Guide to Burglars!

Started by Manhattan, December 02, 2009, 02:29:54 PM

December 02, 2009, 02:29:54 PM Last Edit: December 03, 2009, 09:20:25 PM by Manhattan
I just finished looking over 24 pages of search results on the forum with the word 'burglar', nothing satisfying. The Thief's Bible is not enough. I think burglars are an incredibly intriguing concept in theory (though I've never successfully ran one).

Some of my own thoughts are that burglars are cowards that avoid all confrontation, or kleptomaniacs, or people who get a sexual rush from breaking into somebody's private life. Guild_Burglars don't always have to have sid as motivation. Imagine playing a burglar who enjoys breaking into this woman's house just to sniff her panties. Or a thrasher punk who enjoys breaking your shit and ruining your life.

What are your tips on playing a burglar?
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

Sneak in and take a poop in all the boots.
Quote from: Marauder Moe
Oh my god he's still rocking the sandwich.

Sneak in and arrange things or leave things (like black roses and shit) as 'death marks'.
Watch how crazy and paranoid the people get.
Quote from: Twilight on January 22, 2013, 08:17:47 PMGreb - To scavenge, forage, and if Whira is with you, loot the dead.
Grebber - One who grebs.

Steal little things. The vNPCs in the apartment and the apartment guard will remember that guy that was dragging the table out and asking around about table buyers. Also, people are less likely to make a fuss if they don't notice what's gone from their apartment.

'pick door relock'. Don't let opportunists steal from your mark just because you wanted to leave the door open, and don't let the apartment tenant get suspicious - lock the door behind you.

Have a motive.

Leaving things out is cool if you want to become well-known and/or feared.

Make sure to appease the proper authority figures appropriately.

I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

Yes. Nothing worse for rangers than a locked door in the middle of the ruins.
Quote from: Marauder Moe
Oh my god he's still rocking the sandwich.

One of the most memorable adventures I had was when people asked my stealthy character to bust through a locked door in an area out in the middle of nowhere. It was like Lara Croft meets Dune.

On topic; lock the doors behind you, take the sellable and valuable shit that's worth carrying. Leave the rest.

Think of it like farming. You don't rip out the roots if you want something to eat later.

Quote from: Cutthroat on December 02, 2009, 02:41:56 PM'pick door relock'.

O_O
when was this implemented?
that's fucking AWESOME.
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The problem with 'pick door relock' is that you still have a chance to break your fucking pick when you fail.

So, if a newb burglar gets lucky and finally picks a door open after breaking 10 picks trying to get it done once, do you really think he's going to risk his precious lockpick just to save you some trouble?
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

Quote from: Synthesis on December 02, 2009, 04:05:03 PM
So, if a newb burglar gets lucky and finally picks a door open after breaking 10 picks trying to get it done once, do you really think he's going to risk his precious lockpick just to save you some trouble?

I do/have.  So yes, I do think it's a possibility Syn.

Brandon
Quote from: Ghost on December 16, 2009, 06:15:17 PMbrandon....

you did the biggest mistake of your life

Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

Word.
どんと来い、生活の悪循環!!1!11
Quote from: Yam on March 18, 2011, 09:57:04 AM
There's really nothing wrong with a pretty boy in a dress.

I'm just saying: it's not a reasonable expectation, given the current code environment.
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

Quote from: Synthesis on December 02, 2009, 04:07:59 PM
I'm just saying: it's not a reasonable expectation, given the current code environment.

I realize that, and I didn't mean it -had- to be done when I suggested it. Just an idea if you don't want the tenant to come home to a wide-open door and actually realize he's been robbed, after having taken other precautions to make sure you wouldn't be found out.

And there's always the possibility that the burglars are intentionally leaving the door open for some other reason.

Hell, when I had a burglar-type, if someone irritated my character, I'd find out where they lived and pick their door open without even bothering to take anything, because a) he already had plenty of loot and b) you know how nosy neighbors can be.
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

It would seem to me that burglars do a lot of waiting. Moving about slowly, hiding in the darkness listening in on conversations, casing a particular apartment, stalking, voyeuring...
None of the heart attack moments that combatant types et al usually get into.
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 06:45:08 PM
It would seem to me that burglars do a lot of waiting. Moving about slowly, hiding in the darkness listening in on conversations, casing a particular apartment, stalking, voyeuring...
None of the heart attack moments that combatant types et al usually get into.

Ha, until the gemmer comes home while you're sifting through his loot.
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

Quote from: Synthesis on December 02, 2009, 06:48:53 PM
Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 06:45:08 PM
It would seem to me that burglars do a lot of waiting. Moving about slowly, hiding in the darkness listening in on conversations, casing a particular apartment, stalking, voyeuring...
None of the heart attack moments that combatant types et al usually get into.

