square, odds are he can kill both with 5 AP to spare, but now all his berries are gone. I would agree that carrying 50 bunches of berries is pretty ridiculous, but again the person will have spent many days searching for them, a tremendous net loss of possible damage inflicted if he had just used all those hundreds of AP he spent searching, attacking. And even in that extreme example all he can do is inflict 160 damage and then his berry supply is used up, So I dont think it is necessarily "out of hand". Besides, anyone who does such a thing (spends days finding 50 berries and goes and uses them all at once) is an idiot and a very poor player, the berries would be valuable to be used when you really desperatrely need them, when you are out of AP about to get a kill or maybe in some other limited way (as MorkaisChosen said, it is a way to store AP), not in that way. If you are worried about people camping berry bushes to get lots of AP-boosting berries, see below (and remember that some people do the same for first aid kits anyway). [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
::The above remarks would be accurate if the AP-booster item was "invigorating herbs" found with an 8% rate in the Grasslands or something. However, berries have a 55% find rate (perhaps higher for villager), so 50 berries take at most two days to collect. Unless your character is a PKer who can attack anything that moves, the berry-buff would become very valuable for increasing combat efficiency. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 17:37, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

A comment I have is that this would make berry bushes genuinely valuable, but it is probably not desirable to have everyone camp the berry bushes, that's boring. Fortunately this problem is already solved by something Simon implemented very early on--berry bushes dry up and new ones are discovered all the time (it might be advisable to increase the rate at which they dry up and new ones pop up for this). [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
:Not sure where you got this idea from, bushes are static.. for now! --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 01:00, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
Well, as pointed out, it would take two days of camping a berry bush to get 70 berries, the maxiumum that can be stored (unless the idiot's walking around with no weapons). However, you'd only get one day of extra combat from it. You're actually losing time that way. If you're really worried, make bushes drop two types of berries, HP restorers and AP restorers. Lower the find rates for both to match the current find rate. I assume this wouldn't be hard. Huts already drop multiple varieties of items. I'd also like to point out that this system is already in place in KoL. They just set a maximum you can eat before you get full to keep the system from being abused. Would that be hard to code? --[[User:Black Joe|Black Joe]] 14:18, 13 July 2006
it's not worth it,eating a berry costs one action point(s),and every berry gives you 1 AP so really you would just be left on the same AP you were on before you ate the berry! [[User:Eminem1|Eminem1]] 01:03, 14 July 2006 (UTC)
*Personally i like the idea getting free XP item so how about this; have one and only one item (say buncha berries) gives 1XP costs 1AP, but you can eat it whenever you want. this would pretty much reduce the number of people who are going to farm (as the chance of getting that one item consistently is comparatively low), it would make a welcome change to searches.--[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 05:14, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

}}
===Camera/Spirit box===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Ranged weapon|
suggest_scope=Those plagued by banshees and those interested in scaring natives|
suggest_description=In just about every meeting of natives and cameras it is believed that the cameras are able to steal some of their spirit. On Shartak this is for sure and it also works on the dead. The camera is able to capture some of a person's spirit causing 3 points of damage. If the shot kills them they are trapped in the camera until they escape for X AP. If the user has Sixth Sense they may capture a spirit in the same way. The camera uses rolls of film with 5 shots each. Scientists have special photography skills increasing their chance of capture. Natives must have Outsider knowledge to use the camera. Otherwise it will appear as Spirit box in their inventory.|
suggest_time=04:11, 23 July 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]]|
suggest_comments=

I like this! It rally does fit in for me... Plus it allows my clan to do some REAL research on Spirits by taking pictures. And, of course... Who you gonna call? [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 10:58, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

I don't want to seem impolite, and I don't want to discourage people from making creative suggestions, which this certainly is. However, I'm not so sure about this. After all, cameras don't REALLY hurt people. Also, cameras, to me, don't fit with the time period in Shartak, like GPS units. There are already suggestions to change the GPS unit to something else. I don't think adding another piece of relatively advanced technology will help. Cameras have been around maybe 100 years? Shartak seems to take place in the 1700's or so, a little too early. Long story short, I don't think it fits. That's just my opinion, however. [[User:Black Joe|Black Joe]]

i agree with idea that we should do something about ghosts, but the idea of trapping "ghosts" in cameras not so much, cause ghosts are players too and costing them extra AP for escape compounded with the AP cost of reviving, would seriously affect their gameplay.--[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 03:40, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

I really like this idea, although it shouldn't be used for hurting live players, instead capturing spirits who are farming xp in a resource hut. Then, rather than spending AP to escape, they should only have the option to revive (Perhaps at an increased cost)--[[User:Zydd Soral|Zydd Soral]] 16:55, 25 July, 2006

Compared to exorcism, capturing spirits in a camera seems really silly and would make the game seem the same way. Maybe it'd be like introducing soap as an item that could deal damage to pirates: funny, but absurd and out of place in a role-playing game. Some elements of fantasy are acceptable in such games, but others, like this one, are too hard to swallow. But it's a clever idea. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 17:27, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

A Spirit Box could work as a kind of special wooden box with charms or religious symbols on it, but maybe not as a camera. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 10:38, 27 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

Suggestions:Items

2006-07-23T10:58:59Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Camera/Spirit box */

{{Suggestions header|page_type=Items}}

== Items ==

=== Absinth ===
Could have a very low chance of being found, and would display as "Bottle of absinth" (in addition to the existing "Bottle of beer" and "Bottle of water"). Would result in a distortion of game display, showing some kind of living beings (native, outsiders or animals) as another kind (a native could be displayed as an outsider or an animal), causing the intoxicated character to attack people he wouldn't have attacked otherwise, or trying to role-play with an angry elephant. --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 03:53, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*No reason to drink it then? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 23:37, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
**I'm sure someone would drink it anyway. Could bring back some HP, of course... --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 23:50, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*The whole "distortion of game display" thing sounds too complicated. If it's a powerful enough hallucinogen, it could work as a teleporter to a random nearby location ("As the effects of the absinthe wear off, you realize that you have moved to a different part of the jungle."). But I think it'd be better theme-wise to introduce a plant native to the island with such an effect; also, these "strange herbs" would give outsiders something to confuse healing herbs with. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:24, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Spear ===
It could be the native warriors main weapon, give it a base damage of 3, same to hit as machete but it wouldn't cut through jungle -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:02, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*A spear for stabbing or a spear for throwing (i.e single use) ? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:49, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**I like the idea of a spear for stabbing. We have enough single use weapons in the game, already. What would make it so different from a blowgun, if it is throwable? Which brings up another question: With a weapon that deals 3 damage and is reusable, who will bother with a blowgun?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:54, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*The machete is already better than the blowpipe if you've got the three melee upgrades, and the spear would represent a third melee weapon warriors like me would need to carry around (along with a knife for writing and a machete for chopping). I don't see a point, unless it's to compete with the heavy sword, in which case I'd recommend that the heavy sword be toned down. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:32, 21 May 2006 (BST)
*I like the idea of having the spear become the second “super” weapon in shartak, rather than increasing its damage potential its accuracy could be raised instead so that instead of 20 it could be 30 percent yet still have the same damage base of 2 like the cutlass/machete, while having other stats same or similar to the heavy sword. that would pretty much solve all the problems mentioned above--[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 04:29, 22 July 2006 (UTC)
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=== Head-shrinking powder ===
This could be either a melee or area weapon used by natives.

''Comments''
*What are the effects of it? Causes X HP of damage? Loss of AP? Loss of XP? Instant death? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
**Could be used on a body to create a totem of some sort. This can then be placed in a square. People from the same village or settlement as the now shrunken head take twice as many AP to move through because of fear. Disintergrates after x number of people have moved through the square. {{unsigned|Hyper tyger|17:18, March 18, 2006 (BST) }}
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=== Meat ===
Heals 2 HP. Used by both outsiders and tribals. It appears in your inventory when you kill a beastie. [[User:Bungalow Bill|Bungalow Bill]]

''Comments''
*But you can only carry 200 pounds of meat back to your wagon. <nowiki></oregontrail></nowiki> --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:15, 13 February 2006 (GMT)
*Or you have to cook it, taking one AP and possibly a fire-lighting skill (who wants to eat raw monkey?).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:12, 20 February 2006 (GMT)
**Maybe you don't have to cook it but you get less HP and possibly lose HP to food poisoning. [DarkFerret]
*Or, to make it more, hm, tribal, you could need to bring it back to specific places in the village where it could be (instantaneously) cooked and used as a replenished "health pool" any player could use. You would still have the occasional berries to eat in the forest, but real meal would occure at a settlement. It would also provide a more efficient healing system (as currently, you roughly get to spend 50 AP to recover 4 or 5 HP, which makes death the most efficient way to restore your HP). -- Leaf
**''There is a large pot of stew cooking, it appears to be half full.''
***''You eat some and feel better. After a few spoonfuls you find your friend's pocket watch.'' [DarkFerret]
**Make it 1 HP per kg of meat (basing carcass size loosely on the animal's starting HP), and make each HP of carried meat fill 1 inventory space (and pretend preservation isn't a problem). Put an ever-boiling pot in each village (in a boring oudoor place; we could use more points of interest), and give people experience points whenever they contribute meat to any pot (more meat gives you more XP, and putting meat in the pot of your home village gives you extra (double?) XP). Omnipresent spices and palate differences could make food at Outsider villages inedible for Natives, and vice-versa. (Pirates ought to be able to eat from any pot, but for half the health benefit. Maybe they should even be able to eat meat raw.) Any non-meat added to the pot would simply disappear (and poison from poison berries would be broken up by the heat). This system would (1) encourage community, (2) increase realism (there's currently no realistic reason for a non-warrior to kill a non-threatening animal), and (3) provide another theme-fitting non-combat XP path. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
***As per Elembis. For example, a meat item could be eaten raw for 1HP per 1 inventory space, or returned to a cooking pot (imho only in native camps...). Drinking from a cooking pot could restore 2HP, until "The pot is currently empty". Non-meat items could not be added to the cooking pot -- the game menu functionality would be limited by the user interface (for example, Add Meat to Cooking Pot doesn't appear or doesn't work until you have meat in inventory, and adds meat to the cooking pot when clicked). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:37, 16 June 2006 (BST)
***We should keep in mind that eating from a pot should heal faster than searching for and applying herbs and kits, or else players in need of healing won't bother. (6 searches per FAK/herb means 7 AP per 5/10 HP healed for non-scavengers, so 2 HP per bowl of food should be fine.) Also, I think that pots should treat pirates like normal outsiders, that all camps should have pots (since outsiders are surely capable of cooking meat), that the item should be "piece of meat", that the description for a square with a pot should read something like "There is a fire here with a large pot over it.", and that the button should read "Add Meat to Pot" (or perhaps that feature should just be linked to the "meat" button in the inventory list). — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:20, 16 June 2006 (BST)

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=== Radio beacon/receiver ===
A radio beacon/receiver for outsiders to pinpoint specific locations of interest.

''Comments''
*What's wrong with using the GPS co-ordinates of a specific location? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
*Perhaps a way to have GPS waypoints or markers IN one own's GPS? --[[User:Wcervantes|Wcervantes]] 19:39, 16 February 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Holy Scriptures ===
Used to convert Natives into Ousiders. Requires "Religious Devotion". Most likely found around Outsider settlements --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Nobody wants to have a class change againt their will. -Grigoriy
*Noone wants to die against their will either, but it does happen ;-) Might be irritating, but also might be quite interesting. It would have to be possible both ways of course, natives to outsiders and outsiders to natives. Perhaps the outsiders can convert natives to outsiders with holy scriptures using the religious devotion skill and natives can convert outsiders to natives with a bottle of beer using the seduction skill! ;-) --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:28, 4 March 2006 (GMT)
*Class conversion gets awfully mucky, when you consider available skills. I would say that a better idea would be for use of Holy Scriptures on a native to prompt the natives with an invitation to change sides--without changing class. This would make them see outsiders by name, make natives anonymous, and cause them to show up on the map as "1 convert" to outsiders (as opposed to "1 native") and as "1 traitor" to natives. Converting back would require a shaman with an equivalent skill (which can, of course, offer outsiders an opportunity to be accepted into native communities).
:Note, though, that I have no idea how difficult that would be to write in, given the existing code.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:01, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*Such a feature would allow anyone to change class bath and forth at will by just using another of their characters of the appropriate class to effect the conversion, which makes classes virtually pointless.
*Class conversion sounds bad. Religion might be interesting, but this seems like a messy and unpleasant way to include it. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== GPS Unit (Redesign) ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Item, modification|
suggest_scope=GPS unit|
suggest_description=This is a suggestion to change the gps unit into an object that presumably fits better with the game setting. We currently have no other modern item available for use (anachronism - VOCABULARY WORD!). Perhaps we should use a sextant? And rather than reveal the position all of the time, it requires a 1 AP use in non-dense, non-enclosed area.|
suggest_time=21:48, 23 February 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* Yes, GPS units are indeed ''malapropos'' (another vocabulary word :D)--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:33, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
* Y'know, the "GPS Unit" item has stuck out like a sore thumb to me too. I'd be very much in favor of a lower-tech replacement, if only because it makes the game more timeless. But what tools ''did'' explorers of earlier eras use to measure latitude and longitude while traveling by land, anyway? And how accurate were they? Alternatively phrased: if you were trapped on a desert island without a GPS Unit, how would you estimate where you were? Lint's suggestion for a lower-tech replacement item, requiring AP and suitable terrain conditions for proper use, appeals to me. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:03, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
* I've done some research into this and as Lint said, a sextant is what was used. Unfortunately though, a sextant doesn't do both longitude and latitude very quickly, you need charts/tables and several hours. See http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/longitude/secrets.html for info. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:55, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
** Ahh; yeah, I had just been checking out http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=1268 myself. If I'm reading it right, it sounds like the bulk of the hours of calculation involved were due to being at sea and having to figure out what time zone you're in first as part of the equation. (Both pages mention a "chronometer" which was finally invented to try to solve that problem.) On land, though -- and especially on an island of Shartak's size -- you pretty much know where you are, and you're not likely to be crossing time zones. A quote from the Lewis & Clark page: "If time can be fixed along any meridian of longitude, then longitudinal distance can be determined by comparing time at that meridian with local time, usually based on the point at which the sun reaches its zenith." So. I wonder if we could fudge a bit with this sextant business by assuming that everyone on the island is able to determine what time it is on Shartak -- after all, we do get timestamped event messages! ;) -- and therefore we can apply that bit of knowledge to help determine longitude, overcoming the sextant's weakness. That could even go in the FAQ. I'm not really all that scientifically inclined, so please do feel welcome to correct me if if my thoughts are way off base. In closing, I still like Lint's ideas about making it cost AP and require suitable terrain. The former would represent the investment of time in setting up the equipment and doing the calculations. The latter would give players a reason to clear a square of jungle. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 16:07, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*** That all sounds good. I think there is a skill in there as well - I don't suppose a sextant is as accurate as GPS, so why not have it not produce the same result all of the time? Someone with the "Skillful Sextant Supervisor" skill gets more accurate results. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 16:17, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
** The AP cost of a sextant or other device could easily be added to the GPS unit by requiring that you 'use gps' to get the reading rather than it being on all the time. Whilst redesigning the GPS unit, how about thinking of something for natives to find out where they are - obviously not as accurate as a sextant, but something to guide them around or to specific locations. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 16:30, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*** Just consider it a redesigned sextant that some mythical character dropped around the island and call it "Professor Inglewood's Speedy Sextant And Nano Tables" or some other such nonesense and leave it working the same, just with a different name. As for natives, maybe they could see/read totems at different points in the jungle, indicating where resources/towns are. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 17:06, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
***Natives divine their position with animal feces. It can be a new skill ;) Actually, in all seriousness, perhaps something involving animal bones? It would need to be something mystical, as there just isn't a more primitive method than the sextant. That way, it sort of balances; you use animal bone dice for a few minutes to divine your position accurately, and outsiders sit dow nand use a sextant.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 29 March 2006 (BST)
***I'm currently of the opinion that the Natives don't need a version of the GPS. It helps a little with the mapping projects and location scripts. But my Shaman was just as lost than my gps-using Settler when I was traipsing through the Jungle. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:10, 30 March 2006 (BST)
****So natives need a sensing skill that gives them direction and distance to the nearest village. Natives seem to flail at the beginning compared to outsiders: every outsider counterpart item/skill is stronger (especially gps, blowpipe vs rifle, and the lack of bottled water). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:43, 10 May 2006 (BST)
*****How about giving Natives a 'always on' ability (like the GPS is now). They have been born and raised here, they _always_ know where they are (or perhaps it should be modified so that they always know where they are in relation to their village - ie, (201N, 34E of Wiksik). Make the GPS a sextant and require an AP to take a reading and perform the calculations. I would go so far as to suggest that it be tied to the Cartography skill or possibly an additional skill in the Cartography tree.[[User:Anothertwilight|Anothertwilight]] 06:20, 10 May 2006 (BST)
******I like this idea as well as Frisco's. Rename the GPS, keep its 0 AP use cost, and give all Natives the ability to "Sense Position" for 1 AP and be told the direction and rough distance of the nearest village. ("After several minutes of attentive communion with the spirits, you sense that Raktam is about a day's journey north of here.") Maybe even take the GPS away; the Natives should know their way around better than the Outsiders. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
*How about we just get ride of the gps unit in general and in its place have item called "a map and compass" and rather then being a 0AP cost item, it cost 1AP to tell the coordinates (exactly like an gps unit would) anywhere and gives no experience. --[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 04:41, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

=== Refillable containers ===
Does it really make sense that after drinking something, you automatically discard the container it had been in? I propose a modification to the inventory system so bottles/gourds work similar to rifles and blowguns--they can be refilled if they are empty. Obviously, you can't just carry around spare water like you can ammo, so to refill a water container, you have to be in water. This would clearly make areas near water more popular, which I don't think is a bad thing, or without precedent. Furthermore, this could lead to new and interesting directions, such as other liquids that could be carried around, causing various effects. Off the top of my head:
* drinking too much "ocean" water will make you sick (reducing your hit % temporarily)
* a "create mysterious serum" skill the shaman/scientist can eventually learn that (along with certain ingredients) lets them create a "buff" potion.
* special healing water springs that have double the recuperative effect
This would also address one of the concerns I've had regarding healing skills. To my knowledge, there is no place in Shartak where you are more likely to consistantly find healing kits/herbs, etc. its all fairly random. By comparision, UD has certain buildings where you can only find certain items (i.e. hospitals = first aid kits). IMO, its currently too difficult/AP consuming to heal. Without a way to consistantly find/create healing items, it's not likely there will be "healers" willing to use their hard-to-find healing items on anyone else. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:14, 25 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Have you found the hut in Dalpok with all the drying herbs hanging up? Says something about a shaman being busy, I seem to have a reasonable success rate at finding healing herbs there. Not sure if there are more around. --[[User:Snarf|Snarf]] 22:17, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**No, I hadn't noticed such a hut(s), I've assumed they were all pretty much the same. If certain huts are more likely to contain certain items, I've another suggestion--'''label them'''. Any opinion on my primary suggestion of refillable containers? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:31, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
***I can confirm that huts may look identical on the outside, but their inside descriptions can differ significantly. Fortunately, anyone with the right tool can carve a message on a hut's outer walls, such as "Empty Inside" or "Shaman's Hut". --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*Refillable containers? Give the user the choice to discard the container? Sure, sounds cool to me. About the water supply: I agree that ocean water (water right off the beach) would be bound to be salty and unpotable in a real-world scenario. According to the [[Locations]] page, there's a river off the south side of the mountain, which would seem to be the only known terrestrial fresh water source on the whole island. Hmm, a thought: If we were to have refillable containers, then might one also expect there to be wells in or around the villages? --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
**There is at least one more (much shorter) river near Derby. I'll bet there is a lake or two somewhere as well. Wells are probably not a bad idea. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 15:05, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
***According to the [http://www.itechsc.com/misc/shartak/ubermap/ uber map] there are three lakes (two are close to each other) in addition to the river, and a pond by Durham. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
* Refillable bottles and gourds added. Not sure about buff potions etc though. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 19:29, 29 June 2006 (UTC)
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=== Remove uber sword of doom(aka heavy sword) ===
I don't even have a heavy sword yet but I can already tell(from the item page) that it makes a lot of things utterly useless.Just for reference the heavy sword is(when maxed attack skills) 45% hit, 5dam= '''2.25dam/ap'''. What does it make useless, well let me begin. 

1.Rifle skills- reason: the ap you spent getting the xp for those skills was better used searching for a heavy sword. 

2.Rifle- reason: the dam/ap for the rifle is lower than a the heavy sword '''before''' factoring in the search for ammo part. The math: the rifle is 5 dam,60% hit,1.5 ap/shot( 3ap per 2 shots i think)= (5*.6)/1.5 =3/1.5 = '''2ap/dam NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

3. The blowpipe- reason: the blowpipe sucks as it is, the machete makes it pointless(unless they actually poison) and the heavy sword just makes it absolute garbage(even if they poisoned). The math: 4 dam, 20% hit, 2ap/shot(assuming you have to reload after every shot i don't use the blowpipe so I wouldn't know)= (4*.2)/2=.8/2= '''.4 dam/ap NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

Conclusion- I realize there are problems with the blowpipe but as far as I can tell with the rifle there are none. The knowledge of there even being a heavy sword is enough to discourage those that would take rifles training as a skill. The sword is just too powerful to balance in game as the only way to balance it would be to add another item that is just as crazy powerful, making it rare does nothing to the balance as people can still find it and it makes those few ,whom the RNG loves, ridiculosly overpowered. If the RNG loves somebody they should get multipul hits in a row not the ability to destroy everybody who can't/doesn't want to waste the ap to gain that ability. And after all just because it is rare doesn't mean we all can't find it, I know eventually we would all find one and there would be no variaty whatsoever in battle. Take urban dead for example they balanced the shotguns,pistols, and fireaxe evenly so there is no superior choice its about how you want to play. With the heavy sword it makes all other items pale in comparison BEFORE search rates are keyed into calculations, in urban dead it is AFTER that they are about even. This suggestion to remove something doesn't punish anybody because as of right now we do not know where to find the heavy sword, the only ones were stumbled across randomly so nobody would really have "wasted" the ap to find it(unless they have but I know after reading a bit I didn't for the fun reducing factor everybody having one would bring). Also don't bring up things about how I don't know how it works ingame because unless it takes 6ap to attack the math shows it is unbalanced. Please Simon fix this unbalanced weapon by removing it, not by making everything else oh so much better. ANybody who is with me sign in the comments please.

'''Comments'''

*The math looks sound. And I agree that having everyone run around with Heavy Swords would make for a plain game. However, I don't see why it needs to be removed completely. Is there anything we can do to the sword mechanics to make it more even with the existing weapons? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:04, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I agree. The machete with maxed out melee skils is arguably better than any other weapon, and the heavy sword makes that look like a butter knife. Yank it or make it so rare it would be like winning the lottery twice. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I disagree with some of the logic in this argument. If the heavy sword were a common weapon, then I could understand the concern; however, the "über sword of doom" is hardly of such availability. As far as I know, only one player has the sword. Having rare items like it add a new dimension to the game - a sort of treasure hunting aspect. I would even propose that even more superior weapons are "hidden" around the island, possibly protected by superior animals. --[[User:Gandhi|Gandhi]] 00:34, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
** One player on the [[Game design]] page has commented on how he has acquired 3 Heavy Swords. Don't get me wrong, some weapons should be better than others to allow for diversity (that's why there's knives, daggers, and whatnot). However, as it stands, the Heavy Sword to our knowledge is the single best weapon available. Everyone is going to be running around with it and if you don't have one, you won't be able to compete. It'd be like playing Rock-Paper-Scissors-Nuclear Bomb and Nuclear Bomb always wins. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:52, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
*Are these even real? I mean, how many people claim to have gotten them? one? This almost looks like a pretty funny joke. Also, Simon has stayed silent on this, implying some sort of uber sword conspiracy, so perhaps we shouldn't rock the boat. (Cue up suspenseful music) -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 06:02, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
**i have 3 swords ,but i'm reading it's really rare. I feel really lucky :). Oh , and i think it's too powerful compared to other weapons. Maybe there must be other rare ranged weapons (like some 6 or 7 o 8 damage rifle) or something like this --[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 09:38, 27 March 2006 (BST)
**I thought I'd made them fairly rare (after the initial burst of finding them) but I think I made them too rare perhaps. There are still only 4 people with them, looks like the same 4 who had them originally. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 00:01, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Do you even have one Simon? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:17, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Nope. No heavy sword for any of my characters. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
*The original poster is correct about rifles/blowpipes being too weak. The rifle's AP/damage ratio is actually much lower than even the machete's, let alone the mysterious heavy sword. The rifle's accuracy is its edge, but 60% maximum accuracy really isn't *that* high or that much of an advantage over the 45% machete accuracy. The introduction of two new skills to the firearms skill tree, "Marksmanship" and "Expert Marksmanship", each of which would add 10 or 15% to rifle/blowpipe accuracy, would help to solve this problem I would say (I dont know if anything like this has been proposed before). Dont remove the heavy sword, just make rifles more powerful. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:29, 8 April 2006 (BST)
* With the addition of the forgotten blowpipe skills, that should help the blowpipe ratio, and I'd say ignore the heavy sword since it seems so rare that you'll be lucky to get one unless someone trades one in for some essential supplies. Not sure about 80% accuracy with either of the ranged weapons - would those skills be available to all or just as an extension to firearms/blowpipe training? What happens to the blowpipe damage if the poisoning suggestion is implemented and the poison effect is added that takes away 1-5 HP over the next 5 AP unless you use serum or first aid kit (damage numbers not definite, just a rough figure)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**I was thinking that the new skill(s) would be part of the ranged weapon skill tree (how can one be a marksman if he does not have firearms training). I like the idea of making a ranged skill available to all though. A maximum accuracy of 20% for all non-soldier/warrior characters seems very low. Maybe the first skill in the tree should be available to all, but the next 2 or 3 skills only for soldiers/warriors? Just an idea. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
* I think adding one skills for rifle and one for blowpipe is really cool. Marksmanship is a nice name , but not to add accuracy, but to add +2 to damage. Poisoning for blowpipe go well too. Oh, and one of my swords is gone ç__ç. And about trading, i tried to trade one of them , but the trader didn't have 49 gold coins..and i think you can add some powerful and rare rifle--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 08:42, 10 April 2006 (BST)
* Currently the rifle (w/both skills) gets only 0.75 damage/AP total (searching, loading, and shooting) based on my calculation, and 3 damage/AP in combat (only shooting). The machete (w/all three skills) gets 1.35 damage/AP and obviously requires no searching or loading. I think that new skill(s) for the rifle/blowpipe to get their damage/AP ratio closer to (but not equal to or past) the 1.35 machete ratio would be the best way to go. If a new skill or two increases ranged damage by 2 as JonesDye suggested, the result would be a ratio of 1.05 total damage/AP, and 4.2 damage/AP in combat. (If skills are added to increase maximum accuracy to 80%, the result would be 1 total damage/AP and 4 damage/AP in combat.) This, I think, would be a better balance. Ranged weapons should be superior to the machete in combat, and they are, but currently they are only 2.2 times better (3 vs. 1.35). The proposed new combat ratio of ~4 damage/AP would be three times better than the machete in combat, although still inferior in total damage/AP ratio. (Note that the combat ratios mentioned above are exact, but the total damage/AP ratios are not exact because I do not know the % chance to find ammunition. The total damage/AP numbers used above assume that a total of 5 bullets can be found in 10 searches on average, which may be a liberal estimate but seemed accurate based on my experience.) -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**Still, 3 damage per AP isn't that bad. You can track someone down, kill someone outright in ~25 AP with a rack of rifles, and run far away -- whereas a machete might take 60 AP to cause ~81 damage. The blowpipe needs a lot of help: you can only carry half as many loaded pipes, and so you have to waste time in combat reloading. I believe that blowdart poison could cause another 1 dmg/turn for 4 turns (8 damage total if they don't heal) and it still wouldn't be overpowered. 20% to hit is totally useless, though. I would suggest something like a 20% -> 35% marksman upgrade for all classes, then 35% -> 50% -> 65% for soldier/warrior. Unless a non-soldier can attain a 35% or 40% to-hit rate with a rifle (higher with a blowpipe), the weapon serves absolutely no purpose -- it is just a glorified 1/3-gem. And if the heavy sword has the same break rate as other blades in the game, then there is no problem with a 1/3000 find rate or whatever. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:59, 10 May 2006 (BST)
*As long as the heavy sword is extremely rare and quite powerful, why not replace it with a single "elephant sword", or something with a similarly grand title. There would only be one on the island (or one per village: "The Elephant Sword of York", etc.), its carrier would not be able to drop it (or, if dropped, it would be given to the next player revived by that village's shaman), players would get a special message upon being attacked by it, and it would change possession to the player who would kill its carrier. Also, its carrier should get a movement penalty so they'll be easier to catch. (And perhaps every person should have a sixth sense to divine the location of their village's Elephant Sword.) In short, if the sword is going to be rare, ''make it special''. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
*I personally like the idea of having super weapons in shartak but rather than just being able to find it lying around, you should only be able to get by doing something specific (as reward for quests perhaps). Personally I like the idea a secret shop(s) (see my secret shop suggestion) where you could purchase a heavy sword and/or other hard to get items at hyper-inflated prices in the range of 100 to 1000 gold coins for one.----

=== Ranged weapons ===

I never used a rifle, but the blowpipe feels quite useless at the moment indeed (unless it poisons). I was wondering if a ranged aspect could be added to those weapons to make up for their poor hp/ap ratio and their ammo requirement (and their lack of poison?). In practice, that would mean that once the rifle (or the blowpipe (I wonder if it poisons)) is selected from the attack drop-down menu, the target drop-down menu would include the entities from the surrounding squares. That would allow for some slightly safer attacks, especially in difficult terrain, or for around four minutes of triumph for having attacked someone from the distance (and poisonned him?), before being machetted to death anyway. That is: not much, but the satisfying feeling to have used a special weapon, with its own pros. -- Leaf
* Ranged weapon skills for warriors to boost the blowpipe are in the pipeline. Seems I missed a section from my notes when adding skills. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:12, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sweet --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 06:34, 14 March 2006 (GMT)
**A bit of poison on that blowdart (1 hp dmg per move for 4 turns e.g.) would be nice. The current blowpipe is totally hopeless as a weapon, even for warriors. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:22, 20 May 2006 (BST)
:* ''bump'' - like the poison added the other day then. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 12:44, 24 June 2006 (UTC)
::* Yep, Blowpipe is not longer useless. If you wanted to add a limited benefit of range, you could have the Blowpipe and the Rifle deal damage to Animals as a ranged effect. In other words, the elephant couldn't trample you because you're hiding in the Jungle with your ranged weapon (still in same square). In fact that might make more sense than (or in addition to) a 6 damage blowpipe vs NPCs - NPCs don't get to use Reactive Attacks against a Ranged Weapon. (Although perhaps the Huts/Villages are too small to get true Range on the Trader or Shaman...) --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 14:33, 24 June 2006 (UTC)
:::* (Game designer has implied that ranged weapons do indeed reduce the chance of being reactively attacked by an animal. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 23:24, 10 July 2006 (UTC))
----

===studded leather & war gear===
both items have the same effect, except one is for outsiders and one is for natives, upon looking at the names, i cant really tell which would be for who, but that doesnt matter.
theese items could act likee flak jackets, but could (possibly) have the chance of inflicting damage upon being hit, as per, a guy with tons of knives on him being punched would probably cut up his assailant's hands. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Hm. I don't like the idea of inflicting damage on the assailant. I think that's a bit of a stretch. I could see outsiders coming over with breastplates and whatnot (a la John Smith, be it the noble stud from ''Pocahontas'' or the weaselly entrapeneur from history). Natives, though, would be unlikely to have that much. Perhaps, though, a wooden, oblong, leaf-shaped shield. Perhaps it would give a small (10%?) chance of blocking a melee attack. Thus, both sides would have a form of protection, but they would be ''different'' forms of protection, serving to distinguish the two sides.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:31, 10 April 2006 (BST)
----

===animal wearings===
such as teeth and hide could be added to one's [[inventory]] or slot for extra damage, accuracy, etc.. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Honestly, this just seems silly. Why would I suddenly hurt you more for having a tiger tooth in my pocket?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:32, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:*It would be a psychological effect. A tribesman who believes that the spirit of the tiger is strengthening his arm through the use of a magic talismen will fight harder. {{unsigned|Naomi|19:56, April 10, 2006 (BST)}}

::*I ''still'' think it's a huge stretch.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:08, 11 April 2006 (BST)

:::*Yah, shamanic magic being able to cause or prevent damage is a stretch, tell that to the dozens of spirits farming xp in my hut. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:25, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:::Apparently this has been implemented - I just got a tiger tooth amulet from the pirate trader. He doesn't have any others, alas... *brag* [[User:Ssarl|Ssarl]], 12:19, June 16

----

===Messenger Pigeons===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All outsiders|
suggest_description=Allows Outsiders to send messages over long distances. Just type up the message and enter the recepient's name and the bird flies off.
''You watch your pigeon fly off and hope it doesn't get intercepted.''
 Pigeons must be captured with an unamed skill and may be intercepted with a separate skill.|
suggest_time=22:23, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

*How would you handle said "interception?" Would you be notified of pigeons sent off within a certain number of squares, and offered a chance to stop it? Would it show up as an actual animal that one could kill? I would say that the idea of sending a messenger pigeon along as a new, low-hp NPC with a specific destination is neat, but I don't know how hard it would be on the server.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:35, 10 April 2006 (BST)
*Moving an npc pigeon wouldn't be difficult as long as there were only a limited number of them in play at any one time. How would you specify the destination though - pigeons need to know the destination don't they (not sure how homing pigeons work)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:38, 10 April 2006 (BST)
**Mmm. Maybe one would need to specify a GPS coordinate? Actually, I'm fairly certain that birds have been taught to find specific people that they are familiar with. Perhaps once we have a contacts list (do we? If so, I haven't been able to add anyone) we can send it to those listed on it? Then it would be rather like the mobile phone of UD... except that it takes time to travel, and could be killed for EXP by other players :) What kind of limit would you have in mind, by the way? I mean, I can't imagine a whole lot of people using this often enough for it to really be a problem, but as the game grows... You never know.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:12, 11 April 2006 (BST)
**I would say that you would have to have a the person on a contact list before you can send them a messenger pigeon. The pigeon would move like 1 square per 5 mins and would appear as an attackable animal. The limit is that there are only so many pigeons in Shartak. You would have to have a skill to capture one without killing it. This skill could also be used to capture a messenger pigeon without killing it in order to "intercept" the message. Or perhaps tehy are different skills? Pigeons would be reusable. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 01:27, 11 April 2006 (BST)
*Capturing and intercepting pigeons seems quite unrealistic. Instead, maybe you could give each village a communications hut with infinite pigeons, available to people from that village. Pigeons in inventory could be sent up with a message, and after some time they'd appear in their home villages and their messages would be held for their recipients. I like the drum idea better, though. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}

===Drum===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All Natives|
suggest_description=Allows all Natives within a specified area to hear the senders message. Any Outsiders hear random drum beats unless they have the Expert Language skill.
''You hear random drumming in the distance.''
 Requires a drum beating skill to utilize.|
suggest_time=22:35, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

A drum language? Neat. I would make it a native-only skill, though (how difficult would it be for an outsider to learn ''of'' the language, let alone the language itself?), and only one skill. Also, to show the difficulty of true articulation in such a language, it would be good to lower the character limit on drum messages. This way, long messages will be broken up, and will require a bit more AP.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:40, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:Awesome. A great idea to help underpowered natives (no bottles of water in native villages, terrible blowpipe, no gps, outnumbered, etc.) and also a cool new rare item. Doesn't appear abusable. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:27, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:I like this idea and think it should be open to Natives only, for the reasons [[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] gave. Also, it stands to reason that Natives should have some kind of communication advantage, being Natives on the island and everything. Messages should have to be extremely short, or else there should be increasing AP costs for longer messages (1 AP per character, perhaps?). Think of Morse code. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

::I'm thinking that drums could be to natives what GPS units are to outsiders in terms of cost, usefulness, and skill requirements. Here's how it works in my mind:
::#All natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can drum a message for 1 AP per character. Outsiders without ''Native Knowledge'' either (1) have their beats carry a shorter distance or (2) have a 20% chance of breaking their drum. (I prefer the second option, assuming drums would be expensive items. I'd rather have drums be completely off-limits for such outsiders, but I can't think of a realistic reason for them to be unable to bang on a drum.)
::#Only natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can determine the direction of a beat. (Bass noises are the hardest to pinpoint.)
::#Only players on the same side as the drummer, and players on the other side with language skills, can interpret beats, as with all other communication in the game. (Unskilled listeners hear "random drumming" instead of "<garbled message>", since extremely short messages will be quite common and language obfuscation doesn't touch the first letter of a word. ''Basic Language'' gives a 33% chance to interpret the message, ''Advanced Language'' 66%, and ''Expert Language'' 100%.)
::#Every beat is audible to everyone in the 13 by 13 square with the drummer at its center. (13 by 13 is just large enough to cover an entire camp, and camps should be communication hubs, after all.)
::In general, this item would benefit natives about as much as GPS units benefit outsiders. The hearing radii and AP costs of messages could be changed easily if drums became too powerful, annoying, or ineffective. And yes, I've played Urban Dead. =)
::— [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:54, 9 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Hammer===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New Item|
suggest_scope=Available to all characters|
suggest_description=A basic hammer. This item seems necessary for potential future building skills such as roads or huts or hut fortifications. Hammers could also be used as offensive weapons. They could also be subject to random breaking like machetes.|
suggest_time=06:18, 1 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Throgonuts|Throgonuts]]|
suggest_comments=

*I don't think we need another weapon until there's an actual niche for it to fill. I think hut-building would be great — require that all 8 surrounding jungle squares be cleared before one can be built, make huts destructable by melee weapons or by growing jungle in the immediate area, and turn standard medical/ammunition/trading huts into indestructable stone structures — but we don't need a hammer now. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}
----
===303===
'''type:''' new item.

'''scope:''' availible to only outsiders.

'''description:''' a 303's nickname is actually: elepahant rifle,[in real life],a 303 is able to blow a elephants head of 1 shot in the neck i am suggesting this for the further success of the CP against the reefer terror cell,though it could turn against us if lord paul reefer get's his hands on it or one of his group members!.

'''Damage:''' 15, special dmg: 16.

'''Time stamp:''' 15,25, 17 June, 2006 (EST).

'''Author:''' [[User:Riddick|Riddick]]

'''Comments:'''
*No. Hell, I can scarcely understand what you're trying to suggest here. I can see that it's ridiculously powerful, though.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:01, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

----

===Berries to Increase AP===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Change item's effect|
suggest_scope=Tasty berries (or similiar item)|
suggest_description=There are so many HP-healing items in the game, most of which heal only 1 or 2 HP so are not cost-effective to use (In terms of AP-spent-per-HP-healed), therefore are not used at all by wise players. To make some of these items more valuable and add an interesting dynamic to the game, I suggest that the effect of eating berries should be to increase your AP level rather than you HP level. Eat some tasty berries, they invigorate you and you gain 2 AP (you spent one AP eating them, net gain of 1 AP). All of the long-time players have been in the situation I'm sure (and most newer players too), where we are about to kill an elephant or tiger or an enemy player for that matter, but we run out of AP just as the target is at 3 HP, then we have to go off-line and cant wait about for 20 minutes to finish the target off, as we have real-life obligations (while we are gone the target invariably escapes, is killed by someone else, or kills you!). So carrying around 5 bunches of tasty berries could give you 5 free AP when you really need them. Thus berries would become a very valuable item in the game too, rather than a superfluous item|
suggest_time=00:47, 21 June 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here

I like the idea! You're probably going to end up with a net loss of APs on them anyway, but it's kinda like storing APs... This could work well. -[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 10:54, 21 June 2006
:Exactly, you would definitely have a net loss of AP finding them. There would also be net loss of AP buying them in the trading hut, and once people catch on to how valuable they are they would become tremendously expensive (demand would overwhelm supply), making for an even bigger net loss of AP buying them. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)

I could certainly see it getting out of hand. You'd need to cut it off at a certain point. Maybe 5 is about right.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:03, 26 June 2006 (UTC)
:Why would there need to be a cut-off? Even if someone is carrying 50 bunches of berries (which they will have spent many days worth of AP searching for on berry-bush squares), they will get their 50 extra AP and then it's all gone. With a full 75 AP and with 50 bunches of berries, a person could use 125 AP within a few minutes. If theoretically two 80-HP enemies are standing on the person's same exact square, odds are he can kill both with 5 AP to spare, but now all his berries are gone. I would agree that carrying 50 bunches of berries is pretty ridiculous, but again the person will have spent many days searching for them, a tremendous net loss of possible damage inflicted if he had just used all those hundreds of AP he spent searching, attacking. And even in that extreme example all he can do is inflict 160 damage and then his berry supply is used up, So I dont think it is necessarily "out of hand". Besides, anyone who does such a thing (spends days finding 50 berries and goes and uses them all at once) is an idiot and a very poor player, the berries would be valuable to be used when you really desperatrely need them, when you are out of AP about to get a kill or maybe in some other limited way (as MorkaisChosen said, it is a way to store AP), not in that way. If you are worried about people camping berry bushes to get lots of AP-boosting berries, see below (and remember that some people do the same for first aid kits anyway). [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
::The above remarks would be accurate if the AP-booster item was "invigorating herbs" found with an 8% rate in the Grasslands or something. However, berries have a 55% find rate (perhaps higher for villager), so 50 berries take at most two days to collect. Unless your character is a PKer who can attack anything that moves, the berry-buff would become very valuable for increasing combat efficiency. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 17:37, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

A comment I have is that this would make berry bushes genuinely valuable, but it is probably not desirable to have everyone camp the berry bushes, that's boring. Fortunately this problem is already solved by something Simon implemented very early on--berry bushes dry up and new ones are discovered all the time (it might be advisable to increase the rate at which they dry up and new ones pop up for this). [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:40, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
:Not sure where you got this idea from, bushes are static.. for now! --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 01:00, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
Well, as pointed out, it would take two days of camping a berry bush to get 70 berries, the maxiumum that can be stored (unless the idiot's walking around with no weapons). However, you'd only get one day of extra combat from it. You're actually losing time that way. If you're really worried, make bushes drop two types of berries, HP restorers and AP restorers. Lower the find rates for both to match the current find rate. I assume this wouldn't be hard. Huts already drop multiple varieties of items. I'd also like to point out that this system is already in place in KoL. They just set a maximum you can eat before you get full to keep the system from being abused. Would that be hard to code? --[[User:Black Joe|Black Joe]] 14:18, 13 July 2006
it's not worth it,eating a berry costs one action point(s),and every berry gives you 1 AP so really you would just be left on the same AP you were on before you ate the berry! [[User:Eminem1|Eminem1]] 01:03, 14 July 2006 (UTC)
*Personally i like the idea getting free XP item so how about this; have one and only one item (say buncha berries) gives 1XP costs 1AP, but you can eat it whenever you want. this would pretty much reduce the number of people who are going to farm (as the chance of getting that one item consistently is comparatively low), it would make a welcome change to searches.--[[User:A for anarchy|A for anarchy]] 05:14, 22 July 2006 (UTC)

}}
===Camera/Spirit box===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Ranged weapon|
suggest_scope=Those plagued by banshees and those interested in scaring natives|
suggest_description=In just about every meeting of natives and cameras it is believed that the cameras are able to steal some of their spirit. On Shartak this is for sure and it also works on the dead. The camera is able to capture some of a person's spirit causing 3 points of damage. If the shot kills them they are trapped in the camera until they escape for X AP. If the user has Sixth Sense they may capture a spirit in the same way. The camera uses rolls of film with 5 shots each. Scientists have special photography skills increasing their chance of capture. Natives must have Outsider knowledge to use the camera. Otherwise it will appear as Spirit box in their inventory.|
suggest_time=04:11, 23 July 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here

I like this! It rally does fit in for me... Plus it allows my clan to do some REAL research on Spirits by taking pictures. And, of course... Who you gonna call? [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 10:58, 23 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-07-15T16:10:20Z

MorkaisChosen: Membership

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Four (wiki), three (in-game)|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Non-pirate outsiders only.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

The clan has an agreement with the Colonial Police: we don't attack them and they protect us as humans.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=3983 James Moriarty]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]
[[Category:Officially recognized clans]]

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-07-13T18:51:34Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Trading Hut Prices That Reward Foreign Travel */

{{Suggestions header|page_type=Game Mechanics}}

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

*Conversion doesn't have to be forced. It could require action on both sides, like a native doning a religious item and an outsider using the skill on that native. After all, conversion isn't real without true faith. The native counter to this could be similar, requiring an outsider to die holding a packet of that headshrinking powder while a shaman uses the Zombification (ala Haitian witchcraft) skill. -- frisco

*You don't change class or anything when you die. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:31, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

*I gave a response t othis idea under "Holy Scriptures," I think, offering another idea for it that may piss a lot less people off. *points over there*--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:15, 29 March 2006 (BST)
----

=== Capturing villages ===
Since this is like some war between Outsiders and Natives I thought this appropriate. If all the (say) Outsiders are killed in York and there are none left, then it becomes a Native village and vice versa. Probably needs harder requirements to capture settlements though. Maybe each side could have one permanent place that can never change hands? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:Not sure about this - what about all the idle players within the village? They might "wake up" after a couple of weeks to find they're in enemy territory. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:00, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

:You could have it so idle players goto the nearest friendly village-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:58, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

:Turf control in a limited AP browser game like this just invites lame zerging behavior. I don't like it. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:00, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:Not villages, perhaps 3x3 square 'forts'? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 01:10, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:I do like the idea, but I think Jackel's observation hits a key point. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

:Agreed with Jackel and Lint and Simon. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT) Additionally:
::* Please don't impose your assumption that Shartak is at heart a "war between Outsiders and Natives" on the rest of us. That is not the only possible direction in which this game can go. For example, an Outsider village might turn out to be populated by a trading company that views the other Outsider villages as competitors whose extermination would be good for business, but it could just as easily develop into a peaceful scientific outpost, a pirate haven of drunken debauchery, or a missionary settlement devoted to finding the Natives and learning their language (gotta spread that old time religion). I believe it would be better to keep the objectives more freeform, and let the players create the course of history. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
::* On a hopefully more helpful and positive note, one could simulate/approximate capturing a village by amassing an army of suitable size, carving messages of ownership all over the territory of the village in question, killing all members of the village, and repeatedly killing the village shaman so they can't get back as easily. (Ouch. I hope no armchair megalomaniacs out there have been taking notes.) --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Unique skills ===
I think that each class should start off with one unique skill that the others may never aquire. That way it stops all the classes from becoming too generic. For example Settlers could have a "farming" skill, Soldiers could have a "bravery" skill, etc. Or mabey they could just have a attribute like Soldiers have an extra 10% chance of striking the target, Warriors have an extra 10% chance of finding animals, Settlers have an extra 10% chance of finding an item, Scouts have a 3% chance of recovering 1 HP per AP spent, etc. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:34, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I am in favor of this (if it is not in effect currently). We'd have to work out the details to make sure each class is getting their fair share, but something that encourages players to try other classes or team up with other players using different classes for a better playing experience sounds good to me. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
:I am in favor of each class being able to acquire (but not necessarily starting off with) a unique skill or attribute that the others may never acquire. Sounds to me like the kind of thing that would be unlocked as one's reward for a rite of passage, rather than granted as a right of birth. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 12:53, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
:Perhaps a Research skill of some kind for the Scientist, maybe allowing them an advantage when doing things with dead animals (would need something to do with dead animals, obviously!).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:09, 16 March 2006 (GMT)
:Pirates should have a skill to steal their fallen enemies' gold coins. Arr. Would probably result in a lot of outsider in-fighting, though, and outsiders are currently outnumbered.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 29 March 2006 (BST)
:I agree with this as well. It seems Shartak is on the way to giving each class their own benefits (Soldiers/Warriors with gun skills, Settlers/Villagers with animal affinity etc.), but so far only a few have been made unique. At present there is really no point to being a scientist. He starts with 10 gold coins... what the? So I'm pushing for each class to have at least one unique skill they can purchase with XP. --[[User:Rip Purr|Rip Purr]] 11:50, 3 June 2006 (BST)
----

=== Pet System ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=I will combine aspects of the '''Animal''' and '''Pirate''' suggestions and propose a pet system that allows you to tame one of the animals on the island. First, you have to weaken the animal. Then you throw a sphere device at it and shout "SHARTAK SPHERE! GO!" for 1 AP. There's a slight chance that you have captured and tamed the animal. The more powerful the animal, the less success chance. You earn no XP for taming an animal. Players can only have 1 pet at a time. They can release a pet whenever they want. If the owner dies, the pet runs away. Pets have fixed HP, attack, and accuracy based on the type of animal they are (ie. they do not level up or heal, just to keep it simple to design). They follow the player around and only attack when the player attacks. It would be nice if they attacked while you were not playing, but auto-defense mechanisms are unnecessary. Enemy animals randomly determine whether they are attacking the owner or the pet. Other players will have an option for targeting the owner or pet. There is no XP gained for attacking or killing a pet to deter any attempts at farming pet killing (I can't believe we even have to consider preventing such a thing). For added flavor, owners can name their pets.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*ROTFL. Sounds a bit like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh (don't worry, I'm not a fan, I have kids that were!). Perhaps instead of spheres, you could keep the monkeys on a leash, heal a tiger or elephant to make it less likely to attack you, tame deer by feeding them, etc. Some animals like the wild boar would have to be pretty difficult to tame. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:14, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*I was with you right up until you got to the "sphere device" bit, and I rejoined you afterwards. ;) The rest of your suggestion otherwise seems to be pretty well thought out. Personally, I'd prefer to attempt to tame the animal into becoming a pet purely by offering it food, rather than "weakening" it by other means. Especially since food is scarce enough that offering it to an animal would be a real sacrifice and therefore an interesting decision for the player to make. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:49, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*I will confess that I had a lot of fun with the references. The problem I have with using an existing item to tame a pet is how to implement it. The player can't click on the fruit, because that will just heal themselves. And I think it is unecessary to redesign fruits like First Aid Kits and Medical Herbs, just so they can feed it to an animal. And a database check to see if the player possesses a fruit before providing a "tame" command seems awkward. Perhaps there is just one item called "animal bait" (from the Trade Hut most likely). It works much like a FAK or Herb, but can only be applied to animals (though there will be a "Yourself" option by default for those players that decide they enjoy the taste). Animals will then have a value called "tame count" in the database. For each successful feeding, this number is incremented. When a specific number is reached, the monster is successfully tamed. If a monster is killed, the number is reset to 0. Acquiring a pet should not reduce the population of animals on the island (ie. one should respawn to take its place). Furthermore, those with '''Animal Affinity''' should have a better taming success rate. (This is another attempt to give Villagers and Settlers a little boost.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*This idea, while somewhat interesting, is not very realitic. The animals of the island are wild. In reality, tigers, elephants, deer, "WILD boars" etc can only be made LESS WILD by extensive and careful training and handling when they are young, not be tamable by any means, certainly not enough to follow a person around and fight on their behalf. Maybe it would be possible with parrots and monkeys, but if Simon is going to implement changes, I'd rather see some of the more believable ones first. I do agree with Lint that it would give more value to '''Animal Affinity'''. Animal attacks, even from a tiger or elephant (which would realistically be very dangerous) are hardly to be feared, making this skill currently seem pretty useless.

* ''The following is a Pet suggestion made by [[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]] on 21:47, 24 March 2006:''

as the name reades, simply have "pets" as a survivor living in the jungle, my first instinct would be to find support, in this case we could add a "tame animal" button, which would be clicked to tame an animal, the starting catching % would be something like 10% and could be improved the more the animal is damaged, like at 1hp, if full health was 10hp then you'd have 55% of catching it, (i added 5% for every 10% missing from the creature's health)
this could also be improved with new skills such as

+Amateur Catching Skills (adds 10%)
+Catching Skills (adds 15%, doesnt stack)
+Taming Skills (adds 30%)

+Net (adds 10%, does stack)

certain animals could be ridden, other would do funny things or find objects for you, ex:
Mr. Bobo the monkey finds a bottle of rum in your pocket "gee i didnt know i had that"

elephants, large stags, and tigers could be ridden, small stags would haveto grow up before being ridden, after like, 10 days, or 20 kills they would mature, its all just theory...

parrots could become like flares, ex: Mr. TweetTweet flies towards you and drops a message "help, im at X, Y and there's a native village!"

the parrot could also say messages randomly, players (upon catching a parrot) would be given 10 slots and would type things into them, the parrots would randomly say one, ex:
you attack elephant, Mr. TweetTweet says "polly want a cracker"

animals could also act like extra space, like a backpack, if you will.
animals are named upon capture.

