Development Cycle Archive

Thread: In-Concept Open Discussion (Week Ending 3-29-04)

Burning_Tyger
Mon Mar 22, 2004 8:39 pm
#66




zzSeawock wrote:
Thanks for continuing to host these discussions.

Re Smugglers. Players "shouting" availability to slice or sell spices still runs rampant at Theed and Coronet Starports, and does much to dispel the sense that they are actually "smuggling" or that there is any law enforcement around to stop it. In fact, it's more like an open bazaar for contraband. Imagine what would happen if someone were standing at the Port of San Diego or San Diego Airport shouting "Free Weed! Get your Free Weed!" or "10 grams of Coke for $Xxxxx!" -- They'd be arrested in short order. Ports, in general, in the U.S. tend to have lots of law enforcement -- and we're not in the midst of a civil war!

Question: Is there a way for the devs to cue uber trooper spawns (not troopers that are so easily aced like the current crackdown spawns) everytime someone overtly uses the word "slice," "spice" or an iteration thereof in "spatial" speak? I feel like there's more of an Imperial Crackdown in LAX than I do in SWG, which is in the midst of a crackdown!

Thanks!



Ooooo...I like it...Ilike it alot.


Maybe make it a percentage. Using /shout increases the chance of a Crackdown spawn of Imps, using /whisper lessens the chance a bit. It would force people to use creative ways to adverise their illegal wares and services. Very good idea....except for one thing.


Every Imp in his/her right mind would begind shouting "slice" and "spice" every time overt Rebs show up, just to get the extra NPC Imp help to show up.


I like the direction, but the idea needs some tweaking. Maybe someone could come up with a non-greif alternative.









2nd Lt. Tygo Noscixximi
Master Artisan
Master Merchant
Master Droid Engineer
Eclipse Server

"It matters not...he is still your Emperor."
Burning_Tyger
Mon Mar 22, 2004 8:49 pm
#67




Empodojayus wrote:

During the dev chat it was mentioned that Mandalorian armor is going to be implemented. Heres how I think it should be done:


Mandalorian armor should only be available to master bounty hunters. On top of this, it should only be available to master bounty hunters who have killed 10 DIFFERENT JEDI. After a master bounty hunter has killed 10 different jedi (kills only count if you have the mission for that jedi), an email would be recieved saying that boba fett would like to meet with said bounty hunter. One would go to jabba's palace, where boba fett would congratulate him on a job well done, and give him a suit of mandalorian armor. I think it should have a +10 modifier to LLC speed and accuracy, and a +1 to investigation difficulty. Perhaps this next level would implement the death mark system? Also, the armor shouldn't degrade or lose vitality because of death, but instead is lost if a bounty hunter fails a certain number of missions in a row, or gives up his master status. I think that it should be equal in defense to stormtrooper armor. This would provide some defense, but not make it amazing. Also, perhaps bounty hunters could have traps installed into any armor, that would act like normal traps, accept on humans (higher levels as investigation tree is climbed, possibly stun, dizzy, intimidate, and even a ranged deathblow at master (similar to sniper shot). Each trap could have 5-10 charges, and 2 could be equipped at once (one on each arm), unless the bounty hunter is wearing my next idea: a flamethrower. Similar to a commando's except that it either had 1/4 the strength, or no DOT (whichever worked better for balancing), and only was usable within 7 meters (melee distance). This would make it far worse than a commando's flamethrower, but still another weapon for the bounty hunter who puts far more skill points into his profession than any other, and cant master a single other profession.



I like this idea too. I like anything that rewards masters of any kind for their hard work. Their needs to be more elite goodies in the game; itmes or skills that are very, very, veryhard to achieve, but are achievable none the less if you work hard. I think every profession's masters should have access to unique stuff that no one but a master of that profession can have.


My "master politician" player bounty idea from a month ago was not perfect, but I think it got good response.






