Information Brokerage

[Goric]

Greetings,

I have an idea. Our biggest problem in these lands is that everyone is working for themselves. For instance: Today we had an hunt to the waters of KI. We also went to the hut in the cove and went downstairs. There we discovered a bookcase with a passage behind it that was almost big enough to pass through. Now, It might very well be that someone has already figured out how to get behind this bookcase. But that exile or group of exiles (clan) might not be releasing that information. If we try to solve this mystery, we might be duplicating someone elses effort which is a waste of eneregy and counter productive.

My idea is to have a central place (scroll) on which to place information. Anyone can come in and freely place or leave information. I will monitor the information and try to assimilate it into something coherant.

Perhaps with something liek this, we can finally make some progress into solving these mysteries in these lands. The way it is now, everyone is trying to re-invent the wheel.

I have a couple of questions that I would like your input on..

Should this scroll me made completely free to use though or should there be a fee to take or place information?

My next question is weather WOD could or should be the keeper of this information storehouse. I think that people trust WOD and know that we would not use any information gathered to further our own ends.

What do you all think??

[Lilly]

If the idea here is for liberal sharing of information, a fee would be most detrimental to the success of the concept.

[Nuvali]

I agree with Lilly. It's sort of a contradiction to allocate a place to store information for the sake of ubiquitous sharing ... and then control access to it.

But I love the idea, Goric. It would definately be appropriate to provide some warning to anyone entering that they might discover information they don't want to know ... yet.

[Althus]

It's a good idea in theory, but do you have any idea how much work it would be? This type of thing is just not practical, and furthermore, people who don't already share their info wouldn't be much motivated to share it on this scroll. I'm in favor of the "ask around, look around, do a google search" method. If you still want to try it, I'll back you up all the way (maybe even do a good percent of the work), but I think it's aiming a bit high.

[Lilly]

I have voted "yes, but we shoudl keep some things to ourselves". I feel that information thats available on a regular basis should be available for all, if they do whatever it may take to earn it. (like trying to solve the alchemy bowl quest). Information that affects the whole town, but is only available on a single-time or limited basis, such as speeches from Qual or Votenkath, should always be shared unless there is something specifically in them that would make doing so do more harm then good. Sharing new areas, mystical illusions, or pf paths is something to be left up to the discretion of the discoverer(s). I know some people dont agree with that, but I still must stand by the ideal that people cant be forced to share what theyve earned until someone else earns it too.

[Goric]

Yes, the amount of work involved might be overwhelming. I have thought of this. I am not set on anything yet. I am just throwing out ideas. If we are ever going to solve these mysteries, we have to quit being so selfish and start working together. The alchemy bowl quests was a good example. I dont know how or who solved this thing. One day the quest was simply avaialble to be solved.

After it was out there, everyone asked about it and the information was simply handed out from person to person. This was important information and needed to be made available to everyone, and it was. But there are other things that have not been. Certain exiles may not ahve been in town at the right time and missed important speeches or messages. Very important information that eveyone here nees to know about. But if you were not in town at the right time, you missed it.

New areas should be shared as well. The onle things to be gained by withholding this sort of info is wealth and a short lived power.

If anyone else has ideas as to how this can be done, I am open to suggestions.

You are right, folks that would normally keep this information to themselves would not post it either. Unless they had some sort of incentive to do so. This is where the thought of some sort of buying and selling of information idea came from.

Greed is a powerful thing. If people thought they might profit from their knowledge, they might be more prone to share or sell it.

[Nuvali]

Ok, Lilly, you raise one of the largest problems I have had with this island: trying to understand the difference between what is deemed appropriate information to share, and what is considered one of those find-it-yourself-because-its-more-fun-that-way quests. This is my gripe, not because of the puzzles or how they are delivered, but because I get the feeling (could be wrong) that most of us have tried to adopt certain standards concerning the kinds of information to share for the good of everyone, in contrast to what sorts of information should be withheld. Let's face it, how many of us have stumbled upon something or someone (especially when we just started) and thought that we just discovered or answered a riddle that no one else had? Exciting stuff! And that is precisely the sort of experience that everyone should get to experience.

