Annoyed at mount stealing.

[Anonymous]

Alright, a little advice would be appreciated..

I'm a little pissed, because I knew this would happen, but I have no other option, so here it goes..

My PC requires a mount for the type of work he has, I bring in things to sell, and I dismount the mount, aware that anyone can steal it, but there's nothing I can do.. At 20 'sids a pop, stabling it isn't an option for my poor character (The trip he makes outside and back doesn't give him the coins to afford stabling it everytime).

And finding a clan isn't an option either.

So I try to rp as much as I can, I step into the shops, do some barter rp with the merchants, look around, etc etc..

Except this time I walked in, looked outside 5 seconds or so after, and my mount was gone.

So what is one supposed to do, if he can't stable it and afford the fee, cannot join a clan due to the concept of his character and his race and knowing that anyone can just come in, ignore that the mount would be tied up at least, run in, jump on the mount and run off with it in a matter of second..

I'm not sure I want to buy another mount, at the price they sell them, and knowing that this will probably happen again (Really can't afford it as a new character and player).

Would it be possible to have some type of -really- cheap stable, or a stable that rents per hour or such? Or even some type of code that would make the thief at least have to wait a few seconds before unhitching, mountaining and running off with the mount?

To be honest, now, I just feel like next time I'll also just run in, spam sell my items and run back outside..

Thanks.

[Larrath]

You can always ask a friend to keep an eye for you, or hide it somewhere that people hopefully won't find.
That's life...if you leave a kank that's not bolted down, it will get stolen.  That's very realistic, I'm afraid.

[Cavus]

20 coins is much?

Then use some commands like:
s;offer axe;barter;n;hitch kank

[Anonymous]

But in less than 5 seconds?

[Anonymous]

Well thanks, next time I'll hit a macro and be done with my shopping in less than 2 seconds.

I'll keep my roleplaying for when my mount is stabled and safe.

[Cavus]

He was a good thief then. You know they can steal something quickly. He followed you maybe. Or, something else. Who knows? For 20 coins you lost 400coins. It is not good exchange. Like I said, you can use commands without emote. But, I generally use it if I am not able to carry that much weight. Stabling is the best solution.

[Bestatte]

The only practical advice I can offer is to stay out of the city until you have at -least- 20 sids worth of stuff to bring back in. Mount rental, for an outdoorsy type, should be your #1 priority.

A second option would be to steal someone else's kank. What's good for the goose and all that.

A third option, if you have it, is to use experiences like this to practice your hunt skill. If you can notice the most recent set of kank tracks, chances are, you can also notice where they went.

Last option would be to have a friend watch the kank for you. But that only works if your character has friends, and no matter how well-meaning people are when they recommend it, it isn't always the best option for certain characters to have friends.

[joyofdiscord]

20 coins is much?

Yes.  In fact, stable fees are one of my main problems right now, and stabling that kank for a while feels like a luxury.  I'm currently playing my first ever outdoors character, and he works pretty much constantly, to the degree that I almost feel twinky at the amount of foraging and whatnot he has to do (although I emote and think through it all, and the bastard does get really sick of that shit before long), and he still is barely scraping together enough money to keep himself watered.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT!  I was almost about to make an Idle OOC thread just about how much I love it, that my character will be working hard, and unsure whether he will have more or less money left the next time he goes to buy water.  But 20 coins is important, yeah.  In fact, I used to scoff at goods that would get 1-5 coins offered to me in the shops, but now I know those 1-5 coins can be important.

My advice for the kank: use the watch command.  This should give you a good chance to do your buying/selling at a relaxed pace with a few emotes and whatnot, and still probably know if something sketchy is happening with the kank.  Of course, make sure you are also emoting your character being all paranoid and standing so as to keep an eye on the door.  That's what I do.  Seems perfectly IC and appropriate to me.  Only problem is then you have to spamleave anytime you see someone entering the adjacent room.  Or shout hands off the kank or something.

[joyofdiscord]

Oh, just wanted to add that I'm a fairly new player, so don't laugh at me for not knowing how to work the wilderness and being so poor.    :wink:

[Anonymous]

Thanks Bestatte, I'll try some of the options.. The problem is that even if I find the culprit, my character still wouldn't be able to do much..

And my other problem is that the stuff I sell doesn't really amount to much and is -very- heavy, so I can't bring back alot of it at the same time..

So it's mostly gather some, bring it to sell, go back, gather some more, sell some more, etc etc..

I just wish there would be a way to "tie up" the mount, so that it would at least take the thief a few seconds to untie it up, then mount it then run off with it..

Someone who comes in, spam unhitch mount run e isn't a "good" thief..

[Anonymous]

Yes, just thought of the watch command as well.. The sad part is that I'm going to have play the "twinky" game vs those thieves and each time I see someone coming in I'll probably have to hit the hitch lizard me;jump kank until I see that person leaving.. Which is sad, but there isn't really any other option for me.

