Stealing Vehicles Change/Long Term Police RP Enhancement

[Gordon2]

TLDR: Make it so an advanced lockpick is required to hotwire cars.

Hello, Moe Sokol back with another bad suggestion. This may be seen as unpopular, but I urge you to hear me out, as it might benefit everyone, just maybe. You want to go out robbing with the boys? Hell yeah! You grab a local sultan or two and head out on the rob. You find someone and start aggressively patting them down for some smoothies. Oh no, the police have seen you! You start to escape in those local sultans, you're getting chased by the police for a while and they seem relentless. They start tactical contact, and your local sultan gets battered by an overcaffeinated interceptor driver. You lose the stolen goods, and it puts a damper on your night immediately.

So, how did we get here? I think it's a few things. A loss from a total loss. Imagine chasing license plate BIGCR1M after they've just robbed a shop and they're whipping around the city. You lose sight of them, but hey that's ok! You know the plate of the vehicle, type up a warrant and get them another time. That's a loss for the police, but whatever. Now if they're in a local and in the back of your mind is if they get away, how likely are you to call off that pursuit early? That's a total loss for police. I don't like bringing up winning or losing as it's not why people are inherently here, but if you break it down to the basics most things in life are about some sort of "Winning" or "Losing" type formula. I know this statement may be unpopular, but that is my personal belief. It is up to individuals what is their acceptable level of loss.

Now you're probably like, what the hell is the suggestion? Removing the ability to use local vehicles? Absolutely not! Locals will always hold a place to be used for a variety of reasons that need it. But I think a variety of roleplay aspects would be improved if not everyone could just jump into a local and drive away with it in a few seconds flat. So, I'd just like to see an extra step to that process, and it came to me in the idea of an advanced lockpick. Just make it to where you have to carry one to hotwire vehicles. I will go the extra mile and say both Locals and Player-owned. Is my idea perfect? Absolutely not and I ask you all to pick it apart, make it better or just pummel it into the dirt if it's terrible.

 

[Gordon2]

To add to this instead of using an advanced lockpick maby add a new item called a barring tool something you need to snap the lock off the ignition barrel and instead of the stupid number mini game being used for everything maby use a left and right buttonnu need to spam to snap the lock and use a wireing mini game each car is random from a selection of colorfull wires(which make sense) that u have to join together to start a car
Some expensive cars needing a new item (hacking chip or electrical blocker)

Hell yeah, I’d love to see this.

 

[JackJohnson]

I don’t disagree that there’s the negative effect of the impact this would have on newer players. However, making it player vehicle only wouldn’t meet the intended effect I suggested. It would have no impact on people using locals, if anything it might push more people into locals. I’m about to go to bed, and I don’t have a potential solution for this at the moment. But you did give me something to think on.

I don’t like it honestly, it would have far too big an impact on new players for it to be fair. I understand the use of locals can be difficult for Police, but you already have some of the fastest cars, multiple helicopters, boats, dogs etc… I don’t think it’s a good change for the server, especially if you are already acknowledging it’s going to negatively impact people, primarily new players that we all want to stick around.

 

[Gordon2]

I don’t like it honestly, it would have far too big an impact on new players for it to be fair. I understand the use of locals can be difficult for Police, but you already have some of the fastest cars, multiple helicopters, boats, dogs etc… I don’t think it’s a good change for the server, especially if you are already acknowledging it’s going to negatively impact people, primarily new players that we all want to stick around.

I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. Locals are difficult for police because it leaves no real option besides “immediate” intervention. Which has its place, but I think this immediate intervention is having a far greater impact on new players, especially aspiring criminals just starting their RP arc, than this change would have. I think we may possibly shift into the positive with this change.

 

[JackJohnson]

I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. Locals are difficult for police because it leaves no real option besides “immediate” intervention. Which has its place, but I think this immediate intervention is having a far greater impact on new players, especially aspiring criminals just starting their RP arc, than this change would have. I think we may possibly shift into the positive with this change.

From what I’m understanding though - you’re basically saying you want to disadvantage the entire of the new player base (massively, in my opinion) to benefit a few. That doesn’t make sense to me, I’d rather new players got caught by Police because of intervention than leaving the server before they ever got the chance to interact with the Police.

