So Easy To Be Bad...

[jmordetsky]

Not just in my personal life - but in Arm as well.

I applaud the new changes to the criminal system as it has made playing a rogue, thug, murderer and thief a viable career. But, I'm taken back to the days of yore when if you were caught so much as stealing you were stripped of all of your possession, stuck in a loin cloth and thrown into the dungeon.

This was awesome. And it sucked. It was awesome because it was very Nakk and very harshi. If you were caught doing something bad, you were heavily punished for it. But it sucked because as a n00b pick pocket you could expect this to happen to you at least 3 times if you weren't rinth or didn't have a "friend" to practice on.

But - with the new night time changes, let's face it - if you have half a brain - you can get very good at your trade and make a lot of money very quickly. Could be me -  but it seems that everyone is prowling the streets at night and there is little to no real risk involved with praying on NPCs night after night. A very simple to "look" in each cardinal direction keeps you fairly risk free.

As a result, I'd like to introduce the following suggestions. Maybe not for Arm 1, but possibly for Arm 2.

1) Make NPC soldiers move more often and more randomly. There seems to be little if any movement in enforcers other then a few patrols. It would be nice if the soldier 1 south and 1 east of me in the bazaar had a chance of shifting toward me as I tried to kill my prey.

2) Bring back the loin cloth. Now that it's easy enough to make a living as a bad guy and to avoid getting nailed by the fuzz, it's high time we made jail something to be afraid of again. Right now if I get arrested and a PC templar doesn't stumble by, it's not a very big deal. I sit in jail, I get out, I buy some new weapons. I'm Icly but not ocly afraid of it.

3) Multiple offenders should be treated more harshly. Some suggestions below:

a) First offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence (BRING BACK THE LOIN CLOTH!) If you get caught - ALL YOUR GEAR - not just your weapons are stripped.

b) Second Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding with symbols that represent the crime. These are basically just forced tattoo saying "this dude is a thief or a murderer". Options for RP are endless.

c) Third Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding + Maiming - Here the jailer emotes smashing the players hand or foot with a hammer and a scar is applied to the body location of choice. The players agility and/or endurance are lowered to reflect the effect of the injury. Not quite losing a limb, but - you're a 3 time offender, you need to be f-ed up.

d) Fourth Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding + Maiming + Banishment - Upon being released the player is brought to the gates and tossed outside. A new permanent wanted flag for an very long time is placed on the player.

e) Fifth Offense - Death - You are dragged to the spiked pit on caravans and thrown in.

A PC Templar can jump in at any point to stick them in the arena instead.

Sincerely

Unafraid In Allanak

(I wonder what Mansa thinks...)

[mansa]

I like the automatic branding of criminals.

[RogueGunslinger]

Ehh. No. Too many newbies play rogue classes early in their career, and already find it too hard. I'd like them the opportunity at the roleplay involved with rogue classes.

[FantasyWriter]

I like this.

[Riev]

2) Bring back the loin cloth. Now that it's easy enough to make a living as a bad guy and to avoid getting nailed by the fuzz, it's high time we made jail something to be afraid of again. Right now if I get arrested and a PC templar doesn't stumble by, it's not a very big deal. I sit in jail, I get out, I buy some new weapons. I'm Icly but not ocly afraid of it.

This has been getting to me as well. Many times, I feel the echoes to the PC that this jail is fucking SCARY and you do NOT want to be here is not backed up. Whether the city-states do not have enough Templars, or not enough soldiers checking the jails, I'm not sure.  I know when I'VE been to jail, I toss off an emote, or a think, and then just wait out my time because I OOCly know nobody is going to come for me.

The branding idea is, to me, absolutely spectacular for Allanak. Tuluk might have a hard time with it since they already have licenses, but I'd love to see someone in Allanak walk into the gaj with a giant dick on their cheek because they tried to steal from Lord Templar Hardnose like three times.

