Development Cycle Archive
Thread: Should Force Sensitivity be a known path or a mysterious one? (II)
Merxion_Levoy
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:46 am
#586
JustG wrote:
My question has to do with the step before all of this... with how you actually become Force Sensitive.
For many of us this is what the game is all about. Many many of us strive to become Jedi so with that in mind please let me lay out some history for you.
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=jedi&message.id=43#M43
Q3P0: babakhan, unlocking the slot is mentioned in the quickstart guide. I think marketing showed a lot of restraint actually. We asked them to be very careful not to sell the game on the concept of "Be a Jedi". I agree with you that not everyone may know this, which is why I've been going out of my way on the pre-release site (and now here) to get that known.
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=jedi&message.id=7256#M7256
Holocron: Nobody has unlocked a Jedi slot yet, the code to do so is all in place (in fact, one day we DID have a bug where someone got the message in error! Oops), and at the rate that people are going, I expect it to be at least two more months before anyone gets there.
These two posts indicate that the FSCS stuff was in and fully functional. However this was NOT the case. during this time if you tried to create a character on the same server your server was filtered out. In otherwords you guys told us it was in and functional yet it was not.
How are we supposed to trust that you will put in a s3cr3t method that works? Honestly from my perspective you guys need to work on making a non secret method that works. Players will figure it out for that there is no doubt. Your better off spending the man hours creating a very nice story line to the quest to make it entertaining and enriching.
DocJedi
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:49 am
#587
I looked at the polls and saw that it was close to 50:50. I think that there should be 2 paths to FS. The known one and the mysterious one. The known one would Like the quests and you would be able to talk to the quest guy do the quest then start another until you fianlly get FS. The mysterious one would be random for every character and a certain badge of master job or any combination would turn you FS. When you create a character you would be able to choose between the 2 "known" or "mysterious". Then the characters that have not already unlocked force sensitivity,but already exit. When they log in to their character a screen would come up in the hud and asked them wich path they will take and ask them to confirm. That way their will be both "known" and "mysterios".
CaputDraconis
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:57 am
#589
I like the idea of making it mysterious ... to a degree. Somemixture of both mystery and known elements would be ideal. The original method was too arbitrary and meaningless. Maybe there could be known quests and it would be a mystery as to which ones lead to being force-sensitive. It would be importantthat itlet you know when you've completed it whether it was or was not. Granted, this is similar to the old way but on a smaller scale and with no accursed grinding. Perhaps you have 64 NPCs interspersed throughout the galaxy. Each has a quest or series of quests that are similar to the old monthly themed story quests in scope (but don't require grouping!). Their locations are initially a mystery (since they'll be on the boards inside a week) and it's a mystery as to which will help you in your progression since it's different for each player. Thequests could be scripted in such a way thatit makes sense that it would bring one in tune with the the force;like helping an elderly couple, acting as arbiter, keeping the peace, gathering parts that makes something some NPCneeds, etc. Combat should be kept to a minimum, emphasis should be given to exploration, NPC interaction, puzzle solving
Let me repeat one point for emphasis: Grouping with other playersshould NOT be a requirement at any point to becoming force-sensitive. Jedi had a choice whether to be social and interact with the Council or whether to be reclusive.
Diorchas
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:58 am
#590
Very simple. Have a series of very doable quests that lead up to force sensitivity. Easily programmed and immersive.
Once FS has been gained, have quests with moral choices that lead your character up one path or the other. THESE should be very long, very immersive and there should be enough of them that not every player's experience is the same.
Now here is the kicker... When a player gets their character enough Light Side or Dark Side points to "qualify" for being a Jedi (and the qualification number should be as secret as humanly possible) then an in game GM... to reiterate here... a REAL PERSON who has a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of the game's immersiveness and continuity, should initiate contact with that prospective Jedi. Maybe they only ask questions of them. Maybe the roleplay an entire scenario. The goal is... powergamers prepare to be sick... that the prospective Jedi actually ACTS like a Jedi. Through word and deed.
That would make the Jedi rare, enhance both immersion AND continuity, and would completely remove any sense of "well, if I just grind hard enough and follow the walkthroughs I'll be golden." In this version you would actually have to demonstrate that your character is worthy of the Jedi AND that you are willing and able to PLAY him as one.