Even at that, when it comes to pursuits, I ‘mained’ Police for a long time and I completely believe there’s many many ways to catch people using locals. If the assets available were used properly, helicopters, interceptors, spike strips, and many more then it would be easier, and even if you failed, a lot of fun. At the end of the day, if someone in a local un-upgraded car manages to out run interceptors, G31s, advanced drivers, helicopter, avoid your spikes or whatever else you can throw at them, good on them they deserve to get away. The answer to catching them isn’t making new game mechanics, that’ll in turn make it near impossible for new players to get around. The tornados break down, they don’t know where to get it fixed yet, an advanced lockpick costs about the same as all their starting money. Thats not a fun experience that’ll leave anyone wanting to come back in my opinion.

 

[Gordon2]

From what I’m understanding though - you’re basically saying you want to disadvantage the entire of the new player base (massively, in my opinion) to benefit a few. That doesn’t make sense to me, I’d rather new players got caught by Police because of intervention than leaving the server before they ever got the chance to interact with the Police.

Even at that, when it comes to pursuits, I ‘mained’ Police for a long time and I completely believe there’s many many ways to catch people using locals. If the assets available were used properly, helicopters, interceptors, spike strips, and many more then it would be easier, and even if you failed, a lot of fun. At the end of the day, if someone in a local un-upgraded car manages to out run interceptors, G31s, advanced drivers, helicopter, avoid your spikes or whatever else you can throw at them, good on them they deserve to get away. The answer to catching them isn’t making new game mechanics, that’ll in turn make it near impossible for new players to get around. The tornados break down, they don’t know where to get it fixed yet, an advanced lockpick costs about the same as all their starting money. Thats not a fun experience that’ll leave anyone wanting to come back in my opinion.

I can’t control others behavior, only mine. At the end of the day I want people to just have fun. But this is a strongly held opinion by me that the server at large would benefit from a shift of immediate action policing to long term policing. I agree with the advanced lock pick, no way do I want it costing new players 30k a lockpick. I think some others have suggested some nice alternatives to this. But ultimately for the new players as well, if they crash their tornado and don’t have a repair kit and decide to just quit right there, were they ever going to stay long term?

 

[MrTurdTastic]

I can’t control others behavior, only mine. At the end of the day I want people to just have fun. But this is a strongly held opinion by me that the server at large would benefit from a shift of immediate action policing to long term policing. I agree with the advanced lock pick, no way do I want it costing new players 30k a lockpick. I think some others have suggested some nice alternatives to this. But ultimately for the new players as well, if they crash their tornado and don’t have a repair kit and decide to just quit right there, were they ever going to stay long term?

ngl if I had to run to the city from Sandy because the server enforced that I can't drag a local out of a car and steal it without a lockpick that would've put me off.

It also doesn't make sense in RP, dragging a person out of a car and then having to hotwire it already makes little sense, the keys are in the ignition. An alternative could be that the police actually crack down on people stealing cars across the city? At the moment it's risk free and cops literally sit there and watch people steal local vehicles.

 

[Gordon2]

ngl if I had to run to the city from Sandy because the server enforced that I can't drag a local out of a car and steal it without a lockpick that would've put me off.

It also doesn't make sense in RP, dragging a person out of a car and then having to hotwire it already makes little sense, the keys are in the ignition. An alternative could be that the police actually crack down on people stealing cars across the city? At the moment it's risk free and cops literally sit there and watch people steal local vehicles.

I’ll refer to my earlier comment that I think we’re past mentality shifting our way out of this one. Do you mean we declare all players in local vehicles are to be arrested on TWOC? Because if I got arrested my first 15min for taking a local that would put me off just as much as walking. There’s benefits and negatives to anything for sure, but many many new players make it into the city in the tornados just fine, enough to say I don’t think the immediate impact would be immense frustration. No, I don’t think you should be able to steal some sort of local super car that spawns and Hotwire it in 3 seconds if you just joined the server.

 

[Ravenzzz]

"Were they ever going to stay long term ?" is a really bad way of thinking. This suggestion is heavily focused on balancing the current "meta" of the server, which is controlled by the core members of RPUK (Players that have been around for a long time). Introducing a mechanic that makes it harder for newer players, but "balancing" the current players, is not a good idea in my opinion. The new player experience on the server is already pretty bad. They are discriminated as "baldies", even if they could be promising roleplayers. Being completely new to roleplay, asking a question ooc they will be bombarded with "Find out in RP", which to someone who doesnt even know what that means, will just confuse them further. When trying to ask other players in game, they are either ignored or treated badly because of the fact that they are "baldies". Its honestly luck like 50/50 if you spawn in and enjoy the server or not, if you find someone helpful enough to guide you through Roleplaying. I'd rather see more suggestions that can help the new player experience more so than balancing current metas because eventually if we get more and more new players that enjoy the server from the start, the server would be booming and populated a lot more than currently, and the meta can naturally (or more easier) get balanced because the community wont only consist of veteran roleplayers who absolutely dominate the server atm.