Ha, until the gemmer comes home while you're sifting through his loot.

lol So true.
Quote from: nessalin on July 11, 2016, 02:48:32 PM
Trunk
hidden by 'body/torso'
hides nipples

Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

You'd be better off with burglar/rebel or burglar/scavenger, both for obvious reasons.

I think the idea of playing a grave robber would be pretty fun, while it lasts...
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

I was wondering if it's okay to burglarize a shop when it's closed. Not actual coded burglarize, but with emotes solo RP-style and taking a virtual item.
You know, when the merchant says "I'm closed, come back at dawn" are they actually sitting there all night eyes wide open? Or do they actually go home to sleep like normal people...
I'd love the opportunity for some solo RP sessions if this is an acceptable practice.
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

The guide should include a line to the effect that:

"The purpose of burlgars is to ensure that apartments are only used for mudsex and killing."

Burglars make good thug-types too. Slap on a combat subguild and you can do pretty well for yourself. I've had leader PCs decide to >teach parry to my burglar/guard over and over, and puzzle themselves over why I never got better at it.

Quote from: Synthesis on December 02, 2009, 06:48:53 PM
Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 06:45:08 PM
It would seem to me that burglars do a lot of waiting. Moving about slowly, hiding in the darkness listening in on conversations, casing a particular apartment, stalking, voyeuring...
None of the heart attack moments that combatant types et al usually get into.

Ha, until the gemmer comes home while you're sifting through his loot.


"Puleez don' kill meh mistah 'gicker!"

"I'm too young ta die!"
Quote from: Fnord on November 27, 2010, 01:55:19 PM
May the fap be with you, always. ;D

Quote from: number13 on December 02, 2009, 06:59:52 PM
Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

You'd be better off with burglar/rebel or burglar/scavenger, both for obvious reasons.

What's obvious about that?
どんと来い、生活の悪循環!!1!11
Quote from: Yam on March 18, 2011, 09:57:04 AM
There's really nothing wrong with a pretty boy in a dress.

Quote from: number13 on December 02, 2009, 06:59:52 PM
Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

You'd be better off with burglar/rebel or burglar/scavenger, both for obvious reasons.

Without going into specifics, there is a less obvious reason why you don't need to go scavenger if you're a burglar. I'd be like a ranger taking hunter. ;)

Quote from: hyzhenhok on December 02, 2009, 07:56:13 PM
Burglars make good thug-types too. Slap on a combat subguild and you can do pretty well for yourself. I've had leader PCs decide to >teach parry to my burglar/guard over and over, and puzzle themselves over why I never got better at it.

You should've been logging all those training sessions ;)

Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 07:08:49 PM
I think the idea of playing a grave robber would be pretty fun, while it lasts...

Just walk around the desert and find lootpiles. Everywhere in Zalanthas is a grave.
Quote from: Oryxin a land...where nothing is as it seems
lol
wait wait
in a harsh desert..wait
in a world...where everything's out to kill you
one man (or woman) stands sort of alone
only not really
lol
KURAC

Quote from: Spice Spice Baby on December 03, 2009, 03:43:13 AM
Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 07:08:49 PM
I think the idea of playing a grave robber would be pretty fun, while it lasts...

Just walk around the desert and find lootpiles. Everywhere in Zalanthas is a grave.

Hell even the choice areas that may or may not be ... beyond ... Zalanthas ... are graves with loot piles  :D
Quote from: Marauder Moe
Oh my god he's still rocking the sandwich.

Quote from: jhunter on December 02, 2009, 08:57:03 PM
Quote from: Synthesis on December 02, 2009, 06:48:53 PM
Quote from: Manhattan on December 02, 2009, 06:45:08 PM
It would seem to me that burglars do a lot of waiting. Moving about slowly, hiding in the darkness listening in on conversations, casing a particular apartment, stalking, voyeuring...
None of the heart attack moments that combatant types et al usually get into.

Ha, until the gemmer comes home while you're sifting through his loot.


"Puleez don' kill meh mistah 'gicker!"

"I'm too young ta die!"

Jerks... he was fun. :(
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Quote from: Xeran Van Houten on December 02, 2009, 09:12:58 PM
Quote from: number13 on December 02, 2009, 06:59:52 PM
Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

You'd be better off with burglar/rebel or burglar/scavenger, both for obvious reasons.

What's obvious about that?

With rebel you get wilderness sneak/hide, to avoid all the critters you are likely to find while exploring.  Most tunnel systems are wilderness rooms.  I don't think it's too terrible to say so here, because it's counterintuitive. City sneak/hide won't help (much) in a tunnel.

With scavenger:
QuoteIn order to find objects out of reach of others they have learned to find paths that aren't apparent to the casual observer
...and presumably a few other minor benefits to your starting skill levels. Maybe.

