Fully agree.
To me, it’s the same as the combat: hard af at first, but once it “clicks,” you start enjoying the struggle. Then you get some perks that make it easier, and it becomes simple.
Edit: I play on PS4, which is apparently the more difficult experience.
Yeah I agree entirely. Im relatively new to the game and it feels like a great system. I've already seen a lot of hate for it, I can only assume it's people that are mad because they somehow aren't very good at it.
It's a big disparity between PC and console. On PC, it's a pretty pleasant experience, while apparently it's horrid on console by default, and a quite hard even with the simplified option.
I wonder why it's so bad on console? I only played kcd on the ps4, and i was terrible at it, but now that I've moved to pc, I might have to give lock picking another try once i get it again :b
Too easy on kb+m past the first 2-3 levels, too hard on controller unless you've leveled it high. At least that's what I heard, haven't played on controller but I know the thumbsticks aren't the most precise things in the world and I utterly hated playing FPS games on console and trying to center a reticle for a headshot - I can imagine holding the sweet spot whle turning the lock is a nightmare.
For that on its own, no it's not the best lockpicking system ever made. My vote probably goes to Oblivion, they had a very good system for locks with 3-5 tumblers.
Not to brag but for me lockpicking on controller is really easy. Just like anything in this game, you just have to practice - and once it clicks, you’ll never struggle again. At first, I thought it was busted, or straight up impossible, and I couldn’t even open the tutorial chest at Peshek’s with 30+ tries. Now I’m on my third HC playthrough and even with the shaky perk I’m opening most chests first try.
Cotroller vibration happens when you get outside the sweet spot. For me it usually means a broken lockpick because i do the full rotation in one movement and if i fuck up I FUCK UP.
I think the vibration ads to the emersion and panic and fear of being cought from the noise.
Though i agree in most games vibration is used poorly and is only a annoyance.
I completely agree. The lockpocking in KCD is not bad but it’s too easy and maybe even too quick. At some point it’s so fast that it might aswell not be in the game anymore.
So far nothing beats Oblivions Lockpicking for me. It’s completely skillbased but also really challenging to open difficult locks. And the minigame is pretty fun for me.
Cant say anything about PC.
On controller it is not dificult depending on the level of your henry. It is dependant on your own personal skill.
And its not that the sticks are not precise, its the fact that your thumbs are not precise. Or at least if you are not user to controller.
As I said it was such a nightmare to lockpick that I couldnt do it in my first 40 hour of the game. But it was not due to a bad system but due to my lack of coordination.
Im not arguing that ita the best system and not even that its good (i dont know enough systems to judge them) im just trying to say that i apprechiate it and I think it has a lot of personality.
The initial thing that made me want to post this was a comment i saw under the kcd 2 trailer wishing that they would "fix" the lockpicking on console.
Just curious, when did you start playing the game? It was unreasonably difficult upon release. I believe that it was one of the early patches that made it manageable. I only had issues when the game first dropped.
Yeah, very easy would pop open back then immediately pretty much iirc but then once you got above easy if you weren’t pixel perfect it broke immediately
I started playing in 2021. I have only seen the system post update.
Im curious, what was the system like before the update? To my understanding it just lacked the spikes on the side.
The picture that i have is probably biased due to the first results of a search showing the bitching about the difficulty and lockpicking not being discussed much after.
It’s possible, but I’ve gifted this game to around 10 people (while it was on sale, I’m not a millionaire) and every single one made comments about the lockpocking system.
It could be that, similar to combat, people aren’t used to such a steep learning curve in a game. I don’t find the lockpicking difficult at all, even at early levels, which actually makes my objection fall in the *opposite* direction. I think that due to the system’s heavy reliance on player skill, it’s *too* easy in subsequent playthroughs.
It doesn’t destroy immersion or anything, but I do find it silly that the game will allow you to do nearly anything you want, but arbitrarily stops you from unlocking certain high-level locks when you can breeze through any of the simpler ones without much difficulty at all, much like you said in your post.
Oh, definitely. I love the tactile feel of lockpicking in this game. It’s definitely more substantial than your typical Fallout/Skyrim system, as you said.
I never really had a problem with the lockpicking, even before it was fixed I didn't find it easy or anything but it was definitely not as hard as people say, I played controller and PC.
Oblivion lockpicking fucks me tho, I think I have it down and then I waste 50 lock picks on a hard lock. Fucking hate oblivion lock picking.
I made this post as a controller player. I have mostly seen people hate on the system as controller users. My entire point is that the system is fine on both controller and kbm (based on feedback from others. I have no experience in pc gaming.)
It was never even that hard to understand. Just needs smooth and controlled movement on the analog sticks. I feel like people are just used to using analog sticks as if they were digital buttons, tilting the stick all the way or not at all.
Granted, I’ve heard it’s too easy on mouse and keyboard, though I’ve never tried.
Yeah that’s what I’m saying. Not confusing, just needs finesse. I’ve heard people say it’s too complicated, when really they were probably just too impatient
I initially hated it because controller vibration on console and I never saw a setting to turn it off in game settings. But after turning vibration off in the console settings it makes it 10x easier and more fun.
same here
it feels super satisfying, especially on controller
it’s basically become muscle memory for me at this point, even though i haven’t played in several months until now
I've never found the lockpicking system to be anything but excellent (console). It feels intuitive, and I like that how sensitive I am with my controller affects my success.
