Scout Archive
Thread: Scouts, Rangers and their Environment
I agree with your overall concept. I also agree that players can not be penalized for things out of their control or something that distracts/kills game play. When rain begins to fall, I immediately coverup by wearing my wookiee smock. I think it makes a great raincoat, and definately adds to my role-playing experience. But, that's the limit of my interaction with the environment around me. /sigh
What I'd like to see, and perhaps our corespondant can somehow throw this and other environmental ideas into our profession requests, is a movement penalty for traveling within poor weather - specificly sandstorms. Assuming you're already running through the deserts of Tatooine, when a sandstorm does begin the character will immediately slow to a walk (perhaps even slightly slower) and place a hand over their brow (a la /areatrack without the sideward movement) in an effort to shield their eyes. If the player wants to continue to travel in the sandstorm, they can continue to do so at that pace, or they can wear special gear (crafted by tailors naturally) which covers their body appropriately thereby protecting themselves from the harsh winds and sand as well as allowing them to again travel at faster speeds. I'd also like to see this sort of thing apply to mounts and the mounted as well.
Camps with canopy type covers should, I feel, cancel the storm effects. While inside a camp your rate of movement resumes to normal and the "fog" effect clears while inside the camp boundry. Naturally this would give even greater value to our camps as well as add role-play value. I just find it a great shame players ignore details such as environmental conditions. I say give them a reason to pay attention to it.
Since I've referenced it above, I'd especially love to see /areatrack be adjusted so the tracking character kneels and examines the ground, pointing in several places as if sets of tracks are in from of him.
Safe journeys, Rangers.
NRaas wrote:"when a sandstorm does begin the character will immediately slow to a walk"
Depending on how these environmental effects are handled by the system, I don't know if it is even possible to attach any character actions to it.
- For instance, I have seen a Sandstorm start up on my machine, but not appear on my partner's machine for a minute or so.
It might be bizarre to see someone straining against the wind, while your machine is displaying clear skies.
- But we can request it none the less.
Good, point. Now that you mention it, I've experienced that with my wife's machine too. But if all things (server lag or video lag) are equal, wouldn't each machine experience the effect in their own time? It's only "off sync" if you have two machines to compare.
I forgot to mention an additional aspect I originally had in mind. While in "the storm effect", no combat could take place. You can't fire on the Tusken Raider, and the Tusken Raider can't fire on you - visibility being so poor and all.
Interesting idea.
I'd love to see it affect combat as well. Sandstorms, thunderstorms, etc. should reduce your accuracy and range. Perhaps you could get a weapon powerup to counteract the effects. Call it a targeting sight or something. Or perhaps the clothing itself could conteract the combat penalties.
The weather-specific protective gear could enhance the ambience, as the player population would look like they're *from* the place they're travelling in(i.e. robes/ turbans/ breathing filters on Tatooine... rain ponchos/ hoods/ boots on Rori, etc.)
"I forgot to mention an additional aspect I originally had in mind. While in "the storm effect", no combat could take place. You can't fire on the Tusken Raider, and the Tusken Raider can't fire on you - visibility being so poor and all."
That's already implemented, to a degree. During storms and at night, you take penalties to your accuracy modifier.
"During storms and at night, you take penalties to your accuracy modifier."
Is there someofficial docson this? I had no idea that accuracy was reduced at night...
I can see how the devs wouldn't want storms to damage people, since typically the defense is to hop indoors. Many of the buildings in the game can't be entered and ranger camps still let the elements in (e.g.: the massive field base kits are still crappy umbrellas).
I'd be cool with storms damaging non-armored clothing. Not a lot, mind you, but some. If a dancer is caught outside in her silky 10k-credit gown then by gum that outfit is going to get messed up.
Okay, so the workaround is that people just take their clothes off. Bam! We have an exploit and can beat the system!
Well, no, not really. From a game-balance standpoint, sometimes you don't want to take your clothes off if they're boosting your skills. From a realism standpoint.... yeah, you'd better stash your laundry in your backpack if you don't want it to get it wet or gritty.
For that matter, swimming should mess up clothes too. That's part of why we strip down before jumping in a river.
Sandstorms should do noticeable damage to clothes and only a little damage to people over time (giving you the opportunity to take cover in a camp or building if one's nearby). Rainstorms should do only a little bit of damage to clothing over time -- and I do mean only a little bit.
The tailors would be thrilled and camps would have yet another use!
Now if only entertainers could do the things in camps they're supposed to be able to.
actually it would be interesting if master scouts/rangers got a message that a storm is on the way so we can set a camp to provide the group shelter. this would make the importance of having a scout or a ranger in the group more vital, holding true to what was mentioned early in game that it was crucial to have a ranger or a master scout escort a group into the wild.
All in all i think decay is a bad thing. imagine if you found x number of good attachments which are bloody hard tofindfor your socketed clothes, only to have them decay upon death and damage. What would be the point of questing for these items in the first place or paying for clothes? i would surely become the naked hunter running in the wildlol
NRaas wrote:
"During storms and at night, you take penalties to your accuracy modifier."
Is there someofficial docson this? I had no idea that accuracy was reduced at night...
In my experience, it has been. I'm sure it mentions in the manual the reduction during storms, fog,or overcast weather, and I have seen in reduced at night, although it may have been a storm at night, or something. I'll go through the manual documentation and see what I can find.
Good thoughts....Could be unpopular tho....Some of us can't afford the HAM costs without drugs...I know I can't...Even with sliced armor.
Would give Tailors something new....Protective clothing...that actually works.
I have a pair of cold weather gloves...but they don't do anything for cold weather...heheh...Since every planet is apparantly the same temperature...even Tatooine and Lok.
I would love it a lot if this was brought it...Would stop seeing these geeks running around with no shirt on...Especially on a desert planet...Give them a reason to wear clothing.