Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: DRASHK! Awesome new DE idea surfaced in Artisan forum...
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Jjiaah
Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:48 pm
#1
Someone had made a post about a new Intergalactic Surveyor profession, and while I discussed it with them an absolutely brilliant idea was proposed by the originator:
The ability to scan a planet from orbit (in a ship) to see what resources are available on the planet, just as a survey droid would.
This idea is incredible! It was originally proposed to besystem partof a ship, but I believe it would be better suited to be a module installed in an astromech droid. There could be7 different types: Mineral, Chemical, Gas, Flora, Water, Solar, and Wind. Each consumes the appropriate surveying device during creation of the module. This opens new utility for droids. Plus, as you can't fit all 7 modules in a single droid, there would behigh repeat business potential. These modules could also require Master Artisan as a "cert" (similar to other "cert'd" modules like harvester) to give being a Master Artisan more weight. Additionally, this provides a way for flying Artisans to survey as they travel, without detracting from the ability to use a survey droid already in the game. To add a risk vs reward, it could take the droid 1 full minute to get the results which is interrupted by combat.
What do you think, Drashk? Pass this on please? 
Additionally, what does everyone else think?
Clicky to original thread in Artisan Forum ... 3rd and 4th post down.
Message Edited by Jjiaah on 10-21-2004 01:50 PM
JavelinCatcher
Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:04 pm
#3
The only complication I can see is selecting which planet you want to survey. The prime problem systems would be Corellia and Naboo. How would you select between Naboo/Rori or Corellia/Talus?
Drashk
Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:06 pm
#4
Honestly, I'd rather see the Interplanetary Survey Droid revamped instead of adding additional limited use modules.
As for the Intergalactic Surveyor profession, its pretty much another clone of the Miner profession, which is a subject that has floated since its death during SWG Beta.
Interesting idea, but not one that would benefit Droid Engineers as much changing how Interplanetary Survey Droids already function when you consider the additional development time that would be needed.
Jjiaah
Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:30 pm
#5
As someone else mentioned, if you're in a zone with 2 seperate planets... the droid could intelligibly ask which one to survey via a text box with options. This is easily zone dependant.
Drashk wrote:
Honestly, I'd rather see the Interplanetary Survey Droid revamped instead of adding additional limited use modules.
The modules don't have limited uses... only a limit on what type of resource they can scan for. A Mineral Surveying Module can scan for minerals only. So, a customer could have their JTL mods installed and then a Mineral Mod Chemical Mod, and Gas Modto scan for thosethree types. Doctors would likely want Chemical and Flora. Newer artisans may want Wind and Solar to start for power. Each module takes a slot like any other.
The onlytime a survey tool is consumed however is during the assembly of the module, not every time it's used.
As for the Intergalactic Surveyor profession, its pretty much another clone of the Miner profession, which is a subject that has floated since its death during SWG Beta.
Yeah. Ignore that whole part. It was the surveying from orbit I was wantin ya to see.
Interesting idea, but not one that would benefit Droid Engineers as much changing how Interplanetary Survey Droids already function when you consider the additional development time that would be needed.
While I am in favor of changing survey droids to be more useful, I honestly don't think this would be that much development time. It may be even less.
They essentially would have to design 1 module* (mineral for example) starting from the base module programming, then modify it slightly to fit the other resources. Implementing them would simply be (simplified of course) a command call to the a clone of the current survey droid routines (for to change the timing),clone pet/vehical call routines(for changed timing) to allow combat interrupt, and get a return via e-mail just as survey droids do.
As far as if it will benifit us more or less than survey droids... when JTL goes live, everybody and their grandmother that has JTL is gonna be in space. Some people that do crafting will neglect their resources to go have fun. If they are able to play JTL -and- do their surveying at the same time (instead of waiting 45 mins for a droid response), the demand can potentially be killer.