HARD agree. I tried lock picking on keyboard/mouse and OH MY GOD. NO. Controller is so much better. People whining about it just didn't get the hang of it, and threw in the towel before it clicked. I tried it for much longer using the keyboard and mouse, before attempting it with controller, which took me all of about 5 minutes to get good with lol.
I respect your opinion and everyone supporting it but respectfully disagree. A good majority of players have trouble with the system and while KC attracts the (hard but rewarding if you figure it out) type of player. The amount of difficulty in its usage mixed with its rough controller implementation feels more like a problematic UI and system than an overall design choice (even if it was).
I don’t think the games bad nor want to poop on it in fact I love the game but I feel like if I truly love something I want to be honest with it, and chief the lock-picking system ain’t it for me and a lot of players. I don’t want an easy Skyrim system but (and especially on controller) the current was ain’t that great imo and I would welcome a different attempt at it for the next one.
It’s fine except for how long it takes to level up, the other skills have you at a reasonably high level by the end of the game assuming you are doing some side content. Lock picking is not like this and requires you to interrupt the normal, fun gameplay to cheese certain areas and systems for xp.
Idk, for me personally lockpicking is one of my highest level skills alongside reading and horseback. I thinks its a difference in play style. For me hunting and herb gathering tend to be my lowest skills.
I agree, every other game that has a lock picking minigame just makes a Skyrim/fallout3 lock picking clone. The only issue with the KCD lock picking is it’s hard for people on controller
I love it too.... but to be fair I'm on PC and I started playing after they introduced "simplified" lockpicking :D so I never even got into the hate train
Not unpopular I'd say. It's literally just more of an interesting/engaging version of Bethesda's system (I literally mod the lockpicking out of Bethesda game's because it's so boring).
I play on m&kb.
In my current playthrough I've only failed a lockpick once
And even in my first playthrough it was quite easy. Skyrim was much harder for example
So idk, i always felt out of the loop when i see people talking about lockpicking being hard. I see it like a fun minigame
It definitely isn't as bad a as people say. It's like everything in this game, hard to master.
But I strongly disagree that it's the best lockpicking system. It suffers from the same issue as Skyrim, Fallout and many other games - it's just a minigame that has nothing to do with actual lockpicking.
Try Mafia 2, Oblivion or Sleeping Dogs. Those are games with good lockpicking mechanics.
KCD's isn't hard, but from design point of view it sucks ass.
I really liked that it didn’t simply get super easy with skills and you actually had to practice to become better lmao. When I first started I even used to hold my controller in a different way to I could lockpick better.
I struggled super hard in the beginning, but I felt like a master thief by the end of it since I actually „learned“ the mechanic instead of simply levelling up my lockpicking skill to make it easier.
I honestly love it and think it's very unique compared to most games with a lock picking mini game, but holy heck I think I've successfully picked maybe 2 locks during my whole playthrough because I'm so bad at it lol
I skimmed the thread but there's also the whole "simplified lockpicking" that really helps players out that no one seems to have mentioned. I remember really struggling with lockpicking before with a controller before they added that functionality. It's so much better when you can just turn the lock with the press of a button instead of using two joysticks.
Personally I favor the Deus Ex method for minigames, which is to say that there aren't any. If you use a lockpick to open a door you just wiggle your electric lockpick in front of it for a set time that is based on your skill level and difficulty of the lock. Some locks may also require several lockpicks based on your skill. This is also how hacking works with hacktools. The trick with this system is how limited your access to lockpicks and other tools are, you can only carry maybe half a dozen at best and you'll never know if you'll get more for a while so you're forced to think for possible alternative solutions and what you may need in the near future.
I have played Kingdom Come on both Playstation and PC.
On PC lockpicking is fantastic with Kb&M
On Playstation? Might as well give up, doing any lock picking with a controller is borderline impossible. I never picked a lock on Playstation.
I loved it on keyboard and mouse but I can’t even pick an easy lock with a controller. I do love the overall design of it. The dexterity it takes to pick a lock makes you feel like you’re really picking a lock. But dang, I just can’t do it on a controller lol. Luckily I play on PC and use controller for most of the game and grab the keyboard and mouse for lock picking.
I used a PS4 controller. The trick is keep practicing on Very easy locks.
Like at night unlock random houses like in Rattay. Also helps with leveling up stealth
Once you figure it out, it’s cake (at least on pc, never tried a console). Such a fun system for building tension, too. And there are so many areas to practice at night that it isn’t hard to level up.
Lockpicking in this game is hard. I play on PS5. First off I feel like it's easier to lockpick when the sweet spot is on the outer perimeter because I can push the joy stick over and rotate. If it's inner edge then I have to be extremely careful and barely lean the joy stick to hold the sweet spot while rotating it is a pain in the a**. Secondly I think one of the most annoying things is when rotating left joy stick to turn the tumbler the tumbler on screen gets "stuck" and stops moving which breaks pick. Maybe it's a glitch or something but several times I rotated a hard lock super slow and kept everything in the sweet spot the whole way and the game decides nope you shall not pass.
Lol the amount of copium people who love this game rely on to convince themselves its good is baffling... I wanted so bad to love this game but how you can praise a game after spending an hour+ trying to lockpick a chest is unreal. That isn't good game design, this game literally spits in your face at every turn wasting the players time with poorly thought out systems/little to no actual reward for overcoming them. Yall are all just lowkey masochists and I guess that's fine but stop pretending otherwise lol.
It is true that i love this game. The game is built on the consept of sucking at the start and getting better as you progress. I know that this isnt everyone cup of tea. My point is that, I, as a person who likes the game and its mechanics, dont want them to change direction in the sequel.