}}

=== Profile Effect Items ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=Inventory and profiles|
suggest_description=These are useless baubles that take up 1 unit of a player's inventory space, but if anyone views their profile they will see that the players possesses the item. Using the item won't accomplish anything and merely produce flavor text. However, if a player is in the presence of another player, using the item would show it off. As with all items, there's no way to trade them with other players. We can have eyepatches and peglegs. We can have tribal masks and warpaint. Maybe some clans would require a certain dress code. Maybe they need 30 pieces of flair. I think it provides an outlet for the less serious gamers. Problems: Serious gamers might be plagued with finding such items and dropping them, wasting (in their opinion) AP and Page Hits. Also, arguing over what items fit with the theme of Shartak will be a headache-inducing process.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like this suggestion. How about finding the pieces of the masks and making your own - combine the baubles with mini-quests? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
:For example, to make the sacred warrior mask of Raktam, you must find 5 parrot feathers, a tiger tooth, some berries and a piece of driftwood that can be carved into the appropriate shape with a knife or dagger. Once you have all those items, you get a "create mask" option which then removes the required items and the mask appears in your inventory (and profile).
::Having the database check to see if they have all the ingredients seems a bit unwieldly. After every action or inventory use it might have to run the check to verify that they are alive, still have the items, etc. I'd just settle for having them take the items to a specific NPC. But yes, a mixing quest would be fun. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
***No, you could easily set it up so that no demands were placed on the server. For example, a recipe that required 5 parrot feathers, berries, driftwood, knife/dagger, and a tiger tooth might only activate upon clicking a tiger tooth amulet: "You try to assemble your Tiger Fetish, but you are missing 3 parrot feathers." In my opinion, there should be hidden flags for characters as well, "visited cave-in", "visited oasis", and so on, so that players would have to discover the Tiger Fetish recipe / assembly process first: by visiting some secret tunnel network, "Engraved on the stone walls is an elaborate recipe for assembling a Tiger Fetish, requiring ..." (if you are fluent at reading Native). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 13:59, 23 June 2006 (UTC)

* I just hope that this idea motivates players to try new things ("I'm going to join a clan that wears such-and-such a mask and attack the others! Yarr!") and not feel that the game is just about collecting items ("Well, I got all the masks. I guess I'm done with the game."). --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

*Maybe the different masks have different effects, from some simple ones (attracting/scaring animals, making them less likely to attack or easier to hit) to the downright blatavt video game reference that turns you into a huge brown rocky guy who can punch boulders apart. OK, maybe not the second one. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:53, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think that's something to be worked on in a separate suggestion. The point of this suggestion is to make useless "fancy hats" that neither add or take away from the established gameplay. However, in the eyes of certain players, they may be invaluable because of how they can incorperate such items into their goals and roleplaying. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:52, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
::Bumping this good suggestion. Let's have some cowrie shells! (And The_Conch(tm), see next suggestion.) The barren ruins and huts seem so sad and pathetic right now, they need some wacky useless trinkets to tide us over... Maybe we need shovels to dig for treasure, too. Yarr! --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 06:06, 10 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Conch Shell Hunt ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, minigame|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=''Capture the Flag''-ish minigame. Somewhere on the island is a single conch shell item. It can be found by searching anywhere. It takes 1 inventory space and appears when anyone views their profile. When the conch holder is in the presence of other players, flavor text is added to the area description to inform the others that the conch holder is in the area. If the person in possession of the conch drops it, dies, or is idle for more than 5 days, the conch returns to the system. The person who holds the conch the longest gets recognized in the statistics. Killing the conch holder earns special bonus XP. Adept conch holder killers may also be recognized in the statistics. Problems: Someone with multiple characters could take advantage of having the conch on one character and reap the XP and fame with another. There will be a point where a race condition will occur and might result in multiple conches and a broken game.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* This kind of thing has been on my ideas list, although this is much more detailed version than the one-liner I had. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*''I'' have the conch! I'm allowed to speak! *ahem* I mean, um... >.>--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:21, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Suggestions: (1) Skip bonus for the conch-killer and you remove incentive to zerg. (2) Have the conch break when the conch-bearer dies (respawns on a random beach) and you remove the race condition. (3) Give the conch-bearer an action to blow into the Conch. (You hear the booming echo of a conch being sounded to the south-east.) Maybe 50% chance of 1xp each time you blow the conch, just to give you incentive to attract attention to yourself. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:31, 23 April 2006 (BST)


}}

=== Know your foes ===
As a native, I get killed a lot by outsiders, but I just can't strike back when I come back to life, as nothing allows me to identify my agressors amongst the outsiders I meet. I expected some basic language skill to give me access to clickable outsiders profiles, but it doesn't. So. I don't like much the fact that, in this game, the only alternative you have is "attack random outsiders" or "attack none". I'd like to be able to protect myself without being too unfair to peaceful outsiders (and being part of some snowball effect).

This would be partly solved by some profile access (allowing to check people's amount of human kills), or some limited displayed info on the present players (it would make -almost- sense for natives to automatically carry visible scalps or shrunken head of their victims, but I'm not sure how to justify the kills display in the case of outsiders, despite of the fact white men were actually quite fond of indian scalps at some time). Another useful tool would be some urban-dead-like contact list.

Of course, ideally (but absurdly) the most useful stat to be able to see would be the number of kills of people without human kills at the moment of their death, but... -- Leaf

''Comments''
Perhaps seeing the profile of someone on the opposite side if you or they have the advanced language skill would be good, it would be cool to hang around with some natives without worrying about aggressors. --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:30, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

If you had a contact list and some way to target individuals on your list ala Urban Dead, I'm guessing that would probably help. Not so sure about the scalp display approach. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:36, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

A contact list would be quite useful in Shartak. But also being able to read profiles, maybe through an "observe" button and scroll-down menu. For the moment, people just hit each other once, hoping to miss, in order to get a link to the other guy's profile. There must be a more rationnal way to quench this curiosity. -- Gone 13:36, 10 May 2006 (GMT+1)

* Basic contact list functionality added. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:08, 23 June 2006 (UTC)
:* Can now edit the comments and change the type of the contact from friend to enemy or neutral. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
----

=== Forest Fire ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, natural disasters|
suggest_scope=Terrain|
suggest_description=This is a potential temporary minigame that will either lead to players to band together and save the island or perhaps just lead to all-out chaos. A fire script is created which designates one block as fire (it is identified by a little fire.gif in the background). Every 20 minutes the fire script will check if there is <del>Grassland or</del> Jungle nearby with density from 1-10. If there is, it spreads to the next block. It will not spread to any other terrain (including villages and ruins). Thus, the best way to prevent the spread of the fire is by chopping vegetation down to 0. The initial fires will be placed randomly around the island. Actions performed in a fire occupied space deal 2 damage. For this event to be more devious, there should be a means to quickly restore vegetation (dropping driftwood, planting fruit, watering with gourds).|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like some things about this suggestion, I think it could work really nicely if there was also a rain algorithingamajig, so that maybe, if some part of the island dried out, wildfires could break out, or if it rained too much villages could flood and get swamped. Its a neat idea. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 04:55, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
* I like the idea of rain and fire, however there's no telling if the server would handle the database access/calculations required when the number of players gets into the range that Urban Dead has. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** I thought it might be a bit much. Ah well. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** Not the idea of fire itself, that may well be quite feasible. I meant having rain causing flooding, or not enough rain leading to fires might be a bit awkward.. unless I can think of some way to reduce the work that needs to be done regularly. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:38, 18 March 2006 (GMT)
* Maybe fires could also destroy huts, and then there could be a skill to rebuild them. Maybe even give people the ability to start their own fires. It might make for interesting tribal wars. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:22, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Imagine what would happen if an ammo hut caught on fire!--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 04:32, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** I kind of wanted to restrict fires to the Jungle (removed my Grasslands comment from the original suggestion) since a lot of Huts provide resources for starting players and players that have just been revived. I think it would be unfair to prevent them with the opportunity to gather supplies. As a tactic, it may also be unfair. Native villages appear to be completely surrounded by burnable Jungle, while Outsider villages are bordered by the Beach. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:46, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Good point. The pirates would be completely free of burning too. I still think a way to temporarily damage structures could be fun -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 19:59, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** As a general rule, real world jungles don't burn terribly well, although there are a few notable exceptions (such as the Indonesian forest fires in 1997-98). Grasslands, however, burn quite regularly, and in fact such fires are necessary for the good health of the grass. Fire kills off sapling trees in the area which would otherwise grow to the point that they overshadowed and killed the grass. I don't know whether the game has any grasslands large enough to make this kind of thing interesting, though. --[[User:Jackdaw|Jackdaw]] 15:55, 25 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== The Ghost Elephant ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, miniboss|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=Somewhere on the island is an animal that exists purely as a temporary event. The Legendary Ghost Elephant - in reality, an aggressive albino pachyderm of incredible size - is said to roam the island of Shartak. Some Natives revere it, others desire to be recorded as the one who slayed it. Some Outsiders wish to study it, others desire to have it as a trophy. It behaves much like any other elephant on Shartak. However, it has a different label, an unfathomable amount of HP, and deals horrific damage. If you heal the Ghost Elephant with a FAK or Herbs, you receive double XP. And to further serve a challenge, don't place an HP cap on the Ghost Elephant, just give it a starting amount. If possible, a log of all actions performed on the Ghost Elephant should be kept by the server and revealed in the event that it dies.|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Ha! I like this one, Lint, and simple to implement. It should really have a boatload of HP, as I think few will consider expending valuable healing items on it, when its far easier (and more rewarding) to hack away at it for 40 AP then make a run for it! --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 16:42, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*Arr! I would ride that ghost beast like a horse jus' fer fun, then slay 't t' sell its tusks t' them outsiders an' th' meat t' them natives. --[[User:El Pirata Cofresi|El Pirata Cofresi]] 17:46, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*In the Congo they refer to it as Mokele Mbembe - he who stops the flow of rivers - and it is rumoured to be a lost dinosaur. The island could do with some cryptozoology. Would this creature be able to disappear or hide or move incredibly fast? If not, then once one person finds it, they can just call everyone over to the same square. This kind of defeats the mythical aspect as well as adding potential server problems. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 18:24, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*I should make the animals attack back in near-realtime first (as in you attack them and they may or may not get an attack in).. just to add a bit of interest to it and stop people running up to the creature and hacking and then running away. Making an animal with an almost unlimited number of HP would be possible.. I guess probably start it with at least double a normal elephant and max of about a thousand HP to prevent people healing it to the point where it'd be impossible to kill. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 18:37, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*It could be cool, especially if it moved around in a way that made tracking it possible, maybe by destroying the foliage, or moving in a pattern. Also having it move might help keep people from all winding up in one square beating it up. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:41, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
**I've tried to offset the game's focus on combat by encouraging healing (double XP may be too much of a reward, so I'm willing to remove that), but that alone will most likely be not enough to counter the horde of blood-thirsty savages! Healing with the Herbs and FAKs may actually be seen as healing the Ghost Elephant spiritually rather than merely physically, which is why it's health can grow high. I don't see a problem if it became near-unkillable. I like keeping some myths and legends around. I thought that it would be best if it traveled like an elephant, but it is true that it limits the people that are able to participate in the event. Perhaps it should "teleport", after a certain amount of time in an area - "A wall of fog sweeps in through jungle. When it fades, you see that the Ghost Elephant has vanished as well." I requested for a log of actions to determine who killed it, who attacked it the most, who healed it the most, and who got hurt the most. Also, rather than a recurring animal, I thought it would be best to release it as an event that occurs every now and then. Or maybe only once! --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
***Hmm, when the elephant reappears, it should give a loud trumpet which can be heard over a certain radius to increase the chance of players coming across it. Unless of course players would prefer that it were more stealthy. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:25, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*I like it. And of course, you needn't stick to land animals; a mysterious sea creature that patrols the island waters and is reported to be 30ft long could prompt more people to vernture into the waters for a glimpse/trophy etc. Sharks will also be a problem for those searching! --[[User:Malphas|Malphas]] 15:52, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

*I ''love'' this idea.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 28 March 2006 (BST)

*Great idea!--[[User:Paradox244|Paradox244]] 21:04, 24 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Auto Attack ===
I've never liked the fact that while I am away from the game, things can happen to my character, like being chewed on by a tiger or slashed with a machette. How about a setting where you can turn your character on to auto attack anything that hits you. It should, of course, be user selected. This would change the game mechanics a bit, as you could no longer move in on a target and attack it withough fear of a counter-strike. To me this is far more realistic, in that even if you are sleeping, when somebody hits you, you're going to wake up and do something about it with whatever engery you have left.

An alternative selectable action might be an auto-run. You can pre-specify the direction you want to run and how many squares upon being hit. A character with trekking could stay alive just by running a few square whenever they are hit.
--[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 02:34, 20 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* The main problem with this is that players will be discouraged from attacking other players, as this will become extremely dangerous, and the native warrior who wants the outsiderts out will effectively be penalised.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:47, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sorry, but I don't like this. I feel that that this will lead to interactions with players that are no different than interacting with an NPC. Could someone theoretically max themselves out by just leaving this option on and checking in every now and then to make sure they haven't become a spirit? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:28, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Yeah, I'm not a fan of being able to do something by not doing something, such as fighting or running without being there to fight or run. Also, would it be free of AP and IP hits, or would it be possible to come back and have no AP or hits left? It seems like these problems would wreck any sort of auto action. I can understand not enjoying being macheted while away, but I don't see any way around this. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:20, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* I must admit that I don't like the idea all that much, but if it was implemented it would probably be something that was user configurable. I don't think running away would make sense, but fighting back does. For example, no more than X AP to be used fighting back until you next log back in, and they wouldn't be used unless you had more than Y AP left. This way you could set X to 10 and Y to 6 and if you ran out of AP, set those values, it would be 2 hours (6 x 20m) before you were likely to attack, and it would use no more than 10 AP fighting back. Because the values are configurable, it would be hard to know who would fight back and who wouldn't. Setting X to 0 would disable the feature. I think probably the attacks would gain XP if successful, same as normal, but because you wouldn't be able to set the number of AP to use to more than your max AP value, it would be impossible to level up a character by simply leaving them alone (not to mention you would disappear from the map after being idle for a bit). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:01, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* i like the idea of counterattack , but with some limits. You have only a % of counterattacking someone (25%?) , you don't consume AP , you don't get XP. But , whit wich weapon do you attack?--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:05, 27 March 2006 (BST)
* The impetus behind auto-attack is to lessen the chance and impact of Badness happening to your character while you're away, but auto-attack isn't the proper solution to this. Shartak's appropriate skill would be jungle hiding, though a construction skill would work too, if we want to be more like that other game. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* What the animals are doing now is basically what I was saying should be an option for players. In fact, now that the animals counter-attack, it's become far more safe to attack a high-level soldier than it is to attack a parrot. All the more reason to implement this feature. It will also introduce more strategy into gameplay, such as how many AP to reserve for counter attacks, etc. It could be as simple as: enable auto-attack (toggle), if enabled, select weapon (pull-down menu), select AP to stop self-defense (pull-down?). If you select 0, you'd attack until exhausted or they left. If you select some non-zero, you'd attack until you were down to that amount. I kill a lot of other players, but I still say this would be very good for game mechanics, especially considering the new animal behavior. --[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 06:00, 1 June 2006 (GMT)
** I would only agree with that one if it was only against animals. I don't think auto-defense was a good idea ''at all'', but now that it's in, I think that ours should only work against NPCs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:11, 1 June 2006 (BST)
*** Unfortunately this could only exacerbate the Banshee Wailing Spam problems. An auto-defense option is worthless against spirits, and Banshee Wails could easily be the leading cause of damage and death in Shartak (during May 2006). Implement Exorcism before worrying about AP-costs and pull-down-menus for melee parry defense systems. --20:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)
**** Exactly. Actually, I've been thinking more on this. It's really a good thing that the animals are so dangerous now. The focus should be more on the struggle between natives and outsiders. Plus, it makes Animal Affinity that much better, which gives a good reason to play a villager or a settler.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)
*I support this idea in theory, but of course it must be approached carefully. I like JonesDye's idea of not gaining XP for counter-attacks, and there are so many other factors to consider. QBerry-- you should start a thread about this in the forums to get all sides of the debate and get discussion going. This could be a great feature if implemented correctly. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:47, 4 June 2006 (BST)
----

===Flavor Text===

this section is where "users" add "flavor" to the game, im just suggesting that every few steps the computer say a message depending on location, here ill give a few examples:

*'''grasslands'''
**the grassy field sways under the wind's rush as you take a step.|
**something far off squaks and makes a strange throaty bellow.|

*'''water'''
**a wave crashes calmly in the distance|
**a spalsh can be heard from far off|

*'''jungle'''
**a parrot's call can be heard distantly|
**the bushes nearby are rustling from the small wildlife in them|

*'''village (outsider)'''
**the smell of gunpowder wafts into your lungs|
**the smoke comming from a nearby hut smells of fresh turkey|

*'''village (native)'''
**the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village|
**you step on the bones of what appears to be a rattlesnake|

*'''beach'''
**the hot sand burns your feet, yet feels wonderfully different|
**several sea shells catch your eye from far off|

please feel free to update these with more, as they are just a list (if simon decides to) that will be used for flavor.
i want to do this because the game gets kinda boring simply traversing through square after square

''Comments''
* One of the noticeable, distinct aspects of that other game are the different messages for each building; i really like this idea. A criticism, though - i'd refrain from mentioning living animals/people or useful items in the descriptions, they could be confusing to newbies. In other words, "a parrot's call can be heard distantly" isn't appropriate, and "the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village" might not be appropriate if the shaman is currently dead. The following could substitute: "You see a large ant colony busily rebuilding their hive" (an animal that has no game impact) and "The spirit of Shubar is felt all around you" (doesn't matter if Shubar is alive or dead). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 14:05, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* I sort of feel like this is something that could easily be put together with a Greasemonkey script. It would be nice, but it isn't really necessary. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 05:35, 5 April 2006 (BST)
:* See the end of the list at [[The Shartak Wiki:Community Portal#Greasemonkey scripts]]. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 23:31, 11 June 2006 (BST)
----

===slots/ new inventory===
slots and inventory could be implemented where, a picture of a silhouette was shown, with names of equiped items in slotted areas, ex: you skin a goat, find some sharp rocks and fashion yourself some claws, you then put them on, giving you +1 damage to all melee attacks
[[Suggestions:Items#animal wearings|animal wearings]]

"Comments below"

Making Claws? and not "all melee attacks" but only punch attacks --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:45, 29 March 2006 (BST)

I don't see why you need item slots for this. Having a pair of claws in the inventory would just improve punch damage by 1. That said, I don't like the idea of making oneself claws. Seems a little silly, when you have actual weapons around. Seems a little silly, either way, really. Perhaps that's just my sense of aesthetics, though, and not that of the majority of the players.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:37, 4 April 2006 (BST)
----

===Boat Construction===
Boats wouldn't be able to go into The very deep water people can't go into because the tides would rip them apart but could go move in all water for only 1 AP and it also prevents sharks from biting you. Multipule people could get into a boat based on how much wood is used, like
n*.001 x 1 = People Where n = The amount of wood used.

'''Edit'''

When Boats are being boarded each player may vote on who they decide should be the captain. The captian may move boat, call the boat any non vulgar name and anyone may jump off the boat at any time except the captain. Boats could only be built on a beach and automaticly once built move the person who constructed it into the nearest water square. Players may board the baot at any time by moving into the same square as it and selecting enter. When the captain moves the boat onto a land square the boat is destroyed and all people who boarded are thrown onto the beach. Players may change the captain at any time by changing there vote. Natives can not board Outsider boats and outsiders can not board native boats. What the boat looks like and is called depends on the size of it.

1 person: Raft

2 people: Large raft

3-4: Small boat

5-6: Boat

7-9: Large Boat

10-24: Huge Boat

25 and up: Gigantic Boat

--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:42, 29 March 2006 (BST)

''Comments''
*check out the skills section, i already suggested something like that.... anyway, check it out --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]
*While the huts are handled in Richard's suggestion, I am interested in the boat aspect. I think that placing multiple players on a boat will be troublesome. Who decides where the boat goes - the server? the first player on the boat? It's also important to keep in mind that we already are offered a skill to help with moving in water - '''Swimming'''. If we are to introduce rafts, there should be some mechanics set in place to minimize their usefulness. Perhaps carrying a raft through non-water terrain doubles movement cost to discourage players from carrying one everywhere. Perhaps the raft only has a limited amount of moves in deep water before breaking up. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:44, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Yeah I changed the suggestion based on your suggestion's :) --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:40, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*"Welcome to the Shartak ferry sevice. Please pay the captain your fee of 3 coins. We will be departing for the pirate ship in 3 hours. The captain has locked the destination coordinates and will not change directions unless the boat's integrity is threatend. We will arive in 50 AP + 10 AP per passenger + 5 per day due to drift. You are encouraged to help paddle the boat as this will help us arive sooner. If you decide to leave the boat at any time we will not refund you or allow you to reboard. Please do not pull out any corks or kick any boards as the boat is fragile and will sink if badly damaged."--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 05:06, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** Yeah ^^ That too --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 00:48, 3 April 2006 (BST)
* Boats sound cool. There are a lot of different ways to implement boats that aren't that complicated. Here's one example: suppose that a boat can hold 4 people. Anyone who wants to control the boat spends 4 AP to move the boat one square (larger boats move more slowly). Thus the boat could wander back and forth depending on who currently has the helm, but is unlikely to travel faster than a swimmer. Anyone (native or outsider) can dive overboard or climb onboard at any time, and the boat can be chopped up and destroyed by enough effort. ... The way I envision it, a boat never leaves the water -- the boat gets constructed on a beach square and then can only be moved onto water. It is never an inventory item. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:31, 2 June 2006 (BST)
**That's a good idea. I would go so far, though, as to say that it has to be constructed in shallow water.It would just make it easier. I would propose that the boat require four pieces of driftwood, plus two for every extra person. Thus a 1-man raft would be 4 pieces, a 2-man raft would be 6, a 3-man would be 8, and so on.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 18:26, 2 June 2006 (BST)
***Although there's no reason not to require, umm, a boatload of wood for construction, rather than just 2 + 2 per person. If the boat has any advantages at all over swimming, you could easily require huge quantities of wood without game imbalance. The original suggester had 1000 pieces per person, that's over the top, but why not 18 wood per person or something. That means N sailors could build an N-person boat in a single day searching at Shartak's [[Boatyard]]. Although construction might require another day of additional AP, and a hammer... --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 23:07, 2 June 2006 (BST)
::::I'd be in favor of boat construction, but it should be ''significantly'' harder and MUCH more time consuming to work, really only the most hardcore players should try it. Realistically, a person should need about 20 pieces of wood to displace their own body weight, so 20 wood per person is about right. It should take at least a week of devoted searching to come up with this amount for one person, and would require a fair amount of organization to build a large craft, but come on, its a BOAT! Virtually no attacks from anyone ever! Easy access to hard-to-reach islands! It should be extremely rare and time-consuming to do this IMO.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 05:18, 3 June 2006 (BST)
* i reckon the boat idea would be great especially for the CP so we are land police of york and water police of york!,hopefully this does work out!. [[User:Riddick|riddick]] 21:17 10 June,2006 (GMT).
*If boats are implemented, wouldn't it make sense to allow pirates a special skill regarding them? After all, the pirates on Shartak were all sailors before wrecking their ship. It would only make sense if they (for instance) used fewer AP to sail or something similar. [[User:Black Joe|Black Joe]] 8:53, 11 July 2006 (GMT)
----

===Poisoning===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, status effect, balance|
suggest_scope=All classes, primarily Warriors|
suggest_description=Currently, the blowpipe can only carry 1 dart, yet weighs the same amount of inventory space as a rifle with 2 bullets. If you were to pit a fully leveled Soldier armed with loaded rifles against a fully leveled Warrior armed with loaded blowpipes, the battle is in favor of the Soldier who requires less time to reload while inbattle and dealing superior damage. (rifle's 5 to blowpipe's 4).

To address this, I would propose that poison darts actually cause poisoning. Poisoning would behave much like a shark bite - causing 1 HP damage per action performed until they are administered a FAK or medical herbs. A character can die if poison is left untreated. The attacker receives no additional XP for this kill or the damage dealt from poison. Poisoning would not stack, but it would be possible for a character to suffer from both poison and shark bites. The introduction of poison may require the dart's damage to be reduced to something substantially lower. Perhaps a default of 2 HP inflicted.

Up for discussion - does poisoning have a percent chance of occurring, an AP lifespan (only lasts 10 moves), and perhaps only works on non-npc characters?|
suggest_time=18:38, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Sounds great! I've heard that some of the toxicins used to poison darts can induce illutions. It would be interesting if poisoning increases AP usage for certain actions or even better imagined enemies (that Sixth Sence could pick out).--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 08:24, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Have you seen the size of the some of the blowpipes that certain tribes carry? They're anything from 6 to 10 foot long! It's hardly surprising that they occupy the same inventory space as a rifle :) On the other hand, poisoning from darts sounds like a good idea.. I don't know that they should poison forever though, maybe for a limited number of AP, but perhaps have the effect be cumulative up to a certain point? Get shot 5 times and you lose 1 HP for every AP used for 5 x whatever the limit is. Does that make sense? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:16, 7 April 2006 (BST)
***Exactly - e.g., each poison dart that hits adds 2 AP to the poison duration, and while poisoned, you lose 1HP per AP used. The Poison Dart would eventually inflict 6 hp of damage, offsetting the extra damage and double barrel of the rifle. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:22, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**That might work, that way the Warrior has incentive to continue using the blowpipe multiple times on a target rather than just switch to their machete after the poison takes effect. Add to the character table a boolean flag (Poison = True) and give it a Poison Timer int. When the timer reaches 0, the Poison gets flipped to False. When the character dies or a FAK or Herb is applied, the Poison gets flipped to False and the timer gets set to 0. If the flag is True and they're poisoned again, stack the timer. I'm going to put forth this suggestion to the Forum. I don't have a lot of experience with using the blowpipe (I'm a machete guy) so they should weigh in on this. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:17, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Or how about you can find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog#Toxicity frogs] and use them to put differnt posion effects on your darts? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:57, 11 April 2006 (BST)
:*If we're adding poison dart frogs, I demand that they be lickable. It wouldn't be right, if you couldn't lick the poison dart frogs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:14, 11 April 2006 (BST)
::* Ok... then some benifical frogs too! And people can't tell the diffrence between them unless they get some skill? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:27, 17 April 2006 (BST)
*Bump! Awaiting a short lifespan (eg 4hp) additional poison effect for poison darts. And/or Native-only Poisoning skill so that Snake + Dart = uberdart that causes permanent poisoning (aka shark wound). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 20:51, 1 June 2006 (BST)
* Short lifespan poison effect added a little while ago. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 22:43, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

}}

===PvP Protection===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, pvp, nopvp, vs, player versus player|
suggest_scope=All Classes|
suggest_description=A full implementation of player versus player protection. This would be a nice feature for newbies allowing them time to adjust to the game without getting slaughtered. I envisage something allowing you to enable nopvp without the ability to disable for at least 100AP. Also when you hit a player who is flagged nopvp then you would get a message along the lines of "As your blade bounces off an invisible shield you suddenly notice a shamanic medicine pouch around the neck of target, they are protected, it would be pointless to continue to attack target." where target will be replaced by the players name.|
suggest_time=10:00, 13 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]]|
suggest_comments=

* This is a good, well-thought suggestion. But while I don't generally like PKing, I think it is important to keep it available to those that do enjoy it. With XP penalties and easy resurrection, PKing not ruining the game from my perspective and it shouldn't be restricted further. I would not mind a method of informing players that view my character profile to see that I am flagged for pvp or not, but I am against preventing PVP without purchasing such an ability. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 21:16, 13 April 2006 (BST)
* New players already get an AP bonus and need less XP to level; I don't see the need for a newbie specific ability. I'd rather see a safe area over a moveable system - something like a sacred hut in native villages and a guard hut in outsider villages which anyone who hasn't attacked another player in 100 AP can enter and within which all PvP activity is prohibited, wastes AP, or perhaps results in HP loss only to the attacker ("Your attack has angered the mighty (spirits or guards) in the area; they smite you").--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:12, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*Having both a PvP pirate and a pacifist shaman, and having been PKed on both... I don't like this idea. I like the 100AP newbie status. I don't like the "enabling" nopvp. Sorry. Death is a part of the game. If you walk into a tribe of hostile headhunters, they aren't going to just stand by and let you through--no matter how peaceful your business.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 04:27, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*I'm aware that new players get extra AP and newbie protection isn't what this is about. It is more useful for being protected from the players that sit in their home town bashing away at their own folk. Even with that said my main reason for nopvp was for another idea I have for a skill track that at the time of thinking about it I thought would require a nopvp implementation. I may post the skill track idea sometime when I have finished thinking about all the details.--[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]] 12:07, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*How about you can't be attacked in your village/settlement by people that come from your village/settlement? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:30, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===New strategic location on island===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New location, Game mechanics, |
suggest_scope=N/A|
suggest_description=I think the addition of one or more major new "strategic" locations on the island would greatly improve the game. What exactly it would be can be worked out, all it really ''has'' to be is very valuable to occupy and far away from any village or town (i.e. far away from any shaman). Both sides would rush to occupy this location and would fight each other for control of it.

This would have 3 major benefits for the game that I can see: 1) It would get the action away from towns/villages/shamans, 2) It would make death more meaningful and make killing an enemy meaningful (all death means in towns/villages now is having to float five spaces or so to the shaman and then you get a free revive. There are no easy/free revives out in the center of the island, you would lose both location and the 50 AP to contact, unless you decide to stick around and play as a spirit), 3) It would give people a goal in the game, a major location to fight over and defend, a location that isn't pointless to fight over, as towns/villages are because they cannot be taken. All in all it would have the benefit of making the game more fun.

As far as what the new location would be exactly, one idea could be gold mine(s). They would be valuable because standing on a gold mine square would give you 1 gold coin/hr and require no AP expenditure. The specifics of this are wide open and dont even much matter, as long as the location is far from settlements and very valuable to occupy so players will flock out there and fight for control, making for an exciting time and making killing enemies non-pointless.

If implemented, it should only be one new location at first, with maybe a couple more introduced later once things get going. The location should have a name, and it should be relayed to players in the form of Game News so that everyone knows of its existance and where it is in general terms, e.g. "A gold mine was discovered just south of the mountain, Natives and Outsiders are both rushing out there for control".

''Note: One of the raisons d'etre for this suggestion has been eliminated with the shaman changes, so this suggestion is less relevant than it was and in some ways outdated. It might still be workable, though it will have to be approached differently.'' [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:27, 4 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_time=21:02, 22 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

* I realise it was just an example, but 1 gold per hour without any AP requirement is probably a bit much. Definitely something to expand on though. I like it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:46, 22 April 2006 (BST)
** For example, award 1 gold coin to any one player at random who is on the mine for at least the full hour. Or only award 1 gold coin at random to any one player if only one side occupies the mine -- if both outsiders and nativers are present, they are fighting for control and no one is mining. Generally speaking, 24 gold coins per <s>hour</s>day fed into the entire game will not mess up the economy -- that's probably less than 75-150 AP of searching (and a trip to the trading hut). Alternatively, allow players to search the area with a <s>15%</s> 40% find rate for one gold coin, as long as none of the opposing faction are present in the square. Drawbacks: (1) This sort of high-impact location could also increase zerging/cheating, which wouldn't be fun for anyone. (2) A gold mine could rapidly devalue gold coins until they're effectively worthless, ending the "value" of the mine. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:22, 23 April 2006 (BST)
***Giving out small numbers of coins to only a certain percentage of the people on the mine square seems too low a reward, while the original 1 gold coin per hour is definitely too high. But unless people get something tangible every hour that they stand there, people may not bother to fight for control of the mine, which is the whole point. Here is an idea: Make a new item called "gold nugget". Every hour that you are standing on the gold mine square and your faction controls it, you get one gold nugget. Then create a hut 1 square adjacent to the mine and inside have an NPC called "gold prospector Jim" (for example), who will "cash in" your nuggets, 10 nuggets (or 5, or whatever is deemed the best number) for one coin. Gold nuggets on their own would have no value. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
****You could achieve the same effect without creating a prospector hut just by giving a straight 10% (or 20%) chance of 1 gold coin each hour. (To me a single "prospector Jim" gets a bit sketchy if a thousand people are rushing the mine...). In my opinion, you get better scalability and realism if the gold-per-person decreases as people increase. If there are a thousand people on the mine, then each person gets only 5% chance per hour (=50gc/hour production). If there are 10 people on the mine, then each one gets a 100% chance per hour (=10gc/hour production). Gold can't be earned from the mine when competing factions are on the location, creating a contested site is the purpose of implementing this suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:41, 2 June 2006 (BST)
::::If there is a 10% chance to get one gold coin per hour, and if during a large portion of the day both natives and outsiders are on the gold mine square so no mining is going on, then the odds would be that the lots of people would get 0 gold coins (or very few) before being killed, a total waste of time for them, and they might not bother going back after they're killed, which defeats the gold mine's purpose as a strategic location that people will fight over. This is why I say people need something tangible every hour. In fact, that should be revised to "something tangible every AP turnover", i.e. every 20 minutes. Even if someone is there for only a short time, they should have something to show for it, which they almost certainly wouldnt with a low % chance per hour of getting one gold coin. Your idea of scaling the gold that the mine produces could be implemented by making Gold Prospector Jim give fewer gold coins the more nuggets he receives. In other words, a gold mining version of the current trading system. Since he will have received 0 gold nuggets as the mine is first discovered, one gold nugget could trade for one gold coin, and as more people start cashing in, the value of a gold nuggest would go down, to where he wants 20 or so nuggets for one gold coin. The value would fluctuate throughout the day and week as people cash in more gold nuggets. This way, scalability is achieved while continuing to be able to reward something tangible every AP turnover. Also, I would say gold nuggets should take 0 inventory space just like gold coins, since in theory 72 could be given out per day to one person, and that would fill up anyone's inventory, allowing them to not receive any more. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:27, 4 June 2006 (BST)

* An alternative to the gold mine would be some kind of ancient treasure hoard, so not just gold coins but also statues, ancient armour and maybe some pretty nasty weapons. However, to get the good stuff you'd have to go into the trap-filled maze and actually make it into the chamber where the treasure is. With spirit-proof doors so people don't just die, go in, find the correct route, revive and go in...[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:33, 24 April 2006 (BST)
**This is interesting but seems overly complicated, and seems like more of a one-shot kind of thing, but most significantly there is no real value in holding such a location. A gold mine would be a simple, straightforward, and constantly of high value to occupy. Also, once one person finds the way through the maze, soon everyone would know. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
***Good point... Ignore my suggestion, it's not very good... [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:27, 2 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Life cycle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=balance change|
suggest_scope=NPC animals|
suggest_description=Currently the main way of leveling up is by killing things (i.e. NPCs & characters) I suggest there be some sort of life cycle for animals. For example, when there are massive amounts of tigers being killed less spawn. But if everybody leaves tigers alone, more spawn. If would look something like this:
:0-5% of animal type killed, x5 spawn rate
:6-15% of animal type killed, x2 spawn rate
:16-45% of animal type killed x1 spawn rate
:46-75% of animal type killed x0.5 spawn rate
:76-99% of animal type killed x0.1 spawn rate
:100% of animal type killed, animal is extinct
 This forces people to find alternative ways to gain Xp (possibly more lucrative ones?)|
suggest_time=03:22, 29 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

I have the funny feeling that animals would start going extinct, which would just be a pain. I'd rather not see this one implemented.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 15:50, 29 May 2006 (BST)
: Would work if there was a total animal population that was always kept, so if tigers start to become extinct more deer appear, but this would lead to an island of only elephants. Would also work if the animals that were extinct reemerged later on, then it would just be annoying. But the goal of "find alt ways to gain Xp" won't be realised via this manner - it would instead lead to more player vs player action. Instead of taking away our current methods, perhaps other methods of xp gaining could be added, like the agriculture skill, or some current activities could have an xp bonus (we get xp for uncovering trees, why not for finding fruits? Could trading become xp-worthy?).--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 16:47, 29 May 2006 (BST)
:: I don't know why we should force people to find the lucrative alternative ways to gain XP. Animals are extremely rare in some areas of Shartak, and PKing and PvP is common. Banshee wailing spam, punch-heal farming, and gratuitous healer orgies are annoying enough already. Basically, the non-healing/non-harming XP paths need to be more viable: XP for exploring, chopping, discovery, contacting foreign villages, and so on. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:01, 2 June 2006 (BST)


}}

===Moving through fully chopped down or overgrown jungle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Movement change|
suggest_scope=Every character in the game|
suggest_description=I sugget a change in the movement mechanics. It may not be approved by you, but I think it's logical. I wouls like to see a change that allows to reduce movement on fully chopped (d0) squares of jungle (I think that a reduction to 0,5 AP/move <s>(0,25 AP/move with Trekking skill)</s>, and an increase on (I think) squares ranging from d7 to d9 to 2 AP/move (1 AP/move with Trekking). D10 squares stay impossible to pass, until chopped. The logic says that when you have nothing under your feet except for ground you move faster, and in dense growth areas you walk slower. Such a change as I proposed may also need an adjustment in the jungle growth speed.|
suggest_time=22:15, 1 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like this, except the part about the trekking skill giving the ability to move 4 d(0) squares in one AP, that should definitely not be done. Maybe this: trekking should only apply to d(1) and up (the skill description says "faster movement through the jungle" anyway), and on d(0), all characters, whether trekking or not, should expend 0.5 AP to move onto another d(0) square. (note that if both of those changes are made it would not harm trekking-people, their AP-usage would be same as it is now.) One benefit of lowering movement cost on d(0) squares as far as game dynamics is concerned, is that it would make roads, the upkeep of roads, and the upkeep of towns (keeping towns free of jungle overgrowth), actually meaningful in a practical sense, by allowing for quicker travel. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 22:41, 1 June 2006 (BST)
** Exactly what I was going to say, Arminius. Trekking on a road would be absolutely incredible... so we just don't give trekkers any added bonus there.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:52, 1 June 2006 (BST)
***Understood, agreed, changing--[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]] 09:13, 2 June 2006 (BST)
*0.5 AP per square on roads (still 0.5 AP with Trekking). 2 AP per square on heavy jungle (1 AP with Trekking). Creates tangible effect for the Highway Society - Preservation Front conflicts. An absolutely brilliant suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:06, 2 June 2006 (BST)
* Nice idea. Tap tap tap.. try that.. I think it should be pretty much what you've said. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 19:40, 2 June 2006 (BST)
::Anyone agree that this has now been implemented and as such can be moved to [[Suggestions:Implemented]] ? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 12:15, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

===Message in a bottle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item, message system|
suggest_scope=All characters in Beach terrain|
suggest_description=Much like the "make signpost" action, creating a message in a bottle will only be available to players standing in Beach terrain. Unless the "Refillable containers" suggestion is implemented, to create a message in a bottle will require a bottle of beer, bottle of rum, or bottle of water and some newer items - parchment and charred driftwood or berry paint. There would be a textarea and a button, much like the existing message actions. Upon clicking the "make message" button, the items required are removed from the player's inventory and their text message is added to the database.

Although it would be neat to actually see the bottles floating in the water and following unique movement patterns, that would lead to some very cluttered areas. So instead the message in a bottle becomes a rare search result in Beach terrain.

When a player finds a message in a bottle the system generates a random number and selects the associated message to that number from the database. After reading the message, the player has the option to destroy or return the bottle. Destroying the message in a bottle removes it from the database. Returning it throws the bottle back into the sea to be found again. There should probably be a default message in the event that all the unique messages are destroyed or the search odds could be modified to reflect that there are no more messages in a bottle to be found.

Each message could also have a stat to display how many times the message was read before.|
suggest_time=05:33, 6 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Nice idea. I'd rather have the message bottle also be rare-findable in water. I think it'd be kind of neat to have some items found in water, even if only text messages generated by other players. The suggestion does await parchment, although I think that berries alone would be sufficient for ink ("you write in berry juice") rather than requiring a separate ink item. Implementing parchment might get a bit complicated - I'd prefer a very streamlined approach so that players aren't carrying around six (or 71) different message'd parchments at once. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:23, 16 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Map quest===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Quest|
suggest_scope=All characters, new NPCs|
suggest_description=There is a limited usefulness for the map for those without access to the mapping scripts. There is also a limited incentive for players to explore foreign camps. This suggestion provides a simple quest for players to hopefully address both issues.

Each town will possess a new NPC (or possibly a retooled home shaman or trader) that has a fragment of a map. The fragment will display the general vicinity around the camp. After a player interacts with the NPC and acquires a map fragment, they can view map.html and see two new buttons: "view torn map" and "compare maps". "View torn map" will display the collection of map fragments acquired by the player. "Compare maps" will overlay the player's personal map on top of the torn map.

I imagine the map fragments to resemble the parchment look featured in the game logo, but each camp might use a different medium or writing implement which will give the torn map a patchwork appearance.

The map fragments will not take up any inventory space and not even be listed in the inventory. On a character's profile page it may be possible to display their progress with the quest: (1/7 map fragments).

Obviously, having just the area of the camps mapped out will leave some large missing chunks in the torn map. There could be a hermit NPC that will complete the torn map once each fragment is obtained. The complete map can also have the feature of unlocking new territory. Talking to special elder NPCs will mark the map with locations that are viewable and enterable only by those with complete, marked maps.|
suggest_time=19:53, 6 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Sure, this makes sense to me. Ideally, the special code (possibly including search outcomes, NPC interactions, non-item flags in character data, and so forth) would be generic enough so that it could also be borrowed to implement treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, secret locations, and other future plot-lines in Shartak. A Shartak map itself, even complete, would just show the same info that can be found via web or wiki, so it is not going to harm game balance. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:27, 16 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Living countermeasures against spirits===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill, balance change|
suggest_scope=Everyone who's sick of the gathering of banshees in their medical supply houses|
suggest_description=As spirits become more angry and desire ever-more the blood of the mortals around them, the shamans of the island have begun to develop ways to put them to flight or at least guard their fellow islanders against the terror that these ghosts inspire. In the course of circulating this information between the villages of Raktam, Dalpok, and Wiksik, however, it has been intercepted by outsider spies and delivered to the developing scientific communities that exist in the outsiders' camps.

To be concise, we've got a ghost problem in Shartak. I'm not sure how many villages this goes on in, but it seems that the spirits of the dead have taken up residence in the healers' hut of my beloved village of Wiksik. There are many living men and women also inside of this little abode, and all of us suffer from the shrieks and howls of the angry spectres, day after day. Some of our most skilled medicine-men have even lost their lives, struck dead from horror while they slept.

So, my suggestion?

I'm thinking about something around the lines of "spirit exorcism" skill that can be learned and used by shamans/scientist to banish spirits from whatever urban areas they inhabit. In order for this to be used, the individual must be in the same square as the spirit, in the village or camp that he/she originated from, and sense the spirit's presence. When used, the spirit will be flung out of the village/camp a long ways, perhaps 10 or 20 squares. This, I think, would be a reasonable answer to ghosts that find no better purpose in the afterlife than to haunt important huts in villages and try to scare the inhabitants to death...

(FYI, the Wiksik healing hut has 2 such spectres, and they're getting to be kinda irritating.)

Another such idea would be a "spirit ward" skill, also only usable by shamans and scientists, that would slow a spirit's movement and reduce the effectiveness of its attacks in the presence of a the shaman who holds the skill.

Another idea is that such a skill would allow the user to create wards out of certain types of items, that would be placed like a signpost in a square and produce a similar effect as above. This would last a finite amount of time before falling apart, and could be destroyed by mortals.|
suggest_time=19:54, 1 July 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Tenebrys|Tenebrys]]|
suggest_comments=


YES. I like this one. Spirits are annoying. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:27, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

: Yes, 100%. To clarify: (1) Banshee wailers are unlikely to earn even 90 xp per day since the xp nerf, so spirit abuse isn't the problem. (2) Mortals who spend an AP or two each day to STEP OUTSIDE THE HUT take no damage from wailing (shaman chanting protects them), so "suffering" by mortals too lazy to spend 2 in each 72 AP protecting themselves is not the problem. (3) Living characters who spend their entire lives in the Medical Hut searching for FAKs (Healing Herbs) and healing each other easily earn 150 xp per day with no risk and no interaction. (Even death is nothing but a 30 AP inconvenience.) My adventuring character has visited Dalpok with GPS units but gained no XP, while my Medical Hut XP Farmer has gone nowhere, done nothing, and gained 5 experience levels in 2 weeks. Solution 1: Scientists/Shamans get an Exorcism skill to blast spirits 20 away in a random direction. Solution 2: Advanced spirits get an AP-intensive skill that allows them to prohibit use of healing items in their current location. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 18:24, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

:: Banshee wailers don't really contribute anything to the game, as most of the ones I have seen simply spam the wail. I'm honestly not sure what purpose they serve beyond providing a lot of spam and some opertunity for an alternate way to gain XP besides combat. I would also disagree that healers do not interact, as there is often times conversation being held as well as healing other characters. Many times there remains no one to be healed in herbal/medical huts, so healers with take a trip outside to heal anyone they can find injured in the village. Honestly, I see it as a lot more interactive than simply running around and killing animals. So the question is, what role are spirits supposed to have in the game? Are they supposed to be a substainable pseudo-class or are they supposed to be a diversion from the living side of the game? I'm fine with either one, but if they are supposed to be a pseudo-class then I think they need something more than just a skill-branch which allows you to annoy people, as well as there would need to be a means by which living characters can forcibly deal with them. --[[User:Shosuro|Shosuro]] 3 July 2006

Ok, so does exorcism:
* banish just one spirit from the location?
* have a fairly high chance of banishing each spirit?
* have a fairly high change of banishing one spirit?
Whilst I can see shamans having this skill, and scientists having a similar skill with the same effect, would characters need to find an item such as a bible or a charm as well as having the skill in order to perform the ritual?

I think we're now at the point where this is likely to be the next thing added so get the ideas in! Wasn't there another section with a similar theme somewhere? Perhaps they should be merged. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 12:25, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

:Items necessary to perform an exorcismal ritual? Yes, I think so. At least -something- should have to be scrounged up or traded for, if shamans/scientists are to have such powers over the supernatural world...

:Looking around, I hadn't seen any articles that had similar such intentions, though. At any rate...

:As long as the items are available, exorcism should have a pretty high chance of getting rid of a spirit that is haunting an area. The odds should be such that a single spirit usually won't require more than two attempts at being cast out. If there is more than one spirit in the area, it might take multiple attempts before they're all gone; otherwise, as long as the exorcist is in the vicinity of ghosts and has the correct exorcismal supplies, he/she won't have all that much trouble getting rid of them.

:I can see this skill taking a good deal more than just one AP, though. Maybe three or five...

:As for the specific items? A bible and a candle or two would be sufficient for men versed in the religions of western civilization to carry out their duties when it comes to driving away supernatural beings. Natives, however, have different methods of dealing with ghosts and spectres they find -- their ceremonies may well make use of healing herbs burnt as offerings, driftwood used for talismans to ward off the dead, and even maybe a poisonous snake to help adorn a witch-doctor during ritual dances.

:Not sure if I'm going too far here, though... I haven't thought TOO deeply into the specifics of this skill. Others, especially shamans and scientists, feel free to add on... but stay rational. Not sure if I did the same... --[[User:Tenebrys|Tenebrys]] 22:22, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

:My preference would be to let a scientist or shaman exorcise one random spirit from their location for 1 AP and with a chance of reduced effectiveness (displacement of the spirit). The exorcism could be more effective if it took place near the exorciser's home camp and less effective if it took place near the spirit's home camp. (E.g., ''if (rand() > distToExorciserCampShaman/(distToExorciserCampShaman+distToSpiritCampShaman)) success=true''. This plays into myths of ghosts having homes/haunts that they prefer. I suppose displacement could be non-random and based simply upon the ratio just mentioned in italics, but the mysterious nature of an exorcism would practically demand unpredictability.) I wouldn't require any items and would certainly not cause items to be used up by exorcisms, because I think it makes less sense for spirit-world interaction to be a matter of potions and incense than for it to occur in a certain mental state (reached through intense concentration by scientists and chanting by shamans; the skill would be the same, but the flavor text would differ).

:I suppose I should mention that I'm trying to imagine spirits as existing in an alternate, simultaneous realm, not as misty apparitions capable of bumping things in the night and creating sound waves. (I guess that means screams, shrieks and wails damage a player's health by damaging their psyche and thus weakening their spirit-body connection, or something.) If anyone can provide a consistent (if fantastic) explanation of spirits in classical and/or Caribbean mythology, this might be a good place to do so. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 04:40, 10 July 2006 (UTC)

The previous discussion was tucked away on the Suggestion Talk page where it wasn't very visible. [[Talk:Suggestions#Exorcism|Exorcism]]. I'm not sure if merging is necessary, but some of the discussion there can carry over here. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:02, 10 July 2006 (UTC)

:The AP cost of Exorcism can be compared to Success-Likelihood * Number-Affected * Distance-Displaced. Sending a spirit 15-40 squares away in a random direction seems like a good idea (imho they should land out of sight of the camp). This will cost the spirit 15-40 AP to recoup. To charge the same amount to the scientist/shaman, we could use an AP cost of (e.g.) 4 per Exorcism combined with a 25%-10% chance of Exorcism success. Unless Exorcism gives an XP reward, tho, there isn't much incentive to use it ... So with no XP reward, I'd be happier with a cheaper and more effective Exorcism skill. For example, cost could be 3-5 AP, and effectiveness could be 40%-50% (for example, 40% chance on one spirit, then if successful 40% chance on another spirit, and so on, if you want a very slight chance to banish multiple spirits). Certain charms (such as the Silver Cross for Outsiders/Outsider Knowledge) could either be necessary pre-requisites, or perhaps greatly increase the ritual's effectiveness. Perhaps the charm or cross is used to bless fresh water, which in turn becomes able to be consumed in Exorcism. I support more complex item interaction -- Shartak would benefit from item-dependent skills. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:09, 10 July 2006 (UTC)

::It'd be least jarring for players if successes seemed related to the odds of utter failure (i.e., no "failure, big success, big success, failure" stuff); for example, the odds might be 20% for a complete miss, 20% for a displacement of 1 to 3 squares, 20% for a displacement of 4 to 8 squares, 20% for a displacement of 9 to 15 squares, and 20% for a displacement of 16 to 25 squares. To get such an exponential distribution, get a random number from 0 to 5, square it, round it down, and displace the spirit by that number. In practice, this would mean a displacement of 20 or more squares would occur just 10% of the time, and the (mean) average displacement (if I did the integration properly) would be about 8 squares. Since exorcism will be the only way for a living player to harm a spirit, and assuming there will be no XP gain for using the skill, I think a cost of 1 AP per exorcism will be fine. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 03:18, 12 July 2006 (UTC)

:::Elembis gives another good method of implementing exorcism (Equivalently, you can generate a random number 0 to 1, then multiply by 25, then round down). From my perspective: In fine literary (movie?) tradition, I was envisioning an exorcism as an event that either works spectacularly or fails utterly (on any particular spirit). I can't think of many exorcism examples where the spirit is driven out of the bedroom into the stairway or the breakfast nook. So I'd be happier with an exorcism that kicked 15+ squares (or none at all). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:59, 13 July 2006 (UTC)


}}

===Trading Hut Prices That Reward Foreign Travel===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=trading hut item pricing change|
suggest_scope=trading hut item prices|
suggest_description='''Problem:''' the Trading Huts reward characters who sit at home, and penalize characters who travel to foreign encampments. It is well-established that a character can earn 36+ gold coins per day by sitting at home and dumping at the local trader. Since camps are several days journey apart, foreign camps have to promise +72 gold coins of '''extra profit''' -- not just trade value, but trade value over and above the trade value in the local trading hut.

''Not viable:'' Changing the First-Aid Kit find rate in the Medical Hut is not a solution. Local dumping can be performed from the Medical Hut, the Ammo Hut, the Treasure Hold, a Mango Tree, or even by recycling the Trader's inventory. Reducing particular find rates will harm the game in various ways, but will never improve the desirability of foreign travel. (Unless certain desired items are not locally available at all, such as GPS Units, Gems, Charms, the Heavy Sword, and so on.)

