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

[Anonymous]

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.

I suggested this on the old GDB and someone else brought up a good point.

wield knife
cut rope

Rather, I'd like to see a chance that the kank resists being led around by someone it doesn't know and starts making noises.  Especially if it is to be assumed that at some point voice commands are involved in a kank's training and the thief is an elf that doesn't know the sirihish word for 'get along little doggies.'

[WarriorPoet]

We just need a few hitchin' posts, like cowboys. I've always felt a little strange about hunting through the morning, getting a hunger echo, kicking back to the city, and then stabling my kank for all of three minutes while I snatch a bite.

Instead of letting the stablemen hustle my kank off to be fed and put down, only to bring him back out in five minutes when I'm ready to hit the sand again, why not have an urchin outside of the tavern who would tend the hitching rail for 5 sid or so, making sure noone ran off with a train of kanks in tow.

Shitty idea, or revolutionary?

At the very least I would like some sort of punishment for kank thieves. In RL in alot of places horse-stealing was a crime punishable by death. This was because alot of times a horse was the dfference between life and a painful death. Zalanthas is pretty much the same, except here your death is going to be much more painful. I figure that overall, the 'outside' population would have alot to say about a sudden rash of kank thieves running rampant.

[Stiofan]

I'll second this motion.

Bitter new victim of the 3 second run-by kank-napping.
(3 seconds, I kid you not)

It's all good though, I got a decent *look* at 'em.

I'ma gank the skank that yanked my kank.

[Dracul]

I'll second this motion.

Bitter new victim of the 3 second run-by kank-napping.
(3 seconds, I kid you not)

It's all good though, I got a decent *look* at 'em.

I'ma gank the skank that yanked my kank.

*sigh*

[EvilRoeSlade]

wield knife
cut rope

You are now wanted!

I still stand by my statement that in its current incarnation, the practice of mount-stealing is too easy (in the rare opportunities when it presents itself), comes with no consequences, and thus is generally play.

That's all I'm stating.  I don't know how the code can best be changed to make mount theft fun for all involved.

[Anonymous]

Not to be 'that guy' but I'm wondering what you can do in only 3 seconds that takes you away from your kank?

Is enter tent ; offer sword ; barter ; offer sword ; barter ; offer comb ; barter ; leave

-Really- the answer to kank thievery?

[EvilRoeSlade]

Oh, and some advice to people that don't stable their kanks.

The watch command can come in handy here.

[Stiofan]

CRW: No, its okay to be that guy.  In response though, which is better: nobly bending over and dropping trou in the name of 'keepin' it real' for every Sam or Suzy kank-stealer to walk the street or to play it safe, spam your sale, and keep your kank.

Dracul: Sigh?  Pithy that.[/quote]

[Dracul]

No.

Use watch. Type run. Type up but don't use until it matters.

Shout (running towards the exit) Hey...stay away from tha fekken kank!

[Anonymous]

Watch doesn't do anything, if I use watch, sure, I'll see someone coming in, but by the time I leave, he will have jumped the kank and run away, unless I have macro'ed shout "Don't touch that kank!", leave, hitch kank. And do it for everyone that steps in the room, which is kind of sad..

The problem is that there is -no- delay to walk in, mount kank and run away. Even if I see someone coming in, sure, I can run outside, but chances is he'll already be gone anyway.. And then what, am I supposed to leave the shop each time I see someone coming in the room where my kank is?

And it's not a matter of what you can do in three seconds.. I'm overly paranoid now, just like my character, so I type look outside every few seconds to make sure that my kank is still there, but in-between a look outside and another look outside, my kank was gone..

Just like he probably went into a shop, typed list, then look outside and his kank was gone..

[Stiofan]

Pretty much exactly it.
Actually I had managed to open my pack too, before I glanced out to check.
Ah well.

I'm curious though, I thought that as long as you were hitched, it was all good, ie. one room away is safe.  If hitch is no guarantee, is it then possible (code-wise) for someone to walk into a room where you and your kank are both present, but dismounted, unhitch you and walk away with your kank?  Even though it would be the Twinkiest Thing Evah', it still seems a bit sketchy for the code to support such a thing.

