Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Weekly Rountdable Discussion (Week Ending 1-18-04)
It's a bit bizarre in the live game, that city buildings become aligned to the mayor/owner's faction, and won't let anyone else (even neutrals) register. Seems a bit buggy. Especially once the mayor transfers the building (say, the cantina) to a neutral, and it still won't let people register that aren't 'factionally aligned'.
I've also noticed a lot of bio-engineers quitting the profession over the new clone changes... as a tailor, it's become even harder than before to get bio-engineered tissues because of this. From the comments they've made to me, it sounds like I'd make a great BE with my degree in biology. But it seems a bit of a high educational requirement for a game. Possibly someone in the office that isn't trained in life sciences or mathematics should look at the system and see if it's fine for the average gamer? I'd guess some of the community staff don't have those specialities, so would make good guniea-pigs.
Jedi
Before you go fixing those bounty hunter droids I hope you've done some work on jedi in general. Jedi have very little to do in this universe that they haven't already done other than "level", Spend their creds on kryat pearls, and avoid bounty hunters. How about tossing them a bone or two by adding in some exclusive jedi content like a theme park mission or quests? Something that will give them a reward beyond just credits or junk and something that's actually useful to them. Suggestions would be various metals for using in light saber crafting, or crystals, maybe even a pearl or two.....
only problem with a "jedi" themepark is the bloodthirsty BH's hanging around to pick off the jedi.
dmarkis wrote:Jedi
Before you go fixing those bounty hunter droids I hope you've done some work on jedi in general. Jedi have very little to do in this universe that they haven't already done other than "level", Spend their creds on kryat pearls, and avoid bounty hunters. How about tossing them a bone or two by adding in some exclusive jedi content like a theme park mission or quests? Something that will give them a reward beyond just credits or junk and something that's actually useful to them. Suggestions would be various metals for using in light saber crafting, or crystals, maybe even a pearl or two.....
only problem with a "jedi" themepark is the bloodthirsty BH's hanging around to pick off the jedi.
I agree, I hear the BHs talking about fixes etc. Leave the BHs broke, give the Jedi's some peace. I don't even have a Jedi yet and I'm not looking forward to it. I've gotten to the point where I'm unlocking the slot to have it unlocked, then leaving it there till the Jedi are fun. Right now, what has been described as one of the games ultimate goals is very broken. Please TH, I understand keeping the Jedi population in check, but also remember you have customers here who wanna have fun.
The GCW. For the love of Pete fix the GCW. Let's face it, this game doesn't take a year to make it to the end-game. Many who started at launch or in the following months have already completed their template, gotten some of the best gear they can, and have encountered just about all of the tough PvE encounters in the game.
The GCW is the end-game, and what a large amount of players are interested in, and more join those ranks as they complete the other parts of the game.
First off, there needs to be a lot more GCW content.
But, let's get to some current content that needs fixing:
-There is no "pro" to bases. How do they help you? With PA cities now there is nothing that bases bring that a city can't, other than a recruiter, but those alone are not worth the amount of painand sweat a factoin base causes. Currently all they are is a giant FP sink for players, as well as a giant time sink in that the people must now spend a large amount of their time defending it. Essentially, there must be both advantages and negatives to the GCW, including bases.
- Coverts currently can cancel the shutdown sequence of a base, meaning it's IMPOSSIBLE to destroy a base. Must be fixed ASAP.
- A covert can also walk up to the main terminal of a base, target it, bring up the radial menu and quickly type /declare and then select the option to cancel the shutdown sequence, technically making it not exploitable. But it again makes it so it is IMPOSSIBLE to destroy as base. Must be fixed ASAP.
- Terminals do not always spawn in bases, even when they are vulnerable. Fix please!
- Vulnerability Windows of bases still change when the server goes up/down. Essentially you're making it so all the hard work, sweat and time people have put into these bases, can be destroyed without them ever getting a chance to protect it because the Vulnerability Window has shifted to a time that is not that PA's primetime. Obviously this is running off of some internal clock, and the clock stops during server downs, causing the window to change. Instead, making it run off of the same clock that the Chat Timestamps currently run off of (IE. when you turn the option on, every time something is said in your chat box it shows a timestamp beside it. That clock is always accurate, so make it run off of the same clock as that). Must be fixed ASAP.
- Group TEF. There's got to be a better option. Here's an idea: when someone dies, allow them to either select if they want to clone Overt or Covert. Simple as that. That way no one get's first-shot advantage, and it is not griefable because if, for example, someone is camping the cloning center, all the person has to do is clone Covert and they can leave. Very simple, very effective.
Ok..here's a suggestion. It's gonna sound sarcastic but it's not. It's honest.
Stop nerfing.
Fix bugs.