And YES, 20 coins is -alot-, for the reasons I've mentioned earlier.. Like Joy, I barely make anything with my foraging and to have to pay 20 'sids a trip would totally kill my profit. (The few that I make).

Rangers should have the option of the Pokemon Master, to store their mount in a little ball and summon it back whenever needed. *chuckle* I'm kidding of course, but an option for a ranger to be able to stable his mount for free in the wilderness (Without quitting himself) would be nice..

A ranger's mount would at least fight off the thief that's mounting it, kick about, etc.. Knowing it's not his master on top.

My beef is that even with the watch command, I have to become extremely paranoid of the code and cut on my rp, which is sad.

[Cavus]

Without a guard, all stabled mounts can be stolen. Thief just need to untie reins from the pole you tied. Some part of cities are not walked so much. You can leave your kank there if you love risks. :-)

[Larrath]

You shouldn't be paranoid about the code.  You should be paranoid about leaving a mount that's worth so much money unattended.

I see no reason why anyone stealing an unattended mount like this is being a twink, personally.

[Malken]

It's not the fact that the mount is being stealing that's annoying, it's the fact that it only takes 2 seconds to do so.

Run in, unhitch, mount kank, run east; while I'm roleplaying bartering and being interested in the shop.

I can just as much, like it was advised, run in the shop, spam barter twice, hit barter then run outside, if that's the only way to prevent it.

There should be a small timer on unhitch, *shrugs*, something to give us a chance to see that something fishy is happening, or at least pretend that it would at least take the thief more than just 2 seconds to steal a mount.

[Bestatte]

Anon, I'd PM ya but you can't PM anons. So, I'll post some ideas here.

1) Stop relying on NPC shopkeepers to buy your stuff. You won't make nearly as much as if you looked for a PC to sell it to. This is your HUGE chance to increase your RP! Visit the local tavern and look around at the people there. If you see someone who appears to be a merchant type, try to make some pleasant conversation with him. Ask him where he got his hat (the one you personally think is hideous but you aren't gonna tell him that - more use for the 'think' command, heh). Engage him in conversation, then ask him if he happens to know anyone looking for whatever it is you're trying to unload.

Chances are, if he -is- a merchant (as in, family member merchant kind of merchant), he's looking for it, whatever it is. Those merchants are ALWAYS looking for "stuff." But again, keep it casual, don't force things. If he only works for a merchant, or is an independant non-clanned merchant type, then either he might be looking for it, or know someone who is.

Offer samples - tell him for the price of mount rental you'll bring him a few branches (if you're offering logs), or a small piece of onyx (if you're offering more valueable things from that area), or a shard of obsidian (if you're offering huge chunks of the stuff).  If you have a craft skill that coincides with whatever you're foraging, even better! Make something out of that object, and give it as a gift-with-purchase!

These are all things that you -would- be doing with that NPC merchant in the shop anyway, though no one does since the NPC doesn't talk back. Virtually though, when I'm selling stuff in the shops, I'm imagining that these kinds of conversations are going on.

Remember, for every object of raw material, there is a crafter who needs it to make something.

Tailor this idea to fit your character's personality, and you'll soon have business coming out of your ears.

[deinol]

I've played a few rangers. Ok, only two, but both have lived really long lives, so I think I have some decent experience with them.

When I'm playing an independent hunter, barely making a living in the wastes, I never left my mount unattended. When visiting unpopulated outposts, sometimes you can get away with leaving your mount outside a shop. But most of the time I simply lived with my kank. I'd never leave his side. I think the key is to become self-sufficient. Forage or hunt for food. Try to find those spots that can get you water.

Or, if you have to do periodic shopping, don't feel you have to shop every time you come into town. Keep a large bag or pack, store stuff on your kank. Forage or hunt for an extended period of time. When you have enough to be a good haul, and worth the cost of the stable, then unload the pack, stable your kank, and stay in town for a few days until you've sold all your wares. Drink in the tavern, do whatever it takes to keep yourself alive.

While kank thieves are quite a danger, I've never had mine stolen as a ranger. Be naturally cautious, but spend the money to stable him when you have to do more than a quick shopping trip. As you get better, it will certainly be easier, because there won't be the urgency to get that extra bit of coin. But still, treat your kank like you would your sword, don't leave it lying around, it is your life.

[sjanimal]

Dear Anonymous Kank,

A similar thing happened to one of my characters.  I was pissed.  Here's how I got through it:

1) I reminded myself how fun it is to play thieves
2) I realized how much fun the theif probably had stealing my kank
3) I reminded myself just how frequently people get robbed on Zalanthas
4) I realized it's not unrealistic to get my kank ripped off.
5) I reminded myself that getting robbed doesn't make me an idiot, a bad role player or a jerk.  In fact, anyone who never gets robbed is an idiot, a bad role player and a jerk
6) I gave myself permission to be pissed for a while, and then to get over it.

