Edaarin
06-01-2004, 02:38 AM
Meeting between Aaron/Taelrand and rogues in Plat, taken from DREAMRAIN's post on the official boards:
Suddenly, a cloud of smoke billows forth out of nowhere, obscuring your vision!
When the smoke clears, Aaron and his group are standing there.
[Rolling Thrak Table]
Rich, red clay soil has been ground into the table top, giving it a mottled appearance. A picture of a thrak rolling around on its back in a patch of grass has been painted in the center of the table. You also see a plain wooden strongbox.
Also here: Perrcie, Kormis, Jaired, Lord Khajor, Aaron, Torese
Obvious exits: out
You see Aaron Standridge the Human Thief.
He looks like he either just woke up or hasn't slept in days.
His short, straight dark brown hair is in a state of disarray, and his dark eyes look a little bloodshot.
He is holding a vaalin lockpick in his right hand and a flagon of Guildmaster's special in his left hand.
He is wearing a matte black ironwood long bow, a relatively large satchel, a wrinkled grey shirt, a pair of faded blue pants, a brimstone amulet, a fuzzy puppy-skin quiver, a pair of scuffed black boots, a crystal amulet, a large ruby ring, an onyx spider amulet, and a black and silver watch.
Aaron exclaims, "Booya!"
Kormis grins.
Jaired exclaims, "Holla!"
Khajor deeply says, "Shakka-kahn."
Jaired pokes you in the ribs.
Khajor shrugs.
Kormis just opened a plain wooden strongbox.
Khajor deeply says, "That's all I got."
Kormis just closed a plain wooden strongbox.
Aaron asks, "So anyway, how many of you are going to Simucon?"
Kormis says, "I wish I could."
Kormis grumbles.
Jaired says, "Ditto that."
Khajor deeply says, "Was going to.."
Khajor deeply says, "Didn't work out."
Jaired says, "Startin' new job tomorrow."
Kormis says, "I started mine a couple months ago."
Kormis says, "No vacation yet."
Kormis gazes in wonder at his surroundings.
Khajor deeply says, "Workin' on a promotion."
Jaired nods to Kormis.
Jaired says, "Nature of the beast."
Kormis nods to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I don't think our fair-haired solamnabulistic giantkin friend here is either."
Aaron pokes you in the ribs.
Jaired pokes you in the ribs.
Aaron says, "I also think I just made up a word. Not really sure. Anyhoo.."
Kormis grins.
Khajor deeply says, "I do that alot."
Aaron says, "So I was gonna give you a choice, but it sounds like an easy one."
Khajor deeply says, "Burgle-flickle."
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Kormis turns an inquisitive ear towards Aaron.
Aaron says, "The choice was gonna be whether you wanted me to release LFM before or just after Simucon."
Khajor peers quizzically at Aaron.
Khajor deeply asks, "LFM?"
Kormis asks, "All in favor of before?"
Aaron says, "Lock Mastery. You figure out the F."
Kormis flashes a wide grin.
Aaron winks.
Jaired starts chortling.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired says, "I'll put in a vote for before so I get a leg up."
Khajor nods.
Khajor deeply says, "Before."
Aaron says, "Yeah, I had actually thought you were going. I think noodlehead here told me that."
Jaired says, "I've been fiendin' for more guild work. Gotta master 'em all."
Khajor deeply says, "Though I don't pick. I could still learn."
Aaron points at you.
Khajor deeply says, "Poke-thief."
Kormis says, "After! No, I'm confused. Before."
Khajor nods to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I'll warn ya, if you don't pick at least some, you're gonna have a pretty hard time with lock mastery."
Aaron says, "Lots of picking involved."
Jaired says, "I believe it."
Jaired starts chortling.
Khajor deeply asks, "What's it do anyhow?"
Jaired says, "I'm goin' to have to go back to box looting."
Aaron says, "On the other hand, if you don't pick, it's not really gonna do you a ton of good anyway."
Khajor deeply says, "I never heard anything about it, to be honest."
Kormis says, "I'm quite good at it."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "It's a pretty split mix of fluffy stuff, a la gambits, and mechanically useful locksmith skills."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Some examples of the fluffy stuff are things like.."
Aaron rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Jaired asks, "Can we steal spheres from traps and major e-wave the park?"
Khajor drools.
Jaired wrings his hands.
Khajor deeply says, "I'd learn to pick for that."
Kormis stares at Jaired.
Aaron says, "Special lockpicking actions...lockpicking and disarming "styles" (think "tone" verb for locksmiths)..."
Aaron ponders.
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "Nice."
Khajor deeply says, "Can you show us any? Or no, because it's not implemented yet."
Aaron says, "I don't think it's turned on here. Maybe. Might break, we'll see."
Jaired cackles!
Aaron begins to meticulously examine a plain tanik box.
Aaron says, "Neat, I'm running around with no disarm trap skill."
Aaron begins to meticulously examine a plain tanik box.
Jaired snickers.
Jaired says, "Sounds like Perrcie."
Aaron picks up a vaalin lockpick.
Aaron says, "This may and may not work."
Aaron picks up a plain tanik box.
Aaron settles into the difficult task of picking the lock on a plain tanik box.
Aaron says, "Yeah, din't work."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "Oh well."
Jaired nods.
Kormis asks, "So how long til it actually gets released?"
Aaron says, "Anyway, that one lets you surreptitiously unlock the box, then flip your lockpick into the air, then smack the side of the box making the tumblers click, before catching your pick."
Aaron says, "No bonus to it, just fluff messaging."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Mechanical stuff is like.."
Khajor deeply says, "I like the sound of it."
Aaron ponders.
Jaired asks, "Getting into lockless?"
Jaired wrings his hands.
Aaron says, "Getting into lockless boxes two different ways.."
Aaron nods.
Jaired cackles!
Jaired exclaims, "Finally!"
Khajor deeply asks, "Two ways?"
Jaired lets out a cheer!
Kormis says, "Pry off the hinges."
Kormis grins.
Khajor deeply says, "Hit someone with it."
Aaron says, "Making wedges is the first way. These are sort of a locksmith's Batter skill."
Khajor deeply says, "Untill it pops open."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "You make 'em in the workshops in the guild, doesn't take more than a minute or two, and they eventually wear out."
Aaron says, "But you essentially split the box open with 'em."
Kormis asks, "Can they be made special by merchants, say of glaes or something?"
Aaron says, "Usually blowing yourself to hell if it's still trapped."
(Kormis kicks Khajor in the crotch repeatedly)
Kormis grumbles.
Aaron says, "Could, but they'd still wear out. Could be you can make reinforced metal ones at some point, too."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Other way is, of course, taking those vials of acid out of the fuser traps, and the spring traps."
Jaired wrings his hands.
Khajor deeply asks, "Vials of acid?"
Aaron says, "And then melting the plate over the lock."
Khajor deeply asks, "We can remove?"
Khajor drools.
Aaron says, "Yah...there are, hrm."
Khajor deeply asks, "Can you make the vials so we can stuff them into tarts and pies?"
Aaron says, "Eight or so traps you can take components out of."
Kormis grins.
Kormis says, "This sounds like a skill I can really love."
Aaron says, "Might add more later, but for now, I want to get this damn thing out the door."
Kormis asks, "So when is it coming?"
Jaired nods to Kormis.
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Khajor stares at Aaron.
Aaron says, "I think it will probably come out in two phases, and I'll tell ya why in a sec."
Aaron says, "I'm going to try to put the first 30 ranks out tomorrow. I'd do it tonight, but I'm tweaking the training on a couple of them, and it's going to be early morning before I'm done."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Cheer."
Aaron says, "If you get through the first 30 ranks before Simucon's over, then it's screwed up anyway."
Jaired says, "Awesome."
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired says, "I'll find a way."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired says, "Mastered subdue in six days."
Jaired hums a seemingly random tune.
Aaron says, "Then I'll do the second half of it the weekend following Simucon, I think."
Aaron says, "Simucon's at a really inopportune time. I've all been working like 80-90 hours a week at the office, Saturdays and Sundays included.."
Kormis winces.
