Questions

[Sariel]

Got a Castle Marrach related question that doesn't seem to fit under any other topic? Post it here!

Sariel
Customer Experience Host

[Gangrel]

What was the first day Marrach was opened to the public?

-Em ?

[Gareth]

21 September 2000

[KenliNEmeturo]

Where's Zoe poof away to, did she leave? She was one of my favorite staff members... next to Aziel and Skylar. *nod-nods*

[SP Zoe]

I'm still around, fear not.

Merely lurking inconspicuously in dark corners, plotting your timely demise.

The castle will soon be mine.

;)

[Wildra]

Ooo...I got one.

How do the shadow cloaks work code-wise? Curiousity's gotten me.

[Tristana]

Originally posted by Gareth
21 September 2000


:D
I created Trist exactly on CM's 2nd anniversary it seems...

Where is my cake and red balloon??:mad:

;)

[Geist]

Originally posted by Wildra
Ooo...I got one.

How do the shadow cloaks work code-wise? Curiousity's gotten me.
I take it you mean disguise cloaks? Shadow cloaks and disguise cloaks are two very very different things...

And right now, disguise cloaks don't work. ;-)

Generally speaking, however, all characters are defined by a set of XML elements that describe the appearance trait properties - hair color, build, etc. All a disguise cloak does is swap the contents of those elements with concealing data. The Look and Examine of a character are generated dynamically these days, so when the data is swapped it just simply works...

...when we get the data swapping part of it right, of course. :)

Next question? :)

[Priam]

As a sidenote, I believe the Binding "ugly stick" works the same way?

[Geist]

Yes, similarly.

[Priam]

Does that mean it's temporarily broken, too? :eek:

[Geist]

It probably needs to be MGeneric'd, but its much less complicated than the disguise cloaks so it shouldn't be an issue.

[kittyn]

has anyone escaped the castle and come back, with proof?

[Geist]

Proof that they escaped and came back? It has been claimed, certainly, but I do not believe there has ever been "incontrovertible" proof... whatever exactly that might be.

The exception, of course, being that Master Ali has come and gone from the Castle many times. He hasn't "escaped" per se, but he has by all accounts left it and returned.

[Quovis]

Why is there no portrait of Bertram in the gallery?

[KenliNEmeturo]

Originally posted by Quovis
Why is there no portrait of Bertram in the gallery?

There was, he just stole it and hung it in his room, and then surrounded it with candles and roses.

[Priam]

Sconces, actually.


You begin to enter the southwest door.
>
>
You see a large portrait of Prince Bertram hanging on the wall, dominating the chamber.

> A painting of Prince Bertram hangs on the wall directly opposite the door, and is the first thing seen when entering. It is flanked by wall sconces, their light tastefully highlighting the painting.


Tastefully? :p

[Geist]

Originally posted by Quovis
Why is there no portrait of Bertram in the gallery? Ah, now that would be an IC question...

:)

[Quovis]

has anyone escaped the castle and come back, with proof?

And what would that be? Play fair now ;)

[Priam]

Well, both questions got equally vague answers. :p I could think of a whole lot more to say about the question about leaving the Castle, but it's all IC knowledge.

[Priam]

My favourite (I keep forgetting the answer!):

If my character takes a telescope, and spends several hours daily watching the skies and horizon, will he ever see a bird?

[Elvii]

Does Boreas actually "control" the weather, or is it just winter all the time because the castle is on top of a bloody mountain and it's always cold and snowy on top of mountains?

[Quovis]

Where do the IBbers go potty? Or do all Ibbers have chamberpots?

[Aistrae]

Eh, someone should start an IC version of this thread.

[Priam]

Originally posted by Quovis
Where do the IBbers go potty? Or do all Ibbers have chamberpots?

DOES anyone need to go potty? Most of my characters don't eat or drink to stay alive. :p

[Priam]

Originally posted by Aistrae
Eh, someone should start an IC version of this thread.

http://forum.skotos.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16624

http://forum.skotos.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16582

:p

[Geist]

Originally posted by Priam
My favourite (I keep forgetting the answer!):

If my character takes a telescope, and spends several hours daily watching the skies and horizon, will he ever see a bird? Birds have occassionally been seen in the Castle, lately.

[Geist]

Originally posted by Elvii
Does Boreas actually "control" the weather, or is it just winter all the time because the castle is on top of a bloody mountain and it's always cold and snowy on top of mountains? Opinions certainly vary, but the second part if clearly true.

[kittyn]

a black and white cat controls the weather.. i watchd him bring the snow in..

[Aiandoran]

*shakes fist at Boreas* You will go down someday, old man!

