<<<If you're worried about boredom, go hunting. Critters you can kill are also valid tracking targets.>>>

Can people with little or no scouting use scout awareness <critter>? This may be another alternative. Granted it doesnt teach very well, but at least it teaches something.

Asterid

Also, please remember to watch the conflicts ~Sidatura

I think it took something like 16 ranks of Scouting to do scout awareness. I also had over 50 Perception at the time, so that may or may not have affected it?

GENT

I actually modified my Crossings stealing script to do a 'scout awareness' walk for my newb Ranger. It's for G3, but I can give it to anyone who cares to look at it.

I never got a chance to see if it actually was worthwhile for training, as I also wrote a simple script to train off the lad in Arthe Dale. If anyone is interested, let me know!

GENT

I'll try giving it a shot this evening.

Questions: How much scouting, and what kind of critter (is it a critter that you get confident result and it's blind, one you're not confident about the results, one that has a good chance of seeing you, etc?). Does it seem related to how well the critter teaches app? Anything I hunt currently still locks app easily.

And another question.. how many critters is "locks scout easily"? =)

Those of us who have been playing DR for years and understand how to make simple scripts will not have any trouble starting up our scouting training at the scarecrow or kitten. For us, it simply is boring (just like running trails is, by the way).

The real problem is that many young rangers are not played by experienced players. Many are really new and scouting is truly hard for them. Whenever i pass by the crossing guild and start a class, its scouting, and usually their reply is something like: "wow, how did you know i needed that?"

First 15-20 ranks:

In arthe dale, find the 3 rooms where the scarecrow roams. Track the scarecrow, walk to the other side of the path and track track track track until you make it or lose track. Repeat.

20-40 ranks:

Same thing, but instead of staying close to the path, go climb the tree up and down, dive into the pool, swim south and north, climb embankment, track track track until you make it or lose track. Repeat.

If you already have the SOP spell, use it here. This will keep your scouting, perception, climbing, swimming, PM and harness moving great.
I liked my script so much that i kept using it until i couldnt learn climbing and swimming well anymore (around 60-70 in climbing, swimming and scouting) even tho i could already run the easy trails.

I will track it down and post here later. Its for wizard and i dont use it anymore.

Anyway, scouting is boring to train at any level... I'll also try that scout awareness on creatures method. I'll use it if its good but i'll still run trails cuz thats my best way to train perception :)

I was trying scout aware in raiders, going through piles of different raiders (go in one room, do 5, go in another 5 more, etc), and still wasn't getting past learning with 410 scouting. Still have to go give it a shot in sky giants and see if something more at/slightly above level does better.

I gathered the same thing from Scout Aware - that it taught appraisal far less than it taught scouting, BUT....

to be fair what is your appraisal skill compared to your scouting skill? If app is 50 ranks or so behind, that would probably be the difference.

Try scout aware on something out classes you buy 50 or so ranks and see how it moves (just a thought).

Also, is it possible that this doesn't scale well, or was meant to be for young'n? Anyone have a young ranger to see if it teaches better at level when you have less than say 20 circles?

>Oh, here I thought you were talking about scout. I >could give a crap less about appraisal, appraisal is >insanely easy to lock while hunting. The entire >discussion was about scout.. not appraisal. Least.. it >was for me. :/

Yeah, I think we both got caught up. Read your last post and it dawned on me so I made sure I elaborated alot more in specific. And my app is about 120 ranks below my scouting.

Also I hunt critters that require extreme caution and
are way beyond my ability. Polo, ect.

And no scout aware doesnt teach for nething worth while on the scouting end. Also u git your best app's on critters u can stealth. If you are even you will get confident, if your above you will get Highly Confident. If you cant you git guesses. Basically like APPing a critter.

My bad bout the confusion/mix-up as well

Jeincains Rakash Ranger

~What can ya say to a Ranger with over 100 in all blades/blunts/bows/thrown?~

If you're simply looking for appraisal experience, it seems like "Scout Aware" would just add pointless roundtime. Simply "App Quick" each critter you kill and as a Lore tertiary you should stay locked. 300 ranks in a pointless skill and counting for me, just using "App Quick".


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Satfiki wipes a bit of Rmel's spittle from her arm.

