Containers (no ontology)

From Mazeworld

A container is the name given to boxes, chests, and other such devices which are meant to hold objects. However, they differ from supply crates in that the contents of a container is random or semi-random - instead of always having a pre-determined set of objects, a container tends to have random items, or random types of items.

Containers are a way for the inhabitants of the Mazes to store away their personal belongings. They are most often found in bedrooms, but can be found in certain other places, such as libraries, shrines, or radio rooms, where certain types of people may be expected to spend a lot of time and may need to have a container to store their belongings. Special types of containers are also used by shop owners, which have built-in wheels, allowing them to transport their wares from room to room easily.

Contestants and containers

A Contestant cannot carry a container, just like with supply crates. However, while it is not illegal to open a supply crate and take up its contents if not owned, containers are almost always the property of someone when found in a town, and attempting to open it is considered to be a theft attempt if their owner is around to notice. The only containers that are 'safe' to open are those found in the UA ; they are never owned and can be looted without committing an offense.

For this reason, containers exist in various types, and may be equipped with a lock, and in some cases, they may even be trapped, to further increase its resistance to would-be thieves.

If a contestant desires to access the contents of a container, he/she has multiple solutions:

• Brute forcing the container or its lock, using a weapon of some sort, and treating the container as a combat target. It is the easiest solution, but also the most dangerous one.
  • All containers (and their locks) can only receive Limb Damage. See below to check the resistance of each container and lock types.
  • This method will always trigger container traps, if there is one.
  • Choosing to attack the frame is the easier option as frames have lower LDV, however they have high health, and damaging the frame means an almost certain risk of damaging the loot inside.
  • Choosing to attack the lock is the safer option ; while locks have higher LDV making them tougher to break, they have lower health and the risk of damaging loot inside is reduced.
  • As containers are inanimate objects, all attacks automatically succeed - rolls are only made to check for critical failures or critical successes.
  • It also has a chance of destroying the contents of the container, depending on the weapon used and the contents inside.
• Using a lockpicking kit in order to bypass the lock, if it has one. See below for more info on lockpicking.
• Obtaining the relevant container key. Every lock has a serial number which can only be opened with a key with the same serial number. There exist two types of container keys:
  • Mechanical keys, which unlock mechanical locks and have a 0001-9999 serial number range (9999 possible serials).
  • Keycards, which unlock electronic locks and have a 0001-FFFF serial number range. Keycard serials are in hexadecimal ; FFFF in hex corresponds to 65535 in decimal, meaning there are 65535 different serials.
• All keys are stored on keychains, and keychains are considered - as the name implies - key items. As such keys and keychains are considered weightless.
• Two separate keychains exist, one for mechanical keys and one for keycards, for the purpose of convenience.

Container types

There are two important types of containers to remember: the wooden container and the metal container.

• Wooden containers are the most common and the most widespread. They contain all sorts of items, but they tend to be of low to medium value.
  • Resistance: 40 HP, LDV-2
• Metal containers are rarer. Much more resistant than its wooden counterpart, it tends to container higher-value items.
  • Resistance: 80 HP, LDV-4, completely immune to Blunt-type, Sharp-type and Piercing-type damage

Lock types

Like above, two major types of locks are used, plus two less common, specialized types. It must be noted that not all containers have locks, and that locks can sometimes be found on other things than containers, such as lockers, or certain doors. Remember that the key must match the lock in order to open - it doesn't matter what the lock is protecting.

Common lock types

• Mechanical locks are the simplest and the least expensive. They require mechanical locks to be opened.
  • Resistance: 25 HP, LDV-3
• Electronic locks are much more resistant to external damage. They require keycards to be opened.
  • Resistance: 50 HP, LDV-5

Special lock types

These are encountered in special circumstances and are specifically engineered for safety and resistance to tampering.