Jaired says, "...wow."
Aaron says, "That started the day after I said on the boards I wouldn't drink if it wasn't out by SImucon. Or no way in hell would I have said that, heh."
Aaron says, "But right after Simucon, I'll have about a month of mostly free time."
Aaron says, "At least compared to how it's been."
Kormis grins.
Kormis asks, "A mere 40 hours?"
Jaired grins.
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron grins.
Aaron says, "Right now, a 40 hour work week for me is Sunday to Tuesday."
Aaron grins.
Jaired asks, "So is there anythin' special for folks that master all the skills?"
Aaron says, "I guess you'll probably find out."
Aaron grins at Jaired.
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired wrings his hands.
Aaron says, "Well, actually, yeah, there is. Whether for the FIRST person to master all the skills, I'm not saying."
Jaired grins.
Jaired says, "I doubt I'll beat the prime kids."
Aaron says, "You might. You're getting a 2ish week headstart."
Jaired cackles!
Jaired exclaims, "Fantastic!"
Kormis says, "It should be the first here AND there."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "It will be."
Jaired grins at Kormis.
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Aaron says, "Two different worlds, as you guys never fail to remind me, especially him."
Aaron points at you.
Aaron grins wryly.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron says, "If I had a nickel for every time he's emailed me, reminding me about the difficulties inherent in Plat's small population..."
Khajor deeply says, "I hate prime."
Aaron says, "Well, I'd probably only have like a quarter. But still."
Kormis chuckles.
Jaired says, "I actually think things are easier here."
Jaired examines his fingernails.
Kormis says, "I pitch in another quarter if it will make a difference."
Aaron says, "I think some things are."
Kormis winks at Aaron.
Jaired says, "Don't have people scripting my hunting areas."
Aaron says, "I agree that audience reps are probably more difficult here."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Partner reps can be hard sometimes too."
Aaron says, "There are some in LM, and Plat's already accounted for."
Jaired says, "Unless you crank out ranks with another guild master and never leave the guild."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Don't think there are any partner reps. It's almost entirely a solo skill, which has its good and bad points, I guess."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "Lots of work with the footpads, lots of box picking on your own time."
Jaired says, "It'd be a good split then."
Kormis says, "Good."
Aaron says, "Lots of games of slap hands, too."
Aaron says, "Nah, not really."
Jaired laughs at Aaron!
Kormis begins chuckling at Aaron!
Jaired says, "I was about to say I still have the scripts."
Aaron rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Aaron says, "A lot of stuff in LM is what you call a passive skill."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Meaning that you learn it either by training, or just by virtue of being far enough along, but you don't have to actively use it. It's "always on"."
Aaron says, "Stuff like reduced RT and breakage, and actually, the component removal, once you learn it."
Aaron says, "You'll automatically try to take stuff like those spheres, jaw traps, et al, if you have the equipment."
Kormis asks, "So once we have it, we'll automatically get the componant when we disarm?"
Kormis nods.
Jaired asks, "Will we be able to make picks?"
Aaron says, "You'll automatically TRY."
You ask, "Like scarabs originally?"
Aaron says, "No, scarabs are much more of a guaranteed thing, and I didn't move them over to this style of disarming."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "For one, non-rogues would scream like hell."
Aaron says, "The ones who pick and disarm themselves, I mean."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "They scream enough."
You say, "Let em."
You wave your hand in a dismissive gesture.
Aaron says, "For another, you'd be displeased too, because scarabs are very easy to get out, comparitively speaking."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Aaron says, "Easy for you to say. I have to listen to 'em."
Aaron nods to you.
Kormis chuckles.
You say, "Hey, you enjoyed watchin that scarab being fogged into TSC."
You say, "Let em suffer."
Aaron says, "I'll warn you, component removal was pretty hard to get approved, especially those elemental spheres."
You glance over at Aaron and wince.
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Aaron says, "Which, by the way, are not major ewave rubbables."
You say, "Knee bash the boss."
Jaired sighs.
Kormis asks, "Some sort of gem then?"
You say, "Bah."
Jaired says, "Alas... the park will survive another day."
You chuckle at Jaired.
Aaron says, "That did get shot down. They're sellable as a gem, yeah, but they're also thrown weapons - so are the little dark crystals from the box-sucking-up trap."
Jaired says, "You'd need so much freakin' MIU to pull it off anyway."
Aaron says, "The good news is, they don't rely entirely on thrown weapon skill."
Jaired says, "Gah. I just untrained thrown."
Aaron says, "A non-thrower can still use 'em."
Jaired says, "Awesome."
Aaron says, "It'll be a maneuver attack, vs. a straight AS/DS thing."
Khajor grins.
Kormis asks, "So it's like a mini implosion or something?"
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Aaron says, "The dark crystals are, as well as one of the spheres."
Kormis nods.
Jaired drools.
Aaron says, "The spheres maintain whichever one of the eight types they were before disarming."
Kormis asks, "Will it swollow weapons and shields like implosion?"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis rubs a crystal amulet.
Kormis gets an odd look on his face.
Aaron says, "So you've got everything from plasma to steam to a miniature localized non-equipment-sucking implosion."
Jaired cackles!
Aaron says, "I like plasma, myself :p ."
You say, "Aww."
You ask, "Non equipment?"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis exclaims, "That's great!"
Aaron says, "And yeah, you can assess lockpicks without a bard - in fact, you get more and better info than a bard loresinging.."
Aaron says, "You can repair lockpicks without what's-her-name."
Kormis turns to Aaron and cheers!
You say, "Heh."
You say, "That'll piss bards off."
Aaron says, "And you can eventually make them."
You ask, "Who repairs?"
You say, "I never bend."
Jaired wrings his hands.
Jaired drools.
You examine your fingernails.
Kormis asks, "How high of quality will we be able to make eventually?"
Jaired asks, "Can non-locksmiths take advantage of the trap components? Like, can we give them to people to use?"
Aaron says, "Yep, once they're out, anyone can use them."
Aaron says, "Anything."
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Kormis nods.
Kormis chuckles.
Kormis says, "This might be hte first skill I master."
Kormis says, "Shut up."
Kormis blushes a glowing shade of red.
Aaron says, "There are actually two more steps dealing with lockpicks after learning to make them, but you gotta have some surprises."
You nod to Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "Understandable."
Aaron says, "Oh yeah, anyway....to rewind about 20 minutes."
You remove a flagon of Guildmaster's special from in your black cloak.
You take a drink from your Guildmaster's special.
You have 13 quaffs left.
You feel the blood drain from your face as your eyes glaze over.
You are stunned!
Aaron says, "The main reason it wasn't out a week ago, and why I'm only putting out the first 30 ranks pre-Con.."
Kormis says, "We forgot Perrcoie."
Khajor yawns.
Kormis says, "Perrcie."
Kormis slaps himself on the forehead.
You ask, "So you can drink stoli?"
You offer your Guildmaster's special to Aaron, who has 30 seconds to accept the offer. Type CANCEL to prematurely cancel the offer.
Aaron says, "Is 'cause I'm cutting or compressing a couple of skills that are holdovers from when Smite originally drew up his plans."
Aaron has accepted your offer and is now holding a flagon of Guildmaster's special.
Aaron hoots.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron put a vaalin lockpick in his large satchel.
Aaron says, "Reason being, they sound neat, but they're almost useless."
Jaired begins chortling at Aaron.
Kormis says, "Sorry Perrcie, I saw you at the park and then forgot about you as I assumed you were with us."
Kormis chuckles.
Jaired asks, "Kind of like cheapshot, subdue, and sweep eh?"
Jaired ducks his head.
Aaron says, "He originally had like, ten ranks of being able to put a hole in something, then attach a clasp to it, then put a lock on it."
Perrcie pokes Kormis in the ribs.
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Aaron says, "The only thing that actually did anything was putting the lock on it, so I started out by tossing the hole-punching stage, because that was useless busy work.."
Kormis says, "Good job."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "...and making the clasp stage actually make stuff open and close if it didn't, like a cloak that was stuck open."
Kormis says, "Down with useless."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
You ask, "We can make cloaks cloasable?"
