Architect Archive
Thread: Top Issues
1. Armor stats aren't clearly defined
a.) How much damage does this armor REALLY defend against?
b.) What's the REAL difference between bone armor and other types?
c.) Which type of armor is best for me when I'm doing this?
d.) How can the stats have a negative percentage? Does that mean I'll receive MORE damage than if I didn't wear armor?
2. Repair fails more often than it should
a.) Why do I fail 9 out of 10 tries?
b.) Which armorsmithing skill affects my repair ability?
c.) Why is it more efficient at this time to just buy new armor than to repair this old armor?
3. Factories are bugged.
a.) I can't afford to make/buy a factory.
b.) I don't have enough building slots for a factory
c.) My factory's hopper can't be accessed by my friend.
4. Harvesters are bugged.
a.) What happens to the 3000 credits I just spent on this harvester for maintenance when I re-deeded it?
b.) What happens to the 800 power this harvester had left before I re-deeded it?
c.) Can't I maintain my harvesters remotely instead of running across the landscape for 20 minutes avoiding red mobs?
d.) Why do I have to wait five minutes for my harvesters to load after I reach the waypoint for it?
5. Armor encumberances are too high.
a.) What good is this armor anyway when I have 3x more downtime?
b.) I've gotten this far through the game without armor, I don't need another set. I can't even wear it anyway.
- Structure Experimentation is useless
- Structure Experimentation at +55 (we want it upped to +100)
- Construction Tree useless
- Artisan Assembly at +55 (we want it upped to +100)
- Furniture (some furniture such as tables are identicle, we also want customizeable colours and some extra stuff)
- A "/movefurniture up&down" command
Some extra long term stuff:
- Structure decay (?)
- Participating in the GCW
Now I would like to lump "Structure Experimentation" and our issues with the Construction skill tree together, but I'm waiting on feedback on what we can add under Construction.
So anyone who replies to this, please put:
1) What's most urgent (just one thing please!)
2) What do we want in the long term
3) What else is missing here
I will do a recompile of our after I start getting some posts. And I will submit the most "unpopular" item on the Architect "Top Priority" list.
Personally Experimentation is tops for me, but hey we don't all feel the same. So shoot me some stuff.
Thanks!
That's Structure Assembly, not Artisan Assembly.
The only way experimentation would work for us would be if experimented subcomponents affected the final assembly. No experimentation on final assembly at all.
1. You see all the whining that goes on now about crit fails. That would quadruple if you could crit fail experimenting on a heavy harvester, making it unsellable.
2. The point of experimentation as I see it, is to try several times to get the best schematic possible for a factory run of whatever uber item it is. There may be a few architects out there that can come up with the resources to make a factory run of large houses worthwhile but there sure aren't a lot that could do it.
3. We could afford to fail experimentation on turbines or storage modules or other subcomponents and have to re-do them.
With that being said, the sheer quantity of resources we go through make me not really like the idea of experimentation at all. It's pretty easy for a weaponsmith, when some great iron spawns, to stock up on enough of it to last for months. ButI pretty much go through all the resources I can harvest in a single shift. Only those architects with a lot of extra lots or PA backing would be able to stock up on the "good stuff". The rest of us would be stuck with whateverresources spawned each shift.
So do I take it your top issue is completely removing experimentation? =)
Actually your reasoning is pretty sound. I would almost agree, except that weaponsmiths go through the same thing. If they mess up their experimentation, the weapon becomes relatively unsellable. Talk to a guy whose been Novice Weaponsmith and unable to experiment a D18 pistol =(
Assuming that Structure Assembly and Structure Experimentation is fixed, experimentation should be okay.
While I agree with your points, I still think structure experimentation is important, but if nerfing it is popular opinion, I have no problem requesting a nerf for it.Hey after all, we've learned to live without it already.
I would push decay as the very top item. This profession will die very quickly once all servers are deed saturated. To this end we would need to be accommodating on what we get for structure turn around. Some complicated system that will take months to program won't help us and isn't good for the devs. Also experimentation should effect decay time. This would kill two birds with one stone.
My ideas on structure turn around.
1) Housing: Make houses and factories non-redeedable. Allow houses to be redeed after 5 minutes or 1 hour after placement so people can get the correct placement of their new house. Houses decay after x many days. The larger the house, the longer it lasts. 30 - small, 60 - medium, 90 - large, 120 - hall. Experimentation can increase this time and this time is noted on any deed. Houses can be 'reset' through the structure terminal with a fresh deed. No one would want to move all their stuff only to put it all back after 30 days. A small house deed should work for all small houses, reguardless of type. Too many house types for people to clearly know which one they bought a month ago.
2) Factories: Factories should have a limit of 1000 runs per deed, increasable with experimentation. After all those uses are gone, the factory will not run, however the player can remove items from the factory and destroy it to place another one.
3) Harvesters: Limited number for redeeds on harvesters increasing with harvester size. Again experimentation can increase the number of uses on these harvesters. Would work like stacks on food and would losea charge after each redeed. Simple UI that people are use to using.
