Stolen items and how to handle them

Gameplay
#21

You can allways put the blame on rabbits…

But seriously. I like the realistic way. It would be also great tool if the game will have difficulties - different chances that they will catch you.

I also like the idea somebody mentioned that too much stuff sold to one vendor will rise his suspicion. Player may them try to evade this by finding more vendors and sold only small part of the loot to each. This wouldn’t rise their suspicion but if guards would ever decide investigate in this area, it will inevitably leads them to the player with the same result as being catch with the whole loot, maybe even worse.

So let’s say, that the player has stolen several small things, but not nobody really noticed as he redistribute everything beetween several vendors (or anyone who buy that) and he stole only relatively small common things. Later on, however, all went wrong as he accidently kill someone.
Guards will try to find the murderer and doing this, they will discover that somebody is selling stolen loot to different local vendors which would bring them to the player (or Henry).

2 Likes
#22

thank you Hellboy, I backed this project because when I red your blog I saw that you and your team can put the video game in a new stage in term of design. Very close to my vision.
Implementing natural modules with output state changed after the player/NPC action instead of rigid scripts can change the gaming experience.
As gaming design, if the rules are naturasl, the player can solve the situations more logically according his live experience.
This also I guess a part of your vision!
But I guess it is a real challenge to put this vision into code lines.
And please don’t make this kind of joke lol, it is my dream to be in the video game industry.

Back to the topic, will be implemented a feature on the inventory that we can hide the stollen object? It is very difficult to hide a sword, unless we put it in a big bag.

1 Like
#23

Realistic is fine, but:

  • Item should be recognizable if it has a “special” sign (I can’t recognize a generic item, witch looks like any other)
  • I can lie me out - if I sold him many shoes, I can say “this one is not from me, look all other are not stolen”.
  • And … who is right on medieval time (or today) - who pays more :stuck_out_tongue:
#24

If it’s your dream do it bro. The only thing keeping anyone from their dreams is themselves. I believe in you. So believe in yourself too ^_-.

#25

@hellboy (In regards to the Original Post) Your system sounds perfect.

#26

Realistic approach.
I’m happy to hear that value, uniqueness, reputation and location are already planned factors.

I think it’s worth considering the victims influence too

  • If he’s a drunken homeless guy most guards will simply ignore him.
  • If he’s a local hero who has many powerful friends inside and outside the town he’s a lot more likely to cause you trouble.
#27

lol, good point
But if you permit i m not agree with you, on those time I tend to see the opposite.
Poor drunken guys were probably hanged as an exemple.
Oh but sorry, you were speaking about the VICTIMS and not the thief himself, so may be you are right then, as all of this might also depend of the lord in charge personality.

#28

I really like the sound of the realistic system, I wouldn’t mind taking that chance to sell it for some much needed money to then be arrested and put in jail a few days later, it would be a risk the thief would have to take, just like in real life.

If the item was not of any great value, whether it be sentimental or financial, then the chances of getting away with the crime should be greater but if the item is very sentimental or expensive, then I would expect a high chance of getting caught for my crime.

1 Like
#29

@Hellboy

I prefer the realistic system. But for this to work should have a reputation system. The reputation system take into account if you have been arrested for steal many times, sometimes or never. So the merchants distrust you or not, depending on your reputation.

Also, if you stole a lot of items, the victims alert guards and they stay in the exit of the towns or castle to register the people, including you if you don’t escape sneaking. This make the system more complex, thereby, steal will a hard decision and not a play for childs.

1 Like
#30

This sounds great, if you run around with a valuable suspicious looking item the guards should actually want to confiscate it and a bad reputation gives them an excuse for it. So it doesn’t actually always matter whether the item is looted from a dead body or stolen.

But I think the general reputation and status of the player could also be taken into account. At least for how appropriate it is for you to run around with valuables. There are two ring slots after all if you find rings early in the game and were them openly that would look suspicious.

1 Like
#31

I really like that concept.

It seems obviouse that the only way a local merchant could/would know a item was stolen was if it was a very distinctive item, a ‘one off design’ that is instantly recgonisable as belonging to the person it was taken from e.g a sword or cloak pin that belong to the local lord etc.

