I know something has been put in to help with this, but I had an idea to help minimize, or completely eliminate, people running down the lift from authorities. A listener device could be placed at the position of the private, and when it hears "Private, hold the lift" from someone in the Spellguard, council, or Watch factions, the lift will lock, making it unable to be used. When, from the same factions, it hears "Private, man the lift." it'll unlock, allowing people to use it. People of the factions can just put it in a quickslot and click it when they're chasing someone.

the lift should stop working for anyone running toward it- and thats final- if you are WANTED dont use the freaking lift, it isnt that hard.

Hah, I had that problem when I was playing Lindgren. Was chasing down two criminals and they both escaped down the lift while I was right behind.

It would definitely be best if people just accepted PvP situations and not used OOC tactics like run to the lift. But on the other side of the gold piece, it is sometimes the best IC idea to do so.

If this really becomes a problem, I would say you make a built-in waiting period for going up/down. As far as I understand, it is quite a large gap between Upper and Lower. If you don't eliminate running to the lift as a legal PvP escape, there should at least be some way to shoot/attack them on their way up/down.

My 2 cents...

[Edit] BTW- I realize this may be a huge PIA to implement...

Pup It would definitely be best if people just accepted PvP situations and not used OOC tactics like run to the lift. But on the other side of the gold piece, it is sometimes the best IC idea to do so.

As was mentioned in this very thread,

Mort the lift should stop working for anyone running toward it- and thats final- if you are WANTED dont use the freaking lift, it isnt that hard.

I like to use the lift when running from authoretys, and i think is some cases it's justifyable, i mean, if your invisable, just how the hell are they going to see you running to the lift?

I mean, come on, what kind of cut purse is stupid enough not to carry a means of escape?

If you are invisible, why is the Watch Private who operates the lift going to lower you down?

I suppose I do need to implement a more thorough technical solution to this problem.

Well, you know what?

You should make it you need to talk to the private to make the lift acessable, and in turn, he will give you a small thingy OOC and then after using the life if goes POFF (breaks, disapears, etc) and then you need to talk to the Footman in lower to do the same thing

but *gasp* there isnt one in lower >.>

You initiate a dialogue of sorts with the Lift in any case, it's a shame if we have to put in place technical holds to stop people from doing something that's pretty obvious.

Could we have it lockable with the watch key, or via dialog so we can "shut the lift down" entirely?

what about using the lift to escape from lower to upper is that acceptable? (just wondering since there was an incident recently of my charecer being chased by a footman for wearing a CDL uniform and using the lift to escape)

Well the lift is a rope(s) and Floor piece thats raisable/lowerable.

I dont think the thing should be completely unusable for the illegal ones.

You could FALL the length to lower, and maybe if you're a monk you might survive it, or if you're wearing really good gloves and dont mind wrecking them on the rope burn. theres also FEATHER FALL surrogate spell or LEVITATION to consider as possible ways around it.

Theres always hiding invisible on the platform while somebody else legally is lowered/raised on it. (so maybe you COULD go down if the animation for lowering is playing and has been activated by another player even if you're an illegal user)

Theres also hitching a ride up underneath the platform, tossing a rope around the rising rope, then using climbing gear/pittons to hang on to the top near the hole till the time the platform descends again and the hole is open (bit extensive).

Another way to implement it maybe is to make one of the skills (tumble?) a rope use skill that may let you climb up without a private lowering/raising you up.

Currently theres no indication whether the lift is UP or DOWN, you could always implement a definite indication of where the lift is, and bar it's use if it's UP or DOWN or Travelling and some time delay between the transfers.

Or you can just go another way.

how about make it while your invisible you cannot talk to npc's? Also i was being chased by perto once and he claimed the CDL right to search me. i fled to lower and he chased me around a lot. I think there outta be a item that the watch and CDL members can mark you as *wanted* and makes you unable to use the lift and the watch will chase you around a lot

why must it be so complex, when it can be simple; just dont use it when you are running away from the law, there are tons of ways to escape that do not rely on the cheesy metagaming of the lift, just have to be creative-

+ the lift isnt an elevator, its a 1km/h get-away,

the load time isnt realistic, take into account that they have the time to: (a) cut the rope, killing your char. (b) shoot arrows, PhKs, Isaacs, fire balls, at you, obliterating you as you are pulled up by a single man.

make a lift waiting area where you are going down. and if your being chased they can simply cut the rope thats dragging you down and you have to make a reflex save in order not to get killed

why must it be so complex, when it can be simple

And if you succeed the reflex save?

Also, you'd get griefers wait until someone gets on, cut it, then log.

Kekeke!

It would be a lot of work to make the lift "realistic" in most respects. You'd have to take into account so many different variables it would be next to impossible, and most likely very awkward/cumbersome to use.

So as Arkov said, (and I'm paraphrasing here) it's metagaming and don't do it.

ALAS. It is toooo tempting *chains himmself in order to not metagame lift*

Could we have this on the bottom of the lift as well? Maybe move the golden merc nearby right next to it so he can stop any damn uppers escaping the footmen.

Just cut the rope. You guys don't have access to the mechanism! Or make some device to hold the platform on the ground.

Or I can just shut up.

Make the lift bashable.

Everything doesn't need to be bashable, Thomas. >_> Chests first, now this!

I think the idea of letting the Law tell the private to hold the lift is the best. Unless someone is there telling him, how does the private know you're a fugitive?

when you run for the lift like your life is depending on it, its a pretty good clue, any none-AI would take to stop the runner;

if you walk calmly toward the lift, thats fine.

Hey tom, i'll give you 5gp to suggest bashable doors!

Naw, seriously, just dont go near the lift, i always run to the stairs then head out for the blue mushroom, set my spawn point and then go back to Sanctuary disguised. Of corse, then there's the noob who recognizes you anyway because of the name over your head >.>

Also, my characters have very sh*t rolls 24-7, like, i type *roll 1d100* and i'll only ever get a 15, or even a 2. So i am totally opposed to the reflax save because all my chars will die a lot more whenever some scumbo cuts the rope.