I'm curious:
How does the playerbase feel about the use of arrest wands by guard factions? I certainly think it seems a lot cooler (and a bit more realistic) for a peace keeper to have to shackle a villainous PC and drag his ass back to the Stronghold rather than just subduing and teleporting him*. This would create all sorts of awesome situations in which the arrested citizen's cronies could try to spring him and make off into the night to look for something that could cut through shackles.
Don't get me wrong, I'm intimately aware of why we probably need a teleporting function for dealing with noobs and jerks! But as someone who's playing a member of the Arsmen and is interested in making the process of being arrested as enjoyable as possible for all parties, what do you prefer?
[SIZE="1"]*As far as I know, this can only be done in the city. The question is in reference to arrests made within the city.[/SIZE]
Nothing prevents you from walking with the culprit of a most horrible deed throughout the colony before arriving at the citadel. I personally find the arrest wand convenient and even though I rarely used it, I still think it works in a most pleasurable way for all parties. Sure, you won't get to attempt a rescue on the way but there's always the citadel to strike.
I may be biased because I've played both a Watchman and an Armsman, but I wouldn't want to have the arrest wand another way.
I would honestly prefer this to just blasting away, but not sure how it would be implemented.
Auto-Follow maybe?
Free shackles for Guardsmen.
Give every Guard PC a couple of pairs of "Sharboneth Guard Cuffs" which are Shackles with weight reduction (as you'll be carting them about on patrol).
Thus, get arrested and you can be shackled.
the sergeant has free chackles as a DM performed on scumbar
I prefer to just wand them, it deals with OOC resistance and saves us from having to get a DM to force it
Include both, and if a player is difficult OOCly, the teleportation thing can just be used.
If there were a mechanical way to properly subdue and force players to follow, I'd be all about this suggestion.
Wands are ok, but a lot can happen between arrest and imprisonment.
Quote from: Pestilence;123448the sergeant has free chackles as a DM performed on scumbar
Sergeants don't have free shackles, at least not until two weeks ago.
Crimson mirrors my viewpoint.
Arrest wands really seem to me the kind of thing you'd see in Eberron, not EfU.
Or old EFU or CoA
It's just one million times easier, better, and less restrictive than dragging someone through the streets, where their buddies can come at any moment, and they can do one hundred ridiculous things! This is one of the times when convinience at the fact we're playing a game comes over the realism of the game world, in my opinion.
A wand is certainly convenient, but dragging a shackled crook opens up a whole lot IC.
Away from comfortably patrolled areas, or a good way away from the jail, a guard should be more cautious about making busts.
The idea might be too tricky to implement anyway, but IMO if it's do-able the RP potential outweighs the inconvenience of the arresting officer.
Making an arrest -should- be an inconvenience anyway, not something that can be zapped at and instantly forgotten.
Player Tool X: It works like the companion control tool. You target someone that is handcuffed. You may then move them wherever you wish as long as they remain within a certain range of you.
I think players with the authority should have the option to do both. There are pros and cons to both situations and which is better depends on the situation, players, and characters involved.
Something could easily be scripted to allow a PC to DRAG someone who is 'shackled', preventing them from escaping unless the guard dragging them is somehow attacked/disrupted/subdued themselves.
This could allow for 'dragging through the streets' as the OP suggested. As long as the PC is subdued when they are shackled like this, they could not escape, not even if they were OOCly trying to resist.
I'll make it if you want >.>
They're an ooc convenience tool symbolizing arresting someone and taking him to jail.
When you are a DM, you dont want to spend 30-40 minutes fighting with a PC who'se being stupid and doing minor crimes for the sake of them. We want to take 5 minutes flat, arrest and go back to doing interesting stuff.
If your guard wants to drag people himself, no problem, he will still need to wand them to get the arrest counter starting. If it looks cool and you have the time for it, I dont see the problem.
But yeah, for the DM's sake, arrest wand will stick around.
You could just limbo them.
I recall once asking a Guard PC, when he tried to use the Arrest Wand on my PC, to explain to me what the hells is exactly doing, as in: Trying to grab my PC? Trying to put handcuffs on his hands? Trying to knock him in the head with the club and drag him by the hair to jail?
The response I got: "Using a tool to arrest him."
I asked - Arresting him, HOW EXACTLY? as it's important for my PC's reaction.
Never got a reply sooo.... I resisted and left.
So as for now, the Arrest Wands are OOC tools which are used in an IC way without a valid IC explanation of what is happening.
How the hells am I to respond to it?
That's a valid point.
The first time an arrest wand was used on me was on CoA, and I assumed it was some unresistable uber-device.
Maybe an OOC note on all arrest wands would be useful, as on the shackles for sale in the gobsquat?
"This wand only to be used on willing or subdued players".
Those with wands should be aware of the above already.
Quote from: Starless Night;123565I recall once asking a Guard PC, when he tried to use the Arrest Wand on my PC, to explain to me what the hells is exactly doing, as in: Trying to grab my PC? Trying to put handcuffs on his hands? Trying to knock him in the head with the club and drag him by the hair to jail?
The response I got: "Using a tool to arrest him."
I asked - Arresting him, HOW EXACTLY? as it's important for my PC's reaction.
Never got a reply sooo.... I resisted and left.
So as for now, the Arrest Wands are OOC tools which are used in an IC way without a valid IC explanation of what is happening.
How the hells am I to respond to it?
I always presume it was a magical teleportation device. Like the Cowled Wizards popping in when you've been a bad spellcaster.
Well, the guard generally says what you are arrested for and unless you are subdued, it prompts a dialogue stating your options: Resist or go along.
You can do whatever your character would do, IC. You can ask for these reasons IC. You can battle IC. Cutting down on any OOC dialogues is the best.