Suggestion:20080619 Clicking Spray Can Should Be More Helpful and Less Painful

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20080619 Clicking Spray Can Should Be More Helpful and Less Painful

Fred Fredfredson 02:33, 19 June 2008 (BST)

Suggestion type
User interface improvement.

Suggestion scope
The "Spray Can" button.

Suggestion description
Clicking on a "Spray Can" button currently gives a bizarre and unhelpful message ("You can't see any use for that here."), and wastes an AP.

The first time that I tried to spray graffiti, I got this message, and thought that I must have accidentally clicked something other than "Spray Can". So I clicked it again. I got the same message, and noticed that my AP decreased. Even after figuring it out, every once in a while I will still thoughtlessly click "Spray Can" when I want to spray graffiti.

I believe that this should be changed. The current method seems to serve no purpose other than to confuse newbies and to annoy people who forget. I believe that it can be resolved with the following changes:

(1) Instead of "You can't see any use for that here", change the message to say "To use the spray can, type what you want to spray next to the 'Graffiti' button, and then click that button."

(2) Don't make this cost an AP.

Important note: Part 1 has been implimented by kevan. Part 2 has not yet, and so now constitutes the suggestion being voted on -The Grimch 19:04, 19 June 2008 (BST)

Voting Section

Voting Rules

Votes must be numbered, justified, signed, and timestamped. # justification ~~~~ Votes that do not conform to the above may be struck by any user.

The only valid votes are Keep, Kill, Spam or Dupe. If you wish to abstain from voting, do not vote.

Keep Votes

1. Keep - Author vote. - Fred Fredfredson 02:34, 19 June 2008 (BST)
2. Keep - Votes are to judged on their usefulness, not the amount of loopholes and stupid things found in them. That being said, everyone who voted kill or spam is a douchebag. Great suggestion. Ioncannon11 04:34, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   Keep - That message is fucked up and totally misleading. It's natural for newbies to click on the button for an item, thinking that activates it. This may be a small thing, but it's still... something... And, while a quick perusal of the wiki will set you straight, the message quoted above is quite retarded and, as I said, totally misleading. Meanwhile... a lot of the basic "game infomation for new players" type pages on the wiki are CRAP. I never noticed until I started looking for pages for a friend I just recruited to the game... I've started rewriting some of them... But there's a LOT of work needs to be done... So... Instead of calling newbies nasty names and patting yourself on the back how smart you think you are, let's get to work and edit and fix up the wiki. --WanYao 05:21, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   Hmmmmnnn.... I totally missed the 0 AP part. That's not kosher. It still should cost you 1 AP. It costs an AP to heal someone at full health, or to scan a pre-scanned zombie, etc... This should be no different. And it'll reinforce you not doing it again. --WanYao 06:05, 19 June 2008 (BST)

3. Keep - Although I haven't had this problem, it was only because I was told of this problem beforehand - I would doubtlessly of had this problem had I not been told about it, and it may have taken me days to figure it out. Now perhaps the message could be more IC than the suggested one, but making it a 0AP action is the important bit here. I Am Sabbo 05:50, 19 June 2008 (BST)
4. Keep - Oh God yes!--Jamie Cantwel3 ^TalkAll glory to the Hypnotoad! 06:28, 19 June 2008 (BST)
5. Keep - helpful messages = good. Not screwing over people who are new to the game by wasting their ap = good. --Pdeq^Talk* 06:56, 19 June 2008 (BST)
6. Keep A simple GM script that modified <form action="map.cgi?use-x" method="post" class="a"><input type="submit" value="spray can" class="m"></form> to some non-action producing inputcould accomplish the same thing, so leaving this useless "feature" even still in the game code is pointless. It doesn't punish stupidity, it just annoys the uninformed.  Swiers 08:53, 19 June 2008 (BST)
7. keep/change Its not really a big problem but as it appears easy to change the message I don't see why not. The 1AP cost should remain though.--Honestmistake 10:36, 19 June 2008 (BST)
8. Newbie helping material is good. And this does help the newbies when they find a spraycan... --•▬ ▬••▬ • •••• •▬ ▬•▬• ▬•▬ ^{#nerftemplatedsigs} 10:51, 19 June 2008 (BST)
9. Keep - No reason for the AP loss, interface fixes are always nice. --Pgunn 13:47, 19 June 2008 (BST)
10. Keep - Makes sense, if someone pushes the Spray Can button their intent is to use the spray can - don't penalize new players. --Shazzelim 16:07, 19 June 2008 (BST)
11. keeper - me a keeper :D--Minigun4523 16:28, 19 June 2008 (BST)
12. Implemented, along with a few other items that were still giving unhelpful default responses. Thanks. --Kevan 17:26, 19 June 2008 (BST)
13. keep - given that Kevan already acted on this, it seems a bit pointless to vote on this now --Scotw
14. Keep - It would help out the poor, little newbies. --ZsL 21:25, 19 June 2008 (BST)
15. Keep - +1. Also, Cyberbob, unbreak your vote. --  AHLGTG THE END IS NIGH! 23:19, 19 June 2008 (BST)
16. Keep - As Kevan. :) --Tselita 02:03, 20 June 2008 (BST)
17. Keep - For the lvl 1's --Heretic144 05:50, 20 June 2008 (BST)
18. Keep - Kevan voted keep. Anyone who votes kill or spam officially sucks--Corndoghero^T-S-Z 06:33, 20 June 2008 (BST)
19. Keep (for part 2) - Clicking the wrong item, or using the intended item in an unintended way (e.g. clicking a flare when you meant to attack someone with it) must be penalised, because protecting idiots from this would mean harming gameplay for non-idiots but the 1AP cost for clicking the spray can serves no useful purpose, so let's scrap it. --Explodey 12:12, 20 June 2008 (BST)
20. Keep - I'm assuming it will still count as an IP hit. --Akule ^{Maker of fine, hand-crafted UDWiki sass since 2006 -- Akule School's back in session™} 14:38, 20 June 2008 (BST)
21. Keep - Good idea to help out the newbs. I agree that it's not an expensive lesson, and this is hardly a big change, but it can't hurt. -- Neuromanc3r ^U! 01:31, 3 July 2008 (BST)