2nd Lt. Tygo Noscixximi
Master Artisan
Master Merchant
Master Droid Engineer
Eclipse Server

"It matters not...he is still your Emperor."
recon6
Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:09 pm
#68





IndySWG wrote:

TH ...


You said that soon star ports will go from any planet to any planet. I would offer that this may not be a good idea for the following reasons:


1) Suddenly there would be no "remote" planets. Remote planets are an important part of both RP and Strategy (not to mention comerce)


2) With the Space Expansion - I was hoping that one reason to seek out a smuggler in mos eisley would be to get a non-stop flight to Planet X while avoiding any...imperial entanglements. It would be awesome to start increasing scans AT STAR PORTS (only after the space expansion), and keep the star ports limited runs... giving a very nifty REASON to have a smuggler friend with a ship. "Need to get your Jedi off of Tatooine to Dantooine un-noticed... better find a smuggler - other wise, you'll have to go thru 3 star ports, take 3 times as long, and risk gettin scanned")





That is a great idea.To badthe dev'sdon't appear to want smugglers to have any actual content in the game



...but Tuesday Weld isn't a complete sentence.
recon6
Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:12 pm
#69




Thunderheart wrote:




Kyros_Dragoon wrote:

I would like to see Smugglers able to make slicing kits for MagSeals that players can buy when they are hunting in dungeons. Also can we get dungeons that are not recycled from one another I think us players deserved better than that, however the Warren and Geonosian Lab are great



Thats a great solution to the MagSeal containers! Ill check into this with the correspondent and the developers.






You guys better share whatever you're smoking. There is no way the neglected smuggler community would make slicing kits.



...but Tuesday Weld isn't a complete sentence.
WolfwoodCross
Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:18 pm
#70
This idea came to me when I saw a Wookie Teras Kasi Master flailing around all nimble-like. I thought to myself "That's not how a Wookie would fight hand to hand!" I pictured a Wookie roaring and wailing away on his enemy like an old-school George Foreman fight. And in that thought came this idea.


A new, race specific Profession - The Wookie Berserker!


I started thinking about whatit's skills and abilities would be. My first thought turned to Wookie Roar and how it could be worked into such a Profession. So for the following idea to work, imagine Wookie Roar working like this - Wookie Roar would be an AoE ability, eminating out from the Wookie in a 5m radius. Anything caught in its range would have a chance being Intimidated, and also have a chance to receive the same effect as "Threaten Shot," i.e. scare them into running away. Also, this Profession is almostcompletely dependant on the "Berserk" Ability earned from the Brawler Profession.


The Wookie Berserker - Novive Berserker - attainable after Unarmed 4, earned through Unarmed Combat XP. Grants the ability to use Wookie Roar while Berserk. Adds +2m to Wookie Roar range.


The "Feral Instinct" Tree - earned throughUnarmed XP

Lv1- Clobber - A damaging 3 hit combo of a wide left hook, a wide right hook, finished by bringing both fists down upon the head of the opponent. This also has a chance to Dizzy the target.

Lv2- Backhand - A wide backhand that will knock an opponent back several meters.

Lv3- Choke Slam - Must be within 2m. The Wookie grabs the enemy, slams them into the ground, and then tosses them aside several meters away.

Lv4- Takedown - Wookie Shoulder Butts the enemy. This has a chance of knocking down the opponent, If the Knockdown is successful, the Wookie procedes to tackle the enemy and pummel them with 1-3 heavy blows before getting off of them.


The "Wookie Rage" Tree - earned through Combat XP

Lv1- The Berserk timer is lengthened. Wookie may now use "Clobber" while Berserk.

Lv2- The Berserk timer is lengthened. Wookie may now use "Backhand" while Berserk.

Lv3- The Berserk timer is lengthened. Wookie may now use "Choke Slam" while Berserk.

Lv4- The Berserk timer is lengthened. Wookie may now use "Takedown" while Berserk.


