Message History Dump Files

[James]

Title:
Message History Dump File

Summary:
An option to save your entire message history to a plain text file on your hard drive.

Details:
A button within the messages menu that allows you to save a text file to your hard drive that contains the complete message history for that character.

What would need to be added would be a button (or link) to activate the download option and the code that would take the message history and turn it into an output text file.

Alternative variations could include an extra option to download the message history of all your characters rather than having to do each one individually. Or a tick box that would send an email at set intervals with the message history for that time period.

Benefits:
Many times messages are lost to the ether simply because we didn't save them somewhere once they were done. With a lot of them that doesn't really matter but sometimes there will be really good RPs or important treaties and then, a month later when you want to refer to those you realise that they've been lost forever because a cut and paste and save wasn't done. This feature would make it a lot easier to ensure all these messages are archived in some form or another.

Possible Exploits:
People could create false message and claim them as real because they're from this archive (but false message can and are made anyway so this would be no different).
People might share the files as a lazy way of spying.
Some malicious code could get added into the download option causing issues on the computer you download to (I know we're really secure, but it is a potential...)

[Tom]

I see one possible "exploit" (maybe we should rename this into "downsides"):

Often times, it is intentional and good for the game that messages have a limited lifetime. This creates conflict through differing memories. Easy facts remove that source of conflict.

[Anaris]

I see one possible "exploit" (maybe we should rename this into "downsides"):

Often times, it is intentional and good for the game that messages have a limited lifetime. This creates conflict through differing memories. Easy facts remove that source of conflict.

Some people already save messages. Some even have set up scripts to do so easily.

That gives them something of an advantage in this area over people who don't have that kind of expertise or patience.

If everyone had access to a feature that would dump their message history, that would help a lot in leveling that playing field.

[Lorgan]

That's only some people though. I know I've thought of saving letters but in the end it's too much work and I just can't be bothered. Besides, I think that Tom has a point. Imagine if we could all just look up what was said or done a year ago... there'd be a lot less interpretations of certain agreements or actions. People would be able to twist events of years ago less into their favour and less conflict would ensue.

I honestly like that there's a sort of collective, unwritten memory, but with holes in it.

[Anaris]

That's only some people though. I know I've thought of saving letters but in the end it's too much work and I just can't be bothered. Besides, I think that Tom has a point. Imagine if we could all just look up what was said or done a year ago... there'd be a lot less interpretations of certain agreements or actions. People would be able to twist events of years ago less into their favour and less conflict would ensue.

I honestly like that there's a sort of collective, unwritten memory, but with holes in it.

Well, you'd still have to manually go and ask for a dump. It's not like this would make message histories automatically permanent.

[De-Legro]

Well, you'd still have to manually go and ask for a dump. It's not like this would make message histories automatically permanent.

I tried to make a script to make a automatic archive once. Since the message pages don't record any form of message ID I gave up trying to make the system quickly and efficiently determine which messages where new and which had already been archived. Settled on a script that just adds a little save button to messages, problem is I never got around to developing a way to disable the button for messages that were already saved. I tend to only use the scripts for RP's, I've always been sad when great RP's just disappear.

[Azerax]

That's only some people though. I know I've thought of saving letters but in the end it's too much work and I just can't be bothered. Besides, I think that Tom has a point. Imagine if we could all just look up what was said or done a year ago... there'd be a lot less interpretations of certain agreements or actions. People would be able to twist events of years ago less into their favour and less conflict would ensue.

I honestly like that there's a sort of collective, unwritten memory, but with holes in it.

That's called written history.  The trick is authenticating it - you can just say it's fake.

As long as the messages aren't saved in game then it's no different then someone manually copying and pasting now.

[Dante Silverfire]

Often times, it is intentional and good for the game that messages have a limited lifetime. This creates conflict through differing memories. Easy facts remove that source of conflict.

I am firmly against this proposal for this simple reason above.

[Indirik]

I support the idea as a way to level the playing field between those who already do save the info, and those who don't.

Also, this may even help generate more conflict by helping people th remember stuff they would otherwise have forgotten.

[Penchant]

I support the idea as a way to level the playing field between those who already do save the info, and those who don't.

Also, this may even help generate more conflict by helping people th remember stuff they would otherwise have forgotten.

Its true that there is some conflict done because of the letters being lost, but I agree with Indirik that there is also conflict that would have been done but the messages were lost to create them. In a trial that was recently done but postponed so long that the messages were lost there was little evidence to be able to convict the person.

[Ketchum]

I see one possible "exploit" (maybe we should rename this into "downsides"):

Often times, it is intentional and good for the game that messages have a limited lifetime. This creates conflict through differing memories. Easy facts remove that source of conflict.

Conflict has been generated by forging the message. I seem to recall seeing Zuma conflict happened through message forging by an adventurer. There is no easy facts to prove that incident as far as I remember

This message history dump files is helpful to those who do not frequently save the messages. It can help those who already save the messages. Sometime I would like to look back for my RolePlay messages sent out to the realm, and this will come in handy

[Velax]

I seem to recall seeing Zuma conflict happened through message forging by an adventurer.

What sort of evil bastard would commit such a heinous act?!

Anyway, I support this idea. I save messages myself when I remember, but I often don't.

[Tom]

So one thing we can already add is that it needs to be in a form that allows easy forgery, i.e. no message IDs, etc.

What format? Text? HTML? XML?

Note that this does. Not mean a general yes or no. Just checking if there are more issues if we think about it in more detail.

[James]

My initial idea had been for either plain text or HTML. Ideally in a user friendly output appearance that does include a date/time stamp so they can be searches quite easily.

[egamma]

Export in the same format (HTML) that you view the messages in now, just with the button line (reply, etc) stripped off.