Tome of Knowledge Idea

[Twip]

First of all, sorry if this has been posted already. I tried the search thing but simply searching for "Tome Knowledge" gives me a bunch of entries and I can't search for the common abbreviation "ToK" since there's a 4 letter requirement on the search function. If this has been posted and talked about, please link me to the thread since I would like to read any thoughts. Anywho, here we go...

I know back when this game was released and talked about, one of the things I heard about sitting in a pub throwing back an few drinks RP-style and sharing stories of adventures. Well I thought it would be an interesting idea to incorporate some of that into the Tome of Knowledge. IE make a place in a pub or a social area where you can get info about certain monsters or areas or quests that will help you fill your ToK.

I think this makes sense because if you were really part of this game you could go to a pub and get information about denizens of the dark before you go fight them. That way you could be slightly prepared before you set out on your journey. You could gather information about where to find stuff in areas and general background information so you know what sort of monsters you would expect to find and stuff. You could get information about quests that are available in the area as well as what rewards are there. That way you could see if it was worth your time.

This could all be presented like you're just some guy going into a pub or social area with the intent of gathering information from seasoned adventures. It could be that you can only get information from people that are currently in the area. IE if there's a dude in the pub that's fought this dragon, then the information of that dragon would be available to you to 'download' into your ToK. Or, it could be that one could go in and 'upload' information into a kiosk type thing in the pub and a new adventurer could simply go to the kiosk and get the information he was seeking.

One of the obvious complaints to this idea is that people like to adventure on their own and like discovering things on their own. That's part of the fun for a lot of people. Well to those folks, simply don't go get the info. Make it so there's a confirmation dialog box before the information is put in your ToK. I figure information about whatever you would look up will be on a website before long anyways. (People go to wowdb or wowhead for WoW quests, items, zones, and mobs right now) I think it would add an interesting thing to be able to find that information in game.

[aloris]

I didnt read it yet but umm... you might'v not gotten any results because its TOME of knowledge :rolleyes:

edit: well I just read it and it sounds like a fine idea and I at least haven't seen anyone else so your fine there

[Twip]

lol, eediot. You are definitely correct. I've been playing Diablo 2 waaay too much recently.

[Utakata]

Do you carry around a crypt in your backpack usually?

EDIT: I guess that's a good idea, but the whole idea is that you unlock information by doing, not by just stealing what other people did. (You get information as you kill x monster or whatever)

[Twip]

Yeah yeah, funny funny, I effed it up. Read my idea! :-p

[Avien]

ToK discussion goes into ToK discussion, yes-yes!
...now where did that come from?

[Twip]

Sorry about missing the forum. My idea any good?

[Utakata]

The only problem with it is that they intended those sorts of information tidbits to be unlocked. The idea is that each person should have to go out and get the information for themselves.

For example, one person kills 5 squigs and gets a picture of the squig. He kills 50 and he gets a little description. He kills 1000 and gets detailed information such as HP and different types and stuff like that. Also there are titles and quests related to these unlocks.

It would kind of mercilessly take out all the joy they put into it.

[Twip]

Well I don't mean anything specific. I meant for it to have into like if you want to go find info about a gray wolf, then you could go to a pub and see if anyone there has fought any. They could tell you something like 'they attack fast and are located in the trees of this forest.' The sort of stuff people Alt-Tab in the middle of their game and look up on the Internet.

I didn't mean for it to enter in the entire log for that monster. There will still be stuff you can only have in your ToK if you actually go out there and adventure.

My other main use would be looking up well known quests and rewards ands stuff. Things that most people look up on the Internet before they go into an area. Like, this town contains a quest called "Mage Trouble." and it has these rewards <sword> <staff> <bow>. Just stuff an adventurer would tell you in a conversation in a pub if this were all real. Then you could inquire, well what sort of mages are they? Oh they're ice mages? I better bring an item or two of cold resists along if I want to do that quest.