1) Steal sensible things. Everyone knows not to drag two couches and a dining table through the lobby, but what's equally important is to simply be reasonable in what you grab. A burglar would take things that are easy to fence off and not too recognizable. This means cash, jewelry, quality equipment and similar stuff. Yes, the bazaar merchants buy pretty much anything, but frankly it's a little ridiculous to stuff your pack with old boots and bits of rope just because you know you can squeeze a coded 20 sid out of it. No real burglar would do that unless there wasn't anything else and they're starving to death.

2) Moderate yourself. Noone needs to rob houses five times a week, even if it seems totally easy and risk-free. Even if you don't steal everything they got, their place is usually empty by the time they log back in because everyone else has helped themselves to the rest, so consider that fact even if you think you're not being too greedy yourself.

3) Be responsible. Once you get to the point where you can pick every lock in the city, you can be the guy who single-handedly makes it pointless to use the apartment code for as long as you're around. Don't be that guy. It's your responsibility to make sure that people can still have an apartment.

4) Roleplay your actions and take the virtual world into consideration. Robbing apartments isn't very risky and especially not if you take no time to do the break-in. Just because picking a lock only takes five seconds doesn't mean you can't sit there for a couple of minutes. And please do not ignore NPC guards within sight; the pick skill does not invoke the crime code (for whatever reasons) but that doesn't give you a license to twink.

The burglar system sucks. There should be coded risk of getting caught.
If you gaze for long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

www.j03m.com

Quote from: jmordetsky on December 03, 2009, 02:54:41 PM
The burglar system sucks. There should be coded risk of getting caught.

And make it a harder time for burglars?

Speaking from a code perspective--
I think the system is the way it is because unlike pickpocketing where somebody obviously sees that you're trying to stick your hands into someone's coat (which clearly cannot be justified other than the fact that you're DOING SOMETHING SHADY), standing in front of an apartment door jiggling the handle would appear pretty normal to passersby. You could be the resident there, or you could just be visiting a friend who's not opening their door, or you wanna break into a friend's house to play a prank on them, or you were asked to take care of a friend's place while they were away but were given the wrong set of keys, or any number of things. What about neighbors that know the actual resident, you say? Well, how would you code for something like that... I don't know any permanent resident of any apartment, people come and go.

I dunno, it's just what I think.  :-\
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

Quote from: number13 on December 03, 2009, 05:07:31 AM
Quote from: Xeran Van Houten on December 02, 2009, 09:12:58 PM
Quote from: number13 on December 02, 2009, 06:59:52 PM
Quote from: Clearsighted on December 02, 2009, 02:46:20 PM
I've always thought a burglar/linguist or /hunter could make a pretty good archaeologist or explorer. Nothing says you have to rob apartments.

You'd be better off with burglar/rebel or burglar/scavenger, both for obvious reasons.

What's obvious about that?

With rebel you get wilderness sneak/hide, to avoid all the critters you are likely to find while exploring.  Most tunnel systems are wilderness rooms.  I don't think it's too terrible to say so here, because it's counterintuitive. City sneak/hide won't help (much) in a tunnel.

With scavenger:
QuoteIn order to find objects out of reach of others they have learned to find paths that aren't apparent to the casual observer
...and presumably a few other minor benefits to your starting skill levels. Maybe.

I was under the impression from the past threads about hide/sneak that if your main guid has the skill, the subguild bonus was applied to that hide/sneak skill - not give you both city and wlderness.
どんと来い、生活の悪循環!!1!11
Quote from: Yam on March 18, 2011, 09:57:04 AM
There's really nothing wrong with a pretty boy in a dress.

This from Morgenes back in like 2006

QuoteYou are wrong, choosing a subguild that has the same skills as your main guild will give you a bump, but you have the ability to use your sneaking in both the wilderness and city.

I've already said this three times in this thread, so I'm done with it after this post.  The final staff answer on this is that:

thief = city sneak
rebel = wilderness sneak

If you have access to both types from a guild/subguild option, you get the ability to sneak in both locations.

And for the record, the official announcement of this change happened on the week of 2/20/2006, here's the link to the weekly update:

http://www.armageddon.org/general/updates/view.php?week=8&year=2006
A gaunt, yellow-skinned gith shrieks in fear, and hauls ass.
Lizzie:
If you -want- me to think that your character is a hybrid of a black kryl and a white push-broom shaped like a penis, then you've done a great job

Good thing I havn't had to a character's life on the line based on that impression...
どんと来い、生活の悪循環!!1!11
Quote from: Yam on March 18, 2011, 09:57:04 AM
There's really nothing wrong with a pretty boy in a dress.

I still think Morgenes is wrong about that.

I've had many an assassin/hunter who couldn't even find wagon tracks with wilderness hunt.
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

I've had no problem with it, everything worked fine for me.
A gaunt, yellow-skinned gith shrieks in fear, and hauls ass.
Lizzie:
If you -want- me to think that your character is a hybrid of a black kryl and a white push-broom shaped like a penis, then you've done a great job

A high enough city/wilderness skill can work in the opposite environment, though, yes?
I think I seen that in several places on the board before.
With a few helpful pieces of gear there wouldn't be much of a difference, maybe?
どんと来い、生活の悪循環!!1!11
Quote from: Yam on March 18, 2011, 09:57:04 AM
There's really nothing wrong with a pretty boy in a dress.