I know this is a pipe dream, but they're asking for opinions and this is one from a VERY frustrated roleplayer and lifelong Star Wars fan. Take it for what it's worth.
LadyLeala
Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:59 am
#591
Wow, the vote is pretty close... 46% to 54% when I last checked.
Finegold12
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:01 am
#592
I just want to have a second character, whether that Character is a Jedi doesnt concern me, but call this a FS slot if you like.
So to answer your question, I would like to know what to do to open this second slot, and I would like to know what credit I get (as previously stated) for mastering 16 professions.
I vote no for mystery.
So to answer your question, I would like to know what to do to open this second slot, and I would like to know what credit I get (as previously stated) for mastering 16 professions.
I vote no for mystery.
Noc-turnal
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:02 am
#593
JustG wrote:
(Now with 75% more info!)
There are many stages in the path to becoming a Jedi...
The first among them is becoming Force Sensitive. Once you become Force Sensitive you can choose to continue on the path to becoming a Jedi or not. The path to becoming a Jedi will be a long and dangerous one.
Publish 10 is focussing largely on the path FROM Force Sensitive TO becoming a Jedi... this is going to be very quest and story-driven, and will take some effort and time on the part of the players. This path will be directed, and you will know how to get through, but it will also contain an element of mystery.
My question has to do with the step before all of this... with how you actually become Force Sensitive.
The question to continue discussing is this:
Should the method of becoming Force Sensitive (not the path from Force Sensitivity to Jedi) be a mysterious, unknown mechanic orone that is visible and known to everyone?
Thanks for the continued feedback!!
well i just want to put my opinion forward. i think being a mystery would give the mysteriousness of a jedi back into the game its what i always thought the route of force sensitive should be that way. mysterious and sexy!
Nerj
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:04 am
#594
A little bit of both.
for example:
You pass by a cave and all of a sudden you have an urge to enter it. You have an urge to explore a "mound" etc. doing these things you uncover hints to persue. New paths open weekly, in that you may need to travel to a disant planet but it will be a week before your next "urge" takes place.
This will keep grinders to a minimun and allow the casual player an equal chance. Items obtained from FS contacts; Map pieces, that are NON-TRADEABLE; onceassembled will lead you to a teacher. The teacher discovers that you aare force sensitive and warns you of the dangers that lie ahead etc.
DocJedi
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:05 am
#595
I personaly want I to be known. But in the triolgy the jedi had sunk down to no more than a myth and the jedi academy didn't appear until after espisode 6. But there were jedi's like Kyle Kattarn who spent his days as a bounty hunter type person until he discovered that his father was a jedi who was killed by another jedi. So there was jedi business going on but it wasn't mainstream knolodge. But kyle was force sensitive his whol entire life but he didn't use force powers until he relized it. He had no lightsaber skills at all when he recieved his lightsaber yet he was able to wield it. So all characters could have FS yet not relize it and by triggering some sort of event they would be able to use the force.
RandoD
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:14 am
#596
WTH?!?
I was operating under the assumption that Publish 10 was illuminating the path from regular character to FS... not FS to whatever. Are you telling me that I could be stuck with the frigging Hologrind or something equally benign to pursue the Jedi path???
Where is my delete game button?
Give me quests, make it hard to do, make it so I'll pull my remaining hair out in frustration and aggrivation, but tell me what the %#*($!! I need to do!!!
/mood grumpy
I stopped Hologrinding and gimping a while back based on news that the road was changing, and been biding my time until then. If this is not true...
Mother %$^&@(!!@!!
Rakor
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:14 am
#597
A simple answer. To become force sensitive. Just tie it in the the current mission terminals.
And have a random mission come up that will lead you to being force sensitive. But makeit so that nobody knows which mission will be the one that leads them down that path untill they actually do it. This way every proffession be it crafter or fighter has a fair chance of becomming force sensitive by doing things there character is setup to do.
Eraint
Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:23 am
#598
Make it unknown. Or at least give us a second character. Most people I have talked to do want a jedi, just a second slot.
And make it hard. To many jedi as it is now.
And make it hard. To many jedi as it is now.