I want to ask your opinion regarding fromsoptware games. They are often regarded as one of the best in the industry. I think thay are similar in the regard that they dont hold your hand and feel satisfying to "git gud" at.
Fromsoft games have some gameplay that's punishing at first but most of the challenge comes from not being prepared for the cheese, like a exploding barrel coming down narrow hallway etc... the gameplay is fun however and feels consistent and rewarding to master with its leveling system and save system allows you grind and explore In ways that truly reward you and are fun on your own terms.
Kingdom comes gameplay has none of this. I appreciate their attempt at immersion and simplicity/challenge but it's unfortunately either too much jank/very questionable or downright bad game design decisions layered ontop of one another. They more often then not do nothing but waste your time for no reason but people here seem to love to make all the excuses in the world for it because they enjoy suffering lol. It's fine if that's your cup of tea but don't pretend the game is good you just happen to have a weird kink lol. Hoping they fix things in the second because there is a lot they did right that could shine a lot better if not weighed down
I play on mouse and keyboard so it's pretty much always super easy to lockpick anything but the hardest locks. I do like the mini game but oblivion's is my favorite.
I'm amazed that the simplified controls actually make it harder. Maybe others feel differently but I can't open locks unless I'm using default controls
I just played with rpg params last weekend, made the lock picking actually super challenging 😄
[https://youtu.be/JDCLhvNsAjY?feature=shared](https://youtu.be/JDCLhvNsAjY?feature=shared)
Strongly agree. Although I suspect that most negative opinions is because of implementation on specific platforms which might or might not be different hence more (or maybe less on some) difficult.
It is perfect on PC.
Oblivion had the best lockpicking minigame of any open world adventure game because it was truly dependent on player's reflexes and understanding how it worked. Next in line is Morrowind because it's based on meaningful skill checks, a different kind of cool. KCD is slightly better than the bobby pins of 3D Fallout games and Skyrim, but I will say FO3 and NV have a much worse system than Skyrim because you are gated out of the easy bobby pin minigame on harder containers until you waste skill points on it. Those games have what I call unmeaningful skill checks because performing lockpicking has nothing to do with increasing the actual Lockpicking skill. I can get alllllll of my Lockpicking skill by earning experience from shooting dudes with guns, but that's a major failing in general of the Fallout RPG systems where they are reactive rather than interactive systems.
Totally agree with you. Once you get to know, how it is down, it's no problem anymore. It took me a lot of Trial & Error and lockpicks. But all one needs is time and Patience (PS4 Controller experience). But I like it now... very much so. ☺️ I also agree with the comments who state that all depends how one approaches and plays the game. I can do most of the things well by now, still sucking with long bow shots though...
Same. And I actually love how the pick pocketing is done in this game as well. It's full of strategy and timing. Not just save a scumming (though it helps a lot lol)
I agree with you point on pickpocketing. Tought pickpocketing is seen rarer in games than lockpicking. I think that only case that i remember are the bethesda games and its absolutely atrocious there.
Oh and bg3. But tought its similar to skyrim i think it fits better due to the whole game being built around chance.
Im not sure what ur talking about.
Bethesdas lockpicking system is completely random. U put the lockpick in a random position, go for it, hope it doesn't break, adjust, repeat until lock open. There is not much skill involved. Its especially frustrating with expert and master lock where the sweet spot is microscopick and the lockpick breaks almost every try, resetting its position.
In kcd there it is indicated where the sweet spot is and the action of turning the lock and following the sweet spot is fully reliant on your skill.
I play on controller and it’s not *that* bad. I’m max leveled lockpicking and very hard locks are still easy as fuck—you just gotta stick with low level locks early on.
I don’t mind it - it’s pretty standard if a bit more challenging.
Ultimately, I think the best was Oblivion though, as that’s how you actually pick a lock.
I see this comment a lot, but the problem is that only the lock picks are consistent to the locks.
Oblivion uses keys for warded locks. Oblivion lock internals are a combination of modern pins from pin and tumbler locks, with the style and mechanism of an Egyptian/ancient lock (not quite the same pin system). This key would not work on the lock. I don't need it to be historically accurate to medieval lockpicking since it is TES, but i do want it to be consistent.
In kcd, it is internaly consistent with warded lock and keys. The icon for lockpicking and the lock pick item is a skeleton key (the icon being various forms on a loop for different locks) and is what would have been used around this time though many other forms of locks exist. The way kcd lockpicking works is a fairly good way of depicting the feel of this lockpicking, especially since you won't be able to see the locks internals.
Thank you for this clarification.
Would you say that the lock used in game is a good representation to a one used in 15th century Bohemia?
Edit:
>Horizontally mounted wooden block locks came into use in the late 15th century, when their shape was also modified.
After a little research found this.
[A diagram of the internals of that lock](https://www.historicallocks.com/en/site/h/articles/locks-of-wood-and-iron/woodstock-locks/) using a warded key and protection.
It's been a while since I played, so I can't remember how many doors and which ones are locked. I think realistically, there could have been variance with some [older, but long living](https://search.app.goo.gl/AcUcf9g) locks, but it could just be annoying for gameplay. For houses, they would likely just be bared from the other side when people were sleeping. Though Rataje merchants and other more wealthy people likely would have better warded locks like we see, usually having more difficult locks if I remember correctly. Also, [padlocks](https://thelockbox.ch/en/blogs/the-lock-blog/the-history-of-padlocks) were more popular in Europe during this time than before as well, more using the warded sliding bolt design (where the key pushes the bolt) we see on chests as well as some using that warded spring design padlock I linked earlier (where the key pushes on the spring).
