Help File Overhaul

[Saikou]

Well I've been seeing a few posts pop up around here about attracting new people and the like so I thought I'd suggest you address a few issues with the biggest source of information for new players. The help files.

Now, the ability for your code to take a help and search the database for possible matches is friggin epic. I cant really think of anywhere else I've played that had that.

The problem is, that with some of the new systems you've put into place and some of the changes that have been made some of the help files have gotten confusing or just plain wrong.

A few examples would be the help file for Dexterity. The very first bullet int he Dex helpfile states that additional points affect how many items I can carry:

the maximum number of items you can carry at once in your inventory;
with each additional point of dex you can carry additional items.

This is a very basic helpfile that is going to quickly be read by any experienced mudder coming onto NarutoMud for the very first time.

The Helpfile for "sneak" refers to the skill Hide which, best I can tell does not exist in game at this time.

The helpfile for Pushup/Sittup reads

Along with giving rock hard abs and nicely toned biceps these two training
methods are used to boost one's strength.

May be something not working properly here, but these exercises dont seem to boost str in the LSC. This is an important one because the LSC is, I think, going to be a big draw of NarutoMud. It's unique, it's complex, and so the helpfiles for it need to be accurate.

Finally (possibly for now) is drawn from reading a lot of taijutsu help files recently. The words abiltiy, skill, attack, and move are all used often... and often interchangeably.

Genki reads that it:

boosts the attack and defense power by 10 percent of regular combat moves, not skills.

So this leads me to think that moves could refer to basic attacks and skill sot taijutsu moves like punch/kick.

The ninjutsu Baikyuu Kesson help file:

it causes the user to do more damage in physical attacks.

I then assumed that "attacks" maybe included both moves and skills... but from playing with it it looks like it boosts only skills (as refered to in Genki)

Skills are then refered to in the Dai Taijutsu help file as "moves":

Dai Taijutsu is the ability to take a Taijutsu move the user already knows and super charge it.

What I'm getting at here is that picking one word for each and sticking with it through all the helpfiles is a fairly easy change that makes them much easier to understand.

Accuracy is key. Starting a new mud is intimidating under the best of circumstances and we are much more complex than I at first expected. Making sure our information is in line will help keep all those new players.

[Gatz]

Hrm, I see. However, I see your point, but I feel like absolutely handcuffing ourselves to always using the exact same wording will make our helpfiles read like IBM manuals. I understand how some of that can lead to confusion, but I think if you read each helpfile carefully, you'll notice it either makes sense or you can get close enough to meaning that you can figure it out. However, let's work through some of your examples.

A few examples would be the help file for Dexterity. The very first bullet int he Dex helpfile states that additional points affect how many items I can carry:

the maximum number of items you can carry at once in your inventory;
with each additional point of dex you can carry additional items.

While that is the stock description, it is the behavior of dexterity. I'm not 100% sure if you mean the wording sounds redundant, which it kind of does, or it is pointless to put because the average pro-MUDer will know what it means? Not super sure, but if it is about how redundant it sounds, I agree and it probably needs to be re-worded.

The Helpfile for "sneak" refers to the skill Hide which, best I can tell does not exist in game at this time.

We have no hide skill, but some of our helpfiles can have multple names attached to them for ease of use. Our sneak helpfile has "hide", "sneak" and "visible" all attached to it. The helpfile is located at http://narutofor.us/help.php/?file=sneak.

The helpfile for Pushup/Sittup reads

Along with giving rock hard abs and nicely toned biceps these two training
methods are used to boost one's strength.

May be something not working properly here, but these exercises dont seem to boost str in the LSC. This is an important one because the LSC is, I think, going to be a big draw of NarutoMud. It's unique, it's complex, and so the helpfiles for it need to be accurate.

Pushups and situps do raise strength, however because they are automatic they don't go very fast. However, people have proposed quicker LSC 3.0 solutions and I welcome any ideas you may have. I feel you do hit upon a good point, and I think I might need to move LSC 3.0 strength training up sooner so and possibly remove pushup/situp or explain the helpfile about automatic LSC training being slower.

Genki reads that it:

boosts the attack and defense power by 10 percent of regular combat moves, not skills.

So this leads me to think that moves could refer to basic attacks and skill sot taijutsu moves like punch/kick.

That is exactly correct.

The ninjutsu Baikyuu Kesson help file:

it causes the user to do more damage in physical attacks.

I then assumed that "attacks" maybe included both moves and skills... but from playing with it it looks like it boosts only skills (as refered to in Genki)

Baikyuu Kesson boosts all physical attacks, including auto-combat and skills like punch, kick, etc. However, you might not see as big a boost during auto-combat if you're only doing 4-5 damage, seeing it 'jump' to 6-7 might slip totally under your radar.

What I'm getting at here is that picking one word for each and sticking with it through all the helpfiles is a fairly easy change that makes them much easier to understand.

I want to agree with you, because the Computer Scientist in me wants that consistent wording but in practice it makes it very bland. Try picking up any manual and you'll be bored to tears. I view helpfiles as something that can be enjoyable to read, and while maybe changing a word from 'skill' to 'move' isn't going to knock your socks off, you clearly understand all the helpfiles you posted and proved so. Did you think some aspects were wrong? Yes. However, it is clear to me this is just a need in other spots to fix up things.