Quote from: Xeran Van Houten on December 03, 2009, 08:21:31 PM
A high enough city/wilderness skill can work in the opposite environment, though, yes?
I think I seen that in several places on the board before.
With a few helpful pieces of gear there wouldn't be much of a difference, maybe?

Yeah, city hide/sneak seem to work just fine out in the wilderness, if you're good.

Maybe the subguild foul-up is unique to the hunt skill.  Or maybe assassins have it capped low enough that it just isn't good enough to work outside its intended environment.  *shrug*
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

I'd assume that grave robbers choose guild_burglar for the search and pick skills, not sneak/hide. You don't see Lara Croft or Indiana Jones sneaking/hiding in the wilderness do you?

Anyway, all this talk about code hurts my head. It makes me feel like a twink, which I'm still in rehab for...
but I just have to ask: If you pick the burglar/thief combo, does it bump your sneak cap or does it bump your starting sneak?
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

Skill caps can't be affected by anything except staff tinkering. Subguild skill overlap supposedly gives a starting boost to the skill in question, but this is barely noticeable.

Hear a question to my fellow shadow artist players.

If you break into a place, is it realistic to rummage through a room that has npc's clearly marked as inhabiting it. I mean going through dressers, and chests or what have you when there is someone sitting at a table in the same room. Keep in mind you would have just broke into the apartment.
The funny little foreign man

I often hear the jingle to -Riunite on ice- when I read the estate name Reynolte, eve though there ain't no ice in Zalanthas.

Quote from: Potaje on December 04, 2009, 02:05:57 PM
If you break into a place, is it realistic to rummage through a room that has npc's clearly marked as inhabiting it. I mean going through dressers, and chests or what have you when there is someone sitting at a table in the same room. Keep in mind you would have just broke into the apartment.

Would it be reasonable to do that if it was a PC sitting at the table, and you just broke in? NPCs should not be treated differently than PCs.
Quote from: Vanth on February 13, 2008, 05:27:50 PM
I'm gonna go all Gimfalisette on you guys and lay down some numbers.

Quote from: Potaje on December 04, 2009, 02:05:57 PM
Hear a question to my fellow shadow artist players.

If you break into a place, is it realistic to rummage through a room that has npc's clearly marked as inhabiting it. I mean going through dressers, and chests or what have you when there is someone sitting at a table in the same room. Keep in mind you would have just broke into the apartment.

This was brought up on the IDB once recently, and one staffer's viewpoint on this was of particular interest.

If you leave vNPCs marked as inhabiting your room, that's fine. 

However, we're also fine with someone RPing breaking in and noticing these vNPCs and then robbing the place, assuming they RP with the vNPCs present.  This includes RPing their deaths and arranging the vNPC bodies over the pieces of furniture left untouched, or even leaving a re-arranged vNPC child cowering in the corner crying over the carnage.
Quote from: LauraMars on December 15, 2016, 08:17:36 PMPaint on a mustache and be a dude for a day. Stuff some melons down my shirt, cinch up a corset and pass as a girl.

With appropriate roleplay of course.

I've done that.

And worse.
A gaunt, yellow-skinned gith shrieks in fear, and hauls ass.
Lizzie:
If you -want- me to think that your character is a hybrid of a black kryl and a white push-broom shaped like a penis, then you've done a great job

I look at the etiquette surrounding burglars the same way I look at how people used to talk about the etiquetted surround thieves before Morg put the semote/hemote code in. You have the same never ending arguments about the things "thieves" were supposed to do. People being stolen from wanted emotes and RP and thieves complained that the risks were too high already. The code went in, problem solved. We never had that stupid conversation ever again, because you can emote and rp and a thief and it takes coded skill checks into account. Not only that but if I try to steal something unrealistic off of you, like a giant 50 pound war hammer - I will likely fail unless I'm a master.

We've been having the same discussions on burglars forever. The problem isn't the players, it's the code. If you don't want burglars to steal furniture, then there should be a weight factor that leads to a higher chance of being spotted by door guards on the way out.

As it stands now, if you play a young character and one of the higher agility races and have OOC knowledge of where to find/how to craft the required tools, you can clean out every apt in Allanak on a daily basis before you hit your 10th day of play time.  

The problem IMHO is that there is no penalty for failing sneak on the way out of a building. The door guard - he knows my face well enough that he can bar my entry, but if I walk out with a bag full of armor, a table, 2 chairs and my encumbrance at heavy so I fail my sneaks he doesn't blink.

There should be a coded criminal penalty for exits based on the sneak check.



