User:Aichon/Sandbox

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Aichon:Sandbox
Aichon
ˈīˌkän :Sandbox

If you've stumbled on this page, feel free to add your own opinions and discussion. If for some reason I don't want people interjecting, I reserve the right to remove your comments and will let you know that I'd prefer not to have comments, but, for the most part, go ahead and assume that anything here is fair game for commenting on. I'm just toying around with ideas and whatnot here anyway, so having an extra brain working on the problem is always a good thing.

Swap the Rots

Timestamp: —Aichon— 20:22, 3 October 2009 (BST)
Type: Skills change
Scope: Zombies
Description: To quickly summarize: Brain Rot and Flesh Rot should be swapped in the skills tree, such that Flesh Rot comes first and Brain Rot comes under Flesh Rot.
Problem: Zombie characters currently have a difficult decision to make: whether to pick up Brain Rot in order to have access to Flesh Rot, or whether to set aside some time (and dignity) in order to seek a revive so that they can procure a Flak Jacket and Body Building. This is unacceptable.
Solution: Thankfully, a simple way of solving the problem is available: swap the two skills in the zombie skills tree. By doing so, zombies will have immediate access to Flesh Rot, enabling them to weather the attacks from attackers more capably, while also allowing them to avoid making a difficult decision. Given that Brain Rot is considered a very pro-zombie skill, placing it further down in the hierarchy of skills also makes sense, since it will now take one additional level before it can be procured (though, in practice, this will affect very little).
Justification: I see four main justifications for making this change.
Enjoyment: Currently, Flesh Rot is a skill that many players either cannot or will not purchase for a variety of reasons. Dual Nature characters avoid it since it makes switching sides more difficult. Many pro-zombie characters avoid picking it up if they want to be able to engage in some of the various trans-mortal tactics or are simply not willing to commit so heavily to being a zombie. But there exists no reason why such a commitment should be demanded for a skill such as Flesh Rot. Forcing such a decision merely diminishes the enjoyment of those playing the game how they want.
Philosophical: Many players share the opinion that their characters should not have to switch to the "other side" in order to play at their best. This means that zombies should not have to become humans in order to be better zombies, and vice versa, since that makes little logical sense. In order to alleviate one such issue, Kevan introduced Flesh Rot, but Flesh Rot was placed underneath Brain Rot in the zombie skill tree, which still forces many zombie characters into choosing the same path as before: become a human in order to become a better zombie, rather than having to pick up Brain Rot in order to enjoy Flesh Rot.
Fairness: Currently, Body Building and Flak Jackets can be picked up by any level 2 survivor character. Making Flesh Rot more easily accessible puts it on par with Body Building, which can be picked up immediately by humans, while also allowing zombie characters to remain zombies, instead of having to switch sides to be better zombies.
In-game Sense: In terms of flavor, it also makes sense. Rotting should start on the outside and work its way in with (un)living beings, since bacteria, critters, or physical damage will occur externally at a very early point after death. A rotting of the brain should take quite a bit longer to accomplish, since it likely won't begin until the brain is exposed to open air, so it only makes sense that it would be located under Flesh Rot.
Caveats: I do observe two potential points for consideration with this suggestion. First, making Flesh Rot more accessible means that more zombie characters will be picking it up. Flesh Rot, in and of itself, has no drawbacks, so it's almost certain that any zombie character with the XP to spare will pick it up as soon as they are able to do so. This change may affect the balance of the game slightly. I think it's easy to agree that this change is fair though, given the position of Body Building within the survivor tree.
Second, placing Brain Rot under Flesh Rot means that Brain Rot no longer acts as a gateway to a useful skill. As such, players will either choose to pick up or ignore Brain Rot on the basis of its virtues alone. This means that it will likely be picked up by less zombie characters than before, potentially simplifying some survivor tasks (e.g. DNA extraction, managing reviving points, engaging in combat revives, etc.). I see this as a virtue though, since it puts the power of the decision more firmly in the players' hands, rather than forcing them to weight their decision.

Disclaimer: I play both sides actively, and have since I first joined.

