Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Publish 6: Released Wednesday Morning
Hello? I did not say taking spice and using sliced guns is how the Imperials do it. I'm simply saying that this is the way they operate the scans in the SWG world. A high ranking officer has privledges in the corrupt Empire, and one of those privledges is not being scanned by a lowly Trooper. That's just how it is.
RougeSmuggler wrote:
DeQuosaek wrote:
Oh for crying out loud...
High ranking Imperial Officers (not all Imperials) will not be scanned by lower ranking scanning soldiers.
It makes perfect sense. And it's how the Empire does it. Maybe that gives you smugglers more reason to "have no love" for the Empire, huh? It's Star Wars, the Empire rules. Get used to it.
Hmmm, No. EU doesn't support the idea that 1) Imperials rely on "modified" weapons bought from backstreet peddlers. And 2) that they are all Junkies who use spice all the time.
R2DADROID wrote:
If a Master Smuggler wants to avoid any hassle, just beome a high ranking Imperial, too.
Smugglers are finally becoming smugglers.
Many smugglers have said countless times that being a smuggler has entailed no risk.
Now they are finally getting some risk.
A Master Smuggler will have a high chance of not being caught and helping others to evade detection, too.
In real life, a skilled smuggler who hides their dope craftily inside the seats of their pickup will evade detection easier than a bad one who justcarelessly shovels it under a tarp in the pickup's bed.
Think about high ranking Imperials as VIPs who'd get insulted if some peon tried to do a full body search.
Smugglers are criminals. No criminal has a 100% chance of not being caught.
Having a great alibi, like being a respected member of an organization who's held in high esteem, will get them off easier.
Personally I think that Imperials should not get reprimanded if they have weapons sliced by Imperial Slicers. I think the Empire would want their soldiers to have the best weapons possible.
But any Imperial caught with spice should be punished harshly.
But high ranking Imperials should just be waved through.
And no, I don't have a high ranking Imperial character.
I disagree with a lot of what you wrote, and I wish I had more time to answer this because I generally like to read your posts, but the short version is this:
Smugglers want risk. In fact, most Master Smugglers I know want somewhere like 85-90% success, and think that 95% is too high.
But we're not here debating Smuggler success, we're here pointing out that Imperials get a 100% success without investing any of their precious 250 skillpoints, the most valuable commodity in the game.
You agree that Imperials who get caught should be punished harshly, but under the current system, go up a few ranks and there's no chance of ever getting caught. That's a huge problem.
I recommend you check out the Smuggler forum for more complete info, R2.
Smuggler_Caylin wrote:
How about the description of the item as it is in the game?
Muon Gold
A subatomic reactant that results in intense mental clarity and focus. Banned by Imperial authorities due to its degenerative effect on neural pathways.
Hello? This is NOT allowed.
Yes, and you know what? Did you know that guns are also banned by the imperials at this time? So how come I see tons of Stormtroopers using them? What's funny is find Star War lore to be so contradictory. In one incident the Empire is building massive weapons of destruction and destroying planets, and in the next incident they are banning substances because they are worried about the degenerative effects on neural pathways. go figure.
This is a stupid argument anyway. I'd rather have the superior weapontry that imperials should have and tell smugglers to stuff it . . . we shouldn't even need smugglers. 
IgescaStorm wrote:
JTGAlpha wrote:
Igesca that is because after this patch we can choose to be Imperials and smuggle, or be smugglers and pretend to smuggle.
Read my post above. We are grateful for what we got, but we are worried it will create future problems for us, when we actually get to REALLY smuggle.
Then go and become Imp! Then you are a smuggler and an Imp. (you can be also a smuggler and a rebel! Really!)
Somebody other talked about investedskillpoints.
The argument, you have spent skillpoints to be able smuggling is irrelevant!
If I am a high ranking Imp, i have spent many hours to get my rank, have died many death and loose many items due to decay. Why are your skillpoints better, than my Fraction Points?
Becauseskill points are limited. Once you run out, thats it.
Factional points are unlimited. Once youspend them all, you can always go out and get more.
GamerProX wrote:
If its just the Principle at stake then I think Smugglers are just pounding their chests, let it go and we'll see what happens. If it totally ruins your profession so no one will ever be a smuggler again, then i'll join you in the fight, but right now....naw I dont see the big deal other than adding some Star Wars feel, and Role Playing to the game. Smugglers wont be making money off smuggling anyway, in fact I bet in a few weeks this whole fight will be for nothing cause no one will care about smuggling contraband.
No offence to Smugglers at all, I really like Smugglers and want content for them cause its just good Star Wars, but I dont think this is worth wasting any effort on. Their is much more you could be asking for that I would support.
I think the same!
I don't know, how strong the crackdown will be, but i am afraid, it will not make the smuggling to a required skill, like Master Doctors buff-ability.
The best, smugglers can hope, they will be asked for grouping in hunting groups.
I, personally want to see, how the crackdown works and will not ask a smuggler to take my items. Maybe if there would be real checkpoints, like Starports (I know, it won't be), then smuggling would have a sense.
So, it is useless todiscuss about smugglers, because it will be as it is now.
