Are character descriptions hidden when disguised?

[Rooshy41]

So this topic came up while discussing meta gaming in Arelith with a friend. I don't think it does hide it, but I'm not 100% sure. Does anyone know?

And what do you all think about character descriptions while hidden. Do you think they should be hidden? I personally think so because if your character is disguised, why should the description of your non-disguised character be presented? Just my personal opinion, it opens the possibility of metagaming where it could be eliminated.

[DarkDreamer]

I really wish it would be hidden unless you break the disguise, it does open up to meta sadly. I have had this happen in the past.

[yellowcateyes]

Character descriptions aren't hidden when disguised.

They shouldn't, either. The -description enough is easy enough to use that you can easily set up alternate descriptions for your disguises. It's just a matter of keeping something like notepad++ or one note open, then copy-pasting the -description line in when you swap disguises.

Disguises aren't just about making yourself anonymous and generic. They're also used to create alternate personas. That'd be more difficult if you can't describe your disguise in detail.

If you don't want to go through the effort of making an alternate description, you can always use -description to blank out your bio. Just re-apply your normal description when you un-disguise.

[DarkDreamer]

yes well when your in my position going back and forth between a laptop and a desktop, one at work and one at home, thats not always possible.

[yellowcateyes]

Use a Cloud-based note-taking system (One Note, etc.) or type up the alternate description twice?

It's not terribly difficult to set up.

[DarkDreamer]

My laptop wont used cloud

[Rooshy41]

Wait wait wait, couldn't it just be tagged to the disguise then? What I'm saying is that couldn't the description for the character that you're disguising into be saved with that disguise. Honestly, if it you could save certain disguises with the name and description and be able to select them when using the command, that'd be awesome. Thoughts?

[Romeo and Jubilex]

I use Evernote for descriptions, which should be available on both your laptop and computer as it's site based!

Google Docs is another you could use. Just copy and paste from the doc into the game (albeit without the line editing Notepad ++ gives you) and you're good to go.

[DarkDreamer]

Wait wait wait, couldn't it just be tagged to the disguise then? What I'm saying is that couldn't the description for the character that you're disguising into be saved with that disguise. Honestly, if it you could save certain disguises with the name and description and be able to select them when using the command, that'd be awesome. Thoughts?

This would be awesome!

[Rooshy41]

I'll put it in the suggestion box later, and see what can come of it. It would be a pretty nice QoL change.

[Skibbles]

If you move between computers a lot maybe just email yourself the description? I don't think it's reasonable to expect people to ignore a description if someone is disguised. I'd think it to fall under the WYSIWYG rules.

Would be amazing if descriptions could be rotated similar to the - loadoutfit system.

[DarkDreamer]

well lets be realistic here for a moment, if you see someone in a ski mask wearing sunglasses, are you gonna tell the officer, yep officer, he was a white male, blue eyes, had a mustache and a scar on his right cheek? What...no I didnt see his face, I just know....

come on, if its not gonna fly, dont make pretend that you can know, thats just the " I GOTTA WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!" ideals coming back.

[yellowcateyes]

Well, when I see someone disguised with a description, I assume the description is part of the disguise. (Unless the description itself says so otherwise.)

If the player didn't want it that way, it's easy enough just to type -description and blank your bio.

[Rooshy41]

Ok, so all the arguments against a QoL change is, lets not have a QoL change. Lets just do it the hard way, and hope noone metagames if we dont. WHY????

QoL is a beautiful thing, I write this right now as someone who enjoys challenge and is a masochist when it comes to it. But I would NEVER argue against QoL.

If you want an example of true masochistic gaming, Google Elona v7.-- and go play it. It's a freeware game.

[yellowcateyes]

No one's arguing against a QoL change.

It's not metagaming to read a description of a disguised person. People who use their disguises creatively tend to write descriptions just for that disguise.

Trying to categorize that as metagaming would be to quash an avenue of creative roleplay because you didn't want to enter two command lines instead of one.

