Based on feedback from this thread, and to avoid the desire to log onto someone else's account to transfer items, this thread is devoted to designing a potential item storage system for separate accounts to be able to use. Users, Devs, everybody add your technical and theoretical thoughts and ideas and I will update this as needed! Ideas:
I think we're missing one important thing here: a poll to find out if people actually want some kind of shared storage system. So I hope you'll forgive me for adding one! EDIT: Also, thank you very much for starting this thread! =)
I'm all in favor for this being added, but who's gonna take the time to code all this stuff in? What I hear, the staff is swamped with other (IMO) higher priority issues, and this just adds more work to their their list. Will any non-staff members who have knowledge in the area be willing to reserve time to write code for this? Is it difficult? Can we help with anythint else than suggestions? I have no knowledge whatsoever in any coding languages, so my view on this is purely from curiosity.
Something you need to bear in mind is that currently and recently, a number of members of staff have had very little time to do anything due to finals/projects/end of semester work etc etc. Come the summer, we should have a fair bit more free time. Also, we've fairly recently recruited extra GMs, so the rest of us have more time to work on things other than GM-ing. We also had a fairly huge backlog of stuff from the time when we didn't have an active developer.
I've voted No for this poll simply due to the fact that I fear if sharing items are encouraged, there could be more incidents where someone will lose another's shared item if the borrower gets their account banned. Alternatively, when a friend or guild mate borrows an item and becomes inactive, there could be further issues regarding item loss; further encouraging dispute between the lender of the item and the borrower. I've not been on this server for too long, but I have seen my share of inactive characters after a period of play within my guild.
This actually is a pretty big issue that should be seriously considered. The trouble with having a shared item system is that it implies the staff are in support of item sharing. The staff should not be in support of item sharing because of the many problems it can cause.
The thing with item-sharing is that people are doing it anyway and already taking risks. Not just one or two people, but a lot of people. Obviously, people would be using shared storage at their own risk, but what we're currently working on would add logs of who withdrew what and when, as well as providing lists of people who are allowed to withdraw items from the shared storage. It would actually provide more accountability than currently exists when sharing items.
I think a sharing system may actually solve items getting lost due inactivity? If someone quits, and (s)he still has the items on her/him you have no way of getting them. Because you can not get into the account. If that person would put the items in the storage, they're accesable by whoever is in that storage. Therefor, the item is not in a locked position.
If you were to use shared storage to share an item with a 'friend' who then either steals the item or takes the item and gets banned. That should just be your own fault for choosing to share items with that person. And should not be any of the staff members responsibility.
Would it be possible to automate the return of shared items to shared storage after a set amount of days of inactivity? Like if I borrow my buddy's equip then forget to return it to shared storage and decide to take a month off of Royals without notice, could the server detect the borrowed item like an overdue library book and automatically return it to storage? That'd be badass.
What if the item is yours and you no longer want to share your item with the rest of your guild? It would still end up going back into the shared storage after a certain amount of time.
True. That would make it too complicated anyway. A simple system with a 'use at your own risk' policy would probably be best. Straightforward use and maximum accountability.
I'd recommend a warning that the storage is at your own risk when a person first uses. Just so that it is really clear.