Aaron says, "Problem is, almost everything that SHOULD open and close already does."
You blink at Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "There are some cloaks out there that don't, but that's about it."
You nod.
Aaron says, "If your backpack doesn't already close, it sucks. See me about getting a replacement later."
Kormis laughs!
Jaired laughs!
Perrcie just closed a deep yellow climbing pack.
Aaron grins at Perrcie.
Jaired just closed a deeply hooded dark assassin's robe.
Perrcie just opened a deep yellow climbing pack.
Aaron says, "So since it's not cloak mastery, I started questioning that part, too."
Jaired starts chortling.
You snicker.
Aaron says, "Then I started even questioning putting locks on stuff."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Because really, that's not all that useful either. A little neater."
Kormis just closed a black myklian scale belt with a carved griffin buckle.
Kormis just opened a black myklian scale belt with a carved griffin buckle.
Aaron says, "Was talking to my girlfriend earlier, who knows more about lock mastery than any GM, despite never having played GS.."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis asks, "I wonder why?"
Jaired just opened a deeply hooded dark assassin's robe.
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "..because she hears me bitch about it all the time."
Aaron grins.
Kormis says, "I wasn't really wondering."
You exclaim, "Soap lady!"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
You gaze in wonder at your surroundings.
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "I am the soap lady."
You squint at Aaron.
Aaron scratches his chin.
Aaron says, "Never mind."
You say, "Then soap them trolls who taunt me in Greymist."
You nod to Khajor.
You say, "Gremlins can."
You glance at Aaron and begin to wail!
Aaron says, "But then I realized...wait...they can. It's called pickpocketing. Only, the backpack being closed is enough to stop it."
Jaired snickers.
Jaired says, "Opening someone's container should be a gambit skill."
You say, "What the, we cant steal at tables."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron exclaims, "So I could change pickpocketing to allow going through a closed container, with a penalty, and only a LOCKED container would really stop it!"
You stare at Aaron.
Jaired says, "Imagine the cries."
You nod to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I said to myself, "Self! That's...!"."
Aaron says, "...Hideous!"."
You say, "Heh."
Jaired laughs!
Khajor deeply says, "And true to GM form."
Aaron says, "Cause you guys would be controlling how many locks went on stuff."
Khajor deeply exclaims, "He did it anyways!"
Aaron says, "It'd be like a protection racket."
Khajor grins.
Aaron says, "Nah."
Khajor snaps his fingers.
Jaired laughs!
Jaired exclaims, "That'd be sweet!"
Aaron grins.
You ask, "Someone above said no?"
Aaron says, "No, I came to my senses, and thought about how nice it would be to live through Simucon."
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired says, "Release that aspect 'after' the con."
Kormis says, "Realease it AFTER simucon."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "So I think what I'm doing is keeping those two skills, clasping and locking, but only using up 3 or 4 ranks between them."
Aaron says, "Someone will get some use out of them, and the skills themselves are already done, so there's not much point in not having them."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Sounds alright."
Kormis grins.
Aaron says, "But I gotta revise the training on those, and come up with something to fill the ranks that are being opened up."
You ask, "Will we be able to measure lock size?"
You say, "Eer."
You say, "Trap size."
You say, "As well."
You ask, "Before hand?"
Aaron says, "That was the incredibly long-winded as explanation to why only 30 ranks before Simucon, and the rest the weekend after."
You squint at Aaron.
You say, "The one I missed."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
(Torese is sleepy)
Aaron asks, "Trap size, wuh? Can't you measure that by, y'know, disarming?"
Aaron leans against a long wooden table.
Jaired says, "Think he means locksize."
Kormis says, "We're not all Porcell."
Jaired says, "Before sticking your pick in it."
You say, "I want any and all attempts to maybe set it off."
You nod to Aaron.
You say, "Disarming is ho hum."
You say, "No excitment."
You say, "Cept Box Roulette."
Jaired grins at you.
Aaron says, "Lock size, yes. Trap size, no."
You snap your fingers.
Aaron says, "Measuring locks is the second real skill you learn."
You say, "I want glyphs to be like scarabs, maybe you did, maybe you didnt."
Jaired grins.
You say, "And boomers too."
Jaired says, "Nice."
Aaron asks, "The first one being sensing, which you may or may not have played with. I don't think you guys actually got to mess with it during the GS3-GS4 transition, did you?"
You say, "We did 5 ranks."
Kormis says, "Nope."
Kormis says, "I didn't though."
Aaron says, "You did 5 ranks."
Aaron nods to you.
Perrcie tactfully says, "I did a little."
Jaired says, "I was past the wall in the test server so I couldn't play."
You say, "I remember sensing rooms and spells."
You say, "And ptrick."
Aaron nods.
You say, "Thats all I remember."
Aaron says, "Ptrick is the first skill you pick up, that being the fluffy action stuff, but it's only the first gimme rank."
You say, "Its a nice trick tho."
Jaired nods.
You say, "Makes for fancy locksmithin."
You say, "Lman ptrick my coffer."
Aaron says, "After that, you get new ptricks automatically every ten ranks or so, no need to train in them."
You say, "Was cool."
Jaired nods.
Jaired says, "Nice."
Perrcie rubs his white crystal necklace, causing a golden incandescence to dance around its edges briefly.
You ask, "And can we stop specifyin what we want to pick the box with?"
Aaron says, "No, lazyboy."
You say, "Its obviously a lockpick."
lJaired starts chortling.
s>Jaired says, "Write a macro."
You say, "Not like I am warrior whos gonna get a hemmorage headbangin it."
Jaired says, "Pick my @ with my lockp."
You say, "I did."
Aaron says, "I have stock in carpal tunnel syndrome clinics across the country."
Aaron says, "I want you typing as much as possible."
You say, "Heh."
s>Jaired laughs at Aaron!
You squint at Aaron.
Jaired says, "I did one rank of stunman, and my arms actually hurt."
Aaron says, "I'm considering making it so you have to actually divulge the box's history, where you found it, and what you were wearing at the time, before you can pick it."
Jaired says, "Then I picked up .guildx."
Aaron nods to you.
Kormis seems a bit less imposing.
You chuckle at Jaired.
You reach towards Aaron, but he smacks your wrist. Ow!
You say, "Hey now."
You say, "No smackin the Master Locksmith."
Aaron says, "Not them, mind you. Just you, 'cause we have such a bond."
Aaron nods to you.
You stare at nothing in particular.
Aaron paces back and forth.
Aaron asks, "Am I forgetting anything?"
You say, "I only raised hell because it was unfair that i could nae train gambits with that one task."
You wave your hand in a dismissive gesture.
Jaired grins at you.
You say, "You forgot Despil."
You say, "I invited him too."
Aaron says, "You finally made it past 20, I see."
Aaron applauds you.
You say, "Before GS4 too."
You nod to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Yeah, he's probably asleep by now."
You ask, "Who said he could sleep?"
Khajor yawns.
Aaron says, "Weird blue-headed kid goes to bed relatively early."
You ask, "He's a krolvin?"
Khajor deeply says, "I level slower than Torese."
Khajor raises his fist defiantly.
Aaron says, "No, he just has a blue head."
You say, "I am only power levelin to get 62 ranks available."
You say, "I am still 9 short."
You mutter something inaudible.
Aaron drums his fingers on the table.
Kormis says, "I have tons of ranks available."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron asks, "Perrcie, did I say anything confusing 'cause you weren't here for the first half?"
Perrcie rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Aaron says, "Sorry about that, by the way. Didn't mean you leave you out."
You ask, "Can we post this on the boards or you want this to remain secret from the Prime heathens?"
You peer quizzically at Aaron.
Aaron says, "By all means, anything and everything I've said is open for posting."
Jaired nods.
You nod.
You say, "Was anythin said before you got to my table/."
Aaron says, "They'll appreciate the update, and it'll save me from doing it, which means more coding time."
Aaron says, "Just what a noodlehead you are."
You say, "If not i have it all."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired laughs!
You give Aaron a quick little smooch.
You say, "We love you too."
