Development Cycle Archive
Thread: In-Concept Open Discussion (Week Ending 3-29-04)
an idea that i came up with, born out of frustration, involves player advancement and progression.
as the game is now, once you reach master in your particular chosen profession, you have nowhere left to go. not everyone wants to be a jedi. say i have chosen fencer, i love being a fencer. once i reach master, my progression is done. i could be a master fencer for 2 years, and someone that just started 2 weeks ago and just reached master ismy equal.
what my real issue is, there needs to be something to keep those of us who like our professions interested in playing. talking to several of my friends we came up with the idea of a new type of experience you could gain once you reached master in a given profession. experience that could be spent on small benefits such as an innate terrain negotiation mod, or for crafters something like an extra experimentation point. these mods and benefits would stay with you even if you chose to change professions, but you couldnt gain the experience unless you were a master of a profession.they dont have to be large bonuses or mods, and the exp could be painfully slow, it wouldnt matter, as long as we had the knowledge that we were still progressing.heck they could even be spent on status items such as new titles for your profession, anything. ill tell you that logging on and knowing that there is nothing you can do to progress is slowly ruining the game for many people.
bounty hunter idea:
i would like to be able to get a bio signature from a jedi player if i'm close to him. i see alot of them in town, (easy enough to spot even if they don't have a title or lightsaber out) and would like to be able to track one once i see him/her, then sneak up when she/he's using force powers and make a mission appear on the terminals. even if i have to get the mission before i can get a tef on them it would still be cool to track them down once i'vediscovered them.
maybe it wouldn't work. just an idea.
Please excuse the repeated misspelling of armor in the above post. Didn’t catch that till after I clicked submit.
Sorry so long... I think he may be right.
I hope by open you mean anything goes, because I thought of something I think would be great. I think a huge arena on planet of your choice that would creat computer match ups, make it so that your group leader signs you in and then the game annylize the group then creat MOBs that would be Mutant so Normal configs are out the window, and make them comparable or more than comparable to the group... make it HARD! also i think setting up lockers (with lights so you can see they are open, and then auto way points like harvesters so you can find them again) outside and only allow them to bring in certain things and or so many things.. which would add difficulty.
It must consider everything though, buffs and all otherwise it will be too easy for power gamers...
The arena should have seats so people could watch wager, you could have PVP tournaments (4-5) on (4-5) score boards all kinds of stuff chefs could be selling mods docs selling buffs before fights... it would be awsome...
just a thought.
I would love to sit and listen to someone in the Cantina complaining about how that Stupid Luke Skywalker keeps killing him in Bestine Raids.
This is how I would revamp the game. I am not flaming the game in any way. I enjoy the game but I do see room for improvement. What I am doing is going class by class profession wise and trying and is some case over all game wise and giving my two cents worth. I am not at all saying I am 100 % right in this. please after you read the rest of the post feel free to share your thoughts, After all that's why I am posting to generate ideas. I have dabbled in almost every profession but I have mastered very few elite.
I will list each class and what I think needs to be changed and why. Mixed in will be the overall changes. ok enough about the labor I guess I will show the baby.
Starting Professions: These are for the most part ok with me. I think it gives a good sample of the master professions. I think they accomplish what they are intended to be.
Elite Professions: here is where I think allot of changes could be made.
Architect: This is outstanding idea. The change sin other classes would be able to help them. I would like them able to do a little more in home design. Maybe with the interior walls. Or at least give them the ability to increase store on homes. Heal bonuses for hospitals.
Armorsmith: Huge changes here. The problem now is the lack of diversity for this class. The only amour that I see being worn is Composite or Ubese. No one wears bone anymore. What would make huge difference is specialized amour. Amour for poison defense. Amour for heat and electricity. Amour for defense against knock down and stun. a type for Force resistance. You Get the point. Give them some options so customers might buy a different set of amour for different circumstances.
Bio-Engineer: Never played a BE but I can see that improvement here are already in place. Being able to help Tailors and Chefs. But this profession should be able to help all crafting profession. Better weapons, amour, medical supplies, and even spices.
Chef: I Think the revamp on this class is well done. I really cant think of any way to improve on this.
Tailor: I think skill modifying clothes are a big help. Again Not anything I know enough about to suggest to many changes. I would like to see more cross help with amour smiths like they do now with Bio engineers.
Image Designer: This class could be way more effective. The ability to change bio signatures from those running from the BH. Ability to remove negative faction points. To be able to disguises I guess sums up some of the changes. You could also enable them as the only means to color amour and clothes.
Weaponsmith: This class is a pretty good class. the problem is they get hit hard when a nerf is done. They need more control on damage type especially on melee weapons. Flaming swords and the type. BE should be able to help them make enhanced weapons.
