Triggering / Aliasing & "Twinking"

[Erwyth]

I hope I can start a topic?

WHOA, I just read I can't trigger? So can I do a one shot alias as provided in the game?

alias gscalp get scalp from bag & giscalp
alias giscalp give scalp to guard & gscalp

What is this twinking? If I roleplay Feraael sitting there crafting endless bows, for actual RP purposes, is this considered twinking? If it is, how does one roleplay gaining skill, to craft a better bow?

[Nysan]

Fine line...very, very fine line. In general, you shouldn't be using triggers and alias regularly. Depending on who you ask though, some alias use it alright.

Take my casters, I use alias to short hand a few of their spells like: cast 'detect magic' is alias as 'cdm', or cast 'dragonskin' is alias cds. I avoid aliasing offensive spells like fireball or magic missiles because, to me, that drafts dangerously close to impacting other players', power-leveling, and the like.

Short answer: Alias is alright, as long as it is not use constantly and only used on minor things that would have no impact on leveling your character faster, RP, or other players. Do not see a problem using alias on something like giving a scalp to the gate guard.

Granted, this is nothing official. Just my thoughts. Use at your own risk.

[Selveem]

Uh...

From what I understand, aliasing is fully supported, isn't it?

If not, I'm in one hell of a bad way.

I often use telnet and I use alias because it's a real pain to try to type everything out when you can't see what you're typing if you need to make any corrections.

Triggers, from what I understand, are absolutely illegal. At least, they were. I remember it was a strike-able offense with possible deletion of character.

[Jaenoic]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with aliases. I use them all the time, and I mean all the time. I've aliased "k" to make me sneeze so I don't accidentally type "k piergieron" when I mean "l piergieron." I sneeze a lot.

Triggers, on the other hand, are not allowed in any form. The difference between a trigger and an alias, with an alias it is still you typing something into the client. You are at the screen, interacting with the mud environment, RPing, doing whatever. An alias is just a social or command that you made up, nothing more. A trigger requires no input by you other than the original coding of it. It is a set of conditions that, when met, react with a command/whatever. For example, you set up a trigger to react whenever this text appears: "a paladin guard nods to you" because the paladins in the area you RP in all the time do that, and you set it to react with a nod of your own. Seems innocent right?

Well what about someone who sets up a series of triggers that will walk him through an area filled with hostile mobiles, and make him rest when at a certain % of hit points? Then he walks away from the computer for an hour and lets the triggers do their work. This is why triggers are disallowed, they can very easily be used for auto-leveling and the like, which is not allowed on a roleplay enforced mud.

So aliases? Everybody loves 'em.
Triggers? Could be harmless but could potentially be bad, so don't use them. But we don't need them anyway.

This is how I have always understood the rule, and the rule has been explained to me. I do not speak for the immortal staff. =)

[Mele]

Bots, scripts and triggers
==========================
Bots or scripts, the running of a character using triggers while there
is no one attending it is unacceptable play. If a character is found to be
utilising such triggers they will be punished. There is no place for
a bot in a roleplay mud like Forgotten Kindoms. See help rules for more
information. Use of scripts to make some tasks automatic is not acceptable
either.

Additionally the use of triggers to give you an unfair advantage over
others in game play is an offence. For instance a trigger to pick up
a weapon after disarming is an offence.

The use of programs that allow you to walk from one destination to another
is not allowed in this mud.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE USE OF ANY TRIGGER FOR ANY PURPOSE IS NOT ALLOWED ON FK!

The use of a bot is a strikable offence.

*color quoted per helpfile

[Liandria]

Not to be picky, but it is worth mentioning.

The actual in game help file reads "The use of triggers for any IC purpose in FK is strictly prohibited." There is one type of Trigger that is allowed, and actually is suggested. That trigger is the auto logger, which does nothing IC, but can be a real gem OOC'ly. More info can be found on "HELP AUTO LOGGING" and "HELP NOTES ON AUTOLOGGING"

This is very useful if a crash or glitch occurs and you lose something important. It's also a very useful tool for the GMs to review for Bug troubleshooting (if you run across one) and providing a record of events should a complaint be issued by or against you. I have mine set so that everytime I log in it creates a new file in program files/Zmud/logs and names the file with the characters name, and the date.

But it's an inch off topic... so I'll shut up

[Lathander]

Official:

Alias' are allowed. We prefer you to use the alias system in game if possible.

Triggers are not allowed. Triggers "trigger" off of an in-game event, such as an echo.

