NetOps w/ limited mobility

So last night I was thinking about NetOp ideas, mainly trying to think of NetOps that would have a realistically feasible reason for being online all the time. Instead of office workers or your stereotypical parent's basement dweller, I was thinking about someone who is so limited in their activities that they can't really do anything else.

This brought me to two particular personae: Prisoner, and Patient. Someone who's on lockdown may get net access (depending on the crime, behavior, etc), and a person in the midst of rehabilitation due to a traumatic injury would likely have long stretches of time where they are sitting in bed.

Of course these types of people would be rather restricted in face-to-face interaction with others, but the net makes up for that. However, one big issue remains: how do they get to the Navi Shop to get their upgrades? I doubt Suitachi's shop gets scheduled visits from the local prison, or people dragging themselves it with IV stands being pulled behind them.

Possible solutions: Using a 'runner' to physically purchase and pick up the items, snail mail, etc.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Bacon?

In the past, operators with conditions such as being bed-bound used extra characters to go out and shop and bring things to them. These have been the subject of debate as well, because one must be sure not to violate our "no shopping during battle" rule, and thereby, the operator must continue not to do anything while these characters shop.

Anyways, my point was that there's some precedence. As for a character who is actually held captive and can't get anyone to go shop for them logically, I'd say that's a hole that the person is going to have to work out themselves. They could possibly have some sort of NPC do it for them still and I'd say that'd have to be what happened, unless they could temporarily leave somehow.

Oh hey, another thing that I was going to address in the Trouble List.

I propose that players be given the option of buying their chips or upgrades "online" -- that is, via BBS topics alongside both the Chip Trading and NCP Trading BBSes that allow Navis or Operators to purchase the parts electronically, without physically entering a real-world store.

This has two advantages:

[li]It would require action on the Operator or the Navi's part, and therefore (unlike with a "runner") run less threat of violating the "no shopping during battle" rule.

• This also benefits people RPing characters who live overseas -- why would someone who lives in the Not-UK fly to Not-Japan just to buy Not-Pokemon cards? While the respective topics would still be located in ACDC and Scilab Nets, it makes a lot more sense for someone to be purchasing things from a foreign company online.
  

People would still be able to go and shop at the physical stores if they chose to, of course.

Any thoughts?

Considering the idea of multiple shops will not be implemented, this is a nice alternative. I would be okay with pursuing this idea.

More thoughts later, but general agreement for now at least.

I've been having Scarlet, who lives in Yumland, in the Yoka Inn indefinitely on a business trip for this very purpose. :'D An online shop would be great. Also, put Tempoman on as shopkeeper for upgrades. Poor sod's lonely on the NC Trade BBS.

I myself have brought up online shopping many times and I think it's a fine and logical idea. But expect opposition because I have brought this up before and it did not get through.