Hiding in open areas

Acarin · Post by **Acarin** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:00 pm

Can the penalty for hiding in plains and similar areas be revisited? I'm seen practically every time in these areas by people with no perception (last was 0.015 perception), and I think it's something that should be able to be overcome with appropriate training. Can there be a percentage penalty to stealth instead?

It seems like in most areas, there would at least be some tall grass rocks, ditches, or shrubs to duck behind even in the plains. Maybe a cloud of dust or two if no plants.

Hiding and stealth attacks have gotten a lot of penalties lately. It takes a lot of work to train these skills and it's already hard enough to remain well hidden.

I think to some degree stealth is a trade off for heavier armors and bigger and more damaging weapons and it's a defense some of us rely on heavily. To nerf it to the point we can't use it in vast areas of the game as it almost never works seems a little overkill. Like I said, I'd definitely understand a penalty for hiding in these areas (something on the order of 20 or 30%) but the way it stands now, it's almost the same as the areas where you can't hide at all like the canyon. I know I can still hide in these area, it's just not possible to do it successfully when someone else is in the room.

I'd appreciate this being looked at again. Thanks.

Landion · Post by **Landion** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:03 pm

Keep in mind. Even people with no perception skill doesn't mean they are blind. They are still rolling 1-100 against your 1-100+Stealth.

There will always be a chance to be seen. The open area penalties simply lower that ratio.

Post by **Rias** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:32 pm

We'll take another look and do some more testing, but being substantially harder to hide in open areas is intended. Stealth users should seek their prey in areas where hiding is practical. The fact that there may be some tall grass, a chance boulder, or a lone tree is the reason it's possible to hide there at all.

I can think of 3 hunting areas where stealth users will have an issue with the open-area stealth penalties - the Tarueka environs (outside the town - the inner town is urban, which is very stealth-friendly), the outer area of the new infested area outside Mistral Lake, and the fields and lake of the scarecrow farm. All are beginner areas, and beginning stealth users can opt to head to the graveyard instead to enjoy the cover of the trees there.

If you're looking to waylay people out in the wilderness, you'll need to find an opportune spot to do so. On a road out on the open plain is not an ideal spot for an ambush. There's a reason roads tend to avoid running through forests or rocky passes, which would make ideal ambush points for robbers and such.

I'm sorry that stealth has taken some hits lately. However, it is an extremely powerful skill, able to reduce even the most powerful creature's defenses to absolutely nothing - that is, 0 chance to avoid an attack. It also allows the hider another chance beyond dodge/block/parry and position mechanics to completely avoid being attacked, harmed, or otherwise targeted in any way. This allows stealth users to be effective in combat even with minimal actual combat skill aside from stealth. I enjoy the stealth mechanics, as my favorite guild employs them constantly, so I would never want to gimp it to the point where it becomes too troublesome to be worth using. I'll do some more testing with it and re-evaluate its current state.

Acarin · Post by **Acarin** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:37 pm

I won't mind so much if it was a giant penalty to stealth attacks in those environments, but not being able to run by someone in the wilderness without being seen despite their lack of skill in noticing is pretty huge. Thanks for re-evaluating!