The "Wookie Roar" Tree - earned throughUnarmed XP.

Lv1- +2m to radius. Threaten/Intimidate chance rises.

Lv2- +2m to radius. Threaten/Intimidate chance rises.

Lv3- +2m to radius. Threaten/Intimidate chance rises.

Lv4- +2m to radius. Threaten/Intimidate chance rises.


The "Inner Strength" Tree - earned through Unarmed XP.

Lv1- Unarmed To Hit and Damage go up. Gains a Counterattack bonus while Berserk.

Lv2- Unarmed To Hit and Damage go up. Counterattack while Berserk bonus rises.

Lv3- Unarmed To Hit and Damage go up. Counterattack while Berserk bonus rises.

Lv4- Unarmed To Hit and Damage go up. Counterattack while Berserk bonus rises.


Master Berserker - +5m to Wookie Roar radius (maxing it at 20m radius). Unarmed To Hit and Damage go up. Counterattack while Berserk bonus rises. Wookie Roar gains the ability to raise Unarmed Damage when used.



So yeah that's my idea. I know theres alot more to worry about than new professions, but I just had to get it out of my head ^_^

Burning_Tyger
Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:39 pm
#71

OK, Here is my .02creds worth on several topics.


First, higher level Droids. Everyone wants them, but the devs don't want everyone to have them. So here is a very broad idea. Why not make a certification system not dependant on skills, but instead let the certfications be "bought". Now when I say "bought" I do not mean with creds. That would just contribute more to the problem of the "have's" and 'have-not's". So instead, what if there was a new type of XP that was earned? Let's call them "cool points" for lack of a better term. Everyone, no matter what profession, would earn a tiny amount of these "cool points"randomly after performing a skill, any skill. Then allow these points to be "cashed in" for various things in the game. Make everything that is bought with these "cool points" really, really expensive in terms of points required to purchase. Make the "perks" so expensive that a regular player may have to save points for months before they can buy even just one of these "perks". Some perks would only be available to those with the correct skills.So maybe anyone can get the "Super-Blastromech Droid" cert, but only a CH could get a Rancor (see my comments on CH's in my next section); only Master Commandos can get the "Starfire Flamethrower" certification and so on and so forth. And then limit the number of "perks" you can have before you have to give one up.


This could be applied to many, many ideas, including the previous mandalorian armor idea (although I still like the idea that only Master BH's can wear it). This would allow for greater personalization of charachters. Now all Master Commando's are no longer the same. This guy spent his "cool points" on a Droideka certification, while this one got the Super- Crotch-Rocket Mega-speeder.


Next, CH"s....I'm glad to hear they are getting "nerfed" even more. As a whole, they are too strong. Please do not misunderstand me. I don't want their ability to tame Rancors and Kimogilas taken away, nor do I necessarily feel the creatures they have should be downgraded. (I think a Rancor is just about right asfar ashow hard it is to kill one). However, not everyone and his brother and sister should have Rancors. I think finding and taming and keeping a well-trained rancor should be almost as hard as achieving Jedi. I want to see someone with a Rancor and say "Whoa! That dude has a Rancor!!". That goes for Grauls, and Tortons, and Kimogilas, and any other uber-creature. Right now I just say "Okay, whose Rancor is standing on my speeder?" I don't feel the slightest bit of awe or admiration when I see one. It doesn't fit in with the Star Wars feel either.