You catch Aaron's eye, smile slowly, and begin flirting with him.
Aaron says, "Jaired said that, though, not me."
Aaron hums a seemingly random tune.
You say, "He knows I cant hurt him."
You say, "Take would hurt me back."
s>Jaired starts chortling.
s>Jaired nods to you.
You say, "He has already said he will cut off my hand and bronze it if I steal from her."
You say, "Then he will smack me with it."
Aaron says, "Tell me if I leave anything out of this Perrcie-aimed summary."
Jaired says, "And then hit you with it."
Aaron says, "I started out asking whether they wanted it before or after Simucon, because I wasn't sure how many of them would be there."
Aaron says, "They unanimously voted for pre-con release."
Perrcie nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Which will hopefully be tomorrow night (otherwise, it's hardly gonna be pre-Con)."
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron says, "So that's going to be the first 30 or so ranks, because I'm working on compressing and replacing a few ranks of what I considered Skills Of Limited Usefulness, clasping and locking items."
Aaron says, "The remainder will be aimed for the weekend following Simucon."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Perrcie nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "I went over a little of what the skill entails. It's a mix of fluff skills like special messaging and lockpick tricks, and mechanically useful skills like repairing lockpicks, removing trap components for varied and occasionally sinister uses, reduced roundtime and breakage, yadda yadda."
Kormis says, "Making picks."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "Most of the skills are active skills, meaning you have to intentionally use them, but stuff like reduced breakage/RT and trap dismantling are passive, i.e. always on, works automagically."
Speaking tactfully to Kormis, Perrcie says, "That is what we can do in there."
Aaron says, "Oh, yeah, and if you're not a locksmith, you'll have a hard time training in what will be a pretty useless skill."
Aaron nods sagely.
You chuckle.
Kormis says, "You forgot opening lockless boxes."
Perrcie chuckles.
Kormis flashes a wide grin.
Aaron says, "Yeah, not-one-but-two ways to open lockless boxes. One of those two ways is in the first phase of release."
You ask, "Can you tell us if the Larton method will be one?"
You peer quizzically at Aaron.
s>Aaron ponders.
You say, "Acid vials."
You nod to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Yes."
Kormis nods to you.
Aaron says, "I did tell you."
Kormis says, "He said that."
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Kormis chuckles.
You say, "I cant scroll back that far."
You scowl at Kormis.
Kormis says, "You took the nap."
Kormis glares at you.
Aaron says, "That goes hand in hand with trap component removal, since that's where you get the acid."
You say, "Yea but i wanna throw the acid at the neartest troll's bastard sword."
You say, "Them things hurt."
Aaron says, "Larton's been kickin' it foreshadowing-style, all this time."
Jaired grins.
Kormis nods.
Perrcie nods.
Kormis says, "The bastard never let us in on his secret."
Kormis says, "I say we burn his place to the ground."
Kormis raises his fist defiantly.
Aaron says, "You'll tick off Edwina."
You say, "Who cares."
Kormis says, "I don't repair my picks."
Kormis shrugs.
Jaired starts chortling.
Kormis says, "I just buy new ones."
Jaired says, "Deeds."
Jaired nods to Kormis.
You say, "I never bend one."
Kormis says, "I know."
Kormis nods to Jaired.
Jaired says, "Thats how I get all my deeds."
Jaired says, "Snapped picks."
Aaron asks, "Yeah, but she's obnoxious as hell, do you want her following you around, griping all the time about having no shop?"
Aaron says, "Cause it'll happen."
Aaron nods.
Kormis says, "I almost never break them though."
Kormis rubs his chin thoughtfully.
You say, "She can move in with Slym Jhym."
Jaired says, "I've been breaking them like crazy lately. Goleras boxes have insane ranges."
Kormis winks at Aaron.
You nod to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Keep it coming."
Kormis says, "I got all the answers."
Kormis rubs a crystal amulet.
Kormis gets an odd look on his face.
Aaron says, "Anyway...any questions? I need to get back on the coding wagon soon if I'm gonna get more than a few hours of sleep."
Jaired says, "I think I'm good."
Kormis says, "I'm about set with my questions."
Jaired says, "And have plans for... the next... month... or so."
Jaired says, "Apparently."
Kormis says, "You could magnanimously grant us all 5 ranks though. As if we did it in testing."
Kormis whistles tunelessly to himself.
You ask, "Will ther be a notice when its available?"
Perrcie just opened a plain wooden strongbox.
Perrcie just closed a plain wooden strongbox.
Aaron says, "Yeah, I'll stake a neon sign to your forehead and drag you around town for a bit."
Aaron says, "Or just let you all know."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis chuckles.
Kormis says, "I'll give you my phone number to call me if you use option one. I don't want to miss that."
You chuckle at Kormis.
Aaron begins chuckling at Kormis!
Aaron says, "Oh, also."
Kormis nods to Perrcie.
Aaron says, "One thing that held this up was the sheer amount of systems that had to be rewritten..."
Perrcie cowers away from Aaron!
Aaron says, "Starting with the guild system, of course, but then I had to rewrite disarming and all the traps from more or less the ground up."
Jaired stares off into space.
Aaron says, "This SHOULD be about 90% invisible to you guys..."
You nod to Aaron.
Aaron says, "But if anything seems quirky, definitely tell me about it. I dunno if you know how trap difficulties work or not..."
Aaron says, "..but they're tied to the lock difficulty, directly."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "A -250 lock on a box will always give a -230 poison needle trap, for example. Numbers made up, but you get the idea."
Kormis says, "I've read Porcell's posts, but I don't know more than vaguely what a lock will be, and that's by paying attention."
Aaron says, "That's not true anymore."
Kormis asks, "It changed?"
Kormis says, "Alot of rogues are going to be upset I think."
Aaron says, "Yeah, I changed it as part of the rewrite."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "They're still very closely tied together."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis shrugs.
Aaron says, "I wouldn't make it so a -10 lock could spit out a -400 scales trap, for example."
Kormis says, "It will give Porcell something to do."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "That makes sense."
Jaired mutters under his breath.
You say, "Now that would be an Aaron-killable offense."
Aaron says, "But they randomize within a certain range of the lock difficulty."
You nod to Aaron.
Jaired says, "That would be hillarious."
Perrcie cracks his knuckles.
Aaron says, "I had a reason for pointing that out, but it's escaped me."
Aaron scratches his head.
Kormis begins chuckling at Aaron!
Kormis says, "Pointing out bugs."
Aaron says, "So I'll just go make a drink, and go back to work."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis says, "You wanted us to watch for oddities."
Aaron says, "Yeah, that was part of it, I think."
Kormis says, "I suspect you don't want to be bothered by the locks and traps not matching."
Jaired says, "Will bug anything and everything that seems off."
Aaron says, "Greeeaaat."
Jaired snickers.
Aaron grins.
Jaired says, "...everything."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "And I'll bug Jaired."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Have fun...talk to you tomorrow night-ish. If anything comes up, I'll let you all know. We've been having tornados like daily around here, and I'm without power for up to three hours at a time."
Kormis waves to Aaron.
>Jaired mimes raising a glass and gives a toast to Aaron's health.
You say, "And remember, Platinum Rogues are better than Prime Rogues."
Perrcie mimes raising a glass and gives a toast to Aaron's health.
You mime raising a glass and give a toast to Aaron's health.
Aaron says, "Coding on pencil and paper isn't my forte, so that's been annoying. Anyway, if something like a tornado comes up and it won't happen tommorow, I'll at least let you know."
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Aaron says, "But I'm aiming for late tomorrow evening after I get off work."
Kormis nods.
Aaron hoots.
Aaron waves.
You say, "After 7pm."
Kormis says, "Thanks Aaron."
Jaired says, "I'll be here."
Kormis says, "Night."
Jaired says, "Take care Aaron."
Aaron glances about with a peculiar look on his face, and with a quick snap of his fingers, he vanishes.
Suddenly, a cloud of smoke billows forth out of nowhere, obscuring your vision!
When the smoke clears, Aaron and his group are standing there.