Combat Medic: I think of this class as the Battle Mage class. I am hearing allot about Nerfing there poison ability. Bah Nerf is the easy way out. They should have these powers. What they need is vulnerability. A chance of poisoning them selves and others on there team. ( fire ball gone bad). They also should be venerable to Rifleman attack. This as a check and balance system. Rifleman get a modifier when attacking a combat medic. This with specific poison reducing support class items. (amour clothes and food.) will make them less god like but still effective with out nerf. The ability to affect mass groups is what makes them work. Otherwise they are glorified medics.
Doctor: this class is ok in my book. I love when a master doc is my party. I am going to master this as soon as possible. Great support class. BTW support class is not a bad word.
Squad Leader: Wow what I would change. First off. They should be the CH of NPC. Able to control a verity and amount of NPC characters. Some specific to this class. Factional and not factions. Even recruit "tame" some like pirates and Tusking They should be able to add more protections while grouped and leader. Example: Poison and mind resistance. Increased dodge ability. Groups should run to join a master SL group because of the enhancements.
Droid Engineer: I waiting to see when they are able to make real droids. Also if they could added enhancement to BE pets. Mechanical Parts and what not.
Creature Handler: I almost mastered this class. This is what happens when the nerf bat is swung to hard. The concept is great. Supply tanks.
Dancer: speed up the mind buff a little. Allow masters to heal BF anywhere.
Smuggler: Just mastered this class. I like allot of things they offer. Slicing terminals and selling faction points. I am not sure I would do to them at this point. It does seem they are missing something but I cant put my finger on it.
Commando: Commando should be a structure destroyers. I Think that what they are for the most part. When attacking buildings and turrets. They need to have resistance to most kinds of blaster fire. They should have a weakness to knock downs.
Ranger: I went up a couple boxes in this class. Great when hunting a specific creature target. I am not sure what to do to make them more effective.
Bounty Hunter: BH class needs first to be able to take on bounties for players. They should be able to set player traps bomb ect. Devices that when put in the correct place and are not detected before a timer runs out within a specific players proximity explode for mass damage. If a player detects it and clicks on it will disarm. Limit it to can only be used one at a time. Also these players should also get a first strike roll. Extra damage for hitting first. BH are not a profession that should be a go toe2toe with other combat classes. They should be able to quickly assonate others. They should be able to subdue damage and kill in a hurry. If they fail then they become vulnerable to attack.
a Specialized amour to enable them to maybe become invisible, but cannot attack while invisible and are extremely venerable while cloaking or uncloaking. There should also be a timer on the invisibility and a chance to fail rate with it. The chance fail decrease with the quality of amour and the level of BH.
Bounty Hunter profession is a hunter of Men. They should be designed for that purpose more than any other. With many tools at there disposal.
Fencer: these should be the pistoleer of the melee class. Fast attacks low damage. Added dodge and counterattack. bonus with a fragile when hit defense. This class needs amour restrictions. Only able to wear light to medium amour.
Pistoleer: again fast attacks. short to medium range. Great dodge but fragile with only being able to where light amour. resistance to knock down Very accurate while moving good.
Carbineer: the medium class. Medium to long range. Medium attacks. Medium dodge and defense. Medium amour. High defense against stun Moderately accurate while moving
Swordsman: The medium melee class. Medium attacks. Medium dodge and defense. Medium amour. High defense against stun and knock down. Moderately accurate while moving
Rifleman: Long range. Super weak against melee. Very powerful shots. They are 2 fast I think right now. They should have a natural defense against DOT damage.
Pikeman: Heavy amour and distance melee weapons. Should be able to smash locked containers and doors. There weapons should have movement hams and there attacks should be slow but very damaging. Moderate resistance to knockdown and stun. Bonus to hit with attacking prone or stationary targets. Not very accurate while moving.
Teras Kasi Artist: No amour. Great dodge, good knock down resistance. Natural defense against DOT damage. Venerable blaster damage when hit. (use of dodge to for check and balance.)
The melee and ranged combat professions should keep each other in check. All melee should have moderate ranged knock down attack to differing degrees. and ranged should have a long range knock down. With movement speed changes depending on fighter class. PIstoleer and Fencer great movement Carbineer and swordsman medium .Rifleman get medium movement speed but a negative to hit modifier while moving. Pikeman are slower but have a knockdown defense. SO characters keep themselves in check. Making a diverse party more effective.
Specials should have vulnerability when used. You are more likely to be hit. And damage increased. So if you spam your special you better hit your target.
This just a rough idea. Each class could be gone into more in depth. I think the problem is not enough check and balances in the combat class and defenently not enough diversity in the Support classes.
