CLOK BBS

Not sure if that has been suggested before, but has the possibility of the ability to bash open boxes ever been thought about?

Either as a universal ability everyone can do with heavy, blunt, hafted weapons or as a Guild Ability for likely the Dwaedn or Mercenaries?

Chance of success could be based on Hafted, and maybe some other factors such as weight and metal of weapon vs construction of box. Could have bonuses from a variety of other gathering skills (Ones where the hitting of objects in a precise spot, hard, is usually the main component.)

Various degrees of success could range from breaking open the box but destroying some items, to weapon damage and failure.

Regardless of whether it was a universal, or Guild ability, the skills Battle Fury and Bear's Strength from the Dwaedn should probably give them buff to managing it.

This should work on wooden chests and locked boxes found, it shouldn't work with metal boxes though. I think it should mostly be universal but with a higher skill in hafted for it to work. Though guilds could have a side ability which allows them to use more in guild skills to pop the lock.

I would like to nominate Elemancers to be able to melt locks or set the boxes on fire and burn through the lids.

melt locks? they would probably burn the box and a 15 x 15 foot area around it

Elemancers can produce lava, twisters of fire, flaming brimstone and bathe rooms with flames at will.. I think they can do it.

well, there would be a high chance of failure

Why is that? Care little for the box, so it can be destroyed. The contents inside that is all that matter. Metal coins and gem stones will not be directly touched by the focused flames or magma if the lock is targeted directly.

It seems like you should be able to try to smash the lock on a box that is not nailed down, but with a good chance of damaging the weapon as you do it; so in many cases it may be hardly worth while. Metal containers having a high chance of damaging the weapon. This is the paradigm I would go with.

I think the idea of locked boxes is that they create a demand for the locksmithing profession.

If you want in them, hire a locksmith.

Would be nice to have, also, more locked doors in the game, in out-of-town combat areas, again with either the attempt at battering them down, or picking the lock.

I would recommend a battering player only get one chance to knock in the door per repop, unlike the locksmith who can keep trying until his lockpick breaks.

[quote=Jaster]I think the idea of locked boxes is that they create a demand for the locksmithing profession.

If you want in them, hire a locksmith.[/quote]

With the inclusion of NPC locksmiths it seems like the option of bypassing other players is there. If there are other options with equal consequences while still keeping player locksmiths the best, I don't see the problem with alternatives.

I don't believe the consequences of bashing open lockbox are equal to that of using an NPC locksmith. The locksmith takes ALL of the goods(unless something has changed recently), as well as a portion of the riln, whereas with bashing open a lockbox, there's only a chance to lose some of the goods, as well as a chance to damage a weapon (which can be repaired perfectly by a Trader with the Master Blacksmith ability, provided it is not made of wood, or some exotic material like bone).

[quote=Lysse]I don't believe the consequences of bashing open lockbox are equal to that of using an NPC locksmith. The locksmith takes ALL of the goods(unless something has changed recently), as well as a portion of the riln, whereas with bashing open a lockbox, there's only a chance to lose some of the goods, as well as a chance to damage a weapon (which can be repaired perfectly by a Trader with the Master Blacksmith ability, provided it is not made of wood, or some exotic material like bone).[/quote]

Currently there are no losses at all.. As its all suggestions, not code. Things can probably be easily included to balance it out. In the long term, it would have to be better than the npcs though, if you're putting the coin and time into training.

Limit which boxes can be bashed, increase item loss to fragile materials, the chance of permanent loss of weapon bashing? Who knows. I could understand the heck no answer if there weren't the npcs.

Then let me rephrase. In your suggestion, the option to bash open a box is much better than the option to take them to an NPC locksmith. Unless there's a separate skill for it (such as Box Smashing), then it should not be a more attractive option than hiring a locksmith, even an NPC. Firstly, because of the fact that Hafted skill is not dedicated purely to opening boxes. It also increases your accuracy and parry rating with hafted weapons. Secondly, because hitting a box with an axe or a hammer should almost certainly damage the items inside, lowering their value.

Take into consideration as well, if the lock is part of the box rather than a padlock, this would make opening the box by brute force considerably more difficult. The design of a lockbox, even one made of wood, typically makes it difficult to open by brute force. I'd much sooner assume, personally, that lockboxes have their locks build into the box itself rather than making use of a padlock (primarily because opening a lockbox does not produce a 'padlock' item).