IF our character was to so bold/braisen as to steal something that distinctive, then one would assume they would have the common sense to not sell it on any where locally or close by.

If they are that stupid and attempt to sell it within/too close to thier local community; or where the person he has stolen from is well known; then I would accept the old game cleache of them being caught red handed by the merchant they are trying to offl load the stolen item onto.

For non destiinctive items like shoes, plates, betls and bog standard arms and armour items, again I agree that the shop keeper should not be able to instantly tell if they are stolen/confiscate them/ everything that happens in Morrow wind when you try to sell a stolen wooden spoon!

#32

On a some what unrelated note, my very first re-enactment event with the group I am part of, was a ‘murder mistry’ event our group was hired to do at a local castle.
My ‘role’ was that I was part of a band of thieves that had infiltrated the castle.

The two cooks and two of the guards where also part of the group, whilst the remaining three of us (myself included) where posing as pilgrams following a holy relic to Whitby Abby.
Non of the other group members outside our band of theives knew our true role, just as we did not know the role everyone else had to play i.e. who the killer was etc.

A abesent memnber of the group had loaned the script writters a few small items such as broaches and rosary beads, for us to steal and we had to do so without the rest of the group or the public noticing.
We were told not to take anything too big/ personal items, things that would be noticed as we did not want to have to reveal the plot incase those not in on it thought a member of the public had taken something…which sadly does happen.

Talk about batism by fire, if I where to be caught, it would have looked very bad as non of the group had met me befor and they would more than likly assumed that I was just a common theif and not in a RP sense; and who would have blaimed them!

I didn’t get caught and bar the odd item, I singled handily ‘stole’ the vast majority of the items left out for us and I had never done anything like that before in my whole life… not sure weather I should feel proud or ashamed of that fact?! :wink:

1 Like
#33

Oh snap, you’re an IRL Garret bro!

#34

I hate it when games flag generic items stolen. The only time I see that this is ok. Is when you were spotted steeling.

#35

I don’t like the mechanic where your items are removed when arrested either it’s rather silly to have an item removed from you because the game has tagged it as stolen. I don’t mind the idea of items being removed from you by the guards because they are greedy however.

I do prefer the option of ‘suspicion’ i.e. someone looses red shoes then you are seen with read shoes then you are listed as suspicious, may be followed/watched making further attempts to steal harder unless you can allay this suspicion. Carrying multiple items that have been noted to have been stolen will give you a higher level of ‘suspicion’ so there may be a way of raising and lowering your suspicion level in game to help combat this. Selling shoes without first buying something from a tailor may be highly suspicious however if you have just stole from someone then bought something else from a tailor to sell on elsewhere then this may disguise your stolen items and allay that suspicion.

1 Like
#36

@Blake_Burns I assume that as you liked my comment the reply bellow was aimed at me?!
If so, thankyou…I think…again I assume that was meant to be a compliment?!

No not bro, I lack the necesary apendages for that title, I am one of the other 50% of the population. :slight_smile:

#37

I believe that’s a common misconception. Females aren’t 50% of the population, while in some countries the split is a little more even than others Larger countries such as china and india as well as the dense population of japan consist of mostly men. Where women are pretty much becoming an endangered species in some areas. So I’d say women are more likely to be closer to 30 or 40 percent of the worlds population.

#38

“There are approximately 3.38 billion females in the World. The number of males is about 3.41 billion.” (2011)

I’d have expected there were more females due to higher live expectancy. But china and india seem to turn that around.

Sorry for going off topic. (at least it concerns everyone: )

#39

wow if that’s true then there’s less of a gap than I’d imagine. still large, but I was thinking closer to 3.00 billion females. Also did you hear people aren’t having sex any more O_O

#40

It’s a bit off topic, but can I please suggest to disable selling most items in the game to merchants? I would imagine that with most people in medieval times barely getting enough money to survive, they simply would not be interested in buying things from a random stranger. I think this would reduce the original problem slightly, and at the same time prevent the usually massive build-up of wealth of human players in RPG worlds. Let’s say - instead you could make merchants to be interested only in few types of goods that you somehow must determine. In any case, make money difficult to acquire, stealing or otherwise, and I will be a happy customer :slight_smile:

Hope this helps.

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