Is there a future for virtual bars or are they the future?

[alyssah]

I have copied this over from my post in another thread but think it deserves comment in it's own right.

I have been trying to find out the cost of getting a small project of my own going and I can't even consider the cost of the interest never mind the capital. Since I am not going to be able to develope it, I will put it in here & find out how much common sense the devs really have.

To set the scenario; I don't drink at home but will drown myself in a pub. However, the other night I was chatting to Drafly online and decided to have a nice Spanish brandy with my coffee. It didn't feel decadent. In fact I enjoyed it so much I had another three just for experimental purposes.

I then took it a stage further. What if the Capital cities each had a virtual bar? My thoughts took me to a section for voice IRC and a section for written chat while we all sat at home drinking our fav tipple (Perrier or something) while in the company of our friends. Was this a way to alleviate some of the boredom while waiting on the next dev stage?

Then I went a step further. Drinking at home is about three times cheaper than drinking in a pub. It's also a lot less distance to stagger at the end of the night. What about when the no smoking ban effects our favourite local? What about using a web cam section? What about Nevrax starting an open virtual pub with a monthly fee to non SoR players?

I then realised that virtual pubs were going to happen, sometime on the web. Nevrax, this is your opportunity to be first as I could not find one anywhere using Google. Do you need an extra source of steady income? Is the Pope a Catholic? These and many more philosophical discussions could be had at home, in your office, at the airport or during rainy days on holiday. How about it guys. Nevrax already has about 80% of the development in place.

Just remember, you saw it here first. Unfortunately I won't get a penny for it but, what the heck. If it gets us a few extra devs it will be worthwhile.

[aylwyne]

Your idea got me thinking about something that might be pretty fun for the in-game bars.

They should allow your character to buy drinks and get intoxicated. When you get drunk, your controls would start behaving erratically. For example, if you're trying to walk forward, you would randomly turn and/or stop. Likewise, when you were performing actions from your hands bar, sometimes the action wouldn't work or it could even perform the wrong action if you're really drunk. Targeting could also be affected. Now and then your target would just change by itself since drunk people are easily distracted.

In addition to the controls behaving strangely, the system could randomly replace characters in your chat messages to "slur" your speech. The more drunk you get, the more characters are replaced.

If they had this, instead of a normal world tour, you could do a pub crawl. That last leg of the trip might be a bit interesting when everyone is sloshed and can't control their avatars

[mmatto]

This sounds more like Second Life or There. They probably already has that

[vinnyq]

here's a question:

If you're drinking heavily by yourself physically, but with other pple online, are you still an alchoholic?

Hmmmmmm ....

tough one.

[alyssah]

Fyrx - the modern name is alcohol dependant. This would be a question which you could pose in the VB. Then you may get invited outside to the PvP area where you could settle any disagreement. Or you may prefer a challenge pool match or dominoes or darts or cards or just have a nice social drink talking about unimportant trivia like do you think Nevrax will survive past Christmas?

There already exists sufficient development for this to take place now (except the pub games). We could all gather in GH or in the great hall in Pyr & talk in local. I thought Nevrax could improve on it by enhancing this sort of social event by giving us the background etc to add another touch of RP to RL.

Mark my words - Virtual Bars will happen & someone is going to make a few dollars from it.

[grimjim]

come to our second Samsara pub night at the Thesos bar tonight (8:30pm UK time) and perform some more research

[vinnyq]

can't you goofball! Thanks for hosting it at butcrack of early afternoon where no working NAers can possibly makie it!

[alyssah]

come to our second Samsara pub night at the Thesos bar tonight (8:30pm UK time) and perform some more research

Thx for the invite. I'll get the coffee & brandy ready in case someone else wants a drink. Is it open to all of the GA or is it a closed night?

[sprite]

Thx for the invite. I'll get the coffee & brandy ready in case someone else wants a drink. Is it open to all of the GA or is it a closed night?

Its open to everyone

[grimjim]

can't you goofball! Thanks for hosting it at butcrack of early afternoon where no working NAers can possibly makie it!

Tough plop.

Besides, you lot get drunk on shandy, we're serious drinkers!