Development Cycle Archive

Thread: In-Concept Open Discussion (7-5-04)

RebelColonel
Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:24 pm
#183


How about this for a vet reward.


Give eachcharacter one extra skill point for each full month that the character has been in existence. This would increase the skill point cap over the 250 a new character starts with.


For Example, I created my first character in late July of 2003. So I don't get anything for July, but I would for every other full month since. So I would get 11 extra skill points through today. At the end of July 2004, I would get a 12th extra skill point. So this month, I would have a skill cap of 261. Next month, it would raise to 262, and so on.


Excluding Jedi skill trees, the current skill trees would take2177 skill points to master all professions at once. Take out the original 250 skill points we start with, 1927. That means that it would takea little over 160months, orroughly 13 and1/3years to earn enough skill points to master all current professions at the same time.


I know each and every veteren player has fought with juggling the last few skill points they had to get one little thing here, or one bonus there. Lets reward the long term players with something that is really valuable.


Just my thoughts.


I also like the ideas of opening up some of the "vacant" buildings in non-player cities. You could make them into apartments, vendor shops, whatever. Just open them up to players so that it feels more like a city and not just a speed bump you have to run around.
Starscream1
Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:19 pm
#184


[This looks like the right place to put this.]



We are currently in the process of deciding on some very important changes for the Bounty Hunter profession. The reduction of skillpoints by lowering the pre-requisites is a PERMANENT change. Should we decide that we don't like it after all, or it makes a new template game-breakingly unbalanced it is going to be nearly impossible to reverse this change; if they do everyone who dropped master scout will suddenly no longer be a bounty hunter.


This change does not help us dabble out of our profession as much as it helps all other professions dabble into ours.




Now that the problems have been outlined, what is the solution?




Right now, a good temporary fix would be adding accuracy through the Bounty Hunter skill tree. This change helps ALL bounty hunters.




+2 carbine accuracy to modifier already present in each BH carbine box. + 70 in the master box. This gives both MBH and Master Carbineer/BH carbines 4 the SAME amount of carbine accuracy; +198




+15 pistol accuracy to the modifier already present in the first BH pistol box, +10 in each subsequent BH pistol box and +45 at Master. This gives both MBH and Master Pistoleer/BH pistols 4 the SAME pistol accuracy; +200.




+20 LLC accuracy to the modifier already present in each of the LLC boxes. This gives a total of +150 LLC accuracy at LLC 4.




These changes would make us powerful enough to compete until we can receive a proper revamp.




JustG has stated that lowering the required skillpoints was going to be part of the Combat Balance, they are just letting us have this change earlier to keep us happy. He NEVER said that this was temporary, that it was a hotfix or that it was removable. Any other changes we will receive will only be bug fixes, not enhancements. In the eye of the Dev, the skillpoint reduction will be our enhancement, making us too strong to merit any other enhancement. This will also hamper our ability to receive any other major changes without making any present bounty hunters need to RE-ACQUIRE old pre-requisites. Don't believe me? Take a look at the developer attention we have gotten in the past and present. JustG has only made one other post since he has said the Dev wants to lower the pre-requisites. This shows us the Devs has no real ideas about how to revamp us. We need to do it ourselves. We need to do this right while we are in the spotlight.




So what WOULD be in the works while we have our temporary accuracy enhancement?




This is how I picture a Bounty Hunter revamp:




PRE-REQUISITES:




  • MASTER SCOUT


Why scout? It is an excellent skillpoint sink which we need to keep our profession to be dabbled in by anyone and everyone. The terrain negotiation is nice and we will make actual use of the other trees in scout later on





  • MASTERY OF ANY ELITE COMBAT PROFESSION


This is the big change. It is what gives the new bounty hunter a identity and frees us from the "cookie-cutter" template syndrome. It opens the possibity of melee Master Bounty Hunters, something that is still unachievable even with the lower skillpoint requirement being suggested. This is what gives us our freedom, yet still be bounty hunters. Greenmarine is currently working on THIS EXACT CHANGE for smugglers. Once he has it worked out for them, we can use it in our own revamp.



BOUNTY HUNTER SKILL TREES:



The skill trees are almost be completely new. All weapons line have been removed from the skill trees. In their place are skills used in tracking and apprehending marks. What makes a Bounty Hunter different than some gusy with a gun.



INVESTIGATION:





  • This tree basically remains untouched from how it is now. Requires Bounty Hunter experience, gives us our ability to track marks using droids.


