Development Cycle Archive

:: Retired... For the moment ::
-I support going slow and being careful.
focus thread (n.): there for us to focus on while they went behind our backs and did whatever they wanted to, anyway. (Source: AngusMacGregor)

For what its worth I think the answer here could be "both".

Assuming we can lump SWG players (not SW Fans) into 2 primary groups. Those that have a great deal of time to play and those that do not.

Those that have a great deal of time to play will in almost any setup have an easier time unlocking their Jedi. Those that do not have a great deal of time to play will, generally, have much harder time to unlock.

Given this basic reality how about a system that takes into account the amount of IN GAME time spent intelligently interacting with characters. Specifically a system where your actions and choices, not just mouse clicks, had an impact on the progression of your force character. This could keep with the "follow the force" pattern in evidence on the big screen and allow for the mystery and interest that other's desire.

I imagine a system could be devised based on missions/quests with multiple outcomes that drive the direction (light or dark) and development path (healing/defense/offense) etc. The time it takes one to complete a task compared to the time spent elsewhere in the galacy could be used to create a gradient so you don't have to grind or "guess the pattern" but play for whatever amount of time you have and say move to padawan at the same relative point of total time played vs time since first sign on.

This is of course to move on from Force Sensitive. I do not think you should have to guess or grind to figure this out. It should be a profession/skill choice gained by several difficult and management intense quests given from a known character that is in your datapad and email from the second you create your character. Just make the FS choice irrevocable. Once you go jedi you never go back. You can't unlearn what you know of the force. This way someone could dabble for the extra SW feel without giving up the Non-jedi aspects of the character they build.

I know... I know... the galaxy will be crawling with Jedi this way. Well... I don't think so but even if it is... SO WHAT? People pay to play and have a good time. If becoming a Jedi is part of having a good time then by all means they should have the opportunity. Heck... make an all Jedi server and call it Sith Wars and set in a different period altogether or something else. It is a game and as much as we all like continuity there are already enough examples of departure from the "canons" that this one wouldn't hurt. You could always make it so someone that wants to make a Jedi character can only have 1 character on 1 server and no more. That would make the decision a more thoughtful one.

In short... not a mystery but somewhat difficult based on how the person plays the game.

Just my 2 creds.

I think it should be easy to start, but the farther you go down the path to FS it should get more mysterious. I also think a character should have to be a few months/weeks old before you can start, maybe set time restrictions exponentially bigger for each step as a limiting factor. Maybe have requirement to starting the quest be 25 or less skill points available too, but that is only checked at quest start for first step. I also think it would be cool if for the starting quest (once req for it are met as stated above) a mysterious person sends an e-mail to you saying something along the lines of I have felt your presence etc, and that they are waiting at your home to help you start your journey (if no house then consider other places such as hotels, outside jedi enclaves etc, just don't make the npc some generic hermit)

IMO you have no choice to make it known and somewhat difficult (doable in 25-50 hours of gameplay)

The system you had before was an inane grind of professions, clearly suited for powergamers and/or macro-ers. The casual gamer (which I am not by the way) should have a shot at jedi too. Combined with the fact that jedi already running rampant, there is no continuity left to defend, so forget about that.

Level the playing field or you risk alienating all the casual gamers and new gamers. Remember, you need to attract new blood. If they enter the game and hear: you wanna be a Jedi? Ok, start searching for a year, while at the same time there are jedi everywhere, you're gonna dishearten them and a lot of them will quit.

Colonel Malachon Draco, Imperial Army
Commander of The Imperial Order
Starsider

JustG, by "Force Sensitive" do you mean that first Novice box of Force Sensitivity or what you attain after completing the first 24 "Force Sensitive" skill points?

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Veni. Vidi. Discedi.

People should just *be* force sensitive, but unless they work on it, they don't get any use out of the force. Make the path to becoming an actual jedi, long and difficult, but everyone should be able to work in that direction without having to spend months beforehand just to become force sensitive (not even a padwan). There has been a basic problem in the way things have been handled so far. We have been rewarded for being completely unproductive and grinding through professions as quickly as possible. There has been no reward at all for learning a profession, sticking with it and truly mastering it. This has been especially true of the crafting classes. It can be difficult to find basic armor, weapons, clothing, etc. because people are a master crafter one week and a completely different profession the next. Vendors are empty and masters don't even know anything about the things they can make (like a master weaponsmith asking me how to make schematic and use a factory). Getting rid of the hologrind was a definite step in the right direction, but don't make it so that people are *still* not producing anything because they are wandering around looking for some random NPCs to do misions for in order to become force sensitive. I don't think that the economies on many servers can take that. After all, the force sensitve trees now have bonuses for crafters and entertainers who may want those skills, but have no desire to play a full jedi. These people should be crafting and entertaining, not wandering around trying to figure out how to become force sensitive.

