Announce post #2963: Gem of Cloaking/HiddenRoom changes

Autoposter

<pre>5/16/2019 at 9:30
Razmael, the Synthesist
Everyone
Gem of Cloaking/HiddenRoom changes

Hey all,

Today I have a rather large change to how the Gem of Cloaking or "cloaking" artifact power works. This also includes removal of the 'HiddenRoom' building/haven property. This has arisen from a discussion we created on our forums recently regarding the impact it has on game health, and the overwhelming response there was that a change was needed.

If you haven't been following our forums, you can read this thread for a little more information and to review the discussion leading to the change.
https://forums.aetolia.com/discussion/3161/should-the-gem-of-cloaking-artifact-be-changed-or-removed



Changes
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For Gem of Cloaking/cloaking power owners:
- The Gem of Cloaking/cloaking artifact power will no longer remove your name from the various WHO lists and other places it removed your name.
- It will instead conceal your room on the WHO list against those who are using the thirdeye defence.
- The 'Tulahuar' passphrase will work to turn off or back on the room-concealing effect.

For HiddenRoom:
A bit of preamble for this, but while investigating these issues we discovered that the ObscuringFog and HiddenRoom building effects were bugged, and both did the same thing as the other. The only exception to this was HiddenRoom additionally removed your name from the who list. In light of this, we are deleting the HiddenRoom effect and applying the following changes to rooms that had it:
- If the room didn't already have ObscuringFog on it, the room will be set to ObscuringFog to replace the HiddenRoom effect.
- If the room already had ObscuringFog, we'll be refunding you the cost in gold or credits.
- If the room is in a Haven, we'll just unset the HiddenRoom for you so you can reinvest the haven points as you please.


Tradeins
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If you own either the cloaking artifact, or HiddenRoom, and decide you don't like these changes here's your options.

For Gem of Cloaking/cloaking power owners:
- You can use this GEMTRADE command to get the full 400 credits back on your gem, instead of the normal 2/3rd tradein price.
- Only works if you had this artifact BEFORE the date/time of this post.
- This full refund offer is only available until the end of June. The command won't work after then.

For HiddenRoom owners:
- Send a message to Tiur or myself to arrange a tradein for this.


And that's more or less it. As always, please file a bug or contact me if there's any bugs or problems that arise from this transition.

Penned by my hand on Closday, the 12th of Lanosian, in the year 480 MA.</pre>

Leana

Now move on to Hood!

Rhyot

There are 37 people total online with 5 people that are hidden from you.

What other skills/artifacts are there that can hide people?? With HiddenRoom gone and gem modified, the hidden section shouldn't be available anymore, yes??

Swara

Not positive, but if you are in Albedos or the Vortex, would that list you as hidden? That's one thought.

Mjoll

Swara's got it. Off continent/ off plane

Aloli

Could also be the admins.

Tiur

Nah, we don't show like that. If we did I'd just cheat and inflate the numbers all the time.

Tiur

Nope, Raz says I'm wrong and we do. Time to cheat!

Macavity

I have one question, out of the responses how many of them actually had the artifact? Some people may say anything they can to get rid of artifacts they cannot afford themselves. Also if you go after hood, are the Admins really going to refund 2000 credits??

Iazamat

As someone who voted to delete the artifact (and is fine with the implemented changes), I could easily afford a gem if it's something I wanted.

Mjoll

Having voted to delete, I have owned this particular artifact 5(?) separate times and could buy 5 more right now with credits on hand

Emir

Are you seriously insinuating poor people shouldn't have a say in design decisions?

Tiur

Let's just not go there! We didn't ask.

Macavity

I realize the wording was really bad in my post but was not insinuating that those that cannot afford it does not have a say. And I apologize for the wording of it, really was not the direction I was going for.

Zaila

For the record, I counted the "who voted" and just off the cuff of who I knew had/has the gem, there was 13 people who voted to change/remove it who own it. Which, I think is what Macavity was REALLY getting at - did the population who voted actually own it. Yep!

I am one of those people

Tiur

Alrighty, I think we're good here