If you gaze for long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

www.j03m.com

Quote from: jmordetsky on December 04, 2009, 03:22:37 PM
The problem IMHO is that there is no penalty for failing sneak on the way out of a building. The door guard - he knows my face well enough that he can bar my entry, but if I walk out with a bag full of armor, a table, 2 chairs and my encumbrance at heavy so I fail my sneaks he doesn't blink.

Eh, yeah.  That's more or less the problem.  There's also an a lopsided ratio of burglars-to-renters.  It's not really sustainable.   

Quote from: number13 on December 04, 2009, 04:18:20 PM
Quote from: jmordetsky on December 04, 2009, 03:22:37 PM
The problem IMHO is that there is no penalty for failing sneak on the way out of a building. The door guard - he knows my face well enough that he can bar my entry, but if I walk out with a bag full of armor, a table, 2 chairs and my encumbrance at heavy so I fail my sneaks he doesn't blink.

Eh, yeah.  That's more or less the problem.  There's also an a lopsided ratio of burglars-to-renters.  It's not really sustainable.   

But burglars can be renters too...
A foreign presence contacts your mind.

Quote from: Manhattan on December 04, 2009, 04:19:49 PM
Quote from: number13 on December 04, 2009, 04:18:20 PM
Quote from: jmordetsky on December 04, 2009, 03:22:37 PM
The problem IMHO is that there is no penalty for failing sneak on the way out of a building. The door guard - he knows my face well enough that he can bar my entry, but if I walk out with a bag full of armor, a table, 2 chairs and my encumbrance at heavy so I fail my sneaks he doesn't blink.

Eh, yeah.  That's more or less the problem.  There's also an a lopsided ratio of burglars-to-renters.  It's not really sustainable.   

But burglars can be renters too...


Yar, true enough. I forgot about that. Most of my terrible offenses as a burglar have been sneaking in and sneaking out though. Renting an apartment is a trail.

In theory, from a pure RP standpoint, a templar or Militia sarge could investigate a burglary at the scene and find out if there have been any new renters?

I guess that's another question - what can we do to empower templars or militia to track down burglars? Like a version of the hunt command that perhaps could detect race, boot type. I don't totally speculating right now.
If you gaze for long enough into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

www.j03m.com

First off, I like the first post of this thread where he mentioned alternate motives for burglary; vandalizing, leaving a trade mark, and "sexual thrill." As a crazy youth I've committed all kinds of crimes for a "thrill." (Burglary quite often of residences and public buildings.) Though, due to the harsh nature of Zalanthas, I think thrill takes a side saddle to desperation.

QuoteIn theory, from a pure RP standpoint, a templar or Militia sarge could investigate a burglary at the scene and find out if there have been any new renters?
I played a guard once who spent a ridiculous amount of time chasing a burglar. He attempted to get renter names, and cross reference shit. The imms tried to help me answer the types of questions I was posing to the gate guards, but apparently there's no simple way of conjuring up a list of everyone who rents in one particular building. IN the end, this type of investigating needs to be done via email, it takes forever, and it's a huge pain to everyone involved. Finally after me bugging them constantly for weeks with these questions, they at least coded it so that militia can enter apartment complexes.

Anyways, here are my thoughts based on my IG and IRL experiences with crime and burglary.


1) There is a thrill and a rush in it. I've never broken into a place IRL for material gain. I've never taken anything worth more than 20 bucks. However, in Zalanthas where people are desperate and the punishment for burglary could very well be death, no one would burglarize solely for thrill. However, it could be interesting to RP this thrill.

Beyond thrill there are nerves. These nerves often cause people to shit. I thought it was just me, but I've seen a movie (don't remember the title, but the guy shit on his poor victim's nice bed. Maybe Snatch or Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels?) and also an episode of Sopranos that addresses this real and common ailment. I have pooped several times breaking into places. Once, right square in the middle of the bedroom floor. So, shitting at the scene might be more than just a calling card, and it might be very realistic. (I apologize in advance because we all KNOW someone is going to come home missing expensive stuff, with shit on their floors VERY SOON.)

2) Plan ahead. Scope. Don't just run into a random building, pick a random door, and unlock it. This is how you find a) nothing, or b) Byn Sargeant Amos kanking his new runner, Amosette. You have sneak/hide/shadow, so pick a wealthy target and shadow them home. Or hide in the hallway and watch which door they go into. Now that you have that info, wait until you spot them in the bar. Now you know you'll find an empty apartment that is being lived in (and thus should have l00t.)

3) HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE YOU TAKE IS NOT THE RELEVANT FACTOR! If you want to take everything and sell every scrap from the 500 sid silk shirt, to the 5 sid empty flask, you can do that. It makes you more sid for your trouble, so it makes a lot of sense. (Yes it is a bummer, and yes you should take encumbrance and bulk into consideration as has always been said.) In the mindset of the thief, "The more I can make off of this one burglary, the more sid I have, and the longer I can go without having to risk my neck again."