[Anonymous]

CRW: No, its okay to be that guy.  In response though, which is better: nobly bending over and dropping trou in the name of 'keepin' it real' for every Sam or Suzy kank-stealer to walk the street or to play it safe, spam your sale, and keep your kank.

Having lost 2 of my favorite 3 PCs because I was 'keeping it real' I'd have to go with the latter.

I'm not trying to be an ass, but to me the 'rules' and spirit of the game shouldn't be contingent on what your character finds most economically viable.  Specifically in this case saving 20 coins by not stabling your kank and speed bartering instead.

Honestly if someone is going to yank your kank, a couple extra emotes and treating the exchange with the merchant a little bit more realistically or not isn't going to change that.  We are still talking a matter of seconds..  

That's not to say that I don't have qualms about people doing a: e ; hitch kank me ; run ; e; e; s; s; s; s; s; s; w; w; w; w; w; w either.  I just don't think that lowering your quality of play is a good way to counter what you or I might perceive as poor play on someone else's part.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Watch doesn't do anything, if I use watch, sure, I'll see someone coming in, but by the time I leave, he will have jumped the kank and run away, unless I have macro'ed shout "Don't touch that kank!", leave, hitch kank. And do it for everyone that steps in the room, which is kind of sad..

I realize it won't prevent your kank from being stolen, but it will give you an idea of who did it.

And if you can't think of anything to do with that knowledge, then you're a lost cause.

[Angela Christine]

In Ye Olde West horse stealing was a hanging offense.  For good reason too, stealing a man's horse was stealing his livelyhood.  The death penalty may have had some deterent affect.  

I don't know what the penalty for kank rustling is, but chances are that it will never be enforced.  

1.  It is almost impossible to catch up to the theif.  Especially since using "hunt" inside busy market is twinky.

2.  The thief can quickly take the animal to a stable or butcher.  The people working there won't take note of him, even he is noteworthy like an elf or half-giant, and they won't remember him later so you can't question them.

3.  Even if you DO catch up with the thief, there is no way to prove to the authorities that he has _your_ kank.  All rusty brown kanks are indistinguishable from one another.  In the olde west you would have branded it, and would be able to describe distinguishing features.  Your horse _might_ even recognise you and come when you whistle.  There is no way of picking your saffron kank out of a line-up.

Basically you are screwed, your only chance of retribution is to take the law into your own hands, or bribe a Templar to convict the person you think took your kank (and that probably still won't get your kank back or any compensation for it).


AC

[Bestatte]

At the present time, we can name our mounts (using the TITLE command). I'd like to see something like this implemented:

Once a mount is named (titled), it loses the ability to respond to its OTHER keywords. If you want to ride the kank you named Doofus, you must hitch doofus and mount doofus. Trying to hitch kank or mount kank will result in something like "There's no such thing here" or whatever.

Obviously the name resets once you stable it and possibly after game resets (I never tried that out), but you can just rename it then.

This way, anyone trying to steal a kank would have to convince it to come with them - by calling out its name, in a virtual manner of speaking, or by successfully subduing it (thus giving desert kank thiefs a chance to steal kanks from unsuspecting travelers through roleplay -and- code). And if someone doesn't title his kank, oh well - his loss, just like in any other loss.

[SewerRat_inTheOpen]

At the present time, we can name our mounts (using the TITLE command). I'd like to see something like this implemented:

Once a mount is named (titled), it loses the ability to respond to its OTHER keywords. If you want to ride the kank you named Doofus, you must hitch doofus and mount doofus. Trying to hitch kank or mount kank will result in something like "There's no such thing here" or whatever.

Obviously the name resets once you stable it and possibly after game resets (I never tried that out), but you can just rename it then.

This will only probably work with kanks the owner has for a length of time, so even with a title, a kank should not lose its OTHER keywords. After all, even with a name, a kank is still a kank. Kank thieves like the good horse thieves of old western have their methods, though it sure wasn't  hitch kank, run eeeennnn.. but you realise they have to be fast as well. Though I doubt the really good horse thieves steal in the day.. but not given much choice, are we?