I don't think, anybody will pay a smugglerfor babysitting and i don't think, any smugglers would come with me to my hunting trips, just to help me avoiding a random scan, that maybe occurs in the wilderness.
Monthigos wrote:
Smuggler_Caylin wrote:
How about the description of the item as it is in the game?
Muon Gold
A subatomic reactant that results in intense mental clarity and focus. Banned by Imperial authorities due to its degenerative effect on neural pathways.
Hello? This is NOT allowed.
Yes, and you know what? Did you know that guns are also banned by the imperials at this time? So how come I see tons of Stormtroopers using them? What's funny is find Star War lore to be so contradictory. In one incident the Empire is building massive weapons of destruction and destroying planets, and in the next incident they are banning substances because they are worried about the degenerative effects on neural pathways. go figure.
This is a stupid argument anyway. I'd rather have the superior weapontry that imperials should have and tell smugglers to stuff it . . . we shouldn't even need smugglers.
Citizens of the empire were not restricted from owning any kind of weapon. Thats absurd.
Stormtroopers and Imperial officers were issued unaltered equipment.
They were not sliced goods
As for the death star, it was more a weapon to cause people to cower infear of itbeing used, rather than actually used. They had to make an example, it does not mean they threw planets away needlessly.
One of the Four Horsemen of the Smuggler Apocalypse! 
I would just like to say that if I was an Imperial Officer I would not submit to being scanned by a low ranking clone!
RougeSmuggler wrote:
The Empire was harsh on everyone. The people in the military lived in just as much fear, if not MORE fear, then civilians outside.
Great job on getting thispublish out to us Devs! Keep up the good work, and good luck for a smooth publish out to us tomorrow!
ZandaarDokedros wrote:How about just bad players in general. People need to grow up, stop flaming and be polite for once(or at least not be gready). Im going to take a guess and say that the reason the imperial issue got more attention than smugglers or DE issues is because there are probably A) a lot more imperials than DE's or smugglers and B.) The whole contraband thing is a key issue to the imperial crackdown and thus more important on the list of considerations.
Well, I agree all sides should be polite, not make generalization, and not be greedy.
I'm not one of the smugglers raising hell over this issue, nor am I requesting the publish be halted until "smuggler's demands" be met. However I would like to emphasize the positioning of the contraband checks as a key issue in the imperial crackdown is exactly why we're having this discussion to begin with. If the crackdown revolved around a system of "background checks" where rebels and those neutrals with rebel faction were called out on a random basis in some way then I think all smugglers would be estatic that our "fast talking" gave us even a small percentage bonus to get ourselves or our group members out of these sticky situations. We'd also have no problem with IMPs getting a free pass here. But instead we're talking about contraband checks and the ability to manuver around the galaxy with illegal or outlawed items.
The dev staff did a good job initially trying to bring smugglers into the picture as far as the crackdown is concerned, and many smugglers cheered when TH stated that we were going to have some role in the handling and movement of contraband and avoidance of scans. But their final product showed they while they heard and understood the concerns of the imp re
verly harsh penalties in the first draft of things they didn't "get" what we were saying nor have they been around to take part in any further discussion on the topic. The smuggling community want to be able to smuggle - illegal resources, people, contraband, whatever - and in many respects the devlopments are good for us. But we are at now is a crossroads as the game designers have created the first real of contraband in the game. Unfortunately in the final design the devs have structured things so that some classes of non-smugglers get a free pass to carry, use and distribute these items - and do it better then even a Master Smuggler. So now they've given us skills but have immediate made those skills useless to many indivudals and being both an IMP and a smuggler at the same time no more useful then before. Hope you can see where some feathers might get ruffled.To take that a step futher and highlight the fears of many of the most vocal here and on the smuggler forum - there is a much bigger long term play here that doesn't have a lot to do with tomorrows 'crackdown' - the fact that a precident has been set and those getting a free ride now will fight later for a similar free ride if/when there are other types of contraband or smuggling related activities introduced. I ask you, why in the world would Colonel in the Imperial Army want to give up their ability to pull rank as it were when having their ship scanned as it enters port after the space expansion or whatever activites present themselves in the future? Or more permanant ground based checkpoints? Now say instead high ranking IMPs got away from these roving scans by grunt stormtroopers 95% of the time - well it would be much easier to tweak that % for different situations in the future, say 95% from one on one scans, 59% from airport xrays, etc. etc. But its much harder to change the precident of always being able to pull rank 100% of the time and get out of any situation.
Now, I'm not one of the earlier posters who are calling for blood. I don't feel we have seen the point of no return with this patch as some others do, but I do see a fight at some stage - one I think could have been avoided. I also had hopes there'd be more discussion with the devs on why smugglers seem to have so much of a problem before things went live tomorrow. But I didn't expect this round to be flawless even with more of a discussion.
hope you all read it anyway
"I also had hopes there'd be more discussion with the devs on why smugglers seem to have so much of a problem before things went live tomorrow"
AGreed. I'd shut up right now if TH came in here and said, "Don't worry, Smugglers. I PROMISE that what we have for you will not be affected by this patch."
That's all he's gotta say.