On OSI during UO:R, only items on the first level of a locked container were unreachable. If you set a pouch inside a chest and then locked the chest, the contents of the pouch would still be usable and even movable. This is important because it affects security re: thieves.
As I understand it, the way the lift actions behave with locked containers as they work currently is correct, though its entirely possible I could be wrong. How it works now, you can place a bag of reagents inside a locked container, and use those reagents to cast spells. This is permitted because the use of reagents to cast spells are "consumed" by means of casting the spell itself. The resource check upon casting a spell does not take into consideration whether or not the items are reach-able by the player, it is only checking to make sure that said resources are on your person itself. For consumables, such as food, bandages, potions, etc, this does not function the same way. This is because the 'double-click' action has a "can reach" check involved with it, and since the items are within a container that can be seen, but cannot physically be reached even though they are within your person/backpack, you are denied access to using those items. This is how it works currently, but am not really certain what the proper mechanics (outside of logic, as would suggest the above is correct) should be.
Thanks for your reply, Ezekiel. You explained how things currently work, but failed to address my concern that things do not work correctly. I explained how things should work in my OP, is there something more that I can do?
Short of searching for some type of reference to verify that this ever existed, there is not much else to be done. While we are not aiming to replicate mechanical accuracy to that extent, it's a solid starting point for determining how things did work in era, and helps to move forward from there. Realistically though, I don't think the ability to "use" or move items which are in your backpack, while also inside a sub-container which is locked is something that we will publish to the live server. This would effectively nullify the stealing skill completely, as everyone would simply walk around with all of their belongings which weren't either newbied or blessed, in a locked container. This isn't to imply that we wouldn't implement such in defense of the stealing class, but I couldn't honestly vouch for this as being something that I would consider balanced.
Ezekiel, Thank you for humoring me. I did find two articles that support my claim. I will list them below. As for this "...nullify[ing] the stealing skill completely...", there is no evidence to support that. In fact, since this mechanic was active on OSI from (at least) T2A to AOS and I think you would agree that the stealing skill was anything but nullified, there is only evidence to the contrary of your argument. I would even be so bold as to suggest that this could be a healthy change for UO:Ren as it could curb the curious over-abundance of thieves on the server. Thank you again for interacting with your players. We appreciate it. :] Here are the articles: http://www.icon-exchange.com/old_projec ... fproof.php http://forums.uosecondage.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=21562
Yeah, looks like a bug. Like the open a rune book in your bank, run around and you can recall out of it. It is a missed bug, no reason to keep broken things in game for the sole purpose of exploitation.
Whether it curbs, kills, or does nothing to thieving I think is irrelevent. Era accurate or not, I think this is a bug by OSI. There's no way they possibly intended for bags/items inside locked containers to be usable without first unlocking the box. That's the whole point of a locked box. So that it can't be opened and the contents inside are safe. I think this is a perfect example of an opportunity to Perfect History (tm). If anything, I'd actually say push it the other way: make it so regs cannot be used from within a locked box.
I'm going to have to agree with Basoosh to a degree. This seems like an OSI bug of keeping a bag/box open within a locked container however consuming a reagent within a locked box makes sense from Ezekiel's response. Adding to the box or being able to move items into it/around/from it would need the box to be unlocked in which the key would need to unlock it. I think it would be silly to assume this was WAI in OSI if this indeed 'era accurate.'
I also feel that a locked container should bar use of, or access to in any way, the contents of the container. There is no purpose I can see to leave this function in. Perhaps if one had the key in their pack, they could then freely access the contents in a manner similar to usings doors with the door key in your pack?
I agree with this but I think the impact on the thieving skill is still relevent to the discussion. While I don't play a thief, I do think we should avoid mechanics that can so thoroughly mitigate an entire playstyle. So, it seems to me that making all contents of a locked container unaccessible would both make perfect logical sense and help with balancing mechanics. I know I won't get much backup for speaking up for thieves rights but it does actually matter. I think bank thieves are as annoying as the next guy and I know some will say that they have nothing to loose so why should they get any help. Thieving will never be that profitable. Thieves spend hours upon hours scouring our backpacks for no real rewards already. That's what they have to loose: time! And, as much as I hate to say it, every thief's time is likely just as valuable as any tamer or bard. Era accuracy and making the game easier for everyone else don't seem like good reasons to make an already illogical change.
Correct, so Unlock and Magic Lock it every time you need to access something within the container. I'm not sure what magic access hole we're supposed to be reaching into a locked container from, but it seems a bit fishy. All in favor of keyrings occupying a ring slot (that cannot be stolen, but can drop on death, obviously) say Aye!. People could secure their belongings easily when in dangerous areas (clutched purse to chest) and expose it when they're actually at play. This would not only encourage more mobile thievery, but perhaps a bit of other skill in town thieves with some detect hidden, remove trap and lockpicking becoming part of a true thief's build. While keyrings on fingers is a bit weird, I'd say people with clients that make keys/rings 100x their normal size are quite a bit weirder.
Patch 38/39 adjusted the mechanics for locked containers and the magic lock/unlock spells. Players may now carry a lockable container, open it, fill it with goods, and then lock it with a key or the magic lock spell. Items within the container can be seen, targeted, and in the case of runebooks read. Items can be dropped into the container as well. However to manipulate any items in the container (consume) you must unlock the lock. The only exclusion to this being reagents, which are consumed regardless of their location in your pack and do not require line-of-sight while on your person.
