Artisan Archive

Thread: Post-CU Harvester Runs (real test data)

Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:26 am
#1

Since everyone seems to be panicking about how hard it’s going to be for crafters to run out to their harvesters in a post-CU world, I decided to start conducting tests on TC-EP3 that would simulate sets of harvester runs made by crafters. So without further ado, here’s the first data set.


All harvester runs will be simulated by traveling to a random waypoint 1000m from a small NPC city (and 1500m for good measure from an NPC metropolis), and staying at that waypoint for 1-2minutes, then making a return trip to the starting point.


Test Subject: Master MA, Master DE, Rifleman 4-2-0-2 (combat level 30), wearing PSG, no armor, no maskscent
Test Location: Dathomir, Dath Outpost
Number of simulated harvester waypoints: 4 (each point 1000 m from start in each of the cardinal directions)
Number of harvester runs: 8
Method of travel: X34 land speeder

Number of times aggroed: 18
Number of times damaged: 5
Number times damaged with energy: 4 (meaning a PSG would help)
Number of times damaged for over 1000 HAM: 1
Number of time incapped: 1
Number of times DBed: 0


Conclusion: for a crafter with a mid-level combat rating, harvester runs are going to be no problem at all. While I was smacked down by a Rancor in the testing above, this happened while simulating my work at a harvester. Had I been paying better attention, I probably would have been able to evade the beast. I certainly could have come back at a later time, with a body-guard if I wanted to be extra careful. Your harvester runs will become more time-consuming. I predict that these runs were taking me about twice as long as I could make them on live right now.


Hints for living longer as a crafter:
Spend the points to get Scout 4-x-x-x, I could cut the number of times aggroed down by a third if I was using maskscent.
Do NOT speed across the landscape for no regard for what you’re running over, if you drive over a Rancor they will kill you. Have the proper respect for the dangers you can run into in the wild.
With that in mind, use a slower vehicle. I use an X34 or Flash, because you need to slow down on these sometimes to make sure all the creatures in front of you are loaded. You will almost certainly get killed by something that lag-spawns on top of you if you’re riding a swoop or speeder at full throttle.
Do use a PSG. Your worst enemy is ranged attacks when you are on a vehicle, and many mobs’ ranged attacks have a damage type of energy.
Be timid, take the long way around. Do some real life scouting for the best way through that sea of red on your radar.


-Egna Dragonn
Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:27 am
#2


Pure Crafter Test!


Test Subject: Master MA, Master Arch, Master Weaponsmith, wearing PSG, no armor, no maskscent, no buffs, no food
Test Location: Yavin IV, Mining Outpost
Number of simulated harvester waypoints: 4 (each point 1000 m from start to W,E,SE, and SW)
Number of harvester runs: 8
Method of travel: X34 land speeder

Number of times aggroed: 16
Number of times damaged: 19
Number times damaged with energy:14 (meaning a PSG would help)
Number of times damaged for over900 HAM: 2
Number of time incapped:10
Number of times DBed: 2


Conclusion: As always, lag is your worst enemy.One of myDB's was the direct result of lag rolling me back to different place in the terrain than I thought I was. However, you'll notice that even with my many incaps, I was able to escape the DB or triple incap almost every time. Remember that these results are the worst of the worst. Is it smart for a triple crafting master character to go gallavanting around a high-end adventure planet unbuffed, unmodded, and non-cammoed? Of course Not! However, the results here do show that it's possible to get around fairly effectively, assuming you're smart enough to clone in case the unthinkable does happen and you die.


Furthermore, anywho who is screaming about how none of us will be able to get from the shuttle to our house without any combat skills is an idiot. Crafters living on Lok and Dant may get lag-DBed every once and a while, but I highly doubt the rest of us will be effected too much except when making harvester runs on high-end planets.


Hope you found this helpful.

Thanks,

-Egna Dragonn


Message Edited by Egna_Dragonn on 04-25-2005 10:02 PM

Zhundult
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:24 am
#3

Good info. I'm more curious to see the results of the next test though, the pure crafter.



Soawav
OiBan00b
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:28 am
#4






Egna_Dragonn wrote:

Coming Tommorrow, same test with a combat level 1 pure crafter on Yavin IV.

-Egna Dragonn







This will be interesting as I have a pure crafter and will not give up a Master crafting profession to pick up combat skills. I know it's going to be tough, but I have a charactor for combat. Prices just might get higher if resources are harder to get.


And no, I done think I should have body guards around to do harvestor runs. It will be interesting to say the least.

Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:13 pm
#5






SmokingFrog wrote:
One thing that many may not realize is that a creature will typically not deathblow you unless you attack it. I've been smacked down by Rancor who just looked at my incapped body and then wandered away - because I never took a swing at it. Don't think like a combatant and you'll typically find that you don't need to have any combat skills.




Excellent point that should be added to the hints on living a long life as a pure crafter. In the CU system, you have a choice over wether you want to auto-attack, no more spamming /peace. If you are running harvesters on a dangerous planet, make sure you use cntrl-mouseclick toturn off the auto-special on your toolbar. Thanks for pointing that out Mashabak.


