Artisan Archive
Thread: Top 5 Next Round!! 8/15/03
Two things, IMHO, I think the Devs should consider/prioritize concerning crafters:
1.) Get a MUCH larger database...I've heard much grief from both Devs and their customers (us) about problems with database size constraints. I've also seen several posts from database developers, administrators and clients totally puzzled as to why this is a problem, considering the availability of modern Database technology, Sony's resources, and the amount of money they're getting from subscribers. This shouldn't be an issue but it continues to be. Why is this? I've heard no clear explanation on this matter.
Relating that to artisans, craftspeople make their living crafting unique, in either style or quality, items. That is who we are. Without the database space to truly customize items, to choose from a wide variety of schematics, we are all cookie cutter versions of the same character (to a large extent).
The Star Wars galaxy's feel is based on a tremendous level of detail. Look at the movies and your eye can fall on thousands of small designs, tools, furniture, creatures, even junk! It has been the Devs plan, I think, to have us make these details...to shade our world in the Star Wars fashion with spectrums of costumes, props, and sets. We can't do that with the limited amount of schematics and customization afforded to us at this point. And They can't up those numbers without more database size/power.
(and this applies to all professions and characters-the image designer's tatoos, hairstyles; the architect's non-functioning furniture, 4 house style limit, the entertainer's 6(?) song/dance limit.)
2.)Some of what the correspondent is receiving as far as improvements go, are designed to make our jobs easier (read: more fun). But, as far as I'm concerned, fun doesn't always equal easy. I read a post on the weaponsmith thread about some key who, using macros, can achieve master artisan in something like 7 days. Geez!
Yeah, I know...I don't hafta power level myself, but that's not my point. Fine, keep the assembly macros...but consider this, why are we slogging thru the essential job of a profession/character we CHOSE to play.
IMHO, the devs should focus on making crafting enjoyable not easier...there's a difference. Could they make a way for us to spot weld using the movement keys ('**edit**, I missed and cut a power line!')? Could they allow us to mix our own dyes for tinting clothes? Could we buy a forge from an architect and perfect the timing needed to make a shock resistant ferrous metal perfect for Rykk blades? Could we experiment on WHERE we could attach a coupler ('hmmm...on the EM focus or the heater shunt?')? Could we have skill subsets like welding, stitching, roasting, carving?
If we made the process more unpredictable (to a degree) more customizable, more OUR OWN, people might not want to 'grind' thru crafting. It would be a pleasure to fill the world with detail.
Maybe a crazed Wookiee,
Aaroo, Coronet, Corellia, Bloodfin
top 5 things:
1) Mining Profession
2) An explanation on how stuff like UXP and XP from experimenting are SUPPOSED to work in different situations
3) Maybe some kind of "zoo" schem that uses those cool bird cages and creature habitats.
4) The ability to move some items(weapons for 1) up and down in structures. Or an item you can put another item "in" that acts as a sort of display case.
5) MORE COOL SAMPLING EVENTS. i used to afk sample but i love the new events. there needs to be more that happen more often.
A summary of topics for the last few weeks. Feel Free to add to this list or correct me if Iam in error.
- Factory bugs
- miner profession: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=artisan&message.id=9472
- all bugs discussed here: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=artisan&message.id=10425
- Harvester Maintance: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=artisan&message.id=8481
- Expermination issues
- Master Artisan having something that makes you want to master it
- More varity and more items in general to make
- Maintance and Power displayed in a manner that is easier to understand
- Remote mointoring of all structues. A droid was suggested as a way to do this.
- responses to the dev post: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=artisan&message.id=12295
- Visible Build Zones. A new tool, having them outlined on the map or something along thoses lines.
Please feel free to mail me or private message me with any concerns or suggestions.
you pay more for conveniance.
Here are things I would like to see:
The ability to change your survey range in the survey interface.
Have your general crafting experimentation points apply to specialized crafting at say 50%. That general knowledge should still have it's uses.
Remote monitoring of harvesters. We can do that in our world. Why can't we do it in a Sci-Fi enviroment. Charge a fee just like a cell phone or it could be part of the maintenance fee. Should still have to visit them for maintenance (Isee maintenance costs more as preventive maintenance. i.e. replacing worn parts before they brake and such)and power.
Should get email if the resource that was being mined disappears and harvester stops operating. (resource shift)
Forgot one.
The harvester UI. You should just have to select harvester maintenance and then have different tabs for power, maintenance, operate instead of having to return to the radial menu all the time.
