I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at figuring out the games mechanics. Things like what causes NPCs to go into combat mode or how to manipulate targets, distractions, etc. One thing I cant figure out is the witness system that comes with the “no witnesses” objective.
You would assume a witness is someone who turns orange to you. But that’s not necessarily true. You can have people who aren’t orange but are still witnesses. The strangest phenomenon I experience is when I kill all the witnesses so my counter is zero, go hide in a box and somehow my witness counter starts climbing again while I’m hidden!. And I’ve sure we’ve all went on a killing spree just to find that one last witness which can never be found.
Does anyone have any more insight on “witnesses” maybe some advice on how to figure out who is a witness if they aren’t orange. How does the witness system work when detected by cameras? Does it go to the guard in the closet security evidence room? How can you start getting more witnesses when you’ve killed all the witnesses? This is the only thing that confuses me in FL, well this and “arrange a meeting”
Maybe if they could highlight witnesses as yellow instead of orange. OR perhaps put a new type of marker over their head (thinking of those with color vision limitations).
Take Mendoza for example where you’re going to go to the villa and by either of the 2 sets of guards. Take one step too far past a checkpoint to have that ‘trespassing’ status right as you fill in the prompt to receive a frisk. But you were in the viewcone of a waiter off to the side or behind you that you did not see as you were approaching to get frisked. So you have to watch who goes by the guards and figure out who it may be. Which is just more tedious things to clean up.
I don’t know. Maybe not having a way to know who it is is that much more of a penance to pay for your momentary lapse in judgment. “You want those few hundred - work for 'em!”
I get and like the fact that 47 might not know who witnessed him do something illegal (ie not go orange) but even if they are still white they should react to 47 if they see him again in the same outfit. As it is now you can have NPCs who are “witnesses” that completely ignore you after they calm down. They should at least go enforcer status. It would make more sense logically and be better gameplay wise.
Also allow a way to kill people inside containers!
Honestly, I think all witnesses are meant to show up orange. But it doesn’t seem to work like that sometimes. One reason is that guards, who are on to you, can telepathically inform other guards, even if those other guards are miles away from your current location. That might explain why there are witnesses, that you can’t see right away. Still, I sometimes get witnesses that don’t show up in orange at all. My best guess would be, that Freelancer and this objective in particular still have some bugs, that cause this.
The strangest phenomenon I experience is when I kill all the witnesses so my counter is zero, go hide in a box and somehow my witness counter starts climbing again while I’m hidden!
This definitely sounds like a bug in the game to me. I have no other explanation.
Since you also mentioned the “Arrange a Meeting” objective. This one definitely doesn’t work all the time. When it works for me, I can use any phone and the objective is checked off a second after putting the phone down. But I also had missions where I literally tried every phone (from every leader) and didn’t get the objective.
My impression is that they only turn orange when they compromise your disguise. When you are spotted trespassing and escorted out by a guard or when spotted by an enforcer, anyone in range of the enforcer npc that is calling you and running after you will be a witnesses and have an exclamation mark (!) above their head but not turn orange until they compromise your disguise.
I think there are 2 types of risky actions. Suspicious actions and outright crimes. Crimes will get you compromised immediately.
Although, there’s probably more nuance to this. Like when you’re confronted by an NPC for doing something… You might try to run away and get out of their sight. What determines whether you get a ‘Crime Noticed’ or they just stay in a ’ ! ’ state until they cool down I can’t say. Definitely DO NOT get into a crate or closet if they’re after you and see you getting in. That will be an immediate ‘Crime Noticed’.
Trespassing (non-hostile area): If found by a non-guard enforcer - they will look for a guard to report you. You will have time to either hide or run to another location. Guards will escort you to an exit. Not following the guard or lagging behind too much will get you compromised. And don’t bother running ahead. There are times you will keep SA, but more often you’ll lose it. I’m not sure exactly what dictates keeping and losing SA.
Lockpicking: Suspicious action. Non-guards will come up to you, probably saying something like “I don’t know you.” “Who are you again?” If you stay in their view for long enough they eventually realize you were up to no good and you’ll become compromised. So get away and/or out of their sight… Even changing a disguise (as long as it’s not observed) can also save you.
And here’s a weird one. A non-guard NPCs sees a crime. Not necessarily that you did it, but they’ll be on their way to report to a guard. You could shoot them in the leg as they’re running away to stop them. They should forget that they were going to get a guard… Just go ahead and leave at that point. Or if you KO them before they can report you - these both should let you keep your SA status. It’s only when they get to a guard that you then lose SA.
Or something like that. Someone else with more knowledge might be able to chime in and give a more detailed explanation.
- work for 'em!”