Situp/Pushup might need to be boosted a little bit until a LSC 3.0 Strength alternative can be crafted. Baikyuu Kesson might need a clearer message in auto-combat to show it is being useful, or maybe even damage increased slightly with it. However, none of the helpfiles were wrong, that you listed and I know we do have some wrong ones out there. If you see a helpfile that doesn't mesh with what you are experiencing, just ask. Things aren't always what they seem and it could be you misunderstanding, just a bug on my part, or a little of both. However, this is why we have Newbie Helper and Imms around. Maybe we should make it clearer that it is okay to ask questions, it is not okay to just sit frustrated or confused or thinking you're just playing a very broken game.

So, my real point here is a little variety can be good, but to the point of confusion not so much. However, again, you demonstrated you understood all the helpfiles you listed as intended. Not trying to be snotty or anything, but I feel like my point above is valid.

However! Thanks for posting this critique. NarutoMUD has slowly grown into a seven headed dragon over the years and if it is just all old timers playing, they don't bat an eye at things like this and some players never speak up, so we simply never know. Obviously, we (myself, the Immortals and everyone else who helps us) want to make things as fun as possible, but sometimes we need a little nudge in the right direction.

[Saikou]

using the exact same wording will make our helpfiles read like IBM manuals

But that's exactly what the helpfiles are. They're the manual to your game and so they need to be dead accurate and easily understood. In the absence of an experienced player showing a newbie the ropes the helpfiles are the single most important way a newbie learns the workings of your mud.

Yes i was able to work out (for the most part) what you refer to when you say moves/skills/attack ect. but that's after 30 some odd levels and over a day logged playing time. My first couple read throughs of the helpfiles I mentioned were very confusing and I can't see how picking a word for basic melee and a word for combat moves would make the helpfiles stale.

Also, I think dex may not be working as intended. My dex is now 10 and my max items carried is still only 5... The helpfile makes it sound as though additional points in dex raise that number. That's really what I was referring to.

If Hide doesn't exist it needs to be removed from that helpfile. I read the help on sneak and assumed that the "sneak" genjutsu gave the abilities the helpfile describes.... As a side note what good really is sneak without hide anyway?

Something really is up with the pushup/sittup commands then. Several hundred pushups doesn't even generate .1 str in the LSC... slow is fine... but .1 every hour or so (maybe i've really never seen it increase str at all) is so far from worth it as to be laughable.

[Gatz]

But that's exactly what the helpfiles are. They're the manual to your game and so they need to be dead accurate and easily understood. In the absence of an experienced player showing a newbie the ropes the helpfiles are the single most important way a newbie learns the workings of your mud.

Yes i was able to work out (for the most part) what you refer to when you say moves/skills/attack ect. but that's after 30 some odd levels and over a day logged playing time. My first couple read throughs of the helpfiles I mentioned were very confusing and I can't see how picking a word for basic melee and a word for combat moves would make the helpfiles stale.

I see that point, and stay assert my point. However, I will concede that even with what I want, a confusingly phrased helpfile is confusing, treading carefully not to meme. So, if any of them really are bizarrely phrased, go ahead and post in our helpfile bug thread about it. Spice is nice, but if you are confused after reading it, we have a problem.

Something really is up with the pushup/sittup commands then. Several hundred pushups doesn't even generate .1 str in the LSC... slow is fine... but .1 every hour or so (maybe i've really never seen it increase str at all) is so far from worth it as to be laughable.

Agreed, this will be address shortly.

If Hide doesn't exist it needs to be removed from that helpfile. I read the help on sneak and assumed that the "sneak" genjutsu gave the abilities the helpfile describes.... As a side note what good really is sneak without hide anyway?

We probably should add in Hide. However, sneak will let you enter rooms undetected. There are a couple areas that let you bypass NPCs noticing you this way and a few missions that get easier by doing this.

Also, I think dex may not be working as intended. My dex is now 10 and my max items carried is still only 5... The helpfile makes it sound as though additional points in dex raise that number. That's really what I was referring to.

Ah, gotcha, I figured that might be the case. I'll take a look-see at this later then.

So again, if there are any helpfiles that really stick out to you, please post them in the helpfile bug section, or if you have suggestions of adding new helpfiles or totally re-wording helpfiles, we'd be welcome to hear that, too.

[Daizaburo]

If Hide doesn't exist it needs to be removed from that helpfile. I read the help on sneak and assumed that the "sneak" genjutsu gave the abilities the helpfile describes....

I took care of this issue before you made the OP. The sneak help file no longer references hide. If hide is implemented in the future, the former version will likely be restored.

[Gatz]

If Hide doesn't exist it needs to be removed from that helpfile. I read the help on sneak and assumed that the "sneak" genjutsu gave the abilities the helpfile describes....

I took care of this issue before you made the OP. The sneak help file no longer references hide. If hide is implemented in the future, the former version will likely be restored.

You're a ninja.