[Rolling Thrak Table]
Rich, red clay soil has been ground into the table top, giving it a mottled appearance. A picture of a thrak rolling around on its back in a patch of grass has been painted in the center of the table. You also see a plain wooden strongbox.
Also here: Perrcie, Kormis, Jaired, Lord Khajor, Aaron, Torese
Obvious exits: out
You see Aaron Standridge the Human Thief.
He looks like he either just woke up or hasn't slept in days.
His short, straight dark brown hair is in a state of disarray, and his dark eyes look a little bloodshot.
He is holding a vaalin lockpick in his right hand and a flagon of Guildmaster's special in his left hand.
He is wearing a matte black ironwood long bow, a relatively large satchel, a wrinkled grey shirt, a pair of faded blue pants, a brimstone amulet, a fuzzy puppy-skin quiver, a pair of scuffed black boots, a crystal amulet, a large ruby ring, an onyx spider amulet, and a black and silver watch.
Aaron exclaims, "Booya!"
Kormis grins.
Jaired exclaims, "Holla!"
Khajor deeply says, "Shakka-kahn."
Jaired pokes you in the ribs.
Khajor shrugs.
Kormis just opened a plain wooden strongbox.
Khajor deeply says, "That's all I got."
Kormis just closed a plain wooden strongbox.
Aaron asks, "So anyway, how many of you are going to Simucon?"
Kormis says, "I wish I could."
Kormis grumbles.
Jaired says, "Ditto that."
Khajor deeply says, "Was going to.."
Khajor deeply says, "Didn't work out."
Jaired says, "Startin' new job tomorrow."
Kormis says, "I started mine a couple months ago."
Kormis says, "No vacation yet."
Kormis gazes in wonder at his surroundings.
Khajor deeply says, "Workin' on a promotion."
Jaired nods to Kormis.
Jaired says, "Nature of the beast."
Kormis nods to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I don't think our fair-haired solamnabulistic giantkin friend here is either."
Aaron pokes you in the ribs.
Jaired pokes you in the ribs.
Aaron says, "I also think I just made up a word. Not really sure. Anyhoo.."
Kormis grins.
Khajor deeply says, "I do that alot."
Aaron says, "So I was gonna give you a choice, but it sounds like an easy one."
Khajor deeply says, "Burgle-flickle."
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Kormis turns an inquisitive ear towards Aaron.
Aaron says, "The choice was gonna be whether you wanted me to release LFM before or just after Simucon."
Khajor peers quizzically at Aaron.
Khajor deeply asks, "LFM?"
Kormis asks, "All in favor of before?"
Aaron says, "Lock Mastery. You figure out the F."
Kormis flashes a wide grin.
Aaron winks.
Jaired starts chortling.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired says, "I'll put in a vote for before so I get a leg up."
Khajor nods.
Khajor deeply says, "Before."
Aaron says, "Yeah, I had actually thought you were going. I think noodlehead here told me that."
Jaired says, "I've been fiendin' for more guild work. Gotta master 'em all."
Khajor deeply says, "Though I don't pick. I could still learn."
Aaron points at you.
Khajor deeply says, "Poke-thief."
Kormis says, "After! No, I'm confused. Before."
Khajor nods to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I'll warn ya, if you don't pick at least some, you're gonna have a pretty hard time with lock mastery."
Aaron says, "Lots of picking involved."
Jaired says, "I believe it."
Jaired starts chortling.
Khajor deeply asks, "What's it do anyhow?"
Jaired says, "I'm goin' to have to go back to box looting."
Aaron says, "On the other hand, if you don't pick, it's not really gonna do you a ton of good anyway."
Khajor deeply says, "I never heard anything about it, to be honest."
Kormis says, "I'm quite good at it."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "It's a pretty split mix of fluffy stuff, a la gambits, and mechanically useful locksmith skills."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Some examples of the fluffy stuff are things like.."
Aaron rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Jaired asks, "Can we steal spheres from traps and major e-wave the park?"
Khajor drools.
Jaired wrings his hands.
Khajor deeply says, "I'd learn to pick for that."
Kormis stares at Jaired.
Aaron says, "Special lockpicking actions...lockpicking and disarming "styles" (think "tone" verb for locksmiths)..."
Aaron ponders.
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "Nice."
Khajor deeply says, "Can you show us any? Or no, because it's not implemented yet."
Aaron says, "I don't think it's turned on here. Maybe. Might break, we'll see."
Jaired cackles!
Aaron begins to meticulously examine a plain tanik box.
Aaron says, "Neat, I'm running around with no disarm trap skill."
Aaron begins to meticulously examine a plain tanik box.
Jaired snickers.
Jaired says, "Sounds like Perrcie."
Aaron picks up a vaalin lockpick.
Aaron says, "This may and may not work."
Aaron picks up a plain tanik box.
Aaron settles into the difficult task of picking the lock on a plain tanik box.
Aaron says, "Yeah, din't work."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "Oh well."
Jaired nods.
Kormis asks, "So how long til it actually gets released?"
Aaron says, "Anyway, that one lets you surreptitiously unlock the box, then flip your lockpick into the air, then smack the side of the box making the tumblers click, before catching your pick."
Aaron says, "No bonus to it, just fluff messaging."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Mechanical stuff is like.."
Khajor deeply says, "I like the sound of it."
Aaron ponders.
Jaired asks, "Getting into lockless?"
Jaired wrings his hands.
Aaron says, "Getting into lockless boxes two different ways.."
Aaron nods.
Jaired cackles!
Jaired exclaims, "Finally!"
Khajor deeply asks, "Two ways?"
Jaired lets out a cheer!
Kormis says, "Pry off the hinges."
Kormis grins.
Khajor deeply says, "Hit someone with it."
Aaron says, "Making wedges is the first way. These are sort of a locksmith's Batter skill."
Khajor deeply says, "Untill it pops open."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "You make 'em in the workshops in the guild, doesn't take more than a minute or two, and they eventually wear out."
Aaron says, "But you essentially split the box open with 'em."
Kormis asks, "Can they be made special by merchants, say of glaes or something?"
Aaron says, "Usually blowing yourself to hell if it's still trapped."
(Kormis kicks Khajor in the crotch repeatedly)
Kormis grumbles.
Aaron says, "Could, but they'd still wear out. Could be you can make reinforced metal ones at some point, too."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Other way is, of course, taking those vials of acid out of the fuser traps, and the spring traps."
Jaired wrings his hands.
Khajor deeply asks, "Vials of acid?"
Aaron says, "And then melting the plate over the lock."
Khajor deeply asks, "We can remove?"
Khajor drools.
Aaron says, "Yah...there are, hrm."
Khajor deeply asks, "Can you make the vials so we can stuff them into tarts and pies?"
Aaron says, "Eight or so traps you can take components out of."
Kormis grins.
Kormis says, "This sounds like a skill I can really love."
Aaron says, "Might add more later, but for now, I want to get this damn thing out the door."
Kormis asks, "So when is it coming?"
Jaired nods to Kormis.
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Khajor stares at Aaron.
Aaron says, "I think it will probably come out in two phases, and I'll tell ya why in a sec."
Aaron says, "I'm going to try to put the first 30 ranks out tomorrow. I'd do it tonight, but I'm tweaking the training on a couple of them, and it's going to be early morning before I'm done."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Cheer."
Aaron says, "If you get through the first 30 ranks before Simucon's over, then it's screwed up anyway."
Jaired says, "Awesome."
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired says, "I'll find a way."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired says, "Mastered subdue in six days."
Jaired hums a seemingly random tune.
Aaron says, "Then I'll do the second half of it the weekend following Simucon, I think."
Aaron says, "Simucon's at a really inopportune time. I've all been working like 80-90 hours a week at the office, Saturdays and Sundays included.."
Kormis winces.
Jaired says, "...wow."
Aaron says, "That started the day after I said on the boards I wouldn't drink if it wasn't out by SImucon. Or no way in hell would I have said that, heh."
Aaron says, "But right after Simucon, I'll have about a month of mostly free time."
Aaron says, "At least compared to how it's been."
Kormis grins.
Kormis asks, "A mere 40 hours?"
Jaired grins.