''Not viable:'' Tweaking short-stock and long-stock pricing is not a solution. Stock-based pricing makes foreign travel vastly more risky and undesirable -- characters are encouraged to stay at their home camp and take advantage of known shortages, rather than risk carting stock overland for days to a foreign camp, only to have a single character dump enough to destroy the demand-inventory. And in order to obtain profit levels that would justify a two-day journey, demand prices would have to be absolutely ridiculous -- surely 10 or 20 times the normal pricing.

'''Solution:''' Prices in the Trading Hut should reward you based upon the distance you've traveled. By directly addressing the issue, the solution is guaranteed to work. Here's how it happens:

(1) Characters who are new to a foreign Trading Hut receive a very beneficial exchange rate, perhaps for a full day or so. "How exciting! It's not often that I see a new face around here. Do you have any items that you'd like to trade?"

(2) After a character has spent several days in the same Trading Hut, even in a foreign camp, the local trader becomes bored, and the trade rate returns to normal. This encourages the trading character to move on. "You're becoming a familiar sight around here. Haven't I already seen what you have to offer?"

(3) Characters who farm the Medical Hut in their home encampment and repeatedly dump items to their own trader receive the poorest exchange rate. "You do realize that there's an entire island out there to explore, don't you?"

This entire process could be implemented using a single hidden character flag, that contains a time-stamp and a camp name. Whenever the character interacts with a different Trader (in a new camp), the flag updates. If the player is newly interacting with a foreign trader (timestamp <24 hours old), the trade rate is Favorable. If the player is interacting long-term with the same foreign trader (timestamp >24 hours) or is newly interacting with their home camp (timestamp <24 hours), the trade rate is Normal. If the player is interacting repeatedly with their home trader (timestamp >24 hours), the rate is Unfavorable.

Although these favorable/unfavorable trade values might not be sufficient to make travelers wealthy, at least implementing this suggestion will encourage travel and reward greater interaction in Shartak.

Note that this suggestion could be stacked on top of the current long/short and language-based pricing systems. Or this suggestion could fully replace the long/short pricing rules.|
suggest_time=01:19, 11 July 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]]|
suggest_comments=


I quite like this idea. Farming behavior is not much fun for anyone, and games that encourage it can suffer in popularity simply because the best course of action for the character is the most boring one for the player. Also, since player interaction is the whole point of multiplayer games, all antisocial behavior should perhaps be discouraged and should certainly not be profitable. We can always use more active (and interacting) players. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 05:14, 11 July 2006 (UTC)
Yeah, I agree. It gives you a reason to, you know... Move? It would really liven the game up a bit. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 18:51, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-07-02T17:27:38Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Living countermeasures against spirits */

{{Suggestions header|page_type=Game Mechanics}}

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

*Conversion doesn't have to be forced. It could require action on both sides, like a native doning a religious item and an outsider using the skill on that native. After all, conversion isn't real without true faith. The native counter to this could be similar, requiring an outsider to die holding a packet of that headshrinking powder while a shaman uses the Zombification (ala Haitian witchcraft) skill. -- frisco

*You don't change class or anything when you die. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:31, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

*I gave a response t othis idea under "Holy Scriptures," I think, offering another idea for it that may piss a lot less people off. *points over there*--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:15, 29 March 2006 (BST)
----

=== Capturing villages ===
Since this is like some war between Outsiders and Natives I thought this appropriate. If all the (say) Outsiders are killed in York and there are none left, then it becomes a Native village and vice versa. Probably needs harder requirements to capture settlements though. Maybe each side could have one permanent place that can never change hands? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:Not sure about this - what about all the idle players within the village? They might "wake up" after a couple of weeks to find they're in enemy territory. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:00, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

:You could have it so idle players goto the nearest friendly village-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:58, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

:Turf control in a limited AP browser game like this just invites lame zerging behavior. I don't like it. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:00, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:Not villages, perhaps 3x3 square 'forts'? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 01:10, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:I do like the idea, but I think Jackel's observation hits a key point. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

:Agreed with Jackel and Lint and Simon. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT) Additionally:
::* Please don't impose your assumption that Shartak is at heart a "war between Outsiders and Natives" on the rest of us. That is not the only possible direction in which this game can go. For example, an Outsider village might turn out to be populated by a trading company that views the other Outsider villages as competitors whose extermination would be good for business, but it could just as easily develop into a peaceful scientific outpost, a pirate haven of drunken debauchery, or a missionary settlement devoted to finding the Natives and learning their language (gotta spread that old time religion). I believe it would be better to keep the objectives more freeform, and let the players create the course of history. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
::* On a hopefully more helpful and positive note, one could simulate/approximate capturing a village by amassing an army of suitable size, carving messages of ownership all over the territory of the village in question, killing all members of the village, and repeatedly killing the village shaman so they can't get back as easily. (Ouch. I hope no armchair megalomaniacs out there have been taking notes.) --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Unique skills ===
I think that each class should start off with one unique skill that the others may never aquire. That way it stops all the classes from becoming too generic. For example Settlers could have a "farming" skill, Soldiers could have a "bravery" skill, etc. Or mabey they could just have a attribute like Soldiers have an extra 10% chance of striking the target, Warriors have an extra 10% chance of finding animals, Settlers have an extra 10% chance of finding an item, Scouts have a 3% chance of recovering 1 HP per AP spent, etc. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:34, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I am in favor of this (if it is not in effect currently). We'd have to work out the details to make sure each class is getting their fair share, but something that encourages players to try other classes or team up with other players using different classes for a better playing experience sounds good to me. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
:I am in favor of each class being able to acquire (but not necessarily starting off with) a unique skill or attribute that the others may never acquire. Sounds to me like the kind of thing that would be unlocked as one's reward for a rite of passage, rather than granted as a right of birth. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 12:53, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
:Perhaps a Research skill of some kind for the Scientist, maybe allowing them an advantage when doing things with dead animals (would need something to do with dead animals, obviously!).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:09, 16 March 2006 (GMT)
:Pirates should have a skill to steal their fallen enemies' gold coins. Arr. Would probably result in a lot of outsider in-fighting, though, and outsiders are currently outnumbered.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 29 March 2006 (BST)
:I agree with this as well. It seems Shartak is on the way to giving each class their own benefits (Soldiers/Warriors with gun skills, Settlers/Villagers with animal affinity etc.), but so far only a few have been made unique. At present there is really no point to being a scientist. He starts with 10 gold coins... what the? So I'm pushing for each class to have at least one unique skill they can purchase with XP. --[[User:Rip Purr|Rip Purr]] 11:50, 3 June 2006 (BST)
----

=== Pet System ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=I will combine aspects of the '''Animal''' and '''Pirate''' suggestions and propose a pet system that allows you to tame one of the animals on the island. First, you have to weaken the animal. Then you throw a sphere device at it and shout "SHARTAK SPHERE! GO!" for 1 AP. There's a slight chance that you have captured and tamed the animal. The more powerful the animal, the less success chance. You earn no XP for taming an animal. Players can only have 1 pet at a time. They can release a pet whenever they want. If the owner dies, the pet runs away. Pets have fixed HP, attack, and accuracy based on the type of animal they are (ie. they do not level up or heal, just to keep it simple to design). They follow the player around and only attack when the player attacks. It would be nice if they attacked while you were not playing, but auto-defense mechanisms are unnecessary. Enemy animals randomly determine whether they are attacking the owner or the pet. Other players will have an option for targeting the owner or pet. There is no XP gained for attacking or killing a pet to deter any attempts at farming pet killing (I can't believe we even have to consider preventing such a thing). For added flavor, owners can name their pets.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*ROTFL. Sounds a bit like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh (don't worry, I'm not a fan, I have kids that were!). Perhaps instead of spheres, you could keep the monkeys on a leash, heal a tiger or elephant to make it less likely to attack you, tame deer by feeding them, etc. Some animals like the wild boar would have to be pretty difficult to tame. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:14, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*I was with you right up until you got to the "sphere device" bit, and I rejoined you afterwards. ;) The rest of your suggestion otherwise seems to be pretty well thought out. Personally, I'd prefer to attempt to tame the animal into becoming a pet purely by offering it food, rather than "weakening" it by other means. Especially since food is scarce enough that offering it to an animal would be a real sacrifice and therefore an interesting decision for the player to make. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:49, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*I will confess that I had a lot of fun with the references. The problem I have with using an existing item to tame a pet is how to implement it. The player can't click on the fruit, because that will just heal themselves. And I think it is unecessary to redesign fruits like First Aid Kits and Medical Herbs, just so they can feed it to an animal. And a database check to see if the player possesses a fruit before providing a "tame" command seems awkward. Perhaps there is just one item called "animal bait" (from the Trade Hut most likely). It works much like a FAK or Herb, but can only be applied to animals (though there will be a "Yourself" option by default for those players that decide they enjoy the taste). Animals will then have a value called "tame count" in the database. For each successful feeding, this number is incremented. When a specific number is reached, the monster is successfully tamed. If a monster is killed, the number is reset to 0. Acquiring a pet should not reduce the population of animals on the island (ie. one should respawn to take its place). Furthermore, those with '''Animal Affinity''' should have a better taming success rate. (This is another attempt to give Villagers and Settlers a little boost.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*This idea, while somewhat interesting, is not very realitic. The animals of the island are wild. In reality, tigers, elephants, deer, "WILD boars" etc can only be made LESS WILD by extensive and careful training and handling when they are young, not be tamable by any means, certainly not enough to follow a person around and fight on their behalf. Maybe it would be possible with parrots and monkeys, but if Simon is going to implement changes, I'd rather see some of the more believable ones first. I do agree with Lint that it would give more value to '''Animal Affinity'''. Animal attacks, even from a tiger or elephant (which would realistically be very dangerous) are hardly to be feared, making this skill currently seem pretty useless.

* ''The following is a Pet suggestion made by [[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]] on 21:47, 24 March 2006:''

as the name reades, simply have "pets" as a survivor living in the jungle, my first instinct would be to find support, in this case we could add a "tame animal" button, which would be clicked to tame an animal, the starting catching % would be something like 10% and could be improved the more the animal is damaged, like at 1hp, if full health was 10hp then you'd have 55% of catching it, (i added 5% for every 10% missing from the creature's health)
this could also be improved with new skills such as

+Amateur Catching Skills (adds 10%)
+Catching Skills (adds 15%, doesnt stack)
+Taming Skills (adds 30%)

+Net (adds 10%, does stack)

certain animals could be ridden, other would do funny things or find objects for you, ex:
Mr. Bobo the monkey finds a bottle of rum in your pocket "gee i didnt know i had that"

elephants, large stags, and tigers could be ridden, small stags would haveto grow up before being ridden, after like, 10 days, or 20 kills they would mature, its all just theory...

parrots could become like flares, ex: Mr. TweetTweet flies towards you and drops a message "help, im at X, Y and there's a native village!"

the parrot could also say messages randomly, players (upon catching a parrot) would be given 10 slots and would type things into them, the parrots would randomly say one, ex:
you attack elephant, Mr. TweetTweet says "polly want a cracker"

animals could also act like extra space, like a backpack, if you will.
animals are named upon capture.

}}

=== Profile Effect Items ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=Inventory and profiles|
suggest_description=These are useless baubles that take up 1 unit of a player's inventory space, but if anyone views their profile they will see that the players possesses the item. Using the item won't accomplish anything and merely produce flavor text. However, if a player is in the presence of another player, using the item would show it off. As with all items, there's no way to trade them with other players. We can have eyepatches and peglegs. We can have tribal masks and warpaint. Maybe some clans would require a certain dress code. Maybe they need 30 pieces of flair. I think it provides an outlet for the less serious gamers. Problems: Serious gamers might be plagued with finding such items and dropping them, wasting (in their opinion) AP and Page Hits. Also, arguing over what items fit with the theme of Shartak will be a headache-inducing process.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like this suggestion. How about finding the pieces of the masks and making your own - combine the baubles with mini-quests? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
:For example, to make the sacred warrior mask of Raktam, you must find 5 parrot feathers, a tiger tooth, some berries and a piece of driftwood that can be carved into the appropriate shape with a knife or dagger. Once you have all those items, you get a "create mask" option which then removes the required items and the mask appears in your inventory (and profile).
::Having the database check to see if they have all the ingredients seems a bit unwieldly. After every action or inventory use it might have to run the check to verify that they are alive, still have the items, etc. I'd just settle for having them take the items to a specific NPC. But yes, a mixing quest would be fun. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
***No, you could easily set it up so that no demands were placed on the server. For example, a recipe that required 5 parrot feathers, berries, driftwood, knife/dagger, and a tiger tooth might only activate upon clicking a tiger tooth amulet: "You try to assemble your Tiger Fetish, but you are missing 3 parrot feathers." In my opinion, there should be hidden flags for characters as well, "visited cave-in", "visited oasis", and so on, so that players would have to discover the Tiger Fetish recipe / assembly process first: by visiting some secret tunnel network, "Engraved on the stone walls is an elaborate recipe for assembling a Tiger Fetish, requiring ..." (if you are fluent at reading Native). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 13:59, 23 June 2006 (UTC)

* I just hope that this idea motivates players to try new things ("I'm going to join a clan that wears such-and-such a mask and attack the others! Yarr!") and not feel that the game is just about collecting items ("Well, I got all the masks. I guess I'm done with the game."). --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

*Maybe the different masks have different effects, from some simple ones (attracting/scaring animals, making them less likely to attack or easier to hit) to the downright blatavt video game reference that turns you into a huge brown rocky guy who can punch boulders apart. OK, maybe not the second one. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:53, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think that's something to be worked on in a separate suggestion. The point of this suggestion is to make useless "fancy hats" that neither add or take away from the established gameplay. However, in the eyes of certain players, they may be invaluable because of how they can incorperate such items into their goals and roleplaying. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:52, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
::Bumping this good suggestion. Let's have some cowrie shells! (And The_Conch(tm), see next suggestion.) The barren ruins and huts seem so sad and pathetic right now, they need some wacky useless trinkets to tide us over... Maybe we need shovels to dig for treasure, too. Yarr! --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 06:06, 10 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Conch Shell Hunt ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, minigame|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=''Capture the Flag''-ish minigame. Somewhere on the island is a single conch shell item. It can be found by searching anywhere. It takes 1 inventory space and appears when anyone views their profile. When the conch holder is in the presence of other players, flavor text is added to the area description to inform the others that the conch holder is in the area. If the person in possession of the conch drops it, dies, or is idle for more than 5 days, the conch returns to the system. The person who holds the conch the longest gets recognized in the statistics. Killing the conch holder earns special bonus XP. Adept conch holder killers may also be recognized in the statistics. Problems: Someone with multiple characters could take advantage of having the conch on one character and reap the XP and fame with another. There will be a point where a race condition will occur and might result in multiple conches and a broken game.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* This kind of thing has been on my ideas list, although this is much more detailed version than the one-liner I had. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*''I'' have the conch! I'm allowed to speak! *ahem* I mean, um... >.>--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:21, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Suggestions: (1) Skip bonus for the conch-killer and you remove incentive to zerg. (2) Have the conch break when the conch-bearer dies (respawns on a random beach) and you remove the race condition. (3) Give the conch-bearer an action to blow into the Conch. (You hear the booming echo of a conch being sounded to the south-east.) Maybe 50% chance of 1xp each time you blow the conch, just to give you incentive to attract attention to yourself. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:31, 23 April 2006 (BST)


}}

=== Know your foes ===
As a native, I get killed a lot by outsiders, but I just can't strike back when I come back to life, as nothing allows me to identify my agressors amongst the outsiders I meet. I expected some basic language skill to give me access to clickable outsiders profiles, but it doesn't. So. I don't like much the fact that, in this game, the only alternative you have is "attack random outsiders" or "attack none". I'd like to be able to protect myself without being too unfair to peaceful outsiders (and being part of some snowball effect).

This would be partly solved by some profile access (allowing to check people's amount of human kills), or some limited displayed info on the present players (it would make -almost- sense for natives to automatically carry visible scalps or shrunken head of their victims, but I'm not sure how to justify the kills display in the case of outsiders, despite of the fact white men were actually quite fond of indian scalps at some time). Another useful tool would be some urban-dead-like contact list.

Of course, ideally (but absurdly) the most useful stat to be able to see would be the number of kills of people without human kills at the moment of their death, but... -- Leaf

''Comments''
Perhaps seeing the profile of someone on the opposite side if you or they have the advanced language skill would be good, it would be cool to hang around with some natives without worrying about aggressors. --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:30, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

If you had a contact list and some way to target individuals on your list ala Urban Dead, I'm guessing that would probably help. Not so sure about the scalp display approach. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:36, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

A contact list would be quite useful in Shartak. But also being able to read profiles, maybe through an "observe" button and scroll-down menu. For the moment, people just hit each other once, hoping to miss, in order to get a link to the other guy's profile. There must be a more rationnal way to quench this curiosity. -- Gone 13:36, 10 May 2006 (GMT+1)

* Basic contact list functionality added. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:08, 23 June 2006 (UTC)
----

=== Forest Fire ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, natural disasters|
suggest_scope=Terrain|
suggest_description=This is a potential temporary minigame that will either lead to players to band together and save the island or perhaps just lead to all-out chaos. A fire script is created which designates one block as fire (it is identified by a little fire.gif in the background). Every 20 minutes the fire script will check if there is <del>Grassland or</del> Jungle nearby with density from 1-10. If there is, it spreads to the next block. It will not spread to any other terrain (including villages and ruins). Thus, the best way to prevent the spread of the fire is by chopping vegetation down to 0. The initial fires will be placed randomly around the island. Actions performed in a fire occupied space deal 2 damage. For this event to be more devious, there should be a means to quickly restore vegetation (dropping driftwood, planting fruit, watering with gourds).|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like some things about this suggestion, I think it could work really nicely if there was also a rain algorithingamajig, so that maybe, if some part of the island dried out, wildfires could break out, or if it rained too much villages could flood and get swamped. Its a neat idea. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 04:55, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
* I like the idea of rain and fire, however there's no telling if the server would handle the database access/calculations required when the number of players gets into the range that Urban Dead has. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** I thought it might be a bit much. Ah well. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** Not the idea of fire itself, that may well be quite feasible. I meant having rain causing flooding, or not enough rain leading to fires might be a bit awkward.. unless I can think of some way to reduce the work that needs to be done regularly. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:38, 18 March 2006 (GMT)
* Maybe fires could also destroy huts, and then there could be a skill to rebuild them. Maybe even give people the ability to start their own fires. It might make for interesting tribal wars. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:22, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Imagine what would happen if an ammo hut caught on fire!--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 04:32, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** I kind of wanted to restrict fires to the Jungle (removed my Grasslands comment from the original suggestion) since a lot of Huts provide resources for starting players and players that have just been revived. I think it would be unfair to prevent them with the opportunity to gather supplies. As a tactic, it may also be unfair. Native villages appear to be completely surrounded by burnable Jungle, while Outsider villages are bordered by the Beach. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:46, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Good point. The pirates would be completely free of burning too. I still think a way to temporarily damage structures could be fun -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 19:59, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** As a general rule, real world jungles don't burn terribly well, although there are a few notable exceptions (such as the Indonesian forest fires in 1997-98). Grasslands, however, burn quite regularly, and in fact such fires are necessary for the good health of the grass. Fire kills off sapling trees in the area which would otherwise grow to the point that they overshadowed and killed the grass. I don't know whether the game has any grasslands large enough to make this kind of thing interesting, though. --[[User:Jackdaw|Jackdaw]] 15:55, 25 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== The Ghost Elephant ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, miniboss|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=Somewhere on the island is an animal that exists purely as a temporary event. The Legendary Ghost Elephant - in reality, an aggressive albino pachyderm of incredible size - is said to roam the island of Shartak. Some Natives revere it, others desire to be recorded as the one who slayed it. Some Outsiders wish to study it, others desire to have it as a trophy. It behaves much like any other elephant on Shartak. However, it has a different label, an unfathomable amount of HP, and deals horrific damage. If you heal the Ghost Elephant with a FAK or Herbs, you receive double XP. And to further serve a challenge, don't place an HP cap on the Ghost Elephant, just give it a starting amount. If possible, a log of all actions performed on the Ghost Elephant should be kept by the server and revealed in the event that it dies.|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Ha! I like this one, Lint, and simple to implement. It should really have a boatload of HP, as I think few will consider expending valuable healing items on it, when its far easier (and more rewarding) to hack away at it for 40 AP then make a run for it! --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 16:42, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*Arr! I would ride that ghost beast like a horse jus' fer fun, then slay 't t' sell its tusks t' them outsiders an' th' meat t' them natives. --[[User:El Pirata Cofresi|El Pirata Cofresi]] 17:46, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*In the Congo they refer to it as Mokele Mbembe - he who stops the flow of rivers - and it is rumoured to be a lost dinosaur. The island could do with some cryptozoology. Would this creature be able to disappear or hide or move incredibly fast? If not, then once one person finds it, they can just call everyone over to the same square. This kind of defeats the mythical aspect as well as adding potential server problems. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 18:24, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*I should make the animals attack back in near-realtime first (as in you attack them and they may or may not get an attack in).. just to add a bit of interest to it and stop people running up to the creature and hacking and then running away. Making an animal with an almost unlimited number of HP would be possible.. I guess probably start it with at least double a normal elephant and max of about a thousand HP to prevent people healing it to the point where it'd be impossible to kill. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 18:37, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*It could be cool, especially if it moved around in a way that made tracking it possible, maybe by destroying the foliage, or moving in a pattern. Also having it move might help keep people from all winding up in one square beating it up. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:41, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
**I've tried to offset the game's focus on combat by encouraging healing (double XP may be too much of a reward, so I'm willing to remove that), but that alone will most likely be not enough to counter the horde of blood-thirsty savages! Healing with the Herbs and FAKs may actually be seen as healing the Ghost Elephant spiritually rather than merely physically, which is why it's health can grow high. I don't see a problem if it became near-unkillable. I like keeping some myths and legends around. I thought that it would be best if it traveled like an elephant, but it is true that it limits the people that are able to participate in the event. Perhaps it should "teleport", after a certain amount of time in an area - "A wall of fog sweeps in through jungle. When it fades, you see that the Ghost Elephant has vanished as well." I requested for a log of actions to determine who killed it, who attacked it the most, who healed it the most, and who got hurt the most. Also, rather than a recurring animal, I thought it would be best to release it as an event that occurs every now and then. Or maybe only once! --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
***Hmm, when the elephant reappears, it should give a loud trumpet which can be heard over a certain radius to increase the chance of players coming across it. Unless of course players would prefer that it were more stealthy. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:25, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*I like it. And of course, you needn't stick to land animals; a mysterious sea creature that patrols the island waters and is reported to be 30ft long could prompt more people to vernture into the waters for a glimpse/trophy etc. Sharks will also be a problem for those searching! --[[User:Malphas|Malphas]] 15:52, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

*I ''love'' this idea.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 28 March 2006 (BST)

*Great idea!--[[User:Paradox244|Paradox244]] 21:04, 24 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Auto Attack ===
I've never liked the fact that while I am away from the game, things can happen to my character, like being chewed on by a tiger or slashed with a machette. How about a setting where you can turn your character on to auto attack anything that hits you. It should, of course, be user selected. This would change the game mechanics a bit, as you could no longer move in on a target and attack it withough fear of a counter-strike. To me this is far more realistic, in that even if you are sleeping, when somebody hits you, you're going to wake up and do something about it with whatever engery you have left.

An alternative selectable action might be an auto-run. You can pre-specify the direction you want to run and how many squares upon being hit. A character with trekking could stay alive just by running a few square whenever they are hit.
--[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 02:34, 20 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* The main problem with this is that players will be discouraged from attacking other players, as this will become extremely dangerous, and the native warrior who wants the outsiderts out will effectively be penalised.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:47, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sorry, but I don't like this. I feel that that this will lead to interactions with players that are no different than interacting with an NPC. Could someone theoretically max themselves out by just leaving this option on and checking in every now and then to make sure they haven't become a spirit? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:28, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Yeah, I'm not a fan of being able to do something by not doing something, such as fighting or running without being there to fight or run. Also, would it be free of AP and IP hits, or would it be possible to come back and have no AP or hits left? It seems like these problems would wreck any sort of auto action. I can understand not enjoying being macheted while away, but I don't see any way around this. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:20, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* I must admit that I don't like the idea all that much, but if it was implemented it would probably be something that was user configurable. I don't think running away would make sense, but fighting back does. For example, no more than X AP to be used fighting back until you next log back in, and they wouldn't be used unless you had more than Y AP left. This way you could set X to 10 and Y to 6 and if you ran out of AP, set those values, it would be 2 hours (6 x 20m) before you were likely to attack, and it would use no more than 10 AP fighting back. Because the values are configurable, it would be hard to know who would fight back and who wouldn't. Setting X to 0 would disable the feature. I think probably the attacks would gain XP if successful, same as normal, but because you wouldn't be able to set the number of AP to use to more than your max AP value, it would be impossible to level up a character by simply leaving them alone (not to mention you would disappear from the map after being idle for a bit). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:01, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* i like the idea of counterattack , but with some limits. You have only a % of counterattacking someone (25%?) , you don't consume AP , you don't get XP. But , whit wich weapon do you attack?--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:05, 27 March 2006 (BST)
* The impetus behind auto-attack is to lessen the chance and impact of Badness happening to your character while you're away, but auto-attack isn't the proper solution to this. Shartak's appropriate skill would be jungle hiding, though a construction skill would work too, if we want to be more like that other game. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* What the animals are doing now is basically what I was saying should be an option for players. In fact, now that the animals counter-attack, it's become far more safe to attack a high-level soldier than it is to attack a parrot. All the more reason to implement this feature. It will also introduce more strategy into gameplay, such as how many AP to reserve for counter attacks, etc. It could be as simple as: enable auto-attack (toggle), if enabled, select weapon (pull-down menu), select AP to stop self-defense (pull-down?). If you select 0, you'd attack until exhausted or they left. If you select some non-zero, you'd attack until you were down to that amount. I kill a lot of other players, but I still say this would be very good for game mechanics, especially considering the new animal behavior. --[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 06:00, 1 June 2006 (GMT)
** I would only agree with that one if it was only against animals. I don't think auto-defense was a good idea ''at all'', but now that it's in, I think that ours should only work against NPCs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:11, 1 June 2006 (BST)
*** Unfortunately this could only exacerbate the Banshee Wailing Spam problems. An auto-defense option is worthless against spirits, and Banshee Wails could easily be the leading cause of damage and death in Shartak (during May 2006). Implement Exorcism before worrying about AP-costs and pull-down-menus for melee parry defense systems. --20:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)
**** Exactly. Actually, I've been thinking more on this. It's really a good thing that the animals are so dangerous now. The focus should be more on the struggle between natives and outsiders. Plus, it makes Animal Affinity that much better, which gives a good reason to play a villager or a settler.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)
*I support this idea in theory, but of course it must be approached carefully. I like JonesDye's idea of not gaining XP for counter-attacks, and there are so many other factors to consider. QBerry-- you should start a thread about this in the forums to get all sides of the debate and get discussion going. This could be a great feature if implemented correctly. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:47, 4 June 2006 (BST)
----

===Flavor Text===

this section is where "users" add "flavor" to the game, im just suggesting that every few steps the computer say a message depending on location, here ill give a few examples:

*'''grasslands'''
**the grassy field sways under the wind's rush as you take a step.|
**something far off squaks and makes a strange throaty bellow.|

*'''water'''
**a wave crashes calmly in the distance|
**a spalsh can be heard from far off|

*'''jungle'''
**a parrot's call can be heard distantly|
**the bushes nearby are rustling from the small wildlife in them|

*'''village (outsider)'''
**the smell of gunpowder wafts into your lungs|
**the smoke comming from a nearby hut smells of fresh turkey|

*'''village (native)'''
**the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village|
**you step on the bones of what appears to be a rattlesnake|

*'''beach'''
**the hot sand burns your feet, yet feels wonderfully different|
**several sea shells catch your eye from far off|

please feel free to update these with more, as they are just a list (if simon decides to) that will be used for flavor.
i want to do this because the game gets kinda boring simply traversing through square after square

''Comments''
* One of the noticeable, distinct aspects of that other game are the different messages for each building; i really like this idea. A criticism, though - i'd refrain from mentioning living animals/people or useful items in the descriptions, they could be confusing to newbies. In other words, "a parrot's call can be heard distantly" isn't appropriate, and "the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village" might not be appropriate if the shaman is currently dead. The following could substitute: "You see a large ant colony busily rebuilding their hive" (an animal that has no game impact) and "The spirit of Shubar is felt all around you" (doesn't matter if Shubar is alive or dead). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 14:05, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* I sort of feel like this is something that could easily be put together with a Greasemonkey script. It would be nice, but it isn't really necessary. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 05:35, 5 April 2006 (BST)
:* See the end of the list at [[The Shartak Wiki:Community Portal#Greasemonkey scripts]]. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 23:31, 11 June 2006 (BST)
----

===slots/ new inventory===
slots and inventory could be implemented where, a picture of a silhouette was shown, with names of equiped items in slotted areas, ex: you skin a goat, find some sharp rocks and fashion yourself some claws, you then put them on, giving you +1 damage to all melee attacks
[[Suggestions:Items#animal wearings|animal wearings]]

"Comments below"

Making Claws? and not "all melee attacks" but only punch attacks --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:45, 29 March 2006 (BST)

I don't see why you need item slots for this. Having a pair of claws in the inventory would just improve punch damage by 1. That said, I don't like the idea of making oneself claws. Seems a little silly, when you have actual weapons around. Seems a little silly, either way, really. Perhaps that's just my sense of aesthetics, though, and not that of the majority of the players.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:37, 4 April 2006 (BST)
----

===Boat Construction===
Boats wouldn't be able to go into The very deep water people can't go into because the tides would rip them apart but could go move in all water for only 1 AP and it also prevents sharks from biting you. Multipule people could get into a boat based on how much wood is used, like
n*.001 x 1 = People Where n = The amount of wood used.

'''Edit'''

When Boats are being boarded each player may vote on who they decide should be the captain. The captian may move boat, call the boat any non vulgar name and anyone may jump off the boat at any time except the captain. Boats could only be built on a beach and automaticly once built move the person who constructed it into the nearest water square. Players may board the baot at any time by moving into the same square as it and selecting enter. When the captain moves the boat onto a land square the boat is destroyed and all people who boarded are thrown onto the beach. Players may change the captain at any time by changing there vote. Natives can not board Outsider boats and outsiders can not board native boats. What the boat looks like and is called depends on the size of it.

1 person: Raft

2 people: Large raft

3-4: Small boat

5-6: Boat

7-9: Large Boat

10-24: Huge Boat

25 and up: Gigantic Boat

--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:42, 29 March 2006 (BST)

''Comments''
*check out the skills section, i already suggested something like that.... anyway, check it out --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]
*While the huts are handled in Richard's suggestion, I am interested in the boat aspect. I think that placing multiple players on a boat will be troublesome. Who decides where the boat goes - the server? the first player on the boat? It's also important to keep in mind that we already are offered a skill to help with moving in water - '''Swimming'''. If we are to introduce rafts, there should be some mechanics set in place to minimize their usefulness. Perhaps carrying a raft through non-water terrain doubles movement cost to discourage players from carrying one everywhere. Perhaps the raft only has a limited amount of moves in deep water before breaking up. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:44, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Yeah I changed the suggestion based on your suggestion's :) --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:40, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*"Welcome to the Shartak ferry sevice. Please pay the captain your fee of 3 coins. We will be departing for the pirate ship in 3 hours. The captain has locked the destination coordinates and will not change directions unless the boat's integrity is threatend. We will arive in 50 AP + 10 AP per passenger + 5 per day due to drift. You are encouraged to help paddle the boat as this will help us arive sooner. If you decide to leave the boat at any time we will not refund you or allow you to reboard. Please do not pull out any corks or kick any boards as the boat is fragile and will sink if badly damaged."--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 05:06, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** Yeah ^^ That too --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 00:48, 3 April 2006 (BST)
* Boats sound cool. There are a lot of different ways to implement boats that aren't that complicated. Here's one example: suppose that a boat can hold 4 people. Anyone who wants to control the boat spends 4 AP to move the boat one square (larger boats move more slowly). Thus the boat could wander back and forth depending on who currently has the helm, but is unlikely to travel faster than a swimmer. Anyone (native or outsider) can dive overboard or climb onboard at any time, and the boat can be chopped up and destroyed by enough effort. ... The way I envision it, a boat never leaves the water -- the boat gets constructed on a beach square and then can only be moved onto water. It is never an inventory item. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:31, 2 June 2006 (BST)
**That's a good idea. I would go so far, though, as to say that it has to be constructed in shallow water.It would just make it easier. I would propose that the boat require four pieces of driftwood, plus two for every extra person. Thus a 1-man raft would be 4 pieces, a 2-man raft would be 6, a 3-man would be 8, and so on.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 18:26, 2 June 2006 (BST)
***Although there's no reason not to require, umm, a boatload of wood for construction, rather than just 2 + 2 per person. If the boat has any advantages at all over swimming, you could easily require huge quantities of wood without game imbalance. The original suggester had 1000 pieces per person, that's over the top, but why not 18 wood per person or something. That means N sailors could build an N-person boat in a single day searching at Shartak's [[Boatyard]]. Although construction might require another day of additional AP, and a hammer... --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 23:07, 2 June 2006 (BST)
::::I'd be in favor of boat construction, but it should be ''significantly'' harder and MUCH more time consuming to work, really only the most hardcore players should try it. Realistically, a person should need about 20 pieces of wood to displace their own body weight, so 20 wood per person is about right. It should take at least a week of devoted searching to come up with this amount for one person, and would require a fair amount of organization to build a large craft, but come on, its a BOAT! Virtually no attacks from anyone ever! Easy access to hard-to-reach islands! It should be extremely rare and time-consuming to do this IMO.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 05:18, 3 June 2006 (BST)
* i reckon the boat idea would be great especially for the CP so we are land police of york and water police of york!,hopefully this does work out!. [[User:Riddick|riddick]] 21:17 10 June,2006 (GMT).
----

===Poisoning===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, status effect, balance|
suggest_scope=All classes, primarily Warriors|
suggest_description=Currently, the blowpipe can only carry 1 dart, yet weighs the same amount of inventory space as a rifle with 2 bullets. If you were to pit a fully leveled Soldier armed with loaded rifles against a fully leveled Warrior armed with loaded blowpipes, the battle is in favor of the Soldier who requires less time to reload while inbattle and dealing superior damage. (rifle's 5 to blowpipe's 4).

To address this, I would propose that poison darts actually cause poisoning. Poisoning would behave much like a shark bite - causing 1 HP damage per action performed until they are administered a FAK or medical herbs. A character can die if poison is left untreated. The attacker receives no additional XP for this kill or the damage dealt from poison. Poisoning would not stack, but it would be possible for a character to suffer from both poison and shark bites. The introduction of poison may require the dart's damage to be reduced to something substantially lower. Perhaps a default of 2 HP inflicted.

Up for discussion - does poisoning have a percent chance of occurring, an AP lifespan (only lasts 10 moves), and perhaps only works on non-npc characters?|
suggest_time=18:38, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Sounds great! I've heard that some of the toxicins used to poison darts can induce illutions. It would be interesting if poisoning increases AP usage for certain actions or even better imagined enemies (that Sixth Sence could pick out).--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 08:24, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Have you seen the size of the some of the blowpipes that certain tribes carry? They're anything from 6 to 10 foot long! It's hardly surprising that they occupy the same inventory space as a rifle :) On the other hand, poisoning from darts sounds like a good idea.. I don't know that they should poison forever though, maybe for a limited number of AP, but perhaps have the effect be cumulative up to a certain point? Get shot 5 times and you lose 1 HP for every AP used for 5 x whatever the limit is. Does that make sense? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:16, 7 April 2006 (BST)
***Exactly - e.g., each poison dart that hits adds 2 AP to the poison duration, and while poisoned, you lose 1HP per AP used. The Poison Dart would eventually inflict 6 hp of damage, offsetting the extra damage and double barrel of the rifle. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:22, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**That might work, that way the Warrior has incentive to continue using the blowpipe multiple times on a target rather than just switch to their machete after the poison takes effect. Add to the character table a boolean flag (Poison = True) and give it a Poison Timer int. When the timer reaches 0, the Poison gets flipped to False. When the character dies or a FAK or Herb is applied, the Poison gets flipped to False and the timer gets set to 0. If the flag is True and they're poisoned again, stack the timer. I'm going to put forth this suggestion to the Forum. I don't have a lot of experience with using the blowpipe (I'm a machete guy) so they should weigh in on this. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:17, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Or how about you can find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog#Toxicity frogs] and use them to put differnt posion effects on your darts? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:57, 11 April 2006 (BST)
:*If we're adding poison dart frogs, I demand that they be lickable. It wouldn't be right, if you couldn't lick the poison dart frogs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:14, 11 April 2006 (BST)
::* Ok... then some benifical frogs too! And people can't tell the diffrence between them unless they get some skill? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:27, 17 April 2006 (BST)
*Bump! Awaiting a short lifespan (eg 4hp) additional poison effect for poison darts. And/or Native-only Poisoning skill so that Snake + Dart = uberdart that causes permanent poisoning (aka shark wound). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 20:51, 1 June 2006 (BST)
* Short lifespan poison effect added a little while ago. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 22:43, 29 June 2006 (UTC)

}}

===PvP Protection===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, pvp, nopvp, vs, player versus player|
suggest_scope=All Classes|
suggest_description=A full implementation of player versus player protection. This would be a nice feature for newbies allowing them time to adjust to the game without getting slaughtered. I envisage something allowing you to enable nopvp without the ability to disable for at least 100AP. Also when you hit a player who is flagged nopvp then you would get a message along the lines of "As your blade bounces off an invisible shield you suddenly notice a shamanic medicine pouch around the neck of target, they are protected, it would be pointless to continue to attack target." where target will be replaced by the players name.|
suggest_time=10:00, 13 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]]|
suggest_comments=

* This is a good, well-thought suggestion. But while I don't generally like PKing, I think it is important to keep it available to those that do enjoy it. With XP penalties and easy resurrection, PKing not ruining the game from my perspective and it shouldn't be restricted further. I would not mind a method of informing players that view my character profile to see that I am flagged for pvp or not, but I am against preventing PVP without purchasing such an ability. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 21:16, 13 April 2006 (BST)
* New players already get an AP bonus and need less XP to level; I don't see the need for a newbie specific ability. I'd rather see a safe area over a moveable system - something like a sacred hut in native villages and a guard hut in outsider villages which anyone who hasn't attacked another player in 100 AP can enter and within which all PvP activity is prohibited, wastes AP, or perhaps results in HP loss only to the attacker ("Your attack has angered the mighty (spirits or guards) in the area; they smite you").--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:12, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*Having both a PvP pirate and a pacifist shaman, and having been PKed on both... I don't like this idea. I like the 100AP newbie status. I don't like the "enabling" nopvp. Sorry. Death is a part of the game. If you walk into a tribe of hostile headhunters, they aren't going to just stand by and let you through--no matter how peaceful your business.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 04:27, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*I'm aware that new players get extra AP and newbie protection isn't what this is about. It is more useful for being protected from the players that sit in their home town bashing away at their own folk. Even with that said my main reason for nopvp was for another idea I have for a skill track that at the time of thinking about it I thought would require a nopvp implementation. I may post the skill track idea sometime when I have finished thinking about all the details.--[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]] 12:07, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*How about you can't be attacked in your village/settlement by people that come from your village/settlement? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:30, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===New strategic location on island===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New location, Game mechanics, |
suggest_scope=N/A|
suggest_description=I think the addition of one or more major new "strategic" locations on the island would greatly improve the game. What exactly it would be can be worked out, all it really ''has'' to be is very valuable to occupy and far away from any village or town (i.e. far away from any shaman). Both sides would rush to occupy this location and would fight each other for control of it.

This would have 3 major benefits for the game that I can see: 1) It would get the action away from towns/villages/shamans, 2) It would make death more meaningful and make killing an enemy meaningful (all death means in towns/villages now is having to float five spaces or so to the shaman and then you get a free revive. There are no easy/free revives out in the center of the island, you would lose both location and the 50 AP to contact, unless you decide to stick around and play as a spirit), 3) It would give people a goal in the game, a major location to fight over and defend, a location that isn't pointless to fight over, as towns/villages are because they cannot be taken. All in all it would have the benefit of making the game more fun.

As far as what the new location would be exactly, one idea could be gold mine(s). They would be valuable because standing on a gold mine square would give you 1 gold coin/hr and require no AP expenditure. The specifics of this are wide open and dont even much matter, as long as the location is far from settlements and very valuable to occupy so players will flock out there and fight for control, making for an exciting time and making killing enemies non-pointless.

If implemented, it should only be one new location at first, with maybe a couple more introduced later once things get going. The location should have a name, and it should be relayed to players in the form of Game News so that everyone knows of its existance and where it is in general terms, e.g. "A gold mine was discovered just south of the mountain, Natives and Outsiders are both rushing out there for control".

''Note: One of the raisons d'etre for this suggestion has been eliminated with the shaman changes, so this suggestion is less relevant than it was and in some ways outdated. It might still be workable, though it will have to be approached differently.'' [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:27, 4 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_time=21:02, 22 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

* I realise it was just an example, but 1 gold per hour without any AP requirement is probably a bit much. Definitely something to expand on though. I like it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:46, 22 April 2006 (BST)
** For example, award 1 gold coin to any one player at random who is on the mine for at least the full hour. Or only award 1 gold coin at random to any one player if only one side occupies the mine -- if both outsiders and nativers are present, they are fighting for control and no one is mining. Generally speaking, 24 gold coins per <s>hour</s>day fed into the entire game will not mess up the economy -- that's probably less than 75-150 AP of searching (and a trip to the trading hut). Alternatively, allow players to search the area with a <s>15%</s> 40% find rate for one gold coin, as long as none of the opposing faction are present in the square. Drawbacks: (1) This sort of high-impact location could also increase zerging/cheating, which wouldn't be fun for anyone. (2) A gold mine could rapidly devalue gold coins until they're effectively worthless, ending the "value" of the mine. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:22, 23 April 2006 (BST)
***Giving out small numbers of coins to only a certain percentage of the people on the mine square seems too low a reward, while the original 1 gold coin per hour is definitely too high. But unless people get something tangible every hour that they stand there, people may not bother to fight for control of the mine, which is the whole point. Here is an idea: Make a new item called "gold nugget". Every hour that you are standing on the gold mine square and your faction controls it, you get one gold nugget. Then create a hut 1 square adjacent to the mine and inside have an NPC called "gold prospector Jim" (for example), who will "cash in" your nuggets, 10 nuggets (or 5, or whatever is deemed the best number) for one coin. Gold nuggets on their own would have no value. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
****You could achieve the same effect without creating a prospector hut just by giving a straight 10% (or 20%) chance of 1 gold coin each hour. (To me a single "prospector Jim" gets a bit sketchy if a thousand people are rushing the mine...). In my opinion, you get better scalability and realism if the gold-per-person decreases as people increase. If there are a thousand people on the mine, then each person gets only 5% chance per hour (=50gc/hour production). If there are 10 people on the mine, then each one gets a 100% chance per hour (=10gc/hour production). Gold can't be earned from the mine when competing factions are on the location, creating a contested site is the purpose of implementing this suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:41, 2 June 2006 (BST)
::::If there is a 10% chance to get one gold coin per hour, and if during a large portion of the day both natives and outsiders are on the gold mine square so no mining is going on, then the odds would be that the lots of people would get 0 gold coins (or very few) before being killed, a total waste of time for them, and they might not bother going back after they're killed, which defeats the gold mine's purpose as a strategic location that people will fight over. This is why I say people need something tangible every hour. In fact, that should be revised to "something tangible every AP turnover", i.e. every 20 minutes. Even if someone is there for only a short time, they should have something to show for it, which they almost certainly wouldnt with a low % chance per hour of getting one gold coin. Your idea of scaling the gold that the mine produces could be implemented by making Gold Prospector Jim give fewer gold coins the more nuggets he receives. In other words, a gold mining version of the current trading system. Since he will have received 0 gold nuggets as the mine is first discovered, one gold nugget could trade for one gold coin, and as more people start cashing in, the value of a gold nuggest would go down, to where he wants 20 or so nuggets for one gold coin. The value would fluctuate throughout the day and week as people cash in more gold nuggets. This way, scalability is achieved while continuing to be able to reward something tangible every AP turnover. Also, I would say gold nuggets should take 0 inventory space just like gold coins, since in theory 72 could be given out per day to one person, and that would fill up anyone's inventory, allowing them to not receive any more. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 00:27, 4 June 2006 (BST)

* An alternative to the gold mine would be some kind of ancient treasure hoard, so not just gold coins but also statues, ancient armour and maybe some pretty nasty weapons. However, to get the good stuff you'd have to go into the trap-filled maze and actually make it into the chamber where the treasure is. With spirit-proof doors so people don't just die, go in, find the correct route, revive and go in...[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:33, 24 April 2006 (BST)
**This is interesting but seems overly complicated, and seems like more of a one-shot kind of thing, but most significantly there is no real value in holding such a location. A gold mine would be a simple, straightforward, and constantly of high value to occupy. Also, once one person finds the way through the maze, soon everyone would know. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
***Good point... Ignore my suggestion, it's not very good... [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:27, 2 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Life cycle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=balance change|
suggest_scope=NPC animals|
suggest_description=Currently the main way of leveling up is by killing things (i.e. NPCs & characters) I suggest there be some sort of life cycle for animals. For example, when there are massive amounts of tigers being killed less spawn. But if everybody leaves tigers alone, more spawn. If would look something like this:
:0-5% of animal type killed, x5 spawn rate
:6-15% of animal type killed, x2 spawn rate
:16-45% of animal type killed x1 spawn rate
:46-75% of animal type killed x0.5 spawn rate
:76-99% of animal type killed x0.1 spawn rate
:100% of animal type killed, animal is extinct
 This forces people to find alternative ways to gain Xp (possibly more lucrative ones?)|
suggest_time=03:22, 29 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

I have the funny feeling that animals would start going extinct, which would just be a pain. I'd rather not see this one implemented.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 15:50, 29 May 2006 (BST)
: Would work if there was a total animal population that was always kept, so if tigers start to become extinct more deer appear, but this would lead to an island of only elephants. Would also work if the animals that were extinct reemerged later on, then it would just be annoying. But the goal of "find alt ways to gain Xp" won't be realised via this manner - it would instead lead to more player vs player action. Instead of taking away our current methods, perhaps other methods of xp gaining could be added, like the agriculture skill, or some current activities could have an xp bonus (we get xp for uncovering trees, why not for finding fruits? Could trading become xp-worthy?).--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 16:47, 29 May 2006 (BST)
:: I don't know why we should force people to find the lucrative alternative ways to gain XP. Animals are extremely rare in some areas of Shartak, and PKing and PvP is common. Banshee wailing spam, punch-heal farming, and gratuitous healer orgies are annoying enough already. Basically, the non-healing/non-harming XP paths need to be more viable: XP for exploring, chopping, discovery, contacting foreign villages, and so on. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:01, 2 June 2006 (BST)


}}

===Moving through fully chopped down or overgrown jungle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Movement change|
suggest_scope=Every character in the game|
suggest_description=I sugget a change in the movement mechanics. It may not be approved by you, but I think it's logical. I wouls like to see a change that allows to reduce movement on fully chopped (d0) squares of jungle (I think that a reduction to 0,5 AP/move <s>(0,25 AP/move with Trekking skill)</s>, and an increase on (I think) squares ranging from d7 to d9 to 2 AP/move (1 AP/move with Trekking). D10 squares stay impossible to pass, until chopped. The logic says that when you have nothing under your feet except for ground you move faster, and in dense growth areas you walk slower. Such a change as I proposed may also need an adjustment in the jungle growth speed.|
suggest_time=22:15, 1 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like this, except the part about the trekking skill giving the ability to move 4 d(0) squares in one AP, that should definitely not be done. Maybe this: trekking should only apply to d(1) and up (the skill description says "faster movement through the jungle" anyway), and on d(0), all characters, whether trekking or not, should expend 0.5 AP to move onto another d(0) square. (note that if both of those changes are made it would not harm trekking-people, their AP-usage would be same as it is now.) One benefit of lowering movement cost on d(0) squares as far as game dynamics is concerned, is that it would make roads, the upkeep of roads, and the upkeep of towns (keeping towns free of jungle overgrowth), actually meaningful in a practical sense, by allowing for quicker travel. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 22:41, 1 June 2006 (BST)
** Exactly what I was going to say, Arminius. Trekking on a road would be absolutely incredible... so we just don't give trekkers any added bonus there.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:52, 1 June 2006 (BST)
***Understood, agreed, changing--[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]] 09:13, 2 June 2006 (BST)
*0.5 AP per square on roads (still 0.5 AP with Trekking). 2 AP per square on heavy jungle (1 AP with Trekking). Creates tangible effect for the Highway Society - Preservation Front conflicts. An absolutely brilliant suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:06, 2 June 2006 (BST)
* Nice idea. Tap tap tap.. try that.. I think it should be pretty much what you've said. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 19:40, 2 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Message in a bottle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item, message system|
suggest_scope=All characters in Beach terrain|
suggest_description=Much like the "make signpost" action, creating a message in a bottle will only be available to players standing in Beach terrain. Unless the "Refillable containers" suggestion is implemented, to create a message in a bottle will require a bottle of beer, bottle of rum, or bottle of water and some newer items - parchment and charred driftwood or berry paint. There would be a textarea and a button, much like the existing message actions. Upon clicking the "make message" button, the items required are removed from the player's inventory and their text message is added to the database.

Although it would be neat to actually see the bottles floating in the water and following unique movement patterns, that would lead to some very cluttered areas. So instead the message in a bottle becomes a rare search result in Beach terrain.

When a player finds a message in a bottle the system generates a random number and selects the associated message to that number from the database. After reading the message, the player has the option to destroy or return the bottle. Destroying the message in a bottle removes it from the database. Returning it throws the bottle back into the sea to be found again. There should probably be a default message in the event that all the unique messages are destroyed or the search odds could be modified to reflect that there are no more messages in a bottle to be found.

Each message could also have a stat to display how many times the message was read before.|
suggest_time=05:33, 6 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Nice idea. I'd rather have the message bottle also be rare-findable in water. I think it'd be kind of neat to have some items found in water, even if only text messages generated by other players. The suggestion does await parchment, although I think that berries alone would be sufficient for ink ("you write in berry juice") rather than requiring a separate ink item. Implementing parchment might get a bit complicated - I'd prefer a very streamlined approach so that players aren't carrying around six (or 71) different message'd parchments at once. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:23, 16 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Map quest===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Quest|
suggest_scope=All characters, new NPCs|
suggest_description=There is a limited usefulness for the map for those without access to the mapping scripts. There is also a limited incentive for players to explore foreign camps. This suggestion provides a simple quest for players to hopefully address both issues.

Each town will possess a new NPC (or possibly a retooled home shaman or trader) that has a fragment of a map. The fragment will display the general vicinity around the camp. After a player interacts with the NPC and acquires a map fragment, they can view map.html and see two new buttons: "view torn map" and "compare maps". "View torn map" will display the collection of map fragments acquired by the player. "Compare maps" will overlay the player's personal map on top of the torn map.

I imagine the map fragments to resemble the parchment look featured in the game logo, but each camp might use a different medium or writing implement which will give the torn map a patchwork appearance.

The map fragments will not take up any inventory space and not even be listed in the inventory. On a character's profile page it may be possible to display their progress with the quest: (1/7 map fragments).

Obviously, having just the area of the camps mapped out will leave some large missing chunks in the torn map. There could be a hermit NPC that will complete the torn map once each fragment is obtained. The complete map can also have the feature of unlocking new territory. Talking to special elder NPCs will mark the map with locations that are viewable and enterable only by those with complete, marked maps.|
suggest_time=19:53, 6 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Sure, this makes sense to me. Ideally, the special code (possibly including search outcomes, NPC interactions, non-item flags in character data, and so forth) would be generic enough so that it could also be borrowed to implement treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, secret locations, and other future plot-lines in Shartak. A Shartak map itself, even complete, would just show the same info that can be found via web or wiki, so it is not going to harm game balance. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:27, 16 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Living countermeasures against spirits===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill, balance change|
suggest_scope=Everyone who's sick of the gathering of banshees in their medical supply houses|
suggest_description=As spirits become more angry and desire ever-more the blood of the mortals around them, the shamans of the island have begun to develop ways to put them to flight or at least guard their fellow islanders against the terror that these ghosts inspire. In the course of circulating this information between the villages of Raktam, Dalpok, and Wiksik, however, it has been intercepted by outsider spies and delivered to the developing scientific communities that exist in the outsiders' camps.