Yes = You are fletching. You have an alias - alias makearrow get feather bag + get arrowhead pouch + get wood bucket + fletch arrow wood. In this case you have to type "makearrow" each time, or at LEAST hit the return key.

No = You are fletching and receive an echo such as "you fletch an arrow from a piece of wood." Then, that echo message TRIGGERS your mud client to automatically make another arrow (and another and another) while you are out at the mall somewhere.

[Mele]

Not to be picky, but it is worth mentioning.

The actual in game help file reads "The use of triggers for any IC purpose in FK is strictly prohibited." There is one type of Trigger that is allowed, and actually is suggested. That trigger is the auto logger, which does nothing IC, but can be a real gem OOC'ly. More info can be found on "HELP AUTO LOGGING" and "HELP NOTES ON AUTOLOGGING"

I did not modify the helpfile... The actual helpfile reads what I pasted. Read: Help trigger


Just don't want anyone to think I'm like sabotaging a file for the thread or something. Lath's word is the word. :)

[Raona]

I did not modify the helpfile... The actual helpfile reads what I pasted. Read: Help trigger

You are both right. Liandria is quoting from Help "Notes on Auto Logging"

I don't know, perhaps the trigger helpfile should touch on the ambiguity...but in that context it seemed to make more sense to leave no fudge space.

The bottom line is that you can not use a program to cause your PC to react for you. This is in place not only to prevent robotic play (character actions while you are AFK) but also to even the playing field between different clients. Not all clients have trigger capabilities, so it is not fair if you set up a trigger to, for example, pick up a weapon when you are disarmed in combat, because not everyone is able to do that.

[Caelnai]

If I roleplay Feraael sitting there crafting endless bows, for actual RP purposes, is this considered twinking? If it is, how does one roleplay gaining skill, to craft a better bow?

To address another part of Erwyth's question, RP with trades needs to be done in an IC-ly appropriate manner. For example, I have spent many hours with Warden Janon while he quietly fletched a few arrows as we spoke. He wasn't fletching as fast as the code allows, but instead pacing himself to create an IC-ly reasonable number of arrows and not overwhelm the room with spam. That is how to "RP" a trade, in my opinion.

Recently I had a very different experience sitting with a group of folks, one of whom was crafting weapons. This person somehow managed to craft over 200 weapons during the discussion, creating so much spam everyone was having to repeat themselves or resort to tells. IMO, that is twinking, pure and simple. Did the player even consider whether it is IC-ly reasonable to craft these large weapons that fast? Just because the code let's you...

That's what it mean to "RP" trades to me, which is different than when you are by yourself and pushing what the code lag and your stamina allows. Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I am really frustrated with new characters who expect to be a super-buff at some specialty in a few months.

The skill betters will come eventually, I promise! But trade mastery, just like every other point of PC development should be taking RL years, not weeks.

[Liandria]

Sorry Mele, was tossing that out there just to get the info out, I should have worded it differently. I did not intend it to mean that you were sabotaging anything. Thanks Raona for clearing it up.

[Erwyth]

I will be honest, I had triggers running which fletched Fer's arrows for me. Though I *never* went AFK. I sit here and talk through tells or roleplay conversations. So I'm guilty, though I'm glad I read the forum!

If I roleplay Feraael sitting there crafting endless bows, for actual RP purposes, is this considered twinking? If it is, how does one roleplay gaining skill, to craft a better bow?

To address another part of Erwyth's question, RP with trades needs to be done in an IC-ly appropriate manner. For example, I have spent many hours with Warden Janon while he quietly fletched a few arrows as we spoke. He wasn't fletching as fast as the code allows, but instead pacing himself to create an IC-ly reasonable number of arrows and not overwhelm the room with spam. That is how to "RP" a trade, in my opinion.

Recently I had a very different experience sitting with a group of folks, one of whom was crafting weapons. This person somehow managed to craft over 200 weapons during the discussion, creating so much spam everyone was having to repeat themselves or resort to tells. IMO, that is twinking, pure and simple. Did the player even consider whether it is IC-ly reasonable to craft these large weapons that fast? Just because the code let's you...

That's what it mean to "RP" trades to me, which is different than when you are by yourself and pushing what the code lag and your stamina allows. Sorry if this sounds like a rant, but I am really frustrated with new characters who expect to be a super-buff at some specialty in a few months.

The skill betters will come eventually, I promise! But trade mastery, just like every other point of PC development should be taking RL years, not weeks.

Ok well I must be doing good then. Thanks for the information everyone!!!