I know they said that they were moving Rogue/Thieves away from being a skill-based class, but are there any plans to implement a way to pickpocket NPCs?

You and me both.

Pickpocketing within regular gameplay is out. Pickpocketing will take place within scripted interactions and perhaps even dialogue. 

Kinda a shame but 90% of peaple in BG and  IWD never usded it.

-slight necro-
  Well, the pickpocket mechanic in those games was pretty underwhelming. I would be more than happy with a Fallout style system where you actually opened up their inventory and could take/plant items with an appropriate chance of detection.
  The lack of specific skills/specialization is still my greatest disappointment with PoE as it stands. I would really like to have the ability to create a non-combat focused character even if it is a sub build of a particular class. I know that one of their primary design goals was to separate combat and non-comabt skills but it feels like the non-combat skills are sorely lacking.

  Perhaps under each skill there could be a subset of dependent skills that one could choose at a greater point cost, or an actual skill-tree where the points that you pour into a skill are actually allocated into different aspects of that skill.
  This could also be addressed by having skill related talents or the equivalent of talents for skills.

   I know they want to get the combat right. It will take a lot of feedback to balance. I'm just hoping they take the same care with the skills.

I don't think treating NPC's as just another loot container like in the IE games would be a good implementation of pickpocketing.

 

Perhaps they could implement pickpocketing in a way similar to the current stealth system. Standing near an NPC in 'pickpocketing mode' would gradually reveal the items he has in his 'pockets', which would happen quicker the more Perception you have, but it would raise their suspicion at the same time. Stealing an item would greatly raise their suspicion and perhaps even alert them or make them hostile; it would raise less suspicion the more Dexterity you have.          

Edited October 13, 201411 yr by Quetzalcoatl

1) Stealth mode

2) Move to character

3) Quicksave

4) Pickpocket

5) If caught or unsuccessful reload

6) Repeat ad-nauseum

 

I would be grateful if this doesnt come back and if it does it becomes a simple:

[MECHANICS 10] Pickpoket the McGuffin dialogue option or click on the person while in stealth mode.

PoE has a pretty basic engine. The stealth mechanics is pretty much non existent. With that in mind, the best way to implement pickpocketing is through dialogue options where you make a check for Dexterity versus perception of the victim. 

1) Stealth mode

2) Move to character

3) Quicksave

4) Pickpocket

5) If caught or unsuccessful reload

6) Repeat ad-nauseum

 

I would be grateful if this doesnt come back and if it does it becomes a simple:

[MECHANICS 10] Pickpoket the McGuffin dialogue option or click on the person while in stealth mode.

 

Oh the hrs I ve spent pickpocketing at the Fallout games. Yes, don't bring this back, please. :D

 

1) Stealth mode

2) Move to character

3) Quicksave

4) Pickpocket

5) If caught or unsuccessful reload

6) Repeat ad-nauseum

 

I would be grateful if this doesnt come back and if it does it becomes a simple:

[MECHANICS 10] Pickpoket the McGuffin dialogue option or click on the person while in stealth mode.

 

Oh the hrs I ve spent pickpocketing at the Fallout games. Yes, don't bring this back, please. :D

 

 

You forgot the quaffing of a half-dozen potions before the quick-save...

Kinda a shame but 90% of peaple in BG and  IWD never usded it.

 

*Algernon bursts in tears, wiping them with his recently acquired cloak.

I don't think treating NPC's as just another loot container like in the IE games would be a good implementation of pickpocketing.

 

Perhaps they could implement pickpocketing in a way similar to the current stealth system. Standing near an NPC in 'pickpocketing mode' would gradually reveal the items he has in his 'pockets', which would happen quicker the more Perception you have, but it would raise their suspicion at the same time. Stealing an item would greatly raise their suspicion and perhaps even alert them or make them hostile; it would raise less suspicion the more Dexterity you have.

