Architect Archive
Thread: The solo architect
ZenDragonMLS
Mon Jun 28, 2004 3:51 pm
#27
Actually, I'm a "modified" solo architect in that I have all of my 10 lots to devote to harvesting. I focus primarily on heavy harvesters, then houses/factories, then furniture and do quite well. But I also price my goods to reflect the value they deliver, and I keep my vendors well-stocked. Pricing things higher allows me the luxury of buying resources I need to balance out my production. So I think you can come close to being a "general architect" but your whole business model needs to reflect it. My take on "my vendors sell out each day" is that someone is leaving money on the table that could provide them a smoother gaming experience.
StumanKadir
Mon Jun 28, 2004 5:21 pm
#28
I think also one thing to keep in mind is what it is that you are actually selling. As a starting off "newbie" architect, I would be more inclined to dispense with the high resource usage items and instead concentrate on the mediums, at least until your business got off the ground.
Even though the mediums bring in a lot less money than the heavies, you can make more with the resources you have available to you. I'd also look at keeping your vendor stocked with furniture as well. This has the effect of maintaining stock on your vendor and allows for a higher rate of return business (which is what all architects should aim for - the return customer).
At the start, I spent most of my time target harvesting needed items, especially good quality duralloy steel, ore and especially aluminum, cooper and reactive gas. Once I had sufficient quantities of these, then I started production. At the start, I actually lived in a mates house and used all 10 lots to harvest resources. Once I had accumulated enough, I then used my own house and commenced business.
Most of the time, there will be a quiet lean period at the start where you accumulate a surplus of resources which will mean a month or so of not making anything and thus not selling anything, but once you are over this hump and have a stock of things like aluminum, steel, gas and ore, then you can harvest to replenish these stocks as you use them. It will also allow you to cater for those "one off" orders where you have the potential to capture a long-term client but meeting their needs quickly.
As with any crafting profession, maintaining adequate stock is the key to keeping your business ticking over, and if you have some stock and resources in reserve, your vendors need not be empty.
ZenDragonMLS
Tue Jun 29, 2004 12:05 am
#29
Some of these comments seem relevant to the "cross-server lot trading" discussion.
ImperialCommando1138
Tue Jun 29, 2004 7:05 am
#30
Interesting post, but for those of us with much less time on our hands, here's what I've done---
I'm very much a solo player. Work, family and other more important time-consuming items than SWG frequently prevent me from much more than 1-2 hours per day if I get on at all. I don't have the time to be a master PvP character and crafting suited me fine. However, I quickly discovered that the best way to get cash and get a little immersion into the galaxy was to have some combat skills as well. It quickly followed that getting into ground combat was rather deadly and it might be a good idea to have some Medic skills. So, my "template" (which I've coined the "Combat Engineer") uses all my skill points in Master Artisan, Master Architect, Marksman (full Pistol and Rifle only), Rifleman (enough to be useful but not at medium-low level), and the balance into Medic (concentration on crafting and use skills so I can make and use Stimpack C's).
This combination has been suiting me well, but not quite like I'd thought it would. Ironically, most of my income comes not from selling my equipment, but from selling hard-to-find resources. Although I do make custom orders now and then, and have a vendor stocked for the wayward traveller that happens to find my house, I've never counted on that business to provide income. I've instead forged relationships with various crafters (chefs and medical primarily) and sell top material that I harvest for a premium price. For the content side, I run exclusively PvE faction missions (I'm Imperial) to buy various faction equipment and increase my rank. My weapons skills are sufficient to pull in about 100 XP and 4000+ credits per mission I run and I can make enough in one night to essentially run my harvesters for a couple of days. I also spend money to buy good armor and weapons, combat droids, and other unique items made by my fellow crafters (food and drink primarily!).
Because I have a large house (fully furnished with my own and others constructions) that leaves me only 4 slots for harvesting. Since the announcement of JTL, my focus has now shifted into resource accumulation and I will craft only very special orders for a premium price. I have over 2M units of various resources and continue to accumulate. I have a backlog of high-quality flora resources that I sell sparingly on the open market that pulls in over 50k per day as well. When JTL comes out, my template will change considerably, as I will lose all my combat skills (and probably some of medic as well) transferring those points directly into the Shipwright profession as I also move into the Pilot profession.
I think there are many ways to survive and make a tidy profit in this game, and it greatly depends on how you prefer or can play the game. While I do enjoy the interaction in the game, I'm proof that the loner can survive and thrive in this game!
