Bio Engineer Archive
Thread: No BE skill tapes
Do what you have to do to make sure we don't get stabbed in the back by an attempt by the devs to be nice to us arthur...
-Grozzer
Kauri
droid327 wrote:
Having BE skill tapes might actually be BAD for the BE profession - here's why. A lot of chefs want to pick up BE as a support, but are scared off by the big skill point investment, since you need MBE to make the quality of tissues they want. With +20 in experiment tapes, you'll have 9 points at X4X4, though, which will let them make 87/117 with HQ resources, reducing the dependence on career BEs even more.
Howdy! Background: I have one character. No Alts. And after spending over 8 months grinding for MBE (I am that mythical "casual player"), seeing it pass through at least 2 big changes that I can remember, I think that BE is fairly straightforward. I'm a little disappointed that there are no enhancing tapes, in the sense that it feels like BE has been left out. On the other hand, I don't particularly see a need to have them. As has been mentioned, our skills only go so far, and enhancement tapes won't make a great deal of a difference. I think (and it might be blasphemy) that skill tapes for BE is about as worthwhile for the Devs as slamming their heads against their keyboards. And I don't want them to do that... it definitely won't improve their efforts at making the game as a whole better.
On the issue of BE Skill Tapes bad from the point of chefs picking up BE in a supporting role... it makes sense. I know that I comment at least twice a day on the amount of Skill Points I have tied into being MBE and attempting to gain MCH with at least marginal combat abilities.
I have no vendor because I refuse to lose my one box of Pistoleer... (Okay, not the best choice for a combat profession, but that's another forum.) I would be a little miffed if I found out that someone with 10 times the money I have when I'm flush from a good sale could invest less time and Skill Points to achieve the same quality of tissues and pets that I poured my soul and carpal tunnel syndrome into to achieve while flushing what combat ability I once had.
(Of course, if they gave weapon certifications of any kind to players in the Scout/Ranger trees, I might not have that problem. I want Ranger BAD. Tracking my creatures is a lot more efficient than just wandering around the planet hoping to come across a spawn.)
Sorry, I think I got off a little bit, but just to be clear: Skill Tapes for BE = Bad; unless they make one to reduce critical failures. DNA isn't cheap to get, when you're after specific kinds.
Catman Dewback <TOTBS>, Kettemoor
Famed Trandoex-band leader of the Wookettes
Message Edited by Physkoris on 01-10-2005 11:51 PM
droid327 wrote:
Having BE skill tapes might actually be BAD for the BE profession - here's why. A lot of chefs want to pick up BE as a support, but are scared off by the big skill point investment, since you need MBE to make the quality of tissues they want. With +20 in experiment tapes, you'll have 9 points at X4X4, though, which will let them make 87/117 with HQ resources, reducing the dependence on career BEs even more.
Well they wouldn't completely ruin our business. A 0/4/0/4 BE would still have to rely on Master BE's to make Intelligent Nanonutrients. While this isn't the biggest seller we've got it would still be some sort of control for us Masters. Maybe they should just give unlimited assembly (thus, never a critical failure) at Mastery (for all crafting professions) to prevent any kind of crafting dabbler profession.
Of course the easiest solution would just be to not put these experimentation tapes in! 
Message Edited by Bonestein on 01-11-2005 01:39 PM
Spazzers wrote:BE skill tapes with a bonus to experimentation would add to the overall effectiveness of pet meds because there is more than one line to experiment on. I can max out the heal and get more charges. On the other hand, tapes would have little or no bonus for chef tissues because typically the one line is maxxed out with points left over. I would have some rocking pet meds though.Keep in mind a x4x4 BE will still not be able to make INN's. This alone is enough to deter chef's from dabbling in BE. I don't think the extra two points would change the minds of many of them. Those that would dabble are probably already doing so.Curious that 3 stacks of 100K meat starts out at 15 million. A bio-engineer can make just under 15 complete runs of chef tissues (some of the meat will be used to make the schematic). The base cost for a full run has to start at 1 million, tack on the cost of flora, then add a reasonable profit margin. This is if the price of the meat stays at 15 million. Is it any wonder bio-engineers don't make tissues very often anymore? I can make a lot of money in much less time just selling the meat.Message Edited by Spazzers on 01-11-2005 12:23 PM
Oooo good point on the pet meds. I tend to forget about them. For everything else though the exp tapes would be useless. I guess it would keep the price down at least.
Message Edited by Spazzers on 01-11-2005 12:23 PM