Messenger quick whisper <message>

[galaxgal]

In my experience of play, it's basically standard for almost all messengers to deliver messages privately, via whisper or note. This means two things:

1) Message quick is kind of useless, and can even give a bad impression of the sender

2) There is a disparity between players experienced with the POLCA and newer players who will tend to use 'message quick' due to inexperience.

An extra modifier for quick messengers that sets their room echo to be e.g. whispering or passing a note might be a nice QoL addition for these reasons, i.e.:

Sender:
message quick whisper Jill Come to Murder Alley for a good time!

Soandso summons a messenger and pays them to make a delivery.

Recipient:
A messenger approaches and whispers the message, "Come to Murder Alley for a good time!"

Room:
A messenger approaches /recip and whispers a private message.

[Kuzco]

Agreed and something I had thought of before, shapelessly.
Perhaps we can make a QWHISPER!

[Dreams]

This change would have me using 'message quick' more often, and it would certainly save a whole lot of time.

[Taunya]

Personally I think others SHOULD be able to overhear the messages.
If this is implemented, I'd like the messenger system overall to work like a [w whisper to others in the room, where the closer you are to the recipient the more of the message you might catch.

[Sparkles]

Messengers are a vehicle by which people are able to set up RP. IMHO the presence of messengers is one of TI's big strengths for the setting compared to a lot of RPIs.

I'd be honestly concerned that if messengers were suddenly less "secure" because people were overhearing them it would inspire people to take to more OOC methods to set up scenes, something we shouldn't expect or require. It would also put non-mage players at a disadvantage about security setting up scenes compared to magic users.

[Dreams]

Personally I think others SHOULD be able to overhear the messages.
If this is implemented, I'd like the messenger system overall to work like a [w whisper to others in the room, where the closer you are to the recipient the more of the message you might catch.

I disagree. The aforementioned use of 'passing over a note' - why would that be overheard by anyone? If someone pulls them aside to speak to them, why would that be overheard?

Now, when I send them, depending on the situation, I have the people around me hear what I tell the messenger. But... I think that should be up to the player.

[Taunya]

I disagree. The aforementioned use of 'passing over a note' - why would that be overheard by anyone? If someone pulls them aside to speak to them, why would that be overheard?

Now, when I send them, depending on the situation, I have the people around me hear what I tell the messenger. But... I think that should be up to the player.

From help messengers:

   - Finally, messengers coming and going are IC. Please treat other
     players with respect and provide realistic information regarding
     what they'd see. They'd hear the message unless the courier
     was specifically told to hide the contents, for example. If the
     messenger says "Meet Kinaed at the Bluebird", third parties
     would likely hear it.

I feel this is violated a LOT as is. message quick is currently one of the only times it isn't.
I think if people wish their messages to be entirely secure, they should step out of a scene to hear them.

If you wish to pass over a note, it should be written on a physical note and sent with the 'deliver' option.

[galaxgal]

I agree that I'd rather see more messengers with hints as to what is being said or exchanged than having messengers all be perfect whisperers all the time, or have a mechanic by which messengers can 'leak' information.

But unless there is going to be a shift in policy-in-practice or some complex new code, that's the culture of the game right now. I feel that this at least makes messenger quick less of a 'newbie trap' and gives established players some QoL in exchanging brief real-time IC messages or requests.

[Sparkles]

I think if people wish their messages to be entirely secure, they should step out of a scene to hear them.

The purpose here is encouraging RP. If I have to leave a scene each time I get a messenger the likelihood is I simply won't take messengers when already occupied, potentially cutting a lot of RP off from people outside that scene. Folks already in the scene don't need more "RP value" for the potential joy of hearing tidbits above the needs for others outside to get some RP hooks.