Then go back to nerfing.
You guys are "fixing" things right now by nerfing. However, there are lots of bugs in the game. So, you nerf, then fix a bug and then have to either fix again or nerf someone else. See? It's a never ending cycle.
THIS is the reason that there even HAS to be a "combat revamp" right now us because you guys started nerfing without applicable bugs being fixed.
Please note that I am not talking about game impacting (i.e. duping) nerfs right now. I am talking about balancing nerfs.
Having been in recent bloodfin pvp battles and having seen players take 15-20 shots from lightning and flame heavy weapons with NO damage or status change, then hearing them talk about the fact that it's all Dodge skill and buffs I began to wonder if PERHAPS something else was going on. Supposedly there is some sort of multiple slice bug on armor allowing for ultra-high resists and little or NO encumbrance. I'm also told that there is a bug that allows a player to /follow their enemy and prevent all incoming attacks from doing damage. I have proof of the first. PLEASE put an end to this as soon as possible as Blair recently posted that this was a high priority.
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I will be posting this in as many forums as I think it will take for this issue to be heard as there is no general discussion area for this sort of topic.
I’ve been playing SWG for roughly fourth months across four different servers. While there are a few role players out there, they seem to be few and far between. I think the main reason is that there are little reasons or incentives to role-play. For example, when interacting with an NPC you usually have the choice of accepting a job they offer you or to blow them off. If you blow them off there are no consequences, you can talk to them immediately after blowing them off and they will off you the same job.
With this in mind, here are some things that I would like to see changed to add a more worldly and interactive feel to, what has the potential to be, the best MMORPG around. The point of this thread is to brainstorm ideas on how to add more role-playing aspects. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to keep up on the message boards as much as I’d like so I apologize if these ideas have already been covered.
1. Allow characters to declare their faction at character creation, should they choose to. Personally, I don’t see the benefit of having to “grind” through missions that have no impact on anything, aside from gaining XP and adding some credits to your pocket book, just so you earn enough faction points to declare yourself a Rebel or Imperial. Thinking from a role playing perspective, you’ve lived on that planet for awhile, chances are you were born there and your parents lived there long before you were born. Just based on the neighborhood you’ve grown up in, you’re going to know who is and who is not affiliated with a rebel organization. An alternative to declaring a faction up front could include a few “you must prove your loyalty and worth to us” missions. One possible idea is a theme-park-like series of missions. These missions could take you through the Imperial academy, or perhaps a Rebel training ground. This could give new characters a chance to get some XP on their brand new profession. Artisans would have to create some CDEF pistols for the new officers in the Imperial Army. Entertainers could dance or play a tune for some Rebel soldiers having some R&R, etc.
2. Make the NPCs more interactive. As I mentioned in my intro, dealing with NPCs really has no affect what so ever, and for the most part is just down right boring. I have no attachment to them, nor do I really care about what they have to say. Allow players to interact with the NPCs and to have the players responses have meaning. If you blow off an NPC, then the next time you talk to them, they will ignore you. Keep bugging them too much, perhaps they will even get into a fistfight with you, or worse pull out their blaster and try to kill you. A side note to this topic is to have consequences for aborting NPC missions (as opposed to terminal missions.) Should you abort an NPC mission, fail, get caught by the Imperials, don’t finish it in a certain time, etc, perhaps nothing happens. But what if you blow a mission that’s vital to a black market smuggler, maybe he’ll place a price on your head? Isn’t that why Jabba went after Han after he “aborted” a mission for Jabba? Didn’t Vader kill an admiral for failing a mission? Currently you hit abort and move on with no impact to the world around you.
3. Make joining the Imperial or Rebel faction feel like a military organization. Once you join the faction, you receive an email from Princess Leah (her personal assistant more than likely) thanking you for putting your life on the line to restore freedom to the galaxy. Join the Empire? Then receive an email from the Emperor (well, his personal assistant) that thanks you for showing your loyalty to the Empire and here are your new orders. Everyone starts out as a private. At this rank you should be getting orders from low-level superiors. You could be assigned to the 1st Division, which is responsible for defending Naboo, or you could be assigned to the [insert player created faction here]. Depending on where your assigned you’ll get different missions. The more successful you are with your missions, the quicker you move up the ranks. The better a player faction performs on their missions, then the better the missions will be and the higher rank that the leader(s) of the player faction will achieve. The rebels are a more loosely organized group, by nature, so their chain of command isn’t as strict as the Empire conversely, the Emperor rules with an iron fist. Have the Rebels receive their missions by other Rebels running delivery missions, hoping not to get caught. If someone doesn’t success, well then it was probably too dangerous and that’s ok. Meanwhile, Imperial missions come from emails (direct orders) should they fail, the punishment is severe as failure is not an option. Not all missions would have to involve fighting. Deliveries are popular, so could simple things like reconnaissance (just don’t get caught). For group oriented missions have some search and destroy patrols. Allow higher ranking PCs give orders to lower ranking PCs (if in the same player’s guild) or lower ranking NPCs.