-Egna


Zhundult
Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:31 pm
#6






OiBan00b wrote:




This will be interesting as I have a pure crafter and will not give up a Master crafting profession to pick up combat skills. I know it's going to be tough, but I have a charactor for combat. Prices just might get higher if resources are harder to get.


And no, I done think I should have body guards around to do harvestor runs. It will be interesting to say the least.





The problem with this is I'm worried the market might not bear higher prices. If the goods that are made are not as valuable to the combatants who buy them (weapons not as powerful, armor less necessary, food doesn't work as well, etc. etc.) if we raise prices they will just pass on the item. This is my biggest concern over the CURB.




Soawav
Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:03 pm
#7

Pure Crafter test results added!

-Egna
Rebbouse
Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:00 pm
#8

Well this is good news. I am still kind of scared though. I hope this all works out ok for me...I have a feeling that it will though and I have enough faith that SOE is not stupid and doesn't want all crafters to die.



*
Bolpuhr Fortunae
Omni City
Naritus Galaxy
Architect
http://ZeldereX.com/?topic=45117
Rebbouse
Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:02 pm
#9

By the way what does PSG mean? Sorry if this is a newb question but I do not know all the terms still.



*
Bolpuhr Fortunae
Omni City
Naritus Galaxy
Architect
http://ZeldereX.com/?topic=45117
Gyopi
Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:07 pm
#10

I am curious how long it took to do a harvester run in your tests. I am pretty sure that any of us can get around being killed. Just ride in a vehicle with the shift key down, creep along, stop, wait for new spawns to pop, creep farther, stop, wait for spawns, go around anything in the way, etc. Where I see the problem is that a 20 minute boring harvester run could easily become a 2 hour boring harvester run. Remember that ultimately the game is supposed to be fun and although the dodge the red mobs game might be interesting occasionally I am not sure that is what most of us signed up for. Its the sort of thing that quickly becomes tedious instead of fun even if it is technically not so hard to do.






Momoko--Master Tailor near Kaadara on Lowca--
Come to Sitateya boutique at (5083 5804) on Naboo for elegant fashions, accessories, cute outfits, uniforms or any other clothing needs.
Eimi -- Master Bioengineer - Master Image Designer on Lowca--
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JohnAdams
Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:44 pm
#11

Pretty much my thoughts too. When I logged onto TC4, I was able to keep pistoleer. But if I had to spec down, I could easily pick up 4000 scout. Buy some bio clothing with a +25 maskscent/camo. There are even loot drops called "Aroma screen" which give you an additional +10 for 5 minutes (dropped off of Hidden Daggers to me). This should help you against creatures. Not much you can do against humanoids.


But I think one of the big things is using the slow boat that is the X34. Set your radar to the largest area. Avoid any red dots. The problem with Swwops and Speeders is that ofeten you are past them when they show up. That could be deadly. Since the X34 is sooooooo slow, you have time to react.


The other thing I noticed is that a lot of times I got incapped, but not DB'ed. Not sure if that will always hold true, but we can hope. Another thing to keep in mind is that line of sight is in play. Drop down behind a ditch and they can't attack you.


Finally, I noticed yesterday that I can survey while driving. I was out of the game 6 months, so I don't know when they made that change. But that really makes things a lot easier.



CrazyBob - grumpy old weaponsmith
Check your global south of Dearic on Bria
Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:57 pm
#12






JohnAdams wrote:


Finally, I noticed yesterday that I can survey while driving. I was out of the game 6 months, so I don't know when they made that change. But that really makes things a lot easier.




Not just survey, you can sample from your vehicle as well now.

Egna_Dragonn
Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:14 pm
#13






Gyopi wrote:

I am curious how long it took to do a harvester run in your tests. I am pretty sure that any of us can get around being killed. Just ride in a vehicle with the shift key down, creep along, stop, wait for new spawns to pop, creep farther, stop, wait for spawns, go around anything in the way, etc. Where I see the problem is that a 20 minute boring harvester run could easily become a 2 hour boring harvester run.



Fair question Gyopi. On dathomir, where all mobs are red, and there are very dense spawns, I was making the 1K run in about 12 mins if I wasn't knocked off my vehicle. On Yavin, where you've got more manueverability, I was able to make the 1K dash in about 4-6mins, assuming I didn't get knocked off my vehicle. I wasn't confident enough in the spawning lag to just set the X34 on autopilot(numlock), but unless I had to make a tricky decision about which way to go around a spawn, I could keep my speed up.


If your harvesters are miles away from the starport on a non-shuttle planet, it could be a grind to get out there. However, unless you're a combat-miner anyway, I doubt you'll have the paitence to find decent spots that are out in the boonies on the high-end planets. For the average crafter, I doubt it's going to increase the time spent on harvester runs over the long run enough to really cause complaints.


If you still have doubts let me know, and I can run some test specifically to look at average time for 1K runs across the various planets.


-Egna Dragonn


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