Droid Engineer Archive

Instead of two random items, have subsets of survey droids that will bring you back all the samples (sample data)of a specific material, such as any steel currently shifting on a planet. You'd order it to go to Lok and look for say, steel. You'd get back 0 -5 specs on the different types of steel on Lok.

Crafters and resource vendors would EAT this item up. Not only that, but it makes sense that these types of droids would be able to provide this data. Limiting that data to one specific resource type would make this a useful but not overpowering item.

I'd like to see these have more utility for entertainers, but I wouldn't want them to enable entertainers to heal BF at starports. My alt is a Master Doctor, and I think it's a shame that starports have become the healing/buffing centers and that med centers are used these days only by those who are grinding medic/doc. I wouldn't want to add to the current starport nightmare. However, I don't see why entertainer droids shouldn't offer some boost to the healing power of entertainers the way a 110 med module adds to the healing power of doctors. Then they'd be more than a pretty light show -- they'd be necessary equipment for dancers & musicians. They could increase the speed at which entertainers heal battle fatigue and/or reduce the time required to apply an entertainer buff -- maybe tied to the use of the entertainer effects (as the same abilties are now tied to "flourishing").

Structure Maintenance: I think these things have a lot of utility nowwith just paying maintenance (heck, with just reporting what the waypoint is of the structure and the current maintenance level), or they WOULD, if they didn't break if you take down a structure before removing the structure from the droid's list. As it stands right now, although I've sold a couple, I never use mine. It works fine for fixed structures like houses, but it's not especially useful for harvesters, which is what most people need it for.

Also, I don't understand the reasoning behind the restrictions on stacking maintenance modules. I doubt that anyone thinks of paying the maintenance on their structures as "immersion" -- why would the devs want to limit the number of structures a single droid can maintain? I'd like to see stacking of maintenance modules put back in.

Finally, even if we can't add power to a structure, it would be great if the droid would at least report the power level of the structure and whether or not (if it's a harvester or a factory) it is currently operating. That way we'd be able to tell if a resource ran out on a harvester (or something else was preventing it from running, like lack of power). It doesn't have to fix any of those conditions remotely -- just reporting status would be a big help to me.

Survey Droids: Even though they don't return stats, I still see them move some.It really would be nice to add some other 'flavor' to these, like returning stats on 2 random items in the list or some such. That way, you at least get a chance at something good (i.e. Survey droid mini-game).

I love that idea. (Just thought I'd say that.) If it had that functionality, maybe I'd even be able to sell some.

Message Edited by Earymi on 08-09-2004 03:47 AM

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Droid Engineer 'Vision' Document (draft)

- 07/21/04 -

Note: I have editied this to what I wanna see

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What should being a Droid Engineer 'mean' (in SWG)?

Note: Please add your answer for this and I'll do my best to meld any such answers into one 'uber' answer.

My answer:

When I first heard of SWG I knew I was going to be a DE, I could imagine a group of stormtroopers ambushing me in mos espa and I sic my droids on them, me backing them up. but mostly them beating the stormtroopers to a pulp, unfortunately DE is extremely bugged, as I have been aware of for a long time, in addition to the fact DE's cant even have more than ONE DROID OUT!

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Profession 'Break-down'(tm)

See also: "Droid 'Pulse': TH asked for us to put this together..."

http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=89278

Note on fixes: Some good number of DE bugs should be fixed pre-JTL to leave us in the more bug free state as possible. Since droids will be so integral to JTL, we don't need the additional 'grief' of both ground/space bugs. Let's get ground as bug free as we can....sooner. As always...G's list is the best place to start.

Combat

• Combat modules: I see these being more specialized, such as different damage types, armour piercing, ETC
  
• Detonation modules:I like these things, they are currently the only thing jedi are real afriad of, a jedi I have met wants me to STOP selling them cause he doesnt like getting blown outta theed by these things!

Solo Combat:

• Tanks:I wanna see something that can actually tank in a place like dantooine or dathomir, LE "tanks" dont last long, my ex CH customers buy em' and complain to me the next day that the thing got shredded by a rancor.
  
• Ranged: the probot is supposed to be a recon droid, not acombat droid, I wanna see something designed for combat take this role!
  
• Droid 'Commander'I wanna see it in, so I can drop pistoleer for it sooner.

Group Combat:

• In groups, I'mseeing droids used for tanking by the wookiee guild that ive have been friends with for a long time, that dont last long, many of them are instead of using my droids, using level 10 creatures cause they last longer and hit harder, if droids are supposed to be as good as them make them be able to!

Utility:

Crafting/BusinessDroid functions:

• I like it how it is, I dont want it changed
  
• Merchant Barker: I''d really like to see these need advertising 2 or so.

Entertainer Droids functions:

• Ent. Effects modules: they dont sell well becuase they dont have a real benefit to entertaining, they dont let entertainers' heal wounds or buff outside the cantina, so, whats the point?
  
• Musician Playback modules: Ihave no comment about these, except I would like it if they didnt need the dual wave synthesizer, most musicians are unwilling to sell any to me.

