Droid Engineer Archive

Let's try to come to a general consensus on the combat droid issue so we can present a united front to the Devs even if there are some points that we agree to disagree on. I think there are lots of points we agree on, and perhaps we can list those and say we have a disagreement on the remaining points (perhaps Sintrosi can summarize) and we can then just punt to the Devs so they make the final call with our collective feedback.

If you respond to this email, please respond using the numbers ("I agree on #1, but not on #4 and here's why" etc.).

Ok, here is what I gather so far:

1. No one wants DE-only combat droids to be the ONLYnew droids we get. Likewise, few like the idea of combat modules for non-combat droids like Protocol Droids ("I'm programmed for etiquette, not combat" -- C3P0, Ep2.)

2. Majority want new combat droids that we can sell

3. Majority believe there should be some sort ofgame balancing limit on new and powerful droids with certs being the most common --but not the only --solution proposed. The recent CH/creature nerf suggests that the devs are leaning toward certs for game balance so we might as well warm up to the idea, or suggest a reasonable alternative. Some have suggested certs, others have suggested pet levels points spread out in the DE skilltree and a few have suggest a Droid Handler profession.

4. Majority believe we should be able to use all the droids that we can make

5. In ADDITION to the droids in Point #4, many, but not all,want DE-only combat droids that are "cool" or "special" as a badge of our Droid Engineer-ness. Some believe these should be as powerful as the best CH pet, others believe they should just have a special look or chasis, others believe they should have slightly better stats. (My proposal is Droidekas that we can sell, and Droideka AvdancedMaster DE-onlymodels that are moderately better, perhaps with shield generators). Many don't like the idea of a separate chassis or a Super Uber Droid for fear of DE dabblers;others, in turn, question those who prefer to keep DEnumbersdown.Soem fear that a DE-only chassis will upset customers. And, finally,a few insist that Droid Engineers only have access to the droids everyone else can use.

6. Give us Droidekas somehow!!!

Let's hear it. Do you agree with these points? Please state specifically which you agree with or disagree with. Don't quibble with my numbers on how many people believe what-- I admit they are not scientific: Just state what YOU believe.

Hopefully we can come to some consensus -- perhaps on point 1 through 4 (and 6!) at least and then moveon from there.

Forgot to mention: I agree on #1-6.

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

1. No one wants DE-only combat droids to be the ONLYnew droids we get.

---

#1 - Agree partially. I do not want DE-only combat droids to be the only new droid we get, I just don't want any DE-only droids period.

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

2. Majority want new combat droids that we can sell

---

#2 - Agree

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

3. Majority believe there should be some sort ofgame balancing limit on new and powerful droids with certs being the most common --but not the only --solution proposed.

---

#3 - Agree

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

4. Majority believe we should be able to use all the droids that we can make

---

#4 - Partially Agree...if they come up with a cert system and allow us to make somespecialized Droids (similiar to theBHDroids but an actual Droid instead of a tool) I have no problem not being able to use them. If they come up with some form of Surveyor Droid we shouldn't be able to use it unless we have the surveying skill...

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

5. In ADDITION to the droids in Point #4, many, but not all,want DE-only combat droids that are "cool" or "special" as a badge of our Droid Engineer-ness.

---

#5 -Disagree...even one of the major proponents for the "Combat-DE" side of the argument admits that it's afairly even split among DE's, so stating that "many, but not all" is misleading and weighing the argument the wayyou want it to go. The only "Badge" I need as a Master Droid Engineer is my title, anything else just represents something that I can't sell to someone. It's like saying a Master Architect should be able to make a house that only they can use. Sure it may look cool, but what good does it do them? We don't need peopleclimbing the DE skill-tree because they want that cool Droid that only we can use, we should be able to sell it to them and allow them to keep the skills they would rather have.

---

Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:

6. Give us Droidekas somehow!!!

---

#6 - Couldn't care less...I don't need to build Droidekas to make me feel important or to have fun, and considering how they operated in the moviesand the story line behind them I don't think they could possibly implement them in a way that DE's would accept. Leave them outand save theheadaches.

