Okay Tracking.

Let me give you the good news first. Improvements in tracking have just moved up our priority list. We are looking at adding at least two new aspects to the system. These new things will help diversify it a bit and add a more IC feel to the skill. As always no time frame will be given.

The bad news, once these changes go live we will be looking to remove the ability to track a stationary NPC. This might happen the same day the new features are added or a short time afterwards.

There isn't much that you can say about tracking that I don't agree with. Besides the lack of apparent usefulness we have a problem with the ranks being learned. Let me explain...

The skill is getting away from us, the GM Ranger Team. In one year we will have folks with over 500 ranks in the skill, some approaching 600 ranks. At that time we plan to have even more enhancements to the system but in order to make the skill something that everyone can grow into we will have to code in things that only work at 700 ranks. This presents a real problem for us. We are then forced to decide if we want to make the skill exciting and expandable to everyone or do we just forsake the top 5-10% of the guild members? Do we not even put in the cool stuff and just add some more basic enhancements?

We want to make it very useful and expandable to everyone. So that is one of the reasons that we are going to eliminate the Stationary NPC tracking. The other reason is that it makes no sense, it never did make sense. If we assume that the NPC store clerk moves about his shop, goes outside a few times, and maybe takes a walk down the street to get a bite to eat this still does not explain how you follow his tracks from across town. In essence what you are doing is just retracing your own footsteps, or tracks. This should not teach. It has taught because the skill had limited opportunities to use.

I want you to know that this was not an easy decision to make. The GM Ranger team has been talking about it for weeks, I have included other GMs in on it to get outside opinions. Further I talked to a few Rangers in the game. Everyone including myself were none to happy about the idea but most understood it.

So we came up with a trade off, a few more uses to Tracking and eliminate stationary NPC tracking.

Thanks,

Jent