Should SoTA have jail(s)/prison(s) for player characters?

It has to be something fun for the player. There shouldn't be any consequence for playing the game the way it was meant to be played. The only exception to that is PKs should be able to be hunted down by other players flagged for PvP.

(don't worry PvP doesn't concern anybody who doesn't want to flag for it so don't start freaking out)

 

But why not put them in jail too, where they could learn some rare and unsavory skills? That would add to the overall realism of the game world too, maybe.

 

If the jail was fun for them I don't have a problem. If it is just a scenario where they have to sneak by the guards or kick the guards butts and get there equipment back... cool.

Even let them find some cool loot, and earn a title on the way out.

No need to make prison a bad time. It could be a rite of passage and almost a mini-game for criminals to earn tattoos and get titles for being criminals.

 

That's kind of what I was getting at the whole time bro!

 

Jail wouldn't make it very fun--- I think that maybe something like a temporary brand. Guards brand delinquents with a special brand that carries a 'curse' with it-- some side effects such as:
-Target the branded player as an instant target for nearby hostile NPCs and monsters (except, perhaps, brigands or similar if infamy is high enough).
-Merchants will not want to deal with someone carrying the brand (suggestion), but there could be encampments of brigands or thieves that will only deal with a branded character, but who only deal in black market goods, or the like.
-Certain towns will not want branded characters within their walls- the guards will attempt to kick them out or keep them out. HOWEVER (suggestion), players could craft or buy disguises that allow them to sneak past guards and deal with merchants and people. Of course, the disguise becomes ineffective the moment they draw a sword or perform a hostile action.

Brands last only for a specific period of time, but they can accumulate.

Here's a potential idea tossed into the ring: For there to be a certain level of accumulated brands that will cause your character to be legally declared an Outlaw, and therefore branded permanently. This can create communities of outlaws for PvP.

If someone wants to cleanse themselves of the Outlaw permanent brand, they need to embark on a cleansing quest a la the Quest of the Avatar in Ultima IV-- the quest is dangerous and difficult, but after the character proves to be reformed in moral fiber, the brand is lifted.

If the player becomes perma-branded for a second time, the Quest will not work again for him or her- they will remain outlaws for life.


Just an idea.

 

You gon eat yo cornbread?

 

+1 for cruel and unusual punishment.

Actually that brings up a good point. What if they had torture as a punishment for breaking a crime? It's not like the player actually feels anything. They just have to watch their character beg for mercy on the rack or stand in side a spiked iron cage suspended over boiling oil. lol

 

'Like', except for one detail: why should you only have one chance to redeem yourself? It is a game after all, and should be flexible as such. I agree with the difficulties though, at some point, it should become improbable for an evil player to become 'good' again.

 

We need a stock & pillar to hold criminals. I need somewhere to throw my garbage! -)

TQQdles™

 

So far the biggest problem with the idea of a jail system that I've found.. is the preconception of what a jail system MUST be like. I've long argued that if it can be made into something optional and fun then it can work. A lot of folks (as far as I can tell) focus too heavily on the idea of "punishing bad behavior" and seem to be unable to separate the idea of punishing the character vs punishing the player.

I offer my shameless plug.

Functioning Prisons

As an aside.. I couldn't help but notice from one of the videos that someone (RG or Chris?) mentioned that the Clink had a crafting area. Just something that made me go "hmmmm"

 

Please, at least just think about it.

 

I think if they get the game mechanics right in the first place there would be no need for a jail.
If all else fails absolutely they should have a jail.

 

I don't see what mechanics have to do with anything here (within context of the statement at least). You can't punish the player for playing the game in good faith.. and by that I mean both within the rules/mechanics and not with the intention to grief other players.

So say a jail isn't needed if they get the game mechanics "right" suggests to me that the purpose you're thinking of is to punish the player for something like griefing. That's not at all what's being suggested here or in past discussions.

There is a much more detailed explanation (and debate) in the link I posted. I do think there should be something in place for players executing ill intent (ie griefers) but I don't think a jail system fits the bill for that.

 

I guess I misunderstood Bowen because I thought the OP wanted to discourage antisocial behavior. Seems like punishment/consequence?

Using UO as an example.:

If you send a gate to the Britan bank from a boat with a dragon and someone steps through and you murder them and then they are stuck as a ghost on your boat. That could be an offense worthy of jail.

If they get the mechanic right so that cant happen in the first place. There would be no need for jail.
If they cant get mechanics right then so be it. I have no problem with a non interactive "cell"

 

I suppose the OP could have been worded better.. or perhaps I misunderstood the original intent myself.. but I think some of the other posts in the thread were leaning towards the approach I assumed was intended here.

OP is talking about unspecified acts that would normally be within intended parameters. We're basically talking two different things here. From your perspective I'd agree. Ideally you shouldn't be able to pull crap like the example you put forward and doing that sort of thing is abuse. Bad player behavior. Rather than an in-game jail of sorts I think other measures such as banning would be more appropriate.

Bad "character" behavior is I believe another matter entirely. The jail system I would like to see should be fun for the player while "punishing" the character.

 

There should not only be jail, but stocks and other methods of public humiliation. Nothing is too harsh for online sociopaths.
There is no reason why someone in jail could not take advantage of the situation to gather interesting information or unique skills that would help them become better at their chosen profession. Maybe being a prisoner is the only way to get the trust and respect of other prisoners. I think jail fits for 'bad' but tolerated behavior whereas banning is for 'bad' and not tolerated behavior.

 

The problem with something like stocks is that the player can't really do anything. All they can do is watch the character sit there. That's not really fun and so it's punishing the player for playing the game the way they like. If it was for something like abuse that might be different.

 

Well they are working on a place called the clink. That's some kind of jail/dungeon of some kind. However if they have a dungeon for each major city like Ultima did then maybe people can be thrown in to one of those as punishment.

 

And short of actually being in prison and somehow repaying your debt (according to the methods you stated), you would be an outlaw in a certain area, making it more difficult to deal with lawful citizens.

 

It was just an idea -- sure, multiple moral regenerations? Why not?

But if someonecanmake jail an enjoyable experience- go ahead and knock yourselves out Although there should be a certain level of penalty, at least on the NPC/civilian/Guard side of the equation. After all, you are criminals and the majority of law-abiding society will want to do something about that, it's consistent with the world.
That doesn't mean to say that this excludes the existence of neutral areas/towns/encampments, Buccanneer Den-like, where the salacious and criminally-minded rascals an feel at home.