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Scones and Sconces: This post is about one of the two, but the other is tasty.

ShaddusShaddus , the Leper MessiahOutside your window.
in Ideas
I've had an interesting idea about sconces (sorry if you expected this to be about scones). Currently, they serve no real purpose and do nothing besides look pretty and decay in about a month IRL. We keep trying to add items to Wallfeatures in Artisanry, but Big Momma Esty says no, so I'd like to make them do -something- besides hang there.


Add an area to the design in the cartel where the designer can add an ambiance line to the sconce. Obviously, this needs to be approved like any other part of the design, and needs to make sense for the sconce.

Now, once you build a sconce, it acts normally until you insert a powerstone into it. Once you do, it activates the ambiance part of the sconce, which will randomly show off once an hour. This drains 1-2% of the powerstone each time it ticks until the powerstone is drained and poofs, after which time your sconce is "off" until you add another powerstone. The ambient message will only show in that one room, and there might be a limit of one sconce per room. For instance, "an elegant sconce of entwined roses" might occasionally give off the message, "The scent of roses fills the area" or some such.


I don't know if this is possible or even feasible, but I think it's a wonderful idea and use for sconces. I'm not trying to replace the aethermanse archways, which are IMO one of the best manse artifacts out there. I just feel this might lend some flavor to the item in general.

Ideas? Thoughts? Comments? Rude Gestures?
Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.

Comments

  • EveriineEveriine Wise Old Swordsbird / Brontaur Indianapolis, IN, USA
    Once per hour, and assuming there is a limit to the message length, I think this sounds great.
    Everiine is a man, and is very manly. This MAN before you is so manly you might as well just gender bend right now, cause he's the manliest man that you ever did see. His manly shape has spurned many women and girlyer men to boughs of fainting. He stands before you in a manly manerific typical man-like outfit which is covered in his manly motto: "I am a man!"

    Daraius said: You gotta risk it for the biscuit.

    Pony power all the way, yo. The more Brontaurs the better.
  • SakrSakr
    I love it. The archways are good for the general vibe and feel, but this would allow something more specific per room.
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  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    Instead of going through and setting ambients based on design type (conceivably headache inducing), allow users to put a mote of essence into the sconce to adjust its ambients; if no essence is put in, it uses the default "plain" set.

    When the powerstone is drained, the essence tuning fades.

    Have 3 possible ambients per essence type and users can pick and choose however they'd like, or switch to a whole new set with a fresh mote of essence!
    image
  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    edited December 2012
    Xenthos said:
    Instead of going through and setting ambients based on design type (conceivably headache inducing), allow users to put a mote of essence into the sconce to adjust its ambients; if no essence is put in, it uses the default "plain" set. When the powerstone is drained, the essence tuning fades. Have 3 possible ambients per essence type and users can pick and choose however they'd like, or switch to a whole new set with a fresh mote of essence!
    I don't think that's a terrible idea, but I think it would be a coding nightmare, and I don't see a designer wanting to come up with three lines for every sconce they design. We're looking for one specific ambiance per sconce, not (basically) 18 ambients per design unless they're premade and coded directly into wallfeatures. Else, this would turn sconces into nothing more than mini-hookahs.

    Also, odd question. You said 

    Instead of going through and setting ambients based on design type

    You do realise there's only really one design type for sconces, and you just base your design off that one basic design like any other designed item, right?
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • SsalissSsaliss
    I think what he was after was a set of pre-written ambients that all sconces would draw from. So all sconces would have one of 18 different ambients.

    Unless I misunderstood him radically.
    image
  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    I guess that could work, though most of my response still applies. I was mostly looking for something customisable for sconces, not a premade set of lines :(
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    Ssaliss said:

    I think what he was after was a set of pre-written ambients that all sconces would draw from. So all sconces would have one of 18 different ambients.

    Unless I misunderstood him radically.

    That is exactly what I am going for; I think that's much more feasible than trying to do something on a sconce-by-sconce basis.

    It also won't compete with the archways at all.
    image
  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    That defeats the purpose of having a designer-added line for each sconce design that goes with the sconce :(
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    edited December 2012
    It does, but it also feels more feasible than tweaking designs to add in another configurable line.

    I'd like to see sconces get enhanced, so if there's an alternative idea that can be implemented with fewer resources required (and thus increased likelihood of being put into place)- no reason not to consider the options.

    *eye Daraius*
    image
  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    I don't think tweaking designs to have another field is an issue. Tents already have a plethora of fields, cabinets/racks/desks have an open/shut.

    I think preset messages for sconces in general is a bad idea. It wouldn't be conducive to designing new sconces with interesting ambients.
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    Shaddus said:
    I don't think tweaking designs to have another field is an issue. Tents already have a plethora of fields, cabinets/racks/desks have an open/shut. I think preset messages for sconces in general is a bad idea. It wouldn't be conducive to designing new sconces with interesting ambients.
    Open / Shut has been around for a long time, though (see: Rockholm's gates), so that's not really a good example of the "ease of adding new fields" imo.  Tents, on the other hand, are a different matter (and one that I hadn't really thought of admittedly).  So, if it's easily doable to add a new design line to it, sure!