Kalimir Krud
Master Architect, (Tarquinas/Tattooine/Bestine area) multi-millionaire 
CEO Krud Industries
Message Edited by ImperialCommando1138 on 06-29-2004 09:09 AM
ZenDragonMLS
Tue Jun 29, 2004 8:51 am
#31
The issue has never been "can a single player thrive in the game". There are a number of "combat only" characters that have lots of money. There are a number of "resource miners" that have lots of money.
You have chosen a path that suits you and is fun for you - and I think that is great - that's the point of the game. But you also aren't trying to make your living as an architect.
The issue that *this* thread seeks to address is "what are the challenges of *making a living as an ARCHITECT* as a single player?"
Fneegan
Tue Jun 29, 2004 10:19 am
#32
I think the reason that IT IS difficult for "solo" architects is because of those that have 200 harvesters and 4 factories running 24/7, cross server lots, trades etc...
If this continues, it will becomemore difficult for current crafters andeven more difficult for new crafterscoming into the game to compete. It will also drive many out of the professionand into the hands ofthose who will eventaully - control the market and prices.
How can one who has 10 lots compete with one who has 200 lots?
How can one who rakes in 100 - 150k a day of resources compete with someone who brings in 2000k - 3000k (in this example from a single harvester bringing in 10-15k a day)
You imagine 100k selling @ 3cpu = 300k/day
and imagine 2000 selling @ 3cpu = 6000k/day
And even if they sell for 1cpu -there's still making 2000/k which is 6 times as much. But, in reality, it's even more becausethey are alsomaximizing the use of the factory as well bycontinully having it in operation. Now, of course if I had 200 harvester, they all wouldn't be mining crap ore. Whenever a spawn of top quality resources came along - I'd drop a whack on there too. It doesn't only affect Architects - it affects all crafters.
You can't compete with those that have 200 lots,saturate the markets with items (lower cost or not) and are billionaires. And it's NOT gonna get better if step aren't taken to stop it.
Ewach
Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:27 pm
#33
Fneegan wrote:
How can one who has 10 lots compete with one who has 200 lots?
Fneegan - Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have just validated my argument for why cross-server lot trading should NOT be eliminated.
I'm going to restate your question with a slight smaller margin of difference and a few extra words.
How can one who has 10 lots compete with one who has 3 paid accounts and access to 30 lots?
Answer: Without the ability to cross server lot trade in an attempt to level the field, he can't!
Sure, cross server lot trades would have happened eventually any way, but the evolution was probably along these lines.
Joe & friends form guild and start lot sharing.
Joe pays for more accounts, gets more lots, gets more harvesters & factories
Solo account holder, solo player Fred can't compete with Joe so he looks for an alternative.
Fred happens upon the idea of cross-server lot trading with another solo account holder on another server.
Fred is more able to compete (perhaps he still has less) but he is closer than if he only had 10 lots.
Now, there are some that emphatically say they will use only their 10 lots, they will not cross-server lot trade (even if it is allowed). That's perfectly fine to, they are agreeing up front that they will not compete in the same area as Fred & Joe.
Take away cross-server lot trading, now Fred can no longer compete with Joe. He with the most real money wins.
ZenDragonMLS
Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:30 pm
#34
BTW - there is currently a perfectly good thread dealing with *only* "cross-server lot trades". Why don't we use that one instead of narrowing this one down to that single issue.
Ewach
Tue Jun 29, 2004 10:25 pm
#35
ZenDragonMLS wrote:
BTW - there is currently a perfectly good thread dealing with *only* "cross-server lot trades". Why don't we use that one instead of narrowing this one down to that single issue.
My apologies Zen - I was responding to a recent post without referring back to your original message.
Given the initial constraints you posed, I would most definitely limit my number of harvesters (if any) and focus my lots on 1 or 2 houses and 2 or 3 factories.
What ever lots I had left over, I would place in static locations (close to my house/shop) so that I wasn't tempted to play the "where is the highest spot game"- that's just a big time sink.
Since I'm limited, by storage, in the amount of components and resources I can stock - I'd forego being a Master Artisan and just contract out for the necessary electronic components. Given a friendly Master Artisan, I may even be able to get one to make me schematics for an in-kind trade, for a fee or as a favor.
Except for what I obtain from the static harvs, all other resources would beobtained from resource suppliers or purchased on bazaar. Since I don't have to spend a lot of time chasing harvesters around, it gives me more time to shop bazaar for good deals.