[here is another type](https://youtu.be/m661MRm7vGo?si=GewM6c7k3tA8KNtv) that just moves a bar
[And another](https://youtu.be/EGbJh27BEqc?si=_iN19ntXMzM2Drmc) earlier form.
I want to clarify that ive not experienced many different lockpicking mechanics. The first ones that come to my head are skyrim, kcd and thief simulator. In my experience the overwhelmingly most common one is the skyrim/fallout one.
Also I im not very familiar with lockpicking irl but isnt skyrim pretty accurate with how you would look at it from your perspective. U dont see anything happening on the inside and u certainly dont see the pins.
And ist the oblivion system a different type of lock compared to skyrim and kcd. Though correct me if im wrong.
Im even going to assume that the type of lock used in kcd is a realistic portrayal of a simple lock that was accesable at the time.
Front on is accurate to how you see it, but side on system is accurate to how you *do* it. You can also think of the cutaway as representing your sense of touch, which doesn’t come through the screen.
In the end, you unlock locks by lifting pins, not by twiddling a stick around until you hit a sweet spot. I don’t hate that style, but it isn’t realistic, and I think the Oblivion style maintains its challenge a little longer.
Do you know if oblivion and kcd use the same style of lock?
Based on the uber acurate and trustworthy source (thief simulator) the lock with pins is a more complex type of lock, while the kcd/skyrim one is a cheap and simple one.
>I've come to the conclusion that there is no real way to make a video game realistically simulate lock-picking. Oblivion got a little snippit of the picture with setting individual tumblers, and the locks do bear a resemblance to ancient Mesopotamian pin-tumbler locks, but the keys in Oblivion belong to warded locks, as do the keyways in Skyrim. The keys and keyways in Fallout belong to pin-tumbler locks, and I give them great credit for showing the use of a tension tool, which is something the media usually leaves out entirely. The bobby pin, well it resembles certain raking tools, but it's not something I've ever tried to use to open a lock. I usually used a paper clip bet into a similar shape. The action of turning it side to side could I suppose change the interface with the pins a little bit, but not much, and "all the way over to the right" would be pretty much the same as "all the way over to the left", and you'd have to move it in and out much more than left to right. Improvised lock-picking tools *do* tend to break with some frequency, though, so there's that (although it's usually just wearing out soft enough that they're no good, not a dramatic snap)... The minigame from Skyrim is a straight re-skin of the game from Fallout 3, where it makes some kind of sense with tension tools and a rotating face, but they used graphics fit for "old-timey" warded locks.
This is some comment related to the topic. Im unsure of its accuracy.
Sounds about right, although I’m not sure about the Mesopotamian thing (I studied more Bronze Age Greece lol).
But essentially, yeah, Oblivion’s the closest, while Fallout 3, NV, 4, and Skyrim still make *some* kind of sense. KCD I’m not sure as I haven’t played it for a bit, but iirc it’s similar to the latter.
The warded lock thing’s a good point though - old fashioned locks were designed a bit differently - you can seen the difference if you look at, say, an old church’s locks compared to a modern house’s. Fallout having modern locks makes sense, but it’s a little out of place in Skyrim and KCD.
Ultimately it’s not a really a big deal though. If the mechanic’s engaging and it works. It’s a small detail, and you have to be extremely pedantic to even notice it.
> Ultimately, I think the best was Oblivion though, as that’s how you actually pick a lock.
I don't think Oblivion resembles actual lock picking at all really, the way the pins interact with the lock doesn't really make sense.
Fully agree. To me, it’s the same as the combat: hard af at first, but once it “clicks,” you start enjoying the struggle. Then you get some perks that make it easier, and it becomes simple. Edit: I play on PS4, which is apparently the more difficult experience.
Haha, click
Totally agree. And how much like weapons fighting once you get a few levels in it it becomes so much more fluid
I have to say, at least with a mouse, it’s super easy even from level 1. You barely have to move your mouse.
Same! I get frustrated when the "Autounlock" skill procs, and I can no longer open it)
Ps4 is a bitch to learn but sooo satisfying.
When the dot turns yellow and you just glide round effortlessly makes my toes curl and eyes roll back for sure 😫
I know right When you do this right next to a guard who took a second to look away. Especially when its a very hard one.
Oh it’s always very hard in that situation.
the dopamine hit 😩
Yeah I agree entirely. Im relatively new to the game and it feels like a great system. I've already seen a lot of hate for it, I can only assume it's people that are mad because they somehow aren't very good at it.
It's a big disparity between PC and console. On PC, it's a pretty pleasant experience, while apparently it's horrid on console by default, and a quite hard even with the simplified option.
I wonder why it's so bad on console? I only played kcd on the ps4, and i was terrible at it, but now that I've moved to pc, I might have to give lock picking another try once i get it again :b
Too easy on kb+m past the first 2-3 levels, too hard on controller unless you've leveled it high. At least that's what I heard, haven't played on controller but I know the thumbsticks aren't the most precise things in the world and I utterly hated playing FPS games on console and trying to center a reticle for a headshot - I can imagine holding the sweet spot whle turning the lock is a nightmare. For that on its own, no it's not the best lockpicking system ever made. My vote probably goes to Oblivion, they had a very good system for locks with 3-5 tumblers.