4) Furniture: No decay please. These objects aready serve no purpose in the game and only take up inventory space. The SW SIMS crowd loves furniture though, but may not if they had to always replace them. Having new furniture added to the game with each update while taking old furniture out would be most helpful and pleasing for all players. I would place this as a distant 4th on this list.
This master architect does not thing decay will help. Same arguments I'm sure you've heard before.
A huge sticking point in selling houses is how limited they are for storage space. 75 items per lot sounds fine, capping it at 250 is rediculous. This kills the furniture side of the profession, and makes it MUCH more economical to have 3 small houses instead of 1 large.
Lastly, the top issue with the Architect class is boredom. This board is a great example of how little you see a lot of the old and active posters who have gone away. I suspect this may a smaller part of a greater problem within the game, as many professions have lost many of their best and brightest as they burn out. Architects haven't burnt out so much as they've faded away. This is probably due to the character of what it takes to be an architect in the first place.
-Phal
I think that architects need 2 imediate things to keep the proffession alive they are,
1. I think that anything from buildings III-Buildings IV, Installations III-IV, and Master Architect any deeds given by those skills SHOULD NOT be able to go critical failure, if nothign wil lgo critical failure it taes away some realism etc.
2. I think the useless Construction tree needs to be a defense tree as proposed before, not only will this attract more players to the architect proffession but it will stimulate our economy and the only way the conversion to defense will work is if the turrets shields etc are able to be destroyed by players therefore there will be a constant demand.
*note* Feel free to add to this Raged Mind Master Artisan/Master Architect/ Future Master Urban Planner/ The almost could be Sniper
I agree with decay but I don't agree with no redeeding. I think houses and factories and harvesters should decay over time however I think maintenece should keep it running longer. But I know I would be pissed if I had to make a new house or factory for myself if I had to redeed it.
I am a master architect but I specialize in furniture and that is my primary source of income. I do think there should be a decay rate of furniture (although it would suck to have to redo some of the elaborate interiors I've created for myself and others) BUT experimention should make the item last longer. This should apply to all craftables IMO. That way one could make a name for themselves as crafting high quality items.
But if you don't add decay to furniture at least give us the option to color them! Most of the furniture items are ugly and don't match with other items. Also would be cool to add natural elements such as vines, or water etc. to incorporate into the home. Throw in paintings, sculptures, and rugs and you'll have some very happy campers.
Also why can't factory crates stack? I hate making an item that is divided into stacks of 25. Why does it work for some items and not for others?
Ok, I could go on but I'll leave room for the rest of you guys 
Burgundy - Master Architect & Artisian (who pretty much sucks at everything else)
Burgundy Wyne Designs - Where furniture is a work of ART!
Things to experiment on:
Harvesters:
- havest rate
- power usage
- cost
Power Generators:
- harvest rate
- maintenance cost
Factories:
- Power usage
- cost
- efficiency (make stuff faster)
If we could get one thing, this would be it, it's already done for factories, efficiency is listed and should not be a big thing to flesh out the code for.
Decay:
Items should not decay/destory themselves, they should wear out and require a kit and items to repair it. How many here would buy a car if after 10,000 miles you would have to buy a new one, instead we could drop a new exhaust, intake, or transmission in it to keep it running.
I) Decay and Re-deeding
1. Houses SHOULD NOT be re-deedable. If you want a new house IRL do you pick up your old house and move it down the street? (trailer parks excluded) No, you buy a new house and either move to a new area or tear down the old one and build on the same spot. The problem with re-deeding houses is that when a person buys a new house now they have an old deed to get rid of which they normally do for a ridiculously low rate, thus undercutting the architects who are trying to sell newly built houses.
If you want to move to a new location you should have to buy a new house. This would also create a new secondary market of people selling their existing homes in their present locations....the way buying a house works IRL. They would advertise how great the location is, the view, the accessibility to amenities, etc and prehaps sell the house at a higher rate because of these factors. Want a spot in that new Player City or near that theme park? Buy and existing house and pay a premium for the land.
2. Furniture SHOULD decay. This is simple, houses, factories and extractors take maintenance but furniture costs nothing to maintain, therefore it should decay. The rate of decay should not be excessive and should be based on online time. When your furniture decays to below 50% you should receive a message.
3. Harvesters SHOULD require periodical replacement parts. Because of resource shifts, allowing harvesters to be re-deeded is fair, however they should require new generators or harvesting mechanisms every so often to keep running. I know we already pay maintenance but, as an example, if I keep my car in excellent condition, change the oil, rotate the tires and bring it for regular tune-ups that doesn't mean that at some point my engine or my transmission won't go on me. The same applies to harvesters, paying maintenance is what keeps it running but it should not preclude it from needing periodic repair work and replacement parts.
4. Factories SHOULD NOT be re-deedable, same concept here as houses. You cannot pick up a factory and move it down the street!....you have to build a new one. An unwanted factory could also then be sold, in its current location, to another individual or destroyed. Factories should also be governed by the same requirement for replacement parts, etc, as harvesters.
