Dancer Archive
Thread: Cool Non-Combat Buff Ideas
TheNola wrote:
QuiJonOz wrote:
The +1 experimentation point is a great idea.
I like that idea
I sadly, do not think that +1 experimentation is aviable idea with respect to balance, and for a few reasons.
You cannot make it vital for a crafter to have to be buffed. Again, buffs, should provide a usable bonus of some sort, but not an overpowering bonus to the point that everyone HAS to have one to be competetive.
Add to that, many crafting professions do not even utilize experimentation points to the effect that others do. I think that at first, buffs should probably be generic. The success and usefullness should be gauged, and then built on. While many people here have called for crafting specific buffs (armorsmith, weaponsmith etc), I honestly believe that slower implementation is the wise choice, and then fine tuning the initial product.
But back to the original subject at hand, and that IS giving a +1 bonus to experimentation. Again, do not make it necessary, make it a nice luxuray. A +1 experimentation bonus buff to a crafting profession...is a necessity. A +10 assembly bonus buff to a crafting profession...is a luxury. I think that buffs have to be kept in the "luxury" category, plain and simple.
- An Architect who watches or listens to a Dancer/Musician is inspired to "paint over" the usual paintings in-game with something unique, and random. In other words, add MORE paintings to this game to decorate with, and make them need inspiration to modify or "paint over" any existing painting. No more loot pieces from combat things no pure crafter can loot - make it a radial menu option once the Architect is inspired. This, of course, should be coupled with the addition of more Bestine paintings, because they're getting stagnant.
- A Master Artisan who is inspired can customize the appearance of vehicles (exhaust pipes, fenders, chrome plating, different chassis options)ever-so-slightly, to make it unique (does not impact vehicle performance). Make vehicle deeds have the appearance of the final product to accomodate this, like droids and pets do.
- Dancers and Musicians, when inspired, have access to a wider catalog of songs and dances. This would encourage out-of-the-cantina performances, since when inside the cantina the inspiration won't stick.
- Armorsmiths and Weaponsmiths, when inspired, can produce prop items for Dancers, at a very, veryreduced resource cost (small amounts, no named resource requirements), and that can be equipped by any player. These would match any existing item the crafter can create. The props would obviously be non-functional.
Just a few off the top of my head.
Maybe buffs that grant chefs the ability to make strange potions that have fake state effects, similar to holoemotes? Trick your enemy into thinking you're bleeding and dizzied, but really you're just gettin' started on 'em.... 
Rawr.
lammergeier wrote:
that's the problem I'm having...
Tralmek wrote:
What ways do you see for Entertainers to Inspire Bio Engineers in a useful fashion that wouldn't have the potential of raising the risk to the BE?
DNA sampling 'help' isn't as helpful as it might seem... and is an issue I've noted in the forum, and in reports to the devs.
similarly, crafting (of clones) isn't helped by assembly and experimentation like other crafting professions are.
the things that BioE's need right now? unfortunately, they need CL. they need better mob avoidance (maskscent or camo, or CL). unfortunately, these are essentially 'combat buffs'.
as far as med crafting (and tissue crafting, when it is fixed)... BioE's need the same things other crafters need. and a vendor. and the ability to survey. with the current 12-point-or-bust economy, however, I don't know that such requests are realistic.
it's the cloning aspect of BioE, DNA sampling included, that is... troublesome.
I'm still wracking my brain for a better answer... and I'm still drawing a blank. I just don't want to see 'buffs' implemented for BioE's that provide a dubious benefit.
I'd like to see a few things fixed for BioE, buff-wise or not: experimentable clone size (currently tied to CL, which makes banthas, cu pas, kaadu, etc unavailable as nonCH clone mounts); a better color palette for clones (which doesn't currently stick on some skins, another bug); more clone skins (which would likely be better offered from quests or somesuch, rather than buffs).
I can think of a few BE buffs that would help:
- Reduce (or eliminate) thechance that the mob will agro when being Sampled.
