Development Cycle Archive

A guy on the server I play on came up with this idea, I thnk its a great idea and it would be a neat addition to SWG.

To have Dejarik, you know the game C3PO and Chewbacca are playing aboard the millenium falcon. The one that sort of resembles Chess, with the holo figures.

Just a quick idea for the scout types. Out of combat that is. Taxidermy. Let them make rugs, mounted heads, and stuffed animals. these would require using the original hides, bones etc. as well as other components that could be collected or purchased from tailors and artisans.

Add one more Item to the scout harvest radial submenus. Trophy. then you have the options of horns, skull, head, Hide, Cape, etc.

Ackarge

MA/WS

Talus, Scylla

While Star Wars Galaxies has a more robust economy than many MMORPGs as well as a more interesting crafting system. I think there are several things which are causing the systemic inflation in the economy and should be fixed. I am going to provide my economic analysis of the current state of the economy. Thing should be fixed in the current order listed, not all at the same time.

I would say that Star Wars has a systemically high unemployment. Many people, such as myself, were attracted to crafting professions, but were driven into combat professions (whichI currently enjoy) due to (1) monetary limitations in becoming a productive economic member of society, and (2) the difficulty of extracting resources as newbie due to the relative difficulty of beasts and NPC when scouring for specific resources.

One of the largest problems inthe star wars economy has to do with limited resources and the extraction of resources. I feel that resource extracton rates are too low for the demand of resources in the galaxy. To this end an additional mining profession should be added. The use of medium harvestors should be limited to the elite crafting professions and the master artisan professions and their yield should be close to 10 times the personal harvester yield. In addition, the heavy harvestors should be 100 times the yield of a personal harvestor and should be limited to a new mining profession. Thisgives a specialized harvestor the ability of producing the equivalent of 1000 personal harvestors, yet limiting the miner to specializing in less than 10 resources. This would have two major economic impacts: (1) a drastic reduction in the production costs of resources (driving the prices of end products), (2) reducing the total number of harvestors required for sustained economic output, and (3) reducing the rental of lot allocation which contributes to the visual pollutionof the planets. This, of course, will lead to mining consortiums that will be required to produce all the different types of resources required from other crafting professions. This would elimate the problem of crafters having the access to resources. In addition, mining installation should decay with use, which would provide architects with a persistent stream of income from the sale of minining installations. I would also remove the specific "spawns" of a chemical type, but still have resource shifts. The ever changing resources mean ever changing schematics, which contributes to database problems and resource hoarding. Alternatively, schematics could be more flexible where the manufacturer would place requiements such as OQ > 800, Conductiviy > 900 of a particular resource, to provide some stability in the schematic. This would lead to a differentiation between vendors: (1) lower end products with much lower prices, and (2) higher end weapons with noticeable (but marginal) improvements

In addition, this would create largeconcentrations ofresources whichwould require interplanetary transfer from planet to planet. The imposition of high tariffs, bribery requirements, and/or transfer restrictions would lead to the demand of the smuggling profession. While the smuggling profession isn't "broken" it lacks the vision that many players have of a smuggler. This would finally give something for smugglers to smuggle. As smuggling will step on the illegal activities of another underground organization, it would also provide more content for bounty hunters as their mission terminals start paying off for contracts placed by Jabba on ruining his monopoly on the export of Tatooine fibreplast of the planet. However, while miners have a reduced cost of production, another cost would induced due to cost of smuggling. While the end result may be wash in the final cost of resources, it would split the profits of mining from the miner, to the miner and smuggler. Smugglers should be more than slice-and-spice monkeys with some cool combat tricks.

Another way to reduce inflation in the economy is increase the ability of non-master crafters to produce goods that are desireable. At the current time, non-master crafters are unable to produce items (with the exception of tailors) that anyone wants. Everyone wants a weapons and armor that (1) can only beproduced by master craftsmen, or (2) are produced better by master craftsmen.

This effect was excaserbated through the mass introduction in holocrons into the game. The effect of hologrinding on the economy would have been drastically reduced if the products of the hologrinders had economic value. While the time to hologrinding would be increased through the use of the factory, the ability to produce goods of economic value would reduce the cost of hologrinding, which is a major factor considering the current price of resources, holocrons, and force crystals (but this is a separate issue).

Many of the current proposals to change the existing schematic layout to provide non-master craftsmen lower level things to sell will fail. The current weapon system encourages people to conduct a min-max optimization of their damage inflicted as well as their survivability. This causes everyone to have the same solution to the problem. This is seem by many people having similar combat templates, and as a result the same armament.