• Computer locks are not traditional locks - while they do require a key to be opened, it is not physical, but instead tied to a computer and a login key.
  • Login keys are a string of random words, generated using the @loginwords command.
  • These locks are completely immune to damage or brute force ; they cannot be destroyed to open the device they protect.
  • The correct sequence of words must be entered into the correct control computer in order to access the ability to disengage or re-engage the lock.
  • The amount of words in the login key depends on the lock level: 3 multiplied by lock level number. Note that level 1 computer locks do not exist.
• FL/HS (Fingerprint lock/Heartbeat sensor) locks are highly specialized lock types. They are only implanted in specific areas (typically rooms requiring high security, such as the majority of shops, military armories, etc.)
  • As their name implies, they are designed to read authorized fingerprints and listen for a heartbeat, so that only a living, authorized person may unlock such a lock.
  • These locks are completely immune to damage or brute force attempts ; they cannot be destroyed to open the device they protect.
  • These locks function like a standard computer lock, except that there is no login key - the authorized fingerprint and heartbeat is the key. The list of authorized fingerprints is located on a control computer - those computers are themselves FL/HS protected; the exact same people authorized to pass a FL/HS door lock are authorized to use the FL/HS control computer. Note that all FL/HS locks in a facility are slaved to the same control computer, in case multiple locks exist.
  • Potential hackers who wish to pass a FL/HS locked door by themselves require two things: possessing a Level 3 augmentation, and locating the control computer. Successfully hacking the FL/HS control computer allows manipulation of all the locks in controls (including itself) - they can also be set to accept "all fingerprints" ; in which case only the heartbeat sensor module functions - it will accept any living being with a fingerprint.
    • Note: If all of the authorized people on a FL/HS lock are dead, it becomes impossible to lawfully manipulate the list of authorized people - this is called a deadlock. The only people that can bypass a deadlocked FL/HS system are hackers (such as the Contestant using the relevant augmentations) and engineers belonging to the Computer Systems ET (who have the ability to reset such computers and locks without the need for unlawful means).

Lockpicking

Lockpicking redirects here. This section details the specifics of lockpicking as an activity. For more details on how the skill works and how it affects lockpicking, see here.

Lockpicking is a non-combat skill and an activity of the game that allows the contestant to bypass mechanical locks on containers and on certain pieces of furniture.

While brute force, which as stated above, is both the easiest yet the most dangerous (and potentially least rewarding) method, lockpicking is a slower but much safer alternative: Lockpicking. With this skill, the Contestant may attempt bypassing locks rather than try to break them, lowering the risk of exposing himself/herself to any possible traps and countermeasures.

Lockpicking requires the following:

• A Lockpicking kit, a Weight 1 consumable item which can be used up to 20 times. They can be found for sale in a Workshop.
• A suitable target: only mechanical locks may be picked

The lockpicking activity is a turn-based process. The goal is to pass checks in order and pick the lock while avoiding to trigger the trap, if there is any.

Each lockpicking check requires rolling a 2d6. Every check attempt consumes 1 use on the lockpicking kit, as well as 1 turn.

Unlocking steps

• Step 1: Requires 2 successful checks at FT 7.
  • To succeed, the thief must roll 8 or higher twice. If successful in doing so, the thief moves on to the second step. If any roll results in a lower score (including on a 2), then a turn is lost.
• Step 2: Requires 3 successful checks at FT 8.
  • To succeed, the thief must roll 9 or higher three times. Success will pick the lock and allow them to open it. If any rolled score is less, then a turn is lost.

Optional actions

• Trap disabling: If the container has a trap, the thief may try disablng the trap triggering system rather than the lock proper. Doing so requires 2 successful checks at FT 8.
  • If successful, the trap is disabled, and cannot be triggered anymore under any circumstances.
• Force picking: The thief can attempt applying a little brute force when picking a lock to try and pass their current step faster. The amount of checks on the current step is lowered to 1, but any failure is considered to be a critical failure. Cannot force pick a trap trigger.

