watch/scan/listen/guard changes

[Ammut]

I have a question regarding the listen skill.

Currently, does it help with the learning of languages and accents? If it doesn't, should it?

It seems that focusing your attention on the spoken word would help with this.

[FantasyWriter]

I have a question regarding the listen skill.

Currently, does it help with the learning of languages and accents? If it doesn't, should it?

It seems that focusing your attention on the spoken word would help with this.

I don't know about the current state, but I do agree with your logic.

[jstorrie]

I hadn't seen this thread yet, but posted an alternate way to handle limiting scan/listen/etc in this thread.

[KIA]

I think even in combat, scan and listen should continue to give SOME avoidance bonuses to stuff like sap, since you're still accepting the -stun penalty.

Penalties in favor of avoiding sap, backstab and probably steal already exist if you are engaged in combat.

[Clearsighted]

I think even in combat, scan and listen should continue to give SOME avoidance bonuses to stuff like sap, since you're still accepting the -stun penalty.

Penalties in favor of avoiding sap, backstab and probably steal already exist if you are engaged in combat.

More penalties should apply if you are also at minus stun from having those skills up instead of turning them off before. Since the stun loss itself represents your distraction in paying SOME attention to it.

[KIA]

Penalties are very noticeable and stiff. More penalties really don't need to be applied.

[musashi]

Digging this one back up ...

Would it be possible for there to be some kind of echo for when your scan/listen goes down?

It seems to me like almost everything else on a timer in the game gets an echo for that, and I feel like sometimes it can be a little annoying to have, for example, my PC's listen randomly switch off when they were in point of fact, actually almost falling out of their chair from leaning so far over, trying to hear the conversation going on at the next table.

I'm thinking, espically with the way the new functionality of scan and listen work, where they're based off of individual checks every time a PC could see/overhear something ... all too often I end up just assuming my character failed the last couple listen checks.

But then I finally glance down and see that my guy's stun went back up to max ... and I think: Crap! I didn't even have it on and I could have turned it back on like 5 sentences ago and perhaps not missed that huge chunk of eves dropping that my PC was trying so hard to get in on.

I know that I could just toss out a listen/scan status command every minute or so to make sure in those situations ... and I'm totally cool making due with that if that's the way it has to be, but since I'm human, and tend to forget a lot ... if it's not too much trouble to throw an echo in for them, I'd really appreciate it.

[Thunkkin]

I agree with the above. I'd also love for the "stat" command to show my guard, listen, watch, and scan status, rather than having to type four commands to see this information.

[mansa]

Digging this one back up ...

Would it be possible for there to be some kind of echo for when your scan/listen goes down?

It seems to me like almost everything else on a timer in the game gets an echo for that, and I feel like sometimes it can be a little annoying to have, for example, my PC's listen randomly switch off when they were in point of fact, actually almost falling out of their chair from leaning so far over, trying to hear the conversation going on at the next table.

I'm thinking, espically with the way the new functionality of scan and listen work, where they're based off of individual checks every time a PC could see/overhear something ... all too often I end up just assuming my character failed the last couple listen checks.

But then I finally glance down and see that my guy's stun went back up to max ... and I think: Crap! I didn't even have it on and I could have turned it back on like 5 sentences ago and perhaps not missed that huge chunk of eves dropping that my PC was trying so hard to get in on.

I know that I could just toss out a listen/scan status command every minute or so to make sure in those situations ... and I'm totally cool making due with that if that's the way it has to be, but since I'm human, and tend to forget a lot ... if it's not too much trouble to throw an echo in for them, I'd really appreciate it.

When my listen stops working, I know this because my Max Stun goes UP to normal.

[musashi]

Digging this one back up ...

Would it be possible for there to be some kind of echo for when your scan/listen goes down?

It seems to me like almost everything else on a timer in the game gets an echo for that, and I feel like sometimes it can be a little annoying to have, for example, my PC's listen randomly switch off when they were in point of fact, actually almost falling out of their chair from leaning so far over, trying to hear the conversation going on at the next table.

I'm thinking, espically with the way the new functionality of scan and listen work, where they're based off of individual checks every time a PC could see/overhear something ... all too often I end up just assuming my character failed the last couple listen checks.

But then I finally glance down and see that my guy's stun went back up to max ... and I think: Crap! I didn't even have it on and I could have turned it back on like 5 sentences ago and perhaps not missed that huge chunk of eves dropping that my PC was trying so hard to get in on.

I know that I could just toss out a listen/scan status command every minute or so to make sure in those situations ... and I'm totally cool making due with that if that's the way it has to be, but since I'm human, and tend to forget a lot ... if it's not too much trouble to throw an echo in for them, I'd really appreciate it.

When my listen stops working, I know this because my Max Stun goes UP to normal.

I do too, I just have this terrible habit of always realizing that too late.

[Good Gortok]

Why should they have durations at all? Or at least listen.

[Morgenes]

Why should they have durations at all? Or at least listen.

They have durations to reflect how long your character can maintain listening or scanning.  This is something that changes with skill level.  If you want to be sure your character is constantly listening/scanning, turn them off and on occasionally.  This shows you refreshing your concentration on the task.

We don't tell you when it expires because your character doesn't realize that they stopped listening or scanning.  Would hardly be a point to having them expire if we told you when they did.