48 grids is OP, IMO.
Big factions or trollest wil put 4 leaders in the wm and track down every people they want to harass.
Im pretty sure the big factions arent gonna put a couple of guys just to scan worldmap for a single guy just to "harass" him. Maybe to go look for a fight, loot whatever they may carry after a successful hunt, or whatever. Trolls, however, might harass just for the sake of griefing, but they still gotta track them down, and player being tracked would still get a warning he is being tracked.
This is a great idea, but i think that it would be not good for the game. Loners players will really have problems, and little factions too. Like nao said, big teams will have an other enormous advantage..
Not sure why loners would have problems cause of this, it doesnt make it easier to find random players, only specific players in the vicinity of tracker. If a noob left NCR headed for reno, a tracker might think he went to vc and try tracking north of vc, while in fact tracked player went another way and is outside range already.
The difference between that should be some few squares at most, minor improvement otherwise it is another one purpose alt for tracking players just to interact with them. Having 300% of skill shouldn't be a necessity to be somewhat effective with it.
The total amount of squares should be toned down, the area is too large, remember that a tracker is mobile and can cover much space in short time and that there's always the possibility to find someone directly by encounter.
The world map is very large, we don't have a big populated server and it is hard to find someone in encounters, that's discouraging to be out in the wasteland and explore for unexpected encounters.
So, I very support the idea, like I said in one of the other topics, player interaction is key to focus on, more ways how for players to get in touch with each other is must.
Im glad you support the idea, and your right, shouldnt be necessary to be at max skill to be efficient, but as someone else said, 48 squares might be a little OP. So maybe a little change like this:
- An outdoorsman skill of >0 would search the square you are in, and pull you towards him.
- An outdoorsman skill of >149 would search the 8 squares around you and pull you towards him. (1 square out)
- An outdoorsman skill of >174 would reveal his encounter when in same square, if any.
- An outdoorsman skill of >249 would search the 24 squares around you and pull you towards him. (2 squares out)
- Perhaps the Scout perk which allows 2 squares to be unravelled could add another square out?
And I want to state again, this would only work when tracked player is within tracking range of tracker. If the tracked player is out of range, nothing happens, player is not found. If tracked player is in range, he will get a warning, and can get a move-on, or set an ambush, or wait at the grid to see who is tracking, and call his buddies to track the tracker, or whatever. The tracker would not see the players encounter until in same square, but would get pulled towards tracked players location, if within range. This would give the tracked player time to scram or prepare.
For those who wants to be not found, its a simple matter of operating in different areas, and when being tracked in an area, relocate. With 10 tents per character there is no need to be tied down in one area, and with a car, you can leave sf and be halfway to vc by the time the tracker gets to type in your name. You could also always just log off and log in to new char. Basically, its a cat and mouse game, but who is the actual prey? Both sides are aware a fight might happen, and can respond to it, fight or flee.