There's also the consideration that unless you make the failure rate relatively high, even with a high Hafted skill, people will choose to go to a PC locksmith less and less;this inherently devalues guilds that promote locksmithing. But if the failure rate is TOO high, no one is likely to use the alternative system to begin with.

Ultimately, anything that's coded in to circumvent PC to PC interaction should have a high enough risk that it's often times not worth pursuing. This applies to lock boxes, healing, armor and weapon repair, anything that reduces the roleplay community further.

While not necessarily applicable to this scenario, I will say with regards to promoting character interaction, forcing it for mechanical reasons is not quite as fun as letting it happen because the player wanted roleplay to happen.

I've not encountered anything, outside of my own specific circumstances in regards to obtaining specific items, to suggest that character interaction is forced on Clok. It's promoted, certainly, and being a 'lone wolf' generally constitutes penalties, but it's penalisation brought on through player choices.

Not at all saying you have. It's just a general statement brought on by my own experiences.

Healing is essential and needs NPCs to fill in when no monks are around. Lockpicking isn't essential, so I wouldn't mind keeping it as limited as possible to the folk who specialize in it.

Like the complaints you sometimes hear from players of monks, I'll bring up that I can recall maybe 3 people who have ever asked me for locksmithing services. I don't know if folk just ignore lockboxes if there isn't a locksmith right next to them, or just bring them to the NPCs, but I can count the number of times I've picked locks for others on one hand, and the number of times I've heard someone ask for a locksmith maybe on two. I try to advertise, and I even try to say I'm willing to go along on hunts and pick in the field, but never any takers.

Seems people prefer to do anything they can on their own if it's possible, even if it's at a loss of efficiency or other benefits. I can pick my own boxes I find and get rich quick, though, so it's all good.

On that note, I just randomly approached someone and asked if they had boxes needing unlocking, and it turns out they had a bunch, so I guess I just gotta get in peoples' faces. Folks must just be shy.

I wanted to drag you along on a hunt but I never see you online.

Damn, I just got Xzeaned.

I totally forgot I had a stash in the bank till Bryce asked me, next time I find a bunch I'll be sure to contact him!

Ya, I did the same thing to Jaster once. Didn't trust anyone else not to run off with the boxes so I waited till he popped up.. then had him pick close to fifty boxes before he called quits. I think most people don't ask for a smith openly is because it sounds shady ICly to some how not have the key to a dozen boxes you own.

BTW, the only person I remember posting ads about being a locksmith is Lem who's ad is basically next to his wanted poster.

[quote=Lysse]Then let me rephrase. In your suggestion, the option to bash open a box is much better than the option to take them to an NPC locksmith. Unless there's a separate skill for it (such as Box Smashing), then it should not be a more attractive option than hiring a locksmith, even an NPC. Firstly, because of the fact that Hafted skill is not dedicated purely to opening boxes. It also increases your accuracy and parry rating with hafted weapons. Secondly, because hitting a box with an axe or a hammer should almost certainly damage the items inside, lowering their value.

Take into consideration as well, if the lock is part of the box rather than a padlock, this would make opening the box by brute force considerably more difficult. The design of a lockbox, even one made of wood, typically makes it difficult to open by brute force. I'd much sooner assume, personally, that lockboxes have their locks build into the box itself rather than making use of a padlock (primarily because opening a lockbox does not produce a 'padlock' item).

There's also the consideration that unless you make the failure rate relatively high, even with a high Hafted skill, people will choose to go to a PC locksmith less and less;this inherently devalues guilds that promote locksmithing. But if the failure rate is TOO high, no one is likely to use the alternative system to begin with.

Ultimately, anything that's coded in to circumvent PC to PC interaction should have a high enough risk that it's often times not worth pursuing. This applies to lock boxes, healing, armor and weapon repair, anything that reduces the roleplay community further.[/quote]

All of that I agree with, except perhaps being less useful than the NPC locksmiths. Frankly, I'd probably see it as an ability before a general benefit of Hafted Weapons. Seems Dwaedn all over. And if only some players have access to it, instead of all, aren't you promoting player interaction anyway? You're just giving them a wider range of people to choose to interact with.