Droid Engineer Archive

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Helstrum wrote:

Part of what I was trying to get at earlier, TK, is that you actually have it good right now vs. the rest of us. You have put in a lot of long hours to make DE better and you have the info flow to feel good about things right now.

With that in mind, don't forget that we don't have the same information that has made you feel so good about the coming changes.

We may be excited later, but not yet.

We've been bitten by that too many times.

Or at least I have.

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I totally understand, man. In a way, I feel really bad that I can't just post everything now and not worry about what happens about it.

However, having met the Devs and understanding the concerns over releasing info before its time, I know why I need to keep me trap shut.


When you all supported me to take this position, it basically meant (to me, anyway) that you trust my judgement on handling situations where I get info and you all don't. If you do all still trust me, just please try to be okay that I have info you don't right now and that the info I've seen leads me (and the rest of the Summit Corrs.) to be very very pleased with what's been proposed.

You can take comfort (hopefully) in the fact that the Devs really DO have a great grasp of the overall situation and the many of the profession-specific issues...and have worked hard to address them in fell swoop.


I was tempted to just stay 187% silent cause I hate the idea that you're all going to have a billion questions and pet items running through your heads about what it all means. Heck, I do too, for that matter. I just hope that you'll all realize that the Devs and Corrs. care (maybe more than you realize) about how this will affect the entire game.


I do not like having to keep this all behind the curtain. As stated, I hope you'll all give me a fair chance to assimilate all this and try to get a good idea of how it will actually play out for us.


/bow

Respectfully,

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Helstrum wrote:

Part of what I was trying to get at earlier, TK, is that you actually have it good right now vs. the rest of us.

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Oh...and, just to point something out...

I hope you all know me enough to know that I don't like not being able to share yet. Why would you state something like that just makes me feel worse about it?

That's not cool, man. I want to get the info out just as much YOU all want me to...just cut me some slack, okay?


/bow

Respectfully,

** Low Power **

Message Edited by TheRealTK421 on 08-30-200412:11 AM

Message Edited by TheRealTK421 on 08-30-2004 12:11 AM

Oh yea...and, I think you should all check out J3STER reports on his experience of the Summit. I agree with pretty much everything he's stated in this thread.

Just make sure to check out the 2 or 3 posts he made here. It pretty well sums things up (hopefully).

/bow

Respectfully,

I'm happy the trip went well.

At the same time keep in mind that when it comes to information and changes, we are all about to die from the thurst of wanting the flow to be more then a trickle.

A week, I think I can hold out for. But at the rate it's been going, I'd almost bet closer to a month.

Oh well, just so long as they do it right this time.

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ResourceMonkey wrote:

And this is a perfect example of why TK can't give out information before it's time (no offence, Javelin).

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Well....on this issue (the idea of some kind of 'Industrials Revamp/Balance' type thingie), I can.

The reason is that it was just a set of issues that came up. Now, I can't talk about any conversations related to such that we had with any Devs on it, like "so-and-so said _____" or "Yea..they are gonna do ____", but I can talk in the open about this item cause it's just something the crafting Corrs. kicked around.

It's basically something we could have brought up in the open in the boards...it just hadn't happened yet and it made more sense for us to kick it around in person.


/bow

Respectfully,

I have a question about the summit...

Have you worn the hawtpants the devs gave you yet?

/snicker

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Straker_Atrella wrote:

Hmm this may get a bit long, maybe parts of it would be even more suited to a combat board, but I like talking about stuff here.

Me too.

First TK, you can't make factory runs of the "uber" items. The top of the line stuff is made with looted componants, such as tissues. Then you need to consider slicing. Yes, somebody may make 50 T21's, yet of those 50, only 5 may get slices that make people consider them "uber."

Well..yes, it was just an example (perhaps a poor one). I think you got the basic idea I was trying to get across though...which is what was important.

I agree that some things are borked right now, yet I don't think hand crafting is the answer. Sure make me hand craft maybe my final droid, but for the love of Vader, don't make me craft it all by hand.

I'm not just talking about droids...I'm talking about all craftables (yes, all of them). To create a better 'high end market', we have to make handcrafting produce better potential items than what can be made at any time by a factory. That's the basis of the idea.

A thing to remember TK is that if you slow crafting down a lot, so now less "uber" items will be available, it becomes much much harder to "scale" content and the game. Currently when designing content, you can make some pretty safe assumptions about what gear people have.

But right now, many people have weapons that they really shouldn't have. So, the balance is already way out of whack (and it's what led topeople being able to solo content they shouldn't be able to solo). That balance has to be put back.Basically, there has to be a reworking ofthe power distribution curve for craftables so that having a truely wicked awesome ______ means something (which right now isn't as much the case as it should be).


If you nerf the crafting system to much, some people will have far better gear then others, whether it was crafted better, or sliced better. Now do you design the new content for the people with the top gear, or the low gear?

Uhhhh.....carefully?

I honestly don't have that big of a problem with large factory runs. Due to the randomness of slicing, the really important stuff like Weapons and Armor still need a luck factor to get uber.

Now as to errr combat balancing.

I'm not sure what was discussed, but hopefully it adresses what I think is the core combat problem.

Professions are varied, some are suppossed to have strong offense, others good defense, each have pluses and minuses. However, with the current state of buffs and armor, many minuses don't exist. For example, Swordsman are highly offensive, yet with buffs and armor, they tank nearly as good as a Fencer of TKM. This is broken and needs fixed.

I think you have a very keen grasp of the issues, man...seriously. That being said, I think you're gonna love the new combat system.

I'm sure the combat revamp through changing buffs and armor (nerfing) will make template diversity more important.

I think you have a very keen grasp of the issues, man...seriously. That being said, I think you're gonna love the new combat system.

/pointsUp QFE

This is great. Yet care should be taken.

I'm all for needing a group (a few people, shouldn't need like 20,) to take down some higher end game. Group hunts are fun. Yet people should not be FORCED to group all the time. If I simply want to make a little xp or get some loot, I shouldn't be forced to group all the time. It's a fine line to walk. You don't want people to roll through stuff, yet you do want people to be able to solo as well.

It depends on the level of stuff that a group or soloists goes after. The super high end stuff should never be able to be soloable (example: The Corvette).

Lastly, if Armor, Buffs, and Specials are reduced (nerfed,) then obviously creatures will need to be scaled as well. How do you kill something with 300k HAM, when you can only do 1 special every 10 seconds, and it can kill you with 2 swings?

You don't. You go after game you can handle solo. In the example you gave above, you won't be able to solo that...so you'll have to use a group. /shrug

As you stated, it's a fine line. People claim combat is boring cause they can solo content that was never intended to be soloable. So..there's only way to solve the problem, really.Is it right that a soloist can't do every bit of possible content in the game?

I can't wait to hear what you have to say. I look forward to the Combat Revamp, I think that done right it will carry SWG to the next level. Done wrong though...


Hence the reason we need to beat the ___ out of the info that's coming to you, so we can be sure that we get the best CB/CR possible (and it will still get tweaked to be better down the line, I'm sure).

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NJ62 wrote:

I have a question about the summit...

Have you