So there you have it, bud.  I hope this helps you some.  Wouldn't it be frustrating to actually live in an area that is super high crime?  But I tell you what, when my car got broken into in real life, I was just happy that I was away from the car when it happened, and that neither myself nor the chump who broke into it ended up getting hurt.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the advices, they are greatly appreciated I will definatly take the idea of packing my mount with bags and such, and will try to be more pro-active in finding PC crafters to buy my things, those are all great ideas and thanks again

There's something else I would like to discuss, tho, and I'm not sure if I should make another topic or not, but here goes..

I'm having a real hard time playing a ranger, I don't feel like I was made a ranger, but more like a city guy trying to become a ranger.. Let me explain:

I was outside, working hard as usual, and I checked my score, it said that I was not hungry nor thirsty.

Then suddenly I see the You are thirsty message. I said fine, I'm only a few leagues outside the city, so another five minute won't kill me.. How WRONG was I. I went from You are thirsty, to, five minutes later. You are thirsty. You are dehydrated.

Two minutes later (I am not kidding about the time, it all happened that fast) I started suffering from dehydration, and kicked my mount toward the city (I was only a few leagues near the city, so I told myself I wouldn't need water, since I could make it back to the city in a minute or so.)

I made it back to the stable (Wow, am I glad I decided to spend the remaining of my 'sids for a new mount.), stabled my mount and had suffered greatly from the dehydration by then. So I dragged my sorry self to the tavern, but unfortunatly, I ran out of stamina only a few rooms outside of it. So I ditched pretty much everything I had to make myself lighter, and tried to rest in a shop, but nothing would make me regain the stamina needed to walk only a few more rooms into the tavern.

At 0 stamina, I started losing health, and pretty much thought I was doomed to die out there, only a few leagues from the tavern.. But I felt a burst of energy, and was able to drag myself to the tavern.

Now my question is.. I can forage for food, but I can't seem to be able to find water.. I know that I should ask IC, but as a ranger, I should know where the water is.. Is there a way to forage for a source of water or some such? I feel silly as a ranger that I need to ask someone where I could find water in the wilderness..

I am not a newbie per say, but this is my first ranger.. I can only imagine how many players try this game and has to go through what I had to on their first characters. This game is HARSH as hell.

Right now I just feel like someone who is trying to escape the city but is doomed to it, having to rely on taverns and shops and PCs to survive, as opposed to say, someone who has lived his whole life in the wilderness (Which is pretty much what I was hoping for).

Would it be possible to:

A) Rangers are given a mount when they start, I would think that any rangers would start with a mount, because like someone said, a ranger's mount is pretty much is life. (And the amount they cost pretty much takes a huge bite out of your starting funds.)

B) Rangers are able to forage for water, or at least find traces of it (Like with the hunt skill) that would lead them to a source of water. (If you can already do so, then my apologies, but it doesn't say so in help_forage)

C) Make the thirst system a little more forgiven? I went from not thirsty, to dying of dehydration in a matter of 15 minutes, and not able to regain any stamina at all while dying, resting in a shop.

Thanks everyone, hope it wasn't too long

Thank you, hope this post isn't too long.

[Larrath]

This should usually go on a separate thread, but oh well.

A) No way, Jose.  A ranger, or anyone else, can buy a mount in the appropriate shop using their starting 'sids.

B) It is already possible to forage for water.

C) Thirst shouldn't be more forgiving.  People should always have water with them exactly because of this.  This is a desert we're talking about. An evil scary nasty hot desert of heat+2.

[Anonymous]

May I ask how to forage for water, then? It doesn't explain how in the help files I've read..

Now I know what they mean by an insanely harsh learning curve

[Bestatte]

Addressing things one point at a time. Caveat: I've only played one ranger, but she WAS a long-lived ranger, at 9 RL months and 65 days played. Hopefully that qualifies me as "someone who has a clue"

Hunger/thirst issue: Nope, not a code issue for rangers. They aren't immune to hunger/thirst, or even less prone to it. ALWAYS bring water with you, and if you think you MIGHT go on a long trip, carry TWO skins of water. Full! And never leave town/safe area without first taking a drink of water.

Q:Is there a way to forage for a source of water or some such?
A: Yes, there is. Same syntax: forage food. Examine what you find. Don't just look at it - examine it. Foraged water isn't as common as some of the usual roots, but you -can- find it in certain parts of the world. My guess: You won't find any on a dune of sand. I never tried to find any there, but it's a reasonable assumption to make

Your comment: Right now I just feel like someone who is trying to escape the city but is doomed to it, having to rely on taverns and shops and PCs to survive, as opposed to say, someone who has lived his whole life in the wilderness (Which is pretty much what I was hoping for).