*includes such things as radial menu's, vocal commands, etc
Message Edited by Jjiaah on 10-21-2004 02:33 PM
JavelinCatcher
Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:34 pm
#6
Drashk's point was that it would be counter-productive for us to sell these since they cut into Interplanetary survey droid sales, which are consumable.
duncje
Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:40 pm
#7
I agree with Drashk. Although seemingly a good idea in theory, it cuts into a current DE market. And it wouldn't save all that muchtime anyway, if you were already in space.
Jjiaah
Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:04 pm
#8
duncje wrote:
I agree with Drashk. Although seemingly a good idea in theory, it cuts into a current DE market. And it wouldn't save all that muchtime anyway, if you were already in space.
JavlinCatcher wrote:
Drashk's point was that it would be counter-productive for us to sell these since they cut into Interplanetary survey droid sales, which are consumable.
Response to duncje:
It's not so much a matter of saving time, as multi-tasking. Piloting while doing other things. Unfortunately, I can't get deeper into this without breaking NDA.
Response to JavlinCatcher:
I understand completely. However, once the JTL NDA is lifted you will see more where I am coming from. If you're already in Beta, take a look at the options in the Starship Terminals (and saying as much doesn't break NDA... the terminals are already in live just not active) specifically the one in the lower right corner after having made your initial selection. That should make it more clear.
Once the NDA is lifted, this can be more fully explained. I have received messageboard PM's from people about this already and it is a very strong case.
Jjiaah
Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:46 pm
#9
Wooohooo! NDA is lifted! And what timing! 
I am refering to the Travel button. This gives the ability for someone to travel from planet to planet at their own will without paying a dime or engaging in combat. It acts just as the shuttle does, just on demand... and it's free.
Now that people can go from planet to planet in a hurry, they no longer have a need for survey droids. They don't need to wait. Why send the droids and wait 45 mins, plus use an expendabledroidand tool for each type of resourcefor them, when they can simply planet-hop in less time, survey for everything all at once, and if they find something they want be there to survey to drop harvs?
The days of the Survey droid are unfortunately coming to an end, except for those few that won't have JTL. We need something to replace that loss we are all very likely to feel in the near future.
It's not cutting in to Survey droids sales / functionality, it's replacing what will soon be relatively useless.
Message Edited by Jjiaah on 10-21-2004 03:46 PM
JavelinCatcher
Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:53 pm
#10
....and that is exactly what the current incarnation of the Interplanetary survey droid does. Allows you to do other things while seeing what resources are available on another planet.
Jjiaah wrote:
It's not so much a matter of saving time, as multi-tasking. Piloting while doing other things.
Jjiaah
Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:02 pm
#11
More my point, is people are going to be less inclined to spend money on survey droids -and- the survey tools to use them, when they can be to several planets and back for free in the same amount of time. Additionally, a huge portion of people are going to be living in space for the next long while. Again, if they can pilot and do their surveying at the same time, while traveling to their destinations, without spending a penny.... that is good for us. Those without JTL will likely be sticking with the survey droids, but I believe those with JTL will likely stop using them with any frequency, or at all.
Drashk
Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:06 pm
#12
Jjiaah wrote:
It's not cutting in to Survey droids sales / functionality, it's replacing what will soon be relatively useless
Which is why the Interplanetary Survey Droidsneed to be revamped instead of adding a module that has function that is limited use.
What you are suggesting is extremely limited use since only a very small hand full of ships can be equiped with a droid. This would be limited even further by the Artisan prerequiste and the fact that the module would be JtL buyer specific.
It would simply be counter-productive development time to create a new module and allowing something that is already in game to become even less useful.
Three changes to the Survey Droids could be made to make them more useful to everyone.
- Reduce the time needed for the droid to return.
- Remove the Survey Tool Requirement
- Include all Inorganic Resources listed per planet.
BTW, the 45 minute wait time is on really low quality Droids. I can easily produce Survey Droids that have a return rate of 20 minutes.
PaladinX333
Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:08 pm
#13
I would use survey droids if they would actually list the stats of the resources. I would fire off several a day too. As it stands now I only mine on a few planets and since I travel to each one daily I have no use for survey droids in their current incarnation.
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