HJ-Diviana
Cadet
^^
This idea was already suggested in parts by me and others on the HJ forums about three or four weeks ago.
Although the checking them out part wasn't.
Not to ruin your hopes or anything.
This idea was already suggested in parts by me and others on the HJ forums about three or four weeks ago.
Although the checking them out part wasn't.
Not to ruin your hopes or anything.
HJ-Diviana
Cadet
I think it was mentioned on the HJ forums that there were player books implemented in GS..
But I don't play GS so I don't really know..
I'm hoping we have some books, player written or not.. I don't get to decide whether or not we do, otherwise we would.
But I don't play GS so I don't really know..
I'm hoping we have some books, player written or not.. I don't get to decide whether or not we do, otherwise we would.
Books are good! My only concern could be if someone would give away specific quests etc. I would hate to rent a book and find out that the puzzle I have to solve in a dungeon is written down in the book I just rented. But history, texts relating to the gods and goddesses and the land would only help make the gaming experience with HJ more immersive.
PrestoAdam
Cadet
Are these stories about Role Playing?
Rics
Cadet
Yeah, Frosty me led me to this thread when I posted one the other day about having books/journals players can write in. I should have used search before I posted that though. My apologies to Ocius. And thank you Frosty for pointing this thread out...it's much better than mine lol.
Anyhow, perhaps I can toss in some input. I've been writing for awhile now, and through contact with agents and editors I've learned a tiny bit of the publishing industry. Since this is a fantasy game it doesn't have to work exactly like the real world, but technically, it is the author/publisher that donates their written work to libraries for free public use. In fact, it actually costs publishers (and authors if self-published) to put a book in the libraries since they have to pay for the LCN (Library of Congress Number) in order for a library to even carry the book. From the author/publisher standpoint the library is simply a marketing tool.
That said, I think that libraries in-game should be government funded and free to the public, and restricted to use only while inside the library. The reason for this is that so the author can control his/her own distribution of their works. Maybe he/she doesn't want tons of copies of their book all around the world. Maybe he/she only wants that book in the library of one particular city.
My proposal
I think we need a "Library Registrar" NPC in each public library that works in much they same way a "Guild Registrar" does. The author takes their work to the NPC, selects their work in their inventory, pays a minimal fee to register the title and the first page of text. Once that is done they are given the option of which library branches they want their work displayed in (simply promted with a list of branches they can checkmark a box next to, or select all branches). This would register the written work much like a guild is registered, thus preventing plagiarism, as one would not be able to register a previous title or someone elses work.
As far as distributing written work, I think it should be left to the author to dictate which player gets their book in their inventory. Perhaps once an author registers a book they would be able to purchase a copy at a low cost. This also helps market vaule for author's books. Some could sell their book to players at-cost, or mark it up as they see fit to cover the cost of publishing. Of course if there are cosigners/auction houses (which I'm sure there will be) authors can purchase their books in bulk at an even lower cost and sell them through a vendor/cosigner/auction house.
This gives players the option to test out books or serries in the library before purchasing them from the author, vendor, cosigner, or auction house. And of course authors can distribute their work before registering it with the library, but then they run the risk of someone else taking official credit for their work.
Anyhow, I think doing things this way will give the author a little bit more control over his/her work, and also provide vaule for books they would like to consider rare or one of a kind, yet still have it available to read in a library. There is a certain majesty in writing of an encounter and knowing it can only be read in one library in the world, and that it will never appear in somebody elses inventory.
Last note...I don't think that people writing quest spoilers is something we'll really have to worry about. If you think about it someone can more easily shout, ooc, yell, say, or whisper those exact secrets. At least if it's in a book you'll have a heads-up if something starts sounding like spoilers.
Anyhow, perhaps I can toss in some input. I've been writing for awhile now, and through contact with agents and editors I've learned a tiny bit of the publishing industry. Since this is a fantasy game it doesn't have to work exactly like the real world, but technically, it is the author/publisher that donates their written work to libraries for free public use. In fact, it actually costs publishers (and authors if self-published) to put a book in the libraries since they have to pay for the LCN (Library of Congress Number) in order for a library to even carry the book. From the author/publisher standpoint the library is simply a marketing tool.
That said, I think that libraries in-game should be government funded and free to the public, and restricted to use only while inside the library. The reason for this is that so the author can control his/her own distribution of their works. Maybe he/she doesn't want tons of copies of their book all around the world. Maybe he/she only wants that book in the library of one particular city.
My proposal
I think we need a "Library Registrar" NPC in each public library that works in much they same way a "Guild Registrar" does. The author takes their work to the NPC, selects their work in their inventory, pays a minimal fee to register the title and the first page of text. Once that is done they are given the option of which library branches they want their work displayed in (simply promted with a list of branches they can checkmark a box next to, or select all branches). This would register the written work much like a guild is registered, thus preventing plagiarism, as one would not be able to register a previous title or someone elses work.
As far as distributing written work, I think it should be left to the author to dictate which player gets their book in their inventory. Perhaps once an author registers a book they would be able to purchase a copy at a low cost. This also helps market vaule for author's books. Some could sell their book to players at-cost, or mark it up as they see fit to cover the cost of publishing. Of course if there are cosigners/auction houses (which I'm sure there will be) authors can purchase their books in bulk at an even lower cost and sell them through a vendor/cosigner/auction house.
This gives players the option to test out books or serries in the library before purchasing them from the author, vendor, cosigner, or auction house. And of course authors can distribute their work before registering it with the library, but then they run the risk of someone else taking official credit for their work.
Anyhow, I think doing things this way will give the author a little bit more control over his/her work, and also provide vaule for books they would like to consider rare or one of a kind, yet still have it available to read in a library. There is a certain majesty in writing of an encounter and knowing it can only be read in one library in the world, and that it will never appear in somebody elses inventory.
Last note...I don't think that people writing quest spoilers is something we'll really have to worry about. If you think about it someone can more easily shout, ooc, yell, say, or whisper those exact secrets. At least if it's in a book you'll have a heads-up if something starts sounding like spoilers.
PrestoAdam
Cadet
Ironic really, reading a book in a computer game.
Generally a great idea I'd like to see. I've populated whole libraries in UO and had so much fun with it.
Just some technical details:
1) GMs need to check up on books, or players require a 'Report' Button in the book.
If you've ever played Eve Online, you have encountered all those SpamCans everywhere, advertising for Corporations, ranting, bitching and whatever. Annoying!
(In Eve it's okay, kinda fits the universe. But not in a fantasy game)
2) Copy&Paste from outside sources. Very important to me.
Just some technical details:
1) GMs need to check up on books, or players require a 'Report' Button in the book.
If you've ever played Eve Online, you have encountered all those SpamCans everywhere, advertising for Corporations, ranting, bitching and whatever. Annoying!
(In Eve it's okay, kinda fits the universe. But not in a fantasy game)
2) Copy&Paste from outside sources. Very important to me.
Anything but MS WORD!!! PUHLEEZ!! Folks have no idea how badly MS Word screws with characters, quotes aren't " " they're actually slanted using MS Word characters and these things appear crazy screwed up on some computers, especially mine for some reason...
If you want to copy text, allow copying of text from Notepad. 'sides, some people don't buy their computer with MS Word, or MS Office... we use the free (read "non $900 version) office program, OpenOffice.org (OOo).
Just my two pence... Plain Text FTW!
~ Jaraeth
If you want to copy text, allow copying of text from Notepad. 'sides, some people don't buy their computer with MS Word, or MS Office... we use the free (read "non $900 version) office program, OpenOffice.org (OOo).
Just my two pence... Plain Text FTW!
~ Jaraeth
