Master and Minor keys

[Onionfighter]

Instead of having a key for each gate that can be copied, make two types of keys: master, and minor keys. Both types will be able to open the gate, but only the master keys can be copied (copied as either another master, or a minor). The key you get when you create the gate will be a master, of course.

In addition to this, make it so that the master key can also be used to re-key the gate. Doing this would make all other previous keys to that gate (including other masters?) no longer work. A helpful feature would be to label keys that no longer work, when you try to use it on its gate.

Intended effects: make the effects of losing a key less drastic. Now gates can be re-secured when a key is stolen or lost without having to destroy the wall. This is an alternative to Jackard's idea (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5309), which would totally make it impossible to steal keys.

[SacreDoom]

Good idea to me.

[DDDsDD999]

They should have different graphics, for difference between master and minor keys. Don't really have any other suggestions, it's a pretty good idea if people are stuck using keys.

[AnnaC]

I like the idea of "changing the locks" to a gate; it would help if you suspect a gate has been compromised and it makes more sense than the current solution of having to level the gate and a CP and rebuilding the whole thing.


Keys are annoying in general though; they take up inventory space, you need to have people on (if you have a noob village with 1 key, what if the keybearer doesn't log in?). Also, what happens if a master key is lost? Wouldn't there be the same issue as with normal keys, anyway?

I like the ideas, but they don't really fix the issues that keys have; all these suggestion would just benefit those who are already established and can use keys to their full (limited) potential as it is. It wouldn't help a group of newbies in their palisade, and it wouldn't change any of the tactics of using keys with key-alts and the like, either. Keys essentially handicap low-level "honest" players because they are so clunky to use; the inaccessibility gates and walls cause hinders their growth and movement just as much as it protects them. This is somewhat a reasonable thing; but aggressors have it easier because they only have to focus on bypassing the walls and gates; wheres the people within the gates have to go about their daily lives AND deal with the logistics of getting around their walls. (This is currently alleviated by establishing a village and using Crossroads, of course.)


I'd much rather have it so gates are permission/authority based, and any key type items diverted to black skills usage, like lockpicks, to attempt access on gates you don't have permissions to. (Of course this is all under the assumption that this is under an environment where teleportation travel is removed or severely curtailed.)

[Jackard]

I'd much rather have it so gates are permission/authority based, and any key type items diverted to black skills usage, like lockpicks, to attempt access on gates you don't have permissions to. (Of course this is all under the assumption that this is under an environment where teleportation travel is removed or severely curtailed.)

And let's not forget that even in this scenario it would still be possible to enter a town through various forms of subterfuge.

[Onionfighter]

I guess the problem with lock picking for me is that I have no idea how it would work. Permission-based locks only seem to allow breaking in through social engineering. I agree keys are clunky, but this could be improved by more general inventory improvements, like letting belts keep keys, purses, tinderboxes, snuff boxes, etc.

Another improvement to keys would be to allow several gates to use the same key.

[Vigilance]

This alternative, I like.

+1 for making it still effective to steal keys, while making it not as devastating.

[mvgulik]

Changing a lock on a gate needs to be done with a open gate of course. So the enemy at least has the possibility to get his hands on that master key ... while your changing the lock on that compromised gate.

[Potjeh]

I still think they should completely axe keys.

[DatOneGuy]

Keys would be slightly better if they didn't have to count on the already super limited inventory.

I only like the idea of keys because I hate the idea that you need to have someone physically let you in to 'gain access', that's a bit of a bore, I'd much rather be able to kill someone and gain their access.

That could probably be done without keys, but I don't think it could be done well.