Posted February 10, 2014 Oohh I like this idea! It really makes sense, we are fairly powerful magic users, but of course there are going to be spells we just don't know. There are things, like unfreezing and hatchie-incubate, that have been suggested over and over again in the BSA forum and get shot down every time because there *is* no dragon capable of doing that. So as long as scroll-spells are only those things, those actions that just can't happen through BSAs, I don't see it impacting BSA suggestions at all. The only concerns I see here are how common/rare they would be, and how exactly the 'scroll' functions once you have it. Personally I have to wonder, if you grab a spell-scroll for unfreezing, and you use the spell, what's the in-cave reason for it disappearing and the user having to acquire another one in order to unfreeze again? I mean, what exactly IS the spell-scroll? If it's simply a specific spell written on a scroll that you find, then why wouldn't you be able to memorize it and use it whenever? Unless the scroll itself contains some sort of magic that you need... I'm definitely not in favor of being able to memorize and use anything, I'm just wondering what exactly would stop us from doing so. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 Oohh I like this idea! It really makes sense, we are fairly powerful magic users, but of course there are going to be spells we just don't know. There are things, like unfreezing and hatchie-incubate, that have been suggested over and over again in the BSA forum and get shot down every time because there *is* no dragon capable of doing that. So as long as scroll-spells are only those things, those actions that just can't happen through BSAs, I don't see it impacting BSA suggestions at all. The only concerns I see here are how common/rare they would be, and how exactly the 'scroll' functions once you have it. Personally I have to wonder, if you grab a spell-scroll for unfreezing, and you use the spell, what's the in-cave reason for it disappearing and the user having to acquire another one in order to unfreeze again? I mean, what exactly IS the spell-scroll? If it's simply a specific spell written on a scroll that you find, then why wouldn't you be able to memorize it and use it whenever? Unless the scroll itself contains some sort of magic that you need... I'm definitely not in favor of being able to memorize and use anything, I'm just wondering what exactly would stop us from doing so. I know that in many games spell scrolls are only able to be used once. Perhaps the spell is something that you can't memorize due to the language used or some magic in the scroll itself. You have to use the scroll by reading the spell and in that action the scroll is used up and disappears. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 You have to use the scroll by reading the spell and in that action the scroll is used up and disappears. Okay, that makes a little more sense. DC is the only game I play regularly so I have no frame of reference of what "scroll spells" are, but it makes sense if there's something magic about the scroll that it disappears after being used. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 I must have missed something - I would think the spell can only be used once ? I think you're confusing "lifespan" with number of uses. - The scroll would sit in "inventory" until used and not loose power with time - Once used, the scroll would vanish (ie, it can only be used ones). Cheers! C4. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 I think this is an interesting idea, and I could support it if it is only for things that make no sense as a BSA for any existing dragon. Unfreeze I would never use, but if we get a hatchie incubate ability I would certainly use that. Except I am not sure how useful that would be, either, if it is only good on hatchies that weren't incubated as eggs -- I incubate everything, except the rare few AP eggs that are on the verge of hatching anyway. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 I'd love a spell scroll for a hatchling version of Incubate (although I see no reason why you couldn't use it on hatchlings that were incubated as eggs), but what I'd really like is a spell scroll that would allow us to *add* time to eggs or hatchlings. I can't even describe how useful that would be, for trading and such. Other cool ideas would be a gender-changing spell or an egg freezing spell. Here's how I'd like the spell scrolls to be if we get them: -They shouldn't drop like rares. Not super common either but definitely not rare. -Each scroll would have a *selection* of spells and you could choose any of the spell scroll spells from each scroll. In other words, no "unfreezing" scrolls and "add time scrolls", it's all the same scroll with a list of spells to choose from. Technically it doesn't even have to be a scroll. It could be a spellbook, or a wand, a bag of magic dust, or any other magical trinket. But that's incidental and I think scrolls are fine. -I don't think they should expire. You should be able to keep it until you use it. -There should be a limit to how many scrolls you can carry in your hands/pack at any one time. You shouldn't be able to keep an unlimited number of them. I think maybe 3-7 per user at any one time is enough. This would stop people from just grabbing a whole bunch and then never using them, but at the same time it would still allow users to grab a few and keep them for a future need. -Make them tradeable and transferable. If someone happens to grab one by reflex and they don't need it and don't expect to need it anytime soon, why shouldn't they be able to offer it to someone who would trade them something of value for it? Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) Very much like. My preferences... 1. Drops like an uncommon 2. Has a list of available spells - unfreeze, incubate hatchling, add time to egg/hatchling, etc. 3. Can only have 1 scroll at a time 4. Is good until used 5. Is NOT tradeable, but can be Gifted removed, too easy to abuse I do not think this should be used to change a scroll name tho. That's something that should stay under TJ's control. I'd be afraid of scammers using that ability to defraud players. But I believe that if you PM TJ and include a very good reason, he will change your scroll name for you. Edited February 11, 2014 by Cinnamin Draconna Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 Very much like. My preferences... 