This can be alleved by reducing the max experimentation to the level. A low level component should be able to be made as well from a master armorsmith as a junior novice smith. However, this does not necessarily mean "nerfing" the master armorsmith. You could track the total amount of experimentation points used by a single manufacturer. A master weaponsmith might be limited to 25 total experimentation points on the total weapon, TO INCLUDE SUBCOMPONENTS, a junior weaponsmiths experimentation points upon the subcomponent would not count toward that cap. There would thus be a benefit for weaponssmith to outsource component assemblies. Just like real life.

In addition, there should be more interdependencies between the crafts. A droid engineer could produce robotic components required in composite armor and mining installations. Special materials, made by tailors and armorsmiths, could be used in droid chassis and weapon casings. BioEngineers could make special organic composites needed say in ubese armor and padded armor. Energy generators, made by architects could be used in all powered products. Introduce power packs as ammunitions in guns, allow the power packs be used in other things. Perhaps your power droid could be used to power the intense energy requirements of a T21. These interdependencies would make crafting a much more community oriented. If we didn't want interaction, we'd just play some of the Tycoon-series of games.

To further promote specialization, a factory should be bound to a specific schematic. If you want to produce something different you need a new factory.However, this would not cause the uproaryou think it might have if you stabilized resource spawns andmadenon-mastersubassemblies beequivalent to maser subassemblies. Master Artisans would have probably already outsourced much of their subassembly production. Production of lowercomplexity objects such as rifle barrelsand power handlers could produced at a much higher rate than say a laser rifle. You could calculate the complexity of the object by the total number of resources requires to produce that item. However, this would obviously need to be adjusted per profession as architects would get blown out on the high end resource consumption, and chefs wouldproduce a glut of food on the low end.

The current flow of money is non-cyclical in many productions of equipment, this leads to a high concentration of wealth amongst the most wealth in the server:

In the medical profession, we have

combat (herbivore meat, avian meat) >> Stims/Buffs >> Combat player use.

fiberplast/radioactive supplies >> Stims/Buffs >> Combat player use.

In the top half, we have a good circular flow of money. In the second, we require the medic to go look for medical supplies (which is outside his profession), but the miner requires nothing. In this case, the miner gets rich. However, this is still done pretty well.

In the armorsmith/weaponsmith professions,

inorganic resources >> weapons/armor >> combat players

Everything is sourced from the miner. In essense, the miner has no requirements for interaction with other people. This is the primary problem with economics in this game. The miners control the economy. One way to increase interdependecy is to increase their influence on the architect, which will make the flow of cahs look like

inorganic materials >> mining installations

This means that the skill points to become a Master Miner/Master Architect/Master Merchant should not be possible. We already see the Master Architect/Master Merchant template requires to product buildings at the necessary cost. Being a Master Merchant is required to produce resources at competive bulk rates. Instead the efficiency of running a factory or mining installation should be wrapped in the Professions themselves.

However, there still needs to be money flow to the combat players. This would come in the form of loot that is REQUIRED and only usable to the artisan professions. I would see this as looted weapon components, looted armor components, and looted cloth that would provide the experimentation points needed to produce weapons.

Finally, the chef profession needs to be seriously fixed. Food should be more than just buffs, they should be essential for living. Not eating would produce wounds, and wounds could not be healed unless you eat and drink. The quality of your food should contribute to your overall health. Like the other professions, subcomponents should be able to be made by non-master chefs.

If you're going to keep the image designer, you should make the professiona useful. One way is through providing disguises to maintain the covert status that everyone wants all the time. Another way could be through grooming services, which would provide better missions and better mission payouts from NPCs. Your image could also affect how other NPCs perceive you. I think the image designer professions needs to be completely rethought, I don't see it as particularily useful or interesting.

I think that the current flow of money goes from combat players to artisans. There needs to be a corresponding flow of cash from artisans to combat players.

At the current time, the only use need that artisans need from combat players are organics (hides, bones, meat). However, for many of the beasties that combat players like to hunt do not provide the types of specifc things that weaponsmiths, armorsmiths, and droid engineers want.

I propose that the experimentation line have a cost. Players would be able to loot more broken weapons, broken devises, broken armor, as well as functional ones. In order for an artisan to use experimentation points he would have to "study" these looted weapons. These experimentation points would be collected and would be required for every weapon produced. This would provide a value of currently worthless loot, while maintaining the ability for players to produce the best equipment in the game.

Looted weapons could also have the value of providing rare resources needed for the weapons for elite combat professions. The salvage command could be used on these weapons and produce the ore required for elite professions.

To save on database resources, you could limit this broken loot to: broken weapon, broken armor, and broken component. They would be like animal resources but only taken from NPC's and their values would change as well.