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron grins.
Aaron says, "Right now, a 40 hour work week for me is Sunday to Tuesday."
Aaron grins.
Jaired asks, "So is there anythin' special for folks that master all the skills?"
Aaron says, "I guess you'll probably find out."
Aaron grins at Jaired.
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired wrings his hands.
Aaron says, "Well, actually, yeah, there is. Whether for the FIRST person to master all the skills, I'm not saying."
Jaired grins.
Jaired says, "I doubt I'll beat the prime kids."
Aaron says, "You might. You're getting a 2ish week headstart."
Jaired cackles!
Jaired exclaims, "Fantastic!"
Kormis says, "It should be the first here AND there."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "It will be."
Jaired grins at Kormis.
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Aaron says, "Two different worlds, as you guys never fail to remind me, especially him."
Aaron points at you.
Aaron grins wryly.
Kormis laughs!
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron says, "If I had a nickel for every time he's emailed me, reminding me about the difficulties inherent in Plat's small population..."
Khajor deeply says, "I hate prime."
Aaron says, "Well, I'd probably only have like a quarter. But still."
Kormis chuckles.
Jaired says, "I actually think things are easier here."
Jaired examines his fingernails.
Kormis says, "I pitch in another quarter if it will make a difference."
Aaron says, "I think some things are."
Kormis winks at Aaron.
Jaired says, "Don't have people scripting my hunting areas."
Aaron says, "I agree that audience reps are probably more difficult here."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Partner reps can be hard sometimes too."
Aaron says, "There are some in LM, and Plat's already accounted for."
Jaired says, "Unless you crank out ranks with another guild master and never leave the guild."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Don't think there are any partner reps. It's almost entirely a solo skill, which has its good and bad points, I guess."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "Lots of work with the footpads, lots of box picking on your own time."
Jaired says, "It'd be a good split then."
Kormis says, "Good."
Aaron says, "Lots of games of slap hands, too."
Aaron says, "Nah, not really."
Jaired laughs at Aaron!
Kormis begins chuckling at Aaron!
Jaired says, "I was about to say I still have the scripts."
Aaron rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Aaron says, "A lot of stuff in LM is what you call a passive skill."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Meaning that you learn it either by training, or just by virtue of being far enough along, but you don't have to actively use it. It's "always on"."
Aaron says, "Stuff like reduced RT and breakage, and actually, the component removal, once you learn it."
Aaron says, "You'll automatically try to take stuff like those spheres, jaw traps, et al, if you have the equipment."
Kormis asks, "So once we have it, we'll automatically get the componant when we disarm?"
Kormis nods.
Jaired asks, "Will we be able to make picks?"
Aaron says, "You'll automatically TRY."
You ask, "Like scarabs originally?"
Aaron says, "No, scarabs are much more of a guaranteed thing, and I didn't move them over to this style of disarming."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "For one, non-rogues would scream like hell."
Aaron says, "The ones who pick and disarm themselves, I mean."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "They scream enough."
You say, "Let em."
You wave your hand in a dismissive gesture.
Aaron says, "For another, you'd be displeased too, because scarabs are very easy to get out, comparitively speaking."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Aaron says, "Easy for you to say. I have to listen to 'em."
Aaron nods to you.
Kormis chuckles.
You say, "Hey, you enjoyed watchin that scarab being fogged into TSC."
You say, "Let em suffer."
Aaron says, "I'll warn you, component removal was pretty hard to get approved, especially those elemental spheres."
You glance over at Aaron and wince.
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
Aaron says, "Which, by the way, are not major ewave rubbables."
You say, "Knee bash the boss."
Jaired sighs.
Kormis asks, "Some sort of gem then?"
You say, "Bah."
Jaired says, "Alas... the park will survive another day."
You chuckle at Jaired.
Aaron says, "That did get shot down. They're sellable as a gem, yeah, but they're also thrown weapons - so are the little dark crystals from the box-sucking-up trap."
Jaired says, "You'd need so much freakin' MIU to pull it off anyway."
Aaron says, "The good news is, they don't rely entirely on thrown weapon skill."
Jaired says, "Gah. I just untrained thrown."
Aaron says, "A non-thrower can still use 'em."
Jaired says, "Awesome."
Aaron says, "It'll be a maneuver attack, vs. a straight AS/DS thing."
Khajor grins.
Kormis asks, "So it's like a mini implosion or something?"
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Aaron says, "The dark crystals are, as well as one of the spheres."
Kormis nods.
Jaired drools.
Aaron says, "The spheres maintain whichever one of the eight types they were before disarming."
Kormis asks, "Will it swollow weapons and shields like implosion?"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis rubs a crystal amulet.
Kormis gets an odd look on his face.
Aaron says, "So you've got everything from plasma to steam to a miniature localized non-equipment-sucking implosion."
Jaired cackles!
Aaron says, "I like plasma, myself :p ."
You say, "Aww."
You ask, "Non equipment?"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis exclaims, "That's great!"
Aaron says, "And yeah, you can assess lockpicks without a bard - in fact, you get more and better info than a bard loresinging.."
Aaron says, "You can repair lockpicks without what's-her-name."
Kormis turns to Aaron and cheers!
You say, "Heh."
You say, "That'll piss bards off."
Aaron says, "And you can eventually make them."
You ask, "Who repairs?"
You say, "I never bend."
Jaired wrings his hands.
Jaired drools.
You examine your fingernails.
Kormis asks, "How high of quality will we be able to make eventually?"
Jaired asks, "Can non-locksmiths take advantage of the trap components? Like, can we give them to people to use?"
Aaron says, "Yep, once they're out, anyone can use them."
Aaron says, "Anything."
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Kormis nods.
Kormis chuckles.
Kormis says, "This might be hte first skill I master."
Kormis says, "Shut up."
Kormis blushes a glowing shade of red.
Aaron says, "There are actually two more steps dealing with lockpicks after learning to make them, but you gotta have some surprises."
You nod to Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Jaired says, "Understandable."
Aaron says, "Oh yeah, anyway....to rewind about 20 minutes."
You remove a flagon of Guildmaster's special from in your black cloak.
You take a drink from your Guildmaster's special.
You have 13 quaffs left.
You feel the blood drain from your face as your eyes glaze over.
You are stunned!
Aaron says, "The main reason it wasn't out a week ago, and why I'm only putting out the first 30 ranks pre-Con.."
Kormis says, "We forgot Perrcoie."
Khajor yawns.
Kormis says, "Perrcie."
Kormis slaps himself on the forehead.
You ask, "So you can drink stoli?"
You offer your Guildmaster's special to Aaron, who has 30 seconds to accept the offer. Type CANCEL to prematurely cancel the offer.
Aaron says, "Is 'cause I'm cutting or compressing a couple of skills that are holdovers from when Smite originally drew up his plans."
Aaron has accepted your offer and is now holding a flagon of Guildmaster's special.
Aaron hoots.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron put a vaalin lockpick in his large satchel.
Aaron says, "Reason being, they sound neat, but they're almost useless."
Jaired begins chortling at Aaron.
Kormis says, "Sorry Perrcie, I saw you at the park and then forgot about you as I assumed you were with us."
Kormis chuckles.
Jaired asks, "Kind of like cheapshot, subdue, and sweep eh?"
Jaired ducks his head.
Aaron says, "He originally had like, ten ranks of being able to put a hole in something, then attach a clasp to it, then put a lock on it."
Perrcie pokes Kormis in the ribs.
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Aaron says, "The only thing that actually did anything was putting the lock on it, so I started out by tossing the hole-punching stage, because that was useless busy work.."
Kormis says, "Good job."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "...and making the clasp stage actually make stuff open and close if it didn't, like a cloak that was stuck open."
Kormis says, "Down with useless."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
You ask, "We can make cloaks cloasable?"
Aaron says, "Problem is, almost everything that SHOULD open and close already does."
You blink at Aaron.
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "There are some cloaks out there that don't, but that's about it."
You nod.
Aaron says, "If your backpack doesn't already close, it sucks. See me about getting a replacement later."
Kormis laughs!
Jaired laughs!
