Richard Garriott - why do we have breakable containers?

Why do we have breakable barrels and containers? What purpose does it serve?

When I go into most scenes, all of these containers are already broken. When I occasionally break one of these items myself, it rarely has anything in it or serves any noticeable purpose.

I'm reminded of Donkey Kong more than I am having fun with this mechanic. Personally, I'd like it removed. But if not removed, I'd like it to be enhanced and more immerssive than it currently is.

The idea of having barrels of liquids like Ale is an attractive one. Being able to smash barrels and see all the Ale pour out sounds like fun. But in this example, it's only immerrisve if the barrels are more dynamic and have some purpose other than just casually smashing them. A purpose worthy of my time might be if the barrels were used in long distance trade or long term storage.

Please consider this feedback and request for change.

Thank you!

 

It's to scare the skin off of you when you have the volume too loud. Or at least that was how it was in R1.

 

It's very possible they're only place holders..

 

Yep, that's would be nice to know, as well as what they're place holders for.

I got the impression that someone on the dev team really likes these breakable containers though, and since they currently (we're in R17 now) lack in the purpose department, I thought I'd ask what the deal was.

 

Maybe the destruction of property negatively affects your virtue.

 

For other breakable containers? or actually usable containers that are also breakable?

So.. you planning on surpassing my post count today? You're almost >< there.. I didn't think anyone was going to catch up. lol

 

Yeah but right now there's no other way to look inside.

 

Unfortunately i recently read or heard somewhere from the devs breakable crates/barrels are a permanent addition since some of them think 'hulk smash' is fun.

Either way, if we want to be pedantic you would realistically have to break open sealed crates etc (but not in the current explosive manner).

I'd prefer they just be used as regular containers and not smash or explode, but oh well.

 

Donkey Kong, brilliant idea. Add an ape pet with a two handed hammer, please!

 

I wish they would make them stealable instead of breakable... I could use some in my storeroom.

 

Captain Jack ponders, why are containers breakable in real life? Immersion?

Captain Jack believes if this is to be a sandbox game, not only are these a must but a lot more world interactivity on top of it.

 

It will be nice when they're also craftable.

 

LORD BRITISH FORGIVE MY FRIEND

He did not intend to ignore the hierarchy and demand an answer from all the way at the top! I am sure he will be satisfied with an answer from any of your esteemed followers!

 

Also - Why do we have chairs we can sit in when they don't give us any loot?!



Really - it's just interacting with your environment. I'd like to see perhaps a virtue penalty for smashing up other folk's crates and barrels, but I don't mind that I can interact with my environment and break something if the mood strikes me. Having an NPC comment on it when you break one or call the guard if you keep breaking them would be a nice touch.

I admit I clicked this thread from just seeing Richard Garriott in the title, perhaps that was the intent, but a call to remove interaction with the environment was not what I was expecting. I know I've played other games where you can break stuff for reasons other than loot. Sometimes people run up and smash crates, there's no real reason to reward it or encourage it, it's just nice to have the interaction.

Is your issue that you don't want to smash crates and barrels - or is it that you don't like other people smashing them?

 

When you sit in a chair there is purpose.

When you break a crate there is not. But unlike sitting in a chair, crates change the scene permanently as if to say "look at this pointless interaction!"

 

I see this the same way as I see skeletons - I like evidence of other players in the game and leaving their mark on the world. Sure, you and I think breaking stuff is pointless - but people break stuff all the time and some people find it fun. I think it's a bit amusing because MMO's and a lot of games in general encourage players to break every crate on the offchance (or greater than offchance) there is loot - in SotA we don't reward them with loot - people will figure it out. And obviously despite thinking breaking a crate is pointless, there are certainly those who are breaking the crates - and they're the ones writing them off, so they must know why they do it.

I do prefer a herd of dead boxes to a herd of dead sheep. But I like to think there are future consequences to busting up stuff or murdering someone's livestock.

Consequences will hopefully lead to less of this rampaging behaviour. Or quicker respawns.

 

The rationale is to find mimics.

 

Pointless interaction to whom? Sometimes it just feels good to get your aggression out on inanimate objects. . They don't whine when you smash them and they don't kill you. . Although that would be a fun idea!

Death by splinter!

 

I, too don't like breaking crates. Maybe we should get the option to either break or open them.

 

Well at least you got a straight answer. The devs like 'HULK SMASH and you have breakable containers.