Sneaky Trader update

[CatalinaThePirate]

Just a small update, wanted to let you know what's happening with this Sneaky Trader mod of mine...

I've been working on some images for the new items he'll offer. Not quite finished, so no screenys yet...

BUT here's a list of what I want him to carry - at various times - this will be random:

Lockpick
Prybar
Compass (points SOUTH, ha!)
Land Deed (to swampland or a forgery)
Corvette (that turns out to be a leaky rowboat)
Sword (not sure which, but it'll be a good one yet be completely useless stats)
Pistol (same as above)
Keys (to jail? to the governor's mansion? to a hidden treasure chest locked behind a door in a dungeon? or USELESS??? This will be a mystery... Will they be good, or not?)
Jewelry Items (stolen, naturally)
Incan Idols (not really gold!)
Thiefbuster ™ Wallet (that leaks!)
Four pieces of a MAP... (TREASURE!)

For this last one, I thought there probably SHOULD be some treasure, if you can get the four (maybe six) pieces of the map together you'll get a clue to where some gold is hidden - but guarded by desperados you have to fight - something like that...

Images for these items are happening nicely. I found some interesting pics of jewelry items and Incan idols to use... The land deed is all smudged and messy looking like it just isn't quite VALID...

I'm thinking that MAYBE you could get caught by the guards for carrying stolen jewelry if you DO buy this stuff...

This darned mod is getting complicated! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> But I think it will be fun to see if I can actually get these things to happen in the code... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

I NEED a MODELER in either 3DMax or in Maya to do a slight alteration to the Sneaky Trader... I am fiddling about myself in Maya at the moment trying to make this work myself, and if I do, well, then nevermind. BUT I don't have a lot of time to fiddle, and my brain can take only SO MUCH of this stuff before it overflows and I have to go find a rag to wipe it all up and squeeze it out back into my ears... <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_wink.gif" />

 

[CouchcaptainCharles]

Sounds really excellent <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="onya.gif" /> . Seems like the trader is about to become a miniquest generator, and that's just what this game needs. Never mind that it is becoming more complicated, that comes with more variety and detail.

As for the forged or useless items, will they always be of the useless kind? It might be better for longterm playermotivation if you sometimes get a good one and only sometimes be cheated. That would make trading with Sneaky a gamble that you could try again and again.

 

[CatalinaThePirate]

<!--QuoteBegin-CouchcaptainCharles+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CouchcaptainCharles)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->As for the forged or useless items, will they always be of the useless kind? It might be better for longterm playermotivation if you sometimes get a good one and only sometimes be cheated. That would make trading with Sneaky a gamble that you could try again and again.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->Excellent idea - I had already figured to make a couple of them like that, but I could make them all that way.

Hummm, I am now thinking that there might be a way for any jewelry that he offers to either be sold (hit to rep) or turned in to the captain of the guard (boost to rep)...

This is going to take a lot of time to code, but I think it'll be very cool when it's finished!

Thanks again for the idea! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />

 

[CouchcaptainCharles]

Ha, great! Yet another variety and possibility for the player to choose <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/onya.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="onya.gif" />

It might not be that much work if you do it this way

1. you buy stolen jewel

2. immediately afterwards a guard is being generated right behind you (use the generate_fantom code like for the burglars in enc_resident_dialog)

3. guard talks to you automatically, something like "have you just dealt with that scum?"

4. you can choose "MEEE? <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_eek.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="icon_eek.gif" /> Never <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/no.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="no.gif" /> " and keep jewels and loose rep, or confess for repgain. (and maybe a slight chance of being arrested or getting into a fight <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dev.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":d:" border="0" alt="dev.gif" /> Arrghh, once I start pondering possibilities I can never find an end <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="ops" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />: I wish I were retired and could do this 24H )

Just an idea, but if you do all this in one `short-curcuit` programflow it would save you the trouble of storing somehow that you carry hot jewels, set up some guardcaptain for each town etc.

 

[CouchcaptainCharles]

Though come to think of it the classical method would not be that much work either:

Use the existing townguard dialog and insert a section that let's you turn in the contraband at ANY already existing guard. And if you buy from Sneaky that dialogoption is being switched on, and switched off again after you turn in a piece of jewelry.