YES! At the very least, finding out what they have available for the take should incur some sort of check. The huge problem with the Fallout system is that you get to freely browse their pockets, somehow without touching them or arousing suspicion in the slightest. Then, it only checks when you move something. And you can take a friggin' assault rifle from them without anyone noticing.

 

Ideally, there would be some representation of bulkier items being more difficult to take, etc. At least some kind of difficulty range, with indicators, even.

Kinda a shame but 90% of peaple in BG and  IWD never usded it.

 

I've never seen a pickpocket system that I actually liked. Most are just save scum to victory and/or quit when boredom strikes. Besides that, the risk of having the entire world trying to kill you was not worth the minor amount of pocket change you could get.

I've never seen a pickpocket system that I actually liked. Most are just save scum to victory and/or quit when boredom strikes. Besides that, the risk of having the entire world trying to kill you was not worth the minor amount of pocket change you could get.

Yeah... pickpocketing tends to turn random NPCs into convoluted slot machines. They might as well just allow for the looting of couch cushions.

 

Really, though, the act of pickpocketing can contribute a lot to narrative situations, but those can also be hand-coded into specific dialogues/situations. There's no need to just allow anyone and everyone to have their gum wrappers stealable out of their pockets.

Pickpocketing is how I get most of my money. I find it much less pleasurable buying things with gold I actually had to earn.

We can already steel **** right out from under people's noses, in their homes and shops!

 

I'm not huge on thieving mechanics, but then I like to roleplay good guy Gregs. I only picked pockets in BG2 of really annoying, arrogant richie-riches who were just begging for it when they insulted my party.  But then they turn red and I have to kill them, which makes me kinda sad.

 

How would one implement pickpocketing without making us resort to murder when it fails? Maybe just a simple skill check, where it either works or it doesn't, but you never actually piss the target off...

I liked the way thievery was handled in Daggerfall - if you were caught you went to court and possibly to jail if you couldn't talk your way out... What a concept!

Ha, when someone gives me lip I ransack their house, massacre their family, THEN steal all the stuff of their person. I then wait around for awhile and poison them to death. Good times.

No pickpocketing? What a shame

1) Stealth mode

2) Move to character

3) Quicksave

4) Pickpocket

5) If caught or unsuccessful reload

6) Repeat ad-nauseum

 

I would be grateful if this doesnt come back and if it does it becomes a simple:

[MECHANICS 10] Pickpoket the McGuffin dialogue option or click on the person while in stealth mode.

"Stealth mode / hide in shadows" was not so bad

I liked the way thievery was handled in Daggerfall - if you were caught you went to court and possibly to jail if you couldn't talk your way out... What a concept!

That's fantastic for like, the first 2 times. When you just run around pickpocketing everyone in the entire game, because there's not much reason not-to, and you get caught and sent to court for the 10th time, it's not as exciting. Most likely, you're either going to stop trying to pickpocket people, or you're going to start reloading every time it fails. Which, again, why wouldn't you, since nothing's stopping you? I mean, what's the point of being able to pickpocket everyone if you can't feasibly do that? "Oh, you'll actually just lose all your money and go to jail if you get caught, and you always have a chance of getting caught." So the game's like "Hey, you can just pickpocket everyone! But also, here's a deterrent against such behavior, u_u".

 

So... I dunno. It's kind of weird no matter what you do. And, in the long run, it's great to take money and random valuables off of people, but how is that any different from simply looting money and junk items, except now with a skill attached to it? If it doesn't really bring anything significant to the table , what's the point? And if it does, then what's the point in being allowed to do all the non-significant stuff?

 

*shrug*. I think we've had enough games that treat systems so simplistically by now that we'd be past that, and want a fleshed out system, if there was one. The "just take things from everyone" system is essentially just making people loot containers, when you think about it. It's simulating something for no other reason than to simulate it.

Pickpocket?

 

Hotpocket.

