What I don't like are things like how Lockpicking works currently, where if you don't meet a certain arbitrary number you're just locked out. Both player strategy and gear/build should be factors towards success, which means that, with brilliant strategy and horribly deficient gear/build, you should still have at least a chance at success.
See, I'm the exact opposite, re: lockpicks. I remember playing Baldur's Gate, where lockpicking was a % chance of success. It sucked. You tried, reloaded, tried, reloaded, tried, reloaded, and eventually got the outcome you wanted. I really do not like game systems that encourage savescumming. I prefer lockpicking in DOS where you either fail 100% of the time or you succeed 100% of the time.
That said, I'm all for player skill being a boon to your characters' abilities. But currently being a thief in DOS is not dependent on stats AT ALL.
I completely agree and yet I prefer the current solution to not having the option to steal. What you want is expensive to implement, and I think should not have been to focus of the current Divinity.
But I would love to see a more sophisticated stealing mechanic and maybe a divinity game about a pair of thieves / street kids.
I don't really agree that it's unrealistic to implement. I actually think it would be easy, with a couple minor tweaks.
1) Change sight to be a 300 degree radius instead of 90 degree
2) Higher ranks of stealth reduce enemy vision range and angle (currently they only reduce angle)
3) Picking up items cancels invisibility
4) NPCs will cancel dialogue if you don't keep talking to them.
5) Vendors will not buy certain items (silverware, paintings, etc) without you passing a Charisma check.
6) Getting caught at any step of the process reduces your entire party's reputation.
That solves 90% of the problems. You can no longer abuse invisibility, it's much harder (though still possible) to pull the 'distract and steal' trick, and it's harder to move stolen property.
