Commando Archive

• State the Issue...

• What are your suggested Solutions...

• Commandos are considered a Ranged profession, subject to same penalties as other ranged professions, but has all specials restricted to Melee Range (16m)

• Replace or Revamp HAR to have Ranged Specials.


• Reduce Power, if needed,in exchange for ranged special and some high level of AP.

• Commando grenades damage the user if caught in the blast radius. This damage is on top of the extremely high HAM costs and often leads to Commandos Incapp'ing themselves.


• Bomb Droids are set not to damage the user if caught in the blast radius.


• Combat Medic Poisons and such do not damage the user if caught in the blast radius.


• Ideal Range of Commando grenades often within the blast radius.


• Grenades are boring.

• Remove the ability of grenades damaging the user.


• Increase the range of throwing grenades to close to or equal to CM throwing range (since we cost the same skill points).


• Add status effects to grenades.


• Up the number of Grenades per pack from 5 to 25...feel free to lower the number that come per crate to accomplish this.

Lack of Defenses

• Commandos are in a 3 way tie for having the most Skill Point Cost. Of all professions, Commandos have the highest cost of Combat Related Pre-Reqs. Commandos are rank very low on Defense ability.

Community Suggestions:

• Up our Def Vs. mods, especially Def Vs. Dizzy and Def Vs. Knockdown...especially since we do most of our fighting withing 16m of our target.

• Unarmed pre-req and range restriction on all specials of 16m, but no Melee type attacks.

Community Suggestions:

• Add Unarmed or Weapon Butt attacks that come with possible KD or at the very least, Status Effects.

• Grants Skill Mods to Novice and Master Boxes


• Grant ranged specials

• Accuracy and Speed mean that over 25% of uses never connect with target.


• Resource cost and effort to craft makes these weapons hard to find, and when found, expensive vs. the amount of uses.


• Damages user if caught in blast radius (using at least the Rocket Launcher).

• In the past I submitted a proposal for a new Non-Consumbale Launcher that utilizes Ammo packs much in the way that Trap droids use Traps.


• Ammo Packs would be easier to craft and could be slicable. They would determine the type of damage and possible the speed of the weapon.


• Ammo Packs would hopefully be removable and replacable much like LightSaber crystals in a LightSaber.

Message Edited by garvin on 07-12-2004 03:01 PM

---

garvin wrote:

Ok...I've been giving yet another assignment from TH...This weeks assignment is to come up with some ideas that would make life better for Commandos if they went into effect prior to the CB...these ideas MUST be brief and they can't be in the form of a MAJOR revamp of a tree or the entire profession...Also creating new Weapons = New Art = Time they may not want to invest prior to the CB...New Specials, while also having new art, may lead the Programmer to re-using other animations out there and makes them a possiblity...

Anyway...What Ideas Do you have? Your ideas need to be in the form of:

Issue:

• State the Issue...

Suggestion Solutions:

• What are your suggested Solutions...

Remember...be BRIEF...one or 2 sentences at most...I have to turn this in fairly quickly...I'll include what I have so far below...My version collects issues I've repeatedly read about in our Community as well as various Community Suggestions...I'll try to work in as many other suggestions you have as possible (especially the more popular and realistic pre-CB ones)...

---

Lack of Ranged Specials

• Commandos are considered a Ranged profession, subject to same penalties as other ranged professions, but has all specials restricted to Melee Range (16m)

Community Suggestions:

• Replace or Revamp HAR to have Ranged Specials.


• Reduce Power, if needed,in exchange for ranged special and some high level of AP.

Grenades Hurt User

• Commando grenades damage the user if caught in the blast radius. This damage is on top of the extremely high HAM costs and often leads to Commandos Incapp'ing themselves.


• Bomb Droids are set not to damage the user if caught in the blast radius.


• Combat Medic Poisons and such do not damage the user if caught in the blast radius.


• Ideal Range of Commando grenades often within the blast radius.


• Grenades are boring.

Community Suggestions:

• Remove the ability of grenades damaging the user.


• Increase the range of throwing grenades to close to or equal to CM throwing range (since we cost the same skill points).


• Add status effects to grenades.


• Up the number of Grenades per pack from 5 to 25...feel free to lower the number that come per crate to accomplish this.

Lack of Defenses

• Commandos are in a 3 way tie for having the most Skill Point Cost. Of all professions, Commandos have the highest cost of Combat Related Pre-Reqs. Commandos are rank very low on Defense ability.

Community Suggestions:

• Up our Def Vs. mods, especially Def Vs. Dizzy and Def Vs. Knockdown...especially since we do most of our fighting withing 16m of our target.

Lack of Melee Specials

• Unarmed pre-req and range restriction on all specials of 16m, but no Melee type attacks.

Community Suggestions:

• Add Unarmed or Weapon Butt attacks that come with possible KD or at the very least, Status Effects.