If RPUK was a whitelisted server, I would agree that something like this might be a good idea as everyone would be checked beforehand as a "decent roleplayer" to play on the server. However, RPUK is fun and enjoyable for everyone here mainly because its very accessible, you can log in whenever you want, become whoever you want and do whatever you want (within server rules). Making it difficult/ tedious from the start is not the move. I would argue that right now, the fact that its so easy to steal a local car is very good for new players. We can class it as a basic crime that anyone can do, which is good because hey, i've done my first crime RP on the server which is stealing a car. Everything else like robbing a shop, robbing a bank, kidnapping someone etc needs a lot of steps beforehand like finding out the right tools or weapons etc. Police can easily pull these people over because they did a crime by stealing a car that they dont own, and thus they get to experience police RP. If you now need to have a lockpick to also hotwire cars and what not, then what can you do as someone who is new to the server? Not everyone wants to immediately go taxi or trucking, make money and progress legally first before doing crime. Some people just want to get straight into crime RP, and the easiest way really is stealing a car.

 

[Gordon2]

"Were they ever going to stay long term ?" is a really bad way of thinking. This suggestion is heavily focused on balancing the current "meta" of the server, which is controlled by the core members of RPUK (Players that have been around for a long time). Introducing a mechanic that makes it harder for newer players, but "balancing" the current players, is not a good idea in my opinion. The new player experience on the server is already pretty bad. They are discriminated as "baldies", even if they could be promising roleplayers. Being completely new to roleplay, asking a question ooc they will be bombarded with "Find out in RP", which to someone who doesnt even know what that means, will just confuse them further. When trying to ask other players in game, they are either ignored or treated badly because of the fact that they are "baldies". Its honestly luck like 50/50 if you spawn in and enjoy the server or not, if you find someone helpful enough to guide you through Roleplaying. I'd rather see more suggestions that can help the new player experience more so than balancing current metas because eventually if we get more and more new players that enjoy the server from the start, the server would be booming and populated a lot more than currently, and the meta can naturally (or more easier) get balanced because the community wont only consist of veteran roleplayers who absolutely dominate the server atm.

If RPUK was a whitelisted server, I would agree that something like this might be a good idea as everyone would be checked beforehand as a "decent roleplayer" to play on the server. However, RPUK is fun and enjoyable for everyone here mainly because it’s very accessible, you can log in whenever you want, become whoever you want and do whatever you want (within server rules). Making it difficult/ tedious from the start is not the move. I would argue that right now, the fact that it’s so easy to steal a local car is very good for new players. We can class it as a basic crime that anyone can do, which is good because hey, i've done my first crime RP on the server which is stealing a car. Everything else like robbing a shop, robbing a bank, kidnapping someone etc needs a lot of steps beforehand like finding out the right tools or weapons etc. Police can easily pull these people over because they did a crime by stealing a car that they dont own, and thus they get to experience police RP. If you now need to have a lockpick to also hotwire cars and what not, then what can you do as someone who is new to the server? Not everyone wants to immediately go taxi or trucking, make money and progress legally first before doing crime. Some people just want to get straight into crime RP, and the easiest way really is stealing a car.

I don’t disagree, you can see where I’ve stated publicly multiple times I think “Find out in RP” is a cop out of people being lazy and unhelpful. One of major reasons I joined the wiki team and created the suggestion thread for it here on the forums. Participation has been minimal. The server isn’t hurting for players, I will always welcome new people with open arms but ultimately their needs vs the needs of people who stay here long term is a balancing act. The suggestion of just pulling them over is valid but what happens the new player tries to leg it and turns it into FTS/DD? Now you get to experience jail cell RP and prison (which I’ve advocated prison reform as well.) I get not everyone wants to do those basic legal jobs and wants to jump head first into crime. But that can land them in some hot water very quickly both through police or with staff, they need time to adjust to the rules and server culture before doing that stuff in my opinion. Someone else created a thread recently about what’s high quality RP to you, and to me part of it is long term. I try and describe it as a break down of not everything needs to be accomplished in a single restart. I didn’t start out as cop or criminal on this server. I did tow trucking then became an NHS Paramedic. That was fun and I decided to branch out from there. I think you raised some valid points though, so thank you.