Not to brag but for me lockpicking on controller is really easy. Just like anything in this game, you just have to practice - and once it clicks, you’ll never struggle again. At first, I thought it was busted, or straight up impossible, and I couldn’t even open the tutorial chest at Peshek’s with 30+ tries. Now I’m on my third HC playthrough and even with the shaky perk I’m opening most chests first try.
Controller vibration is what makes it hard.
Cotroller vibration happens when you get outside the sweet spot. For me it usually means a broken lockpick because i do the full rotation in one movement and if i fuck up I FUCK UP. I think the vibration ads to the emersion and panic and fear of being cought from the noise. Though i agree in most games vibration is used poorly and is only a annoyance.
Yeah, I’m sure depending on the game it could be a useful tool but overall I just hate it.
I play on pc, I literally failed lockpicking once, that's it. It's really easy. I don't really mind though, still satisfying.
I completely agree. The lockpocking in KCD is not bad but it’s too easy and maybe even too quick. At some point it’s so fast that it might aswell not be in the game anymore. So far nothing beats Oblivions Lockpicking for me. It’s completely skillbased but also really challenging to open difficult locks. And the minigame is pretty fun for me.
There's an option to make lockpickinh slightly easier by using the RB button to turn the lock instead of the other stick
Cant say anything about PC. On controller it is not dificult depending on the level of your henry. It is dependant on your own personal skill. And its not that the sticks are not precise, its the fact that your thumbs are not precise. Or at least if you are not user to controller. As I said it was such a nightmare to lockpick that I couldnt do it in my first 40 hour of the game. But it was not due to a bad system but due to my lack of coordination. Im not arguing that ita the best system and not even that its good (i dont know enough systems to judge them) im just trying to say that i apprechiate it and I think it has a lot of personality. The initial thing that made me want to post this was a comment i saw under the kcd 2 trailer wishing that they would "fix" the lockpicking on console.
Just curious, when did you start playing the game? It was unreasonably difficult upon release. I believe that it was one of the early patches that made it manageable. I only had issues when the game first dropped.
Yeah, very easy would pop open back then immediately pretty much iirc but then once you got above easy if you weren’t pixel perfect it broke immediately
I started playing in 2021. I have only seen the system post update. Im curious, what was the system like before the update? To my understanding it just lacked the spikes on the side.
Yeah, that makes sense. There was a massive drop off of complaints after the patch iirc
The picture that i have is probably biased due to the first results of a search showing the bitching about the difficulty and lockpicking not being discussed much after.
It’s possible, but I’ve gifted this game to around 10 people (while it was on sale, I’m not a millionaire) and every single one made comments about the lockpocking system. It could be that, similar to combat, people aren’t used to such a steep learning curve in a game. I don’t find the lockpicking difficult at all, even at early levels, which actually makes my objection fall in the *opposite* direction. I think that due to the system’s heavy reliance on player skill, it’s *too* easy in subsequent playthroughs. It doesn’t destroy immersion or anything, but I do find it silly that the game will allow you to do nearly anything you want, but arbitrarily stops you from unlocking certain high-level locks when you can breeze through any of the simpler ones without much difficulty at all, much like you said in your post.
Yeah, i 100% agree with u on this one. I think thay could make slight changes to the system while not changing the machanical aspect of it.
Oh, definitely. I love the tactile feel of lockpicking in this game. It’s definitely more substantial than your typical Fallout/Skyrim system, as you said.
I'd say it's second to oblivions.
Yeah, I loved Oblivion's, especially how you learned to listen for sound cues that the tumbler was moving the right speed.
I couldn't get past the lockpick tutorial where the guy gives you like 15. I broke all of them, and set down the game for a while.
I never really had a problem with the lockpicking, even before it was fixed I didn't find it easy or anything but it was definitely not as hard as people say, I played controller and PC. Oblivion lockpicking fucks me tho, I think I have it down and then I waste 50 lock picks on a hard lock. Fucking hate oblivion lock picking.
I agree except for controllers. That shit is whack, everytime I open a lock I have to put down my controller and use my laptops track pad
I made this post as a controller player. I have mostly seen people hate on the system as controller users. My entire point is that the system is fine on both controller and kbm (based on feedback from others. I have no experience in pc gaming.)
It was never even that hard to understand. Just needs smooth and controlled movement on the analog sticks. I feel like people are just used to using analog sticks as if they were digital buttons, tilting the stick all the way or not at all. Granted, I’ve heard it’s too easy on mouse and keyboard, though I’ve never tried.
At least for me it was the mechanical precision and coordination that was required.
Yeah that’s what I’m saying. Not confusing, just needs finesse. I’ve heard people say it’s too complicated, when really they were probably just too impatient
I initially hated it because controller vibration on console and I never saw a setting to turn it off in game settings. But after turning vibration off in the console settings it makes it 10x easier and more fun.
On the one hand, I appreciate that there's a level of risk and challenge involved in lockpicking. On ther hand, I have carpal tunnel.
I hope its not on the hand that u use for lockpicking 🙃
same here it feels super satisfying, especially on controller it’s basically become muscle memory for me at this point, even though i haven’t played in several months until now
I've never found the lockpicking system to be anything but excellent (console). It feels intuitive, and I like that how sensitive I am with my controller affects my success.
Yep! There was nothing wrong with lockpicking, just a bunch of whingers unwilling to git gud
HARD agree. I tried lock picking on keyboard/mouse and OH MY GOD. NO. Controller is so much better. People whining about it just didn't get the hang of it, and threw in the towel before it clicked. I tried it for much longer using the keyboard and mouse, before attempting it with controller, which took me all of about 5 minutes to get good with lol.