1) Add back the Miner Profession
2) Harvester Maint and Power on ONE screen and both with the slide bar interface and hopefully both allow addition AND removal (realistically this needs changed across all structures to be like this.) In all honesty, I'd also like to see the hopper on that screen also so you could do maint and clean it out at the same time with significantly less clicking of the mouse.
3) Add exp for experimentation (up to 25% more perhaps...) give a reason to experiment and take your time and learn a profession rather than speed grinding through it.
4) Tool to gauge the duration a resource will be available before the next shift... (with skill in surveying determining how accurate the measurement is.) It's really obnoxious to have to keep out of game spreadsheets of when each of the resources last shifted.
5) The increase in duration for sampling was done to reduce the ammount of resources you could macro mine, since that has largely been resolved by the inclusion of events that interupt the macro cycle, lower the delay back to what it was originally.
6) Give another range increase/resolution increase to surveying at Master Artisan so Master's can survey better than Joe-Bob the Bounty Hunter who threw 29 points into artisan.
7) Visible build zones, perhaps a tint on the standard map that can be toggled?
8) Mechanic Profession instead of adding player vehicles into existing lines or double elite professions.
Also wanted to say you've been doing a good job on the weekly emails Jasarina, Thanks!
Don't bring back the miner profession. However make it so you have to have surveying 4 to be able to run harvesters. Maybe personal ones at surveying 3 or something. Make it so that there is some investment in time and skills to use harvesters but not a giant investment that is going to keep crafters from being able to level. Hard enough for solo crafters to get their level up there as it is don't need to remove their ability to get resources themselves.
add crafting XP for experimentation.
change shift of resources from 5-8 days to 8-10 days. 5 days is just not long enough with the costs associated with redeeding and the hassle of trying to find a new spot to lay the harvesters on. Rapid resource shifts don't hurt the power gamer but kills the casual gamer who can't log on every single night and spend 2 hours relocating his harvesters.
Fix surveying devices so the max range is 364 like listed and not 320 like the highest we can get currently.
Keep red mobs from spawning within 150m of harvesters and other associated buildings.
and perhaps the most important thing although already answered put in a **edit** extractor monitoring device so we can see how the harvesters are doing without spending 20 minutes and possible death to run out and find out the harvesters are fine til tomorrow.
1) Harvester maintenance: I like the droid idea and the terminal idea. I think they should both be added. Droid engineers could have a module that will do it, and the Architects can have functionality to their internet terminals that they can make. Let each one bring up a window that will tell you all the pertinent info on your harvesters, as well as be set to warn you if they need maintenence, as set by the user. ie under 500 credits, etc. Also, let the terminal be stored in your datapad at 10 slots, as well as giving you galactic news and such.
Also let there be direct deposit.
2) Power droids: Lets give them some functionality. Let them go to your energy producer and then evenly distribute the power between your various harvesters, or even distribute as you tell it to. May have to watch out for local wildlife though.
Better yet, let us put a solar panel on it and directly hook it up to a harvester. Let it count towards the harvesters number of droids out and not ours though.
3) Crafting UI: Definitely needs to be one screen. Awsome idea there.
4) General experimentation points: 2 things
a) Let us use it for the specialized crafts, even if at a 1:2 or 3 ratio.
b) Let us creat our own schematics.
Currently you get the schematics for specific things put in your datapad as you go up in level. Granted you can tweek those schematics to make them better, but how much cooler would it be to creat your own?
example: Instead of the CDEF Pistol schematic i get the Pistol schematic with so many points to spend on it dependant on your Engineering level. You then decide how many points go into damage, how many into HAM, accuracy, range, etc. Then you give the schematic your name and then you can trade or sell the schematic to others.
5) Getting xp for experimentation would be cool as well.
Thats it for now.
Have Fun,
Darren
Add Change color to display so you cant see anything in your inventory, leave all the things that dont work in the game but are options to build like droids, & bios things etc. alone until you've played with the color for a couple months.
Add usless firefly's to the game, work on this for a month, then work another month to change the colors.
Add rocks to the game that can be picked up, but take up 50 units to store, work for a month so that you can changethe color of the rocks.
Add more leafs that fall of trees, only a couple though, change the spin rate on the way down to the ground. Work on this for a couple more months again not fixing a thing thats currently broken.
Just generaly have the 1 programer working on the game do nothing usefull.
Oh yea, take out all the things people are having fun with or making money on, CANT HAVE THAT NOW CAN WE, take out as much as you can that is working. It's not supposed to be in the game until next year.
