Architect Archive

Ok I posted this in the GCW board, and it got ignored. I am reposting it here because I really think this is a good idea:

TH has said that turrets, and other faction structures are FP based and always will be. However they can still be craftable. It has been suggested that turrets could simply be a schematic. However there are two problems with that suggestion. One, it is not a meaningful contribution; and two, it inconveniences other players to benefit architects alone.

Building them in a schematic is not a meaningful contribution because the schematic would have to work in the same way as the quest painting schematics. That is an item with neutral qualities. (No experimentation, and no critical fails) It must be this way because critical failures on hard earned turret schematics would be unacceptable, and the wide variation in turret qualities, cause by experimentation, would upset balance.

There is a solution to all these issues though. Make the schematic one that requires only components, no raw resources. With the various attribute of the turret/base hard-wired to the component qualities. Place the components in the skill trees of several different professions. Crafterscan build the components at any time, but only allow final assembly of a turret/base with the FP earned schematic.

Let me elaborate with an example. Lets say a small turret schematic requires three components: A small turret superstructure (made by an architect), a fire control system (made by a droid engineer), and a small turret gun (made by a weaponsmith). The schematic is purchased by a player with FP’s, and anyone can do the final construction. (Although possibly a special crafting station, or a special crafting tool, or, dare I say it, a BLL would be needed.) There are no critical fails and no experimentation with the final assembly

The qualities of the turret are determined solely by the quality of the components used. Superstructure affects armor, fire control system affects accuracy, gun affects damage. Those qualities are indicated in the usual manner.

This would bring in several crafts, (or all crafts if you use your imagination enough). Since anyone can do the final assembly risk free, players retain total control over the quality of the turrets they place. This would also ensure that turrets were fairly uniform in quality since players can be relied upon only to make turrets with the best components available.

The only down side is that turrets are now more expensive as players have to earn the schematic with FP, then have to buy the components. However players who earn enough FP’s generally can afford the expense, and i consider it to be a valid trade off to bring the crafters into the GCW