    If not, then preset messages for sconces is not a "bad idea," unless you'd prefer to just leave them as they are.  You wouldn't be able to design them with ambients, sure- but you'd at least be able to get some use out of the things instead of just having them hanging there looking all forlorn.

    I think you're mainly looking at it from the angle of "it doesn't fit my vision so it's bad!" but as far as game implementation goes, things don't really work that way- sometimes an idea need to be adjusted due to a variety of factors.  Unless you really do mean that "If we can't design it, I don't want any ambients at all."  Which I guess could be what you are going for, an all-or-nothing approach.

    I guess what I am getting at here is: If your idea can't be implemented as suggested, would you rather sconces not be changed at all?
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  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    I have to say, I like Xenthos' suggestion more, actually. It still makes sconces more interesting without interfering with the purpose of artifact archways.
  • SsalissSsaliss
    Yeah. Limiting them to 18 different possible ambients would probably only make things weird. No matter how well-written they are, there would invariably be many situations where either of them just didn't fit with the design. Or, possibly even worse, sconces would start being divided into 18 different styles of sconces to match with their ambient.

    Can accepted designs be resubmitted with changes? Because that would kindof solve the entire problem. It would allow people to resubmit old sconces with new ambients if they wanted to; if not, they would simply not have an ambient. This could apply to new designs as well, allowing for sconces to be designed without an ambient.
    image
  • ShaddusShaddus , the Leper Messiah Outside your window.
    Xenthos said:


    I guess what I am getting at here is: If your idea can't be implemented as suggested, would you rather sconces not be changed at all?
    No, I'd take anything at this point. We've been struggling and trying to find something to do with sconces for a long time now.
    Everiine said: The reason population is low isn't because there are too many orgs. It's because so many facets of the game are outright broken and protected by those who benefit from it being that way. An overabundance of gimmicks (including game-breaking ones), artifacts that destroy any concept of balance, blatant pay-to-win features, and an obsession with convenience that makes few things actually worthwhile all contribute to the game's sad decline.
  • QistrelQistrel the hemisemidemifink
    I have a completely different idea.

    We have drapes to make a room dark in the day.

    What if you could light a sconce to make a room light during the night?

  • EritheylEritheyl ** Trigger Warning **
    Well, everyone can already sort of see in the dark...not sure what the point would be, there.
    Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."

    -

    With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
  • AlacardaelAlacardael
    SPIRITBOND SUN
    If it's broken, break it some more.
  • EritheylEritheyl ** Trigger Warning **
    To be completely honest, I think I'd rather just wait for the sun to come out or spend the power on mass-bondage. But I'm a minimalist with artisan crap, so likely also the unpopular opinion :P

    If it's really wanted that badly, obviously I have no reason to be a naysayer. Gogo!
    Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."

    -

    With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
  • QistrelQistrel the hemisemidemifink
    edited December 2012
    When Jojobo comes out, you'll all be thanking me for thinking of this.

    So that would be round about...never? :P

    But seriously, it actually came to mind not because of Sun Totem, but because of dracnari basking needing daylight.

  • EritheylEritheyl ** Trigger Warning **
    Qistrel said:
    But seriously, it actually came to mind not because of Sun Totem, but because of dracnari basking needing daylight.
    It also needs a desert/beach locale.
    Crumkane, Lord of Epicurean Delights says, "WAS IT INDEED ON FIRE, ERITHEYL."

    -

    With a deep reverb, Contemptible Sutekh says, "CEASE YOUR INFERNAL ENERGY, ERITHEYL."
  • QistrelQistrel the hemisemidemifink
    edited December 2012
    I bought a cactus mini. I should prolly get a yellow orb, but it seemed odd that artisans can do drapes for darkness, but not anything for daylight (I guess there's more stuff that needs darkness? What else needs daylight? Lucidian regen, I think.)

    Would be nice to be able to bond sun while I was in my manse though, I tend to forget once I'm out doing stuff, if it's night when I def up.

  • XenthosXenthos Shadow Lord
    Spiritbond Nature!

    Sun-bonding any time, anywhere.
    image
  • SaranSaran
    Ssaliss said:
    Yeah. Limiting them to 18 different possible ambients would probably only make things weird. No matter how well-written they are, there would invariably be many situations where either of them just didn't fit with the design. Or, possibly even worse, sconces would start being divided into 18 different styles of sconces to match with their ambient.

    Can accepted designs be resubmitted with changes? Because that would kindof solve the entire problem. It would allow people to resubmit old sconces with new ambients if they wanted to; if not, they would simply not have an ambient. This could apply to new designs as well, allowing for sconces to be designed without an ambient.

    I'm not really sure why people would need to submit different styles to match the ambient if the ambients are well done. 

    So like...

    You create a sconce, you go and grab some light essence, you put the essence in the sconce. 

    The sconce will now have ambients like...

    For a moment, light blossoms outward from a wrought iron wall sconce, accompanied by the faint sounds of angelic voices raised in song.

    Blinding light radiates from a wrought iron wall sconce almost painfully as the image of the supernals is burned onto your retinas. 

    Without warning, a large flash of light bursts out from a wrought iron wall sconce, almost blinding in its brilliance.

    You could toggle one or two of them off, but all up you have a few options to chose from just like say... a demigod does with their choice demipowers.
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