Sneak and Auto-flee

[drunkendwarf]

Okay so here it is, my poll on sneak. Keep in mind answering 'yes' doesn't necessarily mean Joe Ranger can walk around whacking vestrics left and right. Yes just means that's it's actually physically possible to due, even if it's incredibly difficult. I just wanted to keep things simple to get an idea of how many people think this should be changed in some fashion or another.

[EvilRoeSlade]

I also think sneak should be changed so that you can sneak past auto-capture soldiers.

[mansa]

You can and you can.

[X-D]

You can't and you can, So, your 50% mansa:)

[5 day lifespan]

You can sneak past soldiers? SWEET!  That means there IS a point to me playing a thief again!  Huzzah!  Oooh, you people are so in TROUBLE...

[Pungee]

Screw sneaking, i'm a huge fan of just diving past soldiers in a headlong rush for safety!  

[gfair]

Drunkendwarf, were you not just complaining about this in another thread?

Let me offer a bit of advice to anyone who wonders why it's hard - you have to work hard at it, it isn't a simple skill.  Creatures who auto-flee are likely some of the most alert and flighty around, their senses are many times sharper than our own, and they flee at the first sign of movement.

We see many examples of this in our own world, take the plains in Africa for example - there, creatures like Nilgai, Zeebra, Wildabeast.  There are also many birds found about North America that have superb reflexes and flee without question.

Keep working at it, and when you have the famous 20-day character and it still isn't working, then perhaps revisit the issue.

[Marc]

Ok, 40 day char later, it doesn't work.

If you want to make those flighty creatures flighty, give them HUGE boosts to "listen".

If you check the help file, listen helps detect sneakers.

As it is, it is nigh impossible to sneak up on an auto-flee'er.  I've done it, as others have said they have, but I think that was a quirk, not a real possibility.

And to whoever said you could sneak past aggressive guards, I think you are "high" (yes you X-D, High I says!).  If you sneak into a room with an aggressive guard/npc, you are not hidden so you will be attacked.  If they are very aggressive when you sneak into the adjacent room, they will rush in and attack because, again, you are not hidden.

It would be nice if a successful sneak granted a very very very short duration hide, like 5 seconds or less.  Enough time to get through movement delay, but not so someone can just enter and stand there without the hide skill.

[Delirium]

It would be nice if a successful sneak granted a very very very short duration hide, like 5 seconds or less.  Enough time to get through movement delay, but not so someone can just enter and stand there without the hide skill.

That would be wonderful! Please please please!

That would probably solve everyone's problems with sneak as it currently is.

[JollyGreenGiant]

And now, a quote from my favorite ranger of all time.

"Ahhh, night time.  Good for sneaking up on evil."

And another, just because.

"Evil around every corner.  Careful not to step in any."

[Rindan]

Hate to burst bubbles, but you can't sneak past a city soldier, and you can not sneak up on auto-flee creatures.  City soldiers are not looking to see if you made your sneak role, they are just looking to see if you are in the next room over.  Unless you are hidden, they will snag you.  I can think of one very cheekie way that one might be able to get around this, but it is more code abuse then anything.  Simply put, if you type sneak and try to wander through the city wanted, you will get attacked.  Auto-flee is the same.  It doesn't matter how good at sneaking you are, unless something has changed in the past couple of months, if it auto-flees sneak is worthless to you.

Sneak is great against PCs, but it leaves a lot to be desired against NPCs.

[Kankman]

You can sneak past city soldiers when wanted. Try and burst all the bubbles you want but I know from experience. I was -definitely- not hidden and I was -definitely- wanted. Why didn't that soldier grab me? Sneak no less.

[Angela Christine]

Drunkendwarf, were you not just complaining about this in another thread?

Yes, but that thread didn't have a poll.

AC

[X-D]

You can sneak past city soldiers when wanted. Try and burst all the bubbles you want but I know from experience. I was -definitely- not hidden and I was -definitely- wanted. Why didn't that soldier grab me? Sneak no less.

As have I, more then once or twice too.

[drunkendwarf]

Drunkendwarf, were you not just complaining about this in another thread?

Well I suppose it may be termed 'complaining' in the last thread. However, I fail to see how I've complained whatsoever in this thread. A simple poll to see who agrees, and from the results thus far..damn near everyone.

Keep working at it, and when you have the famous 20-day character and it still isn't working, then perhaps revisit the issue.

I've lost track of how many times I've told you I *have* a 20+ day character, gfair. And I've had sneak and hide both for well over 5 days playing time now, both heavily practiced. I *did* wait until hitting 20 days to mention anything, aside from my initial post just wondering if it was even possible.

[5 day lifespan]

At this point Im going to put in my two bits that the city guards should be tweaked slightly so that they also let you go by if youre sneaky and quick like ninja.  I recall reading on a thread once that a staff member said Hide sticks to you, as does listen and scan.  For instance, I scan in one room, my roll is succsessfull, I enter another room, my heightened awareness continues for a short time, allowing me to perhaps spot hidden people.  I believe they said hide works the same way, and thats how certain people were able to sneak past guards.
 If Im right, and this is how it works, then my suggestion is that wilderness sneak hide work the same way.  If Im wrong, I like Marc's idea the best.
 Oh, and Jolly?  I just thought you should know:
I
Love
WEASELS!

5DL

[Marc]

Hide does not work like the 5DL.  If you read help skill_hide it says movement of any kind breaks hide.  Only -SOME- things that help perception will let a person remain hidden.

Like others have said before:  Sneak/Hide is very effective vs pcs.  Much less so when it comes to npcs.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

This area is more of the endless desert common to this world. It is also gith territory. You, more than likely, are being hunted right now as we speak.

You look for a good hiding place.

You attempt to hide.

The lanky gith has arrived from the west.

The lanky gith crouchs, looking for tracks.

The lanky gith scratchs his head.

The lanky gith crouchs, hunting for tracks.
************************************
The gith, BTW, is a NPC and the person has hidden himself, just so it is clear. This is something that actually happened IC. There was no IMM controling the thing...the NPC simply could not find the PC.

[spawnloser]

I know someone who has a story about his half-giant warrior/guard out in the wastes...

You look for a good hiding place.
You attempt to hide.
The rabid mantis has arrived from the south.
The rabid mantis crouches, looking for tracks.
The rabid mantis runs north.
think He didn't see me!
The rabid mantis has arrived from the north.
The rabid mantis hurts you with its icky mantis weapons...

Of course that last line is an editorialization, but oh well.  It still makes me giggle that the half-giant warrior/guard could hide from the mantis even if for just a second.