The titled name doesn't stick, quit out with the kank, it disappears, stable the kank, the name disappears as well. But titling the kank is a good form of recognition, it can mean you rp spend some time talking to it, watering, feeding it. Does the kank has hearing in the normal sense? It's antennaes seem to say otherwise.

I remember with an early pc, I did like the original poster, losing my kank while in the tavern, I did not realise then, not being in the same room would lose me the kank, since it did not send me a I release the reins message. I had watch on though, and I saw a person outside with my kank, the next no person no kank. Of course being the twink I rushed out, did a hunt, did a hunt at the crossroads, made a quick calculated guess like "where would a kank thief go" rush to the market, found my kank outside, [was titled], hitched it back and went off like nothing happened. I was such a noob, still is though.

[Dracul]

I remember with an early pc, I did like the original poster, losing my kank while in the tavern, I did not realise then, not being in the same room would lose me the kank, since it did not send me a I release the reins message. I had watch on though, and I saw a person outside with my kank, the next no person no kank. Of course being the twink I rushed out, did a hunt, did a hunt at the crossroads, made a quick calculated guess like "where would a kank thief go" rush to the market, found my kank outside, [was titled], hitched it back and went off like nothing happened. I was such a noob, still is though.

Heheh...I sure hope THEY didn't make a post about twinks stealing their kank. That'd be funny in a sad ironic way.
Moo

[Cenghiz]

Hmm... Shall I join the fray?

Bestatte's idea was real nice I believe.. But there must be an addition... Imms should want you to use the name of the kank at least as a whisper to the kank, so a kank stealer can accidentally learn the name of the kank. Then maybe a ride check, forcing the kank to obey you even if you use the keyword 'kank', not the poor creature's real name. It would make elves the worst kank stealers but hey, they aren't the best stablemasters in the world.

Then another point... Rangers' kanks are not magickers. They do not create food and water. If you're wandering in the desert with your inix for weeks and not giving him food and maybe water from time to time, I would claim this to be a poor RP. You would be giving the poor kank some roots and wait a little after skinning a corpse so the kank can eat the remaining meat.. I always thought lizard-type mounts drank a little amount of water, but maybe kanks and beetles do, either. Maybe even letting the reigns loose and make the kank run after a small lizard in the scrubs to hunt his own food.. They're better warriors then most. (Heh, I remember a h-giant ranger of mine had witnessed this.. I was resting and the inix suddenly stood -sta;mou;dism;rest;unhitch inix- and started running after a baby lizard, bit it, broke its spine and nearly instantly devoured it. I was shouting encouraging my inix, watching with pleasure. It was a fun solo-RP)

By the way, I would be glad if the staff could make clear which mounts and pets are herbivores, which are carnivores and which are omnivores..   Of course also which of them drink water and which don't, I decided all could except kanks as long as you give the poor bug a few juicy roots. I wouldn't like to recieve a message "Your little pet lizard wouldn't eat that corpse, feed him some roots and grass". [/i]

[LBO]

Once a mount is named (titled), it loses the ability to respond to its OTHER keywords. If you want to ride the kank you named Doofus, you must hitch doofus and mount doofus. Trying to hitch kank or mount kank will result in something like "There's no such thing here" or whatever.

That just doesn't make sense to me. Precluding somebody from doing anything with your kank without some "kank-stealing skill check" just because they don't know its title seems odd. I am presuming that this would occur because you have had the kank for a while and that they would only respond to you? Why would this happen if you had only bought the kank? When would come the point where a kank would only come to recognise you as the new owner and respond only to your commands? It doesn't seem workable codewise. I would think that codewise currently kanks are trained to respond to commands in general. There is a reason why horse and cattle rustling worked IRL - trained animals respond in similar ways. This is Zalanthas - if you leave something unattended and not nailed down somebody is going to lift it.

The only real solution would be for kanks to be permanent i.e. you would get the same one back everytime you stable it, markable in some way and to have some sort of familiarity code where after a certain amount of time there would be some check where the kank might resist being hitched or mounted by somebody else. Until such a point I think things are better left the way they are and I can't see us getting to that point either as I'm sure the Imms have plenty more important things to be working on.