To be concise, we've got a ghost problem in Shartak. I'm not sure how many villages this goes on in, but it seems that the spirits of the dead have taken up residence in the healers' hut of my beloved village of Wiksik. There are many living men and women also inside of this little abode, and all of us suffer from the shrieks and howls of the angry spectres, day after day. Some of our most skilled medicine-men have even lost their lives, struck dead from horror while they slept.

So, my suggestion?

I'm thinking about something around the lines of "spirit exorcism" skill that can be learned and used by shamans/scientist to banish spirits from whatever urban areas they inhabit. In order for this to be used, the individual must be in the same square as the spirit, in the village or camp that he/she originated from, and sense the spirit's presence. When used, the spirit will be flung out of the village/camp a long ways, perhaps 10 or 20 squares. This, I think, would be a reasonable answer to ghosts that find no better purpose in the afterlife than to haunt important huts in villages and try to scare the inhabitants to death...

(FYI, the Wiksik healing hut has 2 such spectres, and they're getting to be kinda irritating.)

Another such idea would be a "spirit ward" skill, also only usable by shamans and scientists, that would slow a spirit's movement and reduce the effectiveness of its attacks in the presence of a the shaman who holds the skill.

Another idea is that such a skill would allow the user to create wards out of certain types of items, that would be placed like a signpost in a square and produce a similar effect as above. This would last a finite amount of time before falling apart, and could be destroyed by mortals.|
suggest_time=19:54, 1 July 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Tenebrys|Tenebrys]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here
YES. I like this one. Spirits are annoying. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:27, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

}}

Suggestions:Items

2006-06-21T14:54:56Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Berries increasing AP */

{{Suggestions header|page_type=Items}}

== Items ==

=== Absinth ===
Could have a very low chance of being found, and would display as "Bottle of absinth" (in addition to the existing "Bottle of beer" and "Bottle of water"). Would result in a distortion of game display, showing some kind of living beings (native, outsiders or animals) as another kind (a native could be displayed as an outsider or an animal), causing the intoxicated character to attack people he wouldn't have attacked otherwise, or trying to role-play with an angry elephant. --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 03:53, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*No reason to drink it then? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 23:37, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
**I'm sure someone would drink it anyway. Could bring back some HP, of course... --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 23:50, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*The whole "distortion of game display" thing sounds too complicated. If it's a powerful enough hallucinogen, it could work as a teleporter to a random nearby location ("As the effects of the absinthe wear off, you realize that you have moved to a different part of the jungle."). But I think it'd be better theme-wise to introduce a plant native to the island with such an effect; also, these "strange herbs" would give outsiders something to confuse healing herbs with. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:24, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Spear ===
It could be the native warriors main weapon, give it a base damage of 3, same to hit as machete but it wouldn't cut through jungle -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:02, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*A spear for stabbing or a spear for throwing (i.e single use) ? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:49, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**I like the idea of a spear for stabbing. We have enough single use weapons in the game, already. What would make it so different from a blowgun, if it is throwable? Which brings up another question: With a weapon that deals 3 damage and is reusable, who will bother with a blowgun?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:54, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*The machete is already better than the blowpipe if you've got the three melee upgrades, and the spear would represent a third melee weapon warriors like me would need to carry around (along with a knife for writing and a machete for chopping). I don't see a point, unless it's to compete with the heavy sword, in which case I'd recommend that the heavy sword be toned down. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 13:32, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Head-shrinking powder ===
This could be either a melee or area weapon used by natives.

''Comments''
*What are the effects of it? Causes X HP of damage? Loss of AP? Loss of XP? Instant death? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
**Could be used on a body to create a totem of some sort. This can then be placed in a square. People from the same village or settlement as the now shrunken head take twice as many AP to move through because of fear. Disintergrates after x number of people have moved through the square. {{unsigned|Hyper tyger|17:18, March 18, 2006 (BST) }}
----

=== Meat ===
Heals 2 HP. Used by both outsiders and tribals. It appears in your inventory when you kill a beastie. [[User:Bungalow Bill|Bungalow Bill]]

''Comments''
*But you can only carry 200 pounds of meat back to your wagon. <nowiki></oregontrail></nowiki> --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:15, 13 February 2006 (GMT)
*Or you have to cook it, taking one AP and possibly a fire-lighting skill (who wants to eat raw monkey?).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:12, 20 February 2006 (GMT)
**Maybe you don't have to cook it but you get less HP and possibly lose HP to food poisoning. [DarkFerret]
*Or, to make it more, hm, tribal, you could need to bring it back to specific places in the village where it could be (instantaneously) cooked and used as a replenished "health pool" any player could use. You would still have the occasional berries to eat in the forest, but real meal would occure at a settlement. It would also provide a more efficient healing system (as currently, you roughly get to spend 50 AP to recover 4 or 5 HP, which makes death the most efficient way to restore your HP). -- Leaf
**''There is a large pot of stew cooking, it appears to be half full.''
***''You eat some and feel better. After a few spoonfuls you find your friend's pocket watch.'' [DarkFerret]
**Make it 1 HP per kg of meat (basing carcass size loosely on the animal's starting HP), and make each HP of carried meat fill 1 inventory space (and pretend preservation isn't a problem). Put an ever-boiling pot in each village (in a boring oudoor place; we could use more points of interest), and give people experience points whenever they contribute meat to any pot (more meat gives you more XP, and putting meat in the pot of your home village gives you extra (double?) XP). Omnipresent spices and palate differences could make food at Outsider villages inedible for Natives, and vice-versa. (Pirates ought to be able to eat from any pot, but for half the health benefit. Maybe they should even be able to eat meat raw.) Any non-meat added to the pot would simply disappear (and poison from poison berries would be broken up by the heat). This system would (1) encourage community, (2) increase realism (there's currently no realistic reason for a non-warrior to kill a non-threatening animal), and (3) provide another theme-fitting non-combat XP path. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
***As per Elembis. For example, a meat item could be eaten raw for 1HP per 1 inventory space, or returned to a cooking pot (imho only in native camps...). Drinking from a cooking pot could restore 2HP, until "The pot is currently empty". Non-meat items could not be added to the cooking pot -- the game menu functionality would be limited by the user interface (for example, Add Meat to Cooking Pot doesn't appear or doesn't work until you have meat in inventory, and adds meat to the cooking pot when clicked). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 21:37, 16 June 2006 (BST)
***We should keep in mind that eating from a pot should heal faster than searching for and applying herbs and kits, or else players in need of healing won't bother. (6 searches per FAK/herb means 7 AP per 5/10 HP healed for non-scavengers, so 2 HP per bowl of food should be fine.) Also, I think that pots should treat pirates like normal outsiders, that all camps should have pots (since outsiders are surely capable of cooking meat), that the item should be "piece of meat", that the description for a square with a pot should read something like "There is a fire here with a large pot over it.", and that the button should read "Add Meat to Pot" (or perhaps that feature should just be linked to the "meat" button in the inventory list). — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:20, 16 June 2006 (BST)

----

=== Radio beacon/receiver ===
A radio beacon/receiver for outsiders to pinpoint specific locations of interest.

''Comments''
*What's wrong with using the GPS co-ordinates of a specific location? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
*Perhaps a way to have GPS waypoints or markers IN one own's GPS? --[[User:Wcervantes|Wcervantes]] 19:39, 16 February 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Holy Scriptures ===
Used to convert Natives into Ousiders. Requires "Religious Devotion". Most likely found around Outsider settlements --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Nobody wants to have a class change againt their will. -Grigoriy
*Noone wants to die against their will either, but it does happen ;-) Might be irritating, but also might be quite interesting. It would have to be possible both ways of course, natives to outsiders and outsiders to natives. Perhaps the outsiders can convert natives to outsiders with holy scriptures using the religious devotion skill and natives can convert outsiders to natives with a bottle of beer using the seduction skill! ;-) --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:28, 4 March 2006 (GMT)
*Class conversion gets awfully mucky, when you consider available skills. I would say that a better idea would be for use of Holy Scriptures on a native to prompt the natives with an invitation to change sides--without changing class. This would make them see outsiders by name, make natives anonymous, and cause them to show up on the map as "1 convert" to outsiders (as opposed to "1 native") and as "1 traitor" to natives. Converting back would require a shaman with an equivalent skill (which can, of course, offer outsiders an opportunity to be accepted into native communities).
:Note, though, that I have no idea how difficult that would be to write in, given the existing code.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:01, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*Such a feature would allow anyone to change class bath and forth at will by just using another of their characters of the appropriate class to effect the conversion, which makes classes virtually pointless.
*Class conversion sounds bad. Religion might be interesting, but this seems like a messy and unpleasant way to include it. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== GPS Unit (Redesign) ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Item, modification|
suggest_scope=GPS unit|
suggest_description=This is a suggestion to change the gps unit into an object that presumably fits better with the game setting. We currently have no other modern item available for use (anachronism - VOCABULARY WORD!). Perhaps we should use a sextant? And rather than reveal the position all of the time, it requires a 1 AP use in non-dense, non-enclosed area.|
suggest_time=21:48, 23 February 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* Yes, GPS units are indeed ''malapropos'' (another vocabulary word :D)--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:33, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
* Y'know, the "GPS Unit" item has stuck out like a sore thumb to me too. I'd be very much in favor of a lower-tech replacement, if only because it makes the game more timeless. But what tools ''did'' explorers of earlier eras use to measure latitude and longitude while traveling by land, anyway? And how accurate were they? Alternatively phrased: if you were trapped on a desert island without a GPS Unit, how would you estimate where you were? Lint's suggestion for a lower-tech replacement item, requiring AP and suitable terrain conditions for proper use, appeals to me. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:03, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
* I've done some research into this and as Lint said, a sextant is what was used. Unfortunately though, a sextant doesn't do both longitude and latitude very quickly, you need charts/tables and several hours. See http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/longitude/secrets.html for info. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:55, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
** Ahh; yeah, I had just been checking out http://www.lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=1268 myself. If I'm reading it right, it sounds like the bulk of the hours of calculation involved were due to being at sea and having to figure out what time zone you're in first as part of the equation. (Both pages mention a "chronometer" which was finally invented to try to solve that problem.) On land, though -- and especially on an island of Shartak's size -- you pretty much know where you are, and you're not likely to be crossing time zones. A quote from the Lewis & Clark page: "If time can be fixed along any meridian of longitude, then longitudinal distance can be determined by comparing time at that meridian with local time, usually based on the point at which the sun reaches its zenith." So. I wonder if we could fudge a bit with this sextant business by assuming that everyone on the island is able to determine what time it is on Shartak -- after all, we do get timestamped event messages! ;) -- and therefore we can apply that bit of knowledge to help determine longitude, overcoming the sextant's weakness. That could even go in the FAQ. I'm not really all that scientifically inclined, so please do feel welcome to correct me if if my thoughts are way off base. In closing, I still like Lint's ideas about making it cost AP and require suitable terrain. The former would represent the investment of time in setting up the equipment and doing the calculations. The latter would give players a reason to clear a square of jungle. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 16:07, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*** That all sounds good. I think there is a skill in there as well - I don't suppose a sextant is as accurate as GPS, so why not have it not produce the same result all of the time? Someone with the "Skillful Sextant Supervisor" skill gets more accurate results. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 16:17, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
** The AP cost of a sextant or other device could easily be added to the GPS unit by requiring that you 'use gps' to get the reading rather than it being on all the time. Whilst redesigning the GPS unit, how about thinking of something for natives to find out where they are - obviously not as accurate as a sextant, but something to guide them around or to specific locations. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 16:30, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*** Just consider it a redesigned sextant that some mythical character dropped around the island and call it "Professor Inglewood's Speedy Sextant And Nano Tables" or some other such nonesense and leave it working the same, just with a different name. As for natives, maybe they could see/read totems at different points in the jungle, indicating where resources/towns are. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 17:06, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
***Natives divine their position with animal feces. It can be a new skill ;) Actually, in all seriousness, perhaps something involving animal bones? It would need to be something mystical, as there just isn't a more primitive method than the sextant. That way, it sort of balances; you use animal bone dice for a few minutes to divine your position accurately, and outsiders sit dow nand use a sextant.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 29 March 2006 (BST)
***I'm currently of the opinion that the Natives don't need a version of the GPS. It helps a little with the mapping projects and location scripts. But my Shaman was just as lost than my gps-using Settler when I was traipsing through the Jungle. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:10, 30 March 2006 (BST)
****So natives need a sensing skill that gives them direction and distance to the nearest village. Natives seem to flail at the beginning compared to outsiders: every outsider counterpart item/skill is stronger (especially gps, blowpipe vs rifle, and the lack of bottled water). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:43, 10 May 2006 (BST)
*****How about giving Natives a 'always on' ability (like the GPS is now). They have been born and raised here, they _always_ know where they are (or perhaps it should be modified so that they always know where they are in relation to their village - ie, (201N, 34E of Wiksik). Make the GPS a sextant and require an AP to take a reading and perform the calculations. I would go so far as to suggest that it be tied to the Cartography skill or possibly an additional skill in the Cartography tree.[[User:Anothertwilight|Anothertwilight]] 06:20, 10 May 2006 (BST)
******I like this idea as well as Frisco's. Rename the GPS, keep its 0 AP use cost, and give all Natives the ability to "Sense Position" for 1 AP and be told the direction and rough distance of the nearest village. ("After several minutes of attentive communion with the spirits, you sense that Raktam is about a day's journey north of here.") Maybe even take the GPS away; the Natives should know their way around better than the Outsiders. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Refillable containers ===
Does it really make sense that after drinking something, you automatically discard the container it had been in? I propose a modification to the inventory system so bottles/gourds work similar to rifles and blowguns--they can be refilled if they are empty. Obviously, you can't just carry around spare water like you can ammo, so to refill a water container, you have to be in water. This would clearly make areas near water more popular, which I don't think is a bad thing, or without precedent. Furthermore, this could lead to new and interesting directions, such as other liquids that could be carried around, causing various effects. Off the top of my head:
* drinking too much "ocean" water will make you sick (reducing your hit % temporarily)
* a "create mysterious serum" skill the shaman/scientist can eventually learn that (along with certain ingredients) lets them create a "buff" potion.
* special healing water springs that have double the recuperative effect
This would also address one of the concerns I've had regarding healing skills. To my knowledge, there is no place in Shartak where you are more likely to consistantly find healing kits/herbs, etc. its all fairly random. By comparision, UD has certain buildings where you can only find certain items (i.e. hospitals = first aid kits). IMO, its currently too difficult/AP consuming to heal. Without a way to consistantly find/create healing items, it's not likely there will be "healers" willing to use their hard-to-find healing items on anyone else. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:14, 25 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*Have you found the hut in Dalpok with all the drying herbs hanging up? Says something about a shaman being busy, I seem to have a reasonable success rate at finding healing herbs there. Not sure if there are more around. --[[User:Snarf|Snarf]] 22:17, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
**No, I hadn't noticed such a hut(s), I've assumed they were all pretty much the same. If certain huts are more likely to contain certain items, I've another suggestion--'''label them'''. Any opinion on my primary suggestion of refillable containers? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:31, 25 February 2006 (GMT)
***I can confirm that huts may look identical on the outside, but their inside descriptions can differ significantly. Fortunately, anyone with the right tool can carve a message on a hut's outer walls, such as "Empty Inside" or "Shaman's Hut". --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*Refillable containers? Give the user the choice to discard the container? Sure, sounds cool to me. About the water supply: I agree that ocean water (water right off the beach) would be bound to be salty and unpotable in a real-world scenario. According to the [[Locations]] page, there's a river off the south side of the mountain, which would seem to be the only known terrestrial fresh water source on the whole island. Hmm, a thought: If we were to have refillable containers, then might one also expect there to be wells in or around the villages? --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:24, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
**There is at least one more (much shorter) river near Derby. I'll bet there is a lake or two somewhere as well. Wells are probably not a bad idea. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 15:05, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
***According to the [http://www.itechsc.com/misc/shartak/ubermap/ uber map] there are three lakes (two are close to each other) in addition to the river, and a pond by Durham. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Remove uber sword of doom(aka heavy sword) ===
I don't even have a heavy sword yet but I can already tell(from the item page) that it makes a lot of things utterly useless.Just for reference the heavy sword is(when maxed attack skills) 45% hit, 5dam= '''2.25dam/ap'''. What does it make useless, well let me begin. 

1.Rifle skills- reason: the ap you spent getting the xp for those skills was better used searching for a heavy sword. 

2.Rifle- reason: the dam/ap for the rifle is lower than a the heavy sword '''before''' factoring in the search for ammo part. The math: the rifle is 5 dam,60% hit,1.5 ap/shot( 3ap per 2 shots i think)= (5*.6)/1.5 =3/1.5 = '''2ap/dam NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

3. The blowpipe- reason: the blowpipe sucks as it is, the machete makes it pointless(unless they actually poison) and the heavy sword just makes it absolute garbage(even if they poisoned). The math: 4 dam, 20% hit, 2ap/shot(assuming you have to reload after every shot i don't use the blowpipe so I wouldn't know)= (4*.2)/2=.8/2= '''.4 dam/ap NOT FACTORING IN SEARCHING FOR AMMO'''.

Conclusion- I realize there are problems with the blowpipe but as far as I can tell with the rifle there are none. The knowledge of there even being a heavy sword is enough to discourage those that would take rifles training as a skill. The sword is just too powerful to balance in game as the only way to balance it would be to add another item that is just as crazy powerful, making it rare does nothing to the balance as people can still find it and it makes those few ,whom the RNG loves, ridiculosly overpowered. If the RNG loves somebody they should get multipul hits in a row not the ability to destroy everybody who can't/doesn't want to waste the ap to gain that ability. And after all just because it is rare doesn't mean we all can't find it, I know eventually we would all find one and there would be no variaty whatsoever in battle. Take urban dead for example they balanced the shotguns,pistols, and fireaxe evenly so there is no superior choice its about how you want to play. With the heavy sword it makes all other items pale in comparison BEFORE search rates are keyed into calculations, in urban dead it is AFTER that they are about even. This suggestion to remove something doesn't punish anybody because as of right now we do not know where to find the heavy sword, the only ones were stumbled across randomly so nobody would really have "wasted" the ap to find it(unless they have but I know after reading a bit I didn't for the fun reducing factor everybody having one would bring). Also don't bring up things about how I don't know how it works ingame because unless it takes 6ap to attack the math shows it is unbalanced. Please Simon fix this unbalanced weapon by removing it, not by making everything else oh so much better. ANybody who is with me sign in the comments please.

'''Comments'''

*The math looks sound. And I agree that having everyone run around with Heavy Swords would make for a plain game. However, I don't see why it needs to be removed completely. Is there anything we can do to the sword mechanics to make it more even with the existing weapons? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:04, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I agree. The machete with maxed out melee skils is arguably better than any other weapon, and the heavy sword makes that look like a butter knife. Yank it or make it so rare it would be like winning the lottery twice. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I disagree with some of the logic in this argument. If the heavy sword were a common weapon, then I could understand the concern; however, the "über sword of doom" is hardly of such availability. As far as I know, only one player has the sword. Having rare items like it add a new dimension to the game - a sort of treasure hunting aspect. I would even propose that even more superior weapons are "hidden" around the island, possibly protected by superior animals. --[[User:Gandhi|Gandhi]] 00:34, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
** One player on the [[Game design]] page has commented on how he has acquired 3 Heavy Swords. Don't get me wrong, some weapons should be better than others to allow for diversity (that's why there's knives, daggers, and whatnot). However, as it stands, the Heavy Sword to our knowledge is the single best weapon available. Everyone is going to be running around with it and if you don't have one, you won't be able to compete. It'd be like playing Rock-Paper-Scissors-Nuclear Bomb and Nuclear Bomb always wins. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:52, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
*Are these even real? I mean, how many people claim to have gotten them? one? This almost looks like a pretty funny joke. Also, Simon has stayed silent on this, implying some sort of uber sword conspiracy, so perhaps we shouldn't rock the boat. (Cue up suspenseful music) -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 06:02, 22 March 2006 (GMT)
**i have 3 swords ,but i'm reading it's really rare. I feel really lucky :). Oh , and i think it's too powerful compared to other weapons. Maybe there must be other rare ranged weapons (like some 6 or 7 o 8 damage rifle) or something like this --[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 09:38, 27 March 2006 (BST)
**I thought I'd made them fairly rare (after the initial burst of finding them) but I think I made them too rare perhaps. There are still only 4 people with them, looks like the same 4 who had them originally. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 00:01, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Do you even have one Simon? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 00:17, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**Nope. No heavy sword for any of my characters. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
*The original poster is correct about rifles/blowpipes being too weak. The rifle's AP/damage ratio is actually much lower than even the machete's, let alone the mysterious heavy sword. The rifle's accuracy is its edge, but 60% maximum accuracy really isn't *that* high or that much of an advantage over the 45% machete accuracy. The introduction of two new skills to the firearms skill tree, "Marksmanship" and "Expert Marksmanship", each of which would add 10 or 15% to rifle/blowpipe accuracy, would help to solve this problem I would say (I dont know if anything like this has been proposed before). Dont remove the heavy sword, just make rifles more powerful. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:29, 8 April 2006 (BST)
* With the addition of the forgotten blowpipe skills, that should help the blowpipe ratio, and I'd say ignore the heavy sword since it seems so rare that you'll be lucky to get one unless someone trades one in for some essential supplies. Not sure about 80% accuracy with either of the ranged weapons - would those skills be available to all or just as an extension to firearms/blowpipe training? What happens to the blowpipe damage if the poisoning suggestion is implemented and the poison effect is added that takes away 1-5 HP over the next 5 AP unless you use serum or first aid kit (damage numbers not definite, just a rough figure)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 April 2006 (BST)
**I was thinking that the new skill(s) would be part of the ranged weapon skill tree (how can one be a marksman if he does not have firearms training). I like the idea of making a ranged skill available to all though. A maximum accuracy of 20% for all non-soldier/warrior characters seems very low. Maybe the first skill in the tree should be available to all, but the next 2 or 3 skills only for soldiers/warriors? Just an idea. -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
* I think adding one skills for rifle and one for blowpipe is really cool. Marksmanship is a nice name , but not to add accuracy, but to add +2 to damage. Poisoning for blowpipe go well too. Oh, and one of my swords is gone ç__ç. And about trading, i tried to trade one of them , but the trader didn't have 49 gold coins..and i think you can add some powerful and rare rifle--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 08:42, 10 April 2006 (BST)
* Currently the rifle (w/both skills) gets only 0.75 damage/AP total (searching, loading, and shooting) based on my calculation, and 3 damage/AP in combat (only shooting). The machete (w/all three skills) gets 1.35 damage/AP and obviously requires no searching or loading. I think that new skill(s) for the rifle/blowpipe to get their damage/AP ratio closer to (but not equal to or past) the 1.35 machete ratio would be the best way to go. If a new skill or two increases ranged damage by 2 as JonesDye suggested, the result would be a ratio of 1.05 total damage/AP, and 4.2 damage/AP in combat. (If skills are added to increase maximum accuracy to 80%, the result would be 1 total damage/AP and 4 damage/AP in combat.) This, I think, would be a better balance. Ranged weapons should be superior to the machete in combat, and they are, but currently they are only 2.2 times better (3 vs. 1.35). The proposed new combat ratio of ~4 damage/AP would be three times better than the machete in combat, although still inferior in total damage/AP ratio. (Note that the combat ratios mentioned above are exact, but the total damage/AP ratios are not exact because I do not know the % chance to find ammunition. The total damage/AP numbers used above assume that a total of 5 bullets can be found in 10 searches on average, which may be a liberal estimate but seemed accurate based on my experience.) -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 02:50, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**Still, 3 damage per AP isn't that bad. You can track someone down, kill someone outright in ~25 AP with a rack of rifles, and run far away -- whereas a machete might take 60 AP to cause ~81 damage. The blowpipe needs a lot of help: you can only carry half as many loaded pipes, and so you have to waste time in combat reloading. I believe that blowdart poison could cause another 1 dmg/turn for 4 turns (8 damage total if they don't heal) and it still wouldn't be overpowered. 20% to hit is totally useless, though. I would suggest something like a 20% -> 35% marksman upgrade for all classes, then 35% -> 50% -> 65% for soldier/warrior. Unless a non-soldier can attain a 35% or 40% to-hit rate with a rifle (higher with a blowpipe), the weapon serves absolutely no purpose -- it is just a glorified 1/3-gem. And if the heavy sword has the same break rate as other blades in the game, then there is no problem with a 1/3000 find rate or whatever. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 05:59, 10 May 2006 (BST)
*As long as the heavy sword is extremely rare and quite powerful, why not replace it with a single "elephant sword", or something with a similarly grand title. There would only be one on the island (or one per village: "The Elephant Sword of York", etc.), its carrier would not be able to drop it (or, if dropped, it would be given to the next player revived by that village's shaman), players would get a special message upon being attacked by it, and it would change possession to the player who would kill its carrier. Also, its carrier should get a movement penalty so they'll be easier to catch. (And perhaps every person should have a sixth sense to divine the location of their village's Elephant Sword.) In short, if the sword is going to be rare, ''make it special''. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Ranged weapons ===

I never used a rifle, but the blowpipe feels quite useless at the moment indeed (unless it poisons). I was wondering if a ranged aspect could be added to those weapons to make up for their poor hp/ap ratio and their ammo requirement (and their lack of poison?). In practice, that would mean that once the rifle (or the blowpipe (I wonder if it poisons)) is selected from the attack drop-down menu, the target drop-down menu would include the entities from the surrounding squares. That would allow for some slightly safer attacks, especially in difficult terrain, or for around four minutes of triumph for having attacked someone from the distance (and poisonned him?), before being machetted to death anyway. That is: not much, but the satisfying feeling to have used a special weapon, with its own pros. -- Leaf
* Ranged weapon skills for warriors to boost the blowpipe are in the pipeline. Seems I missed a section from my notes when adding skills. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:12, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sweet --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 06:34, 14 March 2006 (GMT)
**A bit of poison on that blowdart (1 hp dmg per move for 4 turns e.g.) would be nice. The current blowpipe is totally hopeless as a weapon, even for warriors. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:22, 20 May 2006 (BST)
----

===studded leather & war gear===
both items have the same effect, except one is for outsiders and one is for natives, upon looking at the names, i cant really tell which would be for who, but that doesnt matter.
theese items could act likee flak jackets, but could (possibly) have the chance of inflicting damage upon being hit, as per, a guy with tons of knives on him being punched would probably cut up his assailant's hands. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Hm. I don't like the idea of inflicting damage on the assailant. I think that's a bit of a stretch. I could see outsiders coming over with breastplates and whatnot (a la John Smith, be it the noble stud from ''Pocahontas'' or the weaselly entrapeneur from history). Natives, though, would be unlikely to have that much. Perhaps, though, a wooden, oblong, leaf-shaped shield. Perhaps it would give a small (10%?) chance of blocking a melee attack. Thus, both sides would have a form of protection, but they would be ''different'' forms of protection, serving to distinguish the two sides.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:31, 10 April 2006 (BST)
----

===animal wearings===
such as teeth and hide could be added to one's [[inventory]] or slot for extra damage, accuracy, etc.. {{unsigned|Richard Rose|04:59, March 29, 2006 (BST)}}

*Honestly, this just seems silly. Why would I suddenly hurt you more for having a tiger tooth in my pocket?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:32, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:*It would be a psychological effect. A tribesman who believes that the spirit of the tiger is strengthening his arm through the use of a magic talismen will fight harder. {{unsigned|Naomi|19:56, April 10, 2006 (BST)}}

::*I ''still'' think it's a huge stretch.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:08, 11 April 2006 (BST)

:::*Yah, shamanic magic being able to cause or prevent damage is a stretch, tell that to the dozens of spirits farming xp in my hut. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:25, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:::Apparently this has been implemented - I just got a tiger tooth amulet from the pirate trader. He doesn't have any others, alas... *brag* [[User:Ssarl|Ssarl]], 12:19, June 16

----

===Messenger Pigeons===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All outsiders|
suggest_description=Allows Outsiders to send messages over long distances. Just type up the message and enter the recepient's name and the bird flies off.
''You watch your pigeon fly off and hope it doesn't get intercepted.''
 Pigeons must be captured with an unamed skill and may be intercepted with a separate skill.|
suggest_time=22:23, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

*How would you handle said "interception?" Would you be notified of pigeons sent off within a certain number of squares, and offered a chance to stop it? Would it show up as an actual animal that one could kill? I would say that the idea of sending a messenger pigeon along as a new, low-hp NPC with a specific destination is neat, but I don't know how hard it would be on the server.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:35, 10 April 2006 (BST)
*Moving an npc pigeon wouldn't be difficult as long as there were only a limited number of them in play at any one time. How would you specify the destination though - pigeons need to know the destination don't they (not sure how homing pigeons work)? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 14:38, 10 April 2006 (BST)
**Mmm. Maybe one would need to specify a GPS coordinate? Actually, I'm fairly certain that birds have been taught to find specific people that they are familiar with. Perhaps once we have a contacts list (do we? If so, I haven't been able to add anyone) we can send it to those listed on it? Then it would be rather like the mobile phone of UD... except that it takes time to travel, and could be killed for EXP by other players :) What kind of limit would you have in mind, by the way? I mean, I can't imagine a whole lot of people using this often enough for it to really be a problem, but as the game grows... You never know.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:12, 11 April 2006 (BST)
**I would say that you would have to have a the person on a contact list before you can send them a messenger pigeon. The pigeon would move like 1 square per 5 mins and would appear as an attackable animal. The limit is that there are only so many pigeons in Shartak. You would have to have a skill to capture one without killing it. This skill could also be used to capture a messenger pigeon without killing it in order to "intercept" the message. Or perhaps tehy are different skills? Pigeons would be reusable. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 01:27, 11 April 2006 (BST)
*Capturing and intercepting pigeons seems quite unrealistic. Instead, maybe you could give each village a communications hut with infinite pigeons, available to people from that village. Pigeons in inventory could be sent up with a message, and after some time they'd appear in their home villages and their messages would be held for their recipients. I like the drum idea better, though. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}

===Drum===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New item|
suggest_scope=All Natives|
suggest_description=Allows all Natives within a specified area to hear the senders message. Any Outsiders hear random drum beats unless they have the Expert Language skill.
''You hear random drumming in the distance.''
 Requires a drum beating skill to utilize.|
suggest_time=22:35, 9 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

A drum language? Neat. I would make it a native-only skill, though (how difficult would it be for an outsider to learn ''of'' the language, let alone the language itself?), and only one skill. Also, to show the difficulty of true articulation in such a language, it would be good to lower the character limit on drum messages. This way, long messages will be broken up, and will require a bit more AP.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 08:40, 10 April 2006 (BST)

:Awesome. A great idea to help underpowered natives (no bottles of water in native villages, terrible blowpipe, no gps, outnumbered, etc.) and also a cool new rare item. Doesn't appear abusable. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 22:27, 20 May 2006 (BST)

:I like this idea and think it should be open to Natives only, for the reasons [[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] gave. Also, it stands to reason that Natives should have some kind of communication advantage, being Natives on the island and everything. Messages should have to be extremely short, or else there should be increasing AP costs for longer messages (1 AP per character, perhaps?). Think of Morse code. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

::I'm thinking that drums could be to natives what GPS units are to outsiders in terms of cost, usefulness, and skill requirements. Here's how it works in my mind:
::#All natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can drum a message for 1 AP per character. Outsiders without ''Native Knowledge'' either (1) have their beats carry a shorter distance or (2) have a 20% chance of breaking their drum. (I prefer the second option, assuming drums would be expensive items. I'd rather have drums be completely off-limits for such outsiders, but I can't think of a realistic reason for them to be unable to bang on a drum.)
::#Only natives, and outsiders with ''Native Knowledge'', can determine the direction of a beat. (Bass noises are the hardest to pinpoint.)
::#Only players on the same side as the drummer, and players on the other side with language skills, can interpret beats, as with all other communication in the game. (Unskilled listeners hear "random drumming" instead of "<garbled message>", since extremely short messages will be quite common and language obfuscation doesn't touch the first letter of a word. ''Basic Language'' gives a 33% chance to interpret the message, ''Advanced Language'' 66%, and ''Expert Language'' 100%.)
::#Every beat is audible to everyone in the 13 by 13 square with the drummer at its center. (13 by 13 is just large enough to cover an entire camp, and camps should be communication hubs, after all.)
::In general, this item would benefit natives about as much as GPS units benefit outsiders. The hearing radii and AP costs of messages could be changed easily if drums became too powerful, annoying, or ineffective. And yes, I've played Urban Dead. =)
::— [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] ([[User talk:Elembis|talk]]) 22:54, 9 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Hammer===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New Item|
suggest_scope=Available to all characters|
suggest_description=A basic hammer. This item seems necessary for potential future building skills such as roads or huts or hut fortifications. Hammers could also be used as offensive weapons. They could also be subject to random breaking like machetes.|
suggest_time=06:18, 1 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Throgonuts|Throgonuts]]|
suggest_comments=

*I don't think we need another weapon until there's an actual niche for it to fill. I think hut-building would be great — require that all 8 surrounding jungle squares be cleared before one can be built, make huts destructable by melee weapons or by growing jungle in the immediate area, and turn standard medical/ammunition/trading huts into indestructable stone structures — but we don't need a hammer now. — [[User:Elembis|Elembis]] 15:41, 21 May 2006 (BST)

}}
----
===303===
'''type:''' new item.

'''scope:''' availible to only outsiders.

'''description:''' a 303's nickname is actually: elepahant rifle,[in real life],a 303 is able to blow a elephants head of 1 shot in the neck i am suggesting this for the further success of the CP against the reefer terror cell,though it could turn against us if lord paul reefer get's his hands on it or one of his group members!.

'''Damage:''' 15, special dmg: 16.

'''Time stamp:''' 15,25, 17 June, 2006 (EST).

'''Author:''' [[Riddick]]

'''Comments:'''

----
===Berries increasing AP===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Change item's effect|
suggest_scope=Tasty berries (or similiar item)|
suggest_description=There are so many HP-healing items in the game, most of which heal only 1 or 2 HP so are not cost-effective to use (In terms of AP-spent-per-HP-healed), therefore are not used at all by wise players. To make some of these items more valuable and add an interesting dynamic to the game, I suggest that the effect of eating berries should be to increase your AP level rather than you HP level. Eat some tasty berries, they invigorate you and you gain 2 AP (you spent one AP eating them, net gain of 1 AP). All of the long-time players have been in the situation I'm sure (and most newer players too), where we are about to kill an elephant or tiger or an enemy player for that matter, but we run out of AP just as the target is at 3 HP, then we have to go off-line and cant wait about for 20 minutes to finish the target off, as we have real-life obligations (while we are gone the target invariably escapes, is killed by someone else, or kills you!). So carrying around 5 bunches of tasty berries could give you 5 free AP when you really need them. Thus berries would become a very valuable item in the game too, rather than a superfluous item|
suggest_time=00:47, 21 June 2006 (UTC)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here

I like the idea! You're probably going to end up with a net loss of APs on them anyway, but it's kinda like storing APs... This could work well.

}}

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-06-05T15:23:09Z

MorkaisChosen:

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Non-pirate outsiders only.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

The clan has an agreement with the Colonial Police: we don't attack them and they protect us as humans.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]
[[Category:Officially recognized clans]]

Talk:Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-06-05T15:20:39Z

MorkaisChosen:

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-06-02T11:29:18Z

MorkaisChosen: Officially reconized: made it work.

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Non-pirate outsiders only.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]
[[Category:Officially recognized clans]]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-06-02T11:28:36Z

MorkaisChosen:

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Non-pirate outsiders only.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]
[[Category:Officially recognised clans]]

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-06-02T11:27:11Z

MorkaisChosen: /* New strategic location on island */

{{:Suggestions/Header|page_type=Game Mechanics}}

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

*Conversion doesn't have to be forced. It could require action on both sides, like a native doning a religious item and an outsider using the skill on that native. After all, conversion isn't real without true faith. The native counter to this could be similar, requiring an outsider to die holding a packet of that headshrinking powder while a shaman uses the Zombification (ala Haitian witchcraft) skill. -- frisco

*You don't change class or anything when you die. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:31, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

*I gave a response t othis idea under "Holy Scriptures," I think, offering another idea for it that may piss a lot less people off. *points over there*--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:15, 29 March 2006 (BST)
----

=== Capturing villages ===
Since this is like some war between Outsiders and Natives I thought this appropriate. If all the (say) Outsiders are killed in York and there are none left, then it becomes a Native village and vice versa. Probably needs harder requirements to capture settlements though. Maybe each side could have one permanent place that can never change hands? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:Not sure about this - what about all the idle players within the village? They might "wake up" after a couple of weeks to find they're in enemy territory. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:00, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

:You could have it so idle players goto the nearest friendly village-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:58, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

:Turf control in a limited AP browser game like this just invites lame zerging behavior. I don't like it. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:00, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:Not villages, perhaps 3x3 square 'forts'? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 01:10, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:I do like the idea, but I think Jackel's observation hits a key point. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

:Agreed with Jackel and Lint and Simon. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT) Additionally:
::* Please don't impose your assumption that Shartak is at heart a "war between Outsiders and Natives" on the rest of us. That is not the only possible direction in which this game can go. For example, an Outsider village might turn out to be populated by a trading company that views the other Outsider villages as competitors whose extermination would be good for business, but it could just as easily develop into a peaceful scientific outpost, a pirate haven of drunken debauchery, or a missionary settlement devoted to finding the Natives and learning their language (gotta spread that old time religion). I believe it would be better to keep the objectives more freeform, and let the players create the course of history. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
::* On a hopefully more helpful and positive note, one could simulate/approximate capturing a village by amassing an army of suitable size, carving messages of ownership all over the territory of the village in question, killing all members of the village, and repeatedly killing the village shaman so they can't get back as easily. (Ouch. I hope no armchair megalomaniacs out there have been taking notes.) --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Unique skills ===
I think that each class should start off with one unique skill that the others may never aquire. That way it stops all the classes from becoming too generic. For example Settlers could have a "farming" skill, Soldiers could have a "bravery" skill, etc. Or mabey they could just have a attribute like Soldiers have an extra 10% chance of striking the target, Warriors have an extra 10% chance of finding animals, Settlers have an extra 10% chance of finding an item, Scouts have a 3% chance of recovering 1 HP per AP spent, etc. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:34, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*Perhaps a Research skill of some kind for the Scientist, maybe allowing them an advantage when doing things with dead animals (would need something to do with dead animals, obviously!).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:09, 16 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I am in favor of this (if it is not in effect currently). We'd have to work out the details to make sure each class is getting their fair share, but something that encourages players to try other classes or team up with other players using different classes for a better playing experience sounds good to me. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
:I am in favor of each class being able to acquire (but not necessarily starting off with) a unique skill or attribute that the others may never acquire. Sounds to me like the kind of thing that would be unlocked as one's reward for a rite of passage, rather than granted as a right of birth. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 12:53, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
:Pirates should have a skill to steal their fallen enemies' gold coins. Arr. Would probably result in a lot of outsider in-fighting, though, and outsiders are currently outnumbered.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 29 March 2006 (BST)
----

=== Pet System ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=I will combine aspects of the '''Animal''' and '''Pirate''' suggestions and propose a pet system that allows you to tame one of the animals on the island. First, you have to weaken the animal. Then you throw a sphere device at it and shout "SHARTAK SPHERE! GO!" for 1 AP. There's a slight chance that you have captured and tamed the animal. The more powerful the animal, the less success chance. You earn no XP for taming an animal. Players can only have 1 pet at a time. They can release a pet whenever they want. If the owner dies, the pet runs away. Pets have fixed HP, attack, and accuracy based on the type of animal they are (ie. they do not level up or heal, just to keep it simple to design). They follow the player around and only attack when the player attacks. It would be nice if they attacked while you were not playing, but auto-defense mechanisms are unnecessary. Enemy animals randomly determine whether they are attacking the owner or the pet. Other players will have an option for targeting the owner or pet. There is no XP gained for attacking or killing a pet to deter any attempts at farming pet killing (I can't believe we even have to consider preventing such a thing). For added flavor, owners can name their pets.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*ROTFL. Sounds a bit like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh (don't worry, I'm not a fan, I have kids that were!). Perhaps instead of spheres, you could keep the monkeys on a leash, heal a tiger or elephant to make it less likely to attack you, tame deer by feeding them, etc. Some animals like the wild boar would have to be pretty difficult to tame. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:14, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*I was with you right up until you got to the "sphere device" bit, and I rejoined you afterwards. ;) The rest of your suggestion otherwise seems to be pretty well thought out. Personally, I'd prefer to attempt to tame the animal into becoming a pet purely by offering it food, rather than "weakening" it by other means. Especially since food is scarce enough that offering it to an animal would be a real sacrifice and therefore an interesting decision for the player to make. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:49, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*I will confess that I had a lot of fun with the references. The problem I have with using an existing item to tame a pet is how to implement it. The player can't click on the fruit, because that will just heal themselves. And I think it is unecessary to redesign fruits like First Aid Kits and Medical Herbs, just so they can feed it to an animal. And a database check to see if the player possesses a fruit before providing a "tame" command seems awkward. Perhaps there is just one item called "animal bait" (from the Trade Hut most likely). It works much like a FAK or Herb, but can only be applied to animals (though there will be a "Yourself" option by default for those players that decide they enjoy the taste). Animals will then have a value called "tame count" in the database. For each successful feeding, this number is incremented. When a specific number is reached, the monster is successfully tamed. If a monster is killed, the number is reset to 0. Acquiring a pet should not reduce the population of animals on the island (ie. one should respawn to take its place). Furthermore, those with '''Animal Affinity''' should have a better taming success rate. (This is another attempt to give Villagers and Settlers a little boost.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*This idea, while somewhat interesting, is not very realitic. The animals of the island are wild. In reality, tigers, elephants, deer, "WILD boars" etc can only be made LESS WILD by extensive and careful training and handling when they are young, not be tamable by any means, certainly not enough to follow a person around and fight on their behalf. Maybe it would be possible with parrots and monkeys, but if Simon is going to implement changes, I'd rather see some of the more believable ones first. I do agree with Lint that it would give more value to '''Animal Affinity'''. Animal attacks, even from a tiger or elephant (which would realistically be very dangerous) are hardly to be feared, making this skill currently seem pretty useless.

* ''The following is a Pet suggestion made by [[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]] on 21:47, 24 March 2006:''

as the name reades, simply have "pets" as a survivor living in the jungle, my first instinct would be to find support, in this case we could add a "tame animal" button, which would be clicked to tame an animal, the starting catching % would be something like 10% and could be improved the more the animal is damaged, like at 1hp, if full health was 10hp then you'd have 55% of catching it, (i added 5% for every 10% missing from the creature's health)
this could also be improved with new skills such as

+Amateur Catching Skills (adds 10%)
+Catching Skills (adds 15%, doesnt stack)
+Taming Skills (adds 30%)

+Net (adds 10%, does stack)

certain animals could be ridden, other would do funny things or find objects for you, ex:
Mr. Bobo the monkey finds a bottle of rum in your pocket "gee i didnt know i had that"

elephants, large stags, and tigers could be ridden, small stags would haveto grow up before being ridden, after like, 10 days, or 20 kills they would mature, its all just theory...

parrots could become like flares, ex: Mr. TweetTweet flies towards you and drops a message "help, im at X, Y and there's a native village!"

the parrot could also say messages randomly, players (upon catching a parrot) would be given 10 slots and would type things into them, the parrots would randomly say one, ex:
you attack elephant, Mr. TweetTweet says "polly want a cracker"

animals could also act like extra space, like a backpack, if you will.
animals are named upon capture.

}}

=== Profile Effect Items ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=Inventory and profiles|
suggest_description=These are useless baubles that take up 1 unit of a player's inventory space, but if anyone views their profile they will see that the players possesses the item. Using the item won't accomplish anything and merely produce flavor text. However, if a player is in the presence of another player, using the item would show it off. As with all items, there's no way to trade them with other players. We can have eyepatches and peglegs. We can have tribal masks and warpaint. Maybe some clans would require a certain dress code. Maybe they need 30 pieces of flair. I think it provides an outlet for the less serious gamers. Problems: Serious gamers might be plagued with finding such items and dropping them, wasting (in their opinion) AP and Page Hits. Also, arguing over what items fit with the theme of Shartak will be a headache-inducing process.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like this suggestion. How about finding the pieces of the masks and making your own - combine the baubles with mini-quests? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
:For example, to make the sacred warrior mask of Raktam, you must find 5 parrot feathers, a tiger tooth, some berries and a piece of driftwood that can be carved into the appropriate shape with a knife or dagger. Once you have all those items, you get a "create mask" option which then removes the required items and the mask appears in your inventory (and profile).
::Having the database check to see if they have all the ingredients seems a bit unwieldly. After every action or inventory use it might have to run the check to verify that they are alive, still have the items, etc. I'd just settle for having them take the items to a specific NPC. But yes, a mixing quest would be fun. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

* I just hope that this idea motivates players to try new things ("I'm going to join a clan that wears such-and-such a mask and attack the others! Yarr!") and not feel that the game is just about collecting items ("Well, I got all the masks. I guess I'm done with the game."). --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

*Maybe the different masks have different effects, from some simple ones (attracting/scaring animals, making them less likely to attack or easier to hit) to the downright blatavt video game reference that turns you into a huge brown rocky guy who can punch boulders apart. OK, maybe not the second one. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:53, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think that's something to be worked on in a separate suggestion. The point of this suggestion is to make useless "fancy hats" that neither add or take away from the established gameplay. However, in the eyes of certain players, they may be invaluable because of how they can incorperate such items into their goals and roleplaying. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:52, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
::Bumping this good suggestion. Let's have some cowrie shells! (And The_Conch(tm), see next suggestion.) The barren ruins and huts seem so sad and pathetic right now, they need some wacky useless trinkets to tide us over... Maybe we need shovels to dig for treasure, too. Yarr! --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 06:06, 10 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Conch Shell Hunt ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, minigame|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=''Capture the Flag''-ish minigame. Somewhere on the island is a single conch shell item. It can be found by searching anywhere. It takes 1 inventory space and appears when anyone views their profile. When the conch holder is in the presence of other players, flavor text is added to the area description to inform the others that the conch holder is in the area. If the person in possession of the conch drops it, dies, or is idle for more than 5 days, the conch returns to the system. The person who holds the conch the longest gets recognized in the statistics. Killing the conch holder earns special bonus XP. Adept conch holder killers may also be recognized in the statistics. Problems: Someone with multiple characters could take advantage of having the conch on one character and reap the XP and fame with another. There will be a point where a race condition will occur and might result in multiple conches and a broken game.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* This kind of thing has been on my ideas list, although this is much more detailed version than the one-liner I had. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*''I'' have the conch! I'm allowed to speak! *ahem* I mean, um... >.>--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:21, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Suggestions: (1) Skip bonus for the conch-killer and you remove incentive to zerg. (2) Have the conch break when the conch-bearer dies (respawns on a random beach) and you remove the race condition. (3) Give the conch-bearer an action to blow into the Conch. (You hear the booming echo of a conch being sounded to the south-east.) Maybe 50% chance of 1xp each time you blow the conch, just to give you incentive to attract attention to yourself. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:31, 23 April 2006 (BST)


}}

=== Know your foes ===
As a native, I get killed a lot by outsiders, but I just can't strike back when I come back to life, as nothing allows me to identify my agressors amongst the outsiders I meet. I expected some basic language skill to give me access to clickable outsiders profiles, but it doesn't. So. I don't like much the fact that, in this game, the only alternative you have is "attack random outsiders" or "attack none". I'd like to be able to protect myself without being too unfair to peaceful outsiders (and being part of some snowball effect).

This would be partly solved by some profile access (allowing to check people's amount of human kills), or some limited displayed info on the present players (it would make -almost- sense for natives to automatically carry visible scalps or shrunken head of their victims, but I'm not sure how to justify the kills display in the case of outsiders, despite of the fact white men were actually quite fond of indian scalps at some time). Another useful tool would be some urban-dead-like contact list.

Of course, ideally (but absurdly) the most useful stat to be able to see would be the number of kills of people without human kills at the moment of their death, but... -- Leaf

''Comments''
Perhaps seeing the profile of someone on the opposite side if you or they have the advanced language skill would be good, it would be cool to hang around with some natives without worrying about aggressors. --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:30, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

If you had a contact list and some way to target individuals on your list ala Urban Dead, I'm guessing that would probably help. Not so sure about the scalp display approach. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:36, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

A contact list would be quite useful in Shartak. But also being able to read profiles, maybe through an "observe" button and scroll-down menu. For the moment, people just hit each other once, hoping to miss, in order to get a link to the other guy's profile. There must be a more rationnal way to quench this curiosity. -- Gone 13:36, 10 May 2006 (GMT+1)
----

=== Forest Fire ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, natural disasters|
suggest_scope=Terrain|
suggest_description=This is a potential temporary minigame that will either lead to players to band together and save the island or perhaps just lead to all-out chaos. A fire script is created which designates one block as fire (it is identified by a little fire.gif in the background). Every 20 minutes the fire script will check if there is <del>Grassland or</del> Jungle nearby with density from 1-10. If there is, it spreads to the next block. It will not spread to any other terrain (including villages and ruins). Thus, the best way to prevent the spread of the fire is by chopping vegetation down to 0. The initial fires will be placed randomly around the island. Actions performed in a fire occupied space deal 2 damage. For this event to be more devious, there should be a means to quickly restore vegetation (dropping driftwood, planting fruit, watering with gourds).|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like some things about this suggestion, I think it could work really nicely if there was also a rain algorithingamajig, so that maybe, if some part of the island dried out, wildfires could break out, or if it rained too much villages could flood and get swamped. Its a neat idea. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 04:55, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
* I like the idea of rain and fire, however there's no telling if the server would handle the database access/calculations required when the number of players gets into the range that Urban Dead has. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** I thought it might be a bit much. Ah well. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** Not the idea of fire itself, that may well be quite feasible. I meant having rain causing flooding, or not enough rain leading to fires might be a bit awkward.. unless I can think of some way to reduce the work that needs to be done regularly. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:38, 18 March 2006 (GMT)
* Maybe fires could also destroy huts, and then there could be a skill to rebuild them. Maybe even give people the ability to start their own fires. It might make for interesting tribal wars. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:22, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Imagine what would happen if an ammo hut caught on fire!--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 04:32, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** I kind of wanted to restrict fires to the Jungle (removed my Grasslands comment from the original suggestion) since a lot of Huts provide resources for starting players and players that have just been revived. I think it would be unfair to prevent them with the opportunity to gather supplies. As a tactic, it may also be unfair. Native villages appear to be completely surrounded by burnable Jungle, while Outsider villages are bordered by the Beach. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:46, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Good point. The pirates would be completely free of burning too. I still think a way to temporarily damage structures could be fun -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 19:59, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** As a general rule, real world jungles don't burn terribly well, although there are a few notable exceptions (such as the Indonesian forest fires in 1997-98). Grasslands, however, burn quite regularly, and in fact such fires are necessary for the good health of the grass. Fire kills off sapling trees in the area which would otherwise grow to the point that they overshadowed and killed the grass. I don't know whether the game has any grasslands large enough to make this kind of thing interesting, though. --[[User:Jackdaw|Jackdaw]] 15:55, 25 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== The Ghost Elephant ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, miniboss|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=Somewhere on the island is an animal that exists purely as a temporary event. The Legendary Ghost Elephant - in reality, an aggressive albino pachyderm of incredible size - is said to roam the island of Shartak. Some Natives revere it, others desire to be recorded as the one who slayed it. Some Outsiders wish to study it, others desire to have it as a trophy. It behaves much like any other elephant on Shartak. However, it has a different label, an unfathomable amount of HP, and deals horrific damage. If you heal the Ghost Elephant with a FAK or Herbs, you receive double XP. And to further serve a challenge, don't place an HP cap on the Ghost Elephant, just give it a starting amount. If possible, a log of all actions performed on the Ghost Elephant should be kept by the server and revealed in the event that it dies.|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Ha! I like this one, Lint, and simple to implement. It should really have a boatload of HP, as I think few will consider expending valuable healing items on it, when its far easier (and more rewarding) to hack away at it for 40 AP then make a run for it! --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 16:42, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*Arr! I would ride that ghost beast like a horse jus' fer fun, then slay 't t' sell its tusks t' them outsiders an' th' meat t' them natives. --[[User:El Pirata Cofresi|El Pirata Cofresi]] 17:46, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*In the Congo they refer to it as Mokele Mbembe - he who stops the flow of rivers - and it is rumoured to be a lost dinosaur. The island could do with some cryptozoology. Would this creature be able to disappear or hide or move incredibly fast? If not, then once one person finds it, they can just call everyone over to the same square. This kind of defeats the mythical aspect as well as adding potential server problems. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 18:24, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*I should make the animals attack back in near-realtime first (as in you attack them and they may or may not get an attack in).. just to add a bit of interest to it and stop people running up to the creature and hacking and then running away. Making an animal with an almost unlimited number of HP would be possible.. I guess probably start it with at least double a normal elephant and max of about a thousand HP to prevent people healing it to the point where it'd be impossible to kill. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 18:37, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*It could be cool, especially if it moved around in a way that made tracking it possible, maybe by destroying the foliage, or moving in a pattern. Also having it move might help keep people from all winding up in one square beating it up. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:41, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
**I've tried to offset the game's focus on combat by encouraging healing (double XP may be too much of a reward, so I'm willing to remove that), but that alone will most likely be not enough to counter the horde of blood-thirsty savages! Healing with the Herbs and FAKs may actually be seen as healing the Ghost Elephant spiritually rather than merely physically, which is why it's health can grow high. I don't see a problem if it became near-unkillable. I like keeping some myths and legends around. I thought that it would be best if it traveled like an elephant, but it is true that it limits the people that are able to participate in the event. Perhaps it should "teleport", after a certain amount of time in an area - "A wall of fog sweeps in through jungle. When it fades, you see that the Ghost Elephant has vanished as well." I requested for a log of actions to determine who killed it, who attacked it the most, who healed it the most, and who got hurt the most. Also, rather than a recurring animal, I thought it would be best to release it as an event that occurs every now and then. Or maybe only once! --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
***Hmm, when the elephant reappears, it should give a loud trumpet which can be heard over a certain radius to increase the chance of players coming across it. Unless of course players would prefer that it were more stealthy. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:25, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*I like it. And of course, you needn't stick to land animals; a mysterious sea creature that patrols the island waters and is reported to be 30ft long could prompt more people to vernture into the waters for a glimpse/trophy etc. Sharks will also be a problem for those searching! --[[User:Malphas|Malphas]] 15:52, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

*I ''love'' this idea.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 28 March 2006 (BST)

*Great idea!--[[User:Paradox244|Paradox244]] 21:04, 24 May 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Auto Attack ===
I've never liked the fact that while I am away from the game, things can happen to my character, like being chewed on by a tiger or slashed with a machette. How about a setting where you can turn your character on to auto attack anything that hits you. It should, of course, be user selected. This would change the game mechanics a bit, as you could no longer move in on a target and attack it withough fear of a counter-strike. To me this is far more realistic, in that even if you are sleeping, when somebody hits you, you're going to wake up and do something about it with whatever engery you have left.