    Keep - As above. And to Akule, since it refreshes the screen, it would certainly be an IP hit.--Kolechovski 19:52, 3 July 2008 (BST) Late vote struck. --Midianian^{|T|T:S|C:RCS|} 11:51, 4 July 2008 (BST)

    Keep - There's no reason why this shouldn't be implemented. It just makes something a little less confusing. Also there is no reason for it to cost AP, as it doesn't affect the game in any way. Punishing people for no good reason is just annoying and unfair. --Scharlach 06:46, 4 July 2008 (BST) Late vote struck. --Midianian^{|T|T:S|C:RCS|} 11:51, 4 July 2008 (BST)

Kill Votes

1. Kill - Not a problem. When you click on it, and nothing happens, you soon work it out, and at 1ap it's hardly an expensive lesson -- boxy ^{talk • i} 04:29 19 June 2008 (BST)
2. Unncessary. It's not that hard to figure things out.--Pesatyel 07:40, 19 June 2008 (BST)
3. Kill/Change - Change the message, retain AP loss. --Midianian^{|T|T:S|C:RCS|} 10:24, 19 June 2008 (BST)
4. Kill - As Midianian. --Vandurn 14:33, 19 June 2008 (BST)
5. Kill - As Riseabove and everyone, if kevan starts wasting his time on this shit i'd be pissed off.--xoxo 14:35, 19 June 2008 (BST)
6. Kill - Pain is your body telling you not to do something. --Sir Bob Fortune ^RR 16:09, 19 June 2008 (BST)
7. Kill - Vote changed after partial implementation of the suggestion. The counter-intuitive and misleading text has been fixed. But I do not agree with what remains unimplemented: 0 AP for clicking the wrong button. As explained in my orignal keepish vote. --WanYao 22:47, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   I'm curious as to why. It seems to me to be merely a user interface thing, not an in-game thing, and I don't see why a newbie should have an in-game punishment merely to learn that the user interface is (in a small way) silly. It seems like it should just be explained to them how to get past the out-of-game silliness without any in-game punishment. Could you please explain why you think there should be an in-game punishment for it? Thanks. - Fred Fredfredson 04:09, 20 June 2008 (BST)

Spam/Dupe Votes

1. Spam - Stupidity must be punished. If you dont want to waste ap, stop fucking clicking the spraycan. --The Grimch ^{U! E! WAT!} 03:28, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   u r teh kewl. Anybody ever tell you that? Because u r. teh kewl. Really. - Fred Fredfredson 03:35, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   It takes epic level stupidity for it to be a problem. Now, given your suggestion description, this may not be the best thing in the world to say and it wont help your ego, but its true. The button to spray text is clearly labeled "Graffiti" and its in the communication and interaction section of the interface. The fact that you are a retard doesnt in any way change the fact its already clear. The game should not coddle stupidity because then people never fucking learn. --The Grimch ^{U! E! WAT!} 04:05, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   Yup. u r teh kewl. - Fred Fredfredson 04:10, 19 June 2008 (BST) 1 re: per vote -- boxy ^{talk • i} 04:29 19 June 2008 (BST)

2. Spam - Clicking the can means you actively take a look at the can. All your communications stuff is in one area. Also, just stop clicking the fuckin' button. Really. --Ocular ^Druuuuu 03:47, 19 June 2008 (BST)

   Oh good lord. I'm not constantly clicking the button, I just carelessly do it once in a while. And this argument completely ignores the "confuse the newbies" aspect. And "actively take a look at the can"? That's bullshit. It's in a section that's explicitly labeled "Click to use". *And* your argument *also* doesn't give any reason *not* to make this improvement. And it *would* be an improvement. This is not "spam". - Fred Fredfredson 04:01, 19 June 2008 (BST)

3. Spam - Unnecessary. Also ioncannon11 is a faggot. -- LABIA on the INTERNET ^{Dunell Hills Corpseman} #24 - |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ^TMG 06:46, 19 June 2008 (BST)
4. Then don't press the button! --Blake Firedancer ^{T E RNL? P.I.S.I.T.} 09:38, 19 June 2008 (BST)
5. Spam - As Gardenator. --The Hierophant 11:31, 19 June 2008 (BST)
6. Spam - You've clicked on the spray can too many times. The fumes are affecting your thinking, causing you to make this suggestion. --Riseabove 12:38, 19 June 2008 (BST)
7. Spam - If this is a problem this explains a lot about the intelligence level of survivors. As J3D, also.--– Nubis ^NWO 14:52, 19 June 2008 (BST)
8. Spam - BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW --brb, church ^{DORIS CGR U!} 14:54, 19 June 2008 (BST)
9. Spam - If this is a recurring problem then maybe this game is just a little too complex for you. -- - Crypto ^LOL 16:59, 19 June 2008 (BST)
10. Spam - We are not changing the game engine to protect you from your own stupidity. Someone cycle this already. -- . . <== DDR Approved Editor 17:35, 19 June 2008 (BST)