/list Should Be More Classic

[loramin]

A lot of people don't realize this, but the /list command is actually extremely classic .. just not its literal implementation. On live, GMs absolutely did enforce lists for mobs:

Originally Posted by http://wiki.project1999.com/Kunark_Era_Customer_Service_Guidelines

8.2.3 Contested Spawn Complaints

When a complaint is received indicating that a spawn or kill is contested, a disruption investigation should first be initiated ... After following those procedures and issuing warnings as necessary, if any of the parties involved were involved in the initial situation, establish a compromise ... as described in section 8.2.3.1.

...

8.2.3.1 The compromise will require all parties to take turns killing the spawn(s). All parties involved in the contested spawn should be instructed to use /random 0 100 to choose a number. The CS Representative then uses /random 0 100. The individual with the closest number to the CS Representative’s number will be next in the rotation. The CS Representative then bases the rest of the rotation order on how close the other parties’ numbers were to theirs. The compromise established by a CS Representative must be objective and not require the CS Representative to choose one customer over another based on subjective criteria. The CS Representative is the arbiter in any disputes in establishing the compromise. 8.2.3.1

P99's /list is clearly intended to model that, with less human involvement. But the problem is, the mechanism isn't classic enough. On live you'd never have people needing to stay awake for 24+ hour, if for no other reason than that the GM involved in handling the situation had to sleep themselves!

I propose a simple/classic change to /list: no more than three (or four, or whatever) members on the list at any time, because on live that's all you could practically ever have.

So what happens to the 4th+ person? The moment whoever is 1st on the list drops off, there's a window (eg. one minute): if you /list during that time you effectively /random (classic!) to be next on the list with everyone else who does the command during that window. When the window ends, the server tells the winner and everyone else has to wait and try again. This would simulate a bunch of people waiting at a spawn and pestering a GM to have a roll to decide who's next (but without wasting precious volunteer staff time).

This system would be closer to live, as it wouldn't simulate never-sleeping GMs, it wouldn't involve anyone waiting for days, account sharers would gain no special benefit (just 8 more hours of attempts), and it would (as classic did) involve rolls! Plus, IMHO any mechanic that requires people to not sleep for 24+ hours is just mean on some level: humans truly do need sleep.

If the staff did this no one would have to forego sleep, no one (except the few people actually on the list) would have to do /afk checks, and if you are trying to get a legacy item you lose nothing (except 8 hours of attempts) by going to bed every night. You'd show up at the camp, watch for your chance to /list, and if you miss your chance or "roll" badly, you just go to sleep and try again in the morning.

More classic, better for P99 player health, still gives a 100% fair system for legacy items (that absolutely still rewards people who put in more effort) ... ok forum, shoot me down [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]