Designers Advice..

[Sharnath]

I've been playing for about a decade now and have just recently stumbled across these boards. Anyone care to take a look at me and give a few suggestions as to the things I wear?

You see Sharnath.
He appears to be a Sylvankind of the Tyesteron D'ahranal.
He appears to be very young and taller than average. He has piercing stormy grey eyes and tanned skin. He has very long, braided platinum hair with a black streak running through it. He has an angular face and sharply-curved pointed ears.
He has a sigil-incised dark bloodjewel spike in his left nostril.
He is in good shape.
He is wearing a smooth featureless mask, a vine-twisted silver talisman fastened with a stylized elven leaf clasp, a diaphanous hooded silver spidersilk cloak trimmed with elegant sylvan sigils, a darkened mithril pocket chain from which dangles a vaalin black rose charm, a broken pair of elven manacles with rhimar chains, a dark vaalorn-spiked battleshield, an elven wayfinders baldric with a vaalin-bladed sylvan battle scythe and a long-bladed sylvan hunting knife secured to it, some forest green brigandine, a time-worn scabbard encircled with archaic Sylvan runes, an old cracked leather belt pouch, a pair of steel grey leather pants, and some chain-clasped tall black vruul hide boots.

[Jacare]

Sigils and runes are so 1998. I am also not a fan of battle- or war- anythings. With the exception of common items like battleaxes and waraxes, these items either tend toward the ridiculous (a faendryl battlecloak) or redundant (war claidhmore).

I'm on the fence about the overruse of "sylvan" (or any racial identifier) in the alters. What exactly does a sylvan battle scythe look like? I'd rather see you use materials or adjectives that make me think "hey, that really looks like something a sylvan elf would use or wear".

[Asha]

Too many items, too many long descs and forest green brig is ew.
I like Sylvans in dark clothing though and you get extra points for using a scythe.
Mask is nice too. Shame it's not a feature hider.

[Jolena]

Less is more and though I like some of the items that you have in your character inventory, there are too many items in my opinion. Also, most of them are long descriptions, which leads to making your inventory a rather large block of text when another character looks at you. This is a bit jarring and causes most folks not to want to take the time to look.

That being said, I would suggest that you change a few things to shows so that it flows better and shortens the block of text. A good rule of thumb is 3-4 lines or less. Take off the armor when you are not hunting, unless it is a RP for your character to never have off their armor. Place the shield in your cloak or other container as well when not hunting, as it just takes up unnecessary space in your inventory.

Aside from that, you might look into changing the description of some of your things to not say "Sylvan" as most people will object and say that they would not know automatically what a Sylvan whatever is, just by looking at it. It is much more effective (as someone else has mentioned here already) to research some of the woods/metals/materials/gems used by Sylvans traditionally and construct your items from those instead. The educated person (on Sylvans anyhow) will realize it is a Sylvan styled whatever, and the uneducated person will not. Either way it is not forcing a character to automatically know "Hey, that's Sylvan!", and forcing is never a good thing. It also might open up RP opportunities for you where you have a chance to explain something of your character's background and culture by telling someone about those same items and why they are made of what they are made of.

Hope that helps.

[MotleyCrew]

Thread robbing in progress!

Ok, now that I have your attention. How would you describe Elrond's (LOTR movies) hair-do for a feature alteration. Where he has the top part of his hair bound, the bottom half hanging loose and the two loose knotted pieces hanging from his temples?

Thanks in advance :)

[Darkthanion]

I have a bit more insight into the descriptors of this item since i was the one that made it (barring someone copying the general idea, mine had a extensive show description that had a lot more detail as to the inner working of this weapon.
If this is the same weapon it was originally owned by Lady Maryaine Leya's-child, It is a one handed weapon 7 or 8x and heavily crit weighted, and used to have a matching vallin-edged translucent glaes shield.
I used the descriptor Battle-scythe, to define its purpose, rather than a regular scythe which would be used for agriculture-harvesting. Sylvans are generally a nature-based race, so adapting that into a weapon seemed right. Its been a good 5 years since this weapon dissappeared along with Lady Maryaine, so i cant remember the exact show description, perhaps he would be able to shed some light on that for us.

[Elvenlady]

How would you describe Elrond's (LOTR movies) hair-do for a feature alteration. Where he has the top part of his hair bound, the bottom half hanging loose and the two loose knotted pieces hanging from his temples?

I tried to emulate Arwen's hair with the "two loose knotted pieces hanging from her temples" with my Priestess. Hope this helps.

She has lustrous, hip-length silver blonde hair with an elaborate chain of loosely knotted loops hanging down from each temple.

[thefarmer]

I have a bit more insight into the descriptors of this item since i was the one that made it (barring someone copying the general idea, mine had a extensive show description that had a lot more detail as to the inner working of this weapon.
If this is the same weapon it was originally owned by Lady Maryaine Leya's-child, It is a one handed weapon 7 or 8x and heavily crit weighted, and used to have a matching vallin-edged translucent glaes shield.
I used the descriptor Battle-scythe, to define its purpose, rather than a regular scythe which would be used for agriculture-harvesting. Sylvans are generally a nature-based race, so adapting that into a weapon seemed right. Its been a good 5 years since this weapon dissappeared along with Lady Maryaine, so i cant remember the exact show description, perhaps he would be able to shed some light on that for us.

I remember when Mary made that scythe, then pwnd hard me when we went hunting together. I hated that she sold it without letting me know, then disappeared.

However, the other day I saw her character logoff in the early AM. Whether or not that's actually her, I have no idea but hopefully I'll be able to find/catch her and find out.

[Darkthanion]

I can say that it is not me that has been logging on on Maryaine, I left the game for a few years. And just recently came back now that my life is settled down only to find out she was transferred off my account. I think my ex was behind it (as shes behind everything else that went wrong in my life at that time. and i know she hated that i played so much), as she had access to my e-mail, knew the answer to my security question and even had access to credit cards with my name on em. Even likely possible that the character was stripped to make it even worse for me, im fighting with Simu right now to get her back cuz i sure as hell never sold her or gave any permission for her transfer, anyone who knew me/her would have known that.
If any of my old friends want to contact me, Im in the game under the name Martagain Leya's-Child(noob lvl 8 rogue)
Starting over sucks ass...
Darkthanion@sbcglobal.net

[Sharnath]

The scythe is 8x heavily crit weighted and it has the following show:

The vaalin-blade has been polished and sharpened to an almost translucent sheen and is connected to the modwir haft with emerald inset vultite studs. A great sylvan city is carved into the haft rising into the trees in all its glory. The words 'Given to protect our forest, our home" is scrawled across the face of the blade in the ancient language of the faerykin. You also notice a small enchanter's glyph.

I have been in possession of the scythe for at least five years I would think and I obtained it from Sergey so he may can shed some light on where it come from.
Hope you find what your are looking for.

Sharnath
Weed Mage

[Asha]

That absolutely pwnes. I remember seeing it on your character (must have been you) and thought that just wins.

[Sharnath]

I have used it since I was old enough to hold it and when the time comes where its too dangerous to use it in say OTF I'll hang it up somewhere for the memories. I even tried archery for about a month but just couldn't do it. Sharnath has to carry the scythe.

Sharnath
Weed Mage