You have been taken by the Mists

Author Topic: Make LFRP Mode Great  (Read 610 times)

remnar

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 669
  • kill, corpsehide, girlboss
Make LFRP Mode Great
« on: February 21, 2023, 07:39:59 PM »
LFRP mode is a useful little tool that goes mostly unused.  It lets people see, well, who is looking for roleplay.  Unfortunately, it has a few deficiencies and I think there is a way to mend these so that is used more and i can rp with people easier we can all find people to roleplay with!
I posted these suggestions in the systems wishlist thread...but that's not good enough!

Here are my suggestions to make LFRP mode great:

With the streamer changes, I have noticed that you can color the names of players in game and in the player menu, so...

1. Color the names of players in LFRP mode!  While the color doesn't matter, being able to see more easily who is LFRP can help a lot!

I noticed as well, that when a streamer leaves or joins, it tells the whole server!

2. Those in LFRP mode can see when someone in LFRP mode joins the server!  This lets people know who wants to rp!  This should also be a toggle, like streamer mode notifications.

I know both of these changes are possible, since the same was done for streamers and streamer mode!  I think these would be great additions to reaaaaaally help people find roleplay and find people that want roleplay.

This next change miiiiiight not be possible but it would certainly improve the longevity of LFRP use.

3. LFRP should be made to persist through crashes, restarts, resets.  This is a real problem since, well, the server does these things fairly often and many people who are LFRP forget to re-enable it.

These are my suggestions for improving LFRP mode and benefiting everyone.

Read my guide: https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=62555.0
and come to my clinic in Vallaki!

Cyber Viking

  • Undead Master
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
  • Discord: Cyber Viking#6572
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2023, 08:34:22 PM »
Make it the same as streaming mode. Just different color.


bloodless

  • The Underworld
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1926
  • ?
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2023, 08:57:43 PM »
Make it the same as streaming mode. Just different color.
+1

Croissant

  • Outlander
  • **
  • Posts: 86
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2023, 09:00:05 PM »
Any improvement, yes please, +1
Olivenka Manolescu: Barmaid-turned-detective!

PrimetheGrime

  • Full-time Hunter, Part-time Outlaw
  • The Wayfarer Kinship
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 2022
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2023, 09:28:31 PM »
To be honest I don't think lfrp mode needs a colour of it's own. The reason these additions were made to streaming is so that it clearly defines who is streaming (who has people watching their roleplay) and who isn't. I know I personally turn lfrp on and off and the time and I'd hate to see a constant server msg of "suchandsuch" is now in lfrp mode. You already get something similar to this if you are in lfrp mode, but without a server popup message. This is more than enough to tell who is in the mode/who just left it. I'd rather we don't get hung up on text colours lest we become a technicolour dreamscape of names suiting different purposes as that would just get confusing.

Option 3 might not be bad though
« Last Edit: February 22, 2023, 03:37:49 AM by PrimetheGrime »

Trygve

  • Outlander
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2023, 03:00:11 AM »
I think these are some pretty cool ideas!

Folly

  • Outlander
  • **
  • Posts: 75
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2023, 05:44:59 AM »
I think yall need to RP more.

strangerinthealps

  • Undead Master
  • ****
  • Posts: 284
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2023, 08:16:26 AM »
LFRP mode is a useful little tool that goes mostly unused.  It lets people see, well, who is looking for roleplay.  Unfortunately, it has a few deficiencies and I think there is a way to mend these so that is used more and i can rp with people easier we can all find people to roleplay with!
I posted these suggestions in the systems wishlist thread...but that's not good enough!

Here are my suggestions to make LFRP mode great:

With the streamer changes, I have noticed that you can color the names of players in game and in the player menu, so...

1. Color the names of players in LFRP mode!  While the color doesn't matter, being able to see more easily who is LFRP can help a lot!

I noticed as well, that when a streamer leaves or joins, it tells the whole server!

2. Those in LFRP mode can see when someone in LFRP mode joins the server!  This lets people know who wants to rp!  This should also be a toggle, like streamer mode notifications.

I know both of these changes are possible, since the same was done for streamers and streamer mode!  I think these would be great additions to reaaaaaally help people find roleplay and find people that want roleplay.

This next change miiiiiight not be possible but it would certainly improve the longevity of LFRP use.

3. LFRP should be made to persist through crashes, restarts, resets.  This is a real problem since, well, the server does these things fairly often and many people who are LFRP forget to re-enable it.

These are my suggestions for improving LFRP mode and benefiting everyone.

I love everything about this!

Cyber Viking

  • Undead Master
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
  • Discord: Cyber Viking#6572
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2023, 02:33:07 PM »
Isn't option 3 really hard to do? Like from a Dev and coding perspective.