Also, I'll have ample free time for hunting and doing money missions (see skill template below).
I would not carry a very diversified inventory, focusing in on a narrow field. Perhaps harvesters and some furniture, for example. Houses and other buildings would be available by special order.
Skill Template:
Artisan w/ Engineering 4 (pre-req for Architect) and Business 3 (to have a vendor)
Master Architect
Master Tera Kasi (for protection, for hunting and to make money to pay expenses when business is slow)
(Also, TKM will give me something to do when I am in production cycles and factories are in use)
Brawler w/Unarmed 4 (pre-req for TKM)
Scout w/Hunting 4 (can gather own hides for furniture and another opportunity to make money from in
demand meats for Docs, Chefs & BEs)
Novice Medic (self-explanatory)
13 skill points left over - could go get novice merchant or put some more into medic or scout
I used the character builder at http://swg.allakhazam.comfor template design.
ZenDragonMLS
Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:46 am
#36
I'm sorry but I don't buy into this at all. I'm a solo architect who, by virtue of using my wife's character lots to hold my shop and factory, have 10 lots to use for harvesting. My bank account stays in the 10-15M credit range and has been that way for months. And I'm a "general" architect - I make just about everything (except high-end crafting stations).
I have NO problem whatsoever in competing. I have customers that have been with me for months AND I continue to pick up "new name" accounts.
The *purpose* of *THIS* thread is NOT to say that a solo architect is doomed - they aren't. ANY architect faces pretty much the same set of pressures. Those that have the backing of a Guild can deal with those pressures in some ways. Those that don't have a group backing can still absolutely thrive (there are LOTS of proof points out there) but they need to build their business model by acknowledging those pressures.
Please don't turn this thread - which has gotten some very good responses and ideas for new architects - into someone's rant against cross-server lot trades.
Fneegan
Wed Jun 30, 2004 9:51 am
#37
Actually, I WILL reply to that:
Fneegan wrote:
How can one who has 10 lots compete with one who has 200 lots?
Fneegan - Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have just validated my argument for why cross-server lot trading should NOT be eliminated.
I'm going to restate your question with a slight smaller margin of difference and a few extra words.
How can one who has 10 lots compete with one who has 3 paid accounts and access to 30 lots?
Answer: Without the ability to cross server lot trade in an attempt to level the field, he can't!
Isn't the problema little more thanonly cross-server lot swapping?...ISN'T IT MORE SPECIFICALLYcross-server LOT SWAPPING of STATIC LOTS that remain FOREVER ??
Force REDEEDING and force singleADMIN of both harvesters and factories. You got to move them around for new spawns anyway.
Not everyone wants to pay for 3 accounts to do that but at least these accounts are active and need MANAGING. But, why should a legit single account have to compete with cross-server swappings of static lots that remain forever?
There will always be someone trying to find ways around things - I'm only suggesting oneway that will help reduce it rather than having tocontinuously put up with it.
In case you didn't get it the first time:
Force REDEEDING and force singleADMIN of both harvesters and factories
StumanKadir
Wed Jun 30, 2004 5:03 pm
#38
Such a loose grasp of the realities of the game you have. Such anger and hate at what others do in the game 
If they stop cross server lot trading, I'll just find someone on my server that is not using their lots and have them place static lots for me (I'm currently working on that to replace the 10 lots I use in my one and only lot swap). The static lots will comprise a factory and 8 harvestors and I'll continue to use the community provided storage I currently use.
Have decided that its a non issue unless the have whole of account lot allocations which means my crafting character on Bloodfin will have to drop crafting. And if it goes ahead...w00t, another victory for the feeble minded 
Fneegan
Wed Jun 30, 2004 6:37 pm
#39
You got it all wrong- it's not anger -it's calledFAIR PLAY.
************
IfADMIN is removed from harversters and factories and they can't be shared, thenyou won't be able to continue with your static lots nor will you be able to get additional static lots from your friends either.
If harvesters/factories are forced to be to REDEEDed, then you (and others) will lose many of your currents static lots you have and it willALSO remove FUTURE possiblities of having such statics lots placed again.
Yes - it will make cross-server lot swapping much more difficult (I can't wait)
Yes - it will make it more much more inconvenient to those doing it then for others who aren't.
So yes: SINGLE ADMIN and FORCE REDEEDING - I'll keep on saying it again and again and again until Devs fix it