Perrcie just closed a deep yellow climbing pack.
Aaron grins at Perrcie.
Jaired just closed a deeply hooded dark assassin's robe.
Perrcie just opened a deep yellow climbing pack.
Aaron says, "So since it's not cloak mastery, I started questioning that part, too."
Jaired starts chortling.
You snicker.
Aaron says, "Then I started even questioning putting locks on stuff."
Jaired nods.
Aaron says, "Because really, that's not all that useful either. A little neater."
Kormis just closed a black myklian scale belt with a carved griffin buckle.
Kormis just opened a black myklian scale belt with a carved griffin buckle.
Aaron says, "Was talking to my girlfriend earlier, who knows more about lock mastery than any GM, despite never having played GS.."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis asks, "I wonder why?"
Jaired just opened a deeply hooded dark assassin's robe.
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "..because she hears me bitch about it all the time."
Aaron grins.
Kormis says, "I wasn't really wondering."
You exclaim, "Soap lady!"
Kormis nods to Aaron.
You gaze in wonder at your surroundings.
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "I am the soap lady."
You squint at Aaron.
Aaron scratches his chin.
Aaron says, "Never mind."
You say, "Then soap them trolls who taunt me in Greymist."
You nod to Khajor.
You say, "Gremlins can."
You glance at Aaron and begin to wail!
Aaron says, "But then I realized...wait...they can. It's called pickpocketing. Only, the backpack being closed is enough to stop it."
Jaired snickers.
Jaired says, "Opening someone's container should be a gambit skill."
You say, "What the, we cant steal at tables."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Aaron exclaims, "So I could change pickpocketing to allow going through a closed container, with a penalty, and only a LOCKED container would really stop it!"
You stare at Aaron.
Jaired says, "Imagine the cries."
You nod to Jaired.
Aaron says, "I said to myself, "Self! That's...!"."
Aaron says, "...Hideous!"."
You say, "Heh."
Jaired laughs!
Khajor deeply says, "And true to GM form."
Aaron says, "Cause you guys would be controlling how many locks went on stuff."
Khajor deeply exclaims, "He did it anyways!"
Aaron says, "It'd be like a protection racket."
Khajor grins.
Aaron says, "Nah."
Khajor snaps his fingers.
Jaired laughs!
Jaired exclaims, "That'd be sweet!"
Aaron grins.
You ask, "Someone above said no?"
Aaron says, "No, I came to my senses, and thought about how nice it would be to live through Simucon."
Kormis grins at Aaron.
Jaired starts chortling.
Jaired says, "Release that aspect 'after' the con."
Kormis says, "Realease it AFTER simucon."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "So I think what I'm doing is keeping those two skills, clasping and locking, but only using up 3 or 4 ranks between them."
Aaron says, "Someone will get some use out of them, and the skills themselves are already done, so there's not much point in not having them."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Sounds alright."
Kormis grins.
Aaron says, "But I gotta revise the training on those, and come up with something to fill the ranks that are being opened up."
You ask, "Will we be able to measure lock size?"
You say, "Eer."
You say, "Trap size."
You say, "As well."
You ask, "Before hand?"
Aaron says, "That was the incredibly long-winded as explanation to why only 30 ranks before Simucon, and the rest the weekend after."
You squint at Aaron.
You say, "The one I missed."
Jaired appears to be trying hard not to grin.
(Torese is sleepy)
Aaron asks, "Trap size, wuh? Can't you measure that by, y'know, disarming?"
Aaron leans against a long wooden table.
Jaired says, "Think he means locksize."
Kormis says, "We're not all Porcell."
Jaired says, "Before sticking your pick in it."
You say, "I want any and all attempts to maybe set it off."
You nod to Aaron.
You say, "Disarming is ho hum."
You say, "No excitment."
You say, "Cept Box Roulette."
Jaired grins at you.
Aaron says, "Lock size, yes. Trap size, no."
You snap your fingers.
Aaron says, "Measuring locks is the second real skill you learn."
You say, "I want glyphs to be like scarabs, maybe you did, maybe you didnt."
Jaired grins.
You say, "And boomers too."
Jaired says, "Nice."
Aaron asks, "The first one being sensing, which you may or may not have played with. I don't think you guys actually got to mess with it during the GS3-GS4 transition, did you?"
You say, "We did 5 ranks."
Kormis says, "Nope."
Kormis says, "I didn't though."
Aaron says, "You did 5 ranks."
Aaron nods to you.
Perrcie tactfully says, "I did a little."
Jaired says, "I was past the wall in the test server so I couldn't play."
You say, "I remember sensing rooms and spells."
You say, "And ptrick."
Aaron nods.
You say, "Thats all I remember."
Aaron says, "Ptrick is the first skill you pick up, that being the fluffy action stuff, but it's only the first gimme rank."
You say, "Its a nice trick tho."
Jaired nods.
You say, "Makes for fancy locksmithin."
You say, "Lman ptrick my coffer."
Aaron says, "After that, you get new ptricks automatically every ten ranks or so, no need to train in them."
You say, "Was cool."
Jaired nods.
Jaired says, "Nice."
Perrcie rubs his white crystal necklace, causing a golden incandescence to dance around its edges briefly.
You ask, "And can we stop specifyin what we want to pick the box with?"
Aaron says, "No, lazyboy."
You say, "Its obviously a lockpick."
lJaired starts chortling.
s>Jaired says, "Write a macro."
You say, "Not like I am warrior whos gonna get a hemmorage headbangin it."
Jaired says, "Pick my @ with my lockp."
You say, "I did."
Aaron says, "I have stock in carpal tunnel syndrome clinics across the country."
Aaron says, "I want you typing as much as possible."
You say, "Heh."
s>Jaired laughs at Aaron!
You squint at Aaron.
Jaired says, "I did one rank of stunman, and my arms actually hurt."
Aaron says, "I'm considering making it so you have to actually divulge the box's history, where you found it, and what you were wearing at the time, before you can pick it."
Jaired says, "Then I picked up .guildx."
Aaron nods to you.
Kormis seems a bit less imposing.
You chuckle at Jaired.
You reach towards Aaron, but he smacks your wrist. Ow!
You say, "Hey now."
You say, "No smackin the Master Locksmith."
Aaron says, "Not them, mind you. Just you, 'cause we have such a bond."
Aaron nods to you.
You stare at nothing in particular.
Aaron paces back and forth.
Aaron asks, "Am I forgetting anything?"
You say, "I only raised hell because it was unfair that i could nae train gambits with that one task."
You wave your hand in a dismissive gesture.
Jaired grins at you.
You say, "You forgot Despil."
You say, "I invited him too."
Aaron says, "You finally made it past 20, I see."
Aaron applauds you.
You say, "Before GS4 too."
You nod to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Yeah, he's probably asleep by now."
You ask, "Who said he could sleep?"
Khajor yawns.
Aaron says, "Weird blue-headed kid goes to bed relatively early."
You ask, "He's a krolvin?"
Khajor deeply says, "I level slower than Torese."
Khajor raises his fist defiantly.
Aaron says, "No, he just has a blue head."
You say, "I am only power levelin to get 62 ranks available."
You say, "I am still 9 short."
You mutter something inaudible.
Aaron drums his fingers on the table.
Kormis says, "I have tons of ranks available."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron asks, "Perrcie, did I say anything confusing 'cause you weren't here for the first half?"
Perrcie rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Aaron says, "Sorry about that, by the way. Didn't mean you leave you out."
You ask, "Can we post this on the boards or you want this to remain secret from the Prime heathens?"
You peer quizzically at Aaron.
Aaron says, "By all means, anything and everything I've said is open for posting."
Jaired nods.
You nod.
You say, "Was anythin said before you got to my table/."
Aaron says, "They'll appreciate the update, and it'll save me from doing it, which means more coding time."
Aaron says, "Just what a noodlehead you are."
You say, "If not i have it all."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Jaired laughs!
You give Aaron a quick little smooch.
You say, "We love you too."
You catch Aaron's eye, smile slowly, and begin flirting with him.
Aaron says, "Jaired said that, though, not me."
