Object locks & object drops. (not what you think )

[furian]

It would be cool if AE imoamented the abillity to "drop" an object or even cash? Like why not you know, think about it: treasor hunts, the chance that you might just find like 5s on the ground or something. They could make it so that sosigners have all of their objects layed out on shelves and display tables infront of them, but there could be a lock on them, this way you wouldn't steal the objects and you could make an object available to only certain players, making a locked treasor hunt, or selling something at a cosigner that only a certain guild could buy?

[mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo][mo] lol. :)

[Nikodemus]

How about dropping the loot that may still be in vanishing mobs to the ground and leave it there for a while for anybody to pick up before it is removed?

[thefatone]

I think the loot dropping on the ground would be cool.
I think AE doesnt have anything like that now so people dont use 'empty land' for storage. That's just my guess.

[Bori Grimbattle]

One of the problems that existed in the last game I played (AC) was that the items at times were just left to rot on the ground which caused excess load on the servers. To be able to do what you are asking the server would have to remember each and every item that a person dropped, its location in x-y-z axis and also have a decay timer so it did not sit there until either discovered or a server reboot.

Whether or not the above is why they do not do it is my guess but it does make a certain amount of sense to me.

[Varangaard]

Item dropping would be hit on both the server and the clients. Not only would the server need to save the objects, as stated above, but clients would need to render them in 3d as well. Asking if AE could afford server CPU cycles for that, just look at them trying to save some by implementing the new mob spawn control and you'll have your answer. Adding a ten thousand dropped objects to be kept track of (some of which don't have a 3d model, so that would need to be created too) would stress the server a lot, even if they decayed away (the counter adding even further load).

And no doubt someone would think it 'fun' griefing dropping say 500 items in a city and watch the low-spec players choke to death with the object overload. New Lagchival would be a likely target as it is already a hard place to go through during prime time for many.

So, while it would add a lot of flavor, we're unlikely to see anything like this soon. Also, back from when I tested the games, I don't recall Ryzom or Lineage 2 having such a system either - and the latter has a powerful renderer and doubtlessly money to throw on heavy duty servers.

[Thorgat]

It definitelly needs to be limited per character as garbage control already in UO is a major issue. But it adds a massive addition to gameplay too - treasure hunt, scavenger hunt, camp fires, eating/drinking with putting the stuff in front of you, setting up markets with display of your goods, furniture in houses etc.
And as we get the latter one, implementation starting in february, it will be there one day and according to David its not only about placing stuff in your house but about placing stuff with certain limitations outside too. :)

[Senkeleron Fell]

I think they could probably get away with it, lagwise, if they limited it to just one item per person. It could take up the other cargo disk spot that used to be there. The problem then becomes that everyone else has to be able to see it. Not a problem with cargo disks since you can only see your own.

[Nikodemus]

I would not want players to be able to drop stuff. that's what we got the delete buttons for.

But for mobs only it should be okay.

as for performance.. It doesn't matter for the database whether it has to look up what monster to display or what dropped item.

[Thorgat]

I didn't know others don't see your cargo disk ... never? Not even when it is attached to you?
I was wondering why I see so seldom one. Why not see those of other people? I think it adds flavour to see someone transporting much stuff. :(
For the drop items thing: Nikodemous as I said above, this is necessary for many things not to get rid of something. I agree that there should be a limit per char to drop stuff down or there should be a certain decay rate that run at the char maybe and deletes what is more with a warning.
Btw DAoC allows dropping of items, mostly it is those little sacks - no idea, what performance trouble they have from it.

Edit: And of course other need to see what you drop, that is the whole point of dropping items in a MULTI-player game. So they get atmosphere provided by you and opposite.

[Senkeleron Fell]

Right, you can only see your own cargo disk. If you could see everyone's cargo disk the lag would be much worse. I think the cargo disk is handled directly by the client so the server does not have to deal with its graphic at all.

[furian]

Will our furniture be usable? Like if I build/buy a bed will Phinius be able to sleep in it with his girlfriend or something, or if I build a chair and table would I be able to dit on it and use my table to eat and stuff? just asking :)

[Aquarius]

I think the loot dropping on the ground would be cool.
I think AE doesnt have anything like that now so people dont use 'empty land' for storage. That's just my guess.

i think it was something with database issues.. but beeing able to put things on the ground would be a welcome addition.

[Tahrl]

Other games I've played that have allowed you to drop things on the ground have had issues with the item decaying on the server, but the client not updating. It's very annoying trying to interact with a dropped item that you can see, but actually isn't there anymore. Similar to what we experience when trying to harvest a resource node that has already been depleted.

Also, people would drop copper coins to mark their progress thru dungeons so they wouldn't get lost. Oops, I guess that wouldn't be a problem here.