Lastly...Jedi's. I have only been playing this game (on Eclipse) since mid-December, and in that time I have only seen a single Jedi, at least one that was overt with his light-sabre out .It was in Bestine (of all places :robotsurprised and he had a single-bladed red light sabre and was duelingan Imperial Commando. I remeber thinking that that guy must have really worked hard to become a Jedi. It was truly a memorable experience. In my opinion, that RAWKS!!! I don't want to see Jedi every time I log on.Beinga Jedi knight should be thehardest, mostdifficultthing to achieve in the game,but also the most rewarding. I am cool with the new system as long as it is not easier to become a Jedi than the current system. If this new mission system means that someone only has to complete the equivalent of a couple of theme parks worth of missions, then I will be upset. It needs to be a long, long, extremely difficult process; so long and difficult that only a few truly dedicated individuals have a prayer of becoming a Jedi. I am against anything that makes it easier to become a Jedi....PERIOD. Besides, it would not be at all fair to that really cooldude with the red light-sabreI saw in Bestine, who I am sure put in a LOT of hard work to become one.


That's all.I'm done. Whaddya think? TH? Anything in this worth wasting anyones time about?


Parting Shot: More droids, less beasties = More Star Wars Feel



2nd Lt. Tygo Noscixximi
Master Artisan
Master Merchant
Master Droid Engineer
Eclipse Server

"It matters not...he is still your Emperor."
Dubolom
Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:48 pm
#72

OK, here it goes. Basicaly, as game is written right now there is no smuggling in the game. On the other hand interplanetary tickets are way underpriced. So, to give smugglers purpose, make interplanetary shuttle tickets dependent on number of items people are carrying (in addition to a certain minumum) and waive or reduce that surcharge for smugglers and those grouped with smugglers.


An example. Let's say it costs 700 credits to go from Coronet to Theed (I don't remember exactly but that sounds about right). That's the minumum price. Traveler has 30 items in his inventory and in his bag. Exclude any clothing (not armor) that he is wearing. Let's say that leaves 27items.2 if those items are crates (food, spices, whatever). So we charge him 100cr for each item (except clothing he wears) and 1000cr for each crate. That's 4500cr. 700+4500=5200cr ticket price. Now, if he wants to travel and save on costs, there are a couple of either/or options that can be implemented for smuggler to help him out


1) Smuggler charges a fee for someone to group with him (let's say 2000cr) and all surcharges above 700cr are dropped for each traveler at the time he's buying a ticket.


ALTERNATIVELY


2) Someone groups with a smuggler and smuggler slices ticket terminal to get a better price and then negotiates how much profit (if any) he can keep. These slices must be VERY high, probably along the 75%-90% level to make this a viable solution.


To prevent abuse tickets should be issued for specific number of items and crates traveling with the passenger (so someone can't buy a ticket while not having any items and then getting items from his bank and boarding the shuttle. There should be a check run while attempting to use the ticket to compare ticket and inventory values.


One more thing... contraband scans as implemented right now are quite ineffective. There are too few of them. Contraband should be scanned every time someone boards a shuttle and someone should not be able to board it until he pays a fee if contraband is found. People should not be turned overt, shot at,or loose imperial points at shuttle scans.




==============
Veni. Vidi. Discedi.
bigmacdaddy12
Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:28 pm
#73
Revamp Smuggler and balance combat. Those should be your main priorities. Personally I don't think that anyone would object if you were to ignore every other problem in the game for 2 months to revamp the professions and to rebalance combat. This is the foundation of the entire game. If you have a weak foundation the whole game will crumble.

BOTTOM LINE: TO RETAIN YOUR CUSTOMERS SHOW THEM RESULTS AND FIX THE MAJOR PROBLEMS FIRST

Hire more programmers for a month or two or demand them from Sony. Get the support you need to get this game on track. We've been waiting for Galactic Civil War updates for almost 5 months now (major part of starwars), smugglers have been waiting for about 9 months for someone to address their issues and work with them for a solution. And certain professions like Pikeman for example just can't stand up in PVP due to combat balance issues. If you fix these major issues I can guarentee you will retain the majority of your customer base. However, if I'm a pikeman and your adding a new advanced level dungeon I COULD REALLY CARE LESS. Anyways, I'm blowing off some steam. I to am a frustrated smuggler.