Discussion (Swap the Rots)

Password Change Option

Timestamp: —Aichon— 04:18, 4 October 2009 (BST)
Type: Interface/settings change
Scope: All players
Description: Currently, there does not exist a means to change the password for a character. This can be problematic if a person's character gets "hacked" or if a person simply wishes to better secure their account by changing the password from time to time. I would like to propose that a typical password change option be added to the Settings page. It would prompt for your current password, your new password, and then for you to confirm your new password. In addition, a "veto" e-mail message would be sent to the e-mail address that is on file whenever you change your password or e-mail address. This e-mail message would provide a link (valid for a few days) that could be used to undo any changes that might have been made by malicious parties accessing your character's account.

Note: The suggestion description has changed since some of the comments in the discussion were made.

Discussion (Password Change Option)

You'd need a qulaifying question, otherwise if I have your password, I could use this to take over your character and change the password, so you couldn't use it at all. --RosslessnessWant a Location Image? 09:48, 11 October 2009 (BST)

Excellent point and it's definitely something I overlooked. Rather than a challenge/response though, something more passive might be in order, since the common case would be people changing their own passwords. For instance, perhaps it could be set to send an e-mail to the account on file whenever the password or e-mail address is changed, and that e-mail could provide a link that could be used to veto the change. I've seen a similar system on another website, and it seems to work well while requiring less of its users than a challenge/response system would. Then, the only way to compromise the account would be to compromise both the e-mail and the account's information. —Aichon— 10:40, 11 October 2009 (BST)
Hope you don't mind my comment. Having a reset password option tied into an email account would be good. Also it might even cut down on zergers a tiny little bit. Are you going to take this idea to Developing Suggestions?--GANG Giles Sednik CAPD 10:51, 11 October 2009 (BST)
Don't mind one bit, and yep, I'll take it there eventually. I thought of the idea the day before I left on a week-long cruise, and didn't want to post it to Developing Suggestions while I was away for that long. I'll probably post it sometime this week, assuming that nothing else comes up that keeps me away from a computer. —Aichon— 16:14, 11 October 2009 (BST)
Aichon:Sandbox
Aichon
ˈīˌkän :Sandbox

If you've stumbled on this page, feel free to add your own opinions and discussion. If for some reason I don't want people interjecting, I reserve the right to remove your comments and will let you know that I'd prefer not to have comments, but, for the most part, go ahead and assume that anything here is fair game for commenting on. I'm just toying around with ideas and whatnot here anyway, so having an extra brain working on the problem is always a good thing.

Barricade Template Test

Just fooling around with an idea for the appearance of a barricade plan template.

Halse Crescent Police Department the Brodribb Building Burdock Walk Howell Bank a factory Crossman Grove Police Department Williames Bank Dulston Towers the Goodson Motel Taylor Bank
Altham Row Yorke Grove Postlethwaite Crescent Fire Station the Cranfield Museum Dandison Auto Repair Nurten Avenue Freeman Towers the Stothert Building the Scaife Building Shehan Way Fire Station
Bussell Way Wenmouth Park Lilly Square Lilly Square the Rugvie Monument Lascelles Library Doon Avenue Teek Road Cottingham Plaza the Smithfield Building
a junkyard the Farris Building Butt Road Railway Station Caplen Way the Hallett Building St. Eutychian's Hospital Wheelhouse Auto Repair Sherriff Place the Waddington Building Taylor Lane Police Department
wasteland the Papps Building Hallinan Towers a junkyard Clissold Road Pirrie Park St. Pius's Hospital Edbrooke Street Lance Towers the Bathe Building
Lorgh Walk Hibbert Walk Pilcher Avenue the Chubb Building Silley Park the Nurcombe Building a carpark St. Matheos's Hospital the Rippon Building the Henslow Arms
a warehouse Coker Avenue Stocker Lane Tompson Walk the Herman Building Priddy Bank Stockham Towers Hebdidgh Road Scallon Crescent the Davidge Building
Caiger Mall Holloms Auto Repair the Wagner Building St. Isidore's Church a cemetery the Gadd Motel a warehouse Nettleton Way Railway Station Cundham Library the Jillard Museum
Caiger Mall the Latrobe Building Cockle Street Yeandill Towers Perram Avenue School Mudford Plaza Sherman Road Allan Square Keevil Walk Bonville Drive
Pagram Library Salopia Row the Blackholler Arms Selwood Crescent Snygge Boulevard Adney Auto Repair a factory the Desmond Monument Club Colridge North Library
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