After that, the third, fourth, etc offenses I'm not sure of, as far as being automatic. I think being caught three times, and losing a hand, might be a bit hard for new players wanting to try it out. These are RP opportunities that should be taken only in PC:PC interaction

[mansa]

Why not steal cloths from Non-Citizens and give them the Loincloth?  Mmm.

[Armaddict]

You have my stamp of approval, sir.

[Ourla]

I've always loved the idea of a permanent mark like a scar, brand, or tattoo for repeat-offense criminals.

[Jingo]

I wouldn't mind branding. But I think we should leave the killing and maiming to pc templars.

I also think you shouldn't be stripped if you have some bribe money handy.

[Zoan]

[SmashedTregil]

Or ... maybe the pc militia should just be more on the ball. There are specific places out there where npcs get killed all the time. Keep a watch out for them and you'll walk in on a plenty of crime in progress. My character wasnt even militia, was actually 'partly' criminalesque himself. and he still managed to walk in on atleast 6 of those in his 3 weeks of gameplay.

[Delstro]

Uh.. Simply... No. Please no.
Maiming one of my PC often kills my character concept and I kill my character.

Keep the punishments to PC Templars/Soldiers on PC. Automatic, non-bribe accepting, non-PC maiming of PCs is bad for business.

[Reiloth]

I think like with russian prison tattoos, it would be cool if repeat offenders had images tattooed on their body after many repeat offenses.

"Stealing from an old Lady" = An wrinkled hand

"Pederast" = A crying child

etc.

[Reiloth]

I think like with russian prison tattoos, it would be cool if repeat offenders had images tattooed on their body after many repeat offenses.

"Stealing from an old Lady" = An wrinkled hand

"Pederast" = A crying child

etc.

I meant for the north, and I don't know why I didn't edit and quoted instead.

[Fathi]

Personally, I'd love to see different holding areas being dealt out to people who commit different crimes. If someone gets arrested for illegally magicking it up, sure, give them their own cell. Pickpockets, muggers, botched assassins, and smugglers? Toss 'em all in together.

Currently, the only thing scary about jail time whatsoever is the possibility of meeting a PC (or, very rarely, an animated NPC) during your stay. I think increasing the chances for PC-to-PC encounters in the cells would make the jail experience a lot more worthwhile. And a lot more scary. After all, in a city the size of Tuluk or Allanak, there's potentially a lot worse people that could show up unannounced than templars.

[number13]

I think increasing the chances for PC-to-PC encounters in the cells would make the jail experience a lot more worthwhile. And a lot more scary. After all, in a city the size of Tuluk or Allanak, there's potentially a lot worse people that could show up unannounced than templars.

Agreed.

[brytta.leofa]

Or, heck, crazy NPCs.

An 80% chance of being thrown in with a tame, garden-variety criminal; choose from a variety of "talk" scripts.
A 3% chance of being thrown in with a hulking thug who steals your loincloth for giggles.
A 3% chance of meeting one or more NPCs who insist on brawling each other and you.
A 0.5% chance of meeting a fella who, every few minutes, throws a fit, screams, bashes or kicks you, and then disengages-- possibly to the point of killing you.  (Force the PC to disengage when he does, to protect newbs from themselves.)
A 0.1% chance of meeting a mangy, muscular beggar who subdues you and whispers schizophrenic endearments in your ear.

[5 day lifespan]

I approve, especially of the jail NPC's and a common holding cell.

[jhunter]

Don't really care for the original idea but I'm all for making it so that jailed pcs can interact and maybe some npcs added to the dungeon environment.

[Synthesis]

Not just in my personal life - but in Arm as well.

I applaud the new changes to the criminal system as it has made playing a rogue, thug, murderer and thief a viable career. But, I'm taken back to the days of yore when if you were caught so much as stealing you were stripped of all of your possession, stuck in a loin cloth and thrown into the dungeon.

This was awesome. And it sucked. It was awesome because it was very Nakk and very harshi. If you were caught doing something bad, you were heavily punished for it. But it sucked because as a n00b pick pocket you could expect this to happen to you at least 3 times if you weren't rinth or didn't have a "friend" to practice on.