An alternative selectable action might be an auto-run. You can pre-specify the direction you want to run and how many squares upon being hit. A character with trekking could stay alive just by running a few square whenever they are hit.
--[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 02:34, 20 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* The main problem with this is that players will be discouraged from attacking other players, as this will become extremely dangerous, and the native warrior who wants the outsiderts out will effectively be penalised.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:47, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sorry, but I don't like this. I feel that that this will lead to interactions with players that are no different than interacting with an NPC. Could someone theoretically max themselves out by just leaving this option on and checking in every now and then to make sure they haven't become a spirit? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:28, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Yeah, I'm not a fan of being able to do something by not doing something, such as fighting or running without being there to fight or run. Also, would it be free of AP and IP hits, or would it be possible to come back and have no AP or hits left? It seems like these problems would wreck any sort of auto action. I can understand not enjoying being macheted while away, but I don't see any way around this. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:20, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* I must admit that I don't like the idea all that much, but if it was implemented it would probably be something that was user configurable. I don't think running away would make sense, but fighting back does. For example, no more than X AP to be used fighting back until you next log back in, and they wouldn't be used unless you had more than Y AP left. This way you could set X to 10 and Y to 6 and if you ran out of AP, set those values, it would be 2 hours (6 x 20m) before you were likely to attack, and it would use no more than 10 AP fighting back. Because the values are configurable, it would be hard to know who would fight back and who wouldn't. Setting X to 0 would disable the feature. I think probably the attacks would gain XP if successful, same as normal, but because you wouldn't be able to set the number of AP to use to more than your max AP value, it would be impossible to level up a character by simply leaving them alone (not to mention you would disappear from the map after being idle for a bit). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:01, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* i like the idea of counterattack , but with some limits. You have only a % of counterattacking someone (25%?) , you don't consume AP , you don't get XP. But , whit wich weapon do you attack?--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:05, 27 March 2006 (BST)
* The impetus behind auto-attack is to lessen the chance and impact of Badness happening to your character while you're away, but auto-attack isn't the proper solution to this. Shartak's appropriate skill would be jungle hiding, though a construction skill would work too, if we want to be more like that other game. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* What the animals are doing now is basically what I was saying should be an option for players. In fact, now that the animals counter-attack, it's become far more safe to attack a high-level soldier than it is to attack a parrot. All the more reason to implement this feature. It will also introduce more strategy into gameplay, such as how many AP to reserve for counter attacks, etc. It could be as simple as: enable auto-attack (toggle), if enabled, select weapon (pull-down menu), select AP to stop self-defense (pull-down?). If you select 0, you'd attack until exhausted or they left. If you select some non-zero, you'd attack until you were down to that amount. I kill a lot of other players, but I still say this would be very good for game mechanics, especially considering the new animal behavior. --[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 06:00, 1 June 2006 (GMT)
** I would only agree with that one if it was only against animals. I don't think auto-defense was a good idea ''at all'', but now that it's in, I think that ours should only work against NPCs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:11, 1 June 2006 (BST)
*** Unfortunately this could only exacerbate the Banshee Wailing Spam problems. An auto-defense option is worthless against spirits, and Banshee Wails could easily be the leading cause of damage and death in Shartak (during May 2006). Implement Exorcism before worrying about AP-costs and pull-down-menus for melee parry defense systems. --20:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)
**** Exactly. Actually, I've been thinking more on this. It's really a good thing that the animals are so dangerous now. The focus should be more on the struggle between natives and outsiders. Plus, it makes Animal Affinity that much better, which gives a good reason to play a villager or a settler.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:48, 1 June 2006 (BST)

----

===Flavor Text===

this section is where "users" add "flavor" to the game, im just suggesting that every few steps the computer say a message depending on location, here ill give a few examples:

*'''grasslands'''
**the grassy field sways under the wind's rush as you take a step.|
**something far off squaks and makes a strange throaty bellow.|

*'''water'''
**a wave crashes calmly in the distance|
**a spalsh can be heard from far off|

*'''jungle'''
**a parrot's call can be heard distantly|
**the bushes nearby are rustling from the small wildlife in them|

*'''village (outsider)'''
**the smell of gunpowder wafts into your lungs|
**the smoke comming from a nearby hut smells of fresh turkey|

*'''village (native)'''
**the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village|
**you step on the bones of what appears to be a rattlesnake|

*'''beach'''
**the hot sand burns your feet, yet feels wonderfully different|
**several sea shells catch your eye from far off|

please feel free to update these with more, as they are just a list (if simon decides to) that will be used for flavor.
i want to do this because the game gets kinda boring simply traversing through square after square

''Comments''
* One of the noticeable, distinct aspects of that other game are the different messages for each building; i really like this idea. A criticism, though - i'd refrain from mentioning living animals/people or useful items in the descriptions, they could be confusing to newbies. In other words, "a parrot's call can be heard distantly" isn't appropriate, and "the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village" might not be appropriate if the shaman is currently dead. The following could substitute: "You see a large ant colony busily rebuilding their hive" (an animal that has no game impact) and "The spirit of Shubar is felt all around you" (doesn't matter if Shubar is alive or dead). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 14:05, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* I sort of feel like this is something that could easily be put together with a Greasemonkey script. It would be nice, but it isn't really necessary. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 05:35, 5 April 2006 (BST)
----

===slots/ new inventory===
slots and inventory could be implemented where, a picture of a silhouette was shown, with names of equiped items in slotted areas, ex: you skin a goat, find some sharp rocks and fashion yourself some claws, you then put them on, giving you +1 damage to all melee attacks
[[Suggestions:Items#animal wearings|animal wearings]]

"Comments below"

Making Claws? and not "all melee attacks" but only punch attacks --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:45, 29 March 2006 (BST)

I don't see why you need item slots for this. Having a pair of claws in the inventory would just improve punch damage by 1. That said, I don't like the idea of making oneself claws. Seems a little silly, when you have actual weapons around. Seems a little silly, either way, really. Perhaps that's just my sense of aesthetics, though, and not that of the majority of the players.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:37, 4 April 2006 (BST)
----

===Boat Construction===
Boats wouldn't be able to go into The very deep water people can't go into because the tides would rip them apart but could go move in all water for only 1 AP and it also prevents sharks from biting you. Multipule people could get into a boat based on how much wood is used, like
n*.001 x 1 = People Where n = The amount of wood used.

'''Edit'''

When Boats are being boarded each player may vote on who they decide should be the captain. The captian may move boat, call the boat any non vulgar name and anyone may jump off the boat at any time except the captain. Boats could only be built on a beach and automaticly once built move the person who constructed it into the nearest water square. Players may board the baot at any time by moving into the same square as it and selecting enter. When the captain moves the boat onto a land square the boat is destroyed and all people who boarded are thrown onto the beach. Players may change the captain at any time by changing there vote. Natives can not board Outsider boats and outsiders can not board native boats. What the boat looks like and is called depends on the size of it.

1 person: Raft

2 people: Large raft

3-4: Small boat

5-6: Boat

7-9: Large Boat

10-24: Huge Boat

25 and up: Gigantic Boat

--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:42, 29 March 2006 (BST)

''Comments''
*check out the skills section, i already suggested something like that.... anyway, check it out --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]
*While the huts are handled in Richard's suggestion, I am interested in the boat aspect. I think that placing multiple players on a boat will be troublesome. Who decides where the boat goes - the server? the first player on the boat? It's also important to keep in mind that we already are offered a skill to help with moving in water - '''Swimming'''. If we are to introduce rafts, there should be some mechanics set in place to minimize their usefulness. Perhaps carrying a raft through non-water terrain doubles movement cost to discourage players from carrying one everywhere. Perhaps the raft only has a limited amount of moves in deep water before breaking up. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:44, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Yeah I changed the suggestion based on your suggestion's :) --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:40, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*"Welcome to the Shartak ferry sevice. Please pay the captain your fee of 3 coins. We will be departing for the pirate ship in 3 hours. The captain has locked the destination coordinates and will not change directions unless the boat's integrity is threatend. We will arive in 50 AP + 10 AP per passenger + 5 per day due to drift. You are encouraged to help paddle the boat as this will help us arive sooner. If you decide to leave the boat at any time we will not refund you or allow you to reboard. Please do not pull out any corks or kick any boards as the boat is fragile and will sink if badly damaged."--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 05:06, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** Yeah ^^ That too --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 00:48, 3 April 2006 (BST)
* Boats sound cool. There are a lot of different ways to implement boats that aren't that complicated. Here's one example: suppose that a boat can hold 4 people. Anyone who wants to control the boat spends 4 AP to move the boat one square (larger boats move more slowly). Thus the boat could wander back and forth depending on who currently has the helm, but is unlikely to travel faster than a swimmer. Anyone (native or outsider) can dive overboard or climb onboard at any time, and the boat can be chopped up and destroyed by enough effort. ... The way I envision it, a boat never leaves the water -- the boat gets constructed on a beach square and then can only be moved onto water. It is never an inventory item. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:31, 2 June 2006 (BST)

----

===Poisoning===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, status effect, balance|
suggest_scope=All classes, primarily Warriors|
suggest_description=Currently, the blowpipe can only carry 1 dart, yet weighs the same amount of inventory space as a rifle with 2 bullets. If you were to pit a fully leveled Soldier armed with loaded rifles against a fully leveled Warrior armed with loaded blowpipes, the battle is in favor of the Soldier who requires less time to reload while inbattle and dealing superior damage. (rifle's 5 to blowpipe's 4).

To address this, I would propose that poison darts actually cause poisoning. Poisoning would behave much like a shark bite - causing 1 HP damage per action performed until they are administered a FAK or medical herbs. A character can die if poison is left untreated. The attacker receives no additional XP for this kill or the damage dealt from poison. Poisoning would not stack, but it would be possible for a character to suffer from both poison and shark bites. The introduction of poison may require the dart's damage to be reduced to something substantially lower. Perhaps a default of 2 HP inflicted.

Up for discussion - does poisoning have a percent chance of occurring, an AP lifespan (only lasts 10 moves), and perhaps only works on non-npc characters?|
suggest_time=18:38, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Sounds great! I've heard that some of the toxicins used to poison darts can induce illutions. It would be interesting if poisoning increases AP usage for certain actions or even better imagined enemies (that Sixth Sence could pick out).--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 08:24, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Have you seen the size of the some of the blowpipes that certain tribes carry? They're anything from 6 to 10 foot long! It's hardly surprising that they occupy the same inventory space as a rifle :) On the other hand, poisoning from darts sounds like a good idea.. I don't know that they should poison forever though, maybe for a limited number of AP, but perhaps have the effect be cumulative up to a certain point? Get shot 5 times and you lose 1 HP for every AP used for 5 x whatever the limit is. Does that make sense? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:16, 7 April 2006 (BST)
***Exactly - e.g., each poison dart that hits adds 2 AP to the poison duration, and while poisoned, you lose 1HP per AP used. The Poison Dart would eventually inflict 6 hp of damage, offsetting the extra damage and double barrel of the rifle. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:22, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**That might work, that way the Warrior has incentive to continue using the blowpipe multiple times on a target rather than just switch to their machete after the poison takes effect. Add to the character table a boolean flag (Poison = True) and give it a Poison Timer int. When the timer reaches 0, the Poison gets flipped to False. When the character dies or a FAK or Herb is applied, the Poison gets flipped to False and the timer gets set to 0. If the flag is True and they're poisoned again, stack the timer. I'm going to put forth this suggestion to the Forum. I don't have a lot of experience with using the blowpipe (I'm a machete guy) so they should weigh in on this. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:17, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Or how about you can find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog#Toxicity frogs] and use them to put differnt posion effects on your darts? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:57, 11 April 2006 (BST)
:*If we're adding poison dart frogs, I demand that they be lickable. It wouldn't be right, if you couldn't lick the poison dart frogs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:14, 11 April 2006 (BST)
::* Ok... then some benifical frogs too! And people can't tell the diffrence between them unless they get some skill? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:27, 17 April 2006 (BST)
*Bump! Awaiting a short lifespan (eg 4hp) additional poison effect for poison darts. And/or Native-only Poisoning skill so that Snake + Dart = uberdart that causes permanent poisoning (aka shark wound). --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 20:51, 1 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===PvP Protection===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, pvp, nopvp, vs, player versus player|
suggest_scope=All Classes|
suggest_description=A full implementation of player versus player protection. This would be a nice feature for newbies allowing them time to adjust to the game without getting slaughtered. I envisage something allowing you to enable nopvp without the ability to disable for at least 100AP. Also when you hit a player who is flagged nopvp then you would get a message along the lines of "As your blade bounces off an invisible shield you suddenly notice a shamanic medicine pouch around the neck of target, they are protected, it would be pointless to continue to attack target." where target will be replaced by the players name.|
suggest_time=10:00, 13 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]]|
suggest_comments=

* This is a good, well-thought suggestion. But while I don't generally like PKing, I think it is important to keep it available to those that do enjoy it. With XP penalties and easy resurrection, PKing not ruining the game from my perspective and it shouldn't be restricted further. I would not mind a method of informing players that view my character profile to see that I am flagged for pvp or not, but I am against preventing PVP without purchasing such an ability. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 21:16, 13 April 2006 (BST)
* New players already get an AP bonus and need less XP to level; I don't see the need for a newbie specific ability. I'd rather see a safe area over a moveable system - something like a sacred hut in native villages and a guard hut in outsider villages which anyone who hasn't attacked another player in 100 AP can enter and within which all PvP activity is prohibited, wastes AP, or perhaps results in HP loss only to the attacker ("Your attack has angered the mighty (spirits or guards) in the area; they smite you").--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:12, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*Having both a PvP pirate and a pacifist shaman, and having been PKed on both... I don't like this idea. I like the 100AP newbie status. I don't like the "enabling" nopvp. Sorry. Death is a part of the game. If you walk into a tribe of hostile headhunters, they aren't going to just stand by and let you through--no matter how peaceful your business.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 04:27, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*I'm aware that new players get extra AP and newbie protection isn't what this is about. It is more useful for being protected from the players that sit in their home town bashing away at their own folk. Even with that said my main reason for nopvp was for another idea I have for a skill track that at the time of thinking about it I thought would require a nopvp implementation. I may post the skill track idea sometime when I have finished thinking about all the details.--[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]] 12:07, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*How about you can't be attacked in your village/settlement by people that come from your village/settlement? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:30, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===New strategic location on island===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New location, Game mechanics, |
suggest_scope=N/A|
suggest_description=I think the addition of one or more major new "strategic" locations on the island would greatly improve the game. What exactly it would be can be worked out, all it really ''has'' to be is very valuable to occupy and far away from any village or town (i.e. far away from any shaman). Both sides would rush to occupy this location and would fight each other for control of it.

This would have 3 major benefits for the game that I can see: 1) It would get the action away from towns/villages/shamans, 2) It would make death more meaningful and make killing an enemy meaningful (all death means in towns/villages now is having to float five spaces or so to the shaman and then you get a free revive. There are no easy/free revives out in the center of the island, you would lose both location and the 50 AP to contact, unless you decide to stick around and play as a spirit), 3) It would give people a goal in the game, a major location to fight over and defend, a location that isn't pointless to fight over, as towns/villages are because they cannot be taken. All in all it would have the benefit of making the game more fun.

As far as what the new location would be exactly, one idea could be gold mine(s). They would be valuable because standing on a gold mine square would give you 1 gold coin/hr and require no AP expenditure. The specifics of this are wide open and dont even much matter, as long as the location is far from settlements and very valuable to occupy so players will flock out there and fight for control, making for an exciting time and making killing enemies non-pointless.

If implemented, it should only be one new location at first, with maybe a couple more introduced later once things get going. The location should have a name, and it should be relayed to players in the form of Game News so that everyone knows of its existance and where it is in general terms, e.g. "A gold mine was discovered just south of the mountain, Natives and Outsiders are both rushing out there for control".|
suggest_time=21:02, 22 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

* I realise it was just an example, but 1 gold per hour without any AP requirement is probably a bit much. Definitely something to expand on though. I like it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:46, 22 April 2006 (BST)
** For example, award 1 gold coin to any one player at random who is on the mine for at least the full hour. Or only award 1 gold coin at random to any one player if only one side occupies the mine -- if both outsiders and nativers are present, they are fighting for control and no one is mining. Generally speaking, 24 gold coins per <s>hour</s>day fed into the entire game will not mess up the economy -- that's probably less than 75-150 AP of searching (and a trip to the trading hut). Alternatively, allow players to search the area with a <s>15%</s> 40% find rate for one gold coin, as long as none of the opposing faction are present in the square. Drawbacks: (1) This sort of high-impact location could also increase zerging/cheating, which wouldn't be fun for anyone. (2) A gold mine could rapidly devalue gold coins until they're effectively worthless, ending the "value" of the mine. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:22, 23 April 2006 (BST)
***Giving out small numbers of coins to only a certain percentage of the people on the mine square seems too low a reward, while the original 1 gold coin per hour is definitely too high. But unless people get something tangible every hour that they stand there, people may not bother to fight for control of the mine, which is the whole point. Here is an idea: Make a new item called "gold nugget". Every hour that you are standing on the gold mine square and your faction controls it, you get one gold nugget. Then create a hut 1 square adjacent to the mine and inside have an NPC called "gold prospector Jim" (for example), who will "cash in" your nuggets, 10 nuggets (or 5, or whatever is deemed the best number) for one coin. Gold nuggets on their own would have no value. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
****You could achieve the same effect without creating a prospector hut just by giving a straight 10% (or 20%) chance of 1 gold coin each hour. (To me a single "prospector Jim" gets a bit sketchy if a thousand people are rushing the mine...). In my opinion, you get better scalability and realism if the gold-per-person decreases as people increase. If there are a thousand people on the mine, then each person gets only 5% chance per hour (=50gc/hour production). If there are 10 people on the mine, then each one gets a 100% chance per hour (=10gc/hour production). Gold can't be earned from the mine when competing factions are on the location, creating a contested site is the purpose of implementing this suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 09:41, 2 June 2006 (BST)

* An alternative to the gold mine would be some kind of ancient treasure hoard, so not just gold coins but also statues, ancient armour and maybe some pretty nasty weapons. However, to get the good stuff you'd have to go into the trap-filled maze and actually make it into the chamber where the treasure is. With spirit-proof doors so people don't just die, go in, find the correct route, revive and go in...[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:33, 24 April 2006 (BST)
**This is interesting but seems overly complicated, and seems like more of a one-shot kind of thing, but most significantly there is no real value in holding such a location. A gold mine would be a simple, straightforward, and constantly of high value to occupy. Also, once one person finds the way through the maze, soon everyone would know. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 14:57, 29 April 2006 (BST)
***Good point... Ignore my suggestion, it's not very good... [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:27, 2 June 2006 (BST)

}}

===Life cycle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=balance change|
suggest_scope=NPC animals|
suggest_description=Currently the main way of leveling up is by killing things (i.e. NPCs & characters) I suggest there be some sort of life cycle for animals. For example, when there are massive amounts of tigers being killed less spawn. But if everybody leaves tigers alone, more spawn. If would look something like this:
:0-5% of animal type killed, x5 spawn rate
:6-15% of animal type killed, x2 spawn rate
:16-45% of animal type killed x1 spawn rate
:46-75% of animal type killed x0.5 spawn rate
:76-99% of animal type killed x0.1 spawn rate
:100% of animal type killed, animal is extinct
 This forces people to find alternative ways to gain Xp (possibly more lucrative ones?)|
suggest_time=03:22, 29 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

I have the funny feeling that animals would start going extinct, which would just be a pain. I'd rather not see this one implemented.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 15:50, 29 May 2006 (BST)
: Would work if there was a total animal population that was always kept, so if tigers start to become extinct more deer appear, but this would lead to an island of only elephants. Would also work if the animals that were extinct reemerged later on, then it would just be annoying. But the goal of "find alt ways to gain Xp" won't be realised via this manner - it would instead lead to more player vs player action. Instead of taking away our current methods, perhaps other methods of xp gaining could be added, like the agriculture skill, or some current activities could have an xp bonus (we get xp for uncovering trees, why not for finding fruits? Could trading become xp-worthy?).--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 16:47, 29 May 2006 (BST)
:: I don't know why we should force people to find the lucrative alternative ways to gain XP. Animals are extremely rare in some areas of Shartak, and PKing and PvP is common. Banshee wailing spam, punch-heal farming, and gratuitous healer orgies are annoying enough already. Basically, the non-healing/non-harming XP paths need to be more viable: XP for exploring, chopping, discovery, contacting foreign villages, and so on. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:01, 2 June 2006 (BST)


}}

===Moving through fully chopped down or overgrown jungle===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Movement change|
suggest_scope=Every character in the game|
suggest_description=I sugget a change in the movement mechanics. It may not be approved by you, but I think it's logical. I wouls like to see a change that allows to reduce movement on fully chopped (d0) squares of jungle (I think that a reduction to 0,5 AP/move <s>(0,25 AP/move with Trekking skill)</s>, and an increase on (I think) squares ranging from d7 to d9 to 2 AP/move (1 AP/move with Trekking). D10 squares stay impossible to pass, until chopped. The logic says that when you have nothing under your feet except for ground you move faster, and in dense growth areas you walk slower. Such a change as I proposed may also need an adjustment in the jungle growth speed.|
suggest_time=22:15, 1 June 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like this, except the part about the trekking skill giving the ability to move 4 d(0) squares in one AP, that should definitely not be done. Maybe this: trekking should only apply to d(1) and up (the skill description says "faster movement through the jungle" anyway), and on d(0), all characters, whether trekking or not, should expend 0.5 AP to move onto another d(0) square. (note that if both of those changes are made it would not harm trekking-people, their AP-usage would be same as it is now.) One benefit of lowering movement cost on d(0) squares as far as game dynamics is concerned, is that it would make roads, the upkeep of roads, and the upkeep of towns (keeping towns free of jungle overgrowth), actually meaningful in a practical sense, by allowing for quicker travel. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 22:41, 1 June 2006 (BST)
** Exactly what I was going to say, Arminius. Trekking on a road would be absolutely incredible... so we just don't give trekkers any added bonus there.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:52, 1 June 2006 (BST)
***Understood, agreed, changing--[[User:Xintlaer|Xintlaer]] 09:13, 2 June 2006 (BST)
*0.5 AP per square on roads (still 0.5 AP with Trekking). 2 AP per square on heavy jungle (1 AP with Trekking). Creates tangible effect for the Highway Society - Preservation Front conflicts. An absolutely brilliant suggestion. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 10:06, 2 June 2006 (BST)


}}

Suggestions:Skills

2006-05-28T10:40:33Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Plunder */ Rum/water hierarchy.

{{:Suggestions/Header|page_type=Skills}}

==Skills==

===Planting/agriculture===
Both outsiders and natives with this skill should be able to plant trees (mango, banana) on fertile land. By clearing away jungle, and applying an example of the fruit of the tree you wish to plant, you could sow the seed. A tree of that type would then sprout X days later. This would open up for plantation, and help feed the villages/settlements. --[[User:DKChannelboredom|DKChannelboredom]] (2 March)

''Comments''
:Interesting idea, perhaps only a chance that a tree will grow, and to ensure a tree grows you have to plant a certain number of fruit of the same kind on the same block. Of course, does this mean that existing trees should occasionally die off, say if they get surrounded by 8 blocks of highest density jungle and the tree block is also highest density jungle.. maybe explained as something to do with lack of sunlight reaching the tree because of the amount of jungle around it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 09:47, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
::Why not treat existing trees and planted trees separately? My initial thought is that if I did not have this skill, I would still like the opportunity to gather resources from a dependable source. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Weapon Skills ===
The Warrior/Soldiers class should get weapon skills, like spear skills for the warrior and rifle skills for the soldier, make the soldiers skills make the rifle have better to hit then the natives spear but the rifle requires the searching of ammo, this makes the difference between natives and outsiders warrior classes more than the blowpipe and rifle (blowpipes do 1 less damage) EDIT: I ahnotice that the outsiders do indeed have rifle training, freshly added to the wiki I guess.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:07, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''

We have been doing some research(see the talk page in character classes) and it appears that warriors are no better at fighting(unless you count 10 extra hp as being really great) than any other class, correct me if I'm wrong but if there is no warrior only fighting skill what makes them warriors and not shamans w/ blowpipes(pardon the pun but they "blow") and +10hp? and if that is all they are how come soilders get extra skills? -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:55, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

Also, if you've got a machete and the three melee skills, there's never any point in using a blowpipe (unless you've got 1AP left and a victim with only 4HP remaining). There should be a skill that increases the chances of hitting with a blowpipe, to at least 30% - especially since you have to search for darts. Viveca Lindfors, 6 March 2006, 17:25 GMT

It should be over 30% as even at that it still makes blowpipes worse than the heavy sword(which while apparently being really rare itdoesn't mean everybody can't search and find one and 5 dam 45%[2.25 dam/ap] outclasses even 4 dam, search ammo, 2ap per shot, 80%![approaxamitly 1.6 dam/ap not counting search ap] anyday, hell the heavy sword is the uberest weapon in the game![the rifle is 5 dam, 1.5 ap/shot,60%=2dam/ap not counting searching!]) I think you should at least be able to make them have the same to hit as the rifle, It would be balanced by the fact you can only load a single dart at a time(i think),they have lower damage, but you can find darts in more places (check the regular search odds page you'll see they were found in d10 jungle!) I could see this fact alone justify the lower damage and single shot load, but not the lower to hit chance. Unless of course poison darts actually poison(has anybody checked this out?) then I see why they have a low to hit, you can dart somebody, run away then they would die trying to find you, But even if they do poison, outsiders can use them too(with a skill) so I still believe native warriors should be more effective at darting then any other class to balance the superiority of rifles.But all in all problems are solved if blowpipes get some skills to raise to hit% and the heavy sword is removed for being too uber(just cause it is rare doesn't mean we all can't/won't find it!) --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 23:09, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

Maybe there can be a skill to create blowpipe darts (with poison berries or snakes)
----

=== Religious Devotion ===
Required to use "Holy Scriptures" --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
----

=== Jungle Skills ===
The jungle environment has great potential to add significant dynamic to this game. These could be a set of skills to reflect this.
: Jungle Lore: Player has x% chance of discovering item/artifact. Might work in conjunction with search skill.
: Make/Detect Traps: Spikes, Pits etc... Not sure this is possible and what would be need to time degrade this.[[User:Nankilstlas|Nankilstlas]]
: Some kind of "hiding" skill where you can spend AP to conceal yourself in fauna, so you can't be seen by passersby. Visually, it could take the form of "reforesting" a block to dark green, and someone who chops through would "uncover" you, perhaps getting some XP? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 19:34, 25 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:: A 'trapping' skill looks like it would be exploited by greifers (surrounding someone with traps, for example), but I like the 'Hiding' and 'Jungle Lore' ideas.--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 02:26, 26 February 2006 (GMT)
:: The hiding skill shouldn't conceal you from animals or someone with the Sixth Sense, Exploration, or Jungle Lore skills, otherwise the player would be invincible.--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:15, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
:::Agreed, hostile animals should be able to sniff out hidden players, and Sixth Sense makes sense as well. Hidden players have to remain motionless to stay hidden, using items, searching, etc, would "unhide" the person. I was also thinking how the "reforesting" aspect could be abused to create vast areas that needed to be chopped down, so maybe a player could only hide in an already dark green area, (getting a message like ''there is not enough foliage to suitable hide in'' when trying in a cleared area) limiting its effect somewhat, and creating a little extra tension when on the run from someone and trying to find an overgrown area to hide in. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:37, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
:::: I like the hiding skill, maybe with different AP required depending on jungle density. Also, first hidden could make you invisible from 2 squares away, while hiding further would hide you from any adjacent square, and a third hide would keep you hidden on the same square unless they chopped. --[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 3/29/06
::::like the hiding thing as well, maybe it could work in that if you use it then you are only visible if they are in the same square as you? it would certainly keep you quite hidden anyway. -- [[User: fitzcarraldo|fitzcarraldo]]|[[User talk:fitzcarraldo|T]] 15:42, 28 March 2006 (BST)
----

=== Skinning ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=This is a skill that does not have a pre-requisite. Upon coming across an area where a dead animal is present, the player is given an opportunity to skin the animal. The process of skinning costs 1 AP and has a chance of producing items such as '''Animal Hide''' or '''Animal Tooth''' or '''Animal Feathers'''. These items can be traded to an NPC found in villages and exchanged for Gold Coins. This skill should be available to all classes to grant them all with an equal opportunity of earning Gold.
* Extend skinning to killed players? No, that's just wrong. We are civilized.
* Make skinning have a pre-requisite of '''Exploration'''? Perhaps.
* Make skinning always produce an item, rather than chance? No, I like a good challenge.
* Perhaps it could be tied to the Meat suggestion? Possibly.|
suggest_time=21:48, 23 February 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* Good idea, perhaps natives don't have a pre-requisite, but outsiders need exploration? *cough* --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 02:12, 26 February 2006 (GMT)
** While that may be a more realistic way to handle it - since natives would conceivably be more experienced with such matters - I think that changing the skill tree for such a minor skill would upset the general sense of game balance between the two sides. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 02:43, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== Animal Spirit ===
(native only) Upon gaining this skill, an animal type is associated with the player. Any attacks by the player on that animal result in negative xp, but the animal is less likely to attack the player. Additionally, if the player dons the skin of the animal (perhaps via the Skinning skill) then a bonus is given to the player, such as faster movement, hit bonus, damage bonus. Bonus could be dependant on animal. Upon player death, there is a chance the player's animal spirit will change. --frisco

''Comments''
*Suggestions like this usually make me cringe. Can't really explain why. Could you elaborate, though, on the bonuses gained?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 17:06, 3 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Build Training ===
(Outsiders only) They gain the ability to build walls around the outsider settlements. There would be different levels like reinforced, light, massive, etc. Whoever can attack them and destroy them. Maybe there would be a skill for building gates? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:33, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Natives should be able to make walls too - think King Kong, plus if there are native ruins on this island, then they must still have some decent construction knowledge lingering around. However, Outsiders should have an "Advanced" skill that allows for stronger walls. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)
:Yes, any human should be able to build, and they should ONLY be able to build in certain areas, so as not to have some group lay claim to a section of the island with key resources (assuming there are some). Also, it should take a LOT of AP. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:18, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
----

=== Trap Laying ===
(Native only) They can place one time use traps that dmg outsiders only. This skill can only be used in the jungle. Maybe a skill to be able to detect traps? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:36, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Again i'm thinking Outsiders could make traps too - some of them must have been hunters in the Old Country - but perhaps an Advanced skill for natives, leading to higher success rate, since they are more used to the environment. This skill seems dangerous, though, possibly leading to clans just laying traps in every single square of jungle, making it ridiculous for the other side. Perhaps a trap can only be made in certain jungle types, and only lasts until the jungle changes in level (either growing up naturally or down by the same character type chopping it). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:53, 1 March 2006 (GMT)
:This was already proposed in the "jungle skills" section. I agree, it seem too easy to abuse by griefers.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:18, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
----

===Comment Cartography===
Applies to Natives & Outsiders, most likely best applied only to the classes, scouts & explorers. I am thinking that it would be great to get more out of the map. This skill would allow those who have it to be able to add a limited number of short comments to their maps. These comments could work as references so as to be able to use the map to help find points of interest at some other time. I could see this probably difficult to implement, but perhaps it could work in that one could click in a quadrant on the map which would reload the page and allow you to add a text comment / description to a form. This text comment on a save would place a reference number on that quadrant of the map and the text would be listed to the right or below the map with accompanying reference number. -- [[User: fitzcarraldo|fitzcarraldo]]|[[User talk:fitzcarraldo|T]] 17:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*This is a great idea, I am not an explorer/scout but I am all for class-specific skills, that are in character, because as of right now there aren't too many differences(which I'm guessing will change.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]00:37, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

*I think this is a great idea too, and very much the way a real cartogragher would operate, making small notations as they explored and surveyed.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

*I've been spoiled by the GPS and haven't really found myself lost enough to need this skill. However, with the random revival change I can imagine that getting lost in the jungle is becoming frequently more common for new players. I had a difficult time accepting the point-and-click location feature. I'm not sure how that could be handled simply. I also considered allowing the player to input X and Y coordinates directly, but that seemed out of character for Natives. One possibility that I settled on was a simple "Add Location" button on map.cgi to document the current location. It would change that map.cgi square to a different color and prompt the player to input a description. Ten location points with unique colors and descriptions will be listed under the map to serve as a key. You could either make this listing a queue (pushing out the oldest entries) or locked at 10 until one of the locations are deleted by the player. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 09:01, 11 May 2006 (BST)
----

=== Revive skill ===
Applies to doctors and shamans, a skill to revive spirits, would require Sixth sense (obviously). It is simple enough premis: a skill that revives dead players similar to the regular shamans instead of requiring them to go to town shamans, the revive players aren't as skilled at the craft so the revived players would have only 80% of there hp when revived by other players. --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 00:43, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Does raise a risk of multi-abuse, but I agree that player shamen should have this ability. Maybe it requires a special powder or item in order to do?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
* I am trying to think of some cost right now but can't decide. I do know that the xp gain rate should be comparable to fighting(and healing when there are more players) so players will want to be a revive player. --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 01:41, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I don't like the idea of Doctors getting the ability to revive the dead, but that's definitely within the rights of a shaman. Sixth Sense as a requirement, and you must be standing in the same area as a spirit. Give either a 100% chance to work and a relatively high AP cost (10?) or a lower chance to work and lower AP cost. Blam. There you go. Player shamans can now do their part.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 28 March 2006 (BST)
*Haven't been around in a bit..... anyways I was just thinking that it seems mighty easy to get levels by "camping" the "enemy" shamen and getting hordes of xp and tonnes of native/outsider kills this seems like an exploit of the current system of revives. If a player aided revive method is put into place the main shamans should be removed, or you can only be revived by your home shaman by the call shaman(or whatever it is called) button to prevent this xp farming. I thought of this because my level 3 pirate has got all his xp from doing this and it is mighty easy and with the Ubermap and stuff it is even easyer to do, though pirates will need a way to get revived by there own.....lol I just realized I put doctor instead of scientist doctor=scientist - [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)
----

===Polymorph===
Requires Animal Spirit. Allows character to take the form of an animal. Perhaps one skill per animal, and each transform requires the use of an (AP expensive) animal mask. Upon transforming, people around you cannot tell it is you. If you die as an animal, you turn back to human, having lost half the HP the animal lost. To allow polymorph for outsiders, maybe a skill like "Ancient Reading" with the presumption that this allows them to read the right glyphs in the ruins would give them the ability to learn this skill. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 03:52, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I like the idea of having some kind of weird supernatural kind of skill for the natives... But, I think that if you get killed while in animal form, you should be dead and have to seek the assistance of a shaman. Because all the natives would do when logging out is morph into an elephant. That's a boat load of HP for someone to whittle down and kill, only to have the human pop out and have to be hacked away at. Granted, nobody will KNOW outright that the person has assumed the guise of an animal. Would you propose that if someone "kills" the animal form they get the XP bonus of killing an animal? -- [[User:Schmeckel|Schmeckel]] 06:09, 11 March 2006 (GMT)
*Special masks that turn you into animals? They'd need to be quite hard to make, maybe special wood from a certain type of tree, a bit of the animal and something to stick it together. It'd have to be harder to get the ones for better animals. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:19, 11 March 2006 (GMT)
----

===Will o' the Wisp===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition|
suggest_scope=Spirits (all classes)|
suggest_description=Will o' the Wisp (can't think of another name) is a potentially simple skill to give a little more incentive to play as a spirit for a bit. It is a sub-skill of '''Ghostly whisper'''. If a player possesses this skill, then as a spirit they will have an option to "Wisp" for 30 AP. Wisping operates on a similar mechanic as the Flare guns and Feeding groans in Urban Dead. Any players posessing '''Sixth Sense''' within a 5x5 range of the spirit will be informed: ''A faint flicker of light catches your eye (x blocks east/west), (y blocks north/south). (timestamp)''.

This skill also has the potential to stack. More spirits on the same square will produce a brighter effect. Possibly in base 5. Ranging from faint flicker, slight illumination, to brilliant flash.

Fixes that I made last minute: reduced the Wisp range and upped the Wisp cost in an attempt to reduce spamming, also making Sixth Sense a prerequisite for recognizing Wisps as it would otherwise nerf the skill to a degree.|
suggest_time=07:53, 25 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like it. The AP cost might be a bit on the high side, but there may be other alternatives to reduce spamming. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:44, 25 March 2006 (GMT)
* What's the point of it? Or is there something I'm missing? I mean, is it just to light up for kicks? Wll o' the Wisps in folklore always attempted to lead travellers into dangerous parts of bogs, where they would find their doom. Since that isn't really an option (and since people, noticing this, would just stop paying attention to them), is there any practical use for this? Still neat, if there isn't, but better if there is.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:25, 28 March 2006 (BST)
** As a Shaman with Sixth Sense, I've only come across 1 spirit. I sought a means to encourage the realm of the living and the dead to interact more. It is admitedly mostly aimed towards flavor and roleplaying than mechanics. The most practical application would be to attract people to revive points (in the possibility that they are created). In retrospect, I now see that this suggestion overlaps with the '''Haunting Scream''' description to a fair degree. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:33, 28 March 2006 (BST)
::* Does it overlap? I haven't seen a Haunting Scream in action, yet. I'm all for flavor and RP skills, I just doubt that people woud bother with them too often without some mechanical benefit, which would be a shame. I'll admit, though, that I hadn't thought of attracting shamans to get yourself revived.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:48, 29 March 2006 (BST)

}}

===Construction===
construction points, would be implemented and would act like exp, but players earn it by setting up camp, ex: 5exp everytime a player sets up his/her cabin, costs 10ap to set up, to keep from spamming and getting free exp.
*'''construction'''allow players to build 1(one) single hut per GAME that is collapsable, non collapsable, players out in the jungle would have to cut down the jungle to re-construct the hut
this would give players a reason to stay out in the jungle,

simply what it says, first off, we could/should have different buildings because i find it annoying to have to look around at the same picture not knowing where the trading post is. im implying that new icons be put in for huts, like the pirate ship, have different pictures, ex:
there is an armory hut, it's icon would be a hut with a silver tip/ sword on the roof
and etc...

SKILLS:
*'''hut maitenance'''
can change hut 1(one) time into another kind of hut ex: armory hut, extra chance of finding wpns etc
**'''cupboard''' accesible inventory in hut that players can "lock" and recieve a "key" item, other players could break open the "lock" for x amount of AP
*'''bed''' players in hut are shown the "get into bed" option which heals 2 hp every hour they arent logged in
**'''fluffy bed''' heals and extra 1-2 hp
*'''running water'''
if the hut is within x amount of squares to water, they can refill gourds and bottles (i think someone suggested we keep empty bottles, this would require that to be implemented)
*'''fire-pit''' players can cook meat (as suggested, only used if implemented)
*'''craftmanship'''players can see the hut's creator, ex: Richard's Hut, if skill isnt aquired, players see the hut as "dishevelled hut" or "ragged hut" etc.
*'''hut upgrade 1''' hut is given one extra ring of squares
**'''hut upgrade 2''' hut is given extra floor
***'''hut upgrade 3''' hut second floor is enlarged, door locks are given
****'''hut upgrade 4''' hut is given a basement

the use of hut upgrades is to help people hide, when upgrade 3 is given, and locks are attained, players can "lock" their houses up, requiring a devastating amount of AP to open, suggesting around 60-70 AP

*'''house trap 1''' spike trap, inflicts 1 wound
**'''house trap 2''' heavy spike trap, 1 wound and 3 dmg
*'''house trap 3''' blast trap, 7 hp
**'''house trap 4''' heavy blast trap 14 hp

traps are triggered upon breaking into a house, players can attain a new skill:
*'''lockpick''' breaking in only costs 30 AP
with this skill, traps are disabled

*'''animal cage'''
if animal trapping were implemented, then this would keep them from running away when u died,
**'''animal care''' animal care section of the house, determining your pet's status ex:
Richard clicks the button "give pet food" mr whiskers smiles and gobbles it up. it could also just be flavor text, and a way to get rid of meat.
*'''attack animal'''
player buys skill animal now acts like trap, player types in names of people allowed to be in house, anyone not on the list is attacked by animal, animal is treated as "wild" to intruders, as per, it will follow them several blocks away from the house before returning, and can be killed, but is also agressive no matter what breed. ex: mr.parrot attack john doe for 2 dammage and returns home.
**'''rabidity''' animal is now "rabid" and has a 20% chance of "infecting" (wound) the intruding player

other tidings can be added, ex:
*'''taxidermy''' players can pick up dead bodies and mount them in their house ex:
in the second story of richard's hut is a grey elephant head, mounted on oak

my finale,
*'''garden''' allows players to plant a tree/ bush 1 square away from their house, planting requires, 5 of the said fruit and the plants disappear when the hut is packed up, players also have the ability to "kill" the plant and re-grow a different one.
**'''green thumb''' allows players to garden for only 3 fruits
**'''verdant thumb''' allows players to change to growths around their house, ex: a house surrounded by dirt can be changed to light undergrouwth or heavy forest
**'''spade''' allows player to dig a "cellar" 1-3 squares away from house to "hide" or store items.
skill also allows players to loacte any tunnels within 5X5 of the checked area. players can only check within a 3X3 area around the house

house experience does not raise everytime a skill is bought, but the price is set at 100-200 (your choice)

"comments Below"

Sounds like it would be a good idea if the island was bigger but otherwise a 3x3 would be gigantic if everyone had one--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 21:40, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*not really, but the huts are still the same single square size on the outside, it is the inside that changes. --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]

I think it would be better to implement this skill while implementing clans - i.e. having clan camps. One way to implement this would be to establish camp/ a hut automatically when a certain number of players from a given clan stand on a single square. This would reward organization and prevent individual players from spamming. In addition, I think that having all those additions as skills is unnessacary. I just adds uneeded complexity. Again, clan based operation seems to be the best way to do this.--[[User:Gandhi|Gandhi]] 00:47, 31 March 2006 (BST)
----

===Plunder===
{{suggestion|
suggest_time=07:15, 30 March 2006 (BST)|
suggest_type=Skill|
suggest_scope=Pirates|
suggest_description=So. Pirates have been added, at long last. We all love pirates. They're swarthy, greedy people. Like mobsters, only with eyepatches, bandanas, peg legs, parrots, and the clap. There's something lacking in the pirates on Shartak, though. To get a better idea of this, let's look at the check list.

[x] 1. Pirate ship

[x] 2. Swarthy attitude

[x] 3. Pirate lingo

[x] 4. Murder

[ ] 5. Plunder

Aha! So we've identified the problem: a distinct lack of plunder. For this reason, I've come up with the idea for a plunderin' skill. Now, when you kill some poor sap, you take one coin out of his inventory per level--his level, that is. This keeps it a little balanced, in that you won't be taking away the life savings of some poor little level 1 when you kil him. Unless he happens to have only 1 coin, but that's neither here nor there. Now, of course, if you kill a level 5 who only has 4 coins, you'll only get those 4 coins. If he has 6 coins, however, you'll only get 5 of them.

Is it overpowering pirates to give them this class-restricted skill? Not really. I mean, despite being a combat class, they can't really get any good with rifles. Pretty much all of their kills are made with a cutlass. And what's the real usage of the gold coins? Typically, to buy ammunition. Obviously, the pirates won't be using it on that, as they're terrible shots. They'll just buy themselves some medical supplies, some back-up weapons, and hoard the rest. I can't say I know that many players who hold onto the coins, anyways, though I'm sure there must be some. Still, they generally tend to be spent pretty quickly. Really, I just think that this could lend pirates a little more depth; sure, they're fellow outsiders, but can you trust them? How quickly will they cut your throat for you wallet?

So... Thoughts? Agreement? Death threats?|
suggest_author=[[User:Wifey|Wifey]]|
suggest_comments=

*'''Keep/Change''' (Yarr) I agree that this fits with theme and perhaps rightfully rewards Pirates in that they do not have a Trader NPC at the shipwreck (at least that was the case when I left it several days ago). And I'm glad that this is being presented as a purchasable skill (I believe?) rather than an inherent one. I do generally follow one of the basic tenets of UD - "Don't <del>Tread On Me</del> Mess With My Inventory!" But gold appears to have become fairly plentiful with the Trader NPC; having more gold than your current level is a fairly easy feat and losing gold won't lead to an entirely unpleasant gaming experience. However, I would like a few more mechanics set in place to minimize the avenues to zerging, griefing, and general abuse that this suggestion would open up. The only simple amendment I can think of may be to give '''Plunder''' a percent chance of success. Perhaps allowing for degrees of advanced plundering skills. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 20:07, 30 March 2006 (BST)
**'''RE:''' A very good point. Very good points from both of you. I had thought of a % chance when I was originally writing the suggestion, but I realized that the nwe'd be dealing with an X% chance to get Y% of the other player's coins, and I thought it might be a little more work on the server than necessary. I thought, perhaps a chence of getting only 1 coin, but that seemed just silly. Perhaps we could limit the pirate to only 1 plunder per day (or maybe a few more, if people feel that 1 is too few)? For example, if you killed John Smith the level 1 Explorer and took 1 coin from him, then killed Mr. Moneybags the level 16 with more coins than you can shake a stick at, you would get no coins from him. If you were to wait a day, though, and kill Mr. Moneybags ''then'', you would get 16 coins--and no more from anyone else for the rest of the day. Additionally, you would not be able ot get money from the same person twice in a row. So if, after killing Mr. Moneybags and taking half of his coins, you killed him the next day, you would get none. You might as well have gone for poor little John Smith. That eliminates griefing, and all it would need to do is keep track of the ID of the last person you killed, checking it the next time you kill someone 24+ hours later..--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:29, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*i agree with both of them, and with you, id love to see this flavor added, and the trader NPC at the pirate camp has yet to be found, so they would have to go to another village to use it. the closest village (where my pirate is) is dalpok, which, is, as you know native. this hostility would mean pirates would REALLY have to work to hoard medical supplies and weapons, thusly this would be well balanced. i also want to discuss the % success rate. as pirates are VERY good at "plundering" the % chance success rate should start at a reasonably high %, such as 50% and above. as putting it any lower would simply be ridiculous. there could be several level ups to raise the % but if there are no advanced levels then i suggest putting the starting % at around 75%. --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]

*'''Plunder''' could be made a search skill (concievably the second skill in the plunder grouping). Rather than having it be merely equivalent to scavenging the plunder skill could only be used in villages (it wouldn't matter if they were native or outsider villages). Scavenging could similarly be changed to a jungle-only skill. Repeatedly plundering a square would deplete it much like chopping down a square of jungle, and squares would replenish over time much the same way. Whether this affects the search odds for other players is open to debate. I'd hate for the pirate class to be burning every other class in the game by plundering all the villages to the point nobody could find a rifle. The odds of finding a broken item should increase while plundering. The more refined the item the greater the chance it would be broken when a pirate plunders it (GPS, first aid kits, rifles, dart guns and any other delicate manufactured items to come being more likely to be broken). It would give people on the island something to do other than filling out the map and hunting game. Since we could then expect groups of pirates moving from village to village it would also increase player interaction (violently or otherwise). Having a wider range of broken items could necessitate a repair skill for players or a similar service that could be provided by a trader adding another level to the game's economy. -[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=242 Tyler Whitney]

*With the new "stuff breaks/crit hit" along with traders gold has a major use, instead of searching for that cutlass(or machete both break) you can go trade your hard earned gold coins for a weapon, why stop at just coins? pirates could get this skill and should just take away 1 random item (any item) plus a few gold coins, as we all know pirates didn't just take gold they took anything of value. Though level ones should be completly immune to this and the maximum value of the item you take(based on how many gold coins it takes to trade for the item) should be equal to there level, or some other method all I know is items should get stolen along with coins, you can only get killed once (as of right now) before going back to a village so it doesn't do too much, I mean 1 item? even if it was my machete(whom I call Mary) I wouldn't mind, sure my ghost would scream and haunt the bastard who took her away from me that would just add a new level of fun to the game. As a native(with a pirate alt) I support this skill, though it would entail a new top ten richest in the statistics page so the pirates would know who to hunt.... mwahaha -[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 03:09, 4 April 2006 (BST)
**Now there's an interesting idea. Perhaps, though, there should then be a hierarchy of items in the eyes of a pirate? For instance, you take 1 item (which might be a gold coin) and one gold coin on the side. The gold coins on the side would increase with one's level. What would the item be, though? Probably first would be a gem. They're shiny and valuable--a pirate's favorite words (aside from "Arrrr!")! Next? A gold coin. Not enough coins? Probably a cutlass or machete. None of those? Rifle. No? Rifle bullet, then. None of those, either? Probably go with a first aid kit. Ah, but those are out, too? Bottle of water. And so on down the list. Bottle of water -> bottle of rum -> gourd of water/banana/berries -> knife/dagger. I doubt a pirate would bother with a blowgun or darts, nor would he yearn for his enemies' driftwood. Once again, just throwing an idea out, though.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:28, 4 April 2006 (BST)
*** To a Pirate, Rum would be more interesting than Water...[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:40, 28 May 2006 (BST)
**I think plundering items crosses into making this skill much to powerful. It lessens the need for the Pirate class to spend AP searching. They may lose a cutlass or two choppping another player to bits, but then they earn a machete in the kill and can continue on their way. Gold coins can be argued to be powerful, but the lack of a Trader at the shipwreck means they have to make their way to other Villages in order to spend them. After some further thinking, I feel that there should be a plundering cap of 10 coins regardless of level (otherwise it would be unfair to classes with class-specific skills that make them a higher level than others). And it is random chance after the kill produces no coins or some coins or all coins. If the player doesn't have enough coins, the Pirate plunders what he can and is given extra flavor text to reward them on their evil little victory. "Yo ho ho! You have taken all (Player)'s booty." --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 07:00, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*Plunder sounds nice. How about this formula: a pirate's chance of plundering someone equals 4 times the pirate's level minus 2 times the victim's level and always returns the lesser of half the victim's level in gold (rounded down) or all the victim's gold. In other words, if a level 10 pirate plunders a level 1 scientist with 10 gold, the pirate has a 38% chance of getting 0 gold, and if a level 10 pirate plunders a level 13 warrior with 2 gold, the pirate has a 14% chance of getting 2 gold. This simulates higher level non-pirates being more adept at hiding coin purses on their body, and prevents griefing on newbies. I agree with above comments that plunder should be a one time immediate event upon killing a character, based on a percentage chance, and limited to gold - anything else makes the skill too complex and/or powerful. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:39, 4 April 2006 (BST)


}}

===Diagnosis===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition, class-specific|
suggest_scope=Shaman and Scientist|
suggest_description=This is an attempt to create additional variety within the classes. Diagnosis would be a sub-skill of Triage available only to the Shaman and Scientist classes. It behaves much like Triage does, but it would detect Shark Bites and other possible future maladies and status ailments. Shark Bite victims could be identified with an asterisk next to their name. 
I believe that this skill's net benefits will be minimal. It would fit with the theme of the class, while not over-powering them. I also believe that since this is a sub-skill, that there should be additional class-specific skills for Shamans and Scientist.|
suggest_time=18:21, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* If Triage truly only does reveal one person's HP then the skill tree should be expanded for Advanced Triage as well. Where Advanced Triage would display the HP of everyone in the current area - rather than just the most wounded. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:55, 29 April 2006 (BST)
* Corrected usage of Doctor. I hope that this skill can still be considered in-character for Scientists. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:11, 11 May 2006 (BST)

}}

===Alchemy===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition, class-specific|
suggest_scope=Scientists|
suggest_description=Allows Scientists to convert seemingly useless items (such as driftwood) into valuables such as a gold coin. Another possibility is crabs into gems (don't ask). This would, of course, cost about 25 AP per use. This would give Scientists a key role in the game because they would be needed to convert intems.|
suggest_time=23:24, 8 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

*While I like the basic idea of this, it should be limited a little. That said, I don't know how one would appropriately limit its use. Perhaps you could turn a bottle of rum into a more refreshing bottle of water? How, precisely, would you envision the implementation of this?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:18, 10 April 2006 (BST)
*I like it! It gives us something unique to do as scientists! Would you make it so you turn a specific useless item into a specific useful item, or what?[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:24, 10 April 2006 (BST)
**I imagine that eventually every class will have atleast one unique skill to separate it from the others and give a reason for choosing that class. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 01:30, 11 April 2006 (BST)
*I could accept this if it was presented differently. As it stands, it sort of conflicts with my expectation that the Natives are the more mystically-inclined and the Outsiders are more advanced technologically. I just don't envision men and women of science practicing alchemy. I have no objection to the scientist manufacturing items, but not in this manner. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 03:37, 11 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===Spirit Substantiation===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill|
suggest_scope=Sprits (all classes)|
suggest_description=The spirit has learned to partially substantiate its form, becoming more physical, and can now float on the winds to move at double the normal rate (i.e. .5 AP per move), but only in the direction that the wind is blowing. Note that this requires the game element of wind, which can either be a uni-directional constant (e.g. always blows west) or changes over time (perhaps dependant on location?). If wind direction changes, the game's user interface will need a mechanism to display wind direction, either via game.cgi or added to map.html.

