Exactly what do areas that have "a feeling of privacy" actually do?

I've been concerned because they don't seem to be all that private. It hit me while I was on the train this morning, but it somehow seems wrong to be able to use a Seeing Stone to see what's going on in places like a Gods Fulcrux or The Shadow Court (or other guildhall) or somebody private Manse Room.

Does it do anything? Is privacy just meant for audio? (Invoke Blue)? Or is it bugged? I'm wondering if some additions to privacy might be needed, such as one of the following.

* Use a seeing or teirstone, get a "you see naught but darkness" message.
* Allow Illusions to screen or veil an area--make a custom message when you try to screen a private area, or add a skill that can do that.
* Have a feedback effect similar to what monks can do when being scried.

Privacy does basically nothing. I think it might stop eavesdrop, but that's about it.

My understanding is that an aura of privacy prevents gods from eavesdropping on what you're typing/saying unless they're really big cheeses. At least, that's what I was always told in Achaea. I'm not sure what happens if one of them actually goes and stands in your room superinvis, however, and I don't know if/why it does not apply to mortal means of eavesdropping.

You could say that it stops us listening to you in our IC capacity.

If they are standing in your room invisible then they will hear you. It just prevents them from getting those alerts from saying their name and so on when talking to someone else.

It would be nice (and make it actually worthwile) if they also prevented eavesdropping by ribbachi/hounds/phantasms and so on, though it probably isn't worth the time to code in.

Which is actually a fairly inaccurate statement.

You'll also be immune from Seren's built-in super secret overpowered oft-whined-about spying artifact that we enjoy keeping focused on people 24/7 without pause with a fervour that may seem voyeuristic, except we're doing it for NATURE, so it's totally natural.

It's open to debate.

"You could say."

Not here, perhaps.

Nerf.

Someday I should find out what that does.

Takes 25 charges (only 50 can be stored at one time), listens in on a player's location for a minute? I think?

Basically never used because of how little is actually said in a location, and how much guesswork is involved in using your two minutes right.

About a year ago I issued myself to determine the limitations of a manse privacy gem and I was informed that privacy does not prevent gods from eavesdropping. Has the policy changed during that time, Fain?

Edit: Found it. I believe I asked about player scrying, not sure since this was in 08 I think.

Message 7942
Sent By: oneiroi on 10/06/3:57
With regard to your issues 49 and 50, the privacy gem does not block scrying and was never meant to block scrying.

In aetherspace, nobody can hear Fain's epic guitar solos

I will now imagine Fain as Jimmy Page

I think I may just have created an utterly indestructible image of Fain that will persist into the days beyond the 50th coming of Yog-Sothoth.

Nah.