Sure, if we had descriptions tied to disguises in an Outfit-like system, that'd be great. It'd also be great if I didn't need to individually craft each bottle of glass. QoL changes are nice.

Descriptions are IC. If you don't bother blanking or changing your description when you change your disguise, that's on you, not the people examining you.

[Baron Saturday]

The ability to save descriptions to easily swap between has been a frequently-requested item for some time now - most recently by our own DM Symphony.

As an aside, you can quickslot the examine ability and then target yourself with it to see your current description (although not any of the related stuff like stats).

[Rooshy41]

Ok Yellowcateyes, I really do understand where you're coming from. But alot of people simply aren't going to think to do that. Whether or not it's on them is not disputed, but whether or not someone who right-click examines someone and see's that Bob Jenkins has the same EXACT description as Mary Sue because it was a mistake and then just makes the IC mental leap that: "HOLY CRAP, Mary Sue is Bob Jenkins! Get em!!!!" is a bit wonky.

[Skibbles]

I feel like a disguise without a change in description is just lazy, especially when compounded with the expectation that others should conform to ignoring a description only when it's convenient to the disguised.

That said, I don't know if this is a situation that's been addressed with a firm resolution by the staff. Does anyone know?

[cptcuddlepants]

I feel like a disguise without a change in description is just lazy, especially when compounded with the expectation that others should conform to ignoring a description only when it's convenient to the disguised.

That said, I don't know if this is a situation that's been addressed with a firm resolution by the staff. Does anyone know?

I recently asked a DM about this situation, if I remember correctly, the ruling was something along the lines of "it was in your description, so it was fair game" - paraphrased, of course.

(Correct me if I'm wrong, please )

[Seven Sons of Sin]

Ok Yellowcateyes, I really do understand where you're coming from. But alot of people simply aren't going to think to do that. Whether or not it's on them is not disputed, but whether or not someone who right-click examines someone and see's that Bob Jenkins has the same EXACT description as Mary Sue because it was a mistake and then just makes the IC mental leap that: "HOLY CRAP, Mary Sue is Bob Jenkins! Get em!!!!" is a bit wonky.

Then don't play a character that uses -disguise.

Or, brace for impact.

[Astral]

Everything someone reads in your description can and will be used against you in the court of law. Find a way to make new -description when you put a disguise on like everybody does.
Having a 'fixed' description tagged for certain -disguise names would be awesome, sure. but it's not really needed and if it would take a lot of dev time to code, doesn't worth it. Don't be lazy

[Rooshy41]

Having a 'fixed' description tagged for certain -disguise names would be awesome, sure. but it's not really needed and if it would take a lot of dev time to code, doesn't worth it. Don't be lazy

FINE! I'll just learn simplified C from what I know about C and C++ and make it myself whenever I eventually get around to helping out the Devs (assuming noone beats me to the punch).

PS: EVERYONE IN S.T.E.M. IS LAZY. IT'S ALMOST OUR CREED. We make macros to do what we're too lazy to do in the first place, and when we have too many macros to do what we don't want to do, we make macros to handle the macros.

[Rooshy41]

PSS: I promise nothing, I have no idea how complicated it could be. But with C (not simplified C) it shouldn't be THAT hard...

PSSS: I may regret saying that in the future.

[Barradoor]

Drive.google.com is your friend.

All of my characters have a document dedicated to them with various things on them, including disguises, builds, etc

[Durvayas]

Use it as a litmus test for good roleplayers; Put a little disclaimer in your desc stating 'If disguised, the above does not apply'.

The good roleplayers will read this and ignore the description, the bad ones will metagame the description(pay attention to the combat log to figure out if they break the disguise mechanically, because then its fair game).

From there, you know who to [go out of your way to]include or who to [intentionally]snub from RP opportunities to maximize your immersive and fun experience as a roleplayer.

Addendum: Do ensure that the person involved is not new, they might not know better yet.