This could be the first in a series of new spirit skills. I see the aforementioned Will o' the Wisp being under this tree, as well as another skill to move .3 AP per move but still only in the direction of the wind. Perhaps some poltergeist type skills can be added as well - allow dead pirates to plunder, any spirit to write messages, any spirit to still map out the area, etc, etc.
|
suggest_time=16:40, 14 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Frisco|Frisco]]|
suggest_comments=

* Nice idea, what would happen to moving against the wind? Would that then require 2AP and 1 AP to move at 90 degrees to the wind direction :) --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 17:33, 14 April 2006 (BST)
** I was thinking of substantiation as being a conceptual (not a user toggle switch, something the game system automatically determines) on/off capability of the ghost, so the ghost could have no form and thus no penalty for moving into the wind, then take form and move with the wind. But that's mostly because i don't like the idea of skills that negatively affect a character. I definitely think wind should adversely affect other things, like pigeons taking longer to deliver if the recipient is upwind. It's all more math for you! --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 17:49, 14 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===Marksmanship===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill modification and new skill|
suggest_scope=Anyone who uses a ranged weapon|
suggest_description=Two problems that I see with regard to rifle use: 1) Non-soldiers' extremely low maximum rifle accuracy making them useless in combat, 2) Loading rifles takes up a tremendous amount of AP since it costs one AP to load one bullet (a very closely related problem is people carrying around 20 or 30 rifles/blowpipes, which is ridiculous and unrealistic, and a by-product of the AP cost to load). I dont know if the following idea for a solution to both of these problems can realisitically be implemented, but here goes: Change the Advanced Rifle Training skill to make loading rifle bullets cost 0 AP (advanced training would thus mean the abiliy to load rifles very easily and quickly, as opposed to untrained people who take much longer. We are in the time period when it took a long time to load rifles after all). Institute a new skill called Marksmanship in the firearms skill tree, which gives +__% rifle accuracy (I would say +30%). Let marksmanship be a skill that can be acquired by anyone, while rifle training and advanced rifle training remain soldier-exlcusive. If Marksmanship gives +30%, it will improve non-soldiers' maximum accuracy from 20% to 50%, knocking out problem #1 above. Soldiers with the entire proposed rifle skill tree would have max accuracy of 70% and would not have to waste an AP to load, knocking out problem #2. Natives would get the same changes for blowpipe
note: It might be better to have two skills, Marksmanship and Expert Marksmaship, each giving +15% accuracy, and possibly make these two a seperate skill tree. If they were in the rifle training tree, they would have to come after the two rifle training skills, but non-soldiers cannot get rifle training, so it would look awkward.|
suggest_time=05:34, 13 May 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

*From a gameplay point of view, i don't see that guns/blowpipes need to be any stronger. It's already possible to take someone out in one go, why the need to kill quicker? The proposed change means with one gun and a full load of bullets, one soldier in one day causes an average of 75 * .7 * 4 = 210 HP damage - that's 2.4 pirates with stamina, or 4.2 beginner shamans. It would make the game a lot less fun to be able to die that much quicker and that much more often. Maybe i wouldn't object as much if these old school guns were also subject to backfiring, causing them to blow up in the owner's hands and resulting in owner HP loss and gun destruction (similar to machete/cutlass blade snapping). By the way, elsewhere there's been debate on the timeperiod of the game since we also have GPS units. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 20:00, 13 May 2006 (BST)
::You are calculating combat AP-to-damage ratio, the proposed modification of the advanced rifle training skill would not affect combat-AP-to-damage ratio very much (it would affect it not at all for people with lots of rifles), it would only affect the rifle's currently very low total-AP-spent-to-damage-inflicted ratio. (With 28 fully-loaded rifles a soldier can already kill two 85-HP pirates in only 56 AP.) The rifle's total-AP-to-damage ratio today is 0.75 by my calculation, the machete's is 1.35. With the proposed changes, the maximum total-AP-to-damage ratio for a rifle-wielding soldier would be 1.155 (still lower than machete). Non-soldiers max rifle total-AP-to-damage ratio would improve from 0.25 (weaker than a level 0 character with a blunt machete) to 0.625. I like your suggestion of rifles possibly blowing up too, Simon should definitely consider that. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 20:28, 13 May 2006 (BST)

*I'm not sure how I feel about the skill yet, but I will correct you, Frisco, in that the GPS unit is not an adequate argument about the game's time period. Simon has already said that he doesn't like the name "GPS Unit" because it is anachronistic, and was considering another one.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:03, 14 May 2006 (BST)

* I don't quite see why rebuilding the skill tree is necessary. You could accomplish the same thing by introducing two new skills - one for accuracy which builds upon the existing accuracy skills and one for reloading. Make the first accuracy skill available to all classes (adjusting to 30%), but restrict the secondary accuracy skills to Warriors and Soldiers. But even then, I'm not completely sold on the fact that these skills are necessary. I have no problem with my non-Soldier not depending on a rifle. If I wanted to use a rifle, I can easily make a Soldier character. And while reducing reloading cost might bring rifles and blowpipes more evenly with machetes, increasing the damage or introducing the ranged attack suggestion might solve the problem without providing free lunches. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 02:31, 15 May 2006 (BST)
::Yes of course it's fine to make them new skills. I suggested it in the way I did because learning to load quickly would fall under rifle training I would say, and we already have the two rifle-training skills in the game. One of the accuracy-improving skills would fall under Marskmanship (or marskmanship/expert marksmanship). How they are added to the game is almost immaterial, the point is to let soldiers be able to acquire a skill which gets rid of their need to waste more than half their daily AP loading their 20 rifles, and get rid of the need to carry 20+ rifles in the first place. I dont see how a skill allowing for a 0 AP cost to load is a "free lunch" at all, it just reduces the price of a ridiculously high-priced lunch, i.e. 1 AP to load 1 bullet/dart (plus I feel it improves the realism of the game, in part by eliminating the need to carry around 25 rifles or blowpipes). The point of the Marksmanship skill (available to all) is not to put non-soldiers on the par with soldiers in firearms capability at all, but to make rifles non-worthless to everyone else. Currently non-soldiers are literally far better off ''punching'' enemies than using a rifle when it comes to damage-inflicted-per-AP-spent, which is just ridiculous. [[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 03:37, 15 May 2006 (BST)
:::I do like the idea of making rifle and blowpipe usage more accessible to other character classes. But I continue to have a difficult time accepting the 0 AP reload cost. Currently there is no action in the game that costs 0 AP besides rejecting a trade, speaking in empty area, healing someone at full health, and dropping an item (all non-actions). Would 0.5 AP would be an acceptable change? But before it is considered, there must be other alternatives before lowering AP cost to make the ranged weapons more balanced. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:27, 27 May 2006 (BST)


}}

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-05-28T10:30:00Z

MorkaisChosen: Clarified entry requirements.

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Non-pirate outsiders only.|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. Currently only open to non-Pirate outsiders.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-05-28T10:28:05Z

MorkaisChosen: S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live notice.

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST) S.P.I.R.I.T.S. goes live! The clan is officially recognised on Shartak. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:28, 28 May 2006 (BST)

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for outsiders]]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-05-23T14:59:45Z

MorkaisChosen:

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...
I'll set up the clan on Shartak (the main game) as soon as I can get another 200 or so experience. I'm heading up to a native village... Wailing works!

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-05-11T14:32:58Z

MorkaisChosen:

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

15:32, 11 May 2006 (BST) I have developed an interesting ability while a Spirit in one of the native villages. I appear to be able to scare people to death! I haven't checked whether this works on animals, however. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]

Bugs

2006-05-01T08:41:55Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Banshee Wail village annihilation */

This page is for adding reports of possible bugs. Once the bug has been confirmed, it can be moved into the Known Bugs section.

Before reporting a bug, you might want to check [[Bugs:Not|Not Bugs]] just in case it's actually not a bug.

Bugs that have been resolved and older than a week, can be found at [[Bugs:Fixed]].

== Example ==

Use a simple, sensible bug title. Provide information about your browser, operating system, character class, and location terrain if necessary.

To use the template, enter the following, but replace '''emboldened text''' with text appropriate to your bug report:

<nowiki>===</nowiki>'''Bug Title'''<nowiki>===</nowiki>
<nowiki>{{bugreport</nowiki>|
bug_time=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>|
bug_author=<nowiki>~~~</nowiki>|
bug_status='''new / fixed / not a bug'''|
bug_severity='''low / med / high / critical'''|
bug_description='''Full description. Check spelling and be descriptive.'''|
bug_comments=

'''Comment here'''

}}

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

== Possible Bugs ==

=== Scream button should not appear ===
I was revived by the Dalpok shaman, but still have the Scream button aside of the Stand Up button. I wasn't able to talk or to move, and when I clicked on Scream, nothing happened. --[[User:Mad Robert|Mad Robert]] 16:22, 16 April 2006 (BST)
* Fixed. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 20:23, 22 April 2006 (BST)

=== Not able to attack animals ===
I'm at [-70.358,+26.343. There's a large deer here yet I don't have the option of attacking it. For some reason it's giving me the option of speaking to it. Says "Jungle
A number of small trees here aren't that much taller than the heavy undergrowth." --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:00, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
*Never mind. I travelled a few squares then came back and it gave me the attack option.--[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:02, 19 March 2006 (GMT)
* Very odd, never heard of that happening before. Bugs like this would be pretty much impossible to track down unless I'm able to check the database at the time at which it happens. If it happens again, you could try letting me know over instant messaging before you move. Contact info on my user page. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 09:35, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Tree without icon ===
I saw a tree at [-70.087,+26.377], but there was no icon. I guess it could be deliberate, but I thought that I should mention it. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 08:45, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

Tree icons only show when the density is low enough I believe... If you find a location with a tree/bush and you "uncover" it, by chopping, you gain a small amount of experience for doing so. Don't know if this only happens once or every time though as it only happened to me once so far. Could this be the reason for your problem? --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 14:58, 13 March 2006 (GMT)

* Anyone else come across this? If not, I think we should consider it to be what Murk said and hence not a bug. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 20:49, 22 April 2006 (BST)

=== Attack with broken cutlass ===
My cutlass broke(I had only one) and I was still able to pick "cutlass" in the attack choices right afterwards, I logged out then back in to check if it persisted and it did not. If anybody else breaks their cutlass(and it was your only one) check to see if it is still a choice for attacking in the move right after you break the cutlass. --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 07:15, 28 March 2006 (BST)

My pirate broke Both her cutlasses within a day or two and I didn't get that option on the second broke one.--[[User:Bluff|Bluff]] 08:52, 28 March 2006 (BST)

* It's been nearly a month now, I'm assuming this hasn't happened to anyone else since. Not a bug then (or perhaps fixed, can't be sure). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 20:50, 22 April 2006 (BST)

===Ap regenerating to quick===
I am in the jungle in the mountains, and my AP is regenerating every 8 minutes instead of 20.

[[User:Lord Jones|Lord Jones]] 19:31, 22 April 2006 (BST)
* Do you have trekking? If so, are you using 0.5AP (i.e 10m) per move (at which point it says 0AP left due to removing the .5), and then it regenerates the missing 0.5AP to give you a full AP within 10m? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 20:16, 22 April 2006 (BST)

yah i got trekking [[User:Lord Jones|Lord Jones]] 20:44, 22 April 2006 (BST)

===Banshee Wail village annihilation===
Not sure if this is a bug, or perhaps just bad luck, but for the past several days in York, the Pirate Ship, and Dalpok, every time I log back in to Shartak I have a screenful (or 3) of Banshee Wails, have lost a bunch of hit points, and have seen others around me keel over dead. From the timestamps it looks like you can send out 5 Wails per minute; sometimes I see 50 Wails in a row. None of my characters have Sixth Sense, so I don't know how many wailers are around -- maybe some new people are just testing the skill? If people are harvesting XP in a crowded village, though, it's probably not going to stop, and in fact will get far worse as more than just a handful of players learn how to wail. (Are the villages becoming ghost towns?) Thanks! --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 16:59, 30 April 2006 (BST)

:Logged on again, found another example:

<pre>
Since your last move:
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
Archibald turns white as a sheet, and keels over dead. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 12:29)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a haunting scream coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
Frederick turns white as a sheet, and keels over dead. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
bobblehat turns white as a sheet, and keels over dead. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:44)
Sprocket turns white as a sheet, and keels over dead. (2006-04-30 15:44)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you, and lose 4 HP from fear. You die of fright. (2006-04-30 15:45)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-04-30 15:46)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:57)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:57)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:57)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:57)
Brock Sampson turns white as a sheet, and keels over dead. (2006-05-01 05:57)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
You hear a banshee wail coming from all around you. (2006-05-01 05:58)
</pre>

--[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:16, 1 May 2006 (BST)

Banshee Wail is a 1AP activity, so you can do 72 every 24 hours. That's extremely nasty. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 09:41, 1 May 2006 (BST)

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-04-28T08:20:17Z

MorkaisChosen: Put it back because it was the wrong talk...

{{Clanbox|
clan_name=Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak|
clan_image=|
clan_abbrev=S.P.I.R.I.T.S.|
clan_leaders=Founded by MorkaisChosen.|
clan_membership=Three|
clan_goals=Research on the spirit phenomenon|
clan_recruit=Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!|
clan_contact=[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.|
}}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=2168 Eliot Somnambul]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]

User talk:MorkaisChosen

2006-04-28T08:19:26Z

MorkaisChosen:

User talk:MorkaisChosen

2006-04-28T08:03:56Z

MorkaisChosen:

10:24, 21 April 2006 (BST) Recently noticed that any shaman will revive any spirit, not just shamans captured by the explorers reviving them and native shaman reviving natives. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]

NOTE: I'm using this talk page as a kind of research log (in character) type thing. If any member of the Society wants to join in, they can, as that's the whole point of the group...

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-04-28T08:02:48Z

MorkaisChosen: Moved text to Talk page

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-04-24T16:33:10Z

MorkaisChosen: /* New strategic location on island */

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{{Suggestionsnav}}

Suggestions for Shartak are always welcome, although there's no guarantee that anything will be added. Comments on or modifications for any of the suggestions below can be added by editing this page. Please be considerate and don't just remove ideas that you don't like.

Bug reports should go on the [[Bugs]] page.

This is the suggestions page for game mechanics. See also the [[Suggestions]] page for other suggestions.

 

== Example ==

To use the template, enter the following, but replace '''emboldened text''' with text appropriate to your suggestion:

<nowiki>===</nowiki>'''Suggestion Name'''<nowiki>===</nowiki>
<nowiki>{{suggestion</nowiki>|
suggest_type='''Skill, balance change, improvement, etc'''|
suggest_scope='''Who or what it applies to'''|
suggest_description='''Full description. Check spelling and be descriptive.'''|
suggest_time=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_author=<nowiki>~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_comments=

'''Comment here'''

}}

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

*Conversion doesn't have to be forced. It could require action on both sides, like a native doning a religious item and an outsider using the skill on that native. After all, conversion isn't real without true faith. The native counter to this could be similar, requiring an outsider to die holding a packet of that headshrinking powder while a shaman uses the Zombification (ala Haitian witchcraft) skill. -- frisco

*You don't change class or anything when you die. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:31, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

*I gave a response t othis idea under "Holy Scriptures," I think, offering another idea for it that may piss a lot less people off. *points over there*--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:15, 29 March 2006 (BST)

=== Capturing villages ===
Since this is like some war between Outsiders and Natives I thought this appropriate. If all the (say) Outsiders are killed in York and there are none left, then it becomes a Native village and vice versa. Probably needs harder requirements to capture settlements though. Maybe each side could have one permanent place that can never change hands? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:Not sure about this - what about all the idle players within the village? They might "wake up" after a couple of weeks to find they're in enemy territory. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:00, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

:You could have it so idle players goto the nearest friendly village-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:58, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

:Turf control in a limited AP browser game like this just invites lame zerging behavior. I don't like it. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:00, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:Not villages, perhaps 3x3 square 'forts'? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 01:10, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:I do like the idea, but I think Jackel's observation hits a key point. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

:Agreed with Jackel and Lint and Simon. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT) Additionally:
::* Please don't impose your assumption that Shartak is at heart a "war between Outsiders and Natives" on the rest of us. That is not the only possible direction in which this game can go. For example, an Outsider village might turn out to be populated by a trading company that views the other Outsider villages as competitors whose extermination would be good for business, but it could just as easily develop into a peaceful scientific outpost, a pirate haven of drunken debauchery, or a missionary settlement devoted to finding the Natives and learning their language (gotta spread that old time religion). I believe it would be better to keep the objectives more freeform, and let the players create the course of history. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
::* On a hopefully more helpful and positive note, one could simulate/approximate capturing a village by amassing an army of suitable size, carving messages of ownership all over the territory of the village in question, killing all members of the village, and repeatedly killing the village shaman so they can't get back as easily. (Ouch. I hope no armchair megalomaniacs out there have been taking notes.) --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Unique skills ===
I think that each class should start off with one unique skill that the others may never aquire. That way it stops all the classes from becoming too generic. For example Settlers could have a "farming" skill, Soldiers could have a "bravery" skill, etc. Or mabey they could just have a attribute like Soldiers have an extra 10% chance of striking the target, Warriors have an extra 10% chance of finding animals, Settlers have an extra 10% chance of finding an item, Scouts have a 3% chance of recovering 1 HP per AP spent, etc. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:34, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*Perhaps a Research skill of some kind for the Scientist, maybe allowing them an advantage when doing things with dead animals (would need something to do with dead animals, obviously!).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:09, 16 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I am in favor of this (if it is not in effect currently). We'd have to work out the details to make sure each class is getting their fair share, but something that encourages players to try other classes or team up with other players using different classes for a better playing experience sounds good to me. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
:I am in favor of each class being able to acquire (but not necessarily starting off with) a unique skill or attribute that the others may never acquire. Sounds to me like the kind of thing that would be unlocked as one's reward for a rite of passage, rather than granted as a right of birth. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 12:53, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
:Pirates should have a skill to steal their fallen enemies' gold coins. Arr. Would probably result in a lot of outsider in-fighting, though, and outsiders are currently outnumbered.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 29 March 2006 (BST)

=== Pet System ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=I will combine aspects of the '''Animal''' and '''Pirate''' suggestions and propose a pet system that allows you to tame one of the animals on the island. First, you have to weaken the animal. Then you throw a sphere device at it and shout "SHARTAK SPHERE! GO!" for 1 AP. There's a slight chance that you have captured and tamed the animal. The more powerful the animal, the less success chance. You earn no XP for taming an animal. Players can only have 1 pet at a time. They can release a pet whenever they want. If the owner dies, the pet runs away. Pets have fixed HP, attack, and accuracy based on the type of animal they are (ie. they do not level up or heal, just to keep it simple to design). They follow the player around and only attack when the player attacks. It would be nice if they attacked while you were not playing, but auto-defense mechanisms are unnecessary. Enemy animals randomly determine whether they are attacking the owner or the pet. Other players will have an option for targeting the owner or pet. There is no XP gained for attacking or killing a pet to deter any attempts at farming pet killing (I can't believe we even have to consider preventing such a thing). For added flavor, owners can name their pets.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*ROTFL. Sounds a bit like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh (don't worry, I'm not a fan, I have kids that were!). Perhaps instead of spheres, you could keep the monkeys on a leash, heal a tiger or elephant to make it less likely to attack you, tame deer by feeding them, etc. Some animals like the wild boar would have to be pretty difficult to tame. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:14, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*I was with you right up until you got to the "sphere device" bit, and I rejoined you afterwards. ;) The rest of your suggestion otherwise seems to be pretty well thought out. Personally, I'd prefer to attempt to tame the animal into becoming a pet purely by offering it food, rather than "weakening" it by other means. Especially since food is scarce enough that offering it to an animal would be a real sacrifice and therefore an interesting decision for the player to make. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:49, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*I will confess that I had a lot of fun with the references. The problem I have with using an existing item to tame a pet is how to implement it. The player can't click on the fruit, because that will just heal themselves. And I think it is unecessary to redesign fruits like First Aid Kits and Medical Herbs, just so they can feed it to an animal. And a database check to see if the player possesses a fruit before providing a "tame" command seems awkward. Perhaps there is just one item called "animal bait" (from the Trade Hut most likely). It works much like a FAK or Herb, but can only be applied to animals (though there will be a "Yourself" option by default for those players that decide they enjoy the taste). Animals will then have a value called "tame count" in the database. For each successful feeding, this number is incremented. When a specific number is reached, the monster is successfully tamed. If a monster is killed, the number is reset to 0. Acquiring a pet should not reduce the population of animals on the island (ie. one should respawn to take its place). Furthermore, those with '''Animal Affinity''' should have a better taming success rate. (This is another attempt to give Villagers and Settlers a little boost.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*This idea, while somewhat interesting, is not very realitic. The animals of the island are wild. In reality, tigers, elephants, deer, "WILD boars" etc can only be made LESS WILD by extensive and careful training and handling when they are young, not be tamable by any means, certainly not enough to follow a person around and fight on their behalf. Maybe it would be possible with parrots and monkeys, but if Simon is going to implement changes, I'd rather see some of the more believable ones first. I do agree with Lint that it would give more value to '''Animal Affinity'''. Animal attacks, even from a tiger or elephant (which would realistically be very dangerous) are hardly to be feared, making this skill currently seem pretty useless.

}}

=== Profile Effect Items ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=Inventory and profiles|
suggest_description=These are useless baubles that take up 1 unit of a player's inventory space, but if anyone views their profile they will see that the players possesses the item. Using the item won't accomplish anything and merely produce flavor text. However, if a player is in the presence of another player, using the item would show it off. As with all items, there's no way to trade them with other players. We can have eyepatches and peglegs. We can have tribal masks and warpaint. Maybe some clans would require a certain dress code. Maybe they need 30 pieces of flair. I think it provides an outlet for the less serious gamers. Problems: Serious gamers might be plagued with finding such items and dropping them, wasting (in their opinion) AP and Page Hits. Also, arguing over what items fit with the theme of Shartak will be a headache-inducing process.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like this suggestion. How about finding the pieces of the masks and making your own - combine the baubles with mini-quests? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
:For example, to make the sacred warrior mask of Raktam, you must find 5 parrot feathers, a tiger tooth, some berries and a piece of driftwood that can be carved into the appropriate shape with a knife or dagger. Once you have all those items, you get a "create mask" option which then removes the required items and the mask appears in your inventory (and profile).
::Having the database check to see if they have all the ingredients seems a bit unwieldly. After every action or inventory use it might have to run the check to verify that they are alive, still have the items, etc. I'd just settle for having them take the items to a specific NPC. But yes, a mixing quest would be fun. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

* I just hope that this idea motivates players to try new things ("I'm going to join a clan that wears such-and-such a mask and attack the others! Yarr!") and not feel that the game is just about collecting items ("Well, I got all the masks. I guess I'm done with the game."). --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

*Maybe the different masks have different effects, from some simple ones (attracting/scaring animals, making them less likely to attack or easier to hit) to the downright blatavt video game reference that turns you into a huge brown rocky guy who can punch boulders apart. OK, maybe not the second one. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:53, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think that's something to be worked on in a separate suggestion. The point of this suggestion is to make useless "fancy hats" that neither add or take away from the established gameplay. However, in the eyes of certain players, they may be invaluable because of how they can incorperate such items into their goals and roleplaying. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:52, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== Conch Shell Hunt ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, minigame|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=''Capture the Flag''-ish minigame. Somewhere on the island is a single conch shell item. It can be found by searching anywhere. It takes 1 inventory space and appears when anyone views their profile. When the conch holder is in the presence of other players, flavor text is added to the area description to inform the others that the conch holder is in the area. If the person in possession of the conch drops it, dies, or is idle for more than 5 days, the conch returns to the system. The person who holds the conch the longest gets recognized in the statistics. Killing the conch holder earns special bonus XP. Adept conch holder killers may also be recognized in the statistics. Problems: Someone with multiple characters could take advantage of having the conch on one character and reap the XP and fame with another. There will be a point where a race condition will occur and might result in multiple conches and a broken game.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* This kind of thing has been on my ideas list, although this is much more detailed version than the one-liner I had. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*''I'' have the conch! I'm allowed to speak! *ahem* I mean, um... >.>--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:21, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Suggestions: (1) Skip bonus for the conch-killer and you remove incentive to zerg. (2) Have the conch break when the conch-bearer dies (respawns on a random beach) and you remove the race condition. (3) Give the conch-bearer an action to blow into the Conch. (You hear the booming echo of a conch being sounded to the south-east.) Maybe 50% chance of 1xp each time you blow the conch, just to give you incentive to attract attention to yourself. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:31, 23 April 2006 (BST)


}}

=== Know your foes ===
As a native, I get killed a lot by outsiders, but I just can't strike back when I come back to life, as nothing allows me to identify my agressors amongst the outsiders I meet. I expected some basic language skill to give me access to clickable outsiders profiles, but it doesn't. So. I don't like much the fact that, in this game, the only alternative you have is "attack random outsiders" or "attack none". I'd like to be able to protect myself without being too unfair to peaceful outsiders (and being part of some snowball effect).

This would be partly solved by some profile access (allowing to check people's amount of human kills), or some limited displayed info on the present players (it would make -almost- sense for natives to automatically carry visible scalps or shrunken head of their victims, but I'm not sure how to justify the kills display in the case of outsiders, despite of the fact white men were actually quite fond of indian scalps at some time). Another useful tool would be some urban-dead-like contact list.

Of course, ideally (but absurdly) the most useful stat to be able to see would be the number of kills of people without human kills at the moment of their death, but... -- Leaf

''Comments''
Perhaps seeing the profile of someone on the opposite side if you or they have the advanced language skill would be good, it would be cool to hang around with some natives without worrying about aggressors. --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:30, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

If you had a contact list and some way to target individuals on your list ala Urban Dead, I'm guessing that would probably help. Not so sure about the scalp display approach. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:36, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Forest Fire ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, natural disasters|
suggest_scope=Terrain|
suggest_description=This is a potential temporary minigame that will either lead to players to band together and save the island or perhaps just lead to all-out chaos. A fire script is created which designates one block as fire (it is identified by a little fire.gif in the background). Every 20 minutes the fire script will check if there is <del>Grassland or</del> Jungle nearby with density from 1-10. If there is, it spreads to the next block. It will not spread to any other terrain (including villages and ruins). Thus, the best way to prevent the spread of the fire is by chopping vegetation down to 0. The initial fires will be placed randomly around the island. Actions performed in a fire occupied space deal 2 damage. For this event to be more devious, there should be a means to quickly restore vegetation (dropping driftwood, planting fruit, watering with gourds).|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like some things about this suggestion, I think it could work really nicely if there was also a rain algorithingamajig, so that maybe, if some part of the island dried out, wildfires could break out, or if it rained too much villages could flood and get swamped. Its a neat idea. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 04:55, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
* I like the idea of rain and fire, however there's no telling if the server would handle the database access/calculations required when the number of players gets into the range that Urban Dead has. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** I thought it might be a bit much. Ah well. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** Not the idea of fire itself, that may well be quite feasible. I meant having rain causing flooding, or not enough rain leading to fires might be a bit awkward.. unless I can think of some way to reduce the work that needs to be done regularly. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:38, 18 March 2006 (GMT)
* Maybe fires could also destroy huts, and then there could be a skill to rebuild them. Maybe even give people the ability to start their own fires. It might make for interesting tribal wars. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:22, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Imagine what would happen if an ammo hut caught on fire!--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 04:32, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** I kind of wanted to restrict fires to the Jungle (removed my Grasslands comment from the original suggestion) since a lot of Huts provide resources for starting players and players that have just been revived. I think it would be unfair to prevent them with the opportunity to gather supplies. As a tactic, it may also be unfair. Native villages appear to be completely surrounded by burnable Jungle, while Outsider villages are bordered by the Beach. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:46, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Good point. The pirates would be completely free of burning too. I still think a way to temporarily damage structures could be fun -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 19:59, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** As a general rule, real world jungles don't burn terribly well, although there are a few notable exceptions (such as the Indonesian forest fires in 1997-98). Grasslands, however, burn quite regularly, and in fact such fires are necessary for the good health of the grass. Fire kills off sapling trees in the area which would otherwise grow to the point that they overshadowed and killed the grass. I don't know whether the game has any grasslands large enough to make this kind of thing interesting, though. --[[User:Jackdaw|Jackdaw]] 15:55, 25 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== The Ghost Elephant ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, miniboss|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=Somewhere on the island is an animal that exists purely as a temporary event. The Legendary Ghost Elephant - in reality, an aggressive albino pachyderm of incredible size - is said to roam the island of Shartak. Some Natives revere it, others desire to be recorded as the one who slayed it. Some Outsiders wish to study it, others desire to have it as a trophy. It behaves much like any other elephant on Shartak. However, it has a different label, an unfathomable amount of HP, and deals horrific damage. If you heal the Ghost Elephant with a FAK or Herbs, you receive double XP. And to further serve a challenge, don't place an HP cap on the Ghost Elephant, just give it a starting amount. If possible, a log of all actions performed on the Ghost Elephant should be kept by the server and revealed in the event that it dies.|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Ha! I like this one, Lint, and simple to implement. It should really have a boatload of HP, as I think few will consider expending valuable healing items on it, when its far easier (and more rewarding) to hack away at it for 40 AP then make a run for it! --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 16:42, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*Arr! I would ride that ghost beast like a horse jus' fer fun, then slay 't t' sell its tusks t' them outsiders an' th' meat t' them natives. --[[User:El Pirata Cofresi|El Pirata Cofresi]] 17:46, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*In the Congo they refer to it as Mokele Mbembe - he who stops the flow of rivers - and it is rumoured to be a lost dinosaur. The island could do with some cryptozoology. Would this creature be able to disappear or hide or move incredibly fast? If not, then once one person finds it, they can just call everyone over to the same square. This kind of defeats the mythical aspect as well as adding potential server problems. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 18:24, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*I should make the animals attack back in near-realtime first (as in you attack them and they may or may not get an attack in).. just to add a bit of interest to it and stop people running up to the creature and hacking and then running away. Making an animal with an almost unlimited number of HP would be possible.. I guess probably start it with at least double a normal elephant and max of about a thousand HP to prevent people healing it to the point where it'd be impossible to kill. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 18:37, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*It could be cool, especially if it moved around in a way that made tracking it possible, maybe by destroying the foliage, or moving in a pattern. Also having it move might help keep people from all winding up in one square beating it up. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:41, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
**I've tried to offset the game's focus on combat by encouraging healing (double XP may be too much of a reward, so I'm willing to remove that), but that alone will most likely be not enough to counter the horde of blood-thirsty savages! Healing with the Herbs and FAKs may actually be seen as healing the Ghost Elephant spiritually rather than merely physically, which is why it's health can grow high. I don't see a problem if it became near-unkillable. I like keeping some myths and legends around. I thought that it would be best if it traveled like an elephant, but it is true that it limits the people that are able to participate in the event. Perhaps it should "teleport", after a certain amount of time in an area - "A wall of fog sweeps in through jungle. When it fades, you see that the Ghost Elephant has vanished as well." I requested for a log of actions to determine who killed it, who attacked it the most, who healed it the most, and who got hurt the most. Also, rather than a recurring animal, I thought it would be best to release it as an event that occurs every now and then. Or maybe only once! --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
***Hmm, when the elephant reappears, it should give a loud trumpet which can be heard over a certain radius to increase the chance of players coming across it. Unless of course players would prefer that it were more stealthy. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:25, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*I like it. And of course, you needn't stick to land animals; a mysterious sea creature that patrols the island waters and is reported to be 30ft long could prompt more people to vernture into the waters for a glimpse/trophy etc. Sharks will also be a problem for those searching! --[[User:Malphas|Malphas]] 15:52, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

*I ''love'' this idea.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 28 March 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Auto Attack ===
I've never liked the fact that while I am away from the game, things can happen to my character, like being chewed on by a tiger or slashed with a machette. How about a setting where you can turn your character on to auto attack anything that hits you. It should, of course, be user selected. This would change the game mechanics a bit, as you could no longer move in on a target and attack it withough fear of a counter-strike. To me this is far more realistic, in that even if you are sleeping, when somebody hits you, you're going to wake up and do something about it with whatever engery you have left.

An alternative selectable action might be an auto-run. You can pre-specify the direction you want to run and how many squares upon being hit. A character with trekking could stay alive just by running a few square whenever they are hit.
--[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 02:34, 20 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* The main problem with this is that players will be discouraged from attacking other players, as this will become extremely dangerous, and the native warrior who wants the outsiderts out will effectively be penalised.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:47, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sorry, but I don't like this. I feel that that this will lead to interactions with players that are no different than interacting with an NPC. Could someone theoretically max themselves out by just leaving this option on and checking in every now and then to make sure they haven't become a spirit? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:28, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Yeah, I'm not a fan of being able to do something by not doing something, such as fighting or running without being there to fight or run. Also, would it be free of AP and IP hits, or would it be possible to come back and have no AP or hits left? It seems like these problems would wreck any sort of auto action. I can understand not enjoying being macheted while away, but I don't see any way around this. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:20, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* I must admit that I don't like the idea all that much, but if it was implemented it would probably be something that was user configurable. I don't think running away would make sense, but fighting back does. For example, no more than X AP to be used fighting back until you next log back in, and they wouldn't be used unless you had more than Y AP left. This way you could set X to 10 and Y to 6 and if you ran out of AP, set those values, it would be 2 hours (6 x 20m) before you were likely to attack, and it would use no more than 10 AP fighting back. Because the values are configurable, it would be hard to know who would fight back and who wouldn't. Setting X to 0 would disable the feature. I think probably the attacks would gain XP if successful, same as normal, but because you wouldn't be able to set the number of AP to use to more than your max AP value, it would be impossible to level up a character by simply leaving them alone (not to mention you would disappear from the map after being idle for a bit). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:01, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* i like the idea of counterattack , but with some limits. You have only a % of counterattacking someone (25%?) , you don't consume AP , you don't get XP. But , whit wich weapon do you attack?--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:05, 27 March 2006 (BST)
* The impetus behind auto-attack is to lessen the chance and impact of Badness happening to your character while you're away, but auto-attack isn't the proper solution to this. Shartak's appropriate skill would be jungle hiding, though a construction skill would work too, if we want to be more like that other game. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)

===Flavor Text===

this section is where "users" add "flavor" to the game, im just suggesting that every few steps the computer say a message depending on location, here ill give a few examples:

*'''grasslands'''
**the grassy field sways under the wind's rush as you take a step.|
**something far off squaks and makes a strange throaty bellow.|

*'''water'''
**a wave crashes calmly in the distance|
**a spalsh can be heard from far off|

*'''jungle'''
**a parrot's call can be heard distantly|
**the bushes nearby are rustling from the small wildlife in them|

*'''village (outsider)'''
**the smell of gunpowder wafts into your lungs|
**the smoke comming from a nearby hut smells of fresh turkey|

*'''village (native)'''
**the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village|
**you step on the bones of what appears to be a rattlesnake|

*'''beach'''
**the hot sand burns your feet, yet feels wonderfully different|
**several sea shells catch your eye from far off|

please feel free to update these with more, as they are just a list (if simon decides to) that will be used for flavor.
i want to do this because the game gets kinda boring simply traversing through square after square

''Comments''
* One of the noticeable, distinct aspects of that other game are the different messages for each building; i really like this idea. A criticism, though - i'd refrain from mentioning living animals/people or useful items in the descriptions, they could be confusing to newbies. In other words, "a parrot's call can be heard distantly" isn't appropriate, and "the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village" might not be appropriate if the shaman is currently dead. The following could substitute: "You see a large ant colony busily rebuilding their hive" (an animal that has no game impact) and "The spirit of Shubar is felt all around you" (doesn't matter if Shubar is alive or dead). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 14:05, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* I sort of feel like this is something that could easily be put together with a Greasemonkey script. It would be nice, but it isn't really necessary. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 05:35, 5 April 2006 (BST)

===slots/ new inventory===
slots and inventory could be implemented where, a picture of a silhouette was shown, with names of equiped items in slotted areas, ex: you skin a goat, find some sharp rocks and fashion yourself some claws, you then put them on, giving you +1 damage to all melee attacks
[[Suggestions:Items#animal wearings|animal wearings]]

"Comments below"

Making Claws? and not "all melee attacks" but only punch attacks --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:45, 29 March 2006 (BST)

I don't see why you need item slots for this. Having a pair of claws in the inventory would just improve punch damage by 1. That said, I don't like the idea of making oneself claws. Seems a little silly, when you have actual weapons around. Seems a little silly, either way, really. Perhaps that's just my sense of aesthetics, though, and not that of the majority of the players.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:37, 4 April 2006 (BST)

===Boat Construction===
Boats wouldn't be able to go into The very deep water people can't go into because the tides would rip them apart but could go move in all water for only 1 AP and it also prevents sharks from biting you. Multipule people could get into a boat based on how much wood is used, like
n*.001 x 1 = People Where n = The amount of wood used.

'''Edit'''

When Boats are being boarded each player may vote on who they decide should be the captain. The captian may move boat, call the boat any non vulgar name and anyone may jump off the boat at any time except the captain. Boats could only be built on a beach and automaticly once built move the person who constructed it into the nearest water square. Players may board the baot at any time by moving into the same square as it and selecting enter. When the captain moves the boat onto a land square the boat is destroyed and all people who boarded are thrown onto the beach. Players may change the captain at any time by changing there vote. Natives can not board Outsider boats and outsiders can not board native boats. What the boat looks like and is called depends on the size of it.

1 person: Raft

2 people: Large raft

3-4: Small boat

5-6: Boat

7-9: Large Boat

10-24: Huge Boat

25 and up: Gigantic Boat

--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:42, 29 March 2006 (BST)

''Comments''
*check out the skills section, i already suggested something like that.... anyway, check it out --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]
*While the huts are handled in Richard's suggestion, I am interested in the boat aspect. I think that placing multiple players on a boat will be troublesome. Who decides where the boat goes - the server? the first player on the boat? It's also important to keep in mind that we already are offered a skill to help with moving in water - '''Swimming'''. If we are to introduce rafts, there should be some mechanics set in place to minimize their usefulness. Perhaps carrying a raft through non-water terrain doubles movement cost to discourage players from carrying one everywhere. Perhaps the raft only has a limited amount of moves in deep water before breaking up. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:44, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Yeah I changed the suggestion based on your suggestion's :) --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:40, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*"Welcome to the Shartak ferry sevice. Please pay the captain your fee of 3 coins. We will be departing for the pirate ship in 3 hours. The captain has locked the destination coordinates and will not change directions unless the boat's integrity is threatend. We will arive in 50 AP + 10 AP per passenger + 5 per day due to drift. You are encouraged to help paddle the boat as this will help us arive sooner. If you decide to leave the boat at any time we will not refund you or allow you to reboard. Please do not pull out any corks or kick any boards as the boat is fragile and will sink if badly damaged."--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 05:06, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** Yeah ^^ That too --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 00:48, 3 April 2006 (BST)

===Poisoning===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, status effect, balance|
suggest_scope=All classes, primarily Warriors|
suggest_description=Currently, the blowpipe can only carry 1 dart, yet weighs the same amount of inventory space as a rifle with 2 bullets. If you were to pit a fully leveled Soldier armed with loaded rifles against a fully leveled Warrior armed with loaded blowpipes, the battle is in favor of the Soldier who requires less time to reload while inbattle and dealing superior damage. (rifle's 5 to blowpipe's 4).

To address this, I would propose that poison darts actually cause poisoning. Poisoning would behave much like a shark bite - causing 1 HP damage per action performed until they are administered a FAK or medical herbs. A character can die if poison is left untreated. The attacker receives no additional XP for this kill or the damage dealt from poison. Poisoning would not stack, but it would be possible for a character to suffer from both poison and shark bites. The introduction of poison may require the dart's damage to be reduced to something substantially lower. Perhaps a default of 2 HP inflicted.

Up for discussion - does poisoning have a percent chance of occurring, an AP lifespan (only lasts 10 moves), and perhaps only works on non-npc characters?|
suggest_time=18:38, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Sounds great! I've heard that some of the toxicins used to poison darts can induce illutions. It would be interesting if poisoning increases AP usage for certain actions or even better imagined enemies (that Sixth Sence could pick out).--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 08:24, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Have you seen the size of the some of the blowpipes that certain tribes carry? They're anything from 6 to 10 foot long! It's hardly surprising that they occupy the same inventory space as a rifle :) On the other hand, poisoning from darts sounds like a good idea.. I don't know that they should poison forever though, maybe for a limited number of AP, but perhaps have the effect be cumulative up to a certain point? Get shot 5 times and you lose 1 HP for every AP used for 5 x whatever the limit is. Does that make sense? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:16, 7 April 2006 (BST)
***Exactly - e.g., each poison dart that hits adds 2 AP to the poison duration, and while poisoned, you lose 1HP per AP used. The Poison Dart would eventually inflict 6 hp of damage, offsetting the extra damage and double barrel of the rifle. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:22, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**That might work, that way the Warrior has incentive to continue using the blowpipe multiple times on a target rather than just switch to their machete after the poison takes effect. Add to the character table a boolean flag (Poison = True) and give it a Poison Timer int. When the timer reaches 0, the Poison gets flipped to False. When the character dies or a FAK or Herb is applied, the Poison gets flipped to False and the timer gets set to 0. If the flag is True and they're poisoned again, stack the timer. I'm going to put forth this suggestion to the Forum. I don't have a lot of experience with using the blowpipe (I'm a machete guy) so they should weigh in on this. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:17, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Or how about you can find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog#Toxicity frogs] and use them to put differnt posion effects on your darts? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:57, 11 April 2006 (BST)
:*If we're adding poison dart frogs, I demand that they be lickable. It wouldn't be right, if you couldn't lick the poison dart frogs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:14, 11 April 2006 (BST)
::* Ok... then some benifical frogs too! And people can't tell the diffrence between them unless they get some skill? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:27, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===PvP Protection===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, pvp, nopvp, vs, player versus player|
suggest_scope=All Classes|
suggest_description=A full implementation of player versus player protection. This would be a nice feature for newbies allowing them time to adjust to the game without getting slaughtered. I envisage something allowing you to enable nopvp without the ability to disable for at least 100AP. Also when you hit a player who is flagged nopvp then you would get a message along the lines of "As your blade bounces off an invisible shield you suddenly notice a shamanic medicine pouch around the neck of target, they are protected, it would be pointless to continue to attack target." where target will be replaced by the players name.|
suggest_time=10:00, 13 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]]|
suggest_comments=

* This is a good, well-thought suggestion. But while I don't generally like PKing, I think it is important to keep it available to those that do enjoy it. With XP penalties and easy resurrection, PKing not ruining the game from my perspective and it shouldn't be restricted further. I would not mind a method of informing players that view my character profile to see that I am flagged for pvp or not, but I am against preventing PVP without purchasing such an ability. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 21:16, 13 April 2006 (BST)
* New players already get an AP bonus and need less XP to level; I don't see the need for a newbie specific ability. I'd rather see a safe area over a moveable system - something like a sacred hut in native villages and a guard hut in outsider villages which anyone who hasn't attacked another player in 100 AP can enter and within which all PvP activity is prohibited, wastes AP, or perhaps results in HP loss only to the attacker ("Your attack has angered the mighty (spirits or guards) in the area; they smite you").--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:12, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*Having both a PvP pirate and a pacifist shaman, and having been PKed on both... I don't like this idea. I like the 100AP newbie status. I don't like the "enabling" nopvp. Sorry. Death is a part of the game. If you walk into a tribe of hostile headhunters, they aren't going to just stand by and let you through--no matter how peaceful your business.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 04:27, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*I'm aware that new players get extra AP and newbie protection isn't what this is about. It is more useful for being protected from the players that sit in their home town bashing away at their own folk. Even with that said my main reason for nopvp was for another idea I have for a skill track that at the time of thinking about it I thought would require a nopvp implementation. I may post the skill track idea sometime when I have finished thinking about all the details.--[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]] 12:07, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*How about you can't be attacked in your village/settlement by people that come from your village/settlement? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:30, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===New strategic location on island===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New location, Game mechanics, |
suggest_scope=N/A|
suggest_description=I think the addition of one or more major new "strategic" locations on the island would greatly improve the game. What exactly it would be can be worked out, all it really ''has'' to be is very valuable to occupy and far away from any village or town (i.e. far away from any shaman). Both sides would rush to occupy this location and would fight each other for control of it.

This would have 3 major benefits for the game that I can see: 1) It would get the action away from towns/villages/shamans, 2) It would make death more meaningful and make killing an enemy meaningful (all death means in towns/villages now is having to float five spaces or so to the shaman and then you get a free revive. There are no easy/free revives out in the center of the island, you would lose both location and the 50 AP to contact, unless you decide to stick around and play as a spirit), 3) It would give people a goal in the game, a major location to fight over and defend, a location that isn't pointless to fight over, as towns/villages are because they cannot be taken. All in all it would have the benefit of making the game more fun.

As far as what the new location would be exactly, one idea could be gold mine(s). They would be valuable because standing on a gold mine square would give you 1 gold coin/hr and require no AP expenditure. The specifics of this are wide open and dont even much matter, as long as the location is far from settlements and very valuable to occupy so players will flock out there and fight for control, making for an exciting time and making killing enemies non-pointless.

If implemented, it should only be one new location at first, with maybe a couple more introduced later once things get going. The location should have a name, and it should be relayed to players in the form of Game News so that everyone knows of its existance and where it is in general terms, e.g. "A gold mine was discovered just south of the mountain, Natives and Outsiders are both rushing out there for control".|
suggest_time=21:02, 22 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

* I realise it was just an example, but 1 gold per hour without any AP requirement is probably a bit much. Definitely something to expand on though. I like it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:46, 22 April 2006 (BST)
** For example, award 1 gold coin to any one player at random who is on the mine for at least the full hour. Or only award 1 gold coin at random to any one player if only one side occupies the mine -- if both outsiders and nativers are present, they are fighting for control and no one is mining. Generally speaking, 24 gold coins per hour fed into the entire game will not mess up the economy -- that's probably less than 75-150 AP of searching (and a trip to the trading hut). Alternatively, allow players to search the area with a 15% find rate for one gold coin, as long as none of the opposing faction are present in the square. Drawbacks: (1) This sort of high-impact location could also increase zerging/cheating, which wouldn't be fun for anyone. (2) A gold mine could rapidly devalue gold coins until they're effectively worthless, ending the "value" of the mine. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:22, 23 April 2006 (BST)

An alternative to the gold mine would be some kind of ancient treasure hoard, so not just gold coins but also statues, ancient armour and maybe some pretty nasty weapons. However, to get the good stuff you'd have to go into the trap-filled maze and actually make it into the chamber where the treasure is. With spirit-proof doors so people don't just die, go in, find the correct route, revive and go in...[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 17:33, 24 April 2006 (BST)

}}

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-04-24T16:32:28Z

MorkaisChosen: /* New strategic location on island */

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{{Suggestionsnav}}

Suggestions for Shartak are always welcome, although there's no guarantee that anything will be added. Comments on or modifications for any of the suggestions below can be added by editing this page. Please be considerate and don't just remove ideas that you don't like.

Bug reports should go on the [[Bugs]] page.

This is the suggestions page for game mechanics. See also the [[Suggestions]] page for other suggestions.