My Response: a) Don't rely on shops, do learn to interact with PCs. Even rangers who don't live in the city will have reason to hang out with them from time to time. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do, so don't feel awkward or like you're missing out on the experience if you change your mind and decide that it's OKAY to visit the cities from time to time.

You ask:
A) Rangers are given a mount when they start, I would think that any rangers would start with a mount, because like someone said, a ranger's mount is pretty much is life. (And the amount they cost pretty much takes a huge bite out of your starting funds.)

Suggested startup for a ranger, using only the staring coins:

A mount
Waterskin, plus cost to fill it
One or two decent pieces of sandcloth/leather armor/clothing, such as leggings and a vest or jacket or shirt, for example.
A sturdy leather head covering with some amount of "combat" protection (helm, helmet, cap, hat, whatever)
Two weapons, both of the same type (a shortspear and a dagger, or a longsword and a shortsword, so - two of the same "attack type" but one shorter and one longer if possible - mostly for RP purposes but also so you know which one you're unsheathing when you decide to use only one at a time.

You should have enough left over for a couple glasses of ale at the local tavern, some flour for travel cakes if you want to go that route, and perhaps another piece of sandcloth clothing or a new pair of boots, plus at least two kank rentals in town.


B) Rangers are able to forage for water, or at least find traces of it (Like with the hunt skill) that would lead them to a source of water. (If you can already do so, then my apologies, but it doesn't say so in help_forage)

Yep you can, using forage. See above.

C) Make the thirst system a little more forgiven? I went from not thirsty, to dying of dehydration in a matter of 15 minutes, and not able to regain any stamina at all while dying, resting in a shop.

Nah, just keep water with you at all times and you'll never have to worry about that again. Rule of thumb: When your waterskin is less than half full, it's time to head to the nearest place to buy more. Even if you are uber with the foraging skill. You can't always count on finding water, but you can always count on buying it.

This is just my advice based on personal experience. Other players of rangers might have different experiences and different advice to offer. Take what I say - and what anyone else says - as nothing more than suggestions, and use whichever you feel applies best to your character.

[joyofdiscord]

Two minutes later (I am not kidding about the time, it all happened that fast) I started suffering from dehydration, and kicked my mount toward the city (I was only a few leagues near the city, so I told myself I wouldn't need water, since I could make it back to the city in a minute or so.)

You should have had water.  Heck, I kick myself when I forget to bring my water bottle to the internet cafe to play Arm.  Also, five minutes, in game time, is one half of an "hour"... and a Zalanthan "hour" is actually one ninth of a day.  So five minutes real time is well over an hour of subjective time for your character.  When you start feeling dry out in the wastes, you don't wait an hour before making the miles long journey before coming back.

Finding water should be tough, not something you can just suck up with a skill.  I'm struggling in the wilderness too, but the last thing I want is for water to be easier to find, or thirst to be less serious.  This is a desert world, that's the whole point.  It's wasted by defiling, it's not supposed to provide for you, you're supposed to scrape whatever you can out of it's dry, sandy claws in order to survive.

[Anael]

on stolen kank issue: I know a man who got his (locked) car stolen within some five minutes as he went to ATM. And I guess it's easier to get away with a kank than with a car. Go figure   Getting your kank stolen sucks, but it's perfectly IC.
Many people offered tons of great ideas here already, I'd just say I -wouldn't- spam enter-sell-leave-hitch to avoid this.
And please, kank thieves, don't be twinks.

[EvilRoeSlade]

I actually disagree with people that think kank-stealing is just a matter of course.

Currently, there are no reprecussions for stealing a kank.  There is no chance of getting wanted.  So in my opinion it's along the lines of stripping naked someone who is sleeping in the Gaj.  It's just stupid.

Furthermore, there isn't any way for the victim to fight back.  I'd like to see a command where you tie up your kank, and thus you or anybody else has to untie it, taking up some time before they can ride it away.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.. I don't mind at all that my mount was stolen, it's just that it took only a matter of second, with probably no rp at all, but just running in, jumping on the kank and riding off with it.

What I would find fair, for both thieves and kank-owners, would be a little timer when you use the unhitch command (You should be able to virtually hitch it to something, say, a post, or a tree)

And it would take whoever tries to unhitch the kank a small timer to do so.. Maybe 5 seconds, enough to give time to RP that you're untying the rope, or something like that.. Timer could go down as the steal skill goes up as well, I wouldn't mind that at all..

Right now, even if ICly I'd be watching my kank from the doorway, in another room, with the watch command, the thief still can come in, jump on it and run off, and even if I'm watching the kank, there's nothing else I can do..

Thanks.

And on another note, thanks everyone for the advices.. My character is now doing -very- well