TRACKING:





  • Copiedand almostidentical to the tracking tree in ranger. Requires Scouting experience. It is differentiated from the Ranger trakcing tree by not granting +creature harvest bonuses and only grants increasing levels of areatrack for humanoids only, animal tracking is never available.

  • Tracking 1: NPCs. Bounty Hunter is given the ability to use areatrack and fin d NPCs.

  • Tracking 2: Direction. Areatrack tell the Bounty Hunter what direction the NPC is located.

  • Tracking 3: Distance. Tells a Bounty Hunter how far away a NPC is located in addition to which direction.

  • Tracking 4: Players. Bounty Hunter is given the ability to track players, direction and distance are shown.


GADGETS:



This line gives the Bounty Hunter access to a NEW handy form of gadgets and traps to assist in apprehending a mark. This line would be VERY similar to the scout trapping line. It would require trapping xp, however now trapping xp can ALSO be earned by using traps on NPCs. The xp requirements woudl be same as the tracking line, how ever the same amount of xp would be given per successful trap as harvesting or using /maskscent. These traps would be crafted by Bounty Hunters, but perhaps require more specific components than scout traps and also be usable on players in PvP. Trap can be very effective because the success factor is different from a player's defence modifiers.





  • Novice Bounty Hunter: Shrapnel Grenade. This grenade explodes flinging sharp metal everywhere, which causes bleeding to occur to a target. +10 Trapping

  • Gadgets 1: Flashbangs. This emits a bright flash which causes blindness to occur on a target. +15 Trapping

  • Gadgets 2: Noisemakers. This causes loud noises from all directions and places a stunned state on a target. +15 Trapping

  • Gadgets 3: Poison Dart. Delivers a poisoned solution to a target, placed a dizzy state on the target. +15 Trapping

  • Gadgets 4: Sticky Glue Trap. Deploys a mess of glue which encumbers a target, lowering their ranged and melee defenses.

  • Master: Bola. Deploys a Bola (3 balls all attached to 3 ropes connected in the middle) which binds the legs of the target, temporarily immobilzing it.


COMBAT:



Because Bounty Hunter IS a combat profession, we need combat attack specific to us. Here is where we have our own attacks and defenses. These are not meant to be used alone, but in addition to the elite combat profession we have mastered to give us and extra edge when apprehending a mark. This tree would use Combat experience in the same amounts that the combat experience line of the elite combat professions.





  • Novice: Def vs Bleeding +10, Lightsaber Toughness +5

  • BH Combat 1: Poison Dart. Applies a light poison to a target (~75 tick) to a RANDOM pool on the target. Def vs Blind +10, Lightsaber Toughness +5

  • BH Combat 2: Wrist Flamethrower. A weaponsmith crafted weapon, this comes in stacks similar to grenades to Commando weapons. It has about the same damage and range of the LLC special attacks and applies a fire DoT. Def vs Stun +10, Lightsaber Toughness +5

  • BH Combat 3: Def vs Dizzy +10, Lightsaber Toughness + 10

  • BH combat 4: Wrist Grappling Line. This is more of an abililty than a weapons, but can be used with any weapon equiped. The Bounty Hunter shoots a grappling line from the launcher. Can be used withing 20m and causes a posture down. Def vs KD +10, Lightsaber Toughness +5

  • Master: Quickstrike. This attack can be used with any weapon equipped, and hit all HAM pools on a target. It has a x5 damage modifer. When used on Jedi, due to no less than 3 attacks hitting at once, it bypasses saber blocking. All other Jedi defenses will take affect. Lightsaber Toughness +15




That is how I would like to see our profession revamped. It would give us power, not have us remained unbalanced. It would give us individuality by choosing our weapon of choice, but also give us a tree that it is benficial to master which would unite us. It is better than simply removing some of the skillpoint requirement, a change that almost garuntees a ravamp of the caliber I have detailed will never happen.



I have no doubts that a revamp of this scale would be impossible to implement soon. But if we knew that the Dev woudl rather do something like this later, rather than premanently change us now and hinder our flexibility for a revamp later, I could wait. They have no idea hwo to revamp us, we need to come up with the idea.



Please do not make "I like it, but it'll never happen" posts. If you like this revamp better, SAY SO! Do not allow us to receive a half-fix that could make things worse later on. DO NOT SETTLE FOR THE FIRST THING THAT COMES ALONG IF IT MEANS HURTING OURSELVES LATER. Push for the changes you want to see. The ones you really want! Keep this thread at the top if you like it. Ask for it to be stickied. But don't settle and shoot ourselves in the foot for later on.