[Xygax]

Once a mount is named (titled), it loses the ability to respond to its OTHER keywords. If you want to ride the kank you named Doofus, you must hitch doofus and mount doofus. Trying to hitch kank or mount kank will result in something like "There's no such thing here" or whatever.

No.  We're not going to code it so that you have to have a password to steal someone's kank.  

[Cenghiz]

Forgive me, the urge was too strong.....

>hitch kank
Turning to you, a saffron-colored kank tells you in Sirihish:
       "Access denied."

[Ktavialt]

Forgive me, the urge was too strong.....

>hitch kank
Turning to you, a saffron-colored kank tells you in Sirihish:
       "Access denied."

hahahaha

[Agent_137]

Lots of good advice on this thread. Here's mine:

DONT USE A MACRO.

Use the watch command. Emote keeping an eye on the kank. If some one comes into the room where your kank is, do this:

north (stepping close to his kank, eyes wary)

Since one room away doesn't unhitch, just being in the room with the kank will prevent it's theft.


Also, keep the north plus emote copied into your clipboard, so the twinky thief can't steal your kank while you're typing your emote.

p.s.
I think it's twinky to go:
look e
think Oh, free kank!
e
mount kank
e


Theft emotes, please and thanks.

[The Archbishop]

Why is it twinky? That's how things get stolen, it happens fast and most the time your left clueless, even if you turn your back for 5 seconds.

A good thief appearantly goes along these lines:

look e
think Hmm a free kank
e
shout Hey I'm stealing this kank!
mount kank
e

Gotta be realistic, being a thief is a rough job and sometimes you gotta sacrafice alittle rp opportunity to be successful. Your goal as a thief is to never get caught.

[Larrath]

Agent's suggestion, to me, is worse twinkage than anything a thief could do.

Let's look at this realistically: Amos is riding his kank and left it out just by a shop on Caravan Road, and he's inside.  Even if Amos really was running and rushing everything, he cann't go to the counter, possibly wait in line a little, and still look at his kank all the time.
Meanwhile, the street outside is BUSTLING with people and kanks moving here and there.
Suddenly a PC walks by and Amos drops whatever he was holding and immediately runs out to stand by that kank, which he probably couldn't see from inside the shop?

I somehow doubt the storekeepers would let him place in kank right in the doorway, since that would give customers a hard time getting in and out.

Realism is not to leave the kank outside unguarded.  Taking advantage of someone else doing something stupid is not always twinking.  Sometimes it's common realistic sense.

[flurry]

I sympathize over the issue of stabling being expensive, but I have to say that I think it -should- be very risky to leave your kank outside a shop while you do business inside.  There should be a substantial risk of it being stolen, even if you're keeping an eye on the doorway while you're doing your transactions (and think about how hard this would be...making trades in a busy market while trying to watch your kank outside the tent).

I'm not trying to defend poorly roleplayed thieving, but kanks left in the market should have a good chance of being stolen.

[Cavus]

Agent's suggestion, to me, is worse twinkage than anything a thief could do.

Let's look at this realistically: Amos is riding his kank and left it out just by a shop on Caravan Road, and he's inside.  Even if Amos really was running and rushing everything, he cann't go to the counter, possibly wait in line a little, and still look at his kank all the time.
Meanwhile, the street outside is BUSTLING with people and kanks moving here and there.
Suddenly a PC walks by and Amos drops whatever he was holding and immediately runs out to stand by that kank, which he probably couldn't see from inside the shop?

I somehow doubt the storekeepers would let him place in kank right in the doorway, since that would give customers a hard time getting in and out.


Realism is not to leave the kank outside unguarded.  Taking advantage of someone else doing something stupid is not always twinking.  Sometimes it's common realistic sense.

Nothing else can be added to this. Amin (Not amen for muslims:-) )

[Linedel]

After a couple days (and, mostly, not being able to sleep last night) of thought, I've concluded that:

Kank stealing in town is typically poor RP.

You Know(TM) that most of the time the kank thief isn't watching to see who the owner is, and whether he's paying attention, and roleplaying the theft out.. in many cases, its purely a H&S style ganking with OOC profit in mind, because the player knows there are no consequences.  (If staff has any data on this, such as the percentage of in-town mount thefts with no emotes or thinks whatsoever, until the thief is 10 rooms away...)