A) One burglar robs every house in Nak in a week, makes 20,000 sid, and retires.
B) One burglar robs 10 houses in a week for about 50 sid of stuff no one will miss (and probably think they themselves lost). He makes 500 sid at 10x the effort, and 10x the risk.
C) One burglar robs one house, makes 500 sid, and retires for a week until his sid is low and he needs to take this risk again.

A: Early that week reports of burglary started rolling in. By time the third was reported that week, the guards and templars were all up in arms. They were on a manhunt. This was a pandemic, not just a sole unfortunate incident. Apartments were being watched. Renters were alert and starting to carry their valuables with them. Narks all over the rinth were hunting for scraps of info so they could be the next unsung Templars pet. This burglar made it, against all odds, through a self-imposed kamakazee and retired wealthy. (Yes, I know if he were a PC who did this he wouldn't ACTUALLY retire, but for the sake of this analysis, lets just pretend.) However, even in retirement, he's still being hunted. Why? Because he stole and burgled so much, so frequently that it became a pandemic.

B: Some renters just figured they misplaced it themselves, some figured their memories were slipping, some didn't give a rat's ass, some thought it was a glitch, and maybe one or two actually reported it. At first. Then talk began in the taverns. If 10 people all lost little things, (Or 1 person lost little things 10 times) we now know we're being prayed on. It's not as aggrivating as burglar A's approach, but it's still going to get attention.

C: A man comes home and he has... nothing. At least nothing expensive. He reports it. The guards watch the building more closely for the next few days, but then they get bored because no one's striking, so they return to the Gaj to flirt with the Salarri's and Kadians. Soon, the apartments are wide open because we lack the patience. "Meh," thinks Corporal Cross, "It's just one apartment. One time. Burglar hasn't struck in a week. He's probably a rinthi, and he's probably dead now. A week or two goes by. Another burlgary is reported. Is it the same guy? Maybe, maybe not.

Frequency is key. Even if you're taking more, less frequently, you will get less attention, and more apathy from your friends in the black and jade. Take as much as you reasonably can, sell it, and wait until it runs low again.

4) Don't leave a calling card. It's fun. I once had a burglar who drew on the wall with chalk. The problem with calling cards are numberous
- As mentioned above, if you leave one we know you're still alive. We know you are the burglar we're thinking of. We know where you've been. And above all, you aggrivate us with your annoying little calling card, so we're even more motivated to catch you!
- Your calling card has to come from somewhere. Not only are we now watching your target apartment buildings, we're now watching your source of calling cards.
- If we search you in a bar for some BS reason, and see 10 of your calling cards in your pack, we gotcha.
So, basically, don't taunt your pursuers, and don't let them know it's you (even if they don't know specifically who 'you' is.)


It's getting late. I hope this helped. I'll try to think of more. Let me know what you guys think.
Quote from: musashiengaging in autoerotic asphyxiation is no excuse for sloppy grammer!!!

Armageddon.org

Honestly, I think the "problem with burglars" is the same as the "probem with magickers" in that despite to the vast amount of vNPCs in the world, it only takes 1 PC burglar being fairly active to drastically alter every other PC's perceptions about burglars at large in that general area (which then becomes game wide when folks start posting on the GDB about it to vent frustration).

Allanak is not actually a city with thousands of people living in it when you get right down to it. It's a city with perhaps 50-75 people living in it; and of those people ... how many actually have aparments wth something worth taking inside them? Since the burglar can only burgle from those apartment renting people that makes his target group a rather small number of folks indeed ... possibly small enough to count on your fingers and toes ... just trying to skill up and keep a few large in the bank will create more than enough ire among that little group to trigger a manhunt and a bash-fest on the GDB.

I think that it's just kind of the nature of the game, honestly. The same way that 1 PC magicker being active in a given area is more than enough to make people start up with the "magick is too common these days" threads.
Quote from: Marauder Moe
Oh my god he's still rocking the sandwich.

Quote from: musashi on December 28, 2009, 04:16:44 AM

Allanak is not actually a city with thousands of people living in it when you get right down to it. It's a city with perhaps 50-75 people living in it; and of those people ... how many actually have aparments wth something worth taking inside them? Since the burglar can only burgle from those apartment renting people that makes his target group a rather small number of folks indeed ... possibly small enough to count on your fingers and toes ... just trying to skill up and keep a few large in the bank will create more than enough ire among that little group to trigger a manhunt and a bash-fest on the GDB.


I feel the same way about PC raiders but I can't fault them. The staff created these professions and groups to add harshness to the world. You'll get ripped off eventually. I think the idea is to persevere despite this. If there's an active burglar cleaning out every apartment every night in Allanak there will be  man hunt and they will likely suffer consequences at the hands of players. Then the players will restock and carry on until the next famous burglar.