4. Make missions meaningful. This has been hinted at in the previous three topics. Currently you go too coordinate X/Y, drop something off, or kill something. Magically credits appear in you account, rinse and repeat. While the story arc does have some impact, why not add missions that can sway aspects of the game. Have the Rebels take out a scanning station, now overt and covert Rebels need not fear a PvP attack. The Imperials could destroy a local Rebel Headquarters; as a result, Rebel Characters who are in within a certain area covert or overt are now on Bounty Hunter lists, or even become new missions given as orders to various commanders. This “intelligence” could expire after a fixed amount of time. For those who pursue non-violent professions, find and deliver 50,000 units worth of steel to the local Imperial Manufacturing plant, now AT-STs are cheaper for the next few days. Sneak into an Imperial base and retrieve an item from a Rebel Spy in the Imperial Army, now the Rebels can bypass scanner for a 1 KM radius of the base. Get caught while sneaking into the base? Then have fun dodging the blaster fire.
5. Ok, so what about those who don’t care about the GCW. Well, regardless the Empire cares . Merchants who sell to the Rebels (or harbor them) will soon catch the attention of the Empire, Lando anyone? Either side will pay for information. Don’t care about politics at all? In that case, go dance, sing, heal, build and sell to your hearts content. Go visit the stunning scenery and points of interest. Create your own merchants’ guild, band, medical clinic, etc. This is where the player created content can (and truly does) really shine.
Well, these were just a few ideas. I realize that most of them come from the GCW and the dull missions, but only because that’s where I’ve been spending my time! I’m sure other people will have some other great ideas. Hopefully the devs will get a chance to read this topic when they get back to work on Monday. The game has come a long way in the four months that I’ve played, including player vehicles (Yay!!) and mounts as well as player cities and some additional content. Now that the basics are there, let’s put the role-playing in the massively multiplayer online ROLE PLAYING game.
SOU-Alum
Please note that all misspellings are not my fault, but strictly that of the spellchecker.
Wookiee Armor!
Wookiee Armor!
Wookiee Armor!
Wookiee Armor!
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Wookiee Armor!
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TH,
would it be possible to allow everyone within a group to LOOT said corpse?
it would really help to promote teamwork, and not leave "empty handers" wondering who they shouldn't have trusted.
thanks!
Thunderheart wrote:
Twopbinx wrote:
SUGGESTION: Why can't the devs make it so the Empire takes special orders from crafters for resources or items. Like have a tailor make 500 uniform boots for the Empire. They could pay per resource unit used. This could be a reward for accomplishing an Imperial NPC mission or for just being factionally aligned with the imperials.Artisans could make droid detectors,power conditioners etc. DE could make mouse droids.
The core objection is going to be "credit farming" and having a massive money fawcet, but Ill ask.
What type of reward amount would you suggest?
To avoid "credit farming" make it 2 credits per resource used in the crafting process if the mission/order is taken solely for money... Or make it 1.5 credits per resource and some faction points if done to recoup costs and build faction...
Nightsister Elders: Are they meant to have 350k HAM? That's more than a Canyon Krayt I believe...
Loot: Can we get another loot pass or two? Its discouraging to kill a high-level mob and receive nothing for your efforts. Its also offensive to receive a CDEF pistol for the same kill; please remove junk from the loot. I'd like to see more item enhancements dropped.
Skill Tapes: Skill tapes with multiple skill mods do not work, only one of the skills apply.The first mod in alphabetical orderis applied (is this working as intended?).
Hex Code: Is this still being looked at? I realy miss my colored tag for crafting.
Please fix bounty hunters. I have heard it said may times that us bounty hunters are supposed to keep jedi in check. Well our droids dont work, our special rarely work like they are supposed to, and if we are lucky to get a working jedi bounty mission the player logs off and bye bye TEF. Its getting to the point where bounty hunters will have NO chance to kill a jedi. Also please give us a reason to spend all these skill points on BH. A Commando only has to master marksman and 1 tree in brawler while bounty hunter must master both marksman and scout. I dont know about any other BHers but I hardly ever use my scout skills. My be if you give us medical use plus 5 at the master scout level (makes sense don't it. Anyone ever been a boy scout. First aid is one of the first things taught) so we can use stims and have some skill points left to make up for our lack of defense mods.
TalonStarblazer
Starsider Bounty Hunter (RSPA)
Since us telling you the same issues over and over again does very little good...
How about a known issues thread made by the DEVs?