For some characters, it is poor RP to stable their mount.  If you're delivering 4 bags of branches to some shop, you're going to carry all that?  I call bullshit.

Shops that cater to people like that would be set up such that the mounts are an integral part of doing business, be it so you can bring the goods near the counter, or have some employees watching the pole.  Some shops already have coded NPCs standing outside their shop.. others, its probably virtual, but you know damn well, that, for example, the Kadius Jewelry mart has more than the one coded guard, so its a reasonable assumption that other shops have virtual guards as well, whose job it is, partially, to watch their supplier's kanks.

In places that don't have that resource, such as the tribal market, you could pay a virtual 8 year old 1 'sid to scream if someone else approaches the beast.  No, asking a player isn't a "realistic" option...

All of the above said, it would still be possible to steal a mount.  All you'd have to do is distract/bribe the guard/kid/whoever else is watching, and be off.

I propose the following.

Tie a ( 30 - ( ( skill_barter + skill_steal ) / 10 ) ) percent chance of being thief flagged to using the "unhitch" command on a mount that isn't yours in a populated/lawful room.  (This assumes the bug/feature of hitch not being disconnected when you use "enter" still exists, and that I have half a clue how mounts work... I think I forgot some.)

The logic for the above... steal generally represents taking smaller things, but it takes into account knowing how to distract people, or draw their attention elsewhere.  Barter represents your skill at talking, which is also used in distraction.. or convincing the kid that he should take your 2 'sid and go home instead of screaming.  Some other formula could be more appropriate.. but I think this is decent.

How does this solve the problem?  It puts a consequence on mount theft... sometimes.  It would still probably be far too easy for a new character with nothing to lose... but it would deter people from taking the quite OOC mount theft action on slightly established characters.

[jhunter]

Sorry Linedel but I completely disagree with you on this subject. If someone is stupid enough to leave their mount unguarded on a busy street then they deserve to have it stolen. There is -nothing- twinkish about it. In the bustle of the streets, unless there is someone specifically posted to watch mounts outside of a business you can expect that most others aren't going to give a shit or probably even notice if a different person leaves with the mount.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Linedel but I completely disagree with you on this subject. If someone is stupid enough to leave their mount unguarded on a busy street then they deserve to have it stolen. There is -nothing- twinkish about it. In the bustle of the streets, unless there is someone specifically posted to watch mounts outside of a business you can expect that most others aren't going to give a shit or probably even notice if a different person leaves with the mount.

[Maybe42or54]

It sounds good, but I'm all for the more harshness we have now.
Don't want your kank stolen? Stable it.
Just like everything else you own, kinda.

[Anonymous]

Then give us -some- options.. Make it so the stable in the elven market doesn't cost as much as the stable next to the most popular taverns.

Build a stable that's as far as possible to the market areas of major cities, like a smaller stable with poor service, but where you can rent it for only 5 'sids, the stable at the elven market for 10 sids and the one next to the tavern for 20 sids, just to give some examples..

You people are not realizing that it's -very- hard to manage your money when you just start out, especially for new players.. Maybe you are too used to the game and know every tricks to make sids faster than some of us, and you're laughing at our "20 sids is a major problem" woes, but the reality is that most new players don't know how to make money, and if you play any races or guilds where you cannot have free stabling, free food and free water, then that 20 sids might be a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Then give us -some- options.. Make it so the stable in the elven market doesn't cost as much as the stable next to the most popular taverns.

20 sid just doesn't seem like an unfair amount.

Maybe 10 sid for 'holding stables' or something where your kank doesn't regenerate any stamina, but really if you aren't coming out ahead by 20 sid from every hunting trip I'd be shocked.

[jhunter]

Make having that 20 sid to stable your mount while your in the city a -priority- it really is that simple. The only things I see as being a bigger priority than keeping your mount safe is keeping food and water in you. Alot of newbies make other things that are realistically unimportant when your considering survival a higher priority than keeping their mount, their fucking livelyhood safe.

