Armageddon General Discussion Board

General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Burglar on May 06, 2006, 09:40:43 PM

Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Burglar on May 06, 2006, 09:40:43 PM
Got a question here. Should lockpicks be a bit more accessible? I know they're supposed to be rare and illegal, but they are required for the burglar guild's main skill. I've been playing a burglar for over a week and I haven't seen any. I've asked a few people IC but noone knows or wants to answer, and I know that it's just a matter of time before I ask someone who runs and tells a templar and that'll be the end of my PC. I talked to someone else who stored his burglar after 3 weeks of never seeing a lockpick.

And before you go "but burglars get so many other skills" - yeah, but that's not why I chose burglar. I didn't pick him to be a crappy pick-pocket or a half-arsed warrior. I just think it's odd that the item required for the backbone skill of this guild is next to impossible to get.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Sir Diealot on May 06, 2006, 09:43:08 PM
They are entirely accessible.  You just don't know where to look.

In Tuluk, theres a place where the underbelly collects.  underbelly is a clue.

In Allanak.. Well, its pretty fucking obvious where to get illegal shit in Allanak :P.

Picks are -EASY- to get.  You just have to know where to look.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: John on May 06, 2006, 09:43:54 PM
I've never seen a lock-pick (except once when I was a militia soldier) in all the years I've been playing. Whenever I created a burglar, I'd always die within a few days after looking for one. I personally think they should definitely be a bit more accessible.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Majikal on May 06, 2006, 09:44:17 PM
I assure you that they're not as rare as you think, just gotta be looking in the right places. Wandering the elven market in tuluk or the warrens most likely isn't gonna produce something like that, go where there is less law and order.. simple as that. What's the trashiest place in the south? Where do you find the least amount of soldiers in Tuluk? Or just ask someone that looks as shady as you, maybe it'd be more like your character to do something like that.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit on May 06, 2006, 09:49:31 PM
I think burglars should get the ability to craft lockpicks right from the get-go, allowing them to whittle themselves a crappy pick of pointed bone that gives them a -5% to their lockpicking skill, or something.
Lockpicks are easy to get ahold of, once you know where to go... but once again, this is one of those elitist, esoteric things that you have to create one or two "throw-away" characters just to discover, generally speaking. I think, realistically, crude, entry-level lockpicks should be a bit easier to get ahold of. I mean, really, all they are is a few pieces of slim bone or wood.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: marko on May 06, 2006, 09:50:13 PM
In Tuluk, if a character has difficulty finding pick locks go to your local templar and ask them.  They should be able to point your char in the right direction.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Sir Diealot on May 06, 2006, 09:56:15 PM
Get a Thief liscence, and THEN ask a Templar.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: marko on May 06, 2006, 10:00:08 PM
Quote from: "Sir Diealot"Get a Thief liscence, and THEN ask a Templar.

Very good point.  :)

Do the two at once.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: joyofdiscord on May 06, 2006, 10:04:15 PM
I have had a long lived and very successful burglar.  You don't need to make "throwaway characters" or anything of the sort.  My character must have logged almost 10 days online time before he finally got his pick, and he got it through a PC. (OOC I know where they are found, but ICly, this character was poorly positioned to take advantage of that).  That wait didn't cause him any trouble at all, and was probably beneficial, all things considered.  Just be persistent, and play your character.  Lockpicks, eventually, take care of themselves.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Bebop on May 06, 2006, 10:09:05 PM
Picks are pretty accessible.  You just have to look in unlawful places and here's a hint:  illegalities don't come cheap.  Save up some starting coins.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: John on May 06, 2006, 10:13:55 PM
Quote from: "Sir Diealot"In Allanak.. Well, its pretty fucking obvious where to get illegal shit in Allanak :P.