Message Edited by Starscream1 on 07-01-2004 06:22 PM



=========================================================
Armados
Master Bounty Wookiee
I dont take my Bounty Hunting personally, why do you?
RebelColonel
Thu Jul 01, 2004 4:19 pm
#185


How about this for a vet reward.


Give eachcharacter one extra skill point for each full month that the character has been in existence. This would increase the skill point cap over the 250 a new character starts with.


For Example, I created my first character in late July of 2003. So I don't get anything for July, but I would for every other full month since. So I would get 11 extra skill points through today. At the end of July 2004, I would get a 12th extra skill point. So this month, I would have a skill cap of 261. Next month, it would raise to 262, and so on.


Excluding Jedi skill trees, the current skill trees would take2177 skill points to master all professions at once. Take out the original 250 skill points we start with, 1927. That means that it would takea little over 160years to earn enough skill points to master all current professions at the same time. I don't think the game will be around that long.


I know each and every veteren player has fought with juggling the last few skill points they had to get one little thing here, or one bonus there. Lets reward the long term players with something that is really valuable.


Just my thoughts.


I also like the ideas of opening up some of the "vacant" buildings in non-player cities. You could make them into apartments, vendor shops, whatever. Just open them up to players so that it feels more like a city and not just a speed bump you have to run around.
RebelColonel
Thu Jul 01, 2004 4:21 pm
#186


How about this for a vet reward.


Give eachcharacter one extra skill point for each full month that the character has been in existence. This would increase the skill point cap over the 250 a new character starts with.


For Example, I created my first character in late July of 2003. So I don't get anything for July, but I would for every other full month since. So I would get 11 extra skill points through today. At the end of July 2004, I would get a 12th extra skill point. So this month, I would have a skill cap of 261. Next month, it would raise to 262, and so on.


Excluding Jedi skill trees, the current skill trees would take2177 skill points to master all professions at once. Take out the original 250 skill points we start with, 1927. That means that it would takea little over 160months, orroughly 13 and1/3years to earn enough skill points to master all current professions at the same time.


I know each and every veteren player has fought with juggling the last few skill points they had to get one little thing here, or one bonus there. Lets reward the long term players with something that is really valuable.


Just my thoughts.


I also like the ideas of opening up some of the "vacant" buildings in non-player cities. You could make them into apartments, vendor shops, whatever. Just open them up to players so that it feels more like a city and not just a speed bump you have to run around.
Ganis
Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:29 pm
#187


Well, this is for all the melee proffesions out there, from what I think we want to see. NEW WEAPONS. When I started playing I saw the vibroblade and was discouraged to see it was a vibrodagger, unlike the cool blade in SW KotOR. I am proposing dev's that you try to add three weapons into melee classes, not unstopable weapons, but ones that are cool to look at and have good stats. First, for you fencers, a new vibroblade, preferibly a straight bladed sword that gives certification around One-Handed IV or Novice Fencer. It does more damage the most kinetic damage in a standard One-handed weapon. For Swordsman, a Vibrosword. This would be a longer version of the Vibroblade, does damage range around 150-300 damage, and given certification at Novice Swordsman also. For Pike, you guessed it, a Double-Bladed Vibrolance. Given certification at a higher level Pikeman skill or Polearms IV. Or these swords and lances can be special weapons with higher damages, with rare looted schematics, which I like the idea of. They can be certified at Master Level or very high in elite combat tree.These should be implemented because that Star Wars, VIBROBLADES. And if you dev's feel nice, why not throw in a new style Vk, maybe that does different damage or something.


TRANDO GARS- Teras Kasi Master. Master of Defense with fence, swords and pistols

Bloodfin's Finest



MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER
MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER Rinch Durante ~ Jedi
MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER Trando' Gars ~ Assasin
MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER Alternate Destiny
MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER FOAD ~ "SiGMaSteR"
MARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPERMARIOSUPER
DarthPhidias
Thu Jul 01, 2004 11:49 pm
#188

Best Development Of All Time


Combat Medic

Master Brawler


Newborizer Haxxor Tactics


/throwmindpsn

/warcry2

/warcry1

/warcry2


You Have Taken One Mind Damage And Have Become Incapitated.


