Droid Engineer Archive

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Big thanks to Sintrosi for compiling these issues. All professions are important to us, but we realize the DEs have some more serious issues for us to look at than most professions. Here are the designers’ responses to the top 5 issues (option 6^th is the Correspondent’s pet issue). Our next publish focuses heavily on overall profession issues. We also should be hiring an assistant community manager soon to be in more frequent and direct contact with you.

1) Droid Uniqueness and Usefulness – There are currently no inherent functions built into a droid. Add features and functions to different droids to make them each more distinct from each other.

We’ve made some changes as of the last patch, and have many more in the works. We like some of the ones you suggested in the email. What types of droids would you like to see in addition, and what functions would they have?

2) Working Modules – Many of the Droid Engineer modules are not working. Modules would be useful as “hot swappable” for customers.

We’re adding more power ups and buffs to droids, but we currently don’t plan to make modules hot swappable. The concern here is we want to encourage specialization with droids, not make every droid able to perform every function. This specialization actually helps the crafting market.

3) Usage Experience and Master Experience – The grind to get intermediate blueprints is too difficult. Usage experience could help make the grind less painful.

We’re going to change the Usage Experience to programming droid commands in the future. This should help the progress for Droid Engineer. Expect this to work somewhat like the Creature Handlers pet trick experience.

4) Variation in Combat Droids – Combat Droids are too similar, and could use more variation.

We agree. What kind of Combat Droids would you like to see?

5) Droid Repair Issues – There is no mechanism in place to heal the white bar of a droid. Is droid perma-death going to come about?

We are going to add a repair kit for droids crafted by Artisans. Your droids will be able to heal with these. J

6) Experimentation On Droids – Experimentation on droids seems to be broken. Currently, experimenting with all the points and successes produces no gains.

This is fixed as of the last patch! J

Albeit... about as 'lame' a response as I could possibly have imagined...

*bursts into tears*

Dev1: "Sir, the firing squad is in position. Arewe ready to fire?"

Head Dev: "Do you have any last requests, Droid Engineer?"

DE: "Screw you. We posted all over the place what we want. What do you mean, WHAT KIND OF COMBAT DROIDS WOULD WE LIKE TO SEE?!?!"

Head Dev: "Fire"

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Jabetha wrote:

Albeit... about as 'lame' a response as I could possibly have imagined...

*bursts into tears*

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Q, there is a six-page-and-growing thread on the state of droids in general at http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=Development&message.id=323535&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

This thread is getting a lot of response from users and not just DEs. I would encourage you to take a look.

Okay... a much more 'thorough' reply now...

"1) Droid Uniqueness and Usefulness – There are currently no inherent functions built into a droid. Add features and functions to different droids to make them each more distinct from each other.

We’ve made some changes as of the last patch, and have many more in the works. We like some of the ones you suggested in the email. What types of droids would you like to see in addition, and what functions would they have?"

Exactly WHAT changes were made in the last patch that added features and/or functions to droids that weren't merely the fixing of an existing bug (i.e. storage) ? I think I can speak for all when I say we don't want NEW types of droids as much as we want a function for some of the existing ones. What possible use can a Binary Load Lifter serve...? It currently accepts only Droid Defensive Modules... even the Advanced version. What possible use did you have in mind for a Protocol Droid? Sure you don't expect us to go through the effort of making Power Droids when a Droid Battery serves exactly the same purpose?

"2) Working Modules – Many of the Droid Engineer modules are not working. Modules would be useful as “hot swappable” for customers.

We’re adding more power ups and buffs to droids, but we currently don’t plan to make modules hot swappable. The concern here is we want to encourage specialization with droids, not make every droid able to perform every function. This specialization actually helps the crafting market. "

You say 'more' power ups and buffs... yet give not even a hint of what they might be? I think you're saying this with the 'expectation' that you will come up with some. Also... you say you don't want every droid able to perform every function... yet I can make an MSE Mouse with EVERY SINGLE MODULE installed... thanks to the fact that a General Module Socket Cluster can still be used in any open module slot... and can therefore be embedded within themselves.

