Wandering guards for the criminals

Very eloquent.

 

What about a system where, instead of NPC guards roaming about looking for murderers, a player killer's nefarious act would trigger a special timer on his or her character, a timer of some reasonable duration. Within that duration two conditions would apply: first off the PK is fair game to anti-PK players and second (again for the duration of the timer) any time that player character attacks another player character thereafter the game spawns a level-scaled NPC avenger who would automagically ally with the new PC being attacked against the PK? And if the PK was nevertheless victorious and attacked yet a third player character before the expiration of that initial 'clock' (as well as the second clock from the second attack), then an avenger from each previous instance joined in? And so on until the PK regardless of skill would be eventually overcome. Further, it would not be the PK's death that wipes the slate clean, but the passage of time?

In this way there is allowance for anti-PK vigilante justice, as if that were a desirable thing (arguable), and second would regulate (as opposed to eliminate) PKing, even where there are no more vigilante players available.

Where would this approach fail?

 

That's a creative idea, but I don't necessarily want an NPC avenger to join me for no reason just because I'm attacked by a PK. I would rather kill 'em myself or find a way to hide from the guy.

I don't think we should punish a PK for doing something the game is designed to allow.

 

I think that where this fails is that it involves the game playing my game for me. No thanks. I prefer to play my own game.

 

LOL sure.. pick on me when I can't get online to reply. (back after a week and a half of offline hell).

 

I was talking to Arkhan.

 

That much was obvious.. but you did mention me by name so responding to that is natural.

 

Oh, that is true, in the second part. Well, welcome back.

Now that you are back, I hope you appreciate that I was looking out for you, trying to ensure that you wouldn't have a chance to be overly bored in game.

 

lol thanks I appreciate that.

 

The end result is the same if an automated system helps take care of it, or if players rally up and start killing PKs. It's providing the proper reaction to a world with criminals running around.

This promotes sending a hit squad until the criminal is dead, as opposed to just sending hit squads periodically to try and take the player down, followed by leaving them be for days (hours?, weeks? some fair time frame) at a time.

There shouldn't be a reaper constantly chasing the player until he's killed the second he triggers criminal status.


Player reports criminal----> Name goes on list----> List occasionally sends dudes out to see if they can take him out.

and hey, what if the guards offer to take the player alive and imprison him for a set amount of time to wipe the slate clean?

If he refuses, they battle... and if he dies, they wipe the slate clean as well... but that subjects them to the game's death penalties.

 

Also: This is a topic that has sort of popped up on the regular forums.

Is it safe to bring it up there too, or is it part of the "don't share it with the outside posters" thing?

EDIT: Oh, I mentioned it in the "How realism makes life hard for PVPers" thread already before here, I guess!

 

Arkhan there is a role playing way of handling it, and it doesn't have to be a "punishment for the player". There can be consequences, but it doesn't have to end up ruining the fun for the player who is a PK. That's the meaning of what I'm saying.

Remember PKs are just playing the game the way it was designed.

 

Criminals who think legal actions against them is ruining the fun of game?

errrrrr.....

Honestly, if we were able to make more than one character, I would gladly make a criminal as well, and would rather enjoy having guards after me while I'm out stalking the forests looking for victims.

I don't see how that's different than other players serving out justice on people. NPCs are allowed to be involved.

I mean, it's not like all the monsters will be player controlled. They're all run by AI. If NPCs offering encounters/challenges to criminals is out of place and ruining the fun, so is having NPC monsters. Half the player base should choose to be orcs/ogres/skeletons so that everyone has some other player to fight. No AI at all!

Saves a ton of effort for the programmers, at least.

 

I think you should read all of my replies on this thread, because I think you're drawing a conclusion to what I said out of context.

 

I hear ya Bowen! I only made it through the crafting posts yesterday after a week away! This thread has ate up most of my lunch hour!

If PKs are effectively barred from entering towns safely without a disguise or stealth, then those who choose it as a lifestyle will likely set up their own communities. Will there be a shady area of town (possibly accessible through the sewers / underworld) where the guards do not go? City of thieves?

Will there be options for housing in the wilderness? I know there are issues with limiting housing so it's not all over the place, but it does follow that our ranger / druid / hermit types might be interested in this, if it can be properly worked. Not much point in being a hermit if everyone can move in next door. Maybe I'll ask this question elsewhere .. I often type faster than I think.

 

Yeah that's not good to do to a guy especially if they have a house level pledge already. IF they can't get into towns (where their house is) that is BS!

 

I wasn't just replying to you. The same sort of thing has been said in here before. Some people seem to be against the NPCs dealing with PCs doing things.

The fact of it is, criminal actions result in punishments. That's how they work. A lot of the criminals tout the whole "risk vs. reward is realistic" thing. Well, the police coming after you for theft/murder is also realistic.

I never said they had to be barred from town, really. I mean, if you're chilling in your house and the guards decide its your turn to be pursued, you just made their job even easier, and everyone else gets to watch you run around Benny Hill style through town, trying to get loose.

I just don't know why someone who plans to be a brigand plans to live in town, I guess. The last place I'd want to be if I'm a criminal is within the walls of the city.

 

Well I've been a supporter of having NPCs come after the PKs. I'm also a supporter of PKs being put on trial (since justice is a virtue), and if found guilty I believe they should be thrown into a local dungeon.

However I've also been a supporter of allowing this process to be fun for the player as well. Let them earn a title for breaking out of the dungeon etc etc...

The point you keyed in on and quoted from me was taken out of context, because I to believe it would be cool to have bounty hunters find the PKs. Let there be consequences for thy actions, but let it also be fun. I'm certain a PK would have fun trying to avoid the authorities if it is done well, and doesn't make in game life miserable for them.

 

Im confused then. What part would ruin the fun for the PVPer? I thought you were suggesting the system would be unfun.

 

What I think would ruin the fun is if the system is designed to punish the play style. Like making them suffer in Hell after dying, and they have to stay there for 30 minutes of game time before they can resurrect. Or the patrols are impossible for them to overcome.

I think patrols should increase in frequency depending upon the number of murders. However I don't think they should get killed by those patrolls. If a guy is beaten by an NPC patrol they should be taken to be tried instead of killed in the combat. That seems to be more in line with the Virtue of Justice which we see in Ultima.

I also think imprisonment shouldn't be a time where you are trapped and can do nothing. I think the PK should be able to escape by either beating up the guards to get their stuff back, or evade the guards and get their stuff back and escape from the dungeon.

TO ME WHAT ISN'T FUN:
* Increasing numbers of patrols resulting in certain death for the PK.
* Imprisonment restricting the actions of the player to their cell (which is what happens to people who violate the game rules).
* After a PK is killed they go to hell and burn for 30 minutes or so till they can go back to New Britannia and kill some more.