II) Furniture
1. Colours. Furniture should have the same colour palette as clothing.
2. Z-Axis. The ability to move objects up/down and mount on walls.
3. Placement. A new system for furniture placement needs to be developed. Something like the house/harvester placement screen would be nice.
4. New Schematics. Add some new furniture as well as differentiate some of the existing stuff that looks too similar. I see lots of furniture around in NPC buildings that we cannot build...why? The ability to build factional furniture should also be added. As it is now the most sought after furniture in the game cannot be made by architects...how does that ensure the long term viability of the profession?
5. Broken Furniture. Lamps that don't light, couches with multiple seats that can only sit one person (some couches that don't work at all....the crescent couch), chests and cabinets that can't hold anything.
III) Houses.
1. Lots.6 lots for a large house is too much. Why is it that a small and a medium take 2 lots but a large jumps to 6? It makes large houses less desirable especially with the problem with.....
2. Storage. 75 items per lot is fine but the 250 cap has to go. The Devs think they are saving database space but people are just finding ways around it. Filling up their safety deposit boxes, having 3 small houses. The 250 cap reduces the incentive to buy a large house even more.
3. Styles. More styles of houses, more floorplans and PLEASE fix up the ugly Corellain/Generic houses.
IV) Construction Tree/Experimentation
1. Either fix experimentation and give us the +100 that other professions have or just scrap experimentation all together.
2. LOTS. The Construction tree should add lots for an architect. How does it make sense that an architect can't live in a large house because he needs so many lots for factories, power and harvesters. Should an architect who can build the best houses available not be able to live in one? Add 1 extralot per Construction tree level.
3.Defense Structures. To fill in the useless Construction tree why not add the ability to make turrets, walls, gates, etc. I hate it when a pack of Wrix spawn out front of my house and I get killed every time I step out my front door.
V) Harvesters
1. Harvesters should require skills to use. Does it make sense that anyone, without training or skill can just run a mining operation? Then add certifications to harvesters just like weapons. If you like, allow personal harvesters to be used by anyone but mediums and heavies should require some sort of skill or certification to use.
2. Email Notification. We should receive an email whenever a harvester, a) runs out of power, b) runs out of money or c) the resource it was mining shifts/dries up.
3. Remote payment. The ability to add maintenance remotely MUST be added. Why is it I can tip someone on Lok when I am on Corellia but I can't pay creds to my harvester 3000m away without running out and plugging it with quarters like a parking meter? The game takes place in a fictional time where warp travel, droids and lasers exist yetI can't make a payment to my harvester electronically? If necessary make remote payment and email notification require a special tool or add-on to a harvester, or add a surcharge to the payment like the one on bank tips.
4. When a harvester is off it shouldn't decay. This is a game-breaker for the "casual gamers' that the Devs keep saying they are trying to keep in mind. If I want to go away on vacation my only option is too pull up shop and re-deed everything I own. There has to be someway for harvesters to be shut off an put in a dormant state for times when you are going to be away a few days. Recently I went on a 2 week vacation, my only option was to pre-pay 2 weeks worth of maintenance in order to prevent all my stuff from wasting away while I was gone. This needs to be addressed in order to keep the game fun for casual players.
VI) Factories
1. Is it really necessary to burden architects who already don't have enough lots with the prospect of having a structure factory take up 2 lots instead of one like every other factory. Either reduce the structure factory to 1 lot or make all the others 2 as well.
Most important to me is to add value to experimentation. Even if it's only on the sub combines. With no experimentation and no decay the only competitive edge architects have against each other are pricing, customer service and resource availability. The move up / down command is important as well but it's not just an architect issue it's an issue of every player that owns a home so it shouldn't take up our "most important slot" but it needs to be mentioned.
What I want long term is a renewable market, I'm not sold on total decay. And even as an architect that specializes in furniture I don't believe that furniture should decay (at least not at a rapid rate). I like the no redeed of houses after initialization and the replacement parts for installations ideas brought up in the other thread.
Things that are missing from your list:
Broken furniture Lights don't work - torches do. Torches require a electronic component - Lights don't
The broken art in the mastery line armoire, it's the same artwork as the second armoire.
Furniture colorization - I think that this could be added to one of our skill mod line similar to tailors customization skill. Our customers want it we want it and it would add a renewable sales line, those players that enjoy furniture enjoy redecorating. They will want to change their color scheme and will need a whole new set of furniture to do so.
I wanted to add that I agree with XcanukX about lots and storage I don't agree that larges should require less lots though I think that mediums should require more (and therefore add more storage).I think that mediums should be increased to 3 or 4 (even though this would hurt me and my shop ). I think the max cap on items should be raised to at least 400 for larges and 500 for PA's this would promote house sharing and PA shared storage.
XcanuckX wrote:
1. Lots.6 lots for a large house is too much. Why is it that a small and a medium take 2 lots but a large jumps to 6? It makes large houses less desirable especially with the problem with.....
2. Storage. 75 items per lot is fine but the 250 cap has to go. The Devs think they are saving database space but people are just finding ways around it. Filling up their safety deposit boxes, having 3 small houses. The 250 cap reduces the incentive to buy a large house even more.