Burglars, reminder

[elvenchipmunk]

If you are being robbed repeatedly, seeking out the nearest crime lord and paying a fee might help to slow down the robbings a bit. Of course it is impossible for a PC to keep track of everyone who is robbing apartments, but they can damn well try, and put an end to it when they find out.

So, paying the criminals in advance not to rob your place in the future is likely the best solution.

Nothing short of Imm involvement can stop an off-peak master burglar, or a master burglar who only does his dirty work off-peak.

Yeah, that's why I used words like "might help" and "it is impossible". Catching someone like that is sometimes beyond the control of your nearest crime lord.

[SMuz]

Pfft.. a true master burglar would be able to rob an apartment while the owner's out to refill his waterskin. And he'd be able to kill the owner too if he gets caught, unless the owner was a master warrior and such. Won't even need to sneak past the guy guarding the apartments.

[Pale Horse]

You want to know how to play a burglar?

Find the show "To Catch a Thief."  Watch it.

[Zoltan]

Someone mentioned that burglars "should" relock doors after picking them open. That's crap. Sometimes, your character who just stole coin, food and equipment from a place just doesn't give a fuck; they got what they want and that's that. That's not poor role-play. Also, maybe the burglar in question doesn't want to risk breaking their precious pick relocking some guy's door? Seriously, when I played a burglar, picks were like god damned unicorns. In fact, that character of mine totally fucked himself over once playing the "nice guy" like that!

I agree that people clearing out even the furniture in an apartment and -walking out with that crap past the guard- is... kind of abusive.

[Riev]

Someone mentioned that burglars "should" relock doors after picking them open. That's crap. Sometimes, your character who just stole coin, food and equipment from a place just doesn't give a fuck; they got what they want and that's that. That's not poor role-play. Also, maybe the burglar in question doesn't want to risk breaking their precious pick relocking some guy's door? Seriously, when I played a burglar, picks were like god damned unicorns. In fact, that character of mine totally fucked himself over once playing the "nice guy" like that!

I agree that people clearing out even the furniture in an apartment and -walking out with that crap past the guard- is... kind of abusive.

The problem with not relocking doors, is when you walk into an apartment complex, and all the doors have been unlocked and even remain open. I cannot imagine being in ANY apartment complex where someone doesn't notice a person picking every lock on some 12 doors and then just leaving the door open.

[Zoltan]

Someone mentioned that burglars "should" relock doors after picking them open. That's crap. Sometimes, your character who just stole coin, food and equipment from a place just doesn't give a fuck; they got what they want and that's that. That's not poor role-play. Also, maybe the burglar in question doesn't want to risk breaking their precious pick relocking some guy's door? Seriously, when I played a burglar, picks were like god damned unicorns. In fact, that character of mine totally fucked himself over once playing the "nice guy" like that!

I agree that people clearing out even the furniture in an apartment and -walking out with that crap past the guard- is... kind of abusive.

The problem with not relocking doors, is when you walk into an apartment complex, and all the doors have been unlocked and even remain open. I cannot imagine being in ANY apartment complex where someone doesn't notice a person picking every lock on some 12 doors and then just leaving the door open.

I agree that it's pretty ridiculous. Still, I don't think players that hit the odd apartment should feel pressured to lock up behind themselves, as some sort of courtesy.

[Lizzie]

Ah no I don't think anyone's talking about what you're suggesting Zoltan. I think it's pretty clear, lately, that the situation is more regarding the mass-lockpicking going on, where in most cases, the actual apartments aren't even looted. It's more like someone who -can- pick, is picking, simply because they can. And then not bothering to lock up afterward. Not necessarily even going into the place they just unlocked. Just "pick lock west" then "pick lock east" then "north" then "pick lock west" and "pick lock east" and rinse repeat until every single door in every single building, apartment or otherwise, has been unlocked.

It's stupid, it makes no IC or OOC sense, it isn't believable that someone -would- be able to get away with that.

[a strange shadow]

It's not courtesy. It's the mark of a professional.

If you're some scummy piece of shit burglar and it's your role to take, run, and not care, then more power to you.

[Synthesis]

It's not courtesy. It's the mark of a professional.

If you're some scummy piece of shit burglar and it's your role to take, run, and not care, then more power to you.

The problem with this is that the minimal code assumes players will be responsible, thus allowing irresponsible players to get away with ridiculous things.

[Zoltan]

Ah no I don't think anyone's talking about what you're suggesting Zoltan. I think it's pretty clear, lately, that the situation is more regarding the mass-lockpicking going on, where in most cases, the actual apartments aren't even looted. It's more like someone who -can- pick, is picking, simply because they can. And then not bothering to lock up afterward. Not necessarily even going into the place they just unlocked. Just "pick lock west" then "pick lock east" then "north" then "pick lock west" and "pick lock east" and rinse repeat until every single door in every single building, apartment or otherwise, has been unlocked.

