Thievery realism mod

[Gorilym]

I think it'd be a nice touch if a high-quality blackjack grants proficiency in club when wielded, as I for one wouldn't be very keen on spending a whole proficiency point for such a limited application. Additionally, it makes sense that a truly well-made specimen would more-or-less wield itself.

 

Nice BAMs. Any particular reason behind not applying a -2 damage modifier?

[Miloch]

I think it'd be a nice touch if a high-quality blackjack grants proficiency in club when wielded

Not a bad idea for the nicer models. This one is just standard issue... a step up from a sand-filled sock.

Any particular reason behind not applying a -2 damage modifier?

Well it's 1d3-1 (0-2 dmg) right now... how would -1 to 1 dmg work? Or are you saying it should be 0-1 dmg (1d2-1)?

[Gorilym]

Well it's 1d3-1 (0-2 dmg) right now... how would -1 to 1 dmg work? Or are you saying it should be 0-1 dmg (1d2-1)?

 

I was thinking 1d3 -2, but 1d2 -1 should work equally well. The thing is, IIRC you can never go below 1 damage with modifiers, so 1d3 -1 would translate to 1-2 damage while with 1d3 -2 (or 1d2 -1) the damage would always be 1.

[Raven_Song]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet (apologies if they have), and it might be more in keeping with the BG1 NPC Project (it might even have already been addressed by it) , but what about if there was an expansion of dialogue options for when the thief is caught and the guards are summoned

 

Clearly most thieves are not going to confess, or insult the guard (two of the options currently available) most would try and talk themselves out of the situation. Safana would certainly make use of her feminine charms, while Montaron would begin with threats, this doesn't seem to be taken into account. If it was the theiving experience might be a tad more realistic.

[Miloch]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet (apologies if they have), and it might be more in keeping with the BG1 NPC Project (it might even have already been addressed by it) , but what about if there was an expansion of dialogue options for when the thief is caught and the guards are summoned

 

Clearly most thieves are not going to confess, or insult the guard (two of the options currently available) most would try and talk themselves out of the situation. Safana would certainly make use of her feminine charms, while Montaron would begin with threats, this doesn't seem to be taken into account. If it was the theiving experience might be a tad more realistic.

I don't think BG1 NPC addresses that. Since it seems to be mainly in 'bug fix' mode, it might be more appropriate in a mod like this one.

 

Having more options with the guards make sense. I think I did suggest a little more realism with the guards a while back in the posts above, but mainly just the fact they would probably try to render the PC unconscious and you'd end up in jail. So they'd be using blackjacks too, just like modern police with their truncheons. Unless you were a murderer (especially if you killed a one of their own), then they might not bother with trying to knock you out. If you ended up in jail, you'd have to figure how to get out (or just do your time and a lot of events in the game will have changed... probably not something I want to think about coding ). So maybe you'd have to go in front of a jury or judge and plead your case, deal with the medieval equivalent of a lawyer, or eventually escape (perhaps Count of Monte Cristo style ).

 

Anyhow, all of that will probably belong in a "Phase 2" of the mod due to the amount of work. It'd involve a few new (smaller) areas (jails and courthouses) and creatures (prison guards, judges, other prisoners), which I can do, but also some scripts and dialog, which I'm not the best at (but I could probably struggle through it eventually).

 

As a side note, I thought Wounded Lion started to do something with having more options with the guards in Morrow Gate. But a) it's just for BG2, b) it seems to involve only more bribes and fighting and c) he seems to have abandoned the mod.

[Gorilym]

Having more options with the guards make sense. I think I did suggest a little more realism with the guards a while back in the posts above, but mainly just the fact they would probably try to render the PC unconscious and you'd end up in jail. So they'd be using blackjacks too, just like modern police with their truncheons. Unless you were a murderer (especially if you killed a one of their own), then they might not bother with trying to knock you out. If you ended up in jail, you'd have to figure how to get out (or just do your time and a lot of events in the game will have changed... probably not something I want to think about coding ). So maybe you'd have to go in front of a jury or judge and plead your case, deal with the medieval equivalent of a lawyer, or eventually escape (perhaps Count of Monte Cristo style ).

 

Well, if an implemented trial could only have two possible results - aquittal or execution, (i.e. game-over screen) that might simplify things. Whether or not you achieve aquittal could depend heavily on your INT, WIS and CHA, for instance (If you let yourself be apprehended that is. Killing or outrunning the arresting guards ought to remain an option IMHO).

[Miloch]

Killing or outrunning the arresting guards ought to remain an option IMHO.

But of course. I also thought of adding a 'stealth' option... something like "Oh no! You hear the sound of booted footsteps approaching..." (and whether you hear them might depend on some attribute or thief skill or dice roll). Then you also have the option to hide and sneak away...

[BigRob]

Although in Waterdeep at least, the punishment for theft (depending on what you steal) is a flogging, which then eventually moves up to branding, I believe. I don't think anyone is executed for theft, unless you kill during the comission of it, or steal something from the high nobility.

[Miloch]

Although in Waterdeep at least, the punishment for theft (depending on what you steal) is a flogging, which then eventually moves up to branding, I believe.

Public flogging... that's a great idea. Maybe also a stocks where caught thieves can get taunted by the commoners, have rotten fruit thrown at them, etc. Though that might induce some folks to thievery just to get flogged or taunted but hey, whatever floats your boat...

[berelinde]

I just had this image of Noober...

[Miloch]

I just had this image of Noober...

Please, berelinde, this is not the forum for your Noober fantasies. (Were you picturing him getting flogged or in the stocks? )

[berelinde]

It involved fruit...

[Guest Guest]

more options for running away from guards as opposed to fighting them, please!

 

that = good idea.

[berelinde]

more options for running away from guards as opposed to fighting them, please!

 

that = good idea.

 

Problem is that once they're hostile, they will stay hostile. Although it might be possible to set a timer to have them change back to neutral after a certain amount of time.

 

But the makers of this mod want to make thievery harder, not easier. Having the guards "get over it" wouldn't really further that end.

[Miloch]

Well, I'd like to make it more realistic. It doesn't make much sense the cops and everyone else would try to kill you just for being a petty shoplifter - they'd try to apprehend and disable you, sure. If you were a murderer that might be different. Also any thief worth his or her salt should have a decent chance of hiding or running (see my post and Raven Song's further up). I do think some of the basic precepts of thieving in the game are too easy though (being able to loot an entire town dry without anyone even suspecting much, for example).