You can ask people around and they'll explain exactly why it's Forever Winter ;)

[Haika]

Originally posted by kittyn
a black and white cat controls the weather.. i watchd him bring the snow in..

*laughs* hehe that was great.

Oh and may I remind people, I believe the initial intent of this thread was to ask ooc questions. Not stuff that is ic, and should be asked in character.

I have a question for Skotos, that you might be able to help me with.

Two statistics I'm curious about, how many paying customers are there currently(as in active and still shelling out the cash, prem or norm) And has that number increased or decreased in the past quarter?

[Geist]

Originally posted by Haika
Two statistics I'm curious about, how many paying customers are there currently(as in active and still shelling out the cash, prem or norm) And has that number increased or decreased in the past quarter? I can't answer for Skotos, since I ain't them, but my guess is that the answer is confidential information. My smart-ass answer is that we can always use more players. ;)

[John]

Ok, I will ask a few.

When will we have a stable quilp, and when will be do all his backorders? Swords are fine, but I would like my lamps and torches.

Why dont carpenters make torches? Why does quilp make them?

I know we get keys IG from someone (jarrod in this case) but who IG makes them? are they jewlry or smithing?

Does every new newly get something in the way of a start up bonus from memory? Like lang or some extra dueling skill? (I know I didnt)

Why is it so hard to get cigars IG? I have been told that we dont have a easy poof code for them.

Does staff still have to use the cool staff unlocking powers on doors, or have they all been coded to work IG now?

Could we ever have a way to send scrolls to the dead?

Why do all the secret doors take more effort to open then just running away? Or in short shouldnt some of the secret doors be emergancy doors that can be opened with speed?

How long does it take seeds to grow into seedlings/plants here? Or do we have a new plant code that I am waiting for.

Thats about it for now, well other than this.

Can we have some vitamin E to help reduce our scars?

[Geist]

Originally posted by John
Can we have some vitamin E to help reduce our scars? ::laughs:: Good questions - I have to run an afternoon-long meeting, but once I'm done with that I'll try and answer some of them. :)

[KenliNEmeturo]

Does every new newly get something in the way of a start up bonus from memory? Like lang or some extra dueling skill? (I know I didnt)

Nawh, and I don't think you can awake with extra dueling skills.... If you can, you will tell me.

[John]

Originally posted by KenliNEmeturo
Does every new newly get something in the way of a start up bonus from memory? Like lang or some extra dueling skill? (I know I didnt)

Nawh, and I don't think you can awake with extra dueling skills.... If you can, you will tell me.
Well I dont know about now, but back in the day you could start with a slightly higher skill in something (dueling) or a new skill at novice (like feint)

[Geist]

Originally posted by John
Ok, I will ask a few.

When will we have a stable quilp, and when will be do all his backorders? Swords are fine, but I would like my lamps and torches.
Already do - ask around, he's been seen. As for non-sword forge work, the IC reason its been cold on-and-off is just about complete. After that, you might be able to convince him to make some other things, but maybe not. It is Quilp after all. Delicate metalworks like lamps is not something he enjoys doing. Why dont carpenters make torches? Why does quilp make them?
Another really good question. Don't know - I'll look into it. I know we get keys IG from someone (jarrod in this case) but who IG makes them? are they jewlry or smithing?
Who makes the keys is an IC question with an existing answer.
Does every new newly get something in the way of a start up bonus from memory? Like lang or some extra dueling skill? (I know I didnt)
No they do not. They call get something, and some things are currently more meaningful than others.
Why is it so hard to get cigars IG? I have been told that we dont have a easy poof code for them.
My understanding is that the primary IC reason is there's little good tabacco in-game. Master Ali usually brings some special for certain characters. Does staff still have to use the cool staff unlocking powers on doors, or have they all been coded to work IG now?
How to properly phrase this... If we have the capability to support what's behind the door, it has an IG key. Could we ever have a way to send scrolls to the dead?
Um...why? They can't really write back...
Why do all the secret doors take more effort to open then just running away? Or in short shouldnt some of the secret doors be emergancy doors that can be opened with speed?
Perhaps none of those doors were made for that purpose? Then again, fast escape means fast pursuit. How long does it take seeds to grow into seedlings/plants here? Or do we have a new plant code that I am waiting for.
We do not currently have good plant code. Better is in the works. Can we have some vitamin E to help reduce our scars? No! :)

[Rikka]

okies I got a question! How come we can grow beards, but we can yet make anyone's hair on their head grow? Is there something up with the coding or some such?