Launcher Pistol

• Launcher Pistol Cert'd to Commandos, but Nothing Beyond that Commandos have no skill mods or specials associated with the LP beyond Master Marksman

Community Suggestions:

• Grants Skill Mods to Novice and Master Boxes


• Grant ranged specials

Heavy Consumable Weapons come with Too Heavy a Cost

• Accuracy and Speed mean that over 25% of uses never connect with target.


• Resource cost and effort to craft makes these weapons hard to find, and when found, expensive vs. the amount of uses.


• Damages user if caught in blast radius (using at least the Rocket Launcher).

Community Suggestions:

• In the past I submitted a proposal for a new Non-Consumbale Launcher that utilizes Ammo packs much in the way that Trap droids use Traps.


• Ammo Packs would be easier to craft and could be slicable. They would determine the type of damage and possible the speed of the weapon.


• Ammo Packs would hopefully be removable and replacable much like LightSaber crystals in a LightSaber.

Message Edited by garvin on 07-12-2004 03:01 PM

---

"while also having new art, may lead the Programmer to re-using other animations out there and makes them a possiblity..."
-i've noticed flamethrowers don't illuminate the terrain when in the dark maybe that can be added, i'd like to see those jantas burn
-maybe rockets illuminate the terrain at night, glow bright white with a cool blue glowing spiraltrail? (it spirals already which is cool)

"Grenades are boring" <-- any chance of a mini-nuke nade? lol might make things more fun

hows about for ranged support IV we gain the cert for a new weapon? maybe a rail driver?
-High AP
-Kenetic dmg?

"Add Unarmed or Weapon Butt attacks that come with possible KD or at the very least, Status Effects." <- totally agree we need unarmed IV but we have no melee specials

"Launcher Pistol Cert'd to Commandos, but Nothing Beyond that Commandos have no skill mods or specials associated with the LP beyond Master Marksman"
- dual launcher for master :S (i think someone might cry nerf about that idea)
- maybe give us the ability to aim at a pool we want to hit?

consumables
- i'd like to see aiming for a pool brought into the consumables, maybe increase their damage, i currently do more damage with my flamer than a consumable shouldn't it be the other way round?

i know u said keep it short, my bad.....please master don't beat me

• Add a grenade range modifier to the grenade branch akin to the Healing Range modifier for combat medics. (better grenadiers are better throwers.)

---

Dextrix wrote:

I think you got it all Garvin. I wouldnt clutter it up, its perfect.

Even if we only got half of this till CB, I would be happy.

I'm kinda thinking asking for state changes on nades and mele spec's is pushing it but what the heck...

Dex Fay'Scatha

Master Commando

Aspiring TK

Dirty Fighter

---

Thanks...

Remember...the key thing to this is probably "the easier it is, the more likely we could get it"...

TH has made no problems, but I'm sure they realize that we all still have a long wait until the CB hit's live...and most of us have been waiting since before Publish 7 when we got seriously NERF'd...He wants to know what they MIGHT be able to do for us and other professions in the mean time...no promises though...

As for grenades, why don't they swipe some code from CMs?

I'd be happy if I could chuck a grenade as far as a CM (not beyond 64m mind you). I'd be even MORE happy if it had the damage radius of a CM bomb.

It shouldn't be too difficult to swipe that code & tweak it for commando grenades at all.

For the rest, AP on a non-consumable would be divine. The weapon-switch delay is killing me in melee range though. That's been a tough one avoid, so if there's any way this could be tweaked, that'd be great.

---

garvin wrote:

Thanks...

Remember...the key thing to this is probably "the easier it is, the more likely we could get it"...

TH has made no problems, but I'm sure they realize that we all still have a long wait until the CB hit's live...and most of us have been waiting since before Publish 7 when we got seriously NERF'd...He wants to know what they MIGHT be able to do for us and other professions in the mean time...no promises though...

---

• Commandos usless against medium to highend mobs

• Revert the changes to the flame DOT. Have it ignore armor protection again. (unlikely, but favored by me)


• Make FT AP1 or 2. (It's a simple change in #s behind the scene)


• Reduce HAR's HAM cost (make it same as FT's), half it's attack speed, and special delay, and make it AP2 or AP3. Doesn't need DOT. Reason for AP2 or AP3 is the existance of the Tenlos DXR-6B Rifle that is AP2.

• No real advantage to keep Master Commando. Range/Melee defense bonus not sufficient. Must dabble to have decent protection.

• Double the speed bonus, triple the range/melee defense bonus (+75), and add in Defense Vs ___ +25 at the Master box. Awards those who keep the Master box. It's a math change, so, shouldn't be too tough to have. Gives Master Commando some good tanking ability. So we can stand tough, and fight hard like a Commando.

• Grenade tree useless due to bad HAM cost, and terrible range.

• Use same modifier/math as the CM poison charge throw, and include the same AOE range with CM's accuracy (never misses). Limit the Master to lobe grenades at 1 every 5 seconds at master level.