On the flip side, there are certain plots that are driven by word of mouth, and those who get the honor and ability to participate. Fun stuff, too. But here's where the wrench gets stuck in the gears. You cannot effectively have it both ways, and expect everyone to react responsibly or consistantly with both. Sure, there is a good chance that Seekus (NPC--I'm making this up) in the fair grounds will explain a certain quest that eventually many people finish, and that most experienced people will realize that it would be best for *all* participants to remain silent to avoid deminishing other peoples' fun. But what about Seekus the non-NPC, who has some mind-blowing, event-altering information? How to react to him/her? Keep thine mouth shut (like we have been conditioned), or deliver it to everyone?

The answer might sound ridiculously simple, but it's not if you take into account Mr or Miss Smith who just walked off the ship and might be the KEY to unraveling the mystery. Of course, we could say that, "well then, Mr or Miss Smith will eventually catch up on the flow of information," but then that cheats those people who have spent months/years trying to find the answer. Granted, it might sound cool in a realistic-wow-we-finally-solved-the-mirror-quest-thanks-to-Smith way, but unfortunately even that scenario requires a major contradictory element: that those people who have been conditioned to keep info to themselves for months (even years) must constantly remain vigil and negotiate with whether the kind of knowledge they garner and guard should be eventually--or never--shared.

The line is too thin, and yet, *everyone* is required to walk on it.

[Lex]

I like discovering stuff too, but it's much less interesting to me if it's been figured out by other people. I mean, in real life, do you ever decide not to ask for directions when you're lost cause it's more fun to figure it out for yourself?

Things like making an alchemy bowl, which I wouldn't call a "quest", weren't done by one person anyway (at least no one that I know of figured it all out with no prior information). You'd either have to search everywhere or be really lucky. It was done because a few different people stumbled into certain areas and found stuff, then by sharing information realized they were connected.

When it comes to places like the foothills, I'm not too worried that PM doesn't share information. If they never existed the foothills would still be sitting there. What I am worried about is that things may have been set in motion because of their presence in such areas that we have no idea about. Things like how many shovels are available to the community, or whether or not a trainer is only available once then disappears (unlikely but you get the drift). I really hope this isn't the case.

Lex

[Corwin]

IC: Information should be shared.
OOC: Information should be shared or withheld; it depends on the character and how that character (or group of characters) is played.

Corwin
Schizoid Clown

[Farhope]

I am with Corwin here.

IC: if someone asks for an information and I know it, I will say it (I think :-)

OOC: I don't want that all informations are right under my eyes. Example: the "alchemy bowl" quest; I still haven't figured it, and I don't want the "solution", I want to try to solve the "puzzle" myself. It is like a little game for Farhope (and certainly for the player). I would hate to read the solution when I don't want...

but the information can be available: if I see something like "warning: spoilers...", I think it is ok.

--------

I don't know what to vote now: I am so afraid with the amount of work to do that!

[Lilly]

wow..corwin pretty much summed up everything I was trying to say in 2 sentences. <bows down in worship>

Arteress Lai

[Goric]

These are all interesting thoughts and I encourage more. I am not sure yet how this should work or if it should come into being at all. Spoiler messages would definelty be appropiate.

I must give this more thought.

[Babajaga]

Another thread I simply can

[Nuvali]

Babajaga said:
"Do you think it should be all or nothing at all?"

Both. Neither. Wait--no!! Where'd the line go? Ah! There it is ... no ... hmmm.

That was the quick version of my over-convoluted first version. What I probably should have added, to be fair, was that my gripe about the inconsistencies in how we should share various *kinds* of information, is also my applause at the lack of dichotomy on the matter. People will draw their lines differently, while some are still trying to figure where and how to draw theirs (like me). ;-)

[Goric]

Wow Baba!!! Again, I am very impressed at your knowledge, wisdom, and demeanor. How is it that you were never KNighted??

Focusing on one thing is a good idea. Right now though, I am unable to pursue this. I am not writing this from Puddlby so my words must be brief. Though I hope that I can in the forseeable future.