You need your mount to work to keep yourself fed and watered? Your mount is your best fucking friend and it had better be a priority because if you lose it your as good as dead sometimes.

[Linedel]

Nobody is talking about "most people."  You're right, "most people" won't care.

"Major" shops (salarr/kadius/kurac/delann, etc.) will likely have a guard, or at least more than one person working there.   Shops have windows/doors, as evidenced by the fact that "look out" works.

It is bad for business for mounts to be regularly stolen from a shop where out of towners generally bring beasts laden with things to sell to that shop.  Therefore, if a guard/employee actually wants to receive his pay, yeah, he will care enough to pay a little attention, or at least say something to the customer if he sees something inappropriate out the window/door.

Some shops (not the house run ones) are even "stands" or "stalls", which are lacking at least one wall..., they're just separated code-wise due to the "enter" command to avoid cluttering the room that the stall is within.  The character could be within arms reach of his mount in this situation, but code wise, is inaccessible.


I find it amusing that virtual NPCs only seem to exist when players want them to, and as the specific type that suits their coded action.  If you're a thief failing a steal on someone, there are virtual NPCs that it could have been.. so they can't blame you.  But if you're going to spam run some kank stealing.. oh, that virtual guard that most definately is at some shops, he doesn't exist, 'cause it wouldn't be convenient for this "harshness" that the person leaving his kank out should be feeling.   At least, since there is something to gain with no code or provable social repercussions, it is time to happily make it "harsh!"  Woot!

Adding a chance at a criminal flag chance also takes into account the player glancing out occasionally, noticing something, and having the people in the shop get a look at the guy, which, even if you disagree with VNPCs catching the crime, is completely valid.

Remember that a player should not take an action based on using "watch out" and seeing "soandso arrived from the east", because 10 other VNPCs arrived as well.  His trigger to take an action would be when soandso types "emote walks towards ~kank with a purposeful stride."  (does that show up on watch?)  Unless some staff posts that they've snooped a dozen of these events and half of the dozen actually emoted or otherwise roleplayed the theft rather than just typing very fast, I'm sticking with that most in-town mount thefts are utterly twinkish.

There is another way someone could be caught.  In-game kanks with the same vnum all look alike.  Real world ones, however, do not.  (If there were real world kanks.)  You're going to recognize yours.  You might  be able to describe it to others.  And you could definately carve property markings into the carapace...  By the miracle of nature healing things, if a thief removes them or makes his own, the wounds would be fresh, but original markings would be scars.


I'm in full agreement that someone is probably foolish leaving their mount in the street, considering most of the game's population seems to support OOC actions that make the game "harsh." I'm mostly addressing that the game does not support a chance of failure on this action, and thus implicitly condones this non roleplayed theft.  Is not failure "harsh," too, or do we only want other people's experience to be "harsh," since we know how to exploit the code to avoid that "harshness"?

I call bullshit again.  "Harsh" in this thread is just being used as an excuse to skip roleplaying when there is easy profit to be made.


And one further point...  if OOC motivated spam-run kank thefts are being caused by having to haul ass due to OOC motivated spam-selling, and vice versa, it's pretty clear that both actions should be shut down.  The message that tolerating this sends is that half-assing your roleplay is acceptable if someone else might half-ass you if you don't.

[Xamminy]

A couple quick things, Linedel.

1 These shops do NOT exist to buy things.  They exist to sell things to make money for the owners.  They probably don't care that much about the people that want to sell them things, at least not compared to the people that want to buy.

2 The guards at the shops are to defend the shop, its operators and its contents.  Noone else.  Do you think these are some sort of police simply because they enforce some sort of peace?  They are enforcing their employers right to keep their own stuff...nothing else.

3 Kanks all look different even the similarly-colored ones?  Go observe a bunch of ants and tell me you can tell them apart.

4 Don't assume that just because you can't find the person that they spam-walked away.

5 Don't blow all your starting cash so that you can learn how to make enough profit to stable your kank while still having money to do so.

[jhunter]

2 The guards at the shops are to defend the shop, its operators and its contents. Noone else. Do you think these are some sort of police simply because they enforce some sort of peace? They are enforcing their employers right to keep their own stuff...nothing else.