But - with the new night time changes, let's face it - if you have half a brain - you can get very good at your trade and make a lot of money very quickly. Could be me -  but it seems that everyone is prowling the streets at night and there is little to no real risk involved with praying on NPCs night after night. A very simple to "look" in each cardinal direction keeps you fairly risk free.

As a result, I'd like to introduce the following suggestions. Maybe not for Arm 1, but possibly for Arm 2.

1) Make NPC soldiers move more often and more randomly. There seems to be little if any movement in enforcers other then a few patrols. It would be nice if the soldier 1 south and 1 east of me in the bazaar had a chance of shifting toward me as I tried to kill my prey.

2) Bring back the loin cloth. Now that it's easy enough to make a living as a bad guy and to avoid getting nailed by the fuzz, it's high time we made jail something to be afraid of again. Right now if I get arrested and a PC templar doesn't stumble by, it's not a very big deal. I sit in jail, I get out, I buy some new weapons. I'm Icly but not ocly afraid of it.

3) Multiple offenders should be treated more harshly. Some suggestions below:

a) First offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence (BRING BACK THE LOIN CLOTH!) If you get caught - ALL YOUR GEAR - not just your weapons are stripped.

b) Second Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding with symbols that represent the crime. These are basically just forced tattoo saying "this dude is a thief or a murderer". Options for RP are endless.

c) Third Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding + Maiming - Here the jailer emotes smashing the players hand or foot with a hammer and a scar is applied to the body location of choice. The players agility and/or endurance are lowered to reflect the effect of the injury. Not quite losing a limb, but - you're a 3 time offender, you need to be f-ed up.

d) Fourth Offense - Loin Cloth + Sentence + Branding + Maiming + Banishment - Upon being released the player is brought to the gates and tossed outside. A new permanent wanted flag for an very long time is placed on the player.

e) Fifth Offense - Death - You are dragged to the spiked pit on caravans and thrown in.

A PC Templar can jump in at any point to stick them in the arena instead.

Sincerely

Unafraid In Allanak

(I wonder what Mansa thinks...)

I think the perceived problem would be mostly eliminated if the NPCs in question fled when attacked.  If you had to chase your target all over while he or she is screaming for the guards, chances are it would make it slightly more difficult to actually pull a successful NPC mugging off.

Granted, it wouldn't make it impossible, but certainly a little more difficult.

[Semper]

Granted, it wouldn't make it impossible, but certainly a little more difficult.

And a better indication of how the world should act against muggings. I find it extremely odd that NPCs don't flee when they're in trouble or at a certain degree of pain.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Hell yes to flee.

[Taven]

Or, heck, crazy NPCs.

An 80% chance of being thrown in with a tame, garden-variety criminal; choose from a variety of "talk" scripts.
A 3% chance of being thrown in with a hulking thug who steals your loincloth for giggles.
A 3% chance of meeting one or more NPCs who insist on brawling each other and you.
A 0.5% chance of meeting a fella who, every few minutes, throws a fit, screams, bashes or kicks you, and then disengages-- possibly to the point of killing you.  (Force the PC to disengage when he does, to protect newbs from themselves.)
A 0.1% chance of meeting a mangy, muscular beggar who subdues you and whispers schizophrenic endearments in your ear.

This, I like.

[SMuz]

I think it's fine. Pickpockets, like hunters, have a horrid time trying to survive early on (but I played before the "before dawn" code). Once they get their skills up to a decent level, the difficulty level does drop. As it should. Just like warriors can grow to solo scrabs or beetles, pickpockets should be able to pickpocket more characters without getting caught. I'm not fond of being tossed into jail all the time.

IMHO, the templars (at least the southie ones) handle punishment as well as suggested, assuming you get caught at all.

Jail NPCs would be fun, though. The imms could just animate one when they think a guy should shut up

[Clearsighted]

Ehh. No. Too many newbies play rogue classes early in their career, and already find it too hard. I'd like them the opportunity at the roleplay involved with rogue classes.

I think newbies learn better from branding.

And frequent beatings.