Smuggler Archive
Thread: Harsh Contraband Punishment Systems, Respecting Player's Gamestyles, and the Smuggler Revamp
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SmugglinZane
Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:40 pm
#27
Great idea Axob... question though, just for content sake, in your plan, who/what is the drop off point? In other words, does the player meet you there or will there be an NPC or something for you to drop it off to. Another item is, what happens if you fail or die? Would the player still get their stuff or would you have to start over with the mission?
Ternque01
Sat Feb 05, 2005 3:02 pm
#28
I am thinking that the crafter/client doesn't have to meet you at the destination. Their delivered and sliced (to appear legal) goods will automatically appear in their inventory at the end of the smuggling mission: failure or success.
I am thinking players don't need to be too inconvenienced with player smuggling. Once a client puts in for a smuggling request near an adventure planet (offworld planet), and their request for a smuggler turns up with no smuggler volunteering for the mission, 15 minutes after the creation of the mission will automatically turn all of a player's resources into legal versions of them. This can be roleplayed as the criminals on that planet slicing the goods to appear legal... for a fee slightly higher than what they would be tipping a smuggler to do. These players could also, instead, choose to pay the legaltariff on the resources (which should be significantly high to persuade players to seek criminal help).
Smuggling missions, once begun, will last 15 minutes. Regarless if the mission fails, succeeds, or involves foul play on the smuggler's part, the crafter/client will recieve their goods. If the mission fails or the smuggler "steals the cargo", the crafter gets the service done for free as well.
This provides incentive to hire a player smuggler without inconveniencing a player too much. Keep in mind that these resources are nicer, but not necessary to craft a quality weapon/armor/etc.
Ternque01
Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:06 pm
#29
ThisIsStupid wrote:
These are nice ideas, but again they are too open to exploit. Now I can work with a smuggler and always get my goods effectively sliced for free and the smuggler can always get paid by always stealing the items. This can be done over and over with no downside to either party.
Not trying to be too hard on you, just trying to punch holes in the idea so that it can be improved.
I'm glad that you brought that up.
Perhaps if you are using the Smuggler's Datapad in a slicing situation, the weapon will be sliced in this window. Regardless if the weapon is stolen, it will always remain in the datapad, where it's owner will always get it back.
If the smuggler steals it, you would get your tip back, and the smuggler would get the payout from selling the item, but how about this.
If a smuggler steals something from a trade window, he/she will only get the reward for it three Earth days from that point in time and will suffer an increase in BH visibility. A smuggler can only be in the process of trying to steal only one item at a time. The downside is that the smuggler cannot just go around stealing things at will. They will only be able to run off with an item every three days at maximum. If killed by a BH in that span of three days, the smuggler does not get the payout.
I don't think there should be a downside for a customer being ripped off by a smuggler, but the smuggler will have to deal with increased visibility and the risk of not being able to collect their reward for stealing the item. Overall, a fun system.
The only dumb part about my idea is how can a smuggler steal an item that never even leaves the hands of its owner. In truth, the smuggler is stealing a representation of that item and selling it on the black market. This kinda bothers me, but I think a good solution can be come up with.
BTW, thanks for the feedback guys and gals. This might be a real nice workable system.
Message Edited by Ternque01 on 02-05-2005 07:07 PM
Ternque01
Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:21 pm
#30
What if a smuggler actually DOES get to steal the item in the datapad??? (They can do this now, by the way)
This will give SOE the opportunity to implement an in-game punishment system for griefers. Let's raise the stakes!!!!!
If a smuggler steal an item during a player smuggling mission or slicing job, how about HARSH consequences. Tough NPC's would pop out of nowhere to try and kill the smuggler, and their visibility would raise to an ungodly amount. The items they stole will remain untradeable in their inventory for a certain period of in-game or Earth hours/days. If the smuggler can survive the test of being constantly bombarded by BH's and NPC's, they get to keep the item (this should be damn near impossible). If the smuggler dies at any point during that time period, the item is returned, safetly, to its owner.
I think to protect players from smugglers who really enjoy this kind of punishment, all smugglers should have a visible indication of their trustworthiness. When a player deals with a smuggler, the Smuggler's Datapad will give a rating of how many times they have attemptedstealing from playersin the recent past: "this smuggler is just barely trustable", "this smuggler looks honest", or "this smuggler is a notorious person"
Once an item is stolen from a player, a smuggler takes a hit on their credibility rating. If a smuggler steals too many things within a certain span of time, they should become permanently marked as untrustable.
Ternque01
Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:41 am
#31
Well Zane, slicing in its current form is heavily open to exploitation, but it only rarely occurs. Some part of me agrees that a "locked container" or cargohold ticket would be better, but I do think that people are mature enough to handle this system...
I think that keeping smuggler clients vulnerable is a big key in making the smuggler/client interaction fun and exciting. Everytime I had something sliced...I can beon edge, but it nearly ALWAYS works out, and the experience is always worth having.
A system to address smugglers running off with player goods needs to be developed. This will curb thievery. If a good system to put smugglers who steal their shipments on the BH terms, then this system will be rock-solid complete.
If only a system for clients to properly report smugglers for stealing sliced goods and resources could be thought up.... oh snap... I just thought of one.
Smuggler's Datapad
Create a Datapad for smugglers to interact with their clients. This idea is very, very close to the slicing window suggested by others.
This datapad would have two boxes and would work VERY similarly to the Image Designer window.
In one box, you would place the goods that a player needs smuggled off planet, and in the other box the client would place their payment.
This datapad would count down much like an Image Designer window. In order for the trade to go through, the smuggler must arrive at their destination starport by the end of the timer.
If the smuggler is late, the client automatically recieves their goods, but the payment will not be recieved by the smuggler: it will be kept by the client.
Let's say that the smuggler choses takethe goods directly out of the datapad window and put it in his/her inventory. In this case, the crafter will still recieve their goods and payment back, but the smuggler will recieve 75k credits (the amount of money he/she would get from stealing the item and selling it) and a VERY good chunk of visibility added!!!
WOW!!!! I think this system eliminates griefing, allows a smuggler to be devious, yet protects both the client and smuggler. Please check this out!!!
Nicolas_Frost
Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:16 am
#32
SmugglinZane wrote:
I have to agree with you Axob. The only way for smuggling to be meaningful and player interactive if for what's in game to have value within a contraband/tariff system.
A straight trade of goods for transport is really open to exploitation though. I like the NPC interaction thing, but maybe there should be some sort of ticket or unslicable locked container to prevent stolen goods. If people are opened up to this sort of griefing I think some very unsavory types of people will pick up Smuggler to try and exploit it.
Here's an idea. Make a new Artisan craftable item called a "Sealable Container". These would be used for such missions by the mission giver. They place thier goods into the container and seal it. It now becomes a Locked Container. This is the item given to the Smuggler who takes the mission. The Smuggler then makes a choice; deliver the full cargo, or steal some/all of it. To steal or skim off the top, the Smuggler obviously needs to slice the container to get to the goods. And since this renders the locking mechanism non-functional, the mission giver will know whether or not the Smuggler messed with the contents. In the Smuggling window, when the cargo is given to whoever is to recieve it, they inspect it. If its not all there, or the Smuggler doesn't show up on time, they are able togo to a Bounty Hunter Terminal and place a Bounty on the Smuggler as retribution. Then make it so Smugglers can't take missions while there's a bounty on thier heads("Whoa, I don't want anyone working for me who might get killed in transit, this stuff is important!").
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