Abear

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 742
  • You are not a human being.
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2023, 07:31:04 PM »
I like it. Good ideas, remnar
Current: Sásha Kostoviç
Occasionally: Blair Florescu


zDark Shadowz

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 665
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2023, 08:27:03 PM »
Isn't option 3 really hard to do? Like from a Dev and coding perspective.

The game already has our characters remembering what debug, weather or XP messages you asked to see, this would just be another message toggle stored in the same place in the rest menu I suspect. It'd just be copying the code that exists. (Theoretically)
« Last Edit: February 22, 2023, 08:28:37 PM by zDark Shadowz »

Hemlock

  • Red Vardo Traders Front
  • Undead Master
  • ****
  • Posts: 351
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2023, 10:35:48 AM »
I like the idea of an alternate color if it's not too hard to add in.
Active: Donatien Brinespeaker
Shelf: Hemlock

bunnie

  • Head Empty
  • Gendarmerie
  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 974
  • what is him think
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2023, 10:49:14 AM »
very good ideas!! i am in support!

Maffa

  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 1110
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2023, 10:58:53 AM »
I support this, and parallel to that, oin a voluntary basis, I would propose some newbie helper/tutor role, people that volunteer to either explain OOCly or introduce ICly the server or part of that to new players.


Character List:

Marph - Closured
Marius Rucescu - Closured
Romeo Lascaris - Closured

EO

  • Assistant Head DM/Developer
  • Head DMs
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 22403
  • The one and only, the one everyone wants to be!
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2023, 09:43:08 AM »
Quote
1. Color the names of players in LFRP mode!  While the color doesn't matter, being able to see more easily who is LFRP can help a lot!

As mentioned by Prime, we don't want to start coloring all names. Also, LFRP is to indicate you are looking for roleplay, so you're likely not near others. If you're already near other PCs, then you don't need to be in LFRP mode, you can just... roleplay with them, tag or not.

Quote
2. Those in LFRP mode can see when someone in LFRP mode joins the server!  This lets people know who wants to rp!  This should also be a toggle, like streamer mode notifications.

3. LFRP should be made to persist through crashes, restarts, resets.  This is a real problem since, well, the server does these things fairly often and many people who are LFRP forget to re-enable it.

We decided against those initially because we don't want people to accidentally be in LFRP mode, especially since it shows your location to all. LFRP should be a mode people toggle on and off knowingly, consciously, and willingly, otherwise you end up with people who aren't really looking for roleplay on it, and it makes it much harder to find people who really are looking for RP.

We're cognizant with the fact the feature is underused though but it never was meant to be used by everyone all the time.

remnar

  • Dark Lord
  • *****
  • Posts: 669
  • kill, corpsehide, girlboss
Re: Make LFRP Mode Great
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2023, 01:05:24 PM »
I get you, but I've noticed that as a player, a lot of people will sit in an area with other people...and wait.  They aren't always afk.  In fact, rarely are they.  They're waiting for someone to RP with them rather than being proactive and being the one to initiate.  They're probably nervous, or anxious, unsure of how to be the one to start a conversation, or would just rather be interacted with rather than be the one to interact.  This happens a lot and is very hard to not see.

The colored name solves this issue.  A player with the LFRP color is, in effect, telling people to come to them.  The colored name is both in the game world and on the player list, so it takes a short look at the player list to find someone to RP with as well.  I still think it is a very good idea. I understand the hesitation to adding more possible name colors, though.  We don't want the server looking like a COD4 game.

With the other two things, one of them solves the other.
Sometimes people turn on LFRP mode, and keep it on, because they forgot they turned it on.  This would be much more likely if it were to persist through resets.
But if you are more often notified of people entering LFRP mode (Either through the regular method of people entering/leaving it, or the proposed method of people who log on with LFRP mode active tell others 'X player is looking for RP') you will quickly become aware of your status and turn off the mode if you do not wish it to be on.

I believe those who are looking to hide their location already will not be using LFRP mode and I'm fairly certain they weren't going to use it already.

And ultimately, LFRP is an opt-in system.  You are freely able to turn on and off the system at your leisure.  Any spam is ultimately your decision to endure and it keeps itself in the combat log so it doesn't interrupt any roleplay.  For those who are unsure, we have tells so we can ask "Hey, are you up to RP?  It says you're in LFRP."

To conclude, I have too much faith in the player and believe they can use the provided systems to enhance their experience.  With improved tools (my idea for LFRP improvements, anyway) and old methods (asking if someone wants to RP via tells) I think this could benefit more players and bring enjoyment to more people.

Read my guide: https://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=62555.0
and come to my clinic in Vallaki!