I just moved up to running a beginner trail (Xing to Kaerna) to an easy one (Xing to Haven Ferry) but I didn't really notice any bump upwards in the experience I get in training scouting.

Aren't trails supposed to train more, the more advanced they are? Or do all trails train at a flat rate, regardless of difficulty?

I don't think this is the best use of time, but I am bow primary and don't really use a

stalk critter 1 - app critter 1 - scout aware critter 1 - circle - bob - weave - prep ease - harn - charge - cast -stand and take a beating - Repeat 3 critters - HUNT.

If you play around with pauses, and how long you take a beating, you can actually get it moving pretty well.

I'm bow primary, and this is just a part of my training to get the defenses up on par with bow.

I'm sure the super scripters out there can tell me how to improve, but for now that's my routine before I start the pin cushion slaughter routine.

Not to kill this folder but I must post. GM Sithix said he would address the trails and scouting experience from them after he finishes companions. Since he is currently on leave from DR we can only pray for a speedy resolution to his life so he can come back to do what we all know he loves.

Zinaca and her young raccoon, Shadow

Since trails are on the slate to be fixed, I thought I'd mention an idea. How about being able to "run" a trail. The idea being it would take about half the time. Fatigue according would be doubled at the end of the trail, with an occasional collapse with RT penalty. ~just an idea.


""A reflection on a pool of water does not reveal its depth."
Do, or do not, there is no try." -Yoda

As I recall, when trails were put in, the Ranger GM at the time said, "remember the scene in The Patriot where Mel Gibson is running thru the woods? That's what running trails is like" or maybe it was daniel day lewis in the last of the mohicans. (I can't believe it, but it was back in 2002 that the new scouting system replaced tracking and trails were implemented...) Works either way, but in any case "running" trails is what you are doing already. running thru the forest trying not to step on any critters, getting hit in the face with branches, avoiding other Rangers stopping to take a sip from the stream you leap over, etc etc.

Granted, I think that at a certain level of skill, you should be able to go thru it faster, but that's how I'd say this should work best. Faster due to skill (and sure, higher attributes). Is it still the same that if you have a high enough burden, you can't run trails? Or did that adjust?

Hawkman

"B. R."

I agree that trails are an important RP tool but I am confused. Where did we get the idea that running a trail should be faster than using a road? Or a shortcut? Geez, climbing up cliffs, dodging boulders, climbing through trees, jumping over little fjords...not a shortcut. To my mind, trails don't need to be faster, shorter, whatever. But then I'm venerable and crotchety and probably in the minority.

Oh and whoever wrote the atmospherics for the trails....way way way good job. I just love reading the atmospherics and noticing at a few trailheads/ends that the atmospherics change at night from day. Great work!

Oh and thanks to whoever tweaked the trails to teach better than they used to. Also good job.

On a related note...has anyone heard from Sithix yet? Or is he still covered in work : (

Zinaca and her young raccoon, Shadow

The secret to training with trails is brevity. And diversity. Like run the trail from the path to Shard, run the gondola from Shard to Horse clan, from Horse clan to Corik's wall, from Corik's wall to the gondola and repeat and vary. Yeah it does take longer to lock than it used to, but it is still doable and by folks who have way more scouting than I do. In fact one of those rangers was the one to tell me how to run the trails to best advantage.

Still I trail run and hunt and together, seem to move scouting alright.

And I don't remember them ever being called shortcuts. But then I'm old and my brain has holes. : P

Zinaca and her young raccoon, Shadow

Ok, Hawkman, I'm only 66 but that ain't far behind. And the sad or not so sad, depending on how you look at it, I'm only 6 years behind Zinaca. Go Geritol!

Zinaca and her young raccoon, Shadow Ya know, I kinda miss my wolf blanket and cold nose on the back. Shadow, she just is a hand warmer.

Zinaca is actually a human, sometimes confused for an elf, not sure how. But it happens.


_____________________________________
Victory Over Lyras, on the 397th year and 156 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.

What I was suggesting was an ability/option to move across those long trails faster~nothing to with learning. Just get from point A to point B faster, as an option on those long trails.


""A reflection on a pool of water does not reveal its depth."
Do, or do not, there is no try." -Yoda