[Geist]

Originally posted by Rikka
okies I got a question! How come we can grow beards, but we can yet make anyone's hair on their head grow? Is there something up with the coding or some such? Actually, you can using the hairstyling skill. You can take short hair and make it long, right? Marrach ain't got weaves, so that must be "how it happens". It is a convenience/cheat that allows flexibility of allowing you to decide your hairstyle, but not having to wait for a short cut to grow out until it can be styled in a long cut. Realistic? Nope. Convenient? Yup.

[Rikka]

wait I should have said from bald to having some hair, thats what I meant ^_^;.

[Kuma]

Originally posted by Rikka
wait I should have said from bald to having some hair, thats what I meant ^_^;.

Well, if one of my characters were bald and I suddenly decided for him to have hair, I wouldn't do it right away. I would alter the length once a week, with the help of a stylist. The alterations, of course, would be rather OOC.

Say, week one I have it altered from bald to shaved. Week two to close-cropped. Week three to short. Week four to chin-length. And so on...

I have been told by a stylist that the increments in hair length are considered to be the natural growth of hair. That is to say, the stylist does not actually pull at the hair and forces it to grow ;)

- Leo

[Rikka]

nuu what I mean is, can you actually grow hair from bald because to my knowledge (Rikka's a stylist) we can't do it with the system.

[Geist]

Originally posted by Rikka
nuu what I mean is, can you actually grow hair from bald because to my knowledge (Rikka's a stylist) we can't do it with the system. Ah, now I understand - yea it has to do with how the system is coded. I actually don't know the particulars as to why, but I do know that "bald pate" is a seperate detail, I suspect because it needs a different set of names and adjectives than hair would.

[Duskhart]

Who's the cutest StoryPlotter?

(Sorry, couldn't resist >.<)

[Geist]

Originally posted by Duskhart
Who's the cutest StoryPlotter?

(Sorry, couldn't resist >.<) Not me. Next question? ;)

[John]

Originally posted by Geist
Already do - ask around, he's been seen. As for non-sword forge work, the IC reason its been cold on-and-off is just about complete. After that, you might be able to convince him to make some other things, but maybe not. It is Quilp after all. Delicate metalworks like lamps is not something he enjoys doing.
Another really good question. Don't know - I'll look into it.
Who makes the keys is an IC question with an existing answer.
No they do not. They call get something, and some things are currently more meaningful than others.
My understanding is that the primary IC reason is there's little good tabacco in-game. Master Ali usually brings some special for certain characters.
How to properly phrase this... If we have the capability to support what's behind the door, it has an IG key.
Um...why? They can't really write back...
Perhaps none of those doors were made for that purpose? Then again, fast escape means fast pursuit.
We do not currently have good plant code. Better is in the works. No! :)
1)As a few case by cases, the orders in question are years old now, and were sent many many quilps ago. Reordered at least once, way before all the new storm stuff..
2) Cool, it always confused me about the torches, but I was told that by the VP in charge of carpentry at the time. (2 diffrent ones I think)
3) Let me rephrase the question, is keymaking done by an exsisting IG skill group(jewlry making,smithing), or is it something else (Like ooc powers, or a keymakeing skillset) I ask as we have had a number of people talk about copying keys IG (Illegaly yes) and the question is, can it be done IG or does it need staff assist, or even all staff effort. (as in, staff has to help, but it can be made by a pc, or staff effort meaning it has to be poofed)
4)Oh well, will those of use without an obvious skill ever get to learn what we started with? For myself I have no idea (it could be a number of things) and I dont see me suddenly doing something that figures it out.
5)Ok that works, tho someone needs to tell the people asking for cigars and stuff that:). Now I need to get tobaco seeds.
6)Hum ok.
7) To give them something to read when they first wake, and some IG reasons I dont want to get into.
8)Um ok, sure.
9)Cool, I have some seeds that have been growing for a year-year and a half I think. And I have no idea what they are, becouse I needed to wait untill they grew.

Thanks for the answers. Mayhap I should ask more.

[Zeakk]

Originally posted by Duskhart
Who's the cutest StoryPlotter?

Mmmm... StoryPlotter Zoe.

[Priam]

How do the candles in the chandeliers in our rooms get replaced? Same for the firewood in the red room (I think they have some?).

[Geist]

Umm... servants? ::eyeshift::

Faerie magic?

[Priam]

I actually thought about this in relation to candles laden with poison (mix poison into the wax).

1. Are candles actually made somewhere so that you might slip in poison (a metallic poison like arsenic, I expect) ? Just yes or no would do here.

2. Do servants actually carry candles into guest rooms, so that poisoned candles might end up in chandeliers?

Of course, in a chandelier, they're not necessarily going to be as much help... *cough* Anyway.