Exactly, that guard is there to protect the merchants who work there and the goods, anything else is not their fucking job. Linedel I call bullshit to pretty much everything you've said, your stretching for reasons to make it twinking because you personally don't like being stolen from. Guess what? Noone does, but it does not make it twinkish just because you don't like it.

Ever notice how the victims when it comes to theft are the first to cry twink but the fact is, more often than not it is the victims themselves who twink against criminals. I've only played one criminal pc and the number of times I was twinked against by victims or potential victims was crazy, not only making being a criminal hard ICly but adding more difficulties that there shouldn't be for OOC reasons.

[Anonymous]

I call bullshit again.  "Harsh" in this thread is just being used as an excuse to skip roleplaying when there is easy profit to be made.

You're crazy.  I've never had a PC steal a kank ever, but why would an opportunistic PC pass by an unattended mount?  Thanks for assuming that everyone arguing against silly constructs to protect people against ingame consequences are doing so out of a motivation to keep being able to steal kanks.

And one further point...  if OOC motivated spam-run kank thefts are being caused by having to haul ass due to OOC motivated spam-selling, and vice versa, it's pretty clear that both actions should be shut down.  The message that tolerating this sends is that half-assing your roleplay is acceptable if someone else might half-ass you if you don't.

Grabbing a kank's reins and running, even with emotes, shouldn't take half as long as working out a deal with a merchant for a pack full of junk.

[Linedel]

1 These shops do NOT exist to buy things. They exist to sell things to make money for the owners. They probably don't care that much about the people that want to sell them things, at least not compared to the people that want to buy.

2 The guards at the shops are to defend the shop, its operators and its contents. Noone else. Do you think these are some sort of police simply because they enforce some sort of peace? They are enforcing their employers right to keep their own stuff...nothing else.

Right.  And when that kank gets stolen, he tells his 10 friends, who go to other shops, whose guards give a shit.  That shop's costs go up, because they have a smaller set of people to buy from, sales down, and their profit goes down proportionally.  Simple econ.  You need suppliers to have goods to sell.  If your suppliers get mugged on their way to your shop, you won't have any.  Their customers safety IS their job, when the customer is on their premises.

I mean, if there is a bank, and someone comes in packing heat...  but rather than rob the bank, they go for the customers, are the guards going to just let them do it?  Exactly the same situation.

The argument "The major merchant houses have their own gatherers" will come up...  and the response to this that I've been given is that they don't have enough VNPC gatherers to supply all the VNPCs, thus the coded shops buy.  Therefore, the above applies.

3 Kanks all look different even the similarly-colored ones? Go observe a bunch of ants and tell me you can tell them apart.

Well, I don't live with any ants, but I can most certainly tell my wife's two Chartreux (sp?) cats apart, and they're pretty close to identical.  I imagine if I did live with ants, and they were scaled to be of size to be useful, I could recognize their features.  The same will be true with Zalanthians and the beasts available on that planet.

4 Don't assume that just because you can't find the person that they spam-walked away.

Sure, but you can't do anything to them, nor can you prove that yellow kank is your yellow kank.  And that assumes that they haven't already turned it into a mount ticket before you even noticed, which I speculate occurs most of the time.

5 Don't blow all your starting cash so that you can learn how to make enough profit to stable your kank while still having money to do so.

Decent advice... shitty for a game openly trying to gain newbies, but decent for the game's incarnation...

Grabbing a kank's reins and running, even with emotes, shouldn't take half as long as working out a deal with a merchant for a pack full of junk.

And if you suddenly run with an unfamiliar beast, you're making noise and drawing attention to yourself.  Holy crap, crim flag is legitimized, which is what I'm arguing, at some small chance (10-30%, depending on skills).

Linedel I call bullshit to pretty much everything you've said, your stretching for reasons to make it twinking because you personally don't like being stolen from.

(Warning, highly controversial opinion approaching.)

The time I create a character that actually cares about this code is when I shoot myself.  Solo RP wilderness characters are a rather stupid thing to play in a multiplayer online game, in my opinion, so believe me, this would never affect me.  Tavern sitters with no mount for life; that's where the human interaction is.