This is easy:

1) agree
2) agree
3) agree
4) agree
5) agree
6) agree


And now for a bonus:

7) This post was a good idea for demonstrating the strong consensus that truly DOES exist in the DE community, particularly to those who are struggling to understand the issues: agree

1. Agree


2. Agree


3. Agree (certs)


4. Agree


5. Agree (Adv Droideka that has the shield generator is a good idea, do not like the idea of a Droid that can compete with a Rancor.


6. Agree

1. Agree

2. Agree as long as it doesn't take away from the utility aspect of droids as well.

3. Agree, I don't really like the idea of certs but I do think it is required for balancing. Though another idea I've been thinking of is making them prohibitavely expensive, this would help drain some money out of the economy (much needed) as well as keep them out of the hands of Most newbies.

4. Disagree but, not strongly. If this is the only way we can reach a concensus then go for it, but due to balance issues I honestly don't think we should.

5. Disagree, Not only is this taking the class one step further in the wrong direction but it has serious balance issues.

6. I don't really care what kind of droids we get.

Jenden Morn - Master Droid Engineer - Mos Espa, Tarquinas

Owner, Operator, and Founder of DarkStar Inc.

I see no point/gain in DE-only droids (DE-only modulesyes, but notenitre droids).

While I think the addition of Droidika is inevitable (too many vocal voices want them - mostly non-DE's) I just dont see how you can make them faithful to the film (the shield generator alone makes them too hard) andits not fair to just give us another 'Probot' (personally the Trade Federation Battle Droids would be an easier addition) but I dont see how you can balance combat droids without introducing some cert-type system (like creature challenge level restrictions) which flies in the face of the whole droid concept

1-3, 5-6: Largely agree.

4: Disagree. Maybe I am mis-understanding this butit isn't exactly true now - why should I ever want to be able to usea BH droid unless I am a BH? I would actually like to see lots ofdroid modules geared towards other professions since this creates a natural demand for our services. If we could do everything then everyone would want to become a DE.

Actually I will add something - I do feel that Master DE's should be able to call out and control 2 droids at once rather than one. Clearly by allowing this we would get 2x the firepower with combat droids and this in itself might be enough to differentiate our class.

1) Agree

2) Agree, along with a few new utility droids.

3) Agree, a cert program that helps to balance combat droids and allow certain professions to call out more than one droid is needed.

4) Agree, but in order to balance out certain aspects there will need to be limitaions placed, such as only being able to call certain types of droids that are certed to combat classes as a Master DE.

5)Agree, but again his needs to be handled in a certain way to balance out the profession.

6) Agree, I get asked about Droidekas on a weekly basis.

1. agree


2. agree


3. agree


4. agree


5. agree, but only 1, and most likely at Master level


6. indifferent

1. STRONGLY agree...I beg the devs to not let non combat type droids have combat modules.

2. Agree

3. Agree, it has been proposed that we could have one combat and one non combat droid out at a time, that would be perfect.

4. Agree, of course we should.

5. Neutral. If we could have our two droids out (as question 3) that would be 'badge' enough.

6. Agree. The star wars universe is ancient. There as been arguments about droids from Ep 1 + 2 as being outdated. How long has technology such as a light saber or a blaster been around for? Hundreds...thousands of years? I am sure we could have droids that are 50 or 60 years old.

1. No one wants DE-only combat droids to be the ONLYnew droids we get.
Agree

We should be able to use all the droids we can make, but we should not be the only ones that can use them.

2. Majority want new combat droids that we can sell
Agree

Although they should be powerfull ones, that not everyone can use.

3. Majority believe there should be some sort ofgame balancing limit on new and powerful droids with certs being the most common --but not the only --solution proposed.
Agree

Also with something like certifications in non-DE classes alowing other some other elite classes to be able to handle higher end droids.

4. Majority believe we should be able to use all the droids that we can make.
Agree (Strongly agree)

5. In ADDITION to the droids in Point #4, many, but not all,want DE-only combat droids that are "cool" or "special" as a badge of our Droid Engineer-ness.
Agree (in part)

We should NOT get anything that is more powerfull than anything else, maybe just a different chassis that has the same power as another droid we can sell.

6. Give us Droidekas somehow!!!
Dissagree (for now)

Yes Droidika should be given to us, but like I've said before if you acctually think that they will ever be ingame anytime soon then...... (In order to be nice I will just stop there) Just don't expect droidika for at least 2 or more official expansion packs.

---