[Poll] Rumor System

[Kinaed]

Dear Players,

TI's old rumor system used to be largely used for people to vent their spleen or stir trouble. It was intense, but maybe sometimes not very well reflective of the world's likely views at large.

The new rumor system had a great premise, being more like the whisper-chain system that real life rumors follow, but in practice it meant that people felt like if they saw the rumor once, there was no value to following subsequent iterations.

Staff want to improve the situation because players have indicated that this doesn't suit them, but we have two paths to consider:

- Revert completely
- Attempt to fix the current system

If we attempt to fix the current system, the idea is, right now, to break up the rumor by circles and have people able to post from the point of view of each circle, and having each circle's take on it stand out.

What do you think should happen?

[Temi]

The basic idea of the improvement we're talking about is that rumors would not have a circle anymore, which we feel was kind of an awkward part of the new system - why would you tell the same story for the same viewpoint? Instead of that, circles would be attached to the promote, and people would be expected to give their own point of view.

We did note we like how the rumor chatters have more reasonable information now instead of just off-hand comments.

Excited to hear about player opinions!

[Taunya]

I think the new system has more potential than the old. I don't entirely understand how the proposed circle change would work, but sounds like it's worth a shot.
Having different circles takes attached to one rumor seems better than making multiple rumors on the same subject for different circles.

Some other ideas:

- Quashes/promotes for individual takes rather than the overall rumor.
-Flags for rumor mobs for what circles' version they'll spam the room with. E.g. you wouldn't hear the nobles take while sitting in the Hillman village.

[Dreams]

My question would be based on how the circles attached to promotes would be used. Does it mean that people will be able to see the latest comment in each circle, or would it stay to where only the last two are seen?

I like the circles idea - I proposed something WAY more complicated in the last thread about this, but did a bit of the same. Every circle would, legitimately, have something different to say and look at each situation in a different way. I just think the idea is lost if we all still only see the two most recent promotes, because we might not see the circle we'd prefer to add to and see what was being said previously.

[Temi]

My question would be based on how the circles attached to promotes would be used. Does it mean that people will be able to see the latest comment in each circle, or would it stay to where only the last two are seen?

I like the circles idea - I proposed something WAY more complicated in the last thread about this, but did a bit of the same. Every circle would, legitimately, have something different to say and look at each situation in a different way. I just think the idea is lost if we all still only see the two most recent promotes, because we might not see the circle we'd prefer to add to and see what was being said previously.

The idea needs some more fleshing out, but I wasn't going to do that unless we wanted to put the effort into going that direction. That will be something to have to sort out. I don't think we'd go with just the most recent promote alone.

[Dreams]

My question would be based on how the circles attached to promotes would be used. Does it mean that people will be able to see the latest comment in each circle, or would it stay to where only the last two are seen?

I like the circles idea - I proposed something WAY more complicated in the last thread about this, but did a bit of the same. Every circle would, legitimately, have something different to say and look at each situation in a different way. I just think the idea is lost if we all still only see the two most recent promotes, because we might not see the circle we'd prefer to add to and see what was being said previously.

The idea needs some more fleshing out, but I wasn't going to do that unless we wanted to put the effort into going that direction. That will be something to have to sort out. I don't think we'd go with just the most recent promote alone.

Awesome Sauce

[Voxumo]

I've got to admit, I can't really say I think the circle idea is going to improve the rumor system. For me the issue with it is that it's trying to replicate something without actually replicating it.
To explain, my understanding of the change to the rumor system is that it's supposed to replicate how rumors can change overtime, while keeping bits and pieces of the original.
This would work, if we didn't have multiple iterations visible at once. Kind of defeats the purpose. Adding circles feels like it's just going to make things even more awkward than it already is.

It would be interesting if say you were locked into the circle, and could only see and post from that one when creating new iterations. Could make interesting situations for rp where people from two different social classes are talking about the same rumor, but end up confusing each other given wildly different takes on it due to the circles they hear it from.

[Starstarfish]

So this is an idea that I've proffered before, but I like some of the idea behind the new system, but do think it could keep getting better.

Things I think could help:

- Clarify the new policy helpfile about what is or isn't allowed via promotes as I admit this has confused me a bunch. (Perhaps this needs a forum Guide?)

- IMHO, rumor-mongers need to be set up with Circles. (Sometimes perhaps more than one of them?) Have places associated with the different Guilds spread Guild-related rumors, encouraging folks to visit different spots, speak with members, or talk with Bards. (Perhaps Bard-controlled spots can cycle through more options.)

Default Racial Circle rumors to be set to the native language, encouraging translators or cross-racial play.

But to me, there's something a bit immersion breaking for an NPC described as a 'well-dressed nobleman' pumping out a Brotherhood rumor in a crusty Southside accent. Or for NPCs in a Guildhall to be openly be pumping out rhetoric against their employers.

- Allow quashing/reporting of specific promotes.

This has been one of the rumor system's longest standing issues. Where a single comment can throw off an entire rumor of something important/vital/interesting when it becomes a personal flame war or a single comment is against Metrics/Approval/unthemely. And needing to quash/report a rumor for a single comment cuts people out of potential RP. As rumors are numbers, perhaps promotes can be lettered? (I've never once seen a rumor manage 26 promotes, so I'm thinking that would work.)

[AlwaysShunny]

I personally really dislike the new rumor system. I understand that staff put effort into it, but to me this was a case of gutting the patient when a simple stitch would've been fine.

Edit: Years later, I changed my mind. It's way better than the old system.