People will find a way to unlock Force sensitivity anyways. Then post it. No matter how hidden it is, people will find a way. Then once the way is found, people who have played for one day will be up to par with the people who were hunting for a way to unlock up until that one special person found it. How fair is that?

The

I like the idea of the requirements for becoming Force Sensitive being known to you, but different for everyone. Or at least, not the same for everyone. I'd hate to go online and see under the Quest section of a website "Force Sensitive Quest." If there was a way to make it known, but diversewith many different ways of achieving it so not everyone has the same quest... thats what I'd vote for.

It should be a mystery, but it should also be visible. This is not an easter egg- this is a major game mechanic. Simply not telling players how to get to this content and making them hope they figure it out is just lazy and uncreative, and generally gives the impression that the developers couldn't think of a better way to do it.

It shouldn't be completely obvious, but you should give players the tools to figure it out on their own if they so please. It should also be challenging, possibly in combat, but mostly in a puzzle sort of way. You cannot simply put difficult mobs in between players and the content as a buffer. Instead, make more content (and content is not 'go travel to a waypoint and kill this difficult mob or deliver this item').

Hopefully, the path could be versatile enough that there wouldn't be a guide for it in a week that would allow players to breeze right through it. There are many paths to the force- don't give players a single one. Even if it takes extra time to develop, there needs to be more than one way to gain force sensitivity.

Let's use one of the past swg events as an example: the Nym scavenger hunt. Generally, in a scavenger hunt, you find a new clue how to continue at each item you find. Unfortunately, the events team bombed by giving one clue, and letting players rely on luck to find the rest. Rather than put the work into making difficult clues along the way to make players work for their reward, the events team took the lazy way out. Don't do this with the way to become force sensitive!

We want clues! We want hard clues! But don't give us the answers and don't make us rely on dumb luck!

-= Ahriman BreViary =-

Completely shrouded in mystery.

For what it's worth here is my own humble take on this. As long as we are all paying the same amount of money to play this game - I think no content should be excluded from anyone. Powergamers who have the time to achieve more will obviously get results much quicker. Those who cant devote the same amount of time in playing whether through other factors, or even physical ones shouldnt feel like they are penalized. I dont have a problem with having the information known to all. The knowledge doesnt necessarilly mean you will acheive it. All it means is that you at least know where to game and how to devote your time and effort.

I wish I could have grinded the professions out. However Carpal Tunnel pretty much knocked me out of the running. Trying to grind out professions with mouse clicks just was not possible for me. If the system to getting FS slot unlocked is known that is fine. There are plenty of ways to make the path perilous, and we all know that the Jedi Xp road is a looong one. Many will quit due to the amount of work needed. But at least those that game alot and those that game a little will know how to spend their time. The last thing anyone wants is to be frustrated in this game to the point that they feel they can no longer feel they are acheiving anything. No one on limited gameplay time per week wants to spend 3 or 4 months trying to figure out how to unlock an FS slot. You know why? Cause these very players will just up and leave. Some might not care, but isnt it better to have a system in place where all gamers can enjoy the time they have?

I agree with others when they say the content should be randomized or at the very least be an individual thing. So that not every player travels down the same road. The Devs have had to make many changes in the game, and concede that certain game "realities" can no longer apply. All these things have to be done in a game in order to keep the fun in it. "Realism" in a game at the expense of fun quickly feels like a job.

So the timeline and jedi dont exactly coincide with what we have seen in the movies? Dont matter. We have to all realize that the game is a separate entity from the movies, and maybe is just an alternate universe where different events take place. This doesnt mean it has to be bad. Just so long as we can come to grips with this, and enjoy the game for what it is. In the end there are no mysteries or secrets in the game. Effort should therefore be placed on making the experience unique and individual. That's my take on it.

-Xarrus

Should be a mystery with some random small hints so people just cant figure it out.