- Increased duration/strength to Mask Scent.
- Reduce (or eliminate) the chance of a critical failure on assemling a DNA Template or Pet (since BEs still lose their "resources" when that happens).
--Qilue-UCW-- wrote:
Doriana wrote:
This is one of those borderline combat related things but:
Temporary buff of, say, 14 to CL up to a max of CL54, geared towards entertainers and crafters who need to survi ve outside to check harvesters/travel to meet people/etc., but not enough to matter to people with a combat profession template.
Mmm.. Yea... kinda like mask scent, only it makes you look stronger and more buff to scare off creatures and NPCS. COuld scale that to the level of the ent.. and once you are master Dancer/Musician you could make a player look as "buff" as sommone who is Cl 50
My issue is I would WANT CL1 entertainers and crafters to use this but I would NOT want any combat person above novice specialized profession to use it. So I think there'd have to be a hard cap in how useful it is.
Heh... this made me think... the buff makes you appear to be CL X regardless of actual CL. So if a CL 1and a CL80 both got the buff to appear as CL 50, they each would appear as CL 50... not much use for the CL 80, but great use for anyone with a CL lower than what the buff gives.
Doriana wrote:
My issue is I would WANT CL1 entertainers and crafters to use this but I would NOT want any combat person above novice specialized profession to use it. So I think there'd have to be a hard cap in how useful it is.
--Qilue-UCW-- wrote:
Doriana wrote:
This is one of those borderline combat related things but:
Temporary buff of, say, 14 to CL up to a max of CL54, geared towards entertainers and crafters who need to survi ve outside to check harvesters/travel to meet people/etc., but not enough to matter to people with a combat profession template.
Mmm.. Yea... kinda like mask scent, only it makes you look stronger and more buff to scare off creatures and NPCS. COuld scale that to the level of the ent.. and once you are master Dancer/Musician you could make a player look as "buff" as sommone who is Cl 50
I feel that buffs that grant skillmod bonuses in many cases will tread on things already given/granted by other professions. There are some skills not yet covered, but why should we fight for the scraps? If we shouldn't be buffing stat pools, and we shouldn't be buffing skill mods, then what's left? Here's my answer: Knowledge. Some of the buff ideas so far tapped into this without unifying it into an overreaching whole, but here's what I've thought of as a starting point.
The dance/song lesson idea was a perfect example that I hadn't thought of. The only addition I would make to that is that it function pretty specifically. Anyone who doesnt have access to /startdance or /startmusic should not get experience from dances done under the buff. However, rookie entertainers should get xp at the rate granted by a higher level song/dance (this would foster teaching and give Entertainers a way to "buff" other entertainers. We shouldn't leave ourselves out of the process).
The other kind of enhancement I was thinking of would simulate an exchange of information. I've posted a bunch of ideas on expanding the sorts of missions that we got in the New Player Experience, and fleshing out our role as espionage types, or at least people with covert access to sensitive info. Let's create buffs that simulate that sort of talent. While we perform, we're whispering info into our customer's ears and it gives them the inside track on certain things. Here are some examples:
Job opportunities- a buff could help a patron that wanted to find work on specific world in a specific direction. While buffed, the mission terminal would provide more missions in the desired direction.
Troop movements/Creature Migrations/Criminal activities- With the loot tables being expanded and modified so that certain items drop only form certain mobs, these buffs could be very helpful. Also when certain creatures are highly sought after, knowing where they are could be invaluable. Two ways to simulate this would be an increased chance for that specific kind of mission, OR a modifier on the rate of natural spawns when a buffed player enters an area.
GCW Apsects- A buff that gives hints on Base vulnerability times?
Functional Notes-
For all these buffs, I would limit the knowledge only to the planet an Entertainer is entertaining on. In fact, I think there should be an amount of time an Entertainer needs to perform on a world before their buffs reach full potency this should carry over between play sessions, kind of like a self buff. In fact, maybe allow an Entertainer to gain knowledge of 2-3 different worlds, by planet hopping and buffing themselves, and then returning to a central planet to perform. This would force Entertainer players to do a little detective work to find out which worlds are currently the most needed for buffs.