Use and depletion of a lockpicking kit

Lockpicking kits do not have unlimited uses. If the Contestant runs out of uses on his/her current lockpicking kit while in the middle of an unlocking attempt, the Contestant must be able to use another kit in order to resume lockpicking. Otherwise, all progress on the current lock will be lost.

• If the container is trapped and if a 2 is rolled, the trap is instantly triggered. If the thief still has the possibility and the will to continue, they can keep trying to lockpick - the container is then considered to be without a trap.
• In any situation, if a 2 is rolled (even if there is no trap), the lockpicking kit burns 3 uses instead of one.
• In any situation, if a 12 is rolled, then the lock is immediately unlocked.

NOTE: Electronic locks cannot be picked open with a lockpicking kit as they are keycard readers and not mechanical devices; instead, a specialized augmentation is required.

Skill and difficulty

The actual difficulty of a lock may vary depending on the thief's Lockpicking skill. The higher the skill level, the lower the failure thresholds. The difficulty listed above is the default, which assumes Lv1 - Unskilled. Certain other bonuses are also granted depending on the skill level. These bonuses are as follows:

• Lv2 - Basic:
  • Unlocking step difficulty is lowered: Step 2 now only requires FT 7
  • Kit efficiency is increased: 1 kit use now grants 2 checks.
• Lv3 - Skilled:
  • Trap disabling efficiency increased: FT decreased to FT 7
  • Force picking efficiency increased: Can fail 1 time without triggering the trap (except when rolling 2 - natural critical failure)
• Lv4 - Expert:
  • Unlocking step difficulty is lowered: Step 2 now only requires 2 successful checks.
  • Kit efficiency is increased: 1 kit use now grants 3 checks.
• Lv5 - Master:
  • Unlocking step difficulty is lowered: Steps 1 and 2 now only require FT 6.
  • Trap disabling efficiency increased: Now only requires 1 successful check.
  • Force picking efficiency increased: Can fail 2 times without triggering the trap (except when rolling 2 - natural critical failure)

Container traps

Though not all containers are installed with traps, those that do may equipped with either one of the following:

• Electric trap: Zaps the would-be thief. Spec-Elec 18%, LDV+3. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If it fails: the electric trap sizzles.)
• Hallucinogen gas: Releases a cloud of hallucinogen gas; lasts 20 turns. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If it fails: the gas trap emits harmless air.)
• Tear gas: Releases a cloud of CS gas. FT+2 and +7% Pain/turn for 3d4 turns. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If it fails: the gas trap emits harmless air.)
• Blade launcher: Fires a ballistic knife blade at the thief, which hits on a random @bodyaim. (2d6 roll, FT 5. If it fails, the blade is expelled and hits nobody.)
• Alarm: Triggers an alarm which automatically calls the police in the room. They will take 1d6+1 turns to arrive.
• Explosive trap: The container is booby trapped with a C4 charge. If it's set off, it will explode and destroy the contents along the way. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If explosive items (grenades, charges, rockets) are also in the container, a 2d6 is rolled for each of them to determine if they're set off as well.)
• Fireblast trap: The container is armed with a flamethrower. If it's set off, it will release a stream of fire at its victim. Spec-Fire 33%, LDV+2. (2d6 roll, FT 7. If it fails: the flamethrower's flame dies out before harm.)
• Claymore trap: The container is armed with an unremovable claymore mine. If it's set off, it will release 3d8 #2 buckshot pellets, the same used in M576 buckshot grenades.
• Turret trap: The container is armed with an automatic cannon which will fire six 5.56x45mm NATO FMJ rounds when set off. (Functions like an attack roll subject to FT 6 ; 6#2d6, aimed at a random @bodyaim.)
• Airblast trap: Releases an airblast on the would-be thief. Special 38%, LDV+2. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If it fails, harmless wind is blown.)
• Acid spit trap: Releases a ball of acid on the victim. Spec-Acid, 30%, LDV+4. (2d6 roll, FT 6. If it fails, a "click" is heard and no acid comes out)

See also

• Supply crate