Bio Engineer Archive
Thread: Why you can't find a BE on your server...
Page 1 of 7
LloydPickering
Sat Nov 27, 2004 12:16 am
#1
This thread is intended as a sortof FAQ for those who have/are/will posted/posting/post threads along the lines of 'looking for BE on XX server'. (At time of writing, there are 6 threads asking for BEs on the first page of the forum alone)
Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion of this subject, and in no way reflects the official views of the BE community as a whole. Unless they feel it does 
1. Why are BEs so rare?
The BE profession has not had any changes in 12 months (exception: Vendor Nerf). One of our main crafting avenues, Pets (also probably the most complex and interesting craft in the game), are not amazingly lucrative, mainly due to the nerfing of the CH profession.
With no Holo grind, and no new players experienceing BE, there aren't many new players joining our ranks, and with the gradual turn over in players in any MMORPG, we are probably gradually diminishing in number. This rather small number of 'new bloods' could also be related to a lack of knowledge in the SWG community as to what BE actually does.
2. Why do a lot of BEs hide away?
With a relatively low number of BEs to go around, we can often get inundated with requests for X or Y. This can mean that we often never get done what we want to. Our solution is to remove our profession tags so that no one will contact us out of the blue.
(NOTE: When contacting a BE, it is preferable to mail, as we can respond in our own time - and ALWAYS be polite).
Also a lot of BEs don't like dealing with Chefs as they don't feel that their skills are respected enough (possibly only a minority of Chefs).
3. Why do many BEs not make certain items?
Again this can be directly related to the small number of BEs. Lots of BEs are alts for other characters, the most common being a BE altsupporting a Chef. This gives less time to do all the items a BE can. Some BEs don't make Chef tissues for the reasons above in 2, others dont make pets because they don't see a good return for their investment in time, or they plain don't understand the pet crafting system. Some don't make Tailor tissues because some have hard to get resources or they aren't asked to make them in large quantities.
There are imho, 2 main types of BE. The Professional BE, who is a main, and the Alt BE who is there to support another class eg Chef/BE or CH/BE. A lot of Alt BEs only deal with the items they make for themselves.
4. Why do BEs not like making Schematics?
This is a big one to cover, so i'll try to condense some reasons. One reason is a BE can make hundreds of schematics in the same time it takes to make 1 full run of a schematic in a factory. This destroys the market for other BEs as they become unnecessary. Another argument against schematics is it makes the need to spend 168?(havnt counted the eaxct amount, only a rough guess) SPs almost worthless as they then become a schematic monkey.
5. Why can't BEs keep up supply of Chef Tissues?
Chefs tend to only buy Full runs of tissues, and the resource requirements for BSN(Broad Spectrum Nutrients) that are our biggest seller, and go in Brandy, are 20k Meat & 60k Flora. These all have to be very high quality OQ/PE/FL to hit the levels Chefs want.
It is VERY easy for a BE to go through a few hundred k of Meat in a week just to supply 1 or 2 Chefs. If we buy this meat at server prices, we are likely to make very little profit on our nutrients and so we often prefer to harvest.
(For an exercise, just try adding up the cost of 20k meat and 60k flora at server average price (as of Nov04 probably somewhere around 30cpu meat, 10-15cpu flora dependant upon individual server economics), then check out how much BEs make in profit.)
When we do buy our Meat, we are competing with other BEs as well as Chefs and Docs over the same meats.
6. What can I do to help?
Petition everyone you know with leaflets informing them of the plight of BE!!!
When dealing with BEs, be patient and understand that is not an easy profession. Also pay fair prices. In the long run, this will encourage more BEs, meaning you will get more readily available supply.
Ripping off all the BEs you know will save money in the short term, but who's going to make your goods when there are no BEs around? You will then have to do what a lot of other Chefs have done and pay real life money for an alt to make more game money.
7. Where can I find a BE?
Firstly, check out the vendors list at the top of the BE forum.
Secondly, post in your galaxy Trade Forum.
Thirdly, use the in-game vendors list in planetary map.
Fourthly, use your galaxy Auction channel
Fifthly, use the character search function
If all else fails, lament the BE profession, and you could always take it up yourself.
