fallouts one was indeed better, but for skyrim i don't know. cilinder locks wouldn't really work in a medival fantasy setting.

Traps would be cool. The original Fallouts had trap detection and disarming. While its arguable that trap detection in a detailed 3d environment could be left up to the player's observations, the same could not be said for internal traps in lock mechanisms. Skill or Stat could be used to reveal them.

It's a pitty something like this wasn't in oblivion, the Ayleid traps seemed advanced enough

First things first, I agree with the OP. It would make being a thief or assassin even more fun. Also, there needs to be a way for mages and warriors to get into locked areas so Unlock spells need to stay in and Bashing should be included.

I know many want like this comparison by TWO Worlds II had a very good lock picking mini game, probably the best I used in a game.

Basically the lock-picking goes clockwise/or counter clockwise and you have to catch each of the tumblers/pits/whatever in succession and before time is up (usually 8 secs then faster as it the locks get harder). The PC gets to see the inside of the lock and has to accurate time when to raise the lockpick to catch each pin/tumbler/whatever as the lockpick rotates around the circumference of the circle/lock. It the rotation speed increases and the time shortens as the lock difficult goes up from primitive, basic, average, and so on....

I also like the idea the guy earlier said about not being able to see the lock insides at novice levels....it could work with the TWO worlds II model.

But alas I know this would never get implemented but I hope the mini game/security skill is more useful and fun.

PS; will try to look on youtube for the lock-picking mini game


edit: found it, there are 7 ranks of locks (i think) in the game and I was able to find the 2nd and 5th ones (1 - 7 easy to hardest).
couldn't find any of the master lock vids though, they are pretty intense.

easy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6qBapqp62Q

harder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yul6Ae0lIs&feature=related

Except that there is no such thing in Skyrim... There is just the generic (though customizable) PC. No wizards, no Warriors, no Thieves. Bashing and a magical unlock spell are good to have though.

The best Lock Pick minigame that I have seen, would not win any points for graphics, (or realism in fact :laugh:) but as a minigame, Hillsfar had a good one for lock picking. PC's had to acquire a lock pick set. Each pick was double sided with a special tip and in order to set a tumbler you needed to use the exact pick for it ~if yours was broken, you could not open the lock with picks (but you could still open it with a knock ring, if you had one). Locks had to be picked on the clock, and they got more tumblers as the difficulty increased.

A system similar to that would make choosing the right pick difficult but not impossible for the novice. I'd still prefer a slightly more realistic adaptation of it though.

Not sure if anybody mentioned this yet but if they have the ability to bash locks, one incentive they could have so that players attempt to pick the lock instead of bashing (when encountering a locked chest or anything with loot in it) is to make bashing the lock give a chance to damage the wear on any weapons or armor in the chest, or if there are potions in there, the chance that they will break.

I like the way THIEF did lock picking.

Ryuk! Anywho this point has come up in several topics on lock bashing already but you are the first to say it in this one to my knowledge. Hopefully the more we say it the better chance it gets implemented.

I didnt mind lock picking in Oblivion, as thats how lock picking relay is, but I didnt like breaking my picks. Lock picking was fine, but pick breaking was not.

I also liked lock picking in Fo3. But again I did not like having my picks break.

And I loved lock picking in THIEF. The lock picking mini game was live and not a seperate screen or menu, so you could easily be caught or if some one saw you they would go tell a guard.

I think security skill was merged with sneak skill and work like perk now,
how it can be improved well by adding some nice features I assume
Security Rebalance Traps and Bash Locks v126
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=2152
Traps return of traps will be awesome thats will make lockpicking actual good there can be checks for character security perk level and agility and luck attributes for first when %PCname start attempt of lockpicking if he agile enough and luck on his side he will avoid of triggering of trap (traps will alert enemies around and can do damage)
perk level will determine level of lock thats can be opened by character if it enough for thats lock will be opened minigame like in oblivion but with some changes
for first like
Blind Lockpicking with Graphical Addition & Modmans Lock Dif
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=3742
Oblivion minigame was to easy if we cant see lock with X-ray eyes and use our hear to determine success of lockpick attempt
For second Auto-Attempt must be completely depend on attributes skills and perks, if player critically fail lockpicking try trap can become triggered or lockpick will break.

Open lock spell must be rare or high level, it can trigger traps so mage must be prepared for thats there must be possibility of fail casting of Open lock spell
or there can be also introduced new type of lock magical lock thats can be opened by Open spell or Dispel.
With telekinesis they can work good since we can trigger trap telekinetic by distant and then come close ant use open on lock by touch.

Warrior characters can bash locked door and containers if have enough strength and good weapon, they must be prepared also since bashing is loud act and definitely will trigger traps.
Lock Bash Omega
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=25040

Actually use key to close doors both by character and NPC
Enhanced Key Functionality
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27719
Merchants change lockpicked and broken locks if they was bashed or someone stole keys from shop owner after some time (3 days like before for example) like in this mod
Reneers KeyLock Mod
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=33630
Nice to see closed and guarded city doors at last at night
Merchants shops must have closing and opening time and this time can be different some mystical shops for example can be opened in evening and night, closing time can work with their daily activities well, thats part of Radiant AI, player can ask merchant about his work schedule.
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=27147
Storage rooms in shops guarded protected and off limits, guild vaults, treasury in castles, banks and museum that can be ultimate heist for sneak characters.
Merchants have secured storage with goods they are sell, its located somewhere in shop locked and can be guarded, merchants not allow go to storage and thats is work like trespassing.
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=9655
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5156
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=9357
NPC can hire security from Fighter Guild to patrol their shop and get rid of thieves, I'd like how NPC react in oblivion if player sneaking around or trying drag item somewhere, but thats can be tweaked more like in this mods
Put it in its Place - Enhanced Grabbing
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=19847
Reneers Guard Overhaul
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=5977

No worthless cluter, there must be price for all items, some items must have greater price
Better leveling of loot in houses like in
http://tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4318

My idea on how lockpicking should be:

• Drop the minigame. Period
  
• Instead of the minigame, make the player doing an animation where he/she is trying to do the lock.
  
• Either A) Make it like Morrowind where the animation only takes a second but you can fail and lockpicks wear down or B) Make so you will continue to do the animation until the lock is done. The harder the lock (and the lower your skill), the longer it takes
  
• Keep it real time
  
• Controls: Right anolog controls looking around for approaching guards/NPCs (Limit turning to what your head can actually do when lockpicking, no spinning in circles), Moving away from the door cancels the lockpicking. Any button besides menu buttons like B and Start cancels the attempt as well.
  
• 1st or 3rd person please.
  
• If they add rigged locks, make the disarming an automatic part of the lockpicking process. Just make so you have to disable the trap and then open the lock. Until you disable the trap it slowly hurts you. So if you have a level 10 Security skill and are opening a Very Hard lock with a trap on it you are going to be spending a long time disarming a powerful trap, meaning major damage. Also, after the trap is disarmed it doesn't get re-armed until the lock is reset. So you can severely hurt yourself but disarm the trap, then stop and heal before finishing the lock.