 

Edited October 15, 201411 yr by PrimeHydra

WHATTa'ya gonna pick?! *POP*... NPC pockets! 8D

 

I liked the way thievery was handled in Daggerfall - if you were caught you went to court and possibly to jail if you couldn't talk your way out... What a concept!

That's fantastic for like, the first 2 times. When you just run around pickpocketing everyone in the entire game, because there's not much reason not-to, and you get caught and sent to court for the 10th time, it's not as exciting. Most likely, you're either going to stop trying to pickpocket people, or you're going to start reloading every time it fails. Which, again, why wouldn't you, since nothing's stopping you? I mean, what's the point of being able to pickpocket everyone if you can't feasibly do that? "Oh, you'll actually just lose all your money and go to jail if you get caught, and you always have a chance of getting caught." So the game's like "Hey, you can just pickpocket everyone! But also, here's a deterrent against such behavior, u_u".

 

So... I dunno. It's kind of weird no matter what you do. And, in the long run, it's great to take money and random valuables off of people, but how is that any different from simply looting money and junk items, except now with a skill attached to it? If it doesn't really bring anything significant to the table , what's the point? And if it does, then what's the point in being allowed to do all the non-significant stuff?

 

*shrug*. I think we've had enough games that treat systems so simplistically by now that we'd be past that, and want a fleshed out system, if there was one. The "just take things from everyone" system is essentially just making people loot containers, when you think about it. It's simulating something for no other reason than to simulate it.

For me, the ability to pickpocket random citizens is the roleplay aspect of a thief - don't expect to get rich off it but it's nice to have.  The consequences in BG of everyone going hostile is too severe - perhaps have the pickpocketed person go hostile and the guards called but still have the ability to run away.  If the guards catch you, pay the fine.  It needn't be 'worth it'.

The 'pickpocket' skill, by itself, might then not be worth investing in - so make it part of the 'sleight of hand' skill which can have scripted interaction use of 'add poison/something to his drink' or 'throw a stone into the corner to distract him' or any number of other things.  It could even have a combat application of 'disarming' or 'distraction' - or just tie it to dexterity and be done with it. (though that's less opportunity-cost-y from a character build standpoint)

 

I liked the way thievery was handled in Daggerfall - if you were caught you went to court and possibly to jail if you couldn't talk your way out... What a concept!

That's fantastic for like, the first 2 times. When you just run around pickpocketing everyone in the entire game, because there's not much reason not-to, and you get caught and sent to court for the 10th time, it's not as exciting. Most likely, you're either going to stop trying to pickpocket people, or you're going to start reloading every time it fails. Which, again, why wouldn't you, since nothing's stopping you? I mean, what's the point of being able to pickpocket everyone if you can't feasibly do that? "Oh, you'll actually just lose all your money and go to jail if you get caught, and you always have a chance of getting caught." So the game's like "Hey, you can just pickpocket everyone! But also, here's a deterrent against such behavior, u_u".

 

So... I dunno. It's kind of weird no matter what you do. And, in the long run, it's great to take money and random valuables off of people, but how is that any different from simply looting money and junk items, except now with a skill attached to it? If it doesn't really bring anything significant to the table , what's the point? And if it does, then what's the point in being allowed to do all the non-significant stuff?

 

*shrug*. I think we've had enough games that treat systems so simplistically by now that we'd be past that, and want a fleshed out system, if there was one. The "just take things from everyone" system is essentially just making people loot containers, when you think about it. It's simulating something for no other reason than to simulate it.

 

 

Well the concept would not have to be as simple as Daggerfalls - the court could keep records so that the more actions against you the higher the fine or otherwise increase the penalty - perhaps adding some time killing community service to the sentence that would keep you from leaving an area until it was completed (incorporating it's own sets of mini-quests) nor would the game need to make it possible to pick pocket everyone in order to accomplish this - the upside of the concept being that one could roleplay a thief type as a form of side questing - it would not have to be a major quest line just a fun side trip for a rogue type.

 

As for save and reload well just set it up so the third time you do this your computer explodes - that will teach the save scummers!