• Have the Grenades do what they are suppose to do: ie, Cryoban. Freezes targets in AOE zone in place. Warcry effect but doesn't break on damage, but break on a timer. Proton Granade should be as effective as a detonation droid, causing an area damage of 1K+
  

Message Edited by SuperTurbo on 07-12-2004 04:50 PM

Launcher Pistol

* Launcher Pistol Cert'd to Commandos, but Nothing Beyond that Commandos have no skill mods or specials associated with the LP beyond Master Marksman

Community Suggestions:

* Launcher Pistol AP0 --> AP1

* Grants Pistol Speed Mods to Novice +10
* Grants Pistol Speed Mods to Master +10 (total pistol speed +50 at Master)
OR
* Grants Pistol Speed Mods to Master Marksman +20 (total pistol speed +50 at Master)

All code only changes requiring no art or major effort. The speed modifier is modest and not unbalancing to the Master Commando, but coupled with the AP1 will increase the DPS to a reasonable level. Putting it in Master Marksman would benefit both Commando and BH professions and offers the opportunity for other professions to spend the skill points to master marksman if they desire the increased speed.

Grenades Hurt User

* Commando grenades damage the user if caught in the blast radius. This damage is on top of the extremely high HAM costs and often leads to Commandos Incapp'ing themselves.
* Bomb Droids are set not to damage the user if caught in the blast radius.
* Combat Medic Poisons and such do not damage the user if caught in the blast radius.
* Ideal Range of Commando grenades often within the blast radius.
* Grenades are boring.

Community Suggestions:

* Remove the ability of grenades damaging the user.
* Increase the range of throwing grenades +5 yards for each Field Tactics Box and Master Commando box (resulting in max 65 yard throw or whatever the Devs decide is the maximum throwing distance (ie same as applies to CM).
* Grenades should not "miss." They should do lesser damage if a "miss" occurs but all enemies in the blast radius should take damage.
* Grenades should have a high knockdown chance.

Skill Mod Attachments Don't Work

* Heavy Weapon attachements don't apply to the weapon specific modifiers currently in effect.

Community Suggestions:

* Convert all Skill box granted mods to "Heavy weapon" mods.
* Reimplement the code that relied on "Heavy Weapon" mods used in Beta.
* Ensure that all current in game heavy weapon armor and clothing attachments are converted to work as advertised.

Lack of Defenses

* Commandos are in a 3 way tie for having the most Skill Point Cost. Of all professions, Commandos have the highest cost of Combat Related Pre-Reqs. Commandos are rank very low on Defense ability.

Community Suggestions:

* Remove or reduce the 2x melee damage modifier applied to commandos.
OR
* Grant Melee Mititgation 1-3 in Field Tactics Tree and Master box.


Commando attacks vs. Dodge/Block

* Currently, targets can dodge or block flame throwers (and HAR, and Heavy Weapons).

Community Suggestions:

* Adjust the weapon characteristics such that it is not possible to Dodge/Block attacks with these slow firing / heavy damaging weapons.
* It should not be possible to Dodge a blast attack and avoid all damage. If the character dodges a blast weapon, they should take splash damage. (the rockets miss but explode nearby hitting you with shrapnel)

Heavy Beam Rifle Certification:

* Currently, a "Heavy Beam Rifle" (not completely sure of the proper title)is dropping but no class is certified to use it (is there?). This appears to be a high AP non consumable heavy weapon.

Community Suggestions:

* Grant the Cert to Commando (Pick any box) so that this looted weapon can be used now.
* Implement a craftable schematic for this weapon.
* Assign ONE highly effective existing special from the Bounty hunter, rifleman or caribineer elite professions that will work with this weapon at Master Commando.

I think these adjustments will avoid any type of art changes and are more code and table fixes more than anything else. I like the long list of other fixes on the list Garvin, particularly trying to give some use to the heavy weapons tree by making them more easily craftable.

RIEN
Master Commando - Corbantis

• HAR is not very much used.

• Reduce it's attack and special attack speeds, make it AP2 or AP3.


• or Completely revamp it. Make it a Sonic beam rifle. Does stun damage. If stun damage, keep it's current HAM cost, attack speed and special modifier. Have SonicSingle1 do a concentrated Stun beam attack, and SonicCone do a 30 degree cone of Stun beam attack.

Making the HAR a Stun Beam cannon. This would really make the Commando feared again in group PvP. Imagine the support role of targing a group of enemy Melee fighter and unleashing Stun cone attack. It would cut through many. (Can remove this change after CB since Stun type weapon is going away).

• There'sa Beam Rifle (Heavy Weapon)that exist in the game and it's unusable.

• Quick change is to cert it as a HAR, use it's accuracy and speed modifier. Make it the Stun Beam cannon I mention above, and keep the HAR the same. Just make it a clone of the HAR, and have it's damage type be Stun.


• Or have it have AP1 Electric damage.