A bell for out-of-game communication

[Wirt]

So, I've been thinking - what if you've met a guy in the game and started doing things together, but don't want to share your personal details like e-mail, but still want to stay in touch - preferably, using in-game tools, because I like my games self-sufficient. There's two ideas that I'll post over two threads, like I'm supposed to. The other thread is here.

The first one is pretty simple and really doesn't add any new mechanics, just recombine existing ones. Basically, it's a construction that allows anyone to send you a Jabber message, using the same system as trespassing notifications, from the game, without having to leave a scent. Or simply letting you know your attention is wanted if you're away.
I'm using mundane descriptions, but these things are clearly magical - after all, only the hearthling they're tied to hears them, and this "sound" carries far beyond what sound usually does. Putting a dream into all of them kind of, sort of means that.
It's actually a few constructions for you to choose from. The difference is how far you have to be to hear it. Otherwise, they work the same: they're tied to a specific hearthling, and when anyone uses them, if the hearthling they're calling to is within range, they get an in-game message "[name] is calling for you" if online, or the same message via Jabber if offline. Naturally, they have to be subscribed to Jabber for that. A nice addition would be customisable (By the owner) messages.
The actual range depends on the quality, but they all stay within their scale.
Knocking board: quite simple. It's a board you (Wait for it!) knock on! Built from a block of wood and "A beautiful dream!". The range scale is a couple screens - just enough to cover your claim.
Small bell: wooden block, string, a couple nuggets of metal and two dreams. Scale is several local maps, but less than a full region.
Outright magical thingamabob: whatever, but rare and expensive - I can't really name any mythological calling devices. Range should be up to a supergrid.

They're easily exploitable. To avoid that, every time a hearthling uses one, it takes some time to "recharge" - around a half-hour at least. Or something.

Yeah. The idea's rather raw. Kind of expecting someone to add to it.

[DatOneGuy]

Could use some fleshing out but a way to call someone ingame would be dynamite, relying on IRC/forums can be a real pain in the ass for people who don't use IRC and rarely check the forums, I've taken weeks to get in touch with someone that otherwise should have been doable in a day before.

[Wirt]

What do you think's missing? I know it's something, but I can't put my finger on it.

[Jackard]

Why does it have an effective range and cooldown? Think about it - doesnt that simply encourage people to continue using out of game communication instead of this ingame mechanic?

You're basically shooting yourself in the foot here. As Avu would put it, 'another pointless feature.'

[dra6o0n]

Ask Gilbertus if this is possible to implement into a client, allowing you to "open" a additional app that sits in your background icon bar and alerts you of stuff from the game?

Problem is that this is all network related stuff so I dunno about this... You have to create one part server sided first before you can make a third party mod that enables you to be called back into the game.

[DatOneGuy]

Ask Gilbertus if this is possible to implement into a client, allowing you to "open" a additional app that sits in your background icon bar and alerts you of stuff from the game?

Problem is that this is all network related stuff so I dunno about this... You have to create one part server sided first before you can make a third party mod that enables you to be called back into the game.

That would still be out of game.

[Wirt]

Why does it have an effective range and cooldown? Think about it - doesnt that simply encourage people to continue using out of game communication instead of this ingame mechanic?

Effective range is for some incentive to improve. It's not necessary (As in, I wouldn't be angry if it was gone), but it's a nice thing to have, in my opinion.
The cooldown is protection against exploiting: it's not fun when some guy decides to annoy you and starts banging on your Jabber. You can instead change it to a "debuff" given to the hearthling using it, but what's stopping a potential griefer from making a dozen characters?

[Jackard]

Look if you dont want to be contacted you simply turn it off or not build one in the first place.

youre being counterproductive. are you familiar with KISS? check my sig

[Wirt]

Look if you dont want to be contacted you simply turn it off or not build one in the first place.

youre being counterproductive. are you familiar with KISS? check my sig

Yes, I am quite familiar with the principle, and I agree with what your sig says completely (By the way, that .gif). But there is a lot of ground between "not wanting to be contacted at all" and "wanting to be contacted by everyone, every time they want to". I want to be contacted by the dozen people living around me, but I know there's an arsehole living around who'd just go around ringing bells he can see for a few dozen times. I'm forced to build in a counter just for that guy.
Wouldn't you be annoyed if someone started sending you dozens of IM's (Via your system of choice) when you're, say, working, trying to concentrate, or playing something else, multiplayer and fullscreen, and can't quite react to them? I would be. In fact, I have some friends who like doing just that and the first thing they usually get is a mouthful.

I fail to see how having a cooldown for this specific feature is counterproductive, anyway. Out of game, it's Jabber, so it's logged; if you're at the computer, you're very unlikely to miss it, and if you're away, you'll see the blinking notification the moment you turn the screen saver off. In-game, if you can't come back right away (Travel->hearth fire?), you're probably busy. Either way, one notification that someone wanted you per half-hour is enough. Not a lot will happen during that time. You'll probably still catch them if you come up during that cooldown. "Double-tapping for emphasis"? No thanks.

Yes, it can be made to accept messages from, say, only people on your kin list, or customisable, kind of like a claim is. But that's overcomplicating things, isn't it?

[DatOneGuy]

That's a problem with your choice in friends, not the system.