(Opinion alert complete.)

If you're stealing kanks without roleplaying it, you're cheesing.  Period.

I will drop this argument immediately if anyone posts legitimate evidence that half of these thefts are actually roleplayed in any way.

A small chance at a consequence will force some care to be taken, and some thought as to whether the character would actually do it, in the same way it does with the "steal" command.  I see no problem, leaving it easy but not 100% safe.

Most characters wouldn't even think of stealing a kank just 'cause they happened to see it outside a shop.  Can anyone on this board honestly say they'd steal a car that was left running with the keys in it?  (Yes.. Zalanthas is seedier than the real world, but most Zalanthians also fear the arbitrary hand of the law more than we do...)

[Maybe42or54]

Tell your 10 friends.
The shop owner still wont care.
10 more people will take your place.

[Marauder Moe]

Right. And when that kank gets stolen, he tells his 10 friends, who go to other shops, whose guards give a shit. That shop's costs go up, because they have a smaller set of people to buy from, sales down, and their profit goes down proportionally. Simple econ. You need suppliers to have goods to sell. If your suppliers get mugged on their way to your shop, you won't have any.

Alright, then go tell ten of your friends not to shop at said shop.  Tell the staff what you've done.  We'll see who's business suffers.

And if you suddenly run with an unfamiliar beast, you're making noise and drawing attention to yourself.

Kanks can't yell "thief thief!"

Most characters wouldn't even think of stealing a kank just 'cause they happened to see it outside a shop.

Pretty much all of my characters would have thought about it.  Most of them (at some point during their lives at least) would have actually tried it.

Dude, someone stole your kank.  Things get stolen in Zalanthas.  Get over it OOCly, deal with it ICly.

[Bestatte]

1) If you're carrying so much stuff that you can't even hold it between two hands, then you probably have too much stuff. Next time you go out foraging, or hunting, or raiding loot, or whatever, don't take more than you're capable of carrying on your own without the kank's help. Sure, you might be so loaded down that you lose 20 stamina points with each move, but at least you can walk.

To me, *needing* a kank to hold the stuff you've just acquired reeks of major overhunting/overlooting/overforaging. You could even use that as a yardstick to measure when it's time to stop and return to town.

2) The shops only buy five of each. So what exactly do you expect to do if you load up on pygmy skins, turkey feathers, and oyster shells, only to find that the shop doesn't want ANY of them because they're already full? This goes back to #1: Stop carrying around so much shit, then you won't have that problem.

3) Telling 10 friends is irrelevent because of #2: the shop only buys 5 of each anyway. He'll tell your friends to bugger off and snicker as he watches them drag their asses out of the shop, exhausted.

4) For the looting corpse types who complain, Kadius and Salarr shops do -not- exist to buy stuff from you. They exist to SELL stuff to you, stuff made by THEIR houses. They buy things from you as a courtesy, not as some genius marketing strategy.

5) You currently have a choice: risk losing an almost-400 sid animal, or cough up 20 sids. Pick one. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to come up with the sids, like, for instance, selling some of the stuff you brought to the market to sell. Whether it's branches, logs, stones, shells, hides - no matter what it is, if you don't have 20 sids worth of stuff, why did you come back to the city? 20 sids worth of -any- item in the game won't fill up a pack so heavily that you aren't capable of walking it around the market while your kank rests in the stables.

6) Stop relying on the NPC shopowners for your currency needs. Do you know how many times I've had a character who would stand in a shop looking at a list because I was hoping to find something I needed, watch a PC walk in there and spam-sell their shit to the NPC without even giving me the 10 seconds it takes to type out "tell spammer WAIT!"

You can make MORE money selling to a PC than you can to an NPC. Not to mention, you get a chance to interact with other people, like, you know, how roleplaying games work and stuff.

So in summary: Stop carrying around so much shit. Stop relying exclusively on the NPCs. Stop relying on your kank to be your personal wagon rather than primarily a means to get from point A to point B.  Stop carrying around so much shit. Oh yeah - and stop carrying around so much shit.

[Adhira]

The kank was stolen.

If you believe that someone is abusing code to become the great kank thief then please email mud@armageddon.org