Annoyed at mount stealing.

[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.