Scout Droids functions:

• Creature Harvest modules: Ohh...one of the biggies. These should have their values looked at to see if they can be turned up. In addition, we need to have the "Loot" command tied to them as well. At that point, I'd call these done.
  
• Scout Trap modules: The only thing I can say here is that I'd like to see Traps be able to be removed/swapped out. It makes no sense to me that you could load traps into but not change your 'clip'.

Medical Droids functions:

• Medical modules (Level 1-6): The mobile Med Center. At some point, I think it would be good to have a few additional versions of these modules, possible for poison/disease control, for example.
  
• Stimpack Dispensor modules: Sort of cool...but maybe not done yet. As part of the Combat Revamp, we might be able to get the Stim A restriction on these addressed (or have them expanded to fit wound packs, etc.).

General 'Utility' Droid functions:

• Item Storage: too weak, gotta have like a40 item storage for a lvl6 module, maybe80 maxfor a BLL
  
• Structure Maintenance: These are great additions....when they work. When they DO finally all work, in all cases, I'd say that having the ability to somehow add power (or just have the current power level stated) would make these "done" (or as done as we're likely to see them).
  
• BH droids:
  
  
  
  • Seeker: no comment
    
  • Arakyd Probe: no comment
  
  
• Auto-Repair: The group-droid user's best friend. I see these as luke-warm and suspect they are more in use by guilds than anything. If you all have ideas...thrown 'em up.
  
• Survey Droids: Even though they don't return stats, I still see them move some.It really would be nice to add some other 'flavor' to these, like returning stats on 2 random items in the list or some such. That way, you at least get a chance at something good (i.e. Survey droid mini-game).

Droid Initiatives (to be approved in conjuction with Devs):

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JTL (space):

Disclaimer: I am not releasing official info here. It's just me...errr...doing my thing. /grin

• R-Series (AstroMech): The heart of space. TH has stated that calling droid pets in multi-person ships isn't going to happen (he thinks...I'll help him change his mind). I would like to see some sort of in flight repairs done, maybe have an effect for it on the yt-1300 and other multiperson ships
  
• BLL series : I see these as the ship loaders/unloaders. It makes perfect sense. BLLs with storage would be needed to transfer ______ to some types of ship storage (Smuggler, si?).
  
• LE Repair / treadwell/R4: Vehicle / Ship repair. ....nuff said.

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DL20+ combat droids (or....'Droid Commander'):

We are still awaiting the design/guidelines doc for their DL20+ combat droid proposal. There have been a few really good suggestions and such (which I've held on to). As the time for this approaches, I'll make sure TH lets us know so we can get our old posts out. /smile

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Droid Decay:

We all know we need it. We just have to figure out how to best pull it off. That discussion is alive and well right now and I hope we'll be able to hit a system that really makes sense for everyone. For the latest on this, check Drashk's Droid Decay sticky.

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Miscellaneous & Potpourri:

• GCW DE changes / additions
  
• Binding droids to structures
  
• More player-craftable droid chassis (combat and utility both) - this might come along with any of the other planned items in this section.
  
• DE quest, lootable schematics (chassis, module or special droid armor, etc.
  

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MarMarSith wrote:

Someone else also mentioned the uselessness of Protocol droids and suggested they do what they do in the movies, Translate. I agree with this statement 100% but we should apply this to all the droids. Probes = attack droids; R2-R5 = ability to enhance space ships, make small repairs, and crafting; Repair droids = repair armor, weapons, and other droids; Medical Droids = ability to heal it's owners wounds and HAM bars like a low lvl medic with Stim B packs, Power droids = recharge droids and other objects requiring power; Treadwell = ship repairs like we see in New hope; etc.

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I agree with inherent functionality on its face, for continuity's sake (or as close as we can get it).


That being said, I also note that many many DEs (and I mean most of you) told me that 'variety of design' was something that was good/fun about the latest revamp changes.

This is something that I've always known....going well back to the early days of Woodrow. Flexibility of configuration means that the client can (or has to) make a choice.

So, instead of just a Droideka (or R3 Adv.) with Combat modules and Auto-Repair, we could see:

• Droideka: Stun Attack, Flame attack, limited-use PSG module


• R3 Adv: Flame Attack, Acid attack, Level 6 armor (experimentally modified for no kinetic resists but to boost Electrical damage).


• Trade Fed. ('Roger, Roger') Battle Droid: a set of crowd-controlling, 'Creature Damping module'...which might emit tones as a defense against PvE/PvP creature mob attacks, etc. The buyer might pick def vs. Avians, 'mammal' types, etc.


• LE Repair: 'Fire Retardant' type module, Ion Pulse mini-cannon,a Starship Level B ship repair module

What's key is that people like the ability to choose how they want their R2...or MSE....or Surgical droid. Giving chassis bonuses allows us to get closer to inherent functionality but still allows the droid user the ability to pick the droid THEY want (for RP purposes..or just cause they like a certain chassis type).

From what I can tell, DEs seem to like this paradigm better...than working with Level 1-6 _____ module. So, a major thing I'm going to suggest is getting away from module 'levels' (making that experimentally controlled) and add more modules instead.


/bow

Respectfully,