It's the job of these guys to rip us off and its the job of "honest" Zalanthians to put them in their place. One of the many struggles of Zalanthas. I'd only fault these guys if they typed "quit" the second you confront them.

Quote from: Morrolan on July 16, 2013, 01:43:41 AM
And there was some dwarf smoking spice, and I thought that was so scandalous because I'd only been playing in 'nak.


As a side note.

There are no staff created PC raiding groups.  All of them, past and present have been player created.
A gaunt, yellow-skinned gith shrieks in fear, and hauls ass.
Lizzie:
If you -want- me to think that your character is a hybrid of a black kryl and a white push-broom shaped like a penis, then you've done a great job

apartments apartments apartments.

Ya'll are missing the big time here. Merchant Houses are AWESOME to steal from, because there crafters replenish the stuff you steal every day.

Nobles estates for sheer thrill and awesomeness. And you know they got the coin.
I remember recruiting this Half elf girl. And IMMEDIATELY taking her out on a contract. Right as we go into this gith hole I tell her "Remember your training, and you'll be fine." and she goes "I have no training." Then she died

i am guessing you never tried to break into an estate noble house or merchant house

or maybe you did not think through how you would make it out if you broke in
some of my posts are serious stuff

Quote from: Ghost on December 28, 2009, 12:55:42 PM
i am guessing you never tried to break into an estate noble house or merchant house

or maybe you did not think through how you would make it out if you broke in

Done It. Got in, and got out. There's ways to do it if you're smart enough. :)
I remember recruiting this Half elf girl. And IMMEDIATELY taking her out on a contract. Right as we go into this gith hole I tell her "Remember your training, and you'll be fine." and she goes "I have no training." Then she died

Quote from: X-D on December 28, 2009, 12:09:05 PM
As a side note.

There are no staff created PC raiding groups.  All of them, past and present have been player created.

Read the tribal pages to see staff created raiding clans.
Quote from: Morrolan on July 16, 2013, 01:43:41 AM
And there was some dwarf smoking spice, and I thought that was so scandalous because I'd only been playing in 'nak.


Quote from: janeshephard on December 28, 2009, 01:04:13 PM
Quote from: X-D on December 28, 2009, 12:09:05 PM
As a side note.

There are no staff created PC raiding groups.  All of them, past and present have been player created.

Read the tribal pages to see staff created raiding clans.


Hehe, yeah. Still, those may be staff-sponsored but not necessarily staff-created. I'm not a gray hair like X-D who could tell you for sure, though.
Quote from: nessalin on July 11, 2016, 02:48:32 PM
Trunk
hidden by 'body/torso'
hides nipples

Quote from: Zoltan on December 28, 2009, 01:06:00 PM
Quote from: janeshephard on December 28, 2009, 01:04:13 PM
Quote from: X-D on December 28, 2009, 12:09:05 PM
As a side note.

There are no staff created PC raiding groups.  All of them, past and present have been player created.

Read the tribal pages to see staff created raiding clans.


Hehe, yeah. Still, those may be staff-sponsored but not necessarily staff-created. I'm not a gray hair like X-D who could tell you for sure, though.

I see what you mean. Players proposed them in the past. My bad.
Quote from: Morrolan on July 16, 2013, 01:43:41 AM
And there was some dwarf smoking spice, and I thought that was so scandalous because I'd only been playing in 'nak.


Quote from: Fredd on December 28, 2009, 12:35:16 PM
Ya'll are missing the big time here. Merchant Houses are AWESOME to steal from, because there crafters replenish the stuff you steal every day.

Nobles estates for sheer thrill and awesomeness. And you know they got the coin.

If you're doing this, you should wish up while you're doing it so that the staff can provide an appropriate response to your PC. You are venturing into a heavily-guarded compound where there are literally hundreds of servant and guard VNPCs and NPCs roaming around. Going in, loading yourself up with stuff, and getting out while relying on the fact that the NPCs and VNPCs don't "see" you because there is no imm watching...well, I don't think I need to tell you what that is.
Quote from: Vanth on February 13, 2008, 05:27:50 PM
I'm gonna go all Gimfalisette on you guys and lay down some numbers.

Been here for well over 10 years, so I can say, Yes
all of the raiding clans were PC created.
Quote from: roughneck on October 13, 2018, 10:06:26 AM
Armageddon is best when it's actually harsh and brutal, not when we're only pretending that it is.

Quote from: Gimfalisette on December 28, 2009, 01:54:13 PM
Quote from: Fredd on December 28, 2009, 12:35:16 PM
Ya'll are missing the big time here. Merchant Houses are AWESOME to steal from, because there crafters replenish the stuff you steal every day.

Nobles estates for sheer thrill and awesomeness. And you know they got the coin.

