Tracking for PCs

[Vlaid]

I'm going to preface this by knowing that this would be a fairly difficult thing to script but wish to suggest it anyway.

Tracking without being able to track other players feels quite depressing to me. I fondly remember playing my tracking focused ranger in EFU1 and I quite enjoyed it. However with the current tracking system it obviously has flaws for PVP uses; mainly that it acts more like a radar than true tracking.

So here's the idea.

When you activate player tracking (a different tool from the NPC tracking tool) an invisible marker, if any are nearby, is revealed to you. These invisible markers could be spread out around the module in sensible places. Near water streams, by muddy terrain, places where traversing might sensibly leave tracks. When the invisible marker is revealed to the ranger, they can then click it to receive a tracking skill check. Based on the result, you would receive various information about recent players to pass by the marker, including how long since they had passed it and what direction they traveled/transitioned from the marker.

Exceptionally complex to script, yes, but in the longrun, if it happens to make it high on the list of things to script I think it would make Ranger tracking more dynamic and interesting.

[Knight Of Pentacles]

Maybe roll to see if there are PCs in the area? It wouldn't lead you to them, but you'd know there are some about.  Additionally make the results of this sporadic when there are other humanoids about.

[Dredi]

Problem is that Tracking like this would be a big 360 always on player radar with no cooldown which can potentially give you their name.

Safe to say it would be overpowered as heck, especially since you could potentially track players through areas that they havent walked.

Unless you could get the tracking system (something like the nwn2 server dalelands beyond used which leaves sort of..markers behind the player) showing their tracks, (based on how much stuff they are carrying, how large they are, if they are moving stealthily, their MS skill and if they have trackless step)

[Vlaid]

Problem is that Tracking like this would be a big 360 always on player radar with no cooldown which can potentially give you their name.

Safe to say it would be overpowered as heck, especially since you could potentially track players through areas that they havent walked.

Unless you could get the tracking system (something like the nwn2 server dalelands beyond used which leaves sort of..markers behind the player) showing their tracks, (based on how much stuff they are carrying, how large they are, if they are moving stealthily, their MS skill and if they have trackless step)

I can't tell for sure but it kind of seems like you didn't even read what I suggested. What I am suggesting is far from the idea of anything resembling a 360 radar. That is the current system and not the system I am proposing.

What I proposed is preset invisible markers near areas where creatures would leave tracks and noticeable evidence of their passing (such as muddy areas, small pools of water, mossy terrain, ect). A success would only tell you that a certain race creature passed by those invisible markers, what direction they traveled and perhaps how long since they had passed, likely not even their name.

Additional to the already built in counters to tracking (hide and move silently) you would be able to avoid areas you suspect might leave tracks to avoid attempts to track you, perhaps at times taking long roundabout routes to a destination to avoid certain highly tracking sensitive terrain.

[Kotenku]

I think scripting this would probably be a lesser issue even, than dispersing these tracking locations throughout the module.

That said, I think it's a really cool idea for an implementation of tracking, and even if it didn't allow for tracking PCs (which it certainly should) would be an improvement over the current system.

[Arc]

I absolutely love this idea, because it could lead to later possibilities like hiding your tracks or leaving false trails or doubling back to leave a false path.

[The Crimson Magician]

maybe give gsf divination characters the ability to track PCs and have it work like it does currently

[The Holy Goat]

Off the top of my head, a hidden placeable w/ a tracking check near transitions that will tell you the race and number of players that used the transition in the past hour or so.