"3) Usage Experience and Master Experience – The grind to get intermediate blueprints is too difficult. Usage experience could help make the grind less painful.

We’re going to change the Usage Experience to programming droid commands in the future. This should help the progress for Droid Engineer. Expect this to work somewhat like the Creature Handlers pet trick experience."

Huh??? So... everytime you program a droid you get Droid Experience??? Are you serious? So, all I have to do now is make 1 droid and program it 1,000,000,000 times? What about all the non-DE who program their droids... will they too get Droid Crafting Exp?

"4) Variation in Combat Droids – Combat Droids are too similar, and could use more variation.

We agree. What kind of Combat Droids would you like to see"

Do you EVER even so much as glance at this forum? Right now we have the DZ-70 and Probots... anything else would be great. By the way... why exactly does the DZ-70 Fugitive Tracker Droid exists? Do you actually think anyone has ever ... and I mean EVER sucessfully used it in combat?

"5) Droid Repair Issues – There is no mechanism in place to heal the white bar of a droid. Is droid perma-death going to come about?

We are going to add a repair kit for droids crafted by Artisans. Your droids will be able to heal with these. "

What do you mean ADD a repair kit? There has been a DROID REPAIR TOOL in the game since the beginning... it just doesn't function. It AMAZES me you're obviously not aware of this.

"6) Experimentation On Droids – Experimentation on droids seems to be broken. Currently, experimenting with all the points and successes produces no gains.

This is fixed as of the last patch!"

Blah... I strongly BEG to differ with this. I challenge you or anyone to prove it to me. I continue to 'experiment' with every single component and/or droid I make... and there is absolutely NO noticeable difference in the outcomes. Exactly WHAT gains could you be referring to? What are the differences in experimenting with 'Experimental Effectiveness' or 'Overall Quality' ?

On a final note: I expected our responses to be fairly vague and inadequate... but this is truly a real disappointment. It is obvious you NEVER read the discussions among Droid Engineers on this board. I encourage anyone to read this response and then go read the Developer respones on the Creature Hander forum. Blah... we waited an extra 3 days for THIS?!?!

Ok everyone, we've gotten a respone so please limit this thread to CONSTRUCTIVE comments.

Issue that is most important to me at this time are the combat droids.

The DZ70 Fugitive tracker needs a light boost in health, it is nearly impossible to prevent aggro on to him and with permadeath in the game these things are even more than useless. 40 in HAM bars? Come on.

If it is possible to be present at this period in the Star Wars timeline, I am sure everyone would appreciate the Episode 1 and 2 combat droids, particularly the basic battle droids, the advanced ones in Ep 2, and the Droidekas possibly. ( If Nym can have them, why can't we?)

Protocol Droids need a good purpose. (possibly weak yet mobile merchant?)

Binary Load Lifters need a good purpose. (possibly effective if involved somehow in construction)

EG 6 Power Droids. I'm not sure but can these only repower other droids?

There needs to be some reason for someone to buy an R3 droid over an R5 driod other than as a fasion statement.

I'm sure more people can add more ideas as we go....

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Jabetha wrote:

"3) Usage Experience and Master Experience – The grind to get intermediate blueprints is too difficult. Usage experience could help make the grind less painful.

We’re going to change the Usage Experience to programming droid commands in the future. This should help the progress for Droid Engineer. Expect this to work somewhat like the Creature Handlers pet trick experience."

Huh??? So... everytime you program a droid you get Droid Experience??? Are you serious? So, all I have to do now is make 1 droid and program it 1,000,000,000 times? What about all the non-DE who program their droids... will they too get Droid Crafting Exp?

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My precognitive skill could use a little refinement, but I wasn't too far off the mark with my predictions...

See the future DE Dev replies, I do...

http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=12241&highlight=#M12241

I like how they avoid the perma death issue here. I am no DE. I am just a normal "soon to be" commando and I can tell you I will not buy a droid in a million years because ofperma death. I rather get a low lvl pet or invest in some CH skills myself.

I think it highly unfair pet's do not die but your droids do.

I feel for you guys

Droidekas, Droidekas, Droidekas!

We need Droidekas! We need them to be DE only, and we need them to be at least on par with the strongest CH pets.