In terms of giving the buffs, It should be as simple and transparent as possible for the Entertainer, but vitally important is that the process cannot be macro'd. Since the information being exchanged is a little complex, I think if a customer can go through a simple series of popups that let them choose type of buff, and specifics about it (the kind of mob they want to hunt). Then when complete, a message is displayed for the Entertainer: "Player XXX wants to know about YYY and is willing to pay $$$ credits" the Entertainer then has 10seconds to respond with one of several Response Emotes, /agree /disagree /payup /freebie and maybe a few others. The Entertainer gets no popups, and has to be there paying attention to the process, but doesnt need to jump through a lot of hoops, they can fluidly negotiate price without having to go through an arcane series of actions/flourishes to give the right buff. The buff would take time to apply, and that time can be decreased with CAs for entertainers, as well as higher skills. Also, it could be possible to buff a subject on multiple things at once, if highly skilled.
Concern-
I began this by not wanting to tread on other professions toes. The one big remaining concern to me is that this idea somewhat treads on some things Smugglers have been asking for for a long time. I'll give that some more thought, but Ideally I don't want to see that as a hurdle to this concept. I would love to see a cooperative effort made between Entertainers and Smugglers where our abilities mesh with their abilities, and the combination of the two adds something that EVERY player would love to receive.
Panthu wrote:
Maisland wrote:
Heh... this made me think... the buff makes you appear to be CL X regardless of actual CL. So if a CL 1and a CL80 both got the buff to appear as CL 50, they each would appear as CL 50... not much use for the CL 80, but great use for anyone with a CL lower than what the buff gives.
Ooh, that's smart.
Thats whatI meant!!
Message Edited by --Qilue-UCW-- on 07-05-2005 02:06 PM
I posted on the BE board that for crafting changes could include:
(1) Increase success upon assembly (currently the buffs only impact experimentation I believe)
(2) Actual increase in crafting points, not just roll success
After reading this thread I have a few more comments:
* I LOVE the idea of temporary skills, for dancing at parties
* How about a movement buff (for everyone). Maybe a 2-5% increase in movement speed (not TN), or vehicle speed?
* I also like the idea of increase in accuracy (maybe 10%). It makes sense too that a well-rested person is more focused.
Message Edited by MataHairy on 07-05-2005 12:20 PM
Gothywench wrote:
Esharra wrote:
Ani_cul wrote:
fun
Isn't that the whole point of playing a game? I love your suggestions.
QFE!!! Exactly.
I agree. I actually make more credits doing ID work than dancing or playing music... and ID work is all pure visual(fun) stuff right now.
P.S. What's with this stupid forum and "invalid HTML?" The forum itself puts it in, not me!
[Edit: About paintings.]
Shaizann wrote:
Til, you're putting alot of faith in the average MMO players capacity for patience.
Eh, I've never had the experiences that you've had, I guess. As far as I've ever known, players tend to befriend a certain tailor or ID on a server and use those players for nearly all of their needs. I hardly see a color pallette as a competitive advantage. When a player is looking for a certain color, they may spendan hourbrowsing the bazaars, hoping to come across what they specifically need. It's generally more efficient to shoot an email to a friendly neighborhood artisan for a custom order. In my experience, tailors and ID's are much more difficult to find than other artisans, and a player would most likely not run away from a tailor that doesn't have the ability to custom-make a pair of pants on the spot...
And really, how often does somebody need an outfit immediately? If you're waiting until the last second to dress for a wedding, you can't be picky...
Speed of serviceisn't a competitive advantage when it's a low-ranking factor in clothing sales.
Message Edited by Schardour on 07-05-2005 03:48 PM
Sunjammer wrote:
/equip shammy
Lessee...terrain negosh has already been mentioned....what about a bonus to harvesting? Get like 5% extra units of leather or bone or whatever...
Umi