It's stupid, it makes no IC or OOC sense, it isn't believable that someone -would- be able to get away with that.

All right, I see what you mean. Still, sometimes there isn't anything actually -worth- taking in an apartment... but the surest way to know is to break in.

[Voular]

Code the entry guard to send someone to check on the doors every so often. Tug on the handles, lock them if need be. One of the problem solved.

[Sephiroto]

Idea: Great percentage of being caught (wanted/cut up into little pieces) for picking locks in buildings during the day due to heavy traffic of coming and going tennants.  Low percentage of being caught at night, but 1 roving NPC transits up and down the halls in the manner that soldiers patrol the streets.

[spawnloser]

let's not just single out one class.

Noone is singling out a class.  People are singling out a profession/vocation.  That the profession/vocation shares a name with a class is inconsequential.

[Jingo]

I've always wanted to play a sort of treasure hunter with the burglar class.

burglar/scavenger

[Synthesis]

I've always wanted to play a sort of treasure hunter with the burglar class.

burglar/scavenger

That subclass would overlap almost completely with the burglar class.  Basically like going ranger/hunter, pickpocket/thief, or warrior/guard.

[Jingo]

Yeah I know. Back in my noob days.

I think they get a boost to forage, though.

[mansa]

When I played a burglar, I would unlock apartments of people I didn't like and let other people steal from it, rather than me.

Sucks to be you.  I opened your door and let your neighbours steal your crap.

[jhunter]

It's not courtesy. It's the mark of a professional.

If you're some scummy piece of shit burglar and it's your role to take, run, and not care, then more power to you.

The problem with this is that the minimal code assumes players will be responsible, thus allowing irresponsible players to get away with ridiculous things.

It also allows for responsible players to do things that would otherwise not be possible. As I've said before, tightening up the code to prevent a few -potential- twinks only harms those who would have used that "grey area" for rp possibilities. That is the biggest downfall to overcoding the game. You remove the "grey area", the area that we have open to rp, from -everyone- in order to prevent a few newbies or unthinking (or intentional) twinks from doing stupid or unrealistic things.
That's more of a negative impact on the game than dealing with those situations when they come up on a case by case basis.
It harms rp in the long run.

[Pantoufle]

Just for the sake of argument, how does anyone know it's a burglar who cleared out their apartment?

[Jenred]

Just for the sake of argument, how does anyone know it's a burglar who cleared out their apartment?

This.

I've moved into apartment complexes (IG) and in the process of trying to find my room I find a number of which are unlocked and stocked. I usually take some things, and Im sure other players do too. I've never "emptied a place out", and I think just because your apartment was full and when you next go there its empty does not mean one burglar is role-playing badly. Its jumping to conclusions.

Additionally, more places for burglars to do things would ease the burden on the typically same group of people that know how to play the economy well enough to repeatedly get apartments, and thus repeatedly get burgled.

And additionally again, I remember playing in the Byn back in the day and we'd repeatedly get contracts to guard people's houses, I think through Nenyuk. - i.e. some people should create plot opportunities if this is a big problem.

[SMuz]

And additionally again, I remember playing in the Byn back in the day and we'd repeatedly get contracts to guard people's houses, I think through Nenyuk. - i.e. some people should create plot opportunities if this is a big problem.

That I agree with. Plot oppurtunities always add to the game.

But if you intend to drag out large amounts of furniture, have the decency to pay the NPC who's guarding the apartment a few small.

[Salt Merchant]

And additionally again, I remember playing in the Byn back in the day and we'd repeatedly get contracts to guard people's houses, I think through Nenyuk. - i.e. some people should create plot opportunities if this is a big problem.

All Byn log out by say 3:00 a.m.
Burlgar strikes at 4:30 a.m.

Just won't work. There is no way you'll get players to stand a 24/7 guard, especially when during nearly all of those hours, nothing happens.

[Qzzrbl]

Just for the sake of argument, how does anyone know it's a burglar who cleared out their apartment?

Because a burglar, by definition, is one who breaks into a house or apartment to steal stuff.

We're talkin' profession, not guild here, yo.

[SMuz]

Just for the sake of argument, how does anyone know it's a burglar who cleared out their apartment?

Because a burglar, by definition, is one who breaks into a house or apartment to steal stuff.

We're talkin' profession, not guild here, yo.

Could very well be that the burglar broke into it and stole only a few small things. Then a neighbor took their furniture because the door was open, without breaking into anything

[jcljules]

I've always shied away from neighbor theft. Is it at all ICly justifiable, in the opinions of you guys? I've always thought it was a little... cheap, kinda. Too risk free.