Additionally, there needs to be more interaction between the artisan professions. For example, armorsmiths might need actuator components that only a droid engineer could make for composite suits. Weaponsmiths might need armor components to make the casings for their weapons. Tailors would be needed to make composite materials. These lower end components would be craftable by non-master weaponsmith, amorsmiths, tailors, and droid engineers. Additionally, experimentation would be limited in these components so that a non-master crafter's components could be of the same quality as master crafted components.

This is similar to real life. Larger companies send the manufacturer of simpler components to less skilled and cheaper component manufacturers. The value added of the larger manufactuer comes from the final assembly of finished product. This interaction could be accomplished by allowing the components to be manufactured while the crafter is offline, but the speed of manufacture is drastically reduced as the complexity of the product goes up. For example, a power handler could be manufacters at many times the speed of a completed weapon.

I'd like to see the artisan role change where an artisan can only really effectively mass produce one thing very well. Armor and clothing are usually custom made for an individual (especially with the state of the economy during this time period). While out-of-box, off-the-rack reflect the real world, it does not reflect the Star Wars Universe. While the Star Wars universe is decidedly sci-fi,italsohas a fantasy, non-modern, personal feel to the movies.Nothingin Star Wars is particular corporate (with the exception ofthe oppressive uniformity of the Empire). Everyone has something custom-made, or custom-modified for them. It should be the same way here.

The economy of Star Wars should be more interdependent on other individuals. While most people on this server are combatants. People are always looking for a way togeneratea little cash. Doctors made Stim-B's, WoundPacks, and Buffkits for non master doctors. A lot of non master doctors make money selling medical subassemblies. And doctors are always looking around for combat professionals for herbivore meat and avian meat. The crafting profession amongst doctors is probably the best unintentional design in SWG.

I did stray a bit in the Smuggler Thread... so, I'll bring out my points here more fully for some ideas I've had.

1) Would it be possible *with or without the addition of skill points* to add a fifth tree as a *generic* tree. And let us players take full advantage of making a unique *skill* based character? I'm not sure how the xp requirements would be for acquiring the skills would be... but say make available a Land Navigation skill that isn't as good as the Scout tree Land Nav... but still useful. I'm sure others would have ideas for this as well. Originally I was thinking something grand... like knock the professions and just have a general skill list that we could pick and choose from; but that would be a bit too chaotic... but I think a generic tree could be an option for consideration. *Maybe even allow for the creation of a generic character type* This, I feel would make Star Wars Galaxies feel exceptionally Star Wars like and capture the true feel of an RPG. Granted... most people will tend to go with the standard template type though.

2) Would it be possible to put in Standardized Vendors. I'm thinking NPCs with shops in the cities much like Watto's that sell us the Rantok swords... etc, etc... all be it... standard weapons... perhaps even non sliceable... but at least all the weapons and equipment would be available to everyone this way at a low cost to all players if they so chose to use it. *Krayt Pearls, Force Crystals, Holocrons, etc, etc... should not be on them obviously* Leave those as quest items and things we *have* to group together to get. Hopefully we see more of that content in the new Jedi system.

3) Just to make sure I read right... Unlocking the slot... in addition to profession content for Jedi will now be Quest Based? I do like this idea... in fact all the Professions need some sort of Quest based material... even if some overlap.

4) On badges... can we honestly have a way to hide badges... and on some badges that we truly might want... it appears some of us got robbed out of... For example... some of us did complete the Jabba missions long ago... but no badge... and no opening up the last mission to us again or giving us one more task to do to get it. Can we have that please?

5) We deffinately need more Planets, Vehicles, Weapons and Equipment... and quite possibly... Some more Races to play. *I'd especially love to play a Verpine* : )

6) Lastly... how about some enforced filters for Player Cities and Player Names. I personally worked hard to think up a Star Wars sounding name and feel a lil bit robbed of an experience when I have to walk around with a bunch of players with names like *Death... *Insert real life hollywood actor's name here*... etc, etc... Or see something like Little China on a World Map... Maybe it's just me though. *that's my big pet peeve... I guess we all have them though*

Fire away everyone...

Sincerely,

The Lunatic Fringer

Going a little off topic but i would like to throw a few thoughts i've been having about the proposed new jedi system..namely the opening of the force slot.

The proposed plan is to change from the Holocron system to A Quest based system..this scares me for a number of reasons and i don't think they should do away with the Holo's until they think it through.My biggest concern with quests is camping...as everyone that has played other MMORPG's will tell you..camping is a pain in the ass...50 people waiting for 1 super rare item to drop..when a creature spawns everyone attacks it..no one knows who got the loot and everyone gets annoyed..

This game has done a lot to avoid camping and if these new quests were to incorperate items..i feel big time camping is not too far off..

The other way to incorperate Quests would be the same as the Hermit quests....random spawning camps in a general area, which as everybody that has got the badges will know...finding the hermit camps is extreamly annoying and can take a lot of wasted time doing nothing but flying around empty areas..