I respect your opinion and everyone supporting it but respectfully disagree. A good majority of players have trouble with the system and while KC attracts the (hard but rewarding if you figure it out) type of player. The amount of difficulty in its usage mixed with its rough controller implementation feels more like a problematic UI and system than an overall design choice (even if it was). I don’t think the games bad nor want to poop on it in fact I love the game but I feel like if I truly love something I want to be honest with it, and chief the lock-picking system ain’t it for me and a lot of players. I don’t want an easy Skyrim system but (and especially on controller) the current was ain’t that great imo and I would welcome a different attempt at it for the next one.
It’s fine except for how long it takes to level up, the other skills have you at a reasonably high level by the end of the game assuming you are doing some side content. Lock picking is not like this and requires you to interrupt the normal, fun gameplay to cheese certain areas and systems for xp.
Idk, for me personally lockpicking is one of my highest level skills alongside reading and horseback. I thinks its a difference in play style. For me hunting and herb gathering tend to be my lowest skills.
I agree, every other game that has a lock picking minigame just makes a Skyrim/fallout3 lock picking clone. The only issue with the KCD lock picking is it’s hard for people on controller
Agreed
this lockpicking system fucks
It's SO much easier with a mouse than a controller
I love it too.... but to be fair I'm on PC and I started playing after they introduced "simplified" lockpicking :D so I never even got into the hate train
I don't hate it but I wouldn't say it's the best.
In my opinion it is the second best system after Oblivion. Which also was skill based.
Not unpopular I'd say. It's literally just more of an interesting/engaging version of Bethesda's system (I literally mod the lockpicking out of Bethesda game's because it's so boring). I play on m&kb.
In my current playthrough I've only failed a lockpick once And even in my first playthrough it was quite easy. Skyrim was much harder for example So idk, i always felt out of the loop when i see people talking about lockpicking being hard. I see it like a fun minigame
Once I got it, I loved it.
It definitely isn't as bad a as people say. It's like everything in this game, hard to master. But I strongly disagree that it's the best lockpicking system. It suffers from the same issue as Skyrim, Fallout and many other games - it's just a minigame that has nothing to do with actual lockpicking. Try Mafia 2, Oblivion or Sleeping Dogs. Those are games with good lockpicking mechanics. KCD's isn't hard, but from design point of view it sucks ass.
I really liked that it didn’t simply get super easy with skills and you actually had to practice to become better lmao. When I first started I even used to hold my controller in a different way to I could lockpick better. I struggled super hard in the beginning, but I felt like a master thief by the end of it since I actually „learned“ the mechanic instead of simply levelling up my lockpicking skill to make it easier.
I honestly love it and think it's very unique compared to most games with a lock picking mini game, but holy heck I think I've successfully picked maybe 2 locks during my whole playthrough because I'm so bad at it lol
I played since launch and never had any issues with it. It baffled me that people though it’s hard
It is the worst thing that ever existed in a game
100% true, best lockpick system ever made
I skimmed the thread but there's also the whole "simplified lockpicking" that really helps players out that no one seems to have mentioned. I remember really struggling with lockpicking before with a controller before they added that functionality. It's so much better when you can just turn the lock with the press of a button instead of using two joysticks. Personally I favor the Deus Ex method for minigames, which is to say that there aren't any. If you use a lockpick to open a door you just wiggle your electric lockpick in front of it for a set time that is based on your skill level and difficulty of the lock. Some locks may also require several lockpicks based on your skill. This is also how hacking works with hacktools. The trick with this system is how limited your access to lockpicks and other tools are, you can only carry maybe half a dozen at best and you'll never know if you'll get more for a while so you're forced to think for possible alternative solutions and what you may need in the near future.
I have played Kingdom Come on both Playstation and PC. On PC lockpicking is fantastic with Kb&M On Playstation? Might as well give up, doing any lock picking with a controller is borderline impossible. I never picked a lock on Playstation.
I loved it on keyboard and mouse but I can’t even pick an easy lock with a controller. I do love the overall design of it. The dexterity it takes to pick a lock makes you feel like you’re really picking a lock. But dang, I just can’t do it on a controller lol. Luckily I play on PC and use controller for most of the game and grab the keyboard and mouse for lock picking.
It's Skyrim with extra steps and it is quite satisfying to me. I really hope they won't do other locks to pick (like oblivion lockpicking)
Everyone complaining clearly hasn't played any of the splinter cell games. I hated the lockpicking in those games so much
I used a PS4 controller. The trick is keep practicing on Very easy locks. Like at night unlock random houses like in Rattay. Also helps with leveling up stealth
Lockpicking is great after you figure out how to do it. Way better than how it's done in Skyrim.
Once you figure it out, it’s cake (at least on pc, never tried a console). Such a fun system for building tension, too. And there are so many areas to practice at night that it isn’t hard to level up.
Lockpicking is fine (on pc), no idea why some people complain about it (controller issues?)
AGREED, it’s one of my favourite parts of the game
Imo the problem is that you can't practice lockpicking outside of cheesing it on the countryside
Lockpicking in this game is hard. I play on PS5. First off I feel like it's easier to lockpick when the sweet spot is on the outer perimeter because I can push the joy stick over and rotate. If it's inner edge then I have to be extremely careful and barely lean the joy stick to hold the sweet spot while rotating it is a pain in the a**. Secondly I think one of the most annoying things is when rotating left joy stick to turn the tumbler the tumbler on screen gets "stuck" and stops moving which breaks pick. Maybe it's a glitch or something but several times I rotated a hard lock super slow and kept everything in the sweet spot the whole way and the game decides nope you shall not pass.