 

== Example ==

To use the template, enter the following, but replace '''emboldened text''' with text appropriate to your suggestion:

<nowiki>===</nowiki>'''Suggestion Name'''<nowiki>===</nowiki>
<nowiki>{{suggestion</nowiki>|
suggest_type='''Skill, balance change, improvement, etc'''|
suggest_scope='''Who or what it applies to'''|
suggest_description='''Full description. Check spelling and be descriptive.'''|
suggest_time=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_author=<nowiki>~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_comments=

'''Comment here'''

}}

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

*Conversion doesn't have to be forced. It could require action on both sides, like a native doning a religious item and an outsider using the skill on that native. After all, conversion isn't real without true faith. The native counter to this could be similar, requiring an outsider to die holding a packet of that headshrinking powder while a shaman uses the Zombification (ala Haitian witchcraft) skill. -- frisco

*You don't change class or anything when you die. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 12:31, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

*I gave a response t othis idea under "Holy Scriptures," I think, offering another idea for it that may piss a lot less people off. *points over there*--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:15, 29 March 2006 (BST)

=== Capturing villages ===
Since this is like some war between Outsiders and Natives I thought this appropriate. If all the (say) Outsiders are killed in York and there are none left, then it becomes a Native village and vice versa. Probably needs harder requirements to capture settlements though. Maybe each side could have one permanent place that can never change hands? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:Not sure about this - what about all the idle players within the village? They might "wake up" after a couple of weeks to find they're in enemy territory. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:00, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

:You could have it so idle players goto the nearest friendly village-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:58, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

:Turf control in a limited AP browser game like this just invites lame zerging behavior. I don't like it. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:00, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:Not villages, perhaps 3x3 square 'forts'? --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 01:10, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:I do like the idea, but I think Jackel's observation hits a key point. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

:Agreed with Jackel and Lint and Simon. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT) Additionally:
::* Please don't impose your assumption that Shartak is at heart a "war between Outsiders and Natives" on the rest of us. That is not the only possible direction in which this game can go. For example, an Outsider village might turn out to be populated by a trading company that views the other Outsider villages as competitors whose extermination would be good for business, but it could just as easily develop into a peaceful scientific outpost, a pirate haven of drunken debauchery, or a missionary settlement devoted to finding the Natives and learning their language (gotta spread that old time religion). I believe it would be better to keep the objectives more freeform, and let the players create the course of history. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
::* On a hopefully more helpful and positive note, one could simulate/approximate capturing a village by amassing an army of suitable size, carving messages of ownership all over the territory of the village in question, killing all members of the village, and repeatedly killing the village shaman so they can't get back as easily. (Ouch. I hope no armchair megalomaniacs out there have been taking notes.) --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 13:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Unique skills ===
I think that each class should start off with one unique skill that the others may never aquire. That way it stops all the classes from becoming too generic. For example Settlers could have a "farming" skill, Soldiers could have a "bravery" skill, etc. Or mabey they could just have a attribute like Soldiers have an extra 10% chance of striking the target, Warriors have an extra 10% chance of finding animals, Settlers have an extra 10% chance of finding an item, Scouts have a 3% chance of recovering 1 HP per AP spent, etc. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:34, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*Perhaps a Research skill of some kind for the Scientist, maybe allowing them an advantage when doing things with dead animals (would need something to do with dead animals, obviously!).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:09, 16 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I am in favor of this (if it is not in effect currently). We'd have to work out the details to make sure each class is getting their fair share, but something that encourages players to try other classes or team up with other players using different classes for a better playing experience sounds good to me. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
:I am in favor of each class being able to acquire (but not necessarily starting off with) a unique skill or attribute that the others may never acquire. Sounds to me like the kind of thing that would be unlocked as one's reward for a rite of passage, rather than granted as a right of birth. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 12:53, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
:Pirates should have a skill to steal their fallen enemies' gold coins. Arr. Would probably result in a lot of outsider in-fighting, though, and outsiders are currently outnumbered.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 29 March 2006 (BST)

=== Pet System ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=I will combine aspects of the '''Animal''' and '''Pirate''' suggestions and propose a pet system that allows you to tame one of the animals on the island. First, you have to weaken the animal. Then you throw a sphere device at it and shout "SHARTAK SPHERE! GO!" for 1 AP. There's a slight chance that you have captured and tamed the animal. The more powerful the animal, the less success chance. You earn no XP for taming an animal. Players can only have 1 pet at a time. They can release a pet whenever they want. If the owner dies, the pet runs away. Pets have fixed HP, attack, and accuracy based on the type of animal they are (ie. they do not level up or heal, just to keep it simple to design). They follow the player around and only attack when the player attacks. It would be nice if they attacked while you were not playing, but auto-defense mechanisms are unnecessary. Enemy animals randomly determine whether they are attacking the owner or the pet. Other players will have an option for targeting the owner or pet. There is no XP gained for attacking or killing a pet to deter any attempts at farming pet killing (I can't believe we even have to consider preventing such a thing). For added flavor, owners can name their pets.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*ROTFL. Sounds a bit like Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh (don't worry, I'm not a fan, I have kids that were!). Perhaps instead of spheres, you could keep the monkeys on a leash, heal a tiger or elephant to make it less likely to attack you, tame deer by feeding them, etc. Some animals like the wild boar would have to be pretty difficult to tame. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:14, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*I was with you right up until you got to the "sphere device" bit, and I rejoined you afterwards. ;) The rest of your suggestion otherwise seems to be pretty well thought out. Personally, I'd prefer to attempt to tame the animal into becoming a pet purely by offering it food, rather than "weakening" it by other means. Especially since food is scarce enough that offering it to an animal would be a real sacrifice and therefore an interesting decision for the player to make. --[[User:Berry|Berry]] 14:49, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*I will confess that I had a lot of fun with the references. The problem I have with using an existing item to tame a pet is how to implement it. The player can't click on the fruit, because that will just heal themselves. And I think it is unecessary to redesign fruits like First Aid Kits and Medical Herbs, just so they can feed it to an animal. And a database check to see if the player possesses a fruit before providing a "tame" command seems awkward. Perhaps there is just one item called "animal bait" (from the Trade Hut most likely). It works much like a FAK or Herb, but can only be applied to animals (though there will be a "Yourself" option by default for those players that decide they enjoy the taste). Animals will then have a value called "tame count" in the database. For each successful feeding, this number is incremented. When a specific number is reached, the monster is successfully tamed. If a monster is killed, the number is reset to 0. Acquiring a pet should not reduce the population of animals on the island (ie. one should respawn to take its place). Furthermore, those with '''Animal Affinity''' should have a better taming success rate. (This is another attempt to give Villagers and Settlers a little boost.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:32, 7 March 2006 (GMT)
*This idea, while somewhat interesting, is not very realitic. The animals of the island are wild. In reality, tigers, elephants, deer, "WILD boars" etc can only be made LESS WILD by extensive and careful training and handling when they are young, not be tamable by any means, certainly not enough to follow a person around and fight on their behalf. Maybe it would be possible with parrots and monkeys, but if Simon is going to implement changes, I'd rather see some of the more believable ones first. I do agree with Lint that it would give more value to '''Animal Affinity'''. Animal attacks, even from a tiger or elephant (which would realistically be very dangerous) are hardly to be feared, making this skill currently seem pretty useless.

}}

=== Profile Effect Items ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics|
suggest_scope=Inventory and profiles|
suggest_description=These are useless baubles that take up 1 unit of a player's inventory space, but if anyone views their profile they will see that the players possesses the item. Using the item won't accomplish anything and merely produce flavor text. However, if a player is in the presence of another player, using the item would show it off. As with all items, there's no way to trade them with other players. We can have eyepatches and peglegs. We can have tribal masks and warpaint. Maybe some clans would require a certain dress code. Maybe they need 30 pieces of flair. I think it provides an outlet for the less serious gamers. Problems: Serious gamers might be plagued with finding such items and dropping them, wasting (in their opinion) AP and Page Hits. Also, arguing over what items fit with the theme of Shartak will be a headache-inducing process.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like this suggestion. How about finding the pieces of the masks and making your own - combine the baubles with mini-quests? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:18, 8 March 2006 (GMT)
:For example, to make the sacred warrior mask of Raktam, you must find 5 parrot feathers, a tiger tooth, some berries and a piece of driftwood that can be carved into the appropriate shape with a knife or dagger. Once you have all those items, you get a "create mask" option which then removes the required items and the mask appears in your inventory (and profile).
::Having the database check to see if they have all the ingredients seems a bit unwieldly. After every action or inventory use it might have to run the check to verify that they are alive, still have the items, etc. I'd just settle for having them take the items to a specific NPC. But yes, a mixing quest would be fun. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

* I just hope that this idea motivates players to try new things ("I'm going to join a clan that wears such-and-such a mask and attack the others! Yarr!") and not feel that the game is just about collecting items ("Well, I got all the masks. I guess I'm done with the game."). --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:02, 8 March 2006 (GMT)

*Maybe the different masks have different effects, from some simple ones (attracting/scaring animals, making them less likely to attack or easier to hit) to the downright blatavt video game reference that turns you into a huge brown rocky guy who can punch boulders apart. OK, maybe not the second one. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:53, 9 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think that's something to be worked on in a separate suggestion. The point of this suggestion is to make useless "fancy hats" that neither add or take away from the established gameplay. However, in the eyes of certain players, they may be invaluable because of how they can incorperate such items into their goals and roleplaying. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:52, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== Conch Shell Hunt ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, minigame|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=''Capture the Flag''-ish minigame. Somewhere on the island is a single conch shell item. It can be found by searching anywhere. It takes 1 inventory space and appears when anyone views their profile. When the conch holder is in the presence of other players, flavor text is added to the area description to inform the others that the conch holder is in the area. If the person in possession of the conch drops it, dies, or is idle for more than 5 days, the conch returns to the system. The person who holds the conch the longest gets recognized in the statistics. Killing the conch holder earns special bonus XP. Adept conch holder killers may also be recognized in the statistics. Problems: Someone with multiple characters could take advantage of having the conch on one character and reap the XP and fame with another. There will be a point where a race condition will occur and might result in multiple conches and a broken game.|
suggest_time=08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* This kind of thing has been on my ideas list, although this is much more detailed version than the one-liner I had. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 15:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
*''I'' have the conch! I'm allowed to speak! *ahem* I mean, um... >.>--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:21, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Suggestions: (1) Skip bonus for the conch-killer and you remove incentive to zerg. (2) Have the conch break when the conch-bearer dies (respawns on a random beach) and you remove the race condition. (3) Give the conch-bearer an action to blow into the Conch. (You hear the booming echo of a conch being sounded to the south-east.) Maybe 50% chance of 1xp each time you blow the conch, just to give you incentive to attract attention to yourself. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:31, 23 April 2006 (BST)


}}

=== Know your foes ===
As a native, I get killed a lot by outsiders, but I just can't strike back when I come back to life, as nothing allows me to identify my agressors amongst the outsiders I meet. I expected some basic language skill to give me access to clickable outsiders profiles, but it doesn't. So. I don't like much the fact that, in this game, the only alternative you have is "attack random outsiders" or "attack none". I'd like to be able to protect myself without being too unfair to peaceful outsiders (and being part of some snowball effect).

This would be partly solved by some profile access (allowing to check people's amount of human kills), or some limited displayed info on the present players (it would make -almost- sense for natives to automatically carry visible scalps or shrunken head of their victims, but I'm not sure how to justify the kills display in the case of outsiders, despite of the fact white men were actually quite fond of indian scalps at some time). Another useful tool would be some urban-dead-like contact list.

Of course, ideally (but absurdly) the most useful stat to be able to see would be the number of kills of people without human kills at the moment of their death, but... -- Leaf

''Comments''
Perhaps seeing the profile of someone on the opposite side if you or they have the advanced language skill would be good, it would be cool to hang around with some natives without worrying about aggressors. --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:30, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

If you had a contact list and some way to target individuals on your list ala Urban Dead, I'm guessing that would probably help. Not so sure about the scalp display approach. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:36, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Forest Fire ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, natural disasters|
suggest_scope=Terrain|
suggest_description=This is a potential temporary minigame that will either lead to players to band together and save the island or perhaps just lead to all-out chaos. A fire script is created which designates one block as fire (it is identified by a little fire.gif in the background). Every 20 minutes the fire script will check if there is <del>Grassland or</del> Jungle nearby with density from 1-10. If there is, it spreads to the next block. It will not spread to any other terrain (including villages and ruins). Thus, the best way to prevent the spread of the fire is by chopping vegetation down to 0. The initial fires will be placed randomly around the island. Actions performed in a fire occupied space deal 2 damage. For this event to be more devious, there should be a means to quickly restore vegetation (dropping driftwood, planting fruit, watering with gourds).|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*I like some things about this suggestion, I think it could work really nicely if there was also a rain algorithingamajig, so that maybe, if some part of the island dried out, wildfires could break out, or if it rained too much villages could flood and get swamped. Its a neat idea. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 04:55, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
* I like the idea of rain and fire, however there's no telling if the server would handle the database access/calculations required when the number of players gets into the range that Urban Dead has. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 11:17, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** I thought it might be a bit much. Ah well. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
** Not the idea of fire itself, that may well be quite feasible. I meant having rain causing flooding, or not enough rain leading to fires might be a bit awkward.. unless I can think of some way to reduce the work that needs to be done regularly. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 23:38, 18 March 2006 (GMT)
* Maybe fires could also destroy huts, and then there could be a skill to rebuild them. Maybe even give people the ability to start their own fires. It might make for interesting tribal wars. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:22, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Imagine what would happen if an ammo hut caught on fire!--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 04:32, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** I kind of wanted to restrict fires to the Jungle (removed my Grasslands comment from the original suggestion) since a lot of Huts provide resources for starting players and players that have just been revived. I think it would be unfair to prevent them with the opportunity to gather supplies. As a tactic, it may also be unfair. Native villages appear to be completely surrounded by burnable Jungle, while Outsider villages are bordered by the Beach. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:46, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** Good point. The pirates would be completely free of burning too. I still think a way to temporarily damage structures could be fun -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 19:59, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
** As a general rule, real world jungles don't burn terribly well, although there are a few notable exceptions (such as the Indonesian forest fires in 1997-98). Grasslands, however, burn quite regularly, and in fact such fires are necessary for the good health of the grass. Fire kills off sapling trees in the area which would otherwise grow to the point that they overshadowed and killed the grass. I don't know whether the game has any grasslands large enough to make this kind of thing interesting, though. --[[User:Jackdaw|Jackdaw]] 15:55, 25 March 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== The Ghost Elephant ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, miniboss|
suggest_scope=Event|
suggest_description=Somewhere on the island is an animal that exists purely as a temporary event. The Legendary Ghost Elephant - in reality, an aggressive albino pachyderm of incredible size - is said to roam the island of Shartak. Some Natives revere it, others desire to be recorded as the one who slayed it. Some Outsiders wish to study it, others desire to have it as a trophy. It behaves much like any other elephant on Shartak. However, it has a different label, an unfathomable amount of HP, and deals horrific damage. If you heal the Ghost Elephant with a FAK or Herbs, you receive double XP. And to further serve a challenge, don't place an HP cap on the Ghost Elephant, just give it a starting amount. If possible, a log of all actions performed on the Ghost Elephant should be kept by the server and revealed in the event that it dies.|
suggest_time=03:58, 17 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Ha! I like this one, Lint, and simple to implement. It should really have a boatload of HP, as I think few will consider expending valuable healing items on it, when its far easier (and more rewarding) to hack away at it for 40 AP then make a run for it! --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 16:42, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*Arr! I would ride that ghost beast like a horse jus' fer fun, then slay 't t' sell its tusks t' them outsiders an' th' meat t' them natives. --[[User:El Pirata Cofresi|El Pirata Cofresi]] 17:46, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*In the Congo they refer to it as Mokele Mbembe - he who stops the flow of rivers - and it is rumoured to be a lost dinosaur. The island could do with some cryptozoology. Would this creature be able to disappear or hide or move incredibly fast? If not, then once one person finds it, they can just call everyone over to the same square. This kind of defeats the mythical aspect as well as adding potential server problems. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 18:24, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*I should make the animals attack back in near-realtime first (as in you attack them and they may or may not get an attack in).. just to add a bit of interest to it and stop people running up to the creature and hacking and then running away. Making an animal with an almost unlimited number of HP would be possible.. I guess probably start it with at least double a normal elephant and max of about a thousand HP to prevent people healing it to the point where it'd be impossible to kill. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 18:37, 17 March 2006 (GMT)

*It could be cool, especially if it moved around in a way that made tracking it possible, maybe by destroying the foliage, or moving in a pattern. Also having it move might help keep people from all winding up in one square beating it up. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:41, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
**I've tried to offset the game's focus on combat by encouraging healing (double XP may be too much of a reward, so I'm willing to remove that), but that alone will most likely be not enough to counter the horde of blood-thirsty savages! Healing with the Herbs and FAKs may actually be seen as healing the Ghost Elephant spiritually rather than merely physically, which is why it's health can grow high. I don't see a problem if it became near-unkillable. I like keeping some myths and legends around. I thought that it would be best if it traveled like an elephant, but it is true that it limits the people that are able to participate in the event. Perhaps it should "teleport", after a certain amount of time in an area - "A wall of fog sweeps in through jungle. When it fades, you see that the Ghost Elephant has vanished as well." I requested for a log of actions to determine who killed it, who attacked it the most, who healed it the most, and who got hurt the most. Also, rather than a recurring animal, I thought it would be best to release it as an event that occurs every now and then. Or maybe only once! --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:32, 17 March 2006 (GMT)
***Hmm, when the elephant reappears, it should give a loud trumpet which can be heard over a certain radius to increase the chance of players coming across it. Unless of course players would prefer that it were more stealthy. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:25, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*I like it. And of course, you needn't stick to land animals; a mysterious sea creature that patrols the island waters and is reported to be 30ft long could prompt more people to vernture into the waters for a glimpse/trophy etc. Sharks will also be a problem for those searching! --[[User:Malphas|Malphas]] 15:52, 19 March 2006 (GMT)

*I ''love'' this idea.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:08, 28 March 2006 (BST)

}}

=== Auto Attack ===
I've never liked the fact that while I am away from the game, things can happen to my character, like being chewed on by a tiger or slashed with a machette. How about a setting where you can turn your character on to auto attack anything that hits you. It should, of course, be user selected. This would change the game mechanics a bit, as you could no longer move in on a target and attack it withough fear of a counter-strike. To me this is far more realistic, in that even if you are sleeping, when somebody hits you, you're going to wake up and do something about it with whatever engery you have left.

An alternative selectable action might be an auto-run. You can pre-specify the direction you want to run and how many squares upon being hit. A character with trekking could stay alive just by running a few square whenever they are hit.
--[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 02:34, 20 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* The main problem with this is that players will be discouraged from attacking other players, as this will become extremely dangerous, and the native warrior who wants the outsiderts out will effectively be penalised.[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:47, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Sorry, but I don't like this. I feel that that this will lead to interactions with players that are no different than interacting with an NPC. Could someone theoretically max themselves out by just leaving this option on and checking in every now and then to make sure they haven't become a spirit? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 17:28, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* Yeah, I'm not a fan of being able to do something by not doing something, such as fighting or running without being there to fight or run. Also, would it be free of AP and IP hits, or would it be possible to come back and have no AP or hits left? It seems like these problems would wreck any sort of auto action. I can understand not enjoying being macheted while away, but I don't see any way around this. -[[User:BananaBear|BananaBear]] 18:20, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* I must admit that I don't like the idea all that much, but if it was implemented it would probably be something that was user configurable. I don't think running away would make sense, but fighting back does. For example, no more than X AP to be used fighting back until you next log back in, and they wouldn't be used unless you had more than Y AP left. This way you could set X to 10 and Y to 6 and if you ran out of AP, set those values, it would be 2 hours (6 x 20m) before you were likely to attack, and it would use no more than 10 AP fighting back. Because the values are configurable, it would be hard to know who would fight back and who wouldn't. Setting X to 0 would disable the feature. I think probably the attacks would gain XP if successful, same as normal, but because you wouldn't be able to set the number of AP to use to more than your max AP value, it would be impossible to level up a character by simply leaving them alone (not to mention you would disappear from the map after being idle for a bit). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:01, 20 March 2006 (GMT)
* i like the idea of counterattack , but with some limits. You have only a % of counterattacking someone (25%?) , you don't consume AP , you don't get XP. But , whit wich weapon do you attack?--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:05, 27 March 2006 (BST)
* The impetus behind auto-attack is to lessen the chance and impact of Badness happening to your character while you're away, but auto-attack isn't the proper solution to this. Shartak's appropriate skill would be jungle hiding, though a construction skill would work too, if we want to be more like that other game. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)

===Flavor Text===

this section is where "users" add "flavor" to the game, im just suggesting that every few steps the computer say a message depending on location, here ill give a few examples:

*'''grasslands'''
**the grassy field sways under the wind's rush as you take a step.|
**something far off squaks and makes a strange throaty bellow.|

*'''water'''
**a wave crashes calmly in the distance|
**a spalsh can be heard from far off|

*'''jungle'''
**a parrot's call can be heard distantly|
**the bushes nearby are rustling from the small wildlife in them|

*'''village (outsider)'''
**the smell of gunpowder wafts into your lungs|
**the smoke comming from a nearby hut smells of fresh turkey|

*'''village (native)'''
**the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village|
**you step on the bones of what appears to be a rattlesnake|

*'''beach'''
**the hot sand burns your feet, yet feels wonderfully different|
**several sea shells catch your eye from far off|

please feel free to update these with more, as they are just a list (if simon decides to) that will be used for flavor.
i want to do this because the game gets kinda boring simply traversing through square after square

''Comments''
* One of the noticeable, distinct aspects of that other game are the different messages for each building; i really like this idea. A criticism, though - i'd refrain from mentioning living animals/people or useful items in the descriptions, they could be confusing to newbies. In other words, "a parrot's call can be heard distantly" isn't appropriate, and "the shaman's voice can be heard traveling through the village" might not be appropriate if the shaman is currently dead. The following could substitute: "You see a large ant colony busily rebuilding their hive" (an animal that has no game impact) and "The spirit of Shubar is felt all around you" (doesn't matter if Shubar is alive or dead). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 14:05, 4 April 2006 (BST)
* I sort of feel like this is something that could easily be put together with a Greasemonkey script. It would be nice, but it isn't really necessary. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 05:35, 5 April 2006 (BST)

===slots/ new inventory===
slots and inventory could be implemented where, a picture of a silhouette was shown, with names of equiped items in slotted areas, ex: you skin a goat, find some sharp rocks and fashion yourself some claws, you then put them on, giving you +1 damage to all melee attacks
[[Suggestions:Items#animal wearings|animal wearings]]

"Comments below"

Making Claws? and not "all melee attacks" but only punch attacks --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:45, 29 March 2006 (BST)

I don't see why you need item slots for this. Having a pair of claws in the inventory would just improve punch damage by 1. That said, I don't like the idea of making oneself claws. Seems a little silly, when you have actual weapons around. Seems a little silly, either way, really. Perhaps that's just my sense of aesthetics, though, and not that of the majority of the players.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:37, 4 April 2006 (BST)

===Boat Construction===
Boats wouldn't be able to go into The very deep water people can't go into because the tides would rip them apart but could go move in all water for only 1 AP and it also prevents sharks from biting you. Multipule people could get into a boat based on how much wood is used, like
n*.001 x 1 = People Where n = The amount of wood used.

'''Edit'''

When Boats are being boarded each player may vote on who they decide should be the captain. The captian may move boat, call the boat any non vulgar name and anyone may jump off the boat at any time except the captain. Boats could only be built on a beach and automaticly once built move the person who constructed it into the nearest water square. Players may board the baot at any time by moving into the same square as it and selecting enter. When the captain moves the boat onto a land square the boat is destroyed and all people who boarded are thrown onto the beach. Players may change the captain at any time by changing there vote. Natives can not board Outsider boats and outsiders can not board native boats. What the boat looks like and is called depends on the size of it.

1 person: Raft

2 people: Large raft

3-4: Small boat

5-6: Boat

7-9: Large Boat

10-24: Huge Boat

25 and up: Gigantic Boat

--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:42, 29 March 2006 (BST)

''Comments''
*check out the skills section, i already suggested something like that.... anyway, check it out --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]
*While the huts are handled in Richard's suggestion, I am interested in the boat aspect. I think that placing multiple players on a boat will be troublesome. Who decides where the boat goes - the server? the first player on the boat? It's also important to keep in mind that we already are offered a skill to help with moving in water - '''Swimming'''. If we are to introduce rafts, there should be some mechanics set in place to minimize their usefulness. Perhaps carrying a raft through non-water terrain doubles movement cost to discourage players from carrying one everywhere. Perhaps the raft only has a limited amount of moves in deep water before breaking up. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:44, 29 March 2006 (BST)
** Yeah I changed the suggestion based on your suggestion's :) --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:40, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*"Welcome to the Shartak ferry sevice. Please pay the captain your fee of 3 coins. We will be departing for the pirate ship in 3 hours. The captain has locked the destination coordinates and will not change directions unless the boat's integrity is threatend. We will arive in 50 AP + 10 AP per passenger + 5 per day due to drift. You are encouraged to help paddle the boat as this will help us arive sooner. If you decide to leave the boat at any time we will not refund you or allow you to reboard. Please do not pull out any corks or kick any boards as the boat is fragile and will sink if badly damaged."--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 05:06, 1 April 2006 (BST)
** Yeah ^^ That too --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 00:48, 3 April 2006 (BST)

===Poisoning===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, status effect, balance|
suggest_scope=All classes, primarily Warriors|
suggest_description=Currently, the blowpipe can only carry 1 dart, yet weighs the same amount of inventory space as a rifle with 2 bullets. If you were to pit a fully leveled Soldier armed with loaded rifles against a fully leveled Warrior armed with loaded blowpipes, the battle is in favor of the Soldier who requires less time to reload while inbattle and dealing superior damage. (rifle's 5 to blowpipe's 4).

To address this, I would propose that poison darts actually cause poisoning. Poisoning would behave much like a shark bite - causing 1 HP damage per action performed until they are administered a FAK or medical herbs. A character can die if poison is left untreated. The attacker receives no additional XP for this kill or the damage dealt from poison. Poisoning would not stack, but it would be possible for a character to suffer from both poison and shark bites. The introduction of poison may require the dart's damage to be reduced to something substantially lower. Perhaps a default of 2 HP inflicted.

Up for discussion - does poisoning have a percent chance of occurring, an AP lifespan (only lasts 10 moves), and perhaps only works on non-npc characters?|
suggest_time=18:38, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

*Sounds great! I've heard that some of the toxicins used to poison darts can induce illutions. It would be interesting if poisoning increases AP usage for certain actions or even better imagined enemies (that Sixth Sence could pick out).--[[User:Darkferret|Darkferret]] 08:24, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Have you seen the size of the some of the blowpipes that certain tribes carry? They're anything from 6 to 10 foot long! It's hardly surprising that they occupy the same inventory space as a rifle :) On the other hand, poisoning from darts sounds like a good idea.. I don't know that they should poison forever though, maybe for a limited number of AP, but perhaps have the effect be cumulative up to a certain point? Get shot 5 times and you lose 1 HP for every AP used for 5 x whatever the limit is. Does that make sense? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:16, 7 April 2006 (BST)
***Exactly - e.g., each poison dart that hits adds 2 AP to the poison duration, and while poisoned, you lose 1HP per AP used. The Poison Dart would eventually inflict 6 hp of damage, offsetting the extra damage and double barrel of the rifle. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 07:22, 12 April 2006 (BST)
**That might work, that way the Warrior has incentive to continue using the blowpipe multiple times on a target rather than just switch to their machete after the poison takes effect. Add to the character table a boolean flag (Poison = True) and give it a Poison Timer int. When the timer reaches 0, the Poison gets flipped to False. When the character dies or a FAK or Herb is applied, the Poison gets flipped to False and the timer gets set to 0. If the flag is True and they're poisoned again, stack the timer. I'm going to put forth this suggestion to the Forum. I don't have a lot of experience with using the blowpipe (I'm a machete guy) so they should weigh in on this. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:17, 7 April 2006 (BST)
* Or how about you can find [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog#Toxicity frogs] and use them to put differnt posion effects on your darts? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 04:57, 11 April 2006 (BST)
:*If we're adding poison dart frogs, I demand that they be lickable. It wouldn't be right, if you couldn't lick the poison dart frogs.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 20:14, 11 April 2006 (BST)
::* Ok... then some benifical frogs too! And people can't tell the diffrence between them unless they get some skill? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:27, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===PvP Protection===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Game mechanics, pvp, nopvp, vs, player versus player|
suggest_scope=All Classes|
suggest_description=A full implementation of player versus player protection. This would be a nice feature for newbies allowing them time to adjust to the game without getting slaughtered. I envisage something allowing you to enable nopvp without the ability to disable for at least 100AP. Also when you hit a player who is flagged nopvp then you would get a message along the lines of "As your blade bounces off an invisible shield you suddenly notice a shamanic medicine pouch around the neck of target, they are protected, it would be pointless to continue to attack target." where target will be replaced by the players name.|
suggest_time=10:00, 13 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]]|
suggest_comments=

* This is a good, well-thought suggestion. But while I don't generally like PKing, I think it is important to keep it available to those that do enjoy it. With XP penalties and easy resurrection, PKing not ruining the game from my perspective and it shouldn't be restricted further. I would not mind a method of informing players that view my character profile to see that I am flagged for pvp or not, but I am against preventing PVP without purchasing such an ability. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 21:16, 13 April 2006 (BST)
* New players already get an AP bonus and need less XP to level; I don't see the need for a newbie specific ability. I'd rather see a safe area over a moveable system - something like a sacred hut in native villages and a guard hut in outsider villages which anyone who hasn't attacked another player in 100 AP can enter and within which all PvP activity is prohibited, wastes AP, or perhaps results in HP loss only to the attacker ("Your attack has angered the mighty (spirits or guards) in the area; they smite you").--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:12, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*Having both a PvP pirate and a pacifist shaman, and having been PKed on both... I don't like this idea. I like the 100AP newbie status. I don't like the "enabling" nopvp. Sorry. Death is a part of the game. If you walk into a tribe of hostile headhunters, they aren't going to just stand by and let you through--no matter how peaceful your business.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 04:27, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*I'm aware that new players get extra AP and newbie protection isn't what this is about. It is more useful for being protected from the players that sit in their home town bashing away at their own folk. Even with that said my main reason for nopvp was for another idea I have for a skill track that at the time of thinking about it I thought would require a nopvp implementation. I may post the skill track idea sometime when I have finished thinking about all the details.--[[User:Iamtas|Iamtas]] 12:07, 14 April 2006 (BST)
*How about you can't be attacked in your village/settlement by people that come from your village/settlement? --[[User:Slith|Slith]] 06:30, 17 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===New strategic location on island===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=New location, Game mechanics, |
suggest_scope=N/A|
suggest_description=I think the addition of one or more major new "strategic" locations on the island would greatly improve the game. What exactly it would be can be worked out, all it really ''has'' to be is very valuable to occupy and far away from any village or town (i.e. far away from any shaman). Both sides would rush to occupy this location and would fight each other for control of it.

This would have 3 major benefits for the game that I can see: 1) It would get the action away from towns/villages/shamans, 2) It would make death more meaningful and make killing an enemy meaningful (all death means in towns/villages now is having to float five spaces or so to the shaman and then you get a free revive. There are no easy/free revives out in the center of the island, you would lose both location and the 50 AP to contact, unless you decide to stick around and play as a spirit), 3) It would give people a goal in the game, a major location to fight over and defend, a location that isn't pointless to fight over, as towns/villages are because they cannot be taken. All in all it would have the benefit of making the game more fun.

As far as what the new location would be exactly, one idea could be gold mine(s). They would be valuable because standing on a gold mine square would give you 1 gold coin/hr and require no AP expenditure. The specifics of this are wide open and dont even much matter, as long as the location is far from settlements and very valuable to occupy so players will flock out there and fight for control, making for an exciting time and making killing enemies non-pointless.

If implemented, it should only be one new location at first, with maybe a couple more introduced later once things get going. The location should have a name, and it should be relayed to players in the form of Game News so that everyone knows of its existance and where it is in general terms, e.g. "A gold mine was discovered just south of the mountain, Natives and Outsiders are both rushing out there for control".|
suggest_time=21:02, 22 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Arminius|Arminius]]|
suggest_comments=

* I realise it was just an example, but 1 gold per hour without any AP requirement is probably a bit much. Definitely something to expand on though. I like it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 21:46, 22 April 2006 (BST)
** For example, award 1 gold coin to any one player at random who is on the mine for at least the full hour. Or only award 1 gold coin at random to any one player if only one side occupies the mine -- if both outsiders and nativers are present, they are fighting for control and no one is mining. Generally speaking, 24 gold coins per hour fed into the entire game will not mess up the economy -- that's probably less than 75-150 AP of searching (and a trip to the trading hut). Alternatively, allow players to search the area with a 15% find rate for one gold coin, as long as none of the opposing faction are present in the square. Drawbacks: (1) This sort of high-impact location could also increase zerging/cheating, which wouldn't be fun for anyone. (2) A gold mine could rapidly devalue gold coins until they're effectively worthless, ending the "value" of the mine. --[[User:Tycho44|Tycho44]] 02:22, 23 April 2006 (BST)

An alternative to the gold mine would be some kind of ancient treasure hoard, so not just gold coins but also statues, ancient armour and maybe some pretty nasty weapons. However, to get the good stuff you'd have to go into the trap-filled maze and actually make it into the chamber where the treasure is. With spirit-proof doors so people don't just die, go in, find the correct route, revive and go in...

}}

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-04-24T15:08:33Z

MorkaisChosen:

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-04-21T09:25:03Z

MorkaisChosen:

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-04-21T09:24:40Z

MorkaisChosen:

Talk:Death

2006-04-19T10:14:59Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Revival at other towns/villages */

the spend 50ap to contact a shamen applies to outsiders and natives so I took out the "an outsider" right before spirt.

== Questions ==

Q. When you say that a spirit can move freely, do you mean movement costs no AP?

A. Movement does cost AP, what it means is you can travel through jungle that you would have to chop first without the need to chop.I have no clue what it means for water however, it may still take 2 ap to travel through. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]
:Both water and swamp only take 1 AP when dead. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]]
::Does movement through jungle with the trekking skill cost 1AP or 1/2? -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]
:::According to Jackel's note on the Suggestions page, Trekking doesn't work when you're a spirit. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 03:48, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

Q. What actions can a spirit perform?

A. With no skills you can only move, refresh, and contact shamen to get revived for 50ap, looking at the skills page it would seem that you can get skills to talk and a skill to scream whatever the use of that is.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]
:I have been able to enter and leave a hut as a spirit. :D --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 03:48, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

A. Futhermore, the movement while a spirit does NOT appear to update on the player's map. A logical, if frustrating fact.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:40, 6 March 2006 (GMT)

Q. Is there any punishment for death? Lost items? Lost experience?

A. As far as I could tell, I lost no xp or items when I died so the only "punishment" is having to spend ap to goto a shamen, ethier by spending 50ap or moving to the closest village and getting revived. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]
:My character, which died from an untreated shark bite, is still wounded after being revived. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 03:48, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

Thank you both. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 19:13, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Haunting Scream Tree ===

Q. Are you earning XP for the damage you deal with Haunting scream / Shocking shriek / Banshee wail? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:43, 18 April 2006 (BST)

Q. If yes. Is that XP consistent with combat-earned XP in that attacking your own type only earns 1/2 XP? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:43, 18 April 2006 (BST)

== Revival at other towns/villages ==

Can anyone confirm that a player can be revived at another town/village? My York scientist is currently a spirit, and not even very close to York, yet when I try to "contact a shaman", I am told that Kahuni (the NPC shaman at York) is currently trying to become a non-spirit himself, and can't revive me. I can't see any option that would allow another shaman to revive me, so I wonder how it can be done. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:44, 6 March 2006 (GMT)
:This is definitely possible, I have done it myself. All you need to do is find another village/settlement and then stand over the shamen. --[[User:Dr. J|Dr. J]] 01:46, 6 March 2006 (GMT)
::This allows you to perform the evil trick of going to a native village as an outsider spirit (or vice-versa), reviving at the shaman and going on a killing spree...

Suggestions:Skills

2006-04-10T14:24:06Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Alchemy */

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

{{Suggestionsnav}}

Suggestions for Shartak are always welcome, although there's no guarantee that anything will be added. Comments on or modifications for any of the suggestions below can be added by editing this page. Please be considerate and don't just remove ideas that you don't like.

Bug reports should go on the [[Bugs]] page.

This is the suggestions page for [[Skills]]. See also the [[Suggestions]] page for other suggestions.

 

== Example ==

To use the template, enter the following, but remove '''emboldened text''':

<nowiki>===</nowiki>'''Suggestion Name'''<nowiki>===</nowiki>
<nowiki>{{suggestion</nowiki>|
suggest_type='''Skill, balance change, improvement, etc'''|
suggest_scope='''Who or what it applies to'''|
suggest_description='''Full description. Check spelling and be descriptive.'''|
suggest_time=<nowiki>~~~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_author=<nowiki>~~~</nowiki>|
suggest_comments=

'''Comment here'''

}}

== Skills ==

===Planting/agriculture===
Both outsiders and natives with this skill should be able to plant trees (mango, banana) on fertile land. By clearing away jungle, and applying an example of the fruit of the tree you wish to plant, you could sow the seed. A tree of that type would then sprout X days later. This would open up for plantation, and help feed the villages/settlements. --[[User:DKChannelboredom|DKChannelboredom]] (2 March)

''Comments''
:Interesting idea, perhaps only a chance that a tree will grow, and to ensure a tree grows you have to plant a certain number of fruit of the same kind on the same block. Of course, does this mean that existing trees should occasionally die off, say if they get surrounded by 8 blocks of highest density jungle and the tree block is also highest density jungle.. maybe explained as something to do with lack of sunlight reaching the tree because of the amount of jungle around it. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 09:47, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
::Why not treat existing trees and planted trees separately? My initial thought is that if I did not have this skill, I would still like the opportunity to gather resources from a dependable source. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:40, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Weapon Skills ===
The Warrior/Soldiers class should get weapon skills, like spear skills for the warrior and rifle skills for the soldier, make the soldiers skills make the rifle have better to hit then the natives spear but the rifle requires the searching of ammo, this makes the difference between natives and outsiders warrior classes more than the blowpipe and rifle (blowpipes do 1 less damage) EDIT: I ahnotice that the outsiders do indeed have rifle training, freshly added to the wiki I guess.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:07, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''

We have been doing some research(see the talk page in character classes) and it appears that warriors are no better at fighting(unless you count 10 extra hp as being really great) than any other class, correct me if I'm wrong but if there is no warrior only fighting skill what makes them warriors and not shamans w/ blowpipes(pardon the pun but they "blow") and +10hp? and if that is all they are how come soilders get extra skills? -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:55, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

Also, if you've got a machete and the three melee skills, there's never any point in using a blowpipe (unless you've got 1AP left and a victim with only 4HP remaining). There should be a skill that increases the chances of hitting with a blowpipe, to at least 30% - especially since you have to search for darts. Viveca Lindfors, 6 March 2006, 17:25 GMT

It should be over 30% as even at that it still makes blowpipes worse than the heavy sword(which while apparently being really rare itdoesn't mean everybody can't search and find one and 5 dam 45%[2.25 dam/ap] outclasses even 4 dam, search ammo, 2ap per shot, 80%![approaxamitly 1.6 dam/ap not counting search ap] anyday, hell the heavy sword is the uberest weapon in the game![the rifle is 5 dam, 1.5 ap/shot,60%=2dam/ap not counting searching!]) I think you should at least be able to make them have the same to hit as the rifle, It would be balanced by the fact you can only load a single dart at a time(i think),they have lower damage, but you can find darts in more places (check the regular search odds page you'll see they were found in d10 jungle!) I could see this fact alone justify the lower damage and single shot load, but not the lower to hit chance. Unless of course poison darts actually poison(has anybody checked this out?) then I see why they have a low to hit, you can dart somebody, run away then they would die trying to find you, But even if they do poison, outsiders can use them too(with a skill) so I still believe native warriors should be more effective at darting then any other class to balance the superiority of rifles.But all in all problems are solved if blowpipes get some skills to raise to hit% and the heavy sword is removed for being too uber(just cause it is rare doesn't mean we all can't/won't find it!) --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 23:09, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

Maybe there can be a skill to create blowpipe darts (with poison berries or snakes)

=== Religious Devotion ===
Required to use "Holy Scriptures" --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''

=== Jungle Skills ===
The jungle environment has great potential to add significant dynamic to this game. These could be a set of skills to reflect this.
: Jungle Lore: Player has x% chance of discovering item/artifact. Might work in conjunction with search skill.
: Make/Detect Traps: Spikes, Pits etc... Not sure this is possible and what would be need to time degrade this.[[User:Nankilstlas|Nankilstlas]]
: Some kind of "hiding" skill where you can spend AP to conceal yourself in fauna, so you can't be seen by passersby. Visually, it could take the form of "reforesting" a block to dark green, and someone who chops through would "uncover" you, perhaps getting some XP? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 19:34, 25 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:: A 'trapping' skill looks like it would be exploited by greifers (surrounding someone with traps, for example), but I like the 'Hiding' and 'Jungle Lore' ideas.--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 02:26, 26 February 2006 (GMT)
:: The hiding skill shouldn't conceal you from animals or someone with the Sixth Sense, Exploration, or Jungle Lore skills, otherwise the player would be invincible.--[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 21:15, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
:::Agreed, hostile animals should be able to sniff out hidden players, and Sixth Sense makes sense as well. Hidden players have to remain motionless to stay hidden, using items, searching, etc, would "unhide" the person. I was also thinking how the "reforesting" aspect could be abused to create vast areas that needed to be chopped down, so maybe a player could only hide in an already dark green area, (getting a message like ''there is not enough foliage to suitable hide in'' when trying in a cleared area) limiting its effect somewhat, and creating a little extra tension when on the run from someone and trying to find an overgrown area to hide in. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 22:37, 27 February 2006 (GMT)
:::: I like the hiding skill, maybe with different AP required depending on jungle density. Also, first hidden could make you invisible from 2 squares away, while hiding further would hide you from any adjacent square, and a third hide would keep you hidden on the same square unless they chopped. --[[User:Qberry|Qberry]] 3/29/06
::::like the hiding thing as well, maybe it could work in that if you use it then you are only visible if they are in the same square as you? it would certainly keep you quite hidden anyway. -- [[User: fitzcarraldo|fitzcarraldo]]|[[User talk:fitzcarraldo|T]] 15:42, 28 March 2006 (BST)

=== Skinning ===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition|
suggest_scope=All classes|
suggest_description=This is a skill that does not have a pre-requisite. Upon coming across an area where a dead animal is present, the player is given an opportunity to skin the animal. The process of skinning costs 1 AP and has a chance of producing items such as '''Animal Hide''' or '''Animal Tooth''' or '''Animal Feathers'''. These items can be traded to an NPC found in villages and exchanged for Gold Coins. This skill should be available to all classes to grant them all with an equal opportunity of earning Gold.
* Extend skinning to killed players? No, that's just wrong. We are civilized.
* Make skinning have a pre-requisite of '''Exploration'''? Perhaps.
* Make skinning always produce an item, rather than chance? No, I like a good challenge.
* Perhaps it could be tied to the Meat suggestion? Possibly.|
suggest_time=21:48, 23 February 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* Good idea, perhaps natives don't have a pre-requisite, but outsiders need exploration? *cough* --[[User:Grigoriy|Grigoriy]] 02:12, 26 February 2006 (GMT)
** While that may be a more realistic way to handle it - since natives would conceivably be more experienced with such matters - I think that changing the skill tree for such a minor skill would upset the general sense of game balance between the two sides. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 02:43, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

}}

=== Animal Spirit ===
(native only) Upon gaining this skill, an animal type is associated with the player. Any attacks by the player on that animal result in negative xp, but the animal is less likely to attack the player. Additionally, if the player dons the skin of the animal (perhaps via the Skinning skill) then a bonus is given to the player, such as faster movement, hit bonus, damage bonus. Bonus could be dependant on animal. Upon player death, there is a chance the player's animal spirit will change. --frisco

''Comments''

=== Build Training ===
(Outsiders only) They gain the ability to build walls around the outsider settlements. There would be different levels like reinforced, light, massive, etc. Whoever can attack them and destroy them. Maybe there would be a skill for building gates? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:33, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Natives should be able to make walls too - think King Kong, plus if there are native ruins on this island, then they must still have some decent construction knowledge lingering around. However, Outsiders should have an "Advanced" skill that allows for stronger walls. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:41, 1 March 2006 (GMT)
:Yes, any human should be able to build, and they should ONLY be able to build in certain areas, so as not to have some group lay claim to a section of the island with key resources (assuming there are some). Also, it should take a LOT of AP. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:18, 2 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Trap Laying ===
(Native only) They can place one time use traps that dmg outsiders only. This skill can only be used in the jungle. Maybe a skill to be able to detect traps? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 03:36, 1 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Again i'm thinking Outsiders could make traps too - some of them must have been hunters in the Old Country - but perhaps an Advanced skill for natives, leading to higher success rate, since they are more used to the environment. This skill seems dangerous, though, possibly leading to clans just laying traps in every single square of jungle, making it ridiculous for the other side. Perhaps a trap can only be made in certain jungle types, and only lasts until the jungle changes in level (either growing up naturally or down by the same character type chopping it). --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 04:53, 1 March 2006 (GMT)
:This was already proposed in the "jungle skills" section. I agree, it seem too easy to abuse by griefers.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:18, 2 March 2006 (GMT)

===Comment Cartography===
Applies to Natives & Outsiders, most likely best applied only to the classes, scouts & explorers. I am thinking that it would be great to get more out of the map. This skill would allow those who have it to be able to add a limited number of short comments to their maps. These comments could work as references so as to be able to use the map to help find points of interest at some other time. I could see this probably difficult to implement, but perhaps it could work in that one could click in a quadrant on the map which would reload the page and allow you to add a text comment / description to a form. This text comment on a save would place a reference number on that quadrant of the map and the text would be listed to the right or below the map with accompanying reference number. -- [[User: fitzcarraldo|fitzcarraldo]]|[[User talk:fitzcarraldo|T]] 17:05, 5 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
*This is a great idea, I am not an explorer/scout but I am all for class-specific skills, that are in character, because as of right now there aren't too many differences(which I'm guessing will change.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]]00:37, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

*I think this is a great idea too, and very much the way a real cartogragher would operate, making small notations as they explored and surveyed.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

=== Revive skill ===
Applies to doctors and shamans, a skill to revive spirits, would require Sixth sense (obviously). It is simple enough premis: a skill that revives dead players similar to the regular shamans instead of requiring them to go to town shamans, the revive players aren't as skilled at the craft so the revived players would have only 80% of there hp when revived by other players. --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 00:43, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* Does raise a risk of multi-abuse, but I agree that player shamen should have this ability. Maybe it requires a special powder or item in order to do?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:49, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
* I am trying to think of some cost right now but can't decide. I do know that the xp gain rate should be comparable to fighting(and healing when there are more players) so players will want to be a revive player. --[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 01:41, 10 March 2006 (GMT)
*I don't like the idea of Doctors getting the ability to revive the dead, but that's definitely within the rights of a shaman. Sixth Sense as a requirement, and you must be standing in the same area as a spirit. Give either a 100% chance to work and a relatively high AP cost (10?) or a lower chance to work and lower AP cost. Blam. There you go. Player shamans can now do their part.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:18, 28 March 2006 (BST)
*Haven't been around in a bit..... anyways I was just thinking that it seems mighty easy to get levels by "camping" the "enemy" shamen and getting hordes of xp and tonnes of native/outsider kills this seems like an exploit of the current system of revives. If a player aided revive method is put into place the main shamans should be removed, or you can only be revived by your home shaman by the call shaman(or whatever it is called) button to prevent this xp farming. I thought of this because my level 3 pirate has got all his xp from doing this and it is mighty easy and with the Ubermap and stuff it is even easyer to do, though pirates will need a way to get revived by there own.....lol I just realized I put doctor instead of scientist doctor=scientist - [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:51, 4 April 2006 (BST)

===Polymorph===
Requires Animal Spirit. Allows character to take the form of an animal. Perhaps one skill per animal, and each transform requires the use of an (AP expensive) animal mask. Upon transforming, people around you cannot tell it is you. If you die as an animal, you turn back to human, having lost half the HP the animal lost. To allow polymorph for outsiders, maybe a skill like "Ancient Reading" with the presumption that this allows them to read the right glyphs in the ruins would give them the ability to learn this skill. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 03:52, 10 March 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
* I like the idea of having some kind of weird supernatural kind of skill for the natives... But, I think that if you get killed while in animal form, you should be dead and have to seek the assistance of a shaman. Because all the natives would do when logging out is morph into an elephant. That's a boat load of HP for someone to whittle down and kill, only to have the human pop out and have to be hacked away at. Granted, nobody will KNOW outright that the person has assumed the guise of an animal. Would you propose that if someone "kills" the animal form they get the XP bonus of killing an animal? -- [[User:Schmeckel|Schmeckel]] 06:09, 11 March 2006 (GMT)
*Special masks that turn you into animals? They'd need to be quite hard to make, maybe special wood from a certain type of tree, a bit of the animal and something to stick it together. It'd have to be harder to get the ones for better animals. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:19, 11 March 2006 (GMT)

===Will o' the Wisp===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition|
suggest_scope=Spirits (all classes)|
suggest_description=Will o' the Wisp (can't think of another name) is a potentially simple skill to give a little more incentive to play as a spirit for a bit. It is a sub-skill of '''Ghostly whisper'''. If a player possesses this skill, then as a spirit they will have an option to "Wisp" for 30 AP. Wisping operates on a similar mechanic as the Flare guns and Feeding groans in Urban Dead. Any players posessing '''Sixth Sense''' within a 5x5 range of the spirit will be informed: ''A faint flicker of light catches your eye (x blocks east/west), (y blocks north/south). (timestamp)''.

This skill also has the potential to stack. More spirits on the same square will produce a brighter effect. Possibly in base 5. Ranging from faint flicker, slight illumination, to brilliant flash.

Fixes that I made last minute: reduced the Wisp range and upped the Wisp cost in an attempt to reduce spamming, also making Sixth Sense a prerequisite for recognizing Wisps as it would otherwise nerf the skill to a degree.|
suggest_time=07:53, 25 March 2006 (GMT)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* I like it. The AP cost might be a bit on the high side, but there may be other alternatives to reduce spamming. --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:44, 25 March 2006 (GMT)
* What's the point of it? Or is there something I'm missing? I mean, is it just to light up for kicks? Wll o' the Wisps in folklore always attempted to lead travellers into dangerous parts of bogs, where they would find their doom. Since that isn't really an option (and since people, noticing this, would just stop paying attention to them), is there any practical use for this? Still neat, if there isn't, but better if there is.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 07:25, 28 March 2006 (BST)
** As a Shaman with Sixth Sense, I've only come across 1 spirit. I sought a means to encourage the realm of the living and the dead to interact more. It is admitedly mostly aimed towards flavor and roleplaying than mechanics. The most practical application would be to attract people to revive points (in the possibility that they are created). In retrospect, I now see that this suggestion overlaps with the '''Haunting Scream''' description to a fair degree. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 08:33, 28 March 2006 (BST)
::* Does it overlap? I haven't seen a Haunting Scream in action, yet. I'm all for flavor and RP skills, I just doubt that people woud bother with them too often without some mechanical benefit, which would be a shame. I'll admit, though, that I hadn't thought of attracting shamans to get yourself revived.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:48, 29 March 2006 (BST)

}}

===Construction===
construction points, would be implemented and would act like exp, but players earn it by setting up camp, ex: 5exp everytime a player sets up his/her cabin, costs 10ap to set up, to keep from spamming and getting free exp.
*'''construction'''allow players to build 1(one) single hut per GAME that is collapsable, non collapsable, players out in the jungle would have to cut down the jungle to re-construct the hut
this would give players a reason to stay out in the jungle,

simply what it says, first off, we could/should have different buildings because i find it annoying to have to look around at the same picture not knowing where the trading post is. im implying that new icons be put in for huts, like the pirate ship, have different pictures, ex:
there is an armory hut, it's icon would be a hut with a silver tip/ sword on the roof
and etc...

SKILLS:
*'''hut maitenance'''
can change hut 1(one) time into another kind of hut ex: armory hut, extra chance of finding wpns etc
**'''cupboard''' accesible inventory in hut that players can "lock" and recieve a "key" item, other players could break open the "lock" for x amount of AP
*'''bed''' players in hut are shown the "get into bed" option which heals 2 hp every hour they arent logged in
**'''fluffy bed''' heals and extra 1-2 hp
*'''running water'''
if the hut is within x amount of squares to water, they can refill gourds and bottles (i think someone suggested we keep empty bottles, this would require that to be implemented)
*'''fire-pit''' players can cook meat (as suggested, only used if implemented)
*'''craftmanship'''players can see the hut's creator, ex: Richard's Hut, if skill isnt aquired, players see the hut as "dishevelled hut" or "ragged hut" etc.
*'''hut upgrade 1''' hut is given one extra ring of squares
**'''hut upgrade 2''' hut is given extra floor
***'''hut upgrade 3''' hut second floor is enlarged, door locks are given
****'''hut upgrade 4''' hut is given a basement

the use of hut upgrades is to help people hide, when upgrade 3 is given, and locks are attained, players can "lock" their houses up, requiring a devastating amount of AP to open, suggesting around 60-70 AP

*'''house trap 1''' spike trap, inflicts 1 wound
**'''house trap 2''' heavy spike trap, 1 wound and 3 dmg
*'''house trap 3''' blast trap, 7 hp
**'''house trap 4''' heavy blast trap 14 hp

traps are triggered upon breaking into a house, players can attain a new skill:
*'''lockpick''' breaking in only costs 30 AP
with this skill, traps are disabled

*'''animal cage'''
if animal trapping were implemented, then this would keep them from running away when u died,
**'''animal care''' animal care section of the house, determining your pet's status ex:
Richard clicks the button "give pet food" mr whiskers smiles and gobbles it up. it could also just be flavor text, and a way to get rid of meat.
*'''attack animal'''
player buys skill animal now acts like trap, player types in names of people allowed to be in house, anyone not on the list is attacked by animal, animal is treated as "wild" to intruders, as per, it will follow them several blocks away from the house before returning, and can be killed, but is also agressive no matter what breed. ex: mr.parrot attack john doe for 2 dammage and returns home.
**'''rabidity''' animal is now "rabid" and has a 20% chance of "infecting" (wound) the intruding player

other tidings can be added, ex:
*'''taxidermy''' players can pick up dead bodies and mount them in their house ex:
in the second story of richard's hut is a grey elephant head, mounted on oak

my finale,
*'''garden''' allows players to plant a tree/ bush 1 square away from their house, planting requires, 5 of the said fruit and the plants disappear when the hut is packed up, players also have the ability to "kill" the plant and re-grow a different one.
**'''green thumb''' allows players to garden for only 3 fruits
**'''verdant thumb''' allows players to change to growths around their house, ex: a house surrounded by dirt can be changed to light undergrouwth or heavy forest
**'''spade''' allows player to dig a "cellar" 1-3 squares away from house to "hide" or store items.
skill also allows players to loacte any tunnels within 5X5 of the checked area. players can only check within a 3X3 area around the house

house experience does not raise everytime a skill is bought, but the price is set at 100-200 (your choice)

"comments Below"

Sounds like it would be a good idea if the island was bigger but otherwise a 3x3 would be gigantic if everyone had one--[[User:Slith|Slith]] 21:40, 29 March 2006 (BST)
*not really, but the huts are still the same single square size on the outside, it is the inside that changes. --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]

I think it would be better to implement this skill while implementing clans - i.e. having clan camps. One way to implement this would be to establish camp/ a hut automatically when a certain number of players from a given clan stand on a single square. This would reward organization and prevent individual players from spamming. In addition, I think that having all those additions as skills is unnessacary. I just adds uneeded complexity. Again, clan based operation seems to be the best way to do this.--[[User:Gandhi|Gandhi]] 00:47, 31 March 2006 (BST)

===Plunder===
{{suggestion|
suggest_time=07:15, 30 March 2006 (BST)|
suggest_type=Skill|
suggest_scope=Pirates|
suggest_description=So. Pirates have been added, at long last. We all love pirates. They're swarthy, greedy people. Like mobsters, only with eyepatches, bandanas, peg legs, parrots, and the clap. There's something lacking in the pirates on Shartak, though. To get a better idea of this, let's look at the check list.