If you're doing this, you should wish up while you're doing it so that the staff can provide an appropriate response to your PC. You are venturing into a heavily-guarded compound where there are literally hundreds of servant and guard VNPCs and NPCs roaming around. Going in, loading yourself up with stuff, and getting out while relying on the fact that the NPCs and VNPCs don't "see" you because there is no imm watching...well, I don't think I need to tell you what that is.

Thank you for beating me to it Gim.
some of my posts are serious stuff

Quote from: Ghost on December 28, 2009, 02:17:16 PM
Quote from: Gimfalisette on December 28, 2009, 01:54:13 PM
Quote from: Fredd on December 28, 2009, 12:35:16 PM
Ya'll are missing the big time here. Merchant Houses are AWESOME to steal from, because there crafters replenish the stuff you steal every day.

Nobles estates for sheer thrill and awesomeness. And you know they got the coin.

If you're doing this, you should wish up while you're doing it so that the staff can provide an appropriate response to your PC. You are venturing into a heavily-guarded compound where there are literally hundreds of servant and guard VNPCs and NPCs roaming around. Going in, loading yourself up with stuff, and getting out while relying on the fact that the NPCs and VNPCs don't "see" you because there is no imm watching...well, I don't think I need to tell you what that is.

Thank you for beating me to it Gim.

Didnt think about wishing up when i robbed a certain merchant house. I totally should have, would have made it more fun! So doing it on my next sneaky-stealy type pc.
I remember recruiting this Half elf girl. And IMMEDIATELY taking her out on a contract. Right as we go into this gith hole I tell her "Remember your training, and you'll be fine." and she goes "I have no training." Then she died

Quote from: Fredd on December 28, 2009, 12:35:16 PM
Ya'll are missing the big time here. Merchant Houses are AWESOME to steal from, because there crafters replenish the stuff you steal every day.

Nobles estates for sheer thrill and awesomeness. And you know they got the coin.

Better yet, partner with someone on the inside if you can.   ;D  Then you get thrill AND interaction.
Former player as of 2/27/23, sending love.

Quote from: valeria on December 28, 2009, 02:38:47 PM
Better yet, partner with someone on the inside if you can.   ;D  Then you get thrill AND interaction.

Now THAT is some crazy action movie right there
some of my posts are serious stuff

1. Find a Kadian insider.
2. Let her get you inside the gates.
3. Ask the Kadian to get naked and stay in an isolated room.
4. Get naked, then try picking the locks, only with your cloak and hood on.
5. If shit happens, run to the insider, remove your cloak, then emote out kinky MUDsex when they come.
6. The lie is simple. "The kadian let you in to have sex."
7. ????
8. Profit?
Q  : Where do you piss?
Yam: On elves.
Q  : And if the area, lacks elves at the given time?
Yam: Scan.

January 28, 2010, 05:44:05 AM #66 Last Edit: January 28, 2010, 03:13:12 PM by Bushranger
I made a short educational video clip for all you novice burglars out there. I hope that find some of this advice useful.

NSFW the link for the brief nudity and some... weirdness.
http://www.grapheine.com/classiktv/index.php?module=see&lang=uk&code=7d4151455539ca7b5f4747247d03a08a

Bushranger
Quote from: MorgenesYa..what Bushranger said...that's the ticket.

Quote from: Bushranger on January 28, 2010, 05:44:05 AM
I made a short educational video clip for all you novice burglars out there. I hope that find some of this advice useful.

http://www.grapheine.com/classiktv/index.php?module=see&lang=uk&code=7d4151455539ca7b5f4747247d03a08a

Bushranger


Rules to live by, heh. May want to NSFW the link for the brief nudity and some... weirdness.
Quote from: nessalin on July 11, 2016, 02:48:32 PM
Trunk
hidden by 'body/torso'
hides nipples

Quote from: Bushranger on January 28, 2010, 05:44:05 AM
I made a short educational video clip for all you novice burglars out there. I hope that find some of this advice useful.

http://www.grapheine.com/classiktv/index.php?module=see&lang=uk&code=7d4151455539ca7b5f4747247d03a08a

Bushranger


You forgot:  take EVERYTHING.
Quote from: WarriorPoet
I play this game to pretend to chop muthafuckaz up with bone swords.
Quote from: SmuzI come to the GDB to roleplay being deep and wise.
Quote from: VanthSynthesis, you scare me a little bit.

Quote from: musashi on December 28, 2009, 04:16:44 AM
... just trying to skill up and keep a few large in the bank will create more than enough ire among that little group to trigger a manhunt and a bash-fest on the GDB.

This is the stupidest thing I've heard related to burglars.  Ok, not the stupidest, but close.

In a dirty, desperate place like Zalanthas where a handful of sid is considered riches by the vast majority of people, should most burglars strive to have " a few large in the bank?"

Oh, and trying to "skill up" is a whole 'nother issue.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j4fbgiLff4

Here's pretty much all you need to know.
Useful tips: Commands |  |Storytelling:  1  2


burglars are badass, once they've branched certain skills

<3 guild_burglar