CUEmu - Thread Posts

admiraljz

Thu May 06, 2004 11:25 pm

A lot of the game lately seems to be geared toward hardcore grinders and soloists, and probably the most common indication of that is the proliferation of heavy, high resist comp, and kinetic layered Ubese. Either of these two armors can turn a melee-based profession into a PvE tank virtually invulnerable to damage. With buffs, intimidation, etc, even a Krayt dragon or NS Elder can't hurt you.

My main is a Bounty Hunter, and my 3rd alt is somewhere around 4204 armorsmith currently. So I did a little testing.

Maybe the composite armor I buy is extraordinarily heavy, but I've noticed that I need a lot of brandy/canape and sometimes muon to keep my mind up if I'm doing some serious hardcore hunting. Eventually the cost of the buffs (which I need to use my special attacks anyway) and all the food/drink lead me to completely stop wearing armor when I'd go out to hunt.

The first thing I noticed is that withthe dps my toon is capable of, and a decent buff, on a planet like Dantooine or even Yavin, there's not much that can do any real damage to me, even while hunting in my civvies.

So I took the show on the road to faction missions and tried those with a buff and no armor. Storm Troopers hit pretty hard, and probably the biggest difference between them and critters is they can all hit you from 64m away without having to mob you. I found that an Imp Prototype PSG fit the bill, but a handful of missions would burn one out.

Then I had my armorsmith alt whip up a set of Chitin with so-so materials, 7 exp points, and regular segments (not advanced). Since I had the least problem with critters and more with NPCs, I experimented on the base and came up with a suit that was around 13% kinetic and 30% base (35% I think if I used brak segments). I could get the full suit on with ease without a buff (my stats are 1k primaries, 400 secondaries across the board), which means with a buff I've got a hell of a lot more wiggle room, especially in the mind. Instead of constantly needing to down brandy and canape just to stay alive, I found I could coast a lot with none at all and use the drink/food buffs sparingly. The 30% resists were also perfect for the level of mobs I was fighting, compared to my skill level.

Following that experiment I went back and made a suit of Adv Ubese, experimenting on the bases. Again, with so-so materials and only my 7 points, I was able to make a Ubese suit with identical resists to the Chitin... but the difference was that it was much lighter. 35% bases resist was more than enough for mobs equal to my level or slightly higher.

In other words, heavy duty composite armor is not particularly necessary for "normal" gameplay. I wouldn't dream of PvPing or taking on Krayts and Nightsisters in Chitin armor, but for running faction missions, hunting for hides/bones or just money, that 11/35 set of Ubese was absolutely perfect. The encumb doesn't kill my mind pool, saving me the money and hassle of having to buff it constantly, and the armor resists enough of the damage that my secondary buffs pick it right back up.

What I intend on doing is exploring a market for low-priced "daily wear" armor for newer or less hard-core players, or even possibly as inexpensive "throw away" armor for moderately heavy grinders like myself. Resists in the 35% range seem, to me, perfect for anything that can be pulled from a mission terminal. And my Chitin actually has higher condition than the 300k suits of kinetic ubese I'd been buying.

To me, this seems to solve a plethora of problems...

1) More variance in armor types used by players. Chitin and Padded are hardly used, but under these conditions it seems that their much lower resists don't make that much of a difference for normal-level combat.

2) Novice armorsmiths (or at least those with level 4 in tech) would be open to a market that the "average joe" could tap for everyday armor needs.

3) Overworked masters who can't keep up with the demand for kinetic ubese or heavy comp now could slide work off to the novices for the lower resist armors.

4) Or, on the other side of that coin, amaster who wanted to tap the market of folks who can't afford their heavy comp and kinetic ubese, could now offer more affordable, yet adequate, alternatives.

Personally, I'd love to see more variance in the kinds of armor players wear. I'm going to probably be bowing out of PvP for a while to focus on gathering organic resources for my crafters, and supporting them with income until business picks up. I also don't have a need, from an ego or rare loot standpoint, to solo NSs or Krayts or other high-end mobs. I plan to stow my comp for a bit and strap on a set of Padded for the things I need to do. IMO it's much better looking armor than comp, no one else wears it, and it suits my needs. My 80% comp is there if I want to take a trip up the the Corvette, or run through the Geo cave, but barring things like that, which are usually planned in advanced, I don't feel I need the extra weight and extra cost for invulnerability, especially when I can get more than adequate protection from armor like Chitin or Padded that I can craft cheaply myself.

My exploration into the market will probably deal mainly in working with newbies and getting their opinion on how well the armor is working for them as they level. Several new players have come into my guild and are working with the 30% chitin sets I made them, and seem to be doing just fine. Even my armorsmith, with novice marksman and pistols 1, can more than handle sustained runs of faction missions above her level, without a buff, food, or medic skills.

I think this is something worth looking into. I'd like to hear opinions from the masters and other novices. I'm trying to appreciate the fact that not everyone in the game is loading into Mos Eisley on day 1, then flying straight to Dathomir to take on the NS Elder with their helper droid. I think that market is out there, and that it's substantial. I've used /open on newbish-looking players in cantinas and seen several wearing 40% composite armor with ungodly high HAM. I just can't help but think to myself that they could have gotten armor with the same resists, and half the weight, for probably half the cost. Is it just me?

Aucka - Eromi - Ecaro
Widowmakers
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admiraljz

Fri May 07, 2004 7:31 am

#2

Lol. Well, the law of averages suggests that no one 3-stars a post. So I'm curious who thinks it's a one-star notion that you don't need 90% composite armor to have fun in the game, or that novice armorsmiths should have something to sell.

