A 'D' for Effort, at least?

[IAmJacksOpinion]

So, the other day I saw it fit to hide IG. I knew there was no way I would be able to conceal myself as I didn't have the skill in my list, but what the hell? Couldn't hurt to try. So, try I did.

I typed 'hide' in, I emoted crawling into a good hiding spot, and.... I waited... and waited.... and waited some more!

Now, I'm not asking to be even REMOTELY good at the skill, but why can't I at least try? That part I don't get! I mean, litterally EVERYBODY can try to hide, realistically. Some are good at it, some suck balls at it, but everyone has a chance. My cousin in a wheel chair with polio can try to hide, for Christ-sake! Sure, it takes skill to conceal yourself successfully, but ANYONE can dive behind a curtain without ten minutes of trying.

I dunno if it's the only skill that acts like this, but it's the only one I can think of.  What's with that ten minutes of lag followed by "... Your concentration falters...." when I get pissed off enough to leave? AT LEAST GIVE ME A CHANCE!!

SERENITY NOW!!!  (I'm sorry. I haven't slept in a while and I'm acting neurotic, but I still think I make a valid point)

[Ktavialt]

Yeah it'd be kind of cool if everybody had a -weak- hide and sneak that
gives them something like a 15% chance of working at the -weakest-
level, and same with scan.

[Dakkon Black]

I was thinking about this and I thought of a solution at the time that I liked. Give shady types the ability to help others hide with them.

Sorta like, going to a tavern back room. Instead of just

Hide, you'd type: Hide scrawny

You try to find a place to hide for yourself and the scrawny, black man.

You settle down in what looks like a good spot.

And yeah, I've always hated how uber strong hide was against everyone else in the game. At the very least I'd like to see a search skill of some kind that lets any class search for something. Even if the odds are low, it feels stupid to not be able to help find a perp in any way at all if they are even noobly lucky and hid behind a basket with a three hour old elf against your vetran city legionare who just happens to not have scan.

[Hymwen]

I agree that according to realism, everyone should possess some degree of certain skills. It doesn't make sense that some people are utterly incapable of hiding, haggling for a lower price or attempting to kick, for example. However I think skills are the way they are to keep a clear distinction between the different guilds, and I like that as well. Remember that if you truly must have a certain skill and won't play a guild that gets it, you can attempt to special-app a character with it, although sending a special-app just to get a skill like hide probably won't be a success.

As for hiding, I briefly played a mud which had two versions of hide. There was the coded hide skill which let you hide anywhere and required a scan/search-like skill or a detection spell to find you, and then anyone could attempt to hide in a coded room container such as a closet or a wardrobe, or under tables, beds and other furniture. This would hide you, but you'd be visible to anyone who looked in/on/at the thing you were using to conceal yourself. So a hasty hiding spot was available for anyone, but a secure one required the skill. I liked that.

But if hiding will be allowed for everyone, I'd want people without the skill to be decetable by anyone, maybe a wisdom check when entering the room or something like that. Hide is already quite powerful because regardless of how low your skill is, providing that you don't fail, it takes someone with the scan skill to find you and very few guilds get that.

[Beux]

As for hiding, I briefly played a mud which had two versions of hide. There was the coded hide skill which let you hide anywhere and required a scan/search-like skill or a detection spell to find you, and then anyone could attempt to hide in a coded room container such as a closet or a wardrobe, or under tables, beds and other furniture. This would hide you, but you'd be visible to anyone who looked in/on/at the thing you were using to conceal yourself. So a hasty hiding spot was available for anyone, but a secure one required the skill. I liked that.

That would be tres cool.

[Cuusardo]

Even though you don't have the skill on your list, you can still try.  I've accidentally hit a preset macro on my client that made me try to hide with a PC that didn't have it as part of the skillset.  It took a really long time before I saw a mesage saying I'd finished trying to do the deed.  There may indeed be a small chance that you can succeed.  I've succeeded once or twice with other skills with other PCs that weren't on my skills list.  Imagine my surprise when my ranger managed to successfully disarm the person it was sparring with.

[Ryker]

Well, a second   coded version of hide really isn't high on my "must have added to the game list"      and the way the skill system currently works I like.  So I'd say it's cool as it is.

[EonBlueApocalypse]

Your cousin in a wheelchair probably has very poor agility and isn't going to be good at hiding.  I'm willing to bet you can, though, and there are some factors that will make all the difference between an F and a D.

[IAmJacksOpinion]

Yeah, I'm not saying everyone should get hide on their skills list. Scan, sneak, haggle, kick, disarm, listen, all these skills are doable by any PC. It's gonna take a loooong time before you ever succeed at any of them, but they certainly can and have been done.

The only reason I posted this, was that I didn't want to wait 10 minutes to hide simply because I didn't have the skill. I don't have kick either, but I still throw the occasional kick on the off chance that it will land. Difference is, that happens within the next combat round. When I need to hide, I need to hide now, not in 10 minutes.  It doesn't take an IG hour to duck behind a crate. I'm not expecting to succeed at the skill, I'm just expecting that I'll be able to try it when it needs done. I just think the lag time on it is ridiculous and makes no realistic sense.

[Hymwen]

I just think the lag time on it is ridiculous and makes no realistic sense.

True, but I think that's a bit of a code error more than anything. With the exception of crafting, you're allowed to attempt most skills in the game but most of them won't succeed if you're not trained in that skill. However since the game lets you attempt, skills with "delay: before" will just stay in delay mode. Same for search, backstab and similar skills.

[X-D]

attempting to pick a lock without the skill (even with the right tool) works the same. You will stand there basicly forever. Hell, at least give me a.
Your so clumsy that you shatter the pick and jab an inch of splintered bone under your nail, bet that hurt. take 10 points of damage and continue on your merry way. 1% chance of success and 1% chance of failing without breaking anything or hurting yourself. Same for hide. out on the street, 1% chance you hide, 10% chance your pc looks silly and 89% chance total fail. change those depending on area, slightly better indoors or areas with plants or big rocks.