1. Drops like an uncommon 2. Has a list of available spells - unfreeze, incubate hatchling, add time to egg/hatchling, etc. 3. Can only have 1 scroll at a time 4. Is good until used 5. Is NOT tradeable, but can be Gifted I do not think this should be used to change a scroll name tho. That's something that should stay under TJ's control. I'd be afraid of scammers using that ability to defraud players. But I believe that if you PM TJ and include a very good reason, he will change your scroll name for you. The only reason I thought of Scroll Name Change is because I recall TJ saying he was working on a way for members to change their own scroll names. This would make that possible. I can't find his post, so maybe my memory is at fault. I can/will take that out if I am wrong. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 5. Is NOT tradeable, but can be Gifted People might trade using two teleports though :c Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 5. Is NOT tradeable, but can be Gifted The only comment I have on this is that as long as there is any way to get them from one scroll to another then they will be 'traded' in an unofficial fashion, e.g. trade a CB gold for an AP junk egg, get 'gifted' a scroll. But I do think this is a fantastic idea overall. Could we have a scroll that knocks the breed time of an dragon down by a day or two? Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 You're right, gifting would be too easy to abuse... scratched that out. So just plain not tradeable. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) I'd rather they be tradeable because there's different spells and a person might either not be able to catch them or they keep getting the wrong one. Sure, being able to abandon it helps but it's a lot more convenient when you can trade with someone else and both get what they want. Maybe just trade scroll-for-scroll? Edit: oh, would one scroll hold all the spells? Then this isn't needed, I guess. Edited February 11, 2014 by Shadowdrake Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I think this is a very neat idea. c: My prefereces / suggestions: I am against spell scrolls with dragon BSAs. BSAs help a dragon to get more useful, if the scrolls are going to be common I would rather catch the spell scroll instead of the dragon, and if they are going to be rather rare it wouldn't be useful for new players anymore, in my opinion. Speaking of the rarity, I would prefer if the scrolls in general are rather rare. Maybe a little more common than chickens, leetle trees and dinos, since thy aren't jokes but still no dragons. c: However, I would also like if the different scroll spells have slightly different rarities, too, depending on their spell. I like the idea of one spell scroll per user at a time and being able to gift / abandon them only. When I first saw this topic, I thought the spell on the scroll is very complicated, too complicated to just make them on your own. As soon as the spell is used, the spell scroll could turn into dust. c: Just an idea. Also, I think I have another spell idea: Egg reviving. I hope everything I wrote makes sense. ^^ Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Ooooo, this is a very intriguing idea! It fits the game so well, and could be extremely helpful in many ways. If we don't get Unfreeze as a scroll action, I'd love to see it attached to something like this, along with a host of other magical actions. My vote: -- Each spell scroll can be used for a number of actions, selected from all existing BSAs and a number of the proposed actions that have not yet been assigned to a dragon. These could be shuffled around or each scroll could just have all the possible actions. -- A user can only hold one spell scroll at a time. -- Drops not uber-common, but common enough that someone with slow internet could catch them. -- No expiration - you can hold them until you use them. -- Tradeable and giftable if varying actions are on the scroll. ETA: I'd like to see BSAs in the possibilities for the sake of newbies who haven't yet been able to collect enough of the BSA dragons. In addition, I think it's very important that, if there are actions on the spell scrolls that are unobtainable any other way, the scrolls are semi-common drops so that those with slower internet/click ability/etc. are able to catch or trade for them. Edited February 11, 2014 by LibbyLishly Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 The scroll name change is a brilliant idea. I was thinking the other day - what about freezing eggs? Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 The scroll name change is a brilliant idea. I was thinking the other day - what about freezing eggs? I still don't agree with being able to change your own scroll name.. I'm afraid it could be badly abused by unscrupulous folk. But for egg freezing? That would be ultra AWESOME!!!!! Not being able to freeze eggs is one of the reasons I don't collect frozen hatchlings.. you can't complete the entire sprite set without the eggs too. So yes! 200% support for Spell Scrolls being able to freeze eggs. Will give me a new reason to keep playing.. collecting all the sprite sets! Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) I still don't agree with being able to change your own scroll name.. I'm afraid it could be badly abused by unscrupulous folk. I'm not sure how. Especially if they are limited, like can only change names every six months or so, like on dA. I mean, the MOST I can see is maybe getting on someone's IOU/breeding list multiple times, and I highly doubt that would work well and that they wouldn't get caught doing it. Edited February 11, 2014 by Nectaris Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I've personally liked the idea of scrolls for spells since it was suggested for ascension way back when. The idea that any one scroll could have multiple uses is also great: not everyone will use ANY of the spells that might be added to it, but ALL of them will be wanted by SOME people or they wouldn't be added. Thus a great compromise. Spells (what I've seen in the thread or elsewhere): Unfreezing: I would use it if added, but I can live without it. Freezing eggs: does this get rid of the "what happens to the hatchling inside" argument? I do want to collect eggs, but not sure how the spell would implement this. BSA spells: great for Newbies or others that haven't collected those dragons. and doesn't hurt those who have the dragons already. hatchling incubate: comes down to rp mechanics again. Scroll name change: TJ has said he is working on a way for users to do this themselves, so if it can be coded to this, then great. ascension: is that still a maybe future thing? or did it die? Ungender/gender: this was in the should freezing be permanent thread? Some individuals wanted only to take S1 to S2 hatchies and others suggested going the other way. If it can be done, I see no reason a spell couldn't take a frozen hatchling to a different state. Youthen: Something I suggested as a BSA a long time ago. unfortunately the only dragon that made sense was the Time dragon which never made it off the completed list and was later axed. But the ability to take an adult back to a gendered FROZEN hatchling would be very nice. (I've had over 50 dragons grow up while waiting for them to gender on me. I've gotten better over the years but it is still annoying as heck) and yes, auto frozen so they can't be traded is must. (just like unfreeze needs to auto grow up) scrolls should be tradable: some people will have no use for them at all. but I also agree that users should have a limited amount they can have. Less than 10 certainly, though 1 and 1 only is a little extreme I think. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I like the idea, especially for egg freezing! I'm not too sure about scroll name changing though... Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I wonder if another limitation to usage of spell scrolls should be that once a spell is used on an egg/hatchling/dragon that egg/hatchling/dragon is then stuck to your scroll- can't be traded/gifted/abandoned, but can be released(or not)? Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I wonder if another limitation to usage of spell scrolls should be that once a spell is used on an egg/hatchling/dragon that egg/hatchling/dragon is then stuck to your scroll- can't be traded/gifted/abandoned, but can be released(or not)? Makes sense! "The magic scroll dissolves, leaving a puddle of paste at your enchanted dragon's feet, making it unable to leave your side." Throwing in my LOUD support for the egg freezing idea! Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 I wonder if another limitation to usage of spell scrolls should be that once a spell is used on an egg/hatchling/dragon that egg/hatchling/dragon is then stuck to your scroll- can't be traded/gifted/abandoned, but can be released(or not)? Maybe not 'stuck' but the effects could be undone just like current BSA effects, meaning that you had wasted the scroll. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 There have been various suggestions relating to adding an "inventory" of usable items. It certainly creates a nice opportunity to expand the game by opening a lot of possibilities I think my main concern is that it opens up this catchall for shoving a bunch of random features. No frontrunner for a hatchling incubate BSA? Make it a spell scroll! No one can decide how to do egg freezing? Make it a spell scroll! And so on. That is to say, if spell items become the simplest way to add new mechanics, why make BSAs or other mechanics that have some sort of RP justification when you can just say "lol magic?" If there's no reason not to, why not just replace incubate and influence and such with spell scrolls? Etc. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 Because freezing is already a scroll action it does make sense to me that unfreezing would be something similar to that. Of course there are cautions and conditions that are being discussed in the unfreezing thread related to that. Having it be a spell scroll might help some of the issues raised in the other thread though. Having a spell scroll that can "youthen" a frozen hatchling also makes sense to me because you're applying an additional spell onto an already bespelled creature. Gotta be careful with that sort of thing. It makes sense to me that freezing eggs would be a spell scroll because the action should be similar to freezing hatchlings. It's a little more involved, magically, though. Regular freezing means casting a powerful magic spell that stops a young dragon from aging. Freezing an egg means inducing a very young dragon to be content staying in its comfy shell forever and never succumbing to the drive to go out and explore the world. There are already a couple dragons in cave that I think qualify for a hatchling "incubate" type BSA, though one I wouldn't really recommend because coppers are not common - that is, if a hatchling "incubate" BSA like the proposed Nurture makes sense. Obviously TJ hasn't implemented it yet, so perhaps to him it doesn't. I'd rather see a hatchling "incubate" as a BSA than a spell scroll. I'm completely on the fence about renaming your scroll being a spell scroll or not, because I'd never use it. Therefore I haven't given the pros and cons of that much thought. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Actually, to further diversify between scroll things and BSAs... What if these scroll spells were just, well, scrolls? - Pattern Scrolls: new scroll backgrounds - Message Scrolls: leave messages describing your scroll, wish list, contact info, whatever - Plain Scrolls: think the tabs suggestion for further organizing our dragons - Letter Scrolls: send a message to another user (users must enable receiving messages) - New Scroll: name change feature (maybe could also display old username for a while?) And so on. Edited February 11, 2014 by angelicdragonpuppy Share this post Link to post
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