Seriously, I'm looking for a discussion on the concept from people who have been in the business, and those who are just starting out. I'm dedicated to armorsmithing but I'm not looking out expressly for my own wallet. If the concept of pushing a market of more affordable armor helps everyone, then that's great for the game overall.

Aucka - Eromi - Ecaro
Widowmakers
Test Center
New Aldera, Naboo
Officer - Jedi - Engineer

MasterNerfSlayer

Fri May 07, 2004 7:59 am

#3

Definitely a good suggestion... ignore the one star bandits. I like your positive spin on the situation, and I must say, you're a better man than I. After the flaming I copped in another post, I think I take my tail and follow your lead.

/salute

RETIRED DOCTOR & MEDIC CORRESPONDENT
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Unlocked April 1st, 2004

Asir_SWG

Fri May 07, 2004 8:11 am

#4

I agree that there is a place for everyday armor... My personal fave is 80% kinetic / 60% base comp with a encoumb. slice to get it down to 350 ish HAM, can't beat it for every day use. I keep it on all the time, just in case something aggros .

ERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHA
MSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTE
RHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAM
STERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTER
HAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMS
TERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERH
AMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMST
ERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHA
~~MSTERHAMSTERHAMSTERHAMSTE~~

Slider067

Fri May 07, 2004 10:01 am

#5

I make low end stuff from time to time and have a nice suit of kliknik enhanced chitin. I'm going to giveyour suggestiona try this weekend.

The main reason you don't see much of it, is because of the resource requirements. Typically from the organic side. Tantel, Chitin and Padded consume quite a bit of hide. Tantel and Chitin also require bone. I did make a bunch of Chitin and Mabari before becoming master and sold 4-5 suits of Mabari per day on Bazaar. Don't let the crap you see on Bazaar fool ya. While I was selling 19-25% base Mabari, all the overpriced, unexperimented stuff sat there and rotted. This confirmed to me, that even new players have what it takes to determine what is better to buy.

So the bottom line....higher cost, lower resale value.

btw - It's also what kept me interested in the profession while waiting for resources to spawn for comp. Sometimes it can be months before you see some of the "rare" resources.

Oh...it's easy to defeat/ignore the rating system. You can turn it off in your profile.

Message Edited by Slider067 on 05-07-2004 01:03 PM

__________________________________________
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admiraljz

Fri May 07, 2004 10:33 am

#6

Chitin and Padded definitely have higher requirements for organic resources... luckily my main isa Bounty Hunter (master scout), and will be taking up a little bit of ranger to increase harvest rates. My guild also actively recruits newbies and less experienced players, so we're constantly taking large groups on huge hunts. I've been able to build up quite a stockpile of different types of bones and hides, including donations of what everyone else harvests, so my overhead on resources is quite low.

Aucka - Eromi - Ecaro
Widowmakers
Test Center
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MrMud

Fri May 07, 2004 10:45 am

#7

I thought just about everyone had a variation of the H:400 A:400 M:1000 stats setup

Seltak
(Retired) Master Armorsmith with 12 Experiemental points, RIS capable
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Unlocked 24 April 2004 @ 32 professions

ChewaccaBH

Fri May 07, 2004 9:38 pm

#8

There isa place for it, I have just really started to get into AS and have been grinding throught he techs by doing mabari chestplates. AsI moved up to tech 3 and 4 and got more experimentation, I began to see some decent starter sets. I put them on sale at the bazaar in Coronet and to my surprise they sold quickly. So I began to make a few of each piece and put them for sale and they kept selling. I was truly surprised, and its been a nice way to earn a little bit of money back as I still progress up the ladder.

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admiraljz

Sat May 08, 2004 12:26 am

#9

MrMud wrote:

I thought just about everyone had a variation of the H:400 A:400 M:1000 stats setup

Personally, I don't like that setup. It virtually requires you to be buffed 24/7 and I try to do as many things as I can without a buff, just to save overhead cost and hassle. My weapons are all stocked and scoped, so they do great damage with extra accuracy, but it also makes them extremely high HAM. Firing 2 or 3 specials would comepletely drain a 400 action pool. So I set mine up with all the primaries at 1k and all secondaries at 400. That way when I'm not buffed, I can still shoot off several special attacks before I have to heal up. If I'm using a low HAM weapon like my FWG5 I can use even more specials. It just seems to work better for me that way. BH specials use very little mind, but when encumbered by heavy composite, mind costs do really add up. Hence my preference of lighter armor and general hunting without a buff.

Aucka - Eromi - Ecaro
Widowmakers
Test Center
New Aldera, Naboo
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dlcnate1

Sat May 08, 2004 2:20 am

#10

the wonderful thing about my expirience with crafting mid level chitin was the fact that I could take something that I crit failed on the expirimentation on and ended up with 40% kinetic resist instead of 60% was the fact that my 'garbage' was still better than all the other crap on the bazaar. It is true what they say... 'One man's trash is another man's treasure'

admiraljz

Sat May 08, 2004 9:43 am

#11

Hehe, I've been getting suits of Marabi with non-advanced segments in the 20-25% resist range, by ignoring the special heat protection. The only thing I really don't like about pushing Marabi to newbies as a starter armor is it's vulnerability to energy. Take a faction mission or a non-faction NPC mission and the armor will be working against you rather than for you.

Chitin covers just about all the PvE bases though. It's a very sound armor and I like it a lot.

Aucka - Eromi - Ecaro
Widowmakers
Test Center
New Aldera, Naboo
Officer - Jedi - Engineer

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Thread: Suggestion that could help novices and masters