THUNDERHEART if you get a chance please check in with the smuggler community to give us some feedback about your plans, intentions, possible timeline for this "REVAMP". Also, maybe I missed it but we still haven't received any feedback as to what the DEV's idea of a SWG Smuggler should be. Are we really going to be lacking content for a year or whatever it takes for a space expansion. What are your plans for the profession? What ideas do you think are feasible? Which ideas do you like and which do you think are unreasonable? Please I think if we just got some feedback it would ease our worries a bit.

Jacque Ufaultrades, Master Smuggler, Ahazi

I hope the devs read this far into this post
Lagon_Flood
Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:44 pm
#74
Dear Thunderheart,

I have an idea for the space expansion. I for one hope that it simply does not become just "X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter". I truly have high hopes that we will see the space exspansion become a online equivelent to say the C64 game Elite, or Privateer, or what Freelancer was supposedto be originally when it was first announced nearly 5 years ago.


Anyways, I like to see a huge wide range of ships available, form the fast one manned fighter, to large bulky cargo ship, to the medium sized passenger liner. I for one am not happy about the new direct flights to any planet a player can get from any starport. Leave that option open for the players with the passneger liners. Let them charter out private flights from Planet B at coords X,Y to Planet C at coords X,Y....litterally wherver their client wants to go. The same should go for cargo ships, say a player crafter needs me to haul a bunch of minerals from his harvesters on Yavin to his shop on Tattoine but doesnt have all the means readily available. He could hire someone who owns a bulk frieghter to help out. But maybe it's a dangerous route?, thenthe frieghter pilotwould hire a player that owns fast one manned fighters to escort him.


But the space expansion is also screeming for player bounties! Lets say the guy hauling thecargo for the crafter doesnt deliver...lets say he keeps it all, or maybe hides some. The crafter would need first need to submti a CSR ticket , requesting a bounty to be posted. The CSR would invesitgate the crafters claims first...to verifty he actually did keep minerals in his cargo bay. The CSR could then warn the player who owns the cargo ship, saying "hey, if you dont give the crafter back his minerals, a bounty wil be posted on the network!". If ther's no response say after 5 days, the crafter then gets to post the bounty and the reward on the network. All of a sudden, the cargo ship player is attackable by whoever accpets that mission at the terminal.


Anyways,

These are just my thoughts,

Thanks for taking the time to read them,

Lagon Flood

Mayor of Sidiousan Rite, Talus (-3243, 3491), Eclipse

Vice President of the IMP-erial Military Party



StarSlider Technologies, Located NW of Mos Eisley at 2700, -4212
Virgil Grissom - Master Shipwright/Master Weaponsmith | Lagon Flood - Jedi Padawan/Master Rifleman
Free Reverse Engineering Services! - Custom Crafting Available! - Send Email or PM for Details!
Xenonarius
Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:14 pm
#75


The SPACE EXPANSION has been on my mind since it was first announced. Mysuggestions are based on some of the "complaints" raised during 2003 regarding SWG.



MY SPACE EXPANSION WISH LIST


1. Entry Level (single passenger) spacecraft
(i.e., Obi-Wan's ship in Star Wars II: TCW)


2. Intermediate Level (2-8 passenger) spacecraft
(i.e., the shuttle currently in SWG)


3. AdvancedLevel (2-20 passenger) spacecraft
(i.e., blockaderunner,Millenium Falcon, Slaver I, as seen in Star Wars II: TCW &IV: ANH)


4. "Faction Granted" (1 passenger) spacecraft
(A-wing, B-wing, X-wing, Y-wing, TIE Bomber, TIE Fighter, TIE Interceptor)
* Must have certain faction rank/training to pilot


5. "Faction Granted" shuttles/transports
(i.e., Rebel Medium Transport, Imperial Lambda Class Shuttle, Imperial Landing Craft
as seen in Star Wars V: TESB
* Must have certain faction rank/training to pilot


6. Droids for navigation in entry level spacecraft (as in the movies)


7. Communication between spacecraft


8. Space Stations (for repairs, maintenance, rest area, etc)


9. "Hyper-gates" to travel across space in shorter times (as seen in Star Wars II: TCW)


10. Anomolies such as Nebula, black holes, space debris, meteor showers, magnetic/ion storms, etc.)


* Entry and Intermediate Level spacecraft would not have hyperdrive capability and would have to use hyper-gates to travel extreme distances.