Picks are -EASY- to get.  You just have to know where to look.
Bullshit. I'm sorry, but this is blatantly not true. I have explored the entire rinth that is publically accessible. Lockpicks aren't sold in an easy-to-get-to place in the 'rinth. Wherever they're sold, it's damn hard to get to. I've lost more characters then I can count exploring the 'rinth. But I did so in the hopes that eventually I'd find a lockpick. I didn't find a single one.

Are they found in the 'rinth? Well no shit. Of course they are. But wherever they are in the 'rinth, it aint somewhere you're average newbie will get to easily. Or your 10th 'rinther will get to. Wherever it is, it ISN'T as easy as everyone here is making out.

[EDIT]: I do have my suspicions on where you can sell lockpicks, but I have yet to find an NPC loaded with them in the 'rinth. And I've searched it. In every single room (this was a couple of years ago).
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Sir Diealot on May 06, 2006, 10:37:14 PM
Guess it was too IC.

Oh well.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Adhira on May 06, 2006, 10:37:52 PM
I've taken out a few posts that were overly specific in where/how to find lockpicks.

Please keep that in mind when replying to this post.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: cyberpatrol_735 on May 06, 2006, 10:42:13 PM
Uh.. that's IC info SirDiealot..

*thwap*
Title: Right
Post by: Desertman on May 06, 2006, 10:43:00 PM
Considering how truly badass a burgular with any kind of intelligence can become....The great wealth they can potentially gain just from looting poor soul's apartments...I think that lock picks should be much harder to come by than they are. As it is they are extremely easy to get in my opinon keeping in mind exactly what they are going to be used for...Potentially looting out someone's entire livelyhood. I say make them harder to get than they already are. I have had multiple lock picks, never played a burgular, and never once went into any unlawful zone to attain them...Just look around, they are there.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Hymwen on May 06, 2006, 10:57:56 PM
I've never seen lock-picks, and I mapped all of the 'rinth except for secret areas.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: cyberpatrol_735 on May 06, 2006, 11:01:57 PM
I had/have, not telling which, a char who had/has 2 picks on him/her at this/that time without ever paying a dime.

No, they aren't hard to find.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: ale six on May 06, 2006, 11:11:38 PM
Lockpicks, poisons, and other shady supplies are some of the stuff that are best acquired from other PCs. Find your friendly neighborhood Guilder, or shady elf with connections, or templar, noble, merchant, whoever who might be able to get you one.

IMO the best check on the power of the pick skill is that the burglar has to be smart enough to find a lockpick to begin with. I wouldn't want to see that changed.

While you're waiting/looking, work up some of the auxilliary skills that you'll need to burgle places, too. Sneak, hide, and in some cases climb are needed before you can even get to a door to pick. You'll find a pick eventually.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: ThirdEye on May 06, 2006, 11:26:48 PM
They are extremely easy to get, you just need to know where to look.
Title: Re: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Arbonne on May 06, 2006, 11:35:08 PM
Quote from: "Burglar"Got a question here. Should lockpicks be a bit more accessible? I know they're supposed to be rare and illegal, but they are required for the burglar guild's main skill. I've been playing a burglar for over a week and I haven't seen any. I've asked a few people IC but noone knows or wants to answer, and I know that it's just a matter of time before I ask someone who runs and tells a templar and that'll be the end of my PC. I talked to someone else who stored his burglar after 3 weeks of never seeing a lockpick.

And before you go "but burglars get so many other skills" - yeah, but that's not why I chose burglar. I didn't pick him to be a crappy pick-pocket or a half-arsed warrior. I just think it's odd that the item required for the backbone skill of this guild is next to impossible to get.

I think we've already established that getting a pick is attainable. How you go about in obtaining it depends on circumstances surrounding your character, locations, connections, etc, all things that I would feel exciting trying to figure out with your character, rather than focusing solely on gettin your pick skill up so you can go rob a room blind.  :wink:  (I mainly joke) Before any more IC sensitive things get thrown out, I think it's best to conclude with that.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Cale_Knight on May 06, 2006, 11:44:19 PM
This is yet another issue that's newbie-unfriendly.

