We'll probably get tinker trapped boxes in a special tinker event instance where you have to hunt special monsters with a battletinker in order to get a runic tinker's tool kit specifically capable of making traps that don't blow fat goats. Ooops, sorry, I had my cynicism turned up to 11.
Thinking about it... Someone can disable you (BlackEye) using tinker traps as they are already, no ? Soon as you pop a trap, you are discovered. The only difference would be that a GM Tinker using GM crafted material could makes traps that are deadly for 100 Hit Points characters (or level 6 poison).
Why not put in trapped boxes, but give thieves a "special move" when Stealing is GM combined with GM Remove trap or detect hidden, whatever it's called? The GM Stealing/detect trap thief would have a chance to avoid traps placed on containers, such as they could do in the old Ultima games (U3 comes to mind where thieves could avoid the traps on treasure chests). On top of the chance they could be unsuccessful and guard whacked, they could be unsuccessful and still explodiated. Maybe tier success levels.... where there could be 100% success in disarming the trap, a partially disarmed trap (it will go off but the damage level/poison level will be negated a tad so there isn't always insta-kill), and of course a totally botched disarming where it blows up/poisons them at full strength, and much laughter will be had. Maybe combined with GM lockpicking, the thief has a higher chance of successfully disarming the trap.
Sure, and btw increase the skill limit for thieves or people in the thieves guild to 1000. Random, exactly, with the above said additional consequences for lethal explosion traps. Only that the surprise moment is gone too for magically trapped chests, but on the other side I am still able to steal something out of it, if I am fast enough.
Downs made this thread at the close of 2013, about three years have passed. I see it's still active. On reviewing everything there seems to be an overwhelming majority for implementing lethal tinker traps, armed even while unlocked. @Chris has given two responses. Early on we got this: Then, inbetween, Ezekiel said this: Due to Ezekiel's post I asked what Chris had to say, and we had this reply in may 2014 (without quoting me or Ezekiel though): I'm really eager to hear what's going on, what is the dev position on this matter? Judging by some later posts there never was a change; will there be? Are the devs feeling we need more discussion on the matter? BlackEye was the only one protesting really, I can understand if one would like to weigh some of the arguments more.
I would guess that the crafting patch is referring to carpentry BODs, which is still in the works. Also, I am all for being exploded by nefarious means.
Oh you'd be surprised at some of the silly things people zero in their rage on. Sometime last week there was the chump in irc who kept crying and bemoaning the fact that he couldn't kill people in their houses, and spent a good several hours doing so. All because someone he was trying to kill ran into their house, or something.
By the way, I just saw some discussion on tinker traps in this thread: http://uorforum.com/threads/revisiting-tinker-trapped-boxes.12455/ (stay to the appropriate thread, argh!!). No responses from devs though. A major idea in that thread seemed to concern accountability to the one who drops traps. That is, if I drop a trap in town and someone dies because of it, I get the kill count. Among other things this is to stop noobs blowing up all over the place. Personally I don't get why people are upset by ppl blowing up in the streets, it usually turns out hilarious but the idea isn't unreasonable at least. However, it sorta kills the point of traps. Traps is the way to kill without taking responsibility.
I think at the very least, players in the young program should be immune from them, not allowing them to open trapped boxes at all... but anyone not in the young program should be fair game. Perhaps upon player creation, a "warning" of sorts should pop up (I can't recall if there is one yet or not) but alert people to the common questions asked: Runebooks are NOT blessed, Always use caution when opening boxes you find in the streets (let them figure out telekinesis on their own), and so on. I'd rather tinker traps be enabled while giving them such warnings first, than them not be enabled at all. Some people have played UO for the first time ever on this shard and won't ever experience the hilarity and joy of blowing themselves up (or someone else) on a trapped box
Add one more voice to the "Aye" column. Aside from the fact that one of my fondest and funniest personal memories involves falling victim to one of these on the other shard, I think it would be a huge benefit for everyone. It just adds so much depth to the game. There is the obvious educational factor. This is a Fel shard. No matter how wonderful this community is, we have all made a conscious decision not to play Trammel. Danger is what keeps the game from being boring, and learning how to handle it in one's own fashion is what constitutes an experienced player. There is also the event potential. I'll grant that Russian Roulette is no weeks-long, special spawn, 1337 100tz, trophytastic event, but it is good, old-fashioned fun. I love the shard events, as well as the existing player run events, but they typically lay a huge burden on those who create and manage them. This would be easy and fun to get up on a Friday night. Finally, there's the depth factor. It might only constitute one more way to die, but add in the nearly infinite number of potential interactions in the game, and you have, essentially, created an entirely separate playstyle. I'm all for it.