WHATEVER YOU DO, *DO NOT* ASK FOR A BE ON THE BE FORUM. IT IS NOT A TRADE FORUM.
Message Edited by LloydPickering on 03-11-2005 06:01 PM
LloydPickering
Sat Nov 27, 2004 6:40 am
#3
Zadokk wrote:
This should go in the FAQ. Nice work Lloyd.
Why thank you Zad. I have no objections to this going in the FAQ, however I suspect it wouldn't get read by the target audience 
They already have problems reading the vendors thread when looking for...vendors.
They already have problems reading the vendors thread when looking for...vendors.Lloyd Pickering
Master Bio-Engineer
Chimaera
6276, 1923 Sapphire Lake, Naboo
Hylidex
Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:06 am
#5
Zadokk wrote:
This should go in the FAQ. Nice work Lloyd.
Agreed...or at least stickied. It's worth 5 stars, in either case.
LloydPickering
Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:10 am
#6
OK. NancyJ, u want to sticky this?
Lloyd Pickering
Master Bio-Engineer
Chimaera
6276, 1923 Sapphire Lake, Naboo
Hylidex
Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:21 am
#9
Maybe if we changed the subject to be "Non-CH Pets with 30K HAM and 600 Damage" it would get their attention. I know there is interest. I get asked for these all the time. Maybe I should offer to bioengineer a Non-CH Nightsister Elder for them, complete with a cute bicep and lots of loot, uh, excuse me, phat lewt.
LloydPickering wrote:
Zadokk wrote:
This should go in the FAQ. Nice work Lloyd.
Why thank you Zad. I have no objections to this going in the FAQ, however I suspect it wouldn't get read by the target audience
LloydPickering
Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:35 am
#10
Hylidex wrote:
Maybe if we changed the subject to be "Non-CH Pets with 30K HAM and 600 Damage" it would get their attention. I know there is interest. I get asked for these all the time. Maybe I should offer to bioengineer a Non-CH Nightsister Elder for them, complete with a cute bicep and lots of loot, uh, excuse me, phat lewt.
That's brilliant...
I would start a thread for people to postsome of the strange thingsthey've beenasked for (or maybe necro if there is one already), however we all know what would be in there, and we've all heard exactly the same ourselves.
BTW Where's NancyJ? I've only seen one post recently, and this hasn't been stickied yet (or denied sticky
Lloyd Pickering
Master Bio-Engineer
Chimaera
6276, 1923 Sapphire Lake, Naboo
Zadokk
Tue Nov 30, 2004 12:08 pm
#11
i spoke to her on Farstar, she's around, just busy and is watching the forums. basically, if there's anything that needs her attention just send her a PM and she will sort it.
LloydPickering wrote:
Hylidex wrote:
Maybe if we changed the subject to be "Non-CH Pets with 30K HAM and 600 Damage" it would get their attention. I know there is interest. I get asked for these all the time. Maybe I should offer to bioengineer a Non-CH Nightsister Elder for them, complete with a cute bicep and lots of loot, uh, excuse me, phat lewt.
That's brilliant...
I would start a thread for people to postsome of the strange thingsthey've beenasked for (or maybe necro if there is one already), however we all know what would be in there, and we've all heard exactly the same ourselves.
BTW Where's NancyJ? I've only seen one post recently, and this hasn't been stickied yet (or denied sticky
droid327
Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:45 pm
#12
Hylidex wrote:
What? She's PLAYING THE GAME? Is that allowed for the BE correspondent?
Yes, its OK as long as they play a FOTM MS/MD grinding Jedi and Pilot....get lost in the crowd
TheNola
Tue Nov 30, 2004 5:12 pm
#13
Greatly written.
I also believe pets are the "most complex and interesting craft in the game". I agree wholeheartedly.
Making petswas what I found so exciting when I was a BE.
As a tailor, I've always wanted to be a BE because I thought making tissues would be so fun and convenient for me. It was until I became a BE that I found I had no interest at making tissues at all, because making pets were way too much more fun
This was a great post, Lloyd I'm sure 99% of the general people would agree with you. At least I know I do!
I'm sure 99% of the general people would agree with you. At least I know I do!
Page 1 of 7