Everyone who knows where to get a pick says that it's easy, incredibly easy, to get a pick and start picking locks.

Those players, obviously, will never have issues getting themselves a pick the next time they get a burglar.

Newbies, or those new to burglars, on the other hand, seem to have absolutely no clue - even those who have invested real amounts of time into looking.

Either picks should be genuinely difficult to get, or they should be more obvious. But not where they apparantly are now - "super super easy to get, if I tell you. Which I won't. Mwahaha!"
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: ThirdEye on May 06, 2006, 11:49:40 PM
It's intimidating as a newbie to ask those questions aswell I think. It was for me anyway.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: jcarter on May 06, 2006, 11:50:29 PM
Quote from: "Cale_Knight"Either picks should be genuinely difficult to get, or they should be more obvious. But not where they apparantly are now - "super super easy to get, if I tell you. Which I won't. Mwahaha!"

I think this is the best thing that has been said in this entire thread.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Arbonne on May 07, 2006, 12:09:43 AM
Quote from: "jcarter"
Quote from: "Cale_Knight"Either picks should be genuinely difficult to get, or they should be more obvious. But not where they apparantly are now - "super super easy to get, if I tell you. Which I won't. Mwahaha!"

I think this is the best thing that has been said in this entire thread.

Yet, how much more obvious without telling everyone who looks for it exactly where it's at? And how much more harder to get than from certain PCs? Currently, I think the difficultly in finding picks are fine as they are for now.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: LauraMars on May 07, 2006, 12:12:54 AM
Ask people in the game.  It'll be easier than finding one on your own.

Once you get one, you'll find the rest are in pretty easy supply...just take em from other people's apartments.  And then you can pay to have the people killed who you told originally with all the money you make from your loot, preserving your anonymity.  Make sure to pass on your newfound lockpicks to others.  The cycle continues.

By the way, I love burglars.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Socko on May 07, 2006, 12:17:43 AM
Burglars are fun. My biggest gripe with the burglar class, however, was in finding ample doors to pick. Once you get that tool, finding places to practice is a whole 'nother ballgame. You have to be very creative, either way.

Just don't be afraid to talk to people and network and ask people in-game. Sometimes it's the only way, you know?
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Adhira on May 07, 2006, 12:51:53 AM
I think people have been as helpful as they can be with regards to answering this question:

Question - are lockpicks too hard to find

Answer - No they aren't, they're there if you know how to look for them.

Question - Where can they be found.

Answer: Find out IC. Should it be find out IC yes. Every one of the people who say they're easy to find should have (I hope) found them ICly, themselves. Proving it can be done.

Now, to add on to the find out IC answer some clues were given. ie Ask a Templar in the North. Go to shadier parts of town. Ask around in game.

All things that will add to the RP now that the player has had it confirmed that they can be found, if they're up to putting in the effort needed, ICly, to find them.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: jmordetsky on May 07, 2006, 01:31:38 AM
I can't speak for Tuluk. If you want lockpicks in allanak, looking around for a "shop" to buy them in is a bit silly.

As to the question that always comes up after "Find out IC", which is obviously, "How do I find out IC?"

Think of it this way. If you wanted to buy a lock pick in RL? How would you go about it. First thing you would do is ask a local thief. Where do you find a local thief? Well, check some of the shadier establishements where said people might be found.

If you go about your search in this fashion, by looking for PCs and working with them (IE involving other players) you will succeed. I'm sure of it.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Manhattan on May 07, 2006, 01:35:37 AM
Poor newbies  :(
This game's learning curve bars out a lot of potential players.
I'll help you guys out.

Lockpicks in Tuluk are not exactly... in the city itself.
Lockpicks in Allanak can be found in the 'rinth. Be wary of the skinnies.

There, I think I've already shared enough information.