Development Suggestion Remove Combat Medic



Phidias
Master Socializer
Master Bater
0404 Loco
BlueSuitcase
Fri Jul 02, 2004 12:17 am
#189

This may have been posted before...But, I was thinking maybe taking all
those empty buildings in the big citys and turning them into apartments
for people who cant afford an actual house yet. And even players who have homes already can have a place to
store some stuff on another planet when they travel there. Or maybe this is just the stupidest idea ever...



..::Evey Ausmincini::..
~CBM~
..Master Rifleman::TKM..
Sothid
Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:12 am
#190


Hello


In all my years of gaming i've never really came out in the public to submit an idea. Tonite i worked up the willpower to share my idea with others to see how it fares....


Its about advertising aka spamming.


Most of us know that around Starports and other heavily populated areas there are massive amounts of advertisers spamming messages about resources , items for sale , and other such related issues. To most people , this causes ALOT of lag and alot of the time will crash the game for the user. Unless you have a $12000computer (exaggeration) you will experience this lag.


This is my propositional idea to the makers and editors of the game....



Create a new way of Tell called /ad . If someone wants to advertise their wares or whatnot , they type in /ad Selling 6 million resources at -999 -999 Bestine , for example. This /ad will be separate and recognized by the chat engine and be abled to be filtered by the ctrl+o Chat options. So by checking or unchecking this box you will be able to or not be able to see the advertisement. This option would be off for default.


I understand that most players will just advertise/spam anyways and not utilize this. However , to hopefully solve this , there could be two ways to help advertisers stick to the /ad . If you spam a message more then three times within 60 seconds , or exceed a certain number of characters in one message it would be considered spam. When a person spams , they will be Muted for 15 minutes and cannot use the Spacial chat area.


Well, there you have it. Currently i am attending school for Digital Entertainment and Game Design so i hope my idea has some structure in it and could be debated enough so that this spamming can be taken care of in the future.


Thank you for your time in reading my suggestion



Sothid - Bria

Architect / Politician



Master Artisan
Master Architect
Droid Engineer
Merchant
Politician
New Fisherman Profession - Master Baiter
99Flake
Fri Jul 02, 2004 1:47 am
#191

Sothid,


I think your idea is sound - at least in principle! Spam can be really frustrating and maybethere are better waysto advertise skills / services / products that is more satisfactory to everyone...


A digital message board which advertises services in key locations in cities would be very useful. It would also be nice to implement a feedback section for vendors! This could take the form of a bazaar style interface with adverts listed, or a digital Bill Board that players pay to have their advert listed on!


On a slightly different tack... one of my biggest complaints about vendors and merchants is searching half-way round a planet and only finding empty or poorly stocked vendors... this doesn't help anyone... so how about having a flag on the CTRL+V map that only displays vendors that have stock in them!!! Just a spurious thought!!!


Chil



WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET THE FISHING REVAMP?
LunaticFringer
Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:46 am
#192

Lunatic Here Again,

Ok, yes, this isn't a concrete game I keep hearing. Fun over content is what the devs say to the player response for most things. However, can't we have the content laid forth in Episodes 4-6 and still have a fun game? I would think so; because most of us assummed when buying the game that's what we were buying into. Galactic Civil War between the Rebellion and the Empire. The only Jedi certainly weren't going to be us, the players. Just a bunch of common sense stuff for the timeframe. A few errs can be overlooked; like having A-wings and B-wings and so forth once JTL is released at a time when they weren't even around. One thing about us, nerdy, hard-core Star Wars fans is that we want consistancy.

That said; why not multiple server revamps after the character transfer tool is encoded into the game? Specifically, and I still think the devs need to pitch this idea to your bosses, divide the servers up into era themed servers. Adjust the coding and tweak characters so we effetively have an Episode1-3 era server; a more strict *no Jedi but allowed and very hunted force sensitive* Episode 4-6 server; and the wanted expanded universe servers for the Knights of the Old Republic era and New Republic server? I really think SOE and Lucas Arts can pull this one off and possibly make this game even more megalithic than what it's turning into.

Yes, I happen to disagree with the content in game. I imagine the community is full of us wither or not we speak up about it or just keep our mouths shut about it and simply just play the game. But I think I speak for us all when I say we just want to see more attention given to the content of the game. I'm happy about the Combat revamp, JTL, and upcomming GCW publishes. That says you've listened to us. But, in fear of losing money, the Jedi thing has gotten out of hand. This server revamp would be ideal for fixing both content and aggrivated players. Of course, if this idea could get approved, I imagine the answer we'd hear is, "It'll be next year or so before you see any of this." Fine with me; just acknowledge us a little is all we ask. You work hard to please us; and we work hard to be able to play.