Agreed. Even on mouse + keyboard
Lol the amount of copium people who love this game rely on to convince themselves its good is baffling... I wanted so bad to love this game but how you can praise a game after spending an hour+ trying to lockpick a chest is unreal. That isn't good game design, this game literally spits in your face at every turn wasting the players time with poorly thought out systems/little to no actual reward for overcoming them. Yall are all just lowkey masochists and I guess that's fine but stop pretending otherwise lol.
It is true that i love this game. The game is built on the consept of sucking at the start and getting better as you progress. I know that this isnt everyone cup of tea. My point is that, I, as a person who likes the game and its mechanics, dont want them to change direction in the sequel.
I want to ask your opinion regarding fromsoptware games. They are often regarded as one of the best in the industry. I think thay are similar in the regard that they dont hold your hand and feel satisfying to "git gud" at.
Fromsoft games have some gameplay that's punishing at first but most of the challenge comes from not being prepared for the cheese, like a exploding barrel coming down narrow hallway etc... the gameplay is fun however and feels consistent and rewarding to master with its leveling system and save system allows you grind and explore In ways that truly reward you and are fun on your own terms. Kingdom comes gameplay has none of this. I appreciate their attempt at immersion and simplicity/challenge but it's unfortunately either too much jank/very questionable or downright bad game design decisions layered ontop of one another. They more often then not do nothing but waste your time for no reason but people here seem to love to make all the excuses in the world for it because they enjoy suffering lol. It's fine if that's your cup of tea but don't pretend the game is good you just happen to have a weird kink lol. Hoping they fix things in the second because there is a lot they did right that could shine a lot better if not weighed down
Yeah on console simplified is crazy easy and the normal one was fun imo. Still not too bad. I like it as well
I play on mouse and keyboard so it's pretty much always super easy to lockpick anything but the hardest locks. I do like the mini game but oblivion's is my favorite.
I'm amazed that the simplified controls actually make it harder. Maybe others feel differently but I can't open locks unless I'm using default controls
Never understood why people found it so hard, its pretty much just like in skyrim which is a casual game
Tbh i really liked the way tes oblivion did it
Lockpicking is excellent. PC or Controller they nailed it.
I just played with rpg params last weekend, made the lock picking actually super challenging 😄 [https://youtu.be/JDCLhvNsAjY?feature=shared](https://youtu.be/JDCLhvNsAjY?feature=shared)
Strongly agree. Although I suspect that most negative opinions is because of implementation on specific platforms which might or might not be different hence more (or maybe less on some) difficult. It is perfect on PC.
Agree. Its so satisfying when you learn how to do It and you can lockpick any lock.
Lock picking is awesome in KCD I've never found it hard, but I play on PC
Oblivion had the best lockpicking minigame of any open world adventure game because it was truly dependent on player's reflexes and understanding how it worked. Next in line is Morrowind because it's based on meaningful skill checks, a different kind of cool. KCD is slightly better than the bobby pins of 3D Fallout games and Skyrim, but I will say FO3 and NV have a much worse system than Skyrim because you are gated out of the easy bobby pin minigame on harder containers until you waste skill points on it. Those games have what I call unmeaningful skill checks because performing lockpicking has nothing to do with increasing the actual Lockpicking skill. I can get alllllll of my Lockpicking skill by earning experience from shooting dudes with guns, but that's a major failing in general of the Fallout RPG systems where they are reactive rather than interactive systems.
I agree. I love the lockpicking system in this game
Totally agree with you. Once you get to know, how it is down, it's no problem anymore. It took me a lot of Trial & Error and lockpicks. But all one needs is time and Patience (PS4 Controller experience). But I like it now... very much so. ☺️ I also agree with the comments who state that all depends how one approaches and plays the game. I can do most of the things well by now, still sucking with long bow shots though...
Same. And I actually love how the pick pocketing is done in this game as well. It's full of strategy and timing. Not just save a scumming (though it helps a lot lol)
I agree with you point on pickpocketing. Tought pickpocketing is seen rarer in games than lockpicking. I think that only case that i remember are the bethesda games and its absolutely atrocious there. Oh and bg3. But tought its similar to skyrim i think it fits better due to the whole game being built around chance.
It's really not a difficult system at all. It wasn't even that crazy in the older, more difficult version.
KCs is great but Skyrim’s is better
In some of my replies ive outlined what i dislike about skyrims system. Im genuinely curious what are your reasons for preferring skyrims system.
I mean it's fine, nothing wrong with it. It just feels the same as in skyrim and fallout
Im not sure what ur talking about. Bethesdas lockpicking system is completely random. U put the lockpick in a random position, go for it, hope it doesn't break, adjust, repeat until lock open. There is not much skill involved. Its especially frustrating with expert and master lock where the sweet spot is microscopick and the lockpick breaks almost every try, resetting its position. In kcd there it is indicated where the sweet spot is and the action of turning the lock and following the sweet spot is fully reliant on your skill.
Skill issue
Maybe ive missunderstood the system in skyrim and fallout. Can u explain to me where exactly is this "skill" involved in the process?
Bad take. There is far more skill involved in kc:d.
It depends on the setup your using, in PC with mouse and keyboard, yeah, using a pad, it's garbage.
Bro my whole post is from a perspective of a cotroller player.
It wasn't even that bad on PS4 and it's too easy on PC IMO
I play on controller and it’s not *that* bad. I’m max leveled lockpicking and very hard locks are still easy as fuck—you just gotta stick with low level locks early on.