[x] 1. Pirate ship

[x] 2. Swarthy attitude

[x] 3. Pirate lingo

[x] 4. Murder

[ ] 5. Plunder

Aha! So we've identified the problem: a distinct lack of plunder. For this reason, I've come up with the idea for a plunderin' skill. Now, when you kill some poor sap, you take one coin out of his inventory per level--his level, that is. This keeps it a little balanced, in that you won't be taking away the life savings of some poor little level 1 when you kil him. Unless he happens to have only 1 coin, but that's neither here nor there. Now, of course, if you kill a level 5 who only has 4 coins, you'll only get those 4 coins. If he has 6 coins, however, you'll only get 5 of them.

Is it overpowering pirates to give them this class-restricted skill? Not really. I mean, despite being a combat class, they can't really get any good with rifles. Pretty much all of their kills are made with a cutlass. And what's the real usage of the gold coins? Typically, to buy ammunition. Obviously, the pirates won't be using it on that, as they're terrible shots. They'll just buy themselves some medical supplies, some back-up weapons, and hoard the rest. I can't say I know that many players who hold onto the coins, anyways, though I'm sure there must be some. Still, they generally tend to be spent pretty quickly. Really, I just think that this could lend pirates a little more depth; sure, they're fellow outsiders, but can you trust them? How quickly will they cut your throat for you wallet?

So... Thoughts? Agreement? Death threats?|
suggest_author=[[User:Wifey|Wifey]]|
suggest_comments=

*'''Keep/Change''' (Yarr) I agree that this fits with theme and perhaps rightfully rewards Pirates in that they do not have a Trader NPC at the shipwreck (at least that was the case when I left it several days ago). And I'm glad that this is being presented as a purchasable skill (I believe?) rather than an inherent one. I do generally follow one of the basic tenets of UD - "Don't <del>Tread On Me</del> Mess With My Inventory!" But gold appears to have become fairly plentiful with the Trader NPC; having more gold than your current level is a fairly easy feat and losing gold won't lead to an entirely unpleasant gaming experience. However, I would like a few more mechanics set in place to minimize the avenues to zerging, griefing, and general abuse that this suggestion would open up. The only simple amendment I can think of may be to give '''Plunder''' a percent chance of success. Perhaps allowing for degrees of advanced plundering skills. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 20:07, 30 March 2006 (BST)
**'''RE:''' A very good point. Very good points from both of you. I had thought of a % chance when I was originally writing the suggestion, but I realized that the nwe'd be dealing with an X% chance to get Y% of the other player's coins, and I thought it might be a little more work on the server than necessary. I thought, perhaps a chence of getting only 1 coin, but that seemed just silly. Perhaps we could limit the pirate to only 1 plunder per day (or maybe a few more, if people feel that 1 is too few)? For example, if you killed John Smith the level 1 Explorer and took 1 coin from him, then killed Mr. Moneybags the level 16 with more coins than you can shake a stick at, you would get no coins from him. If you were to wait a day, though, and kill Mr. Moneybags ''then'', you would get 16 coins--and no more from anyone else for the rest of the day. Additionally, you would not be able ot get money from the same person twice in a row. So if, after killing Mr. Moneybags and taking half of his coins, you killed him the next day, you would get none. You might as well have gone for poor little John Smith. That eliminates griefing, and all it would need to do is keep track of the ID of the last person you killed, checking it the next time you kill someone 24+ hours later..--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 23:29, 30 March 2006 (BST)
*i agree with both of them, and with you, id love to see this flavor added, and the trader NPC at the pirate camp has yet to be found, so they would have to go to another village to use it. the closest village (where my pirate is) is dalpok, which, is, as you know native. this hostility would mean pirates would REALLY have to work to hoard medical supplies and weapons, thusly this would be well balanced. i also want to discuss the % success rate. as pirates are VERY good at "plundering" the % chance success rate should start at a reasonably high %, such as 50% and above. as putting it any lower would simply be ridiculous. there could be several level ups to raise the % but if there are no advanced levels then i suggest putting the starting % at around 75%. --[[User:Richard Rose|Richard Rose]]

*'''Plunder''' could be made a search skill (concievably the second skill in the plunder grouping). Rather than having it be merely equivalent to scavenging the plunder skill could only be used in villages (it wouldn't matter if they were native or outsider villages). Scavenging could similarly be changed to a jungle-only skill. Repeatedly plundering a square would deplete it much like chopping down a square of jungle, and squares would replenish over time much the same way. Whether this affects the search odds for other players is open to debate. I'd hate for the pirate class to be burning every other class in the game by plundering all the villages to the point nobody could find a rifle. The odds of finding a broken item should increase while plundering. The more refined the item the greater the chance it would be broken when a pirate plunders it (GPS, first aid kits, rifles, dart guns and any other delicate manufactured items to come being more likely to be broken). It would give people on the island something to do other than filling out the map and hunting game. Since we could then expect groups of pirates moving from village to village it would also increase player interaction (violently or otherwise). Having a wider range of broken items could necessitate a repair skill for players or a similar service that could be provided by a trader adding another level to the game's economy. -[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=242 Tyler Whitney]

*With the new "stuff breaks/crit hit" along with traders gold has a major use, instead of searching for that cutlass(or machete both break) you can go trade your hard earned gold coins for a weapon, why stop at just coins? pirates could get this skill and should just take away 1 random item (any item) plus a few gold coins, as we all know pirates didn't just take gold they took anything of value. Though level ones should be completly immune to this and the maximum value of the item you take(based on how many gold coins it takes to trade for the item) should be equal to there level, or some other method all I know is items should get stolen along with coins, you can only get killed once (as of right now) before going back to a village so it doesn't do too much, I mean 1 item? even if it was my machete(whom I call Mary) I wouldn't mind, sure my ghost would scream and haunt the bastard who took her away from me that would just add a new level of fun to the game. As a native(with a pirate alt) I support this skill, though it would entail a new top ten richest in the statistics page so the pirates would know who to hunt.... mwahaha -[[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 03:09, 4 April 2006 (BST)
**Now there's an interesting idea. Perhaps, though, there should then be a hierarchy of items in the eyes of a pirate? For instance, you take 1 item (which might be a gold coin) and one gold coin on the side. The gold coins on the side would increase with one's level. What would the item be, though? Probably first would be a gem. They're shiny and valuable--a pirate's favorite words (aside from "Arrrr!")! Next? A gold coin. Not enough coins? Probably a cutlass or machete. None of those? Rifle. No? Rifle bullet, then. None of those, either? Probably go with a first aid kit. Ah, but those are out, too? Bottle of water. And so on down the list. Bottle of water -> bottle of rum -> gourd of water/banana/berries -> knife/dagger. I doubt a pirate would bother with a blowgun or darts, nor would he yearn for his enemies' driftwood. Once again, just throwing an idea out, though.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 06:28, 4 April 2006 (BST)
**I think plundering items crosses into making this skill much to powerful. It lessens the need for the Pirate class to spend AP searching. They may lose a cutlass or two choppping another player to bits, but then they earn a machete in the kill and can continue on their way. Gold coins can be argued to be powerful, but the lack of a Trader at the shipwreck means they have to make their way to other Villages in order to spend them. After some further thinking, I feel that there should be a plundering cap of 10 coins regardless of level (otherwise it would be unfair to classes with class-specific skills that make them a higher level than others). And it is random chance after the kill produces no coins or some coins or all coins. If the player doesn't have enough coins, the Pirate plunders what he can and is given extra flavor text to reward them on their evil little victory. "Yo ho ho! You have taken all (Player)'s booty." --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 07:00, 4 April 2006 (BST)

*Plunder sounds nice. How about this formula: a pirate's chance of plundering someone equals 4 times the pirate's level minus 2 times the victim's level and always returns the lesser of half the victim's level in gold (rounded down) or all the victim's gold. In other words, if a level 10 pirate plunders a level 1 scientist with 10 gold, the pirate has a 38% chance of getting 0 gold, and if a level 10 pirate plunders a level 13 warrior with 2 gold, the pirate has a 14% chance of getting 2 gold. This simulates higher level non-pirates being more adept at hiding coin purses on their body, and prevents griefing on newbies. I agree with above comments that plunder should be a one time immediate event upon killing a character, based on a percentage chance, and limited to gold - anything else makes the skill too complex and/or powerful. --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 13:39, 4 April 2006 (BST)


}}

===Fleet-Footed===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition, class-specific|
suggest_scope=Scouts and Explorers|
suggest_description=This is an attempt to create additional variety within the classes. Fleet-Footed would be a sub-skill of Trekking available only to the Scout and Explorer classes. It behaves much like Trekking and Swimming do, but it would reduce AP cost when moving through Beach, Grassland, and Swamp terrain. 
I believe from the information gained from the mapping projects that this skill's net benefits will be minimal (the island appears to be 80% Jungle). It would fit with the theme of the class, while not over-powering them. I also believe that since this is a sub-skill, that there should be additional class-specific skills for Scouts and Explorers.|
suggest_time=18:21, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

* Alternatively, the Scouts and Explorers could have a skill that prevents them from needing to spend AP to chop Jungle. However, due to the large amount of Jungle, that skill idea might have the potential to be too strong. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 20:51, 9 April 2006 (BST)
**I think both ideas are balanced--in fact, I might say that they're a little too unambitious. The chance of gaining experience from chopping d10 jungle is tiny, and it seems that there's little point to chopping jungle down below that. And, as you said, swamp, beach, and grassland make up only a tiny portion of the movable space in Shartak.--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:12, 10 April 2006 (BST)
***Once again I've completely forgot about the XP factor! As you point out, the effect would most likely be low, but I think I'll actually kill that alternative suggestion. I don't quite like the idea of preventing someone from earning XP when everyone else can. The original suggestion still stands though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:20, 10 April 2006 (BST)

}}

===Diagnosis===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition, class-specific|
suggest_scope=Shaman and Doctors|
suggest_description=This is an attempt to create additional variety within the classes. Diagnosis would be a sub-skill of Triage available only to the Shaman and Doctor classes. It behaves much like Triage does, but it would detect Shark Bites and other possible future maladies and status ailments. Shark Bite victims could be identified with an asterisk next to their name. 
I believe that this skill's net benefits will be minimal. It would fit with the theme of the class, while not over-powering them. I also believe that since this is a sub-skill, that there should be additional class-specific skills for Shamans and Doctors.|
suggest_time=18:21, 6 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:Lint|Lint]]|
suggest_comments=

Comment here

}}

===Alchemy===
{{suggestion|
suggest_type=Skill addition, class-specific|
suggest_scope=Scientists|
suggest_description=Allows Scientists to convert seemingly useless items (such as driftwood) into valuables such as a gold coin. Another possibility is crabs into gems (don't ask). This would, of course, cost about 25 AP per use. This would give Scientists a key role in the game because they would be needed to convert intems.|
suggest_time=23:24, 8 April 2006 (BST)|
suggest_author=[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]]|
suggest_comments=

*While I like the basic idea of this, it should be limited a little. That said, I don't know how one would appropriately limit its use. Perhaps you could turn a bottle of rum into a more refreshing bottle of water? How, precisely, would you envision the implementation of this?--[[User:Wifey|Wifey]] 01:18, 10 April 2006 (BST)
*I like it! It gives us something unique to do as scientists! Would you make it so you turn a specific useless item into a specific useful item, or what?[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 15:24, 10 April 2006 (BST)

}}

Suggestions:Classes

2006-04-01T11:10:33Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Ghosts */

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-03-20T15:47:06Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Auto Attack */

Requests for information

2006-03-18T11:58:26Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Items */

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

== About the wiki ==

=== Editing ===

Q. This wiki thing is odd and filled with odd people! I am frightened!

A. That's not a question! But never fear, the wiki is a great tool that only gets better with more participation and information. Here is the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents Mediawiki Handbook] for detailed information on how things work. The [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing Help:Editing] section is a handy reference for beginners.

=== Signature ===

Q. Typing all that code to sign my posts is tiresome. Is there a better way to do this?

A. At the top of the edit field, you'll see a series of icons. The second to last icon resembles a partial signature. Simply click on this icon and it will generate the code to sign your posts.

=== Clan pages ===

Q. How do I list my uber l33t clan page like the others?

A. Edit your clan page and add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans]]</nowiki>" (no quotes). If you also want to
be listed as a specific type of clan, also add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Natives]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for both]]</nowiki>".

For example, an Outsider-only clan would have: <nowiki>[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>.

Q. How do I make the information box that appears on clan pages?

A. At the moment there is not a way to do this besides copying the code they use and pasting it in your clan page. Make sure you properly edit it to display your own information.

Q. How do I make a clan page in the first place? 21:00, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

A. I find the easiest way is to use url in the address bar and replace anything after '''index.php/''' with the name of your clan. Then click the '''edit''' tab at the top of the page to begin working on your clan page. Once you are finished, click '''Show preview''' to make sure things look correct. After everything looks the way you want, click '''Save page'''.

If you are having difficulty getting the url to work, you can also use the search bar on the left side of the page and enter your clan page. Then click the "this exact title" link in the first sentence of the search results page. This will take you directly to a page where you can begin working on your clan page.

== Your vital statistics ==

=== Hit points (HP) ===

Q. I've only just started playing. How do you recover your HP?

A. Food and drink are your friend! You can find food and water by searching, and also the odd med-kit and healing herbs. Watch out for berries, some will restore you and others take it out if you! More information on recovery items are noted on the [[Items]] page.

=== Action points (AP)===

Q. How does AP replenish?

A. You get an extra AP every 20 minutes, up to a maximum of 75. It is reputably possible to have negative AP if you perform an action that takes alot of AP.

=== Experience (XP) ===

Q. How do you gain experience?

A. All sorts of ways, but most notably by killing animals, or people! Chopping down the jungle seems to also yield amount of XP. More information on methods of earning experience points are noted on the [[XP Gains]] page.

== Life and death ==

===Character deaths===

Q. What happens when you die? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:26, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

A. You are dead, and you can still walk around, as a spirit. You cannot talk, but some of the skills can help with that. You retain your items but cannot use them. If you go to a shaman he will bring you back to life, or you can use 50 AP to have your spirit moved home (e.g. York, Derby, Dalpok) and revived instantly.

Q. How much XP is awarded for a player kill? Is it different for killing within your own group (Native killing a native)? Is it relative to the level of the other character?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 14:28, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A.

=== NPC's (Non Player Characters) deaths ===
Q: The 'statistics on kills' page [http://www.shartak.com/statkills.html] shows each group has killed a shaman numerous times. As I understand, there is always 1 shaman in each town/village. What are the consequences of this? Unable to be revived until one respawns? -[[User:Jackel|Jackel]]

A. If the shaman of your town/village dies, you cannot be revived. Attempting to contact the shaman of your town/village while he "a spirit" yields this message: ''You sense that XX wishes you to be patient and ask again later as he is a spirit as well and is trying to return to his body so he can help others.'' It is unknown how long it takes for a shaman to be revived.

==Items==

Q. Can items that you are carrying be destroyed or damaged? Specifically, can a machete ever be broken or become dull with use requiring sharpening? Is there any reason to carry around more than one machete? -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:59, 24 February 2006 (GMT)

A. For the record, my machete just became dull after chopping some vegetation. ''You chop down some of the vegetation. Your machete blade becomes dull from the chopping.'' --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:11, 18 March 2006 (GMT)

Q. I would like to ask for everyones help in finding more about the elusive heavy sword, like what density of jungle did you find them in, is there a hut underneath the jungle or was it a jungle square with a hut? Or if you actually find them in the jungle? THe info on them right now is shaky. Im currently going on a search-a-thon but help is greatly appreciated.
:: Please feel free to add some data to [[Search Odds]] or [[Search Odds Condensed]] to help in the effort to work out where to find this item and others! -- [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo]] 10:27, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Do poison darts poison ?
A.

Q. Are poisionous berries usefull for anything? Making poison darts for example.
A: You get experience for eating them.

=== Gold ===

Q. What is gold good for?

A. Hmm.. good question. Also mentioned on [[Items#Gold_Coins|the items page]] as you get more gold by searching and finding gold coins.

==Locations==

===Jungle===

Q. Do chopped jungles ever grow back? 
A. Yes. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. If so, how long is the growth rate? 
A. Not sure, but it's highly noticable if your not in an area which is being constantly tramoked by NPC's and players. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Would jungles grow while you were standing in one? 
A. Yes. This happened to me many times. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Are search rates changed by the density of the jungle? 
A. Not sure. The amount of searching i've done over time I could probably answer this, If i'd been at all observant of such details.. but I havn't. Your best help is probably [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo's]] [[Search Odds Condensed]] page. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:02, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

==General Gameplay==

Q. What time period is the game based in? Excepting the GPS, the choice of items available impies anywhere from the 1600's to the early 1900's. The GPS unit seems a little out of place but implies that the time period has to be present day. Maybe i missed some other items or note about the date? --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 21:52, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A1. I'm not sure there is really an answer to this as such.. or perhaps many answers.. but.. the whole thing has a kinda lost world feel to it I think. Natives cut off from civilisation. Outsiders from the modern world stranded. Such an idea could explain almost any range of technology, except something like a satellite dish or long range radio transmitters that would allow outsiders to broadcast their distress and get rescued of course.

Q. Today my level 7 soldier attacked a parrot with a machete (normally 3 damage) and got the following message:
:Maybe it's luck or maybe it's skill, your attack is right on target and inflicts more damage than normal.
:You attack the parrot for 5 damage. It dies.
Is this new, or just very uncommon?--[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 16:26, 16 March 2006 (GMT)

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-03-17T15:54:05Z

MorkaisChosen: Couple of edits on the clanbox.

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" width=35%
| bgcolor="#66aa66" align="center" | '''Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations on Shartak'''
|-
| bgcolor="#BBBBBB" align="center" |
|-
|
{| width=100%
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| S.P.I.R.I.T.S.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Leadership:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Founded by MorkaisChosen.
|-
| '''Clan Numbers:'''
| Two
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Goals:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Research on the spirit phenomenon
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Contact:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.
|}
|}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-03-17T15:53:37Z

MorkaisChosen: Couple of edits on the clanbox.

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" width=35%
| bgcolor="#66aa66" align="center" | '''Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak'''
|-
| bgcolor="#BBBBBB" align="center" |
|-
|
{| width=100%
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| S.P.I.R.I.T.S.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Leadership:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Founded by MorkaisChosen.
|-
| '''Clan Numbers:'''
| Two
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Goals:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Research on the spirit phenomenon
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list. Please!
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Contact:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.
|}
|}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

Suggestions:Miscellaneous

2006-03-16T16:11:31Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Ability to use the 'Back' button */

Suggestions:Miscellaneous

2006-03-16T16:11:19Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Ability to use the 'Back' button */

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-03-16T16:09:48Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Unique skills */

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-03-15T16:54:43Z

MorkaisChosen:

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" width=35%
| bgcolor="#66aa66" align="center" | '''Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak'''
|-
| bgcolor="#BBBBBB" align="center" |
|-
|
{| width=100%
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| S.P.I.R.I.T.S.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Leadership:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | None so far
|-
| '''Clan Numbers:'''
| Two
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Goals:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Research on the spirit phenomenon
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Contact:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.
|}
|}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

If more members join, I'll make a forum for the members to discuss strategies, interesting discoveries and general stuff. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 16:54, 15 March 2006 (GMT)

User:MorkaisChosen

2006-03-15T16:53:27Z

MorkaisChosen:

MorkaisChosen is the founder of S.P.I.R.I.T.S., a research group interested in the Spirit phenomenon.

Profile: http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-03-15T16:52:17Z

MorkaisChosen:

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" width=35%
| bgcolor="#66aa66" align="center" | '''Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak'''
|-
| bgcolor="#BBBBBB" align="center" |
|-
|
{| width=100%
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| S.P.I.R.I.T.S.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Leadership:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | None so far
|-
| '''Clan Numbers:'''
| Two
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Goals:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Research on the spirit phenomenon
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Contact:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.
|}
|}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers interested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=988 BubbaFine]

Brotherhood of the coast

2006-03-15T16:51:18Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Mission */

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" style="margin-left:0.5em" width=35%
|-
! bgcolor="#556655" align="center" | '''Brotherhood of the coast''
|-
! align="center" bgcolor="#BBBBBB" | [[Image:Pirate.jpg]]
|-
|
{|-
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| BotC
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" align="left" | '''Group Numbers:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" align="left" | 2 so far
|-
| '''Leadership:'''
| Founded by [http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=571 Le Pirate Robert]
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" align="left" | '''Purpose:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" align="left" | We are the Brothers of the Coast. We protect each other, and pillage everyone else.
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| For now on, we accept any pirate who accept to give up his civil rights to sail under the breech. Anyone willing to do so must introduce himself to the Captain. Knowledge of the French language would be great.'''
|}
|-
|}
=Background=
When civilisation set foot on Shartak, its underworld came along too.

=Mission=
Find as much valuable things as possible, while setting a good and durable peace with the Natives. The Pirates wants nothing more than an easy life on a sunny island, with rum, women and gold coins.

=Organisation=
The Pirates doesn't have any fixed headquarter for now on. The only members now on are the two Roberts. The Captain, the Dread Pirate Robert, leads the way, while Mad Robert follows.

==Members==
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=571 Le Pirate Robert]
[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=1071 Mad Robert]

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimensional Translations on Shartak

2006-03-11T12:41:48Z

MorkaisChosen: Added S.P.I.R.I.T.S. page.

[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans_for_Outsiders]]

{| cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="1" align="right" width=35%
| bgcolor="#66aa66" align="center" | '''Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak'''
|-
| bgcolor="#BBBBBB" align="center" |
|-
|
{| width=100%
| '''Abbreviation:'''
| S.P.I.R.I.T.S.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Leadership:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | None so far
|-
| '''Clan Numbers:'''
| One
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Goals:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | Research on the spirit phenomenon
|-
| '''Recruitment policy:'''
| Primarily scientists who want to research the spirits, but also scouts and bodyguards. Just add your name to the list.
|-
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | '''Contact:'''
| bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]], in-game or on the Wiki.
|}
|}
The Society for the Promotion of Independent Research on Interdimesnional Translations of Shartak (or S.P.I.R.I.T.S. for short) are a group of Outsiders interested in research on the spirit phenomenon. They move around Shartak trying to find any spirits, and in some cases, creating them from the native populace (an unresolved moral issue that will be decided if the membership ever grows). One point of interest is the fact that it is possible, after death, to be "revived" by native shaman (a phenomenon that has occurred frequently to the founder, [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]]). This is one of the primary research points.

Membership is open to all outsiders, but primarily scientists whose goal is to research these phenomena. Scouts, soldier bodyguards, and settlers ineterested are also welcome: just add your name to the list below.

[http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749 MorkaisChosen]

Game design

2006-03-11T12:24:56Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Contact Shaman */

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

This an open forum to discuss game design. These are neither [[Bugs]] nor [[Suggestions]] (though they may lead to bug reports and game proposals), but points to consider for maintaining balance and consistency.

==Mechanics==

===Slow Combat===
*Base accuracy for a weapon is higher than a fist, which is arguably unrealistic. One assumes that you would be less skilled with a weapon than your own hand. (I recall reading a similar comment to this, but I can't find it at the moment.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
**All characters appear to have a 10% chance to deal 1 damage with punching.
**Knives and Daggers appear to have a 20% chance to deal 1 damage.
:maybe it is just the punch only has a ten percent chance to actually doing damage(the text does say missed however), I know if i fought somebody who has a knife(or dagger) in RL they would do more to me than me to them, even if niether of us have any training,ex. Fists are a strange weapon and to actually do any damage with a punch(mainly only at the strongest point in your swing) you have to have some good timing.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 02:02, 3 March 2006 (GMT)
::I see what you're saying... how about punch 50-70% with a 20-30% chance of inflicting 1 damage after a successful hit, 0 damage otherwise (making it 10-21% but with 3 different messages - miss, hit but don't do damage, hit and do damage). --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:56, 4 March 2006 (GMT)
:Let me point out that this isn't really a problem. It's just something that a die-hard realist would try to press. On one hand, you can have Fists as the most accurate weapon until you get weapon skills (which will make the the first levels incredibly painful). On the other hand, you can have weapons as more accurate than fists (which allow new users to quickly become involved in the game). I don't know if I'd have the patience if it took me 70 AP to kill a parrot. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 16:12, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

===Contact Shaman===
*It is likely to be more efficient to die than to search for items and heal yourself. (Based on an observation was made by Leaf on the [[Suggestions]] page.) --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
:I think this observation is based on the false perception that ''one needs to be fully healed at all times''. There is no fundamental difference in performance when at less than ideal health. Remember, this game is set on an unexplored, remote island, not a heavily populated British suburb *coughUrbanDeadcough* its arguably more realistic to not be at peak health all the time, and for healing items to be somewhat scarce. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:12, 3 March 2006 (GMT)
::I guess my problem is that death can be used as a tool rather than a game experience. Say you're at 2 HP. You can spend the next few days scrounging for enough recovery items to heal and continue on or you can get killed and begin playing with full HP the next day. Say you're 100 squares away from your hometown and want to get back, if you can get something to kill you (perhaps even kill yourself with poisonous berries), you will have potentially saved AP. I think we should be discouraged from taking advantage of death somehow. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 18:20, 3 March 2006 (GMT)
:::This is a very good point.. what form of discouragement would be enough to make this less useful? Loss of AP and XP instead of 50AP (if so, what values for each)? Loss of a random skill? Loss of some of your inventory? Maybe you get summoned to the nearest (or random) camp of the same type rather than to your home camp? --[[User:Simon|Simon]] 10:56, 4 March 2006 (GMT)
::::I do see your point, Lint, and agree, Death should not be so much useful as it is annoying, nor should it be too annoying. One thought I had (aside from simply making it easier to stock healing items with [[Suggestions#Refillable_containers|refillable containers]]) was to make coming back from the dead progressively harder. I don't simply mean heaping onto the AP cost of getting ressurected, but maybe the shaman can send the dead on quests or punishments or something beyond simply waiting for your AP to recover?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:29, 6 March 2006 (GMT)

::::It's difficult to suggest something to dissuade death while not motivating griefing. I kind of like the camp idea and quests idea, but I'd need to get more familiar with the death experience before I can truly say anything. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 16:12, 4 March 2006 (GMT)

:::::Requiring that a dead person (spirit) must travel to a shaman to be 'resurrected' rather than just hitting the 'spend 50AP - go home' button would stop people using death as a teleporter. Making 'Town Shamans' have to recharge between resurrections (with the amount of time being tweaked depending on player numbers), potentially forcing a spirit to have to hang around and check in on a regular basis to see if the Shaman was ready, would make resurrection less of a sure thing. Another alternative to increase the uncertainty, and hence make death a gamble, not a strategy, would be to give the Town Shamans a %chance to resurrect and a set amount of AP. If too many people tap the Shaman looking for resurrections, they are 'asleep' 'til they recharge. Both would also increase the value of player shamans (whom I presume can also resurrect if they have the right skills). [[User:Anothertwilight|Anothertwilight]] 22:58, 5 March 2006 (GMT)
::::::"Recharging" Shamens sounds like a reasonable idea.
::::::: I like the idea of the spirit having to find the shaman to ressurect him; in addition to the AP cost, they have to wander around the jungle, find their bearings, etc. It also segues nicely for the player shaman to have a skill allowing them to ressurect. Zerging risk here, having a player run a shaman and a "fighter", keeping them close so the shaman PC can quickly revive the fallen fighter. Also, this might create imbalance the two factions, as the PC shamen may not want to revive Outsiders.--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 01:37, 6 March 2006 (GMT)
:::::::: If you make Scientists able to revive people as well (they share most of the Shaman skills) would keep faction balance in. [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 12:24, 11 March 2006 (GMT)
::::::I believe that the purpose behind "Contact Shaman" feature is so players that haven't a clue where the nearest village is (ie. ME) don't spend the rest of the game as a lost spirit. I think I'd just create a new character if I wasn't presented with the option to contact a Shaman. Another alternative that I've considered is perhaps the Town Shaman's power isn't as strong over long distances. If a spirit choose to contact a Shaman, they would respawn where they originally died, but with reduced HP. Perhaps a greater distance from the hometown results in less HP. This would put an end to teleportation and make taking advantage of death to gain full health slightly less advantageous (at least if the player is not within reasonable walking distance of a Town Shaman). However, I can see problems if some animal or PKer is camping the corpse, waiting to clobber them when they return. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 02:32, 6 March 2006 (GMT)
:::::::A fair point, what if the player received a message from his "home shaman" if he was he was too far away, and needed to move xx squares in direction X, xx squares in direction Y to be "in range". That player could also choose to go to another shaman if he thought one was closer. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 02:39, 6 March 2006 (GMT)

====Summary====
*To summarize: Contacting a Shaman can currently be taken advantage of to bypass Traveling and to bypass Recovery. Both are presumably essential experiences to how the game is played.
**We can prevent the teleportation element by removing the option to contact a Shaman altogether.
***However, to provide a user-friendly game experience it probably needs to be kept in place.
****We can reduce our dependency for this option by increasing the number of available respawn locations.
*****Reduces the established punishment of having to cover lost ground.
**Rather than the Hometown Shaman, players contact the nearest Town Shaman.
***This will reduce excessive teleportation, but does not eliminate it.
**Allow the Shaman to be contacted but the player respawns where it was rather than hometown.
***Reduces teleportation, but also reduces the established punishment of having to cover lost ground.
**We can artificially represent the act of Traveling and Recovery by extending the time and/or AP spent before resurrection can occur.
***Increasing AP cost
***Quests
***Queues
***Chance
**Or apply penalties after resurrection.
***Reduced HP
***Temporarily Reduced Actions (only movement and inventory; no combat, speech, writing)
****Temporarily Reduced Accuracy
**Or apply penalties to discourage dying in general.
***Loss of XP
***Loss of Skill
***Loss of Item

==Outsider/Native Balance==
'''Axiom''': Outsiders and Natives should not have a complete advantage over the other. 
'''Axiom''': Different, but equal.

*Natives by default can determine the difference between "Tasty" and "Poisonous" berries. Outsiders by default cannot. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)

*Outsiders by default can use a GPS unit. Natives by default presumably cannot. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)

==Class Balance==
'''Axiom''': No class should have a complete advantage over the other.

*According to the [[Talk:Character Classes|chart]], Soldiers have a slight advantage over other classes in regards to skills. Add to that their high HP, gives them even more of an edge. The only disadvantage they face is the process of searching and reloading ammunition. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
:Assuming that chart is accurate, the soldier isn't even the most advantageous class among his own group! The scientist has more total skills available then a soldier, and if you give more preference to being able to shoot a gun, then it is important to note how low search rates are, and that ammunition is even more rare. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:27, 3 March 2006 (GMT)
::The chart isn't complete. I did make some assumptions in possible skills based on what we know about the skill trees, but I don't think that it was wholly inaccurate to do so. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 00:40, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

*Shamans supposedly don't start with any items and have the lowest HP.
**Counterpoint: Shamans and their outsider counterpart, Scientists, are among some of the highest ranking characters at the moment. Something is obviously working. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
:What shamen may lack in starting inventory they more than make up for in overall skill potential (seemingly the most of any class). What good is starting with a banana or a few extra bullets by comparison? --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:27, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

*According to the statistics, there is a lack of interest in Villagers and Settlers. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
:I agree, at this point there doesn't seem to be any overiding appeal for these classes, which logically should be the most abundant, at least with regards to villagers. --[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 00:27, 3 March 2006 (GMT)

*Are there any game mechanics (besides HP, starting inventory, and available skills) that are influenced by your character class? Should there be? --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 22:52, 2 March 2006 (GMT)
**Inventory size
**Base accuracy
**Base damage
**Search odds
**AP limit

*I have 3 characters and i have more higher search odds with the scientist (3 heavy swords) than the others .. i don't know if it's only a matter of luck or not..--[[User:JonesDye|JonesDye]] 10:08, 7 March 2006 (GMT)

Suggestions:Skills

2006-03-11T12:19:45Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Polymorph */

Requests for information

2006-03-09T21:00:03Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Clan pages */ Edited my question a bit.

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

== About the wiki ==

=== Editing ===

Q. This wiki thing is odd and filled with odd people! I am frightened!

A. That's not a question! But never fear, the wiki is a great tool that only gets better with more participation and information. Here is the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents Mediawiki Handbook] for detailed information on how things work. The [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing Help:Editing] section is a handy reference for beginners.

=== Signature ===

Q. Typing all that code to sign my posts is tiresome. Is there a better way to do this?

A. At the top of the edit field, you'll see a series of icons. The second to last icon resembles a partial signature. Simply click on this icon and it will generate the code to sign your posts.

=== Clan pages ===

Q. How do I list my uber l33t clan page like the others?

A. Edit your clan page and add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans]]</nowiki>" (no quotes). If you also want to
be listed as a specific type of clan, also add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Natives]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for both]]</nowiki>".

For example, an Outsider-only clan would have: <nowiki>[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>.

Q. How do I make the information box that appears on clan pages?

A. At the moment there is not a way to do this besides copying the code they use and pasting it in your clan page. Make sure you properly edit it to display your own information.

Q. How do I make a clan page in the first place?21:00, 9 March 2006 (GMT)

== Your vital statistics ==

=== Hit points (HP) ===

Q. I've only just started playing. How do you recover your HP?

A. Food and drink are your friend! You can find food and water by searching, and also the odd med-kit and healing herbs. Watch out for berries, some will restore you and others take it out if you! More information on recovery items are noted on the [[Items]] page.

=== Action points (AP)===

Q. How does AP replenish?

A. You get an extra AP every 20 minutes, up to a maximum of 75. It is reputably possible to have negative AP if you perform an action that takes alot of AP.

=== Experience (XP) ===

Q. How do you gain experience?

A. All sorts of ways, but most notably by killing animals, or people! Chopping down the jungle seems to also yield amount of XP. More information on methods of earning experience points are noted on the [[XP Gains]] page.

== Life and death ==

===Character deaths===

Q. What happens when you die? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:26, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

A. You are dead, and you can still walk around, as a spirit. You cannot talk, but some of the skills can help with that. You retain your items but cannot use them. If you go to a shaman he will bring you back to life, or you can use 50 AP to have your spirit moved home (e.g. York, Derby, Dalpok) and revived instantly.

Q. How much XP is awarded for a player kill? Is it different for killing within your own group (Native killing a native)? Is it relative to the level of the other character?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 14:28, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A.

=== NPC's (Non Player Characters) deaths ===
Q: The 'statistics on kills' page [http://www.shartak.com/statkills.html] shows each group has killed a shaman numerous times. As I understand, there is always 1 shaman in each town/village. What are the consequences of this? Unable to be revived until one respawns? -[[User:Jackel|Jackel]]

A. If the shaman of your town/village dies, you cannot be revived. Attempting to contact the shaman of your town/village while he "a spirit" yields this message: ''You sense that XX wishes you to be patient and ask again later as he is a spirit as well and is trying to return to his body so he can help others.'' It is unknown how long it takes for a shaman to be revived.

==Items==

Q. Can items that you are carrying be destroyed or damaged? Specifically, can a machete ever be broken or become dull with use requiring sharpening? Is there any reason to carry around more than one machete? -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:59, 24 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. I would like to ask for everyones help in finding more about the elusive heavy sword, like what density of jungle did you find them in, is there a hut underneath the jungle or was it a jungle square with a hut? Or if you actually find them in the jungle? THe info on them right now is shaky. Im currently going on a search-a-thon but help is greatly appreciated.
:: Please feel free to add some data to [[Search Odds]] or [[Search Odds Condensed]] to help in the effort to work out where to find this item and others! -- [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo]] 10:27, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Do poison darts poison ?
A.

Q. Are poisionous berries usefull for anything? Making poison darts for example.

=== Gold ===

Q. What is gold good for?

A. Hmm.. good question. Also mentioned on [[Items#Gold_Coins|the items page]] as you get more gold by searching and finding gold coins.

==Locations==

===Jungle===

Q. Do chopped jungles ever grow back? 
A. Yes. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. If so, how long is the growth rate? 
A. Not sure, but it's highly noticable if your not in an area which is being constantly tramoked by NPC's and players. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Would jungles grow while you were standing in one? 
A. Yes. This happened to me many times. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Are search rates changed by the density of the jungle? 
A. Not sure. The amount of searching i've done over time I could probably answer this, If i'd been at all observant of such details.. but I havn't. Your best help is probably [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo's]] [[Search Odds Condensed]] page. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:02, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

==General Gameplay==

Q. What time period is the game based in? Excepting the GPS, the choice of items available impies anywhere from the 1600's to the early 1900's. The GPS unit seems a little out of place but implies that the time period has to be present day. Maybe i missed some other items or note about the date? --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 21:52, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A1. I'm not sure there is really an answer to this as such.. or perhaps many answers.. but.. the whole thing has a kinda lost world feel to it I think. Natives cut off from civilisation. Outsiders from the modern world stranded. Such an idea could explain almost any range of technology, except something like a satellite dish or long range radio transmitters that would allow outsiders to broadcast their distress and get rescued of course.

Requests for information

2006-03-09T20:59:37Z

MorkaisChosen: Added question.

{| cellpadding=10 align=right
| __TOC__
|}

== About the wiki ==

=== Editing ===

Q. This wiki thing is odd and filled with odd people! I am frightened!

A. That's not a question! But never fear, the wiki is a great tool that only gets better with more participation and information. Here is the [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents Mediawiki Handbook] for detailed information on how things work. The [http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing Help:Editing] section is a handy reference for beginners.

=== Signature ===

Q. Typing all that code to sign my posts is tiresome. Is there a better way to do this?

A. At the top of the edit field, you'll see a series of icons. The second to last icon resembles a partial signature. Simply click on this icon and it will generate the code to sign your posts.

=== Clan pages ===

Q. How do I list my uber l33t clan page like the others?

A. Edit your clan page and add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans]]</nowiki>" (no quotes). If you also want to
be listed as a specific type of clan, also add "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for Natives]]</nowiki>" or "<nowiki>[[Category:Clans for both]]</nowiki>".

For example, an Outsider-only clan would have: <nowiki>[[Category:Clans]] [[Category:Clans for Outsiders]]</nowiki>.

Q. How do I make the information box that appears on clan pages?

A. At the moment there is not a way to do this besides copying the code they use and pasting it in your clan page. Make sure you properly edit it to display your own information.

Q. How do I make a clan page in the first place?

== Your vital statistics ==

=== Hit points (HP) ===

Q. I've only just started playing. How do you recover your HP?

A. Food and drink are your friend! You can find food and water by searching, and also the odd med-kit and healing herbs. Watch out for berries, some will restore you and others take it out if you! More information on recovery items are noted on the [[Items]] page.

=== Action points (AP)===

Q. How does AP replenish?

A. You get an extra AP every 20 minutes, up to a maximum of 75. It is reputably possible to have negative AP if you perform an action that takes alot of AP.

=== Experience (XP) ===

Q. How do you gain experience?

A. All sorts of ways, but most notably by killing animals, or people! Chopping down the jungle seems to also yield amount of XP. More information on methods of earning experience points are noted on the [[XP Gains]] page.

== Life and death ==

===Character deaths===

Q. What happens when you die? --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:26, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

A. You are dead, and you can still walk around, as a spirit. You cannot talk, but some of the skills can help with that. You retain your items but cannot use them. If you go to a shaman he will bring you back to life, or you can use 50 AP to have your spirit moved home (e.g. York, Derby, Dalpok) and revived instantly.

Q. How much XP is awarded for a player kill? Is it different for killing within your own group (Native killing a native)? Is it relative to the level of the other character?--[[User:Jackel|Jackel]] 14:28, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A.

=== NPC's (Non Player Characters) deaths ===
Q: The 'statistics on kills' page [http://www.shartak.com/statkills.html] shows each group has killed a shaman numerous times. As I understand, there is always 1 shaman in each town/village. What are the consequences of this? Unable to be revived until one respawns? -[[User:Jackel|Jackel]]

A. If the shaman of your town/village dies, you cannot be revived. Attempting to contact the shaman of your town/village while he "a spirit" yields this message: ''You sense that XX wishes you to be patient and ask again later as he is a spirit as well and is trying to return to his body so he can help others.'' It is unknown how long it takes for a shaman to be revived.

==Items==

Q. Can items that you are carrying be destroyed or damaged? Specifically, can a machete ever be broken or become dull with use requiring sharpening? Is there any reason to carry around more than one machete? -[[User:Arminius|Arminius]] 01:59, 24 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. I would like to ask for everyones help in finding more about the elusive heavy sword, like what density of jungle did you find them in, is there a hut underneath the jungle or was it a jungle square with a hut? Or if you actually find them in the jungle? THe info on them right now is shaky. Im currently going on a search-a-thon but help is greatly appreciated.
:: Please feel free to add some data to [[Search Odds]] or [[Search Odds Condensed]] to help in the effort to work out where to find this item and others! -- [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo]] 10:27, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Do poison darts poison ?
A.

Q. Are poisionous berries usefull for anything? Making poison darts for example.

=== Gold ===

Q. What is gold good for?

A. Hmm.. good question. Also mentioned on [[Items#Gold_Coins|the items page]] as you get more gold by searching and finding gold coins.

==Locations==

===Jungle===

Q. Do chopped jungles ever grow back? 
A. Yes. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. If so, how long is the growth rate? 
A. Not sure, but it's highly noticable if your not in an area which is being constantly tramoked by NPC's and players. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Would jungles grow while you were standing in one? 
A. Yes. This happened to me many times. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:05, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

Q. Are search rates changed by the density of the jungle? 
A. Not sure. The amount of searching i've done over time I could probably answer this, If i'd been at all observant of such details.. but I havn't. Your best help is probably [[User:Fitzcarraldo|Fitzcarraldo's]] [[Search Odds Condensed]] page. --[[User:Murk|Murk]] 17:02, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

==General Gameplay==

Q. What time period is the game based in? Excepting the GPS, the choice of items available impies anywhere from the 1600's to the early 1900's. The GPS unit seems a little out of place but implies that the time period has to be present day. Maybe i missed some other items or note about the date? --[[User:Frisco|Frisco]] 21:52, 26 February 2006 (GMT)

A1. I'm not sure there is really an answer to this as such.. or perhaps many answers.. but.. the whole thing has a kinda lost world feel to it I think. Natives cut off from civilisation. Outsiders from the modern world stranded. Such an idea could explain almost any range of technology, except something like a satellite dish or long range radio transmitters that would allow outsiders to broadcast their distress and get rescued of course.

Suggestions:Game mechanics

2006-03-09T20:53:15Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Profile Effect Items */ Added suggestion for mask effects.

Suggestions

2006-02-20T20:12:01Z

MorkaisChosen: /* Meat */ Added cooking suggestion

Suggestions for Shartak are always welcome, although there's no guarantee that anything will be added. Comments on or modifications for any of the suggestions below can be added by editing this page. Please be considerate and don't just remove ideas that you don't like.

Begin a new item with a * and "sign" your suggestions using <nowiki>-- ~~~~</nowiki> so we know who to blame ;)

Bug reports should go on the [[Bugs]] page.

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== Skills ==

=== Weapon Skills ===
The Warrior/Soldiers class should get weapon skills, like spear skills for the warrior and rifle skills for the soldier, make the soldiers skills make the rifle have better to hit then the natives spear but the rifle requires the searching of ammo, this makes the difference between natives and outsiders warrior classes more than the blowpipe and rifle (blowpipes do 1 less damage) EDIT: I notice that the outsiders do indeed have rifle training, freshly added to the wiki I guess.-- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:07, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Tracking ===
Anyone with the Tracking skill should be able to track where people have gone, either generic "A native passed by here recently" or more specific "Average Joe left heading north 2 days ago".

''Comments''
* Should probably be a timelimit so you don't see "Average Joe left heading north 90 days ago". - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]

=== Religious Devotion ===
Required to use "Holy Scriptures" --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

== Items ==

=== Spear ===
It could be the native warriors main weapon, give it a base damage of 3, same to hit as machete but it wouldn't cut through jungle -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 11:02, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Head-shrinking powder ===
This could be either a melee or area weapon used by natives.

''Comments''
* What are the effects of it? Causes X HP of damage? Loss of AP? Loss of XP? Instant death? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]

=== Meat ===
Heals 2 HP. Used by both outsiders and tribals. It appears in your inventory when you kill a beastie. [[User:Bungalow Bill|Bungalow Bill]]
* But you can only carry 200 pounds of meat back to your wagon. <nowiki></oregontrail></nowiki> --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 01:15, 13 February 2006 (GMT)
*Or you have to cook it, taking one AP and possibly a fire-lighting skill (who wants to eat raw monkey?).[[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 20:12, 20 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Radio beacon/receiver ===
A radio beacon/receiver for outsiders to pinpoint specific locations of interest.

''Comments''
* What's wrong with using the GPS co-ordinates of a specific location? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
*Perhaps a way to have GPS waypoints or markers IN one own's GPS? --[[User:Wcervantes|Wcervantes]] 19:39, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Holy Scriptures ===
Used to convert Natives into Ousiders. Requires "Religious Devotion". Most likely found around Outsider settlements --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)
*Nobody wants to have a class change againt their will. -Grigoriy

== Other ==
=== Supplies in settlements ===
Could there perhaps be some kind of a more reliable way to get things in villages, apart from randomly finding them? Coming across abandoned items in jungles, evaquated police departments and such makes sense, but going on an epic quest for a machete under someone's carpet in an active village just seems a bit out of place.

So, if it's not too much of a hassle, which it most likely is, I suggest there to perhaps be put some kind of trader characters in settlements, who could exchange all kindsa things for random junk you've found lying around in other places, or maybe you could get these fellas to make items for you free of charge, which you could go and pick up after a period of time?

..probably too complicated for something that's rather useless. Oh well. --[[User:Ismo Kuikka|Ismo Kuikka]]

:There's a trading post in one of the huts in Dalpok, can't get anything there though. Perhaps a sign of things to come? --[[User:Snarf|Snarf]] 10:33, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

=== Tunnels ===
Tunnels underneath the island lead to interesting places.
:How do you know they don't exist? :) [[User:Dr._J|Dr. J]]

=== Treasure to capture ===
"Capture the flag" type objective, in this case the flags are treasure from each village. Bonus points in the form of XP or gold coins to be awarded to the holder of the treasure at certain intervals.

=== Writing on the tree (or sand) ===
Should be able to write stuff in the sand on the beaches and carve short messages into trees in the jungle. To avoid "carve-wars" the only way to get rid of messages on trees could be to chop the jungle down and wait for it to grow again before you can write a new message. -- [[User:Snarf|Snarf]] 22:32, 27 January 2006 (GMT)

=== Informational messages ===
You should be able to see what other people have done since your past turn. Much like the skill above, except for most actions that take place. Such as '[09:34]Joe used a medkit on Roger' or '[05:23]Dan Attacked a Boar and missed'. If this is implemented, there should be a menu that you can use to toggle certain bits of information, to reduce or stop spam. [[User:Durja|Durja]] 18:14, 6 February 2006 (GMT)

''Comments''
:I don't want to see when people miss attacks, that's just too much information (unless it's me that they're attacking!) - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
:Would be useful to see when kills are made in the same location eg. Dan killed a boar or Joe killed Roger - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
:How about making a list of "informational messages" that might be required? - [[User:Snarf|Snarf]]
:* PlayerX killed PlayerY.
:* PlayerX killed animal.
:* PlayerY died from eating some poisonous berries. (self-inflicted death)

=== Jungle Skills ===
The jungle environment has great potential to add significant dynamic to this game. These could be a set of skills to reflect this.
: Jungle Lore: Player has x% chance of discovering item/artifact. Might work in conjunction with search skill.
: Make/Detect Traps: Spikes, Pits etc... Not sure this is possible and what would be need to time degrade this.[[User:Nankilstlas|Nankilstlas]]

== Classes ==

=== Priest ===
Starts off with a "Holy Scripture" and the "Religious Devotion Skill". --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

None of the other classes start with a skill. I think they should just have access to the skill, and maybe stuff like scientists don't (I'm not saying all scientists are unreligious, just that there probably aren't any THAT religious!). [[User:MorkaisChosen|MorkaisChosen]] 11:06, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

== Game Mechanics ==

=== Conversion ===
When an Outsider/Native dies they are reborn as a Native (don't really understand the spirit thing too well). The Outsiders then get a new class/skill, "Religious Conversion" that requires a "Holy Scripture". This allows a "Priest" to convert one native into a Outsider". The converted native would most likely start off as a Settler. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 23:22, 16 February 2006 (GMT)
* I believe that Natives are reborn as Natives and Outsiders are reborn as Outsiders, but I could be wrong. From a game balance perspective, I am not in favor of type-swapping skills unless Natives are presented with an ability to counter or convert Outsiders as well. It does fit nicely with the theme though. --[[User:Lint|Lint]] 23:41, 16 February 2006 (GMT)

* That would probably be the shamans job, however it may have worked for Urban Dead but I don't think it will work in this game as whichever group has the most players to begin with will, once conflicts begin to arise, dominate by switching people from the side they are on the side the priest/"whatever the natives use" side making you able to graph one groups population by looking at the graph pop=(1/2)^x. Also since there wouldn't seem to be a way, short of finding a converter player to switch you back, to go back to playing as you once did would make the amount of people on one side quickly die off (even though thats what would happen in real life, favouring the outsiders) it would be a very unfun aspect of the game. And really these are HOSTILE natives, or so it seems, why would they let some devilman outsider tell it how it is? They wouldn't, they would simply spear them and laugh! In short all the converting ideas suck, I know I wouldn't want to log on to find I'm playing for the wrong side. -- [[User:Daylan|Daylan]] 10:55, 17 February 2006 (GMT)

* So that means if my soldier dies, he's reborn as a native? Not only that, but to become an outsider again, first I would have to find a priest (which would be next to impossible with such a small number of players), and then he could convert me into a settler. That means I'll never be able to be a soldier again, which is a real punch in the throat for RPers. -- Grigoriy

*All valid points. I guess this wouldn't really work we have the same number of players as Urban Dead. But this would be a great way to balance out the sides later on. Say there are too many natives, you just drop more "conversion items" and balance out the sides. Too many Outsiders? Just drop the number of conversion items. Doubt it would catch on though. --[[User:One of many doctors|One of many doctors]] 02:44, 19 February 2006 (GMT)

User:MorkaisChosen

2006-02-17T11:19:51Z

MorkaisChosen: Put description in.

MorkaisChosen is a nerd. Guess the in-game class.

Profile: http://www.shartak.com/profile.cgi?id=749