Autodeletion!

[Optimystic]

You guys have probably got this one before, but it bears repeating :)

City of Arabel has a script that allows characters in the Fugue to whitelight - the server deletes them automatically after a reset without a DM request. Maybe you could ask them, DM to DM, how they do it and stick a nice shaft of white light in the CoJ?

Not only would it cut down on the "please delete my character" threads, it would also create more roleplay opportunities. Imagine going from this:

{Party has just wiped. In the Fugue:}
"[Nadia Nogood]: [Party] // Ok guys, these wipes cost me too much exp, I'm getting this char deleted."

To this:

{Party has just wiped. In the Fugue:}
[Nadia Nogood]: I... I'm sorry everyone... Our deaths were due to my failure. Go back if you must... I will seek my rightful punishment in the beyond.
[Good Characters]: No! It's not your fault! Don't be rash!
[Evil Characters]: Go on, get out of here then! You were useless anyway!
[Neutral Characters]: It is your decision. You must do what you feel is right.
{After a round of bitter name-calling and exhortations, Nadia dashes tears from her ghostly eyes and leaps into the shaft of white light that leads to her deity's home plane, leaving the others in stunned silence.}

I like the second one better, don't you? :mrgreen:

[Snoteye]

Not going to happen for a number of reasons. You can search for "white light" on the old forums for details.

[Thomas_Not_very_wise]

No.


Dm's are always willing to destroy characters.

[Vlaid]

People in CoA often whitelight out of frustration and end up regretting it later.

It's best to make people have to jump through the hoop of contacting a DM to delete a PC if they really want to never play it again.

Just not a good idea to let people be able to destroy all the work they did with a PC with a single click in a moment's anger.

[Sternhund]

The reason we don't have the "whitelight" is because of server complications. Yes, it's possible, but it's far too much work to implement in our intense matrix of database systems. I'd rather we spend our time running DM quests and creating new scripts and DM tools than do this. It's easier for us, and better for you since we invest our time in your favor, to just ask a DM to wipe your vault every so often.

[Sandstorm]

I do not mean to insult, but it seems more like you'd go from
 
Player A: I hate dying, I'm permaing!
..
Player A: Alright, maybe I'll give it another chance
 
 
to
 
Player A: Damnit, I hate dying [whitelight]
..
Player A: Ugh, I wish I didn't delete! I liked playing him, he was so fun.

[lovethesuit]

People delete characters in anger or frustration and later wish they hadn't.

[JackOfSwords]

Perhaps there could be a thread where you post that you'd like a vault deleted?  I've asked 3 or 4 times to have my vault (JackOfSwords) deleted, including via PM's, and DM's either couldn't help me or have forgotten.  I quit asking because I hate to bug the DM's over something so minor, and instead I just keep creating alternate accounts when a vault gets confusing.  Doing that, though, gives me an icky feeling, because I must have several dozen accounts by now with half a dozen characters each that will never be used again.

It would benefit both players and DM's if there was an area on the forums to request it, as DM's wouldn't get bothered in-game or via extra PM's, and players could make the request and know it would eventually get taken care of.

[Snoteye]

I usually take care of that, but it's much easier for me with a PM than having to regularly check a thread for updates.

[Johannes]

An administrative disaster. This is unlikely to ever happen on EfU, sorry - it isn't so much for a lack of means or knowledge as a lack of DM oversight over deletions.

[Optimystic]

All right, shot down. So the response has been overwhelmingly negative...

I can see you guys are using the gun control argument: "make them go through a lengthy process so that they think twice about it." For those of us that do whitelight responsibly, it's just tedious. And Snoteye's posts lead me to believe that the DMs sometimes have trouble keeping up with deletion requests. Nevertheless, it's your call.

[Snoteye]

We don't have trouble keeping up with deletion requests if they're filed sensibly. It happens we get them where we don't expect them which usually means we forget them -- having to check a thread regularly isn't something I'd remember. It's both very easy and fast, however, so I'm perfectly willing to handle such requests.

[JackOfSwords]

We don't have trouble keeping up with deletion requests if they're filed sensibly.

What is the preferred method, then?

I've tried:
(a)  On the DM channel, was told try another DM some other time
(b)  In IRC, where I was told to post a request in the forum
(c)  On the forum, where my post was answered and I was told to PM a specific DM
(d)  PM to the specific DM, which was never answered

[Snoteye]

Well, that's unfortunate, but likely due to bad luck.

1) The DM channel isn't usually the best way because we easily miss it and the journal isn't ideal for taking notes. Especially not when most DMs in game usually don't do this sort of work in the first place.
2) Purely a matter of who you catch -- ideally, the DM should have told you to ask me instead of posting somewhere on the forum, but no matter. If you do catch me feel free to ask. If I'm not currently active, leave a PM, I always see them even if I don't answer, and I tend to be around a lot. This is the best way if you want to be sure requests are processed.
3) See 2). I must have missed this post for some reason for whatever reason.
4) PM me. For requests like these, I sometimes don't answer, but if you notice I still haven't done it after a few days (I may have checked my inbox at a time where I wasn't able to handle it and since forgotten), don't be afraid to remind me.

Lastly, we used to take these requests on email, too. You can still do this, but since the forum migration it isn't being checked nearly as often. When I do check it, I'll catch up on any such requests as far as possible, though.

I've made a lot of self-references in this post. See user title for explanation. I'm not the only one who can do this, by no means, but it is part of the reason I'm here and there's no reason to waste the client DMs' precious time with mundane stuff like this.