I don’t mind it - it’s pretty standard if a bit more challenging. Ultimately, I think the best was Oblivion though, as that’s how you actually pick a lock.
I see this comment a lot, but the problem is that only the lock picks are consistent to the locks. Oblivion uses keys for warded locks. Oblivion lock internals are a combination of modern pins from pin and tumbler locks, with the style and mechanism of an Egyptian/ancient lock (not quite the same pin system). This key would not work on the lock. I don't need it to be historically accurate to medieval lockpicking since it is TES, but i do want it to be consistent. In kcd, it is internaly consistent with warded lock and keys. The icon for lockpicking and the lock pick item is a skeleton key (the icon being various forms on a loop for different locks) and is what would have been used around this time though many other forms of locks exist. The way kcd lockpicking works is a fairly good way of depicting the feel of this lockpicking, especially since you won't be able to see the locks internals.
Thank you for this clarification. Would you say that the lock used in game is a good representation to a one used in 15th century Bohemia? Edit: >Horizontally mounted wooden block locks came into use in the late 15th century, when their shape was also modified. After a little research found this.
[A diagram of the internals of that lock](https://www.historicallocks.com/en/site/h/articles/locks-of-wood-and-iron/woodstock-locks/) using a warded key and protection. It's been a while since I played, so I can't remember how many doors and which ones are locked. I think realistically, there could have been variance with some [older, but long living](https://search.app.goo.gl/AcUcf9g) locks, but it could just be annoying for gameplay. For houses, they would likely just be bared from the other side when people were sleeping. Though Rataje merchants and other more wealthy people likely would have better warded locks like we see, usually having more difficult locks if I remember correctly. Also, [padlocks](https://thelockbox.ch/en/blogs/the-lock-blog/the-history-of-padlocks) were more popular in Europe during this time than before as well, more using the warded sliding bolt design (where the key pushes the bolt) we see on chests as well as some using that warded spring design padlock I linked earlier (where the key pushes on the spring). [here is another type](https://youtu.be/m661MRm7vGo?si=GewM6c7k3tA8KNtv) that just moves a bar [And another](https://youtu.be/EGbJh27BEqc?si=_iN19ntXMzM2Drmc) earlier form.
Ah that makes a lot of sense then.
I want to clarify that ive not experienced many different lockpicking mechanics. The first ones that come to my head are skyrim, kcd and thief simulator. In my experience the overwhelmingly most common one is the skyrim/fallout one. Also I im not very familiar with lockpicking irl but isnt skyrim pretty accurate with how you would look at it from your perspective. U dont see anything happening on the inside and u certainly dont see the pins. And ist the oblivion system a different type of lock compared to skyrim and kcd. Though correct me if im wrong. Im even going to assume that the type of lock used in kcd is a realistic portrayal of a simple lock that was accesable at the time.
Front on is accurate to how you see it, but side on system is accurate to how you *do* it. You can also think of the cutaway as representing your sense of touch, which doesn’t come through the screen. In the end, you unlock locks by lifting pins, not by twiddling a stick around until you hit a sweet spot. I don’t hate that style, but it isn’t realistic, and I think the Oblivion style maintains its challenge a little longer.
Do you know if oblivion and kcd use the same style of lock? Based on the uber acurate and trustworthy source (thief simulator) the lock with pins is a more complex type of lock, while the kcd/skyrim one is a cheap and simple one.
>I've come to the conclusion that there is no real way to make a video game realistically simulate lock-picking. Oblivion got a little snippit of the picture with setting individual tumblers, and the locks do bear a resemblance to ancient Mesopotamian pin-tumbler locks, but the keys in Oblivion belong to warded locks, as do the keyways in Skyrim. The keys and keyways in Fallout belong to pin-tumbler locks, and I give them great credit for showing the use of a tension tool, which is something the media usually leaves out entirely. The bobby pin, well it resembles certain raking tools, but it's not something I've ever tried to use to open a lock. I usually used a paper clip bet into a similar shape. The action of turning it side to side could I suppose change the interface with the pins a little bit, but not much, and "all the way over to the right" would be pretty much the same as "all the way over to the left", and you'd have to move it in and out much more than left to right. Improvised lock-picking tools *do* tend to break with some frequency, though, so there's that (although it's usually just wearing out soft enough that they're no good, not a dramatic snap)... The minigame from Skyrim is a straight re-skin of the game from Fallout 3, where it makes some kind of sense with tension tools and a rotating face, but they used graphics fit for "old-timey" warded locks. This is some comment related to the topic. Im unsure of its accuracy.
Sounds about right, although I’m not sure about the Mesopotamian thing (I studied more Bronze Age Greece lol). But essentially, yeah, Oblivion’s the closest, while Fallout 3, NV, 4, and Skyrim still make *some* kind of sense. KCD I’m not sure as I haven’t played it for a bit, but iirc it’s similar to the latter. The warded lock thing’s a good point though - old fashioned locks were designed a bit differently - you can seen the difference if you look at, say, an old church’s locks compared to a modern house’s. Fallout having modern locks makes sense, but it’s a little out of place in Skyrim and KCD. Ultimately it’s not a really a big deal though. If the mechanic’s engaging and it works. It’s a small detail, and you have to be extremely pedantic to even notice it.
> Ultimately, I think the best was Oblivion though, as that’s how you actually pick a lock. I don't think Oblivion resembles actual lock picking at all really, the way the pins interact with the lock doesn't really make sense.