Editted to add: Lockpicks are NOT easy to obtain. Stop giving newbies false hope. Christ. There's certain syntax they need to enter once they're even AT the place where lockpicks can be found.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: X-D on May 07, 2006, 01:43:19 AM
I've never played a burgler, Yet, I know exactly where to get lockpicks in both cities. And I found them IG with pc's such as rangers and warriors, on accident...heh.

They are easy to find.

Normaly it is also quite easy to find somebody IG who knows and either have them get them for you...at a price of course or point you in the right direction....also probly at a price.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: John on May 07, 2006, 02:05:40 AM
Now that I (unfortunately, although I realize people were only trying to be helpful) do know where they are in Allanak. It isn't easy. To say it's easy to find them is being dishonest. It's easy to get them ONCE you know where they are. But it isn't easy to find them.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Sir Diealot on May 07, 2006, 02:34:48 AM
It is simple, but you will have to be familiar with the commands.  Unfortunately, its an underutilized command.  Read room descs, and know what that command can do.

This thread is pretty much done.  Can we get it locked?
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: LauraMars on May 07, 2006, 02:36:51 AM
Quote from: "Sir Diealot"This thread is pretty much done.  Can we get it locked?

Seconded.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: SirHelpsAlot? on May 07, 2006, 02:57:23 AM
Sir Diealot (and others offering quick hints),

I certainly hope that the level of IC information that you are proliferating here is not an indication of the degree to which you reveal such things to those new players looking for a 'helper'.

The initial question is being asked out of frustration and a lack of knowledge... both of which are alleviated through continued play and exploration within the game world itself. No hints are needed.. The only suggestion would be for the player to show more patience. The prospective Burglar has plenty of skills that can be employed up to the point a pick is required.

Just because 'pick' is a primary skill for a Burglar doesn't mean your character needs to start the game immediately trying to pick locks... And infact one major suggestion to new players would be that they realize when making their background that they are starting the game with MINIMAL skill.. So don't put in the background that you've been a master locksmith or that you've been picking locks since you were a boy. The fact is that your PC starts with little to no skill in the area so you get to RP gaining this skill.

In short, don't rush.. take your time. Set a number of goals, if you're having trouble acheiving one, table it and move to another. There are lots of picks in the game, different sizes shapes and colors, many people have them, the odds of your eventually getting one are really quite high. You just have to be patient. There are no free meals here, you have to work for it.

And please... you helpful bunch of bastards... stop giving away so much.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Sir Diealot on May 07, 2006, 03:34:12 AM
Relax man.  All I said was that it was a syntax issue.  If you have a problem with it, talk to me, don't hide behind some idiotic, attempt-at-irony psuedonym.  I have plenty of contact info listed.

And, do not derail the thread.  Its over, done, and finished.  You are adding nothing new, save a thinly veiled attack against one person, and an attempt at sounding superior.
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Arbonne on May 07, 2006, 09:35:43 AM
Quote from: "Sir Diealot"Relax man.  All I said was that it was a syntax issue.  If you have a problem with it, talk to me, don't hide behind some idiotic, attempt-at-irony psuedonym.  I have plenty of contact info listed.

And, do not derail the thread.  Its over, done, and finished.  You are adding nothing new, save a thinly veiled attack against one person, and an attempt at sounding superior.

And yet, even syntax issues give away IC information that not all new characters had. It's giving those reading this thread an advantage that other burglars in the past didn't have, yet most found out such information through OOC patience and IC perseverance. And I think what the guest wanted to say was that those hints were not needed to be given out. Those were things that are apart of learning the game from a new players perspective, IMO. Though others may want to get right down to finding that pick and stealing, others may with to learn how to get that by their own, through their own (crazy, ingenious, long, but exciting) methods.  :wink:
Title: Lockpicks and rarity
Post by: Morgenes on May 07, 2006, 09:44:33 AM
This thread is done.