* Advanced and Faction Granted spacecraft would have hyperdrive capability.


* I'm not sure Corellian Cruisers,Escort Frigates, Star Cruisers, Imperial Star Destroyers or Super Star Destroyers would be good in our hands as they would become "Uber-Spacecraft". Maybe theability"call them in" for support would be nice, depending on your rank in your preferred faction.


To get a look at the spacecraft already in use the the SW world go to: www.starwars.com/databank/starship


Anyway, looking for thoughts and opinions...


x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Xenonarius Uruhu
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Master Marksman
Commando
Rifleman
Paladins of Justice - Corellia




Xenonarius Uruhu
===============
Master Marksman
Master Rifleman
MasterCommando
Leader-Paladins of Justice
vagrant13
Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:50 pm
#76




IndySWG wrote:

TH ...


You said that soon star ports will go from any planet to any planet. I would offer that this may not be a good idea for the following reasons:


1) Suddenly there would be no "remote" planets. Remote planets are an important part of both RP and Strategy (not to mention comerce)


2) With the Space Expansion - I was hoping that one reason to seek out a smuggler in mos eisley would be to get a non-stop flight to Planet X while avoiding any...imperial entanglements. It would be awesome to start increasing scans AT STAR PORTS (only after the space expansion), and keep the star ports limited runs... giving a very nifty REASON to have a smuggler friend with a ship. "Need to get your Jedi off of Tatooine to Dantooine un-noticed... better find a smuggler - other wise, you'll have to go thru 3 star ports, take 3 times as long, and risk gettin scanned")






I just wanted that to be read again



Weryn Bryu
master smuggler and pistoleer
one shot and the world gets smaller
WolfwoodCross
Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:34 am
#77
You know what I'd love? A Droid Harvest Module. This Module would be placed into any droid that can have a Storage Compartment. Then, whenI kill a MOB, it would scoot over to the corpse and Harvest Materials. Since any player in a Party can Harvest, it's not Ninja-Harvesting, and simply put would make my Scouting life easier.


Finer Points


- A Harvest Module can only be used in conjunction with a Storage Compartment

- Materials harvested by the droid are placed in the droids Storage Compartment

- A Player may set a droid to harvest Bone, Meat, Hide, or allow the droid to choose at random

- A droid will only travel up to 64m away from its owner to harvest a kill

- A Player does NOT receive Scouting XP for droid harvesting


Kyros_Dragoon
Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:02 am
#78
I would like to see Smugglers able to make slicing kits for MagSeals that players can buy when they are hunting in dungeons. Also can we get dungeons that are not recycled from one another I think us players deserved better than that, however the Warren and Geonosian Lab are great


1. Slicing kits.

2. No recycled dungeon layouts.


As far as the new combat system, I would hope it would be more traditional and have Health / Action. Where everything only attacks health and action is used up by specials, this exotic HAM system is not working out in my eyes.


1. HAM to HA.


Also for defense, level of character attacking you should make a difference on if you dodge, counter, block, and evade or what ever. Currently if you are a master Pistoleer and a master marksmen is buffed and attacks you and you are not buffed you are lucky to dodge any of his shots and make it out a live. Like most RPGs or MMOs there is usually no chance for a lower level character to kill a higher player character solo. This is a major problem.


1. Defense should be effective.


More of a variety of weapons and armor is in order. Its great all characters do not look them same mostly other than everyone in composite although the color customizing helped. Most people are running around with the same weapons.


1. More weapons and armor.


Thank you for the effort.
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