Considering the guest rooms are entered and exited through strange magic portals, I don't think it'd be so far-fetched for the supplies to replenish themselves (we do have a resident cornucopia, apparently, and even Mundanes can sense the "nutritious aura" in the Outer Bailey pantry).


Oh!

3. Inside of a guest room, the door is a portal - but outside of a room, when I open the door, is it a portal or can I see the room on the other side like from a normal doorway?

4. Can knocks be heard through guest room doors?

[Arian]

When are you going to do something with the bowling alley? Either make a bowling alley or replace it with something else...like curling, perhaps.

[CaliCali]

How do we disassociate forum names? If we can't, is there anything someone can do to fix that?

[Geist]

Originally posted by Priam
I actually thought about this in relation to candles laden with poison (mix poison into the wax).

1. Are candles actually made somewhere so that you might slip in poison (a metallic poison like arsenic, I expect) ? Just yes or no would do here.

2. Do servants actually carry candles into guest rooms, so that poisoned candles might end up in chandeliers?

Of course, in a chandelier, they're not necessarily going to be as much help... *cough* Anyway.
I think its safe to say that yes, candles are made somewhere in the Castle (at least some of them are. I think its also safe to say that we really have no desire to over-define how somethings happen in the Castle. Its much easier to hand-wave "the servants do it" than worry about how they get into guest rooms when otherwise it takes a lot of IC effort, etc. Some things, for all our sanity, are just better left undefined.
Oh!

3. Inside of a guest room, the door is a portal - but outside of a room, when I open the door, is it a portal or can I see the room on the other side like from a normal doorway? No. The doors are magical.
4. Can knocks be heard through guest room doors? It was never the intention of the game designers that knocks could be heard through the doors. Somewhere along the line it was decided by some that a "knock" followed up by a page worked... That said, there could in fact be game code that allows such just waiting for the right moment to be unveiled... ::eyeshift::

[Geist]

Originally posted by Arian
When are you going to do something with the bowling alley? Either make a bowling alley or replace it with something else...like curling, perhaps. I would love to do something more with the bowling alley - broken code even exists within it but, alas, it is broken and would require a significant effort to get working. I actually have notes as to how some revised code would work on one of my harddrives.

[Geist]

Originally posted by CaliCali
How do we disassociate forum names? If we can't, is there anything someone can do to fix that? Not a clue. Email ce@skotos.net I would imagine.

[Gareth]

I know who provides (not makes, but provides) candles ICly.

There is another, separate source of raw wax available ICly.

More would be telling.

[Priam]

Is the information in the old astrology book IG'ly correct?

That is to say, if we *were* able to see the stars, do they change all the time according to no apparent pattern?

Is there a moon ever to be seen?

Do we ever see a faint disk of what might be the sun through the clouds?

[John]

Originally posted by Priam
Is the information in the old astrology book IG'ly correct?

That is to say, if we *were* able to see the stars, do they change all the time according to no apparent pattern?

Is there a moon ever to be seen?

Do we ever see a faint disk of what might be the sun through the clouds?
I dont know about you, but I get to see the stars all the time IG. As of this writing, including some full size ones, there are more than 6 telescopes in game.:)

[Priam]

I know of telescopes. So let's make that were and are, and the question still stands. Again, it's a matter of simple personal observation not being able to discover a fact that would be glaringly obvious without SP intervention.

[Geist]

Originally posted by Priam
Is the information in the old astrology book IG'ly correct?

That is to say, if we *were* able to see the stars, do they change all the time according to no apparent pattern?

Is there a moon ever to be seen?

Do we ever see a faint disk of what might be the sun through the clouds? Wandering directly into the land of "saying too much would be saying too much" I'm only going to answer the question that can be immediately and easily answered ICly - there are times seems to be brighter area in the clouds. What that is or means is not an answer to be given here.

[Gareth]

Gareth ICly knows some answers Priam is looking for.

Gareth has formally recorded more astrological observations than anyone else, I believe. He's been able to compare the charts in the Western Astrology book with actual observations of clear skies over Castle Marrach and made his own charts during the Recent Awakenings.

But even being one of said owners of a telescope, and founder of the Astrologer's Circle, etc., etc. I would appreciate some more ICly answers myself from an SP. :)

-Pete.

[jangels]

Originally posted by Sariel
Got a Castle Marrach related question that doesn't seem to fit under any other topic? Post it here!

Sariel
Customer Experience Host

Where the hell did someone dig up such an old post?

And why did it take damn near four years to recieve a reply?

Johnny@-}----