The Tracking Skill, Some respectful How To's

[Khaelieth]

it's not a dead debate. it needs to be taken up because i see it too much these days.

Back in CoY we could've gone "Wytchery! Burn the wytch!" and all would be well... Alas...

[Raiden Morana]

I'll just add my two cents on the discussions so far.

Stealthers and/or trackers can be the most rewarding class of character to roleplay in UO but they also require the greatest care and attention in my opinion.

Personally I've pushed for 'etiquette guidelines' for stealthing to be published as part of the future RoE but it's been deemed that the document will be robust enough and that 'good practice' for stealthers and indeed trackers boils down to common sense and guidance from individual guilds depending on the standards they expect of their players.

I totally agree that hiding and revealing in plain sight is a big no no and it's something that I have always tried to instill in people and something that my stealther/Scout characters have always been taught by superiors.

In my opinion players should only hide or reveal once they are out of the LoS of other players or when they have entered the shadow of buildings or recessed doorways etc.

I also encourage people to use well thought emotes when hiding and revealing. The only time 'theoretically' that someone should appear in plain sight is when approaching a group or person from the rear, but even then it's better practice to reveal as soon as you break cover and then emote *sneaks* or *creeps* as you approach your target. Any roleplayer worth their salt wont immediately turn and engage you as you reveal.

Stealthing in open view too is something I think should be avoided personally, but I concede that it's not always viable but I also think every effort should be made to travel in the 'shadows' rather than plain sight if possible.

Sorry if that was slightly off topic, I'll now try to address some of the issues brought up regarding tracking.

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that your average Joe can track a little, i.e. JOAT. As pointed out earlier anyone could reasonably spot a footprint in the mud, trodden down grass, broken flower stems, swaying branches etc.

With regards to house tracking I think it's very much a two way street. It's as much up to the stealther to give themselves up if they are walked over or even stealthed in an area that offers little cover, or indeed if another players starts searching the house, as it is to the other player seriously consider why and how they think someone could be stealthed inside the house to start with. So I think this area can be something of a moot point as it relies on the common sense and good sportsmanship of both parties and unfortunately we don't always see either.

The name calling tracking as it's been termed is simply tag reading. Understandable in someone new to roleplay but unforgivable in an experienced player, especially if the other party is wearing a disguise or has their face covered.

Also to touch on passive revealing, the bane of all stealthers. I think that if revealed passively a stealther should be allowed to hide once more, but also that anyone else in the vicinity may have caught some movement out of the corner of their eye and so, if they wish, I don't think it's going too far to suggest that they might then make a search of the area. This at least offers the stealther the option of flight or fight.

That's my thoughts chaps and like I said, roleplaying a stealther or tracker can be one of the most rewarding experiences in UO RP, especially if you are true to the concept and don't just use hiding/stealthing/tracking as a means to an end.

Raiden.

[Raven]

* High Fives Raiden! *

[Darwin]

This is not really a new topic. I've heard it for 7 years now, maybe I've just hung out in diffrent places than you lot though ! I mean, I do agree with you people, entirely. This is a big problem. All I'm saying is that you'll never get people to reveal in open areas when they are stealthing because it's too easy to get away with. I mean in all fairness, what kind of assassination would it be if you're stood in Stonekeep and you see three Nightmares tiptoeing behind you (Pardon my old-school examples), it kind of takes the suspense out of it aswell.

[Demarian Tel'var]

yrah but Nightmares had the powers of the Guardians shadow they were given gifts to appear out of no where just like the Clergy have the power from the Avatar to appear out of no where.


May as well just lock the topic in all honesty everyones said there peace and it'll most likely never work even with rules implaced.

[Khaelieth]

Not as bad doing it in a forest. Having hotkey'd hiding with *Dives into the undergrowth!* is probably a good thing. Also, appearing briefly to emote *Twig breaks.* then immediately hiding again is pretty good.

Or as Khae used the other day; *Disappears in pink smoke!* and then appeared in the bogs.

[Iseabel Caewood]

Those are all good ideas Khaelieth, the only problem lies in trust.  Trust for the people around you to behave accordingly and not tag read.   To not instantly know who you are and where you are from and where you are. 

I mean a twig breaking, could be anything right?  An animal, a monster, a person.  The first being the most likely in the woodlands.  I honestly think it comes down to the fact that there are -many- people who just don't like to be on the losing end of things, and thus cut corners in order to shift the situation in their favour.  In either role I might add. 

These are the same sort of people who whine endlessly after a long battle, or tag read, or use ooc info even if it is not deliberate, or use rank or alts or skills such as stealthing abusively.  There are just always going to be people who absolutely hate to lose.  That is where the trust comes in, and generally it isn't usually there.

I hate to be a negative Nancy, but its just bound to happen.  I guess the best answer or best way around all this, is to be an example, and hope others follow suit, as well as have defined guidelines.

[Darwin]

Yeah. She said what I was thinking.. With the.. soar looser stuff.. read the above !

[Khaelieth]

Regardless, hiding as a "sneaking up and attacking people" skill has been effectively rendered useless by the CoRE rules, because you're not allowed to engage in "non-consensual PvP" or somesuch. Therefore, nightmares would still have to *break a twig*, ask if the opponent wants to fight then attack. And by then hiding's pretty useless.