Bounty Hunter Archive
Thread: Smuggler Missions
The following is something edited that came from a post I made at the Smuggler's Den. Basically I'm interesting in knowing ideas people may have for Smuggler Missions. I don't know if this has been covered in other threads, since there are a good number of them but here are my thoughts. 
A suggestion was made about letting Smuggler slice regular Mission terminals and get missions that way. I'd like to either see that, or just see Smuggler Mission Terminals as well. The later, though, requires that they are either found on appropriate places that would make sense for a smuggler to take a mission.
The way I envision the Smuggler missions is to combine delivery/destroy in one package. BH's have to track an NPC, right? I believe they also may need to move from planet to planet. Something similar could be done with Smugglers, where they have to smuggler something to another planet, however since we are smugglers lets make this a bit more dangerous by adding a destroy factor to it. Maybe they need to kill someone or destroy an installationor smuggle the package through hostile territorybefore they can deliver the package, for example. Anyway, just my two cents on the whole Smuggler's Missions deal.
I just dont see hows thats all that different from regular missions. Yea sure its both in one but thats really not that much different then picking one destroy and one delivery mission in the same general area. Im not trying to be a na sayer.We are already the best mission class in the game with our combatskillsand the factthat we get more money per mission then anyone else.
I just dont think that smuggler mission terminals is the answer for the smuggler woos. Fixing the bugs So we can slice 4, open maglock boxs, and buy and sell faction will go a long way to helping us along, also making 100% language accually mean something for us. Lets fix whats already in the game before we worry about new content.
Let it be noted that I'm not talking about fixing problems or the like. It's simply thoughts about possible Smuggler missions scenarios in general.
And it can be different, it only needs a bit of imagination. How are BH missions different from destroy missions then?
In reality, I think they are and I think a good strategy for smuggler missions could be created to add more flavor to the profession, instead of just worrying if it will be a repeat of what's in there already. Does it have to happen now? Not really. There's already a lot of stuff in not only Smugglers but a lot of areas that deserve way more attention than this. Could it be something fun and a nice addition to the game in the future? I think it could.
Alright, if we truly want the DEVs to consider this (and I think just about every smuggler here does), we need to figure out a way to do it that we all generally agree on, so our representative has something solid to present. First, lets establish what we all generally agree on: That we want them to be modified delivery missions, with some smuggler type action involved (duh). First off, some people have objected to Smuggler mission terminals.. A secretive and illegal profession wouldnt have terminals in the town square. I suggest a Droid that functions exactly like a mission terminal, but (obviously) only to smugglers that sits inside some cantinas.
Next, and more complex, is how these missions function. We can generally agree that the rewards should be Smuggling experience (if it is introduced for some ofthe Smuggler's diciplines)and Cash. We all agree that there should be a decent amount of travel involved, and more City-to-City than City-to-countryside, as well as multi-planet stops. Go to Lok, speak to this individual in the cantina, take their item to someone somewhere else. So how do we make these long-distance delivery missions into Smuggler missions? Simple. Or at least it is in my twisted mind..
Repeatedly, people have suggested some sort of inspection that you can bribe/smooth talk your way out of (and gain expierienece for that, if you are successful). Some people also want punishment if you fail the mission. As things are now, there is no punishment for failing missions. I suggest that *Until player bounties are brought in* that there be no sort of punishment for failing delivery, aside from the mission failure if you are caught. Of course, if these inspectors had blasters, then youd have your punishment right there...
Inspector: "Are you trying to smoothtalk your way out of this one?!" *Turns smuggler into lunchmeat*
Of course the inspectors would have to be somewhat difficult, while still giving a skilled player a fighting (or running) chance.... And then is the problem with *where* these inspectors will be, and what faction they will have, etc. I suggest they be unfactioned and employed by the city. Some cities (like Smuggler's Outpost on Endor) would have no security force. The Inspectors would be at every Starport, stopping to question any smugglers that come their way (who are on missions). Other random security forces could also question the smuggler - so the smuggler would have to be careful where (s)he walked. So whats all this complicated stuff do? It makes the smuggler have to get to know the planets... which cities do and do not have guards at the starports, so they can go there and then hop a shuttle to reduce their chance of getting caught. It also would give them an opportunity to use Sneak skills, or distraction skills on the inspectors, as well as a Smooth Talk ability and a Bribe ability (Have bribe and Smooth Talk gained at levels 1 and 2 of Underworld, and the latter's skill improved as Feign Death is... all the way up the dicipline).
This is how I think smuggler missions should work. Going beyond just smuggler missions, if we wanted to, we could request that anyone with Novice Smuggler could be subject to a random starport search at any time, and any illegal (spice or sliced weapons) cargo they have could be confiscated. (If the searches only apply to smugglers, they dont have to worry about their Slicing business going down the drain due to inspectors confiscating weapons of ordinary people)
Thoughts? We're looking for constructive criticism here, and ways to make this profession more enjoyable and smuggling-like without having to post guards at every city enterance. We want to feel like were doing something illegal...
Lets get something solid and definitive down. If we say "Heres how we want it" instead of "we want something that will please us, you figure it out", we are much more likely to get the missions.
I heard a rumor that if you did a negative action (ie shooting a commoner) on Tatoonie, you'd be thrown in Jail.. This is false but it brings up an idea.
Make the mission exceedingly high rewards, little, if any destroy... maybe over long distances, with the thought of jail for say a day or two, or banishment from that planet (would be a reason to leave home planet for a while, ya?) for a few hours. Somthing that only a true smuggler would dare to do... and maybe put them in the back of the cantina, or from some seedy looking man in the starport...
So shoot for somthing in the region of 5-10k credits... made the difficulty high or match the reward to the mission (ie smuggling imperial plans of some giant ball thingy) to the rebels, or the loaction of a rebel base to the imperials In which everyone of that faction (Npc or even PC) could attack you if you did... somthing... like got to close to them with the plans (for NPC) and make you attackable after your "cover is blown." Get Incapataed or killed, and you get the punishment mentioned above ((Sorry in advance for any lousy spelling... 3:30 in the morning here))
Or perhaps give items and credits as a reward (Hint hint Hans DL-44 with all its tricks? or a speeder like thingy? nudge nudge) Or somthing along the lines to make it worth our effort, and make them only one at a time, and do able only alone (needing novice smuggler as a skill prereq)
More to come tommorow when I wake up.... <Homer's voice: Mmmmm..... Ssssleeep>
Chaed_Arelk wrote:Make the mission exceedingly high rewards, little, if any destroy... maybe over long distances, with the thought of jail for say a day or two, or banishment from that planet (would be a reason to leave home planet for a while, ya?) for a few hours. Somthing that only a true smuggler would dare to do...
Oooooooo! I LIKE this idea. Would be a pain if caught, but very RP-ish.
Some sort of faction cloaking skill would probably be needed to tie this all together? I mean we take less of a faction hit, but if we were to take missions that are delivery in nature... and have an element of danger we have to have an element of potential faction failure? As far as I can tell our faction adjustmentis a percentage and constant and that would either mean complete danger or no danger yet? or am I waaaay off?
Just brain storming a bit.
I like the idea of random NPCs showing up in Cantina's enjoying the dancers etc. Have a seat next to them and ask um about jobs. In which they slide you a datapad(mission term comes up) and you pick from a select few.
I think it would be great if you could smuggle weapons for weaponsmiths in the future too.