Ways to stop scry exploiting

Perhaps by making it so you can only scry on people with a Known2Me of 1 or more, it would be possible to stop some from exploiting the scry function.

From what I understand, you can only scry on people or places you know, so this makes sense

When I scry I make sure to have been introduced to people before or at least that my character would know them by reputation for example.

still, you would need a very acurate description, or something they are close to.

Ragdoll_Knight wrote:still, you would need a very acurate description, or something they are close to.

Really? When I do scrying it just lists some names and I pick one who had previously introduced themselves. o.O

He means that's the way it's done in most instances of established scrying lore. I agree that at some point at least, it should be reworked to require one of those two things. Would open up new possibilities for thieves as well! Perhaps someone hires a thief to steal something of their enemy. =P

VERY good stuff! Keep the ideas coming people! KUDOS!

Be well. Game on.
GM_ODA

and it would stop immature wizard players from getting mad at you for ignoring their other character, switching over, scrying on someone they've never met as that character, teleporting in, and then killing you and your friend just for the sake of "you ignored me" .... just sayin

Scrying now REQUIRES the PCs to have met, it queries an existing system so old PCs you have adventured with will show if they are online, but new PCs you haven't met will not...
(its the Known2Me message you will see pop up now and again)

*does the dance of an accepted and implemented idea*

This still isn't enough, imo. What I suggest, is for the current system to be kept, but at least make sure scrying can only be used with at least one spell focus on divination. Not only does it make sence, but also stops builds that have only say.. one lvl of either wizard or sorc, from abusing this every time they have access to clarivoyance spells.

We all know that the current knownToMe requirement is very low. (1 to 3 or so) Anyone can scry you after the first encounter by simply random resting beside you. I think this would further block abuse.

-Y.m.i.m.-

Wizards abilities vary, so I'm certain basic scrying could be done by pretty much any well trained wizard. Though it seems as it is now anyone can scry with the bare minimum. For instance, someone not so good at it may require an item of theirs, but an expert could work with but a memory of their appearance. The middle ground being names? Then again, I'm not sure of any effective way to script that. Heh

Ragdoll_Knight wrote:and it would stop immature wizard players from getting mad at you for ignoring their other character, switching over, scrying on someone they've never met as that character, teleporting in, and then killing you and your friend just for the sake of "you ignored me" .... just sayin

I wouldn't be pleased if I saw that go down.

It's gone down lol.

But Tony, my wizard, has either GSF or ESF (cant remember) in Divination, I built him with this in mind, as he was to be that one wizard everyone went to when they needed information. Doesn't happen very often, I'm sad to say, but when it does... lol

Perhaps you should have Tony mention his skills in rp from time to time... o.O

KangTheMad wrote:

Ragdoll_Knight wrote:and it would stop immature wizard players from getting mad at you for ignoring their other character, switching over, scrying on someone they've never met as that character, teleporting in, and then killing you and your friend just for the sake of "you ignored me" .... just sayin

I wouldn't be pleased if I saw that go down.

Sadly, symilar things have happened before.

eve_of_disaster wrote:Perhaps you should have Tony mention his skills in rp from time to time... o.O

Ha! I know better than that.

Also, the known2me thing prevents their name from showing on the list, but you can still choose a blank entry and it will scry someone, but I like the idea of needing a Divination Spell Focus too

If the intention was to allow wizards who can cast clairvoyance to be able to scry for a very limited amount of time similar to using a crystal ball, then mission accomplished.

I have tested scrying for the first time recently, and as a new player with no help from anyone else, I got it working just fine.

The Know2Me script works great excluding people I have never met before. This is not exactly like scrying in AD&D, which gave you slim chance to scry a person who had only been described to you, but that is a minor difference. This way actually encourages more roleplay.

Excluding a great idea for wizards because someone might use it to grief others is like saying fighters can't use swords. Good to see the feature outlived that debate.

I will create a new thread as instruction for new players. Having a few details about what to expect at the top of a thread will be helpful, I think.

I also did a bunch of testing and can reproduce a bug which I will send as a PM to a DM. The bug has potential to be used as a new spell but there is potential for abuse without a little tweaking.

The debate has continued here, with some other points- Scrying still causes some upset among players.

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It's not that I think scrying should be removed- it's a brilliant, canon, spell. Has a lot of RP value. But I have seen it exploited, where some one with a mage character scryed on my character to check to see if they where in this hard to reach spot- a spot that the mage has seen this character in frequently through previous scrying. Then they logged out and brought on their other character- one they had logged out in that spot, so *Poof!- Suddenly Angry PC Next To You!*. There was no way that character could have snuck up, or known they'd be there before hand. That character wouldn't have been able to time it, or track them. Nope, the player was using their other characters scrying abilities to see what people were doing and where, then meta-using that information.

Eventually it just felt like a breach of privacy. I know that's essentially what scrying is, but when it happens everytime you log on, because of another player (rather then doing the polite thing and ask if your busy, do you want to RP, or even a "what are you up to?", they just scryed), it makes you feel like you can't enjoy doing anything alone on the server. Because for some reason, a mage has serious stalking issues and spams scry. Which is why I like Animayhem's suggestion of a cool-down period. This would at least stop the spamming.

Elgate wrote:The debate has continued ... Scrying still causes some upset among players.

... I have seen it exploited, where some one with a mage character scryed on my character to check to see if they where in this hard to reach spot- a spot that the mage has seen this character in frequently through previous scrying. Then they logged out and brought on their other character- one they had logged out in that spot, so *Poof!- Suddenly Angry PC Next To You!*. There was no way that character could have snuck up, or known they'd be there before hand. That character wouldn't have been able to time it, or track them. Nope, the player was using their other characters scrying abilities to see what people were doing and where, then meta-using that information.

NOTE - METAGAMING will be met with stern reproach - anyone who turns in a log file that plainly shows metagaming will be rewarded AND the PLAYER who metagames will be unfavorably rewarded with UP TO HALF THEIR LEVELS REMOVED depending on the mood of the ADMIN and the scope of the metagaming. There will be NO discussion in such cases, a log file that shows metagaming is enough proof and there is no discussion in such cases. Take this as a clear warning, play fair, play amicably or watch your levels drain away quicker than a Guinness on a hot Summers day.

Log files or a full sequence of screen captures that show the events in a complete sequence counts as acceptable evidence in such cases.

We do what we can to make metagaming/cheats not possible here, but we are human and can only really put fingers in the holes of the dyke where we know there to be holes. Keep reporting possible exploits and we will plug them up as fast as we are able. . . still, PLAY FAIR and play honest and we can avoid a lot of this strife altogether. METAGAMING IS AGAINST OUR RULES.

Be well. Game on.
GM_ODA