Aaron hums a seemingly random tune.
You say, "He knows I cant hurt him."
You say, "Take would hurt me back."
s>Jaired starts chortling.
s>Jaired nods to you.
You say, "He has already said he will cut off my hand and bronze it if I steal from her."
You say, "Then he will smack me with it."
Aaron says, "Tell me if I leave anything out of this Perrcie-aimed summary."
Jaired says, "And then hit you with it."
Aaron says, "I started out asking whether they wanted it before or after Simucon, because I wasn't sure how many of them would be there."
Aaron says, "They unanimously voted for pre-con release."
Perrcie nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Which will hopefully be tomorrow night (otherwise, it's hardly gonna be pre-Con)."
Jaired starts chortling.
Aaron says, "So that's going to be the first 30 or so ranks, because I'm working on compressing and replacing a few ranks of what I considered Skills Of Limited Usefulness, clasping and locking items."
Aaron says, "The remainder will be aimed for the weekend following Simucon."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Perrcie nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "I went over a little of what the skill entails. It's a mix of fluff skills like special messaging and lockpick tricks, and mechanically useful skills like repairing lockpicks, removing trap components for varied and occasionally sinister uses, reduced roundtime and breakage, yadda yadda."
Kormis says, "Making picks."
Kormis nods.
Aaron says, "Most of the skills are active skills, meaning you have to intentionally use them, but stuff like reduced breakage/RT and trap dismantling are passive, i.e. always on, works automagically."
Speaking tactfully to Kormis, Perrcie says, "That is what we can do in there."
Aaron says, "Oh, yeah, and if you're not a locksmith, you'll have a hard time training in what will be a pretty useless skill."
Aaron nods sagely.
You chuckle.
Kormis says, "You forgot opening lockless boxes."
Perrcie chuckles.
Kormis flashes a wide grin.
Aaron says, "Yeah, not-one-but-two ways to open lockless boxes. One of those two ways is in the first phase of release."
You ask, "Can you tell us if the Larton method will be one?"
You peer quizzically at Aaron.
s>Aaron ponders.
You say, "Acid vials."
You nod to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Yes."
Kormis nods to you.
Aaron says, "I did tell you."
Kormis says, "He said that."
Aaron nods to Kormis.
Kormis chuckles.
You say, "I cant scroll back that far."
You scowl at Kormis.
Kormis says, "You took the nap."
Kormis glares at you.
Aaron says, "That goes hand in hand with trap component removal, since that's where you get the acid."
You say, "Yea but i wanna throw the acid at the neartest troll's bastard sword."
You say, "Them things hurt."
Aaron says, "Larton's been kickin' it foreshadowing-style, all this time."
Jaired grins.
Kormis nods.
Perrcie nods.
Kormis says, "The bastard never let us in on his secret."
Kormis says, "I say we burn his place to the ground."
Kormis raises his fist defiantly.
Aaron says, "You'll tick off Edwina."
You say, "Who cares."
Kormis says, "I don't repair my picks."
Kormis shrugs.
Jaired starts chortling.
Kormis says, "I just buy new ones."
Jaired says, "Deeds."
Jaired nods to Kormis.
You say, "I never bend one."
Kormis says, "I know."
Kormis nods to Jaired.
Jaired says, "Thats how I get all my deeds."
Jaired says, "Snapped picks."
Aaron asks, "Yeah, but she's obnoxious as hell, do you want her following you around, griping all the time about having no shop?"
Aaron says, "Cause it'll happen."
Aaron nods.
Kormis says, "I almost never break them though."
Kormis rubs his chin thoughtfully.
You say, "She can move in with Slym Jhym."
Jaired says, "I've been breaking them like crazy lately. Goleras boxes have insane ranges."
Kormis winks at Aaron.
You nod to Aaron.
Kormis says, "Keep it coming."
Kormis says, "I got all the answers."
Kormis rubs a crystal amulet.
Kormis gets an odd look on his face.
Aaron says, "Anyway...any questions? I need to get back on the coding wagon soon if I'm gonna get more than a few hours of sleep."
Jaired says, "I think I'm good."
Kormis says, "I'm about set with my questions."
Jaired says, "And have plans for... the next... month... or so."
Jaired says, "Apparently."
Kormis says, "You could magnanimously grant us all 5 ranks though. As if we did it in testing."
Kormis whistles tunelessly to himself.
You ask, "Will ther be a notice when its available?"
Perrcie just opened a plain wooden strongbox.
Perrcie just closed a plain wooden strongbox.
Aaron says, "Yeah, I'll stake a neon sign to your forehead and drag you around town for a bit."
Aaron says, "Or just let you all know."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis chuckles.
Kormis says, "I'll give you my phone number to call me if you use option one. I don't want to miss that."
You chuckle at Kormis.
Aaron begins chuckling at Kormis!
Aaron says, "Oh, also."
Kormis nods to Perrcie.
Aaron says, "One thing that held this up was the sheer amount of systems that had to be rewritten..."
Perrcie cowers away from Aaron!
Aaron says, "Starting with the guild system, of course, but then I had to rewrite disarming and all the traps from more or less the ground up."
Jaired stares off into space.
Aaron says, "This SHOULD be about 90% invisible to you guys..."
You nod to Aaron.
Aaron says, "But if anything seems quirky, definitely tell me about it. I dunno if you know how trap difficulties work or not..."
Aaron says, "..but they're tied to the lock difficulty, directly."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "A -250 lock on a box will always give a -230 poison needle trap, for example. Numbers made up, but you get the idea."
Kormis says, "I've read Porcell's posts, but I don't know more than vaguely what a lock will be, and that's by paying attention."
Aaron says, "That's not true anymore."
Kormis asks, "It changed?"
Kormis says, "Alot of rogues are going to be upset I think."
Aaron says, "Yeah, I changed it as part of the rewrite."
Kormis chuckles.
Aaron says, "They're still very closely tied together."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis shrugs.
Aaron says, "I wouldn't make it so a -10 lock could spit out a -400 scales trap, for example."
Kormis says, "It will give Porcell something to do."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "That makes sense."
Jaired mutters under his breath.
You say, "Now that would be an Aaron-killable offense."
Aaron says, "But they randomize within a certain range of the lock difficulty."
You nod to Aaron.
Jaired says, "That would be hillarious."
Perrcie cracks his knuckles.
Aaron says, "I had a reason for pointing that out, but it's escaped me."
Aaron scratches his head.
Kormis begins chuckling at Aaron!
Kormis says, "Pointing out bugs."
Aaron says, "So I'll just go make a drink, and go back to work."
Jaired laughs!
Kormis says, "You wanted us to watch for oddities."
Aaron says, "Yeah, that was part of it, I think."
Kormis says, "I suspect you don't want to be bothered by the locks and traps not matching."
Jaired says, "Will bug anything and everything that seems off."
Aaron says, "Greeeaaat."
Jaired snickers.
Aaron grins.
Jaired says, "...everything."
Jaired nods to Aaron.
Kormis says, "And I'll bug Jaired."
Kormis nods to Aaron.
Aaron says, "Have fun...talk to you tomorrow night-ish. If anything comes up, I'll let you all know. We've been having tornados like daily around here, and I'm without power for up to three hours at a time."
Kormis waves to Aaron.
>Jaired mimes raising a glass and gives a toast to Aaron's health.
You say, "And remember, Platinum Rogues are better than Prime Rogues."
Perrcie mimes raising a glass and gives a toast to Aaron's health.
You mime raising a glass and give a toast to Aaron's health.
Aaron says, "Coding on pencil and paper isn't my forte, so that's been annoying. Anyway, if something like a tornado comes up and it won't happen tommorow, I'll at least let you know."
Jaired grins at Aaron.
Aaron says, "But I'm aiming for late tomorrow evening after I get off work."
Kormis nods.
Aaron hoots.
Aaron waves.
You say, "After 7pm."
Kormis says, "Thanks Aaron."
Jaired says, "I'll be here."
Kormis says, "Night."
Jaired says, "Take care Aaron."
Aaron glances about with a peculiar look on his face, and with a quick snap of his fingers, he vanishes.