[IDEA] Proper Stealth

DaniAngione

Imagine yourself inside a large dining room. A big table, many chairs, few doors and some cupboards and decorative pieces. Light is dim, the air is very silent and still.
There might be someone there - you know that. Behind one of the chairs, or maybe around the door corner...
There could even be two people... Maybe three, if they're coordinated and silent.
You are quite sure, however, that there are not 28 individuals there. Especially if they're carrying heavy, clunky armor, have daedric beasts following them, etc...

Ok, so... Let's talk about this idea: proper stealth.
First things first:

1. This is just an idea. I'm not saying it should be like this :P I'm just starting the discussion, so feel free to criticize and suggest alternatives
2. I expect a lot of negativity What I'll say basically changes the way skirmishes and PVP battles are held in the game. I mean, dramatically changes it. And some people might be against 'change' lol.
3. This is something that has bothered me from the start, more than a year ago. I've mentioned it before but it wasn't a good idea back then. Now with IC and the theme "zergs" taking over again, I think it's a good time to rework the idea and bring it to the table.
4. I'm not a number cruncher. I've never been. So I can't talk about "balancing skill Y" or "Lowering skill X", etc. I can (and like to) talk about concepts and game design, so please take all numbers as "hypothetical, demonstrative examples".

Ok. Let's begin:
For me, sneaking/stealth is currently broken.
Why?
Because it works when it shouldn't and doesn't work when it should.

So, what's my objective here?
To suggest a way to increase the effectiveness, relevance and importance of a sneaking/stealth STYLE of playing. Right now, Stealth isn't a style because it's common/protocol behaviour for every PVP encounter:
Approaching the enemy keep: Stealth.
Going around with a zerg: Stealth until the moment of charge.
Circling resources: Stealth.

It makes sense from the gameplay perspective (You want the advantage of surprise) but it doesn't make sense from any other perspective. It's stupid. You simply can't have 30 people in heavy armor walking on a clearing under the sunlight and have all of them somehow hidden without magic. This is the situation where it works but shouldn't.

At the same time, sometimes you're suddenly caught by this huge zerg and try to find some cover. You're a hidden blade, a knife in the darkness. You get low behind a crate and, somehow, just because there are 30 people out there, you're detected. As a matter of fact - it's easier to hide from larger mobs than from small groups or single scouts. Large mobs produce a lot of sound and movement that draws the attention of the group itself. This is the situation where it should work but doesn't.

My idea:
To create some kind of "SNEAKING AURA" that works like this:

• Each other person ALSO SNEAKING next to you INCREASES your chances of being detected.
• Each other person next to you (sneaking or not) slightly decreases your chances of detecting stealthy people.

This should be balanced in a way that the following results could be expected:

• A single player specialized in sneaking (medium armor, legerdemain stealth passives, etc...) should be able to get past enemy medium or large groups unseen.
• A small group (up to four people) should still be able to effectively sneak as it currently works, easier to be seen than a single player but not much.
• A medium group with 6 to 8 players should be able to hide from some distance but can't get past enemy groups.
• Any group larger than 8 people should not be able to hide at all when close to each other.

Ok. So, why do I think this would be good? What things I would expect from a change like this?

1. Scouts would become a valuable asset. There would be true purpose for people to "scout" enemy zergs and large groups ahead of their attack. It would also be easier for scouts to survive their mission, making it more rewarding/less annoying.
2. Random solo players wouldn't be suddenly caught in the middle of zergs out of nowhere. It doesn't even make sense to have 30 people sneak on you - you're a freaking hero that delved Coldharbor, not a distracted newspaper-reading guard.
3. Stealth and Sneaking would once again become "a thing" - a playstyle preferred by small ganking parties, ambushes and such. Not the usual protocol for PVP.
4. Large battles would be far more 'honest'. With proper scouting and teamwork, battles can be seen beforehand and defenders can prepare for the siege ahead. No more huge groups hiding in plain sight before striking the walls.

These are my thoughts on Sneaking.
Feel free to curse me now