I intended it more like a research thing. I got the idea playing Diablo 2. You could get a main quest there and go around and 'Talk' to the townsfolk and they would give you really obscure information about the quest or task you had to do. Stuff like that. And of course, if you'd rather not have this info, then you don't have to seek it.

[Yatz]

Reading your idea I think something like it would be a really nice addition.

Like say your watching one of the plays in a capital city, or standing around in a pub and some NPC's start talking about skaven for example. Maybe this would get you a ToK unlock talking about how the locals of your capital city feel about the skaven. Maybe it'll mention some areas where they have been having alot of difficulty with the skaven which would point you towards someone with a quest relating to them.

I would not want any information I could find in the open world to be just given to me because I was standing next to a player. However small ToK unlocks from overhearing NPC conversation that gives you more information on the situation of your city and its problems can be helpful and lead you to new quests.

Specially as your capital city evolves through its ranks, the conversations between the towns people would change, possibly pointing you towards new quests that have been unlocked by the upgrading of your capital city.

Paul, I think it was Paul, mentioned in a video that you will get a alert when some special lore specific characters are visiting your town. Maybe a better way for this alert to happen would be the people in your city talking about them.

NPC 1 :"Did you hear? The mighty ____ and his companion ____ are visiting at the ____ pub"

NPC 2 :"Really? Thats in the ____ district isnt it? I'll have to stop by and see them before they leave"

This could unlock a ToK unlock saying " I've heard that ____ and ____ are in town in the ____ pub in the ___ quarter. Maybe I should stop to visit them before they leave town"

Just a small example of some things that would be really great and would really add to the live ness of the world and your city.

[UnstableGable]

I believe I read that the ToK unlocks are multi layered... so these "pub stories and rumors" might only unlock the very first layer... like "there is a cave in the woods with a wretched rat-faced urchin that eats children", but there are further unlocks for finding the cave, rescuing the children, defeating the thing, etc.

I picture something like this:
After an exciting adventure, you return to town and pop into the pub to relax. You sit at a table and you can open your ToK to the pages about the recent adventure and hit something that says, for example "Share this Tale". Then anyone who sits at the table with you gets that first layer unlocked in their ToK.

Of course, you could also just literally tell people about the adventure... but having it also appear in their ToK means they don't have to remember every detail you talk about.

I like this. I have a lousy memory.

[Twip]

I believe I read that the ToK unlocks are multi layered... so these "pub stories and rumors" might only unlock the very first layer... like "there is a cave in the woods with a wretched rat-faced urchin that eats children", but there are further unlocks for finding the cave, rescuing the children, defeating the thing, etc.

I picture something like this:
After an exciting adventure, you return to town and pop into the pub to relax. You sit at a table and you can open your ToK to the pages about the recent adventure and hit something that says, for example "Share this Tale". Then anyone who sits at the table with you gets that first layer unlocked in their ToK.

Of course, you could also just literally tell people about the adventure... but having it also appear in their ToK means they don't have to remember every detail you talk about.

I like this. I have a lousy memory.

Something like that is sort of how I imagined it. Though, for the mechanics of the game, it would probably have to be more automated. I sort of imagined it as a situation where instead of walking in a pub and having to share info (maybe RPers would do that, but the average Joe WAR player wouldn't I'd bet), as a player seeking information, you could go in and see if anyone has heard anything about a specific tale. After getting a quest, you could go into a bar and "Ask for Information" about a quest. "Asking" for that quest will give you the very first preliminary layer of the ToK information.

Also, a little more in depth, I imagined this system to also let players do some research on quests, areas, monsters before they actually go do the quest, explore the area, and kill the monsters. If you're a Black Orc and walk in a bar asking about quest, you could gather information by bar patrons who "heard about a quest with a nice shield reward on the other end of town" or something of that nature. Or if you're about to go to an area, and want to get more info on it you could go "ask" and you'll hear stuff like "Lotsa goblins in that place" etc... I could imagine people having a little trouble with this part, but when I crafted this idea in my head, I sort of planned turning bars and inns as literal hubs of information.