Disguises are fun!

NPCs seem to all magically know your virtue and whether you're telling the truth or not. I have a slight problem with this but I'll get over it if there might be some skills we can develop over time to counteract it later on in the game. Which is why I'm bringing up disguises.

A disguise would allow you to pretend to be something else in the game, while speaking with the various NPCs. It's main purpose would be to cloud their magical virtue and truth sensors, allowing you to gather information from them you regularly would not be able to gather, or enter areas of the world you normally could not enter.

Something as simple as wearing a guild bandanna to gain access into a guild hall, for a short mission, or pretending to be an attendee to a certain nobleman of the city, to gain access into the inner city. Think about Robin Hood, and how he and his Merry Men would always sneak into the castle grounds of Nottingham to save one of their own from a hanging, either dressed as clergymen, servants, villagers, ladies, etc.

These types of adventures would only be possible if there was a disguise skill that we could practice, that could eventually be used to 'fool' NPCs.

What does everyone think of the idea? I know I would really love to experience this. It would be FUN!

 

I sort of think NPC conversations should have multiple levers to pull wit (int, truth), intimidation (courage, strength), charm (love, charisma). And these should play to both the character's strengths and the NPCs weaknesses.

Disguises is a common mechanic in MMOs. It's really the opposite of how ultima was but, then again, this is a different game.

 

So you want to commit all the bad and evil things and not own up to them by deceiving others that you are a lawful good citizen? Or am I missing your point?

 

Well, the title is 'shroud' of the avatar.. maybe that's a disguise? If the people of this world are unfriendly toward the Avatar who may be destined to bring their destruction, perhaps a disguise is necessary in this story?

 

Definitely missing my point. And wearing a disguise wouldn't prevent your virtue stat from lowering, but it may allow you to hide that low number from others in brief situations, perhaps to simply get past certain quest obstacles, or for alternative means past a specific puzzle. Also, it likewise could allow the virtuous to sneak into a thieves' lair.

I guess part of my point was that even though the game should be tracking your virtue and truths, that doesn't mean every NPC should be aware of that meter at all times. If that's the case, it would be a little disappointing to me regarding gameplay and story design expectations.

 

If there are disguises in the game, they shouldn't affect virtue numbers, they should affect recognition of someone by people who know them personally or know them by their fame. So if someone is known to be a thief in town, he would be able to escape recognition, or would be able to escape from bounty hunters.

 

That's what I was thinking as well. I would love to see disguises as a stealth / subterfuge skill that only cosmetically changes your appearance so NPCs don't recognize you or perhaps they mistake you for someone else!

But I'll go so far as to say there should be perhaps a unique or limited number of relics in the world that can distort your "virtue aura" or whatever. Perhaps it will cause virtue-sensitive NPCs to be unable to "read" your virtue, or more maliciously, allow you to bend it one way or the other. However, possessing such an item may have its consequences!

 

That make sense to me know. Thanks for explaining it a bit more.

 

I don't have anything to add to the content of this thread. But unholy mother of a chickenless goat disguises are fun!

 

I don't care about virtue, I just want a skull to wear on my orcish head!

Weem nyd hedk'nah!!!!

EE iz urk en ryl lyf.

EE iz Grak, ee lub blud!
www.bloodrock.org

 

Ultima didn't have a lot of disguises, but they did have one that I remember that was always cool I thought, The Mask of Oricsh Kin, that made you look like an orc. Link: http://www.uoguide.com/Mask_Of_Orcish_Kin

It would be cool to see some of that again if only in a limited way.

 

I wonder how much deep will the this SG:

$1.9M: The World is a Stage!

A new City Center Theater building
Rentable by an individual or group for a performance
Only approved individuals may enter backstage or on stage
Players must pay to enter seating areas
Viewers may only emote, such as claps (claps are tracked to “rate” the performance)
Money goes to performers for their performance
Also useable for weddings and other community events!
We add a full complement of “masks” and “costumes” for use at various events.

 

Can we have masquerades / costume balls?