Anyway, that's my repeat idea. This is Star Wars; I see no reason why encompassing 'themed' servers couldn't be done. With the exception of allowing us a fair conversion of our characters should such an endeavour ever be considered. To the developing team, publishers of this fine game, Lucas Arts and to the fine community I've played with over the past year:

"The Force will be with you; Always...."


The Lunatic Fringer






May The Goddess Smile Upon You!
Orchta
Fri Jul 02, 2004 3:04 am
#193

how bout an in-game mp3 player??



Erut, Master BH, Master Carbineer, 0004 CM, Rebel 4433 Pilot -- Infinity
DarkAzael
Fri Jul 02, 2004 4:15 am
#194

Would like to see a revamp to Items that we collect and make new Master quests.


Love the new Loot-Kits they are what we need more of.


We need to be able to craft things by are self - like if you become a master Heavy swordsman - You can seek out a Legendary Swordsmith. He gives you a tool kit to make a new sword thats more powerful than a Scythe - that has different dmg like cold/heat dmg with Kinetic. This weapon needs parts like the Loot-Kits that you find off Normal NPCs and one part could be from a special NPC or Beast.


This could be done for all Masters, once you have Made your Legendary Sword you can go on to become the Legendary Swordsman like the hero of Tat quest, you have to prove yourself before you can earn the tile and a rare Gift.


Next thing revamp Treasure Maps - make the treasure more rewarding - and make it send you in more than 2 different locations. Loot could be rare stuff i.e. Crystals, Segs, Bone Frags, Scales, Shards, DoT weapons etc ( Not a warm hat, pistol, heavy axe, Wild meat...this stuff doesnt sound like treasure and does look like treasure)


New Treasure Hunt Misson from a NPC on each Planet, this could also be fun but you have to find the location from clues the NPC gives you, then when you find that place it gives you another clue (may be 4 clues then you at the 5 location you find the treasure) Treasure could be Sculptures or paintings or something related with the planet you take the mission on.


Broken data pads or other broken stuff what are they used for???? Please let us do something apart from give them to junk dealers and get 2 credits from them....Doesn't make sense, i think we should be able to break them down into parts that may be A NEW PROFFESSION COULD USE LIKE ENGINEER - engineer could make all are new range of speeders (because we need them) like Skiff, Flash speeder etc, also he could fix things or make gadgets or parts for complex weapons or traps


What do you think, got to be worth a try....????



jk___
Fri Jul 02, 2004 4:52 am
#195

Hey, been playing alot on live since the pub9 went online, and I have to say that the Hermit quest must be the coolest addition you have made for a long time, regarding quests.


Here's an idea. Change the Jedi padawan/knight trials to function equally; my ideas and impressions:


Hermit quest, the guy tells you in order to get hero batch, you have to complete 4 assignments. These assignments isn't just go find mob and kill it, no it's alot more content


In one you have to find a group of npc's, 5 smugglers and a BH, and help the BH solve the riddle - COOL COOL idea for quest


In one you have to find a terryfying beast and kill it - Like knight trials, but nothing wrong with this as long as it isn't pure killing


In one you have to find a farmer, and converse and help him resque his family from a dungeon - Ohhh cool idea again


In one you have to find a group of pirates and kill them, then talk to their leader and help resque his friend - again cool idea, better than just find mob and kill


- Here comes my suggestions for new knight / padawan trials:


Instead of finding a shrine on some random planet, you have to find 1 shrine on each planet/moon, each giving you a quest you must complete in order to advance. This has to be more jedi like instead of just killing, ideas inspired by hermit quest:


Examples:


1st shrine naboo: shrine tells you to find a gungan in one of 3 cities and go talk to him as he needs help. When you find him he tells you that imperials captured his friend , and he needs help to resque them, then you gotta help them escape from say, the weapon facility or something, and as you've done so you'll get told to move on to the next planet, let's call it corellia


shrine tells you to find an engineer who has been robbed by a gang of meatlumps (hehe): they can spawn in either crystal swamp, tyrena cantina or vreni theater (just examples): when you find them you gotta question them in order to find out which one of them who stole the parts, and solve the riddle. much like the bounty hunter hermit quest.


then move on etc. This would add alot more content, and make the trials way more jedi like (and fun), than just finding rare spawns and killing them.


love to hear developer response and feedback



Qui-Jak Latunka - Jedi Knight of the Old Republic
A Jedi from a more civilized age.. before the Dark Times.. Before.. the Aurillian Village

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