Psionics need tweaked

[Pariah]

Not being able to go outside and the afternoon chores is the worst part of joining the byn, afternoon chores are the most repetitive, unenjoyable thing ever and takes up 30 minutes of your time multiple times a day for a month. It doesn't take much for a sergeant to just spam contact to see who's breaking the rules either, and even then, sometimes I've somehow been caught even after taking every single precaution to break the rules without being caught.

So another thread brought this to light and I will admit that I try to get EVERY character to master Barrier, it's a good idle time training thing, barrier at the bar, barrier once or twice while you walk around, after a five or so days played, you'll be master barrier.

However, in reality it means dick all.  I've had many characters with master barrier that get their barrier crushed left and right.

I think Psionics need to be tweaked so the barrier is more of a barrier and less of a wet tissue.

This was less of a problem when we didn't all start with master contact, because if you got your barrier to master, there was VERY few people who could crush it with their apprentice or journeyman contact, but now it just feels like 100% Contact is greater than 100% barrier.

Am I the only one?

[mansa]

You shouldn't dumpstat wisdom.

[Pariah]

You shouldn't dumpstat wisdom.

I don't, because I like my skills to actually advance.

[mansa]

If two characters have the exact same stats and skill.

What 'chance' for success would you want to see for someone with max contact to be able to reach someone with max barrier?

50% success?
10% success?
95% success?


In my opinion, this is the same problem as hide/scan, where someone can repeat the command multiple times until they are successful.

[Pariah]

I'd honestly think it should be low like 25%, there are times when you are doing things you don't want anyone knowing about and Barrier is key.

[Krath]

There is the option to increase its strength using things like Spice.

[Dracul]

Psionics?

/derail/

I think they should be available offline and be able to tell if someone is dead.

The ability to way someone is effected most by the meta concept of being logged on or logged off.

/derail/

[dumbstruck]

If two characters have the exact same stats and skill.

What 'chance' for success would you want to see for someone with max contact to be able to reach someone with max barrier?

50% success?
10% success?
95% success?


In my opinion, this is the same problem as hide/scan, where someone can repeat the command multiple times until they are successful.

That's fair. Maybe it's like value where after you value a certain item it's time locked as that value for X amount of time before the value for trying to value changes again (like, you can try to contact them again but it doesn't actually even try to break their barrier, it only even tries to contact them if they're both on and have their barrier down if you've failed against their barrier for say, a RL hour after the last time you've tried to contact them and they were barriered and their barrier worked).

[Usiku]

There's just more to barrier than you think.. I think..

[Brokkr]

There is more to barrier than barrier.

[ShaiHulud]

Good Reef!

[Coda]

I'd honestly think it should be low like 25%, there are times when you are doing things you don't want anyone knowing about and Barrier is key.

Contact pariah

Contact pariah

Contact pariah

Contact pariah


For like 35 stun, I've just, more than likely, broken your 100% barrier.

That's partially what you're seeing. Also, like two staffers said, there's more going on there ~behind the curtain~.

[Cerelum]

Shit had no idea my phone was logged into my super old account.

[Coda]

Shit had no idea my phone was logged into my super old account.

Owned.

[Pariah]

My main point was more that I like to just keep people outta my head and that's sorta the core barrier function.  I'm aware there is probably deeper nuances I just get irritated that on higher wisdom humans it still tears like tissue paper so easily.

[Jihelu]

I think [redacted] I had PC that would have a pal do [redacted] and it eventually got to the point where it was annoying as hell to break through.

This could all just be conjecture tho and im crazy


-(modedit) Please do not discuss psionic mechanics that may or may not be true that are not in the helpfiles, thank you.

[Boggis]

My main point was more that I like to just keep people outta my head and that's sorta the core barrier function.  I'm aware there is probably deeper nuances I just get irritated that on higher wisdom humans it still tears like tissue paper so easily.

It used to be a lot harder to get through to somebody with master barrier (I think anyway). The problem when it was like that though was that some people were going around with barrier on all the time for.. various reasons. But we quite rely on the Way for getting people together and getting things progressed from a playability perspective and not being able to get through to people was likely impacting overall levels of play. So it seems like they've tweaked it so people can get their messages into you but if you want to then be barriered for other reasons it's not that big a deal to just bring it back up again. There are various other nuances to barrier as well but for me I'm ok with the playability help and live with it.

[Brokkr]

There are PCs that when I am trying to do plot stuff for them starting with a Way, I have to modify the NPC to be able to get past their barrier or I am never gonna be able to do the animation with them.

[Pariah]

There are PCs that when I am trying to do plot stuff for them starting with a Way, I have to modify the NPC to be able to get past their barrier or I am never gonna be able to do the animation with them.

well look at my last two or three master barrier characters and see what the hell I was doing wrong.  My shit shattered if someone farted too close.

[Brokkr]

It has nothing to do with barrier skill level.

[Pariah]

I get you're hinting at some hidden metric or something.  But what does the barrier skill do then, just how successful you are at getting it up?

[Riev]

In arm, if you want something to improve, you fail at it.

You want your barrier strong. Think how you would "fail" at having a strong barrier.

Then have that happen. alot.

[Fredd]

just because a skill says "Master" doesn't mean it is "Capped" either.

[LindseyBalboa]

once i started trying to way people 3-4 times i realized that a lot more people were online with barrier than i thought there would be, sometimes.

imo it feels like barrier gets crushed 100% of the time because there are no messages to the barriered pc that someone tried to contact them but failed.

[The Lonely Hunter]

imo it feels like barrier gets crushed 100% of the time because there are no messages to the barriered pc that someone tried to contact them but failed.

That's actually cool idea. Some kind of notice when someone bounces off your barrier

[Inks]

What I don't like when psis are super active is everyone just barriers up and it is hard for anyone to get anything done as everyone seems to stop discussing anything over the way, on one hand it is pretty meta because the mindworm ICly has a whole known to hassle and mindworms have always existed.


On the other hand nobody wants their plots ruined or PC ambushed and murdered so I understand where it comes from, with a couple of openly active psis it can make the world very small, especially if you are a thief or raider or spy type PC.


I don't really have a suggestion, but I have noticed it is always a pattern of stagnation when psis start spannering a lot of plans.

Sorry if this came off as more of a stream of conciousness. I've killed a couple over the years and it is so incredibly satisfying, like if you could reach through your screen and punch redditors or online bullies or something. That sense of relief is palpable that someone who can destroy every secret and plan you have is gone.

Personally I wouldn't want to play one and watch other people mudsex etc. Hehe

I definately admire the difficulty of that role though! Hated almost more than Sorcerers without the ability to fireball folks into ash!

My tone is pretty tongue in cheek here, I am in no way dissing them or their detractors either!