Now after all this we don't want Getting a jedi to be too easy..if everyone had a jedi the fun and challenge in the game would be lost so the quests would have to be hard to complete...which brings me right back to the reasons above, this is why i would not like to see the holo's thrown away just yet..maybe they should just have a way to find out the 5th proffesion, that means opening a jedi would take time..but not impossable.

In response to Stealthshadow's ideas.

1)
Actually, most of the 1-handed, 2-handed, and Polearm weapons are in teh Star Wars Universe, such as the Vibro Axe and the Stone Knife (as well as many more). Just because they arn't futuristic doesn't mean they can't exist. The Ewok's don't use blasters, and they pretty much sealed the Death Star II's fate.

2)
Carbines are basically machine guns. They are what Stormtrooper's use, and the CDEF is even featured in A New Hope. Rifles, Pistols, and Carbines are all for different distances. On a battlefield the Brawlers would be the front line, next the Pistoleers, next the Carbineers, then the Riflemen (idealy).

3)
I agree that Taras Kasi sould require dedication and hard work to achive, but fortunatly it does (as does everything else). Several people know martial arts and do other things, why should they not be able to in SWG? Darth Maul knew Taras Kasi, and he was a Sith as well.

4/5 I obstain from.

6)
I have to say I completely disagree with this one. If everyone had terrain negotiation and medic skills there would be no need to even have those in seperate professions. Scoutsand Rangers (as well as other Hybrids) have that because it is important in their role on a battlefield (or whatever). They go forward, look around, and come back. Marksmen/Brawler don't need that, all they need to do is fight and live. Medics, Doctors, and Combat Medics are important for any group because they heal. If other players could heal themselfs, even a little, it would destroy the possibility of bringing them along.

7)
The broken stuff is for Junk Dealers, and money.

---

Project89 wrote:

In response to Stealthshadow's ideas.

1)
Actually, most of the 1-handed, 2-handed, and Polearm weapons are in teh Star Wars Universe, such as the Vibro Axe and the Stone Knife (as well as many more). Just because they arn't futuristic doesn't mean they can't exist. The Ewok's don't use blasters, and they pretty much sealed the Death Star II's fate.

2)
Carbines are basically machine guns. They are what Stormtrooper's use, and the CDEF is even featured in A New Hope. Rifles, Pistols, and Carbines are all for different distances. On a battlefield the Brawlers would be the front line, next the Pistoleers, next the Carbineers, then the Riflemen (idealy).

3)
I agree that Taras Kasi sould require dedication and hard work to achive, but fortunatly it does (as does everything else). Several people know martial arts and do other things, why should they not be able to in SWG? Darth Maul knew Taras Kasi, and he was a Sith as well.

4/5 I obstain from.

6)
I have to say I completely disagree with this one. If everyone had terrain negotiation and medic skills there would be no need to even have those in seperate professions. Scouts and Rangers (as well as other Hybrids) have that because it is important in their role on a battlefield (or whatever). They go forward, look around, and come back. Marksmen/Brawler don't need that, all they need to do is fight and live. Medics, Doctors, and Combat Medics are important for any group because they heal. If other players could heal themselfs, even a little, it would destroy the possibility of bringing them along.

7)
The broken stuff is for Junk Dealers, and money.

---

Yet, some more ideas...

I got to thinking more about some of the little things that don't seem like a big deal... but actually as event's happened this very night... I began to wonder if some of these minor details could be looked into:

First point, while I know in some real life cultures it is possible to *yell* using body language... so I'm wondering if that's what we should interpret from thebeing able to *yell* in lekku? Second point... and this is a technical quibble too... should we actually be allowed to *leg shot* a snake??? That's an idea at least... special attacks that apply only to certain things.. though... I suspect like the scanning smugglers for contraband thing at the starport idea... would probably just hinder the game more than help it... wasn't sure on those two thing though is why I brought them up.

I like how most of the bandoilers and belts have been fixed so they don't look like big whoola hoops... how about shoulder straps for the backpacks?

And on my last point... could there be a way of adding a control to turn over *completely*of say a building *actually forfeiting the lot over to the new player* on the Structure management device. Like in tonights case where I got to witness someone wanting to step down as a guild leader... but the lots had always been an issue... a device add in like that might actually be helpful in a few cases and perhaps encourage an 'in game' real-estate economy? An idea anyway.

Sincerely,

The Lunatic Fringer

*Still wants to play a Verpine* 8 )

I like Evette's I dea of a hardcor server, but this can only be done if some problems are solved.

I dieda dozen times in the last 2 Month because of client crashes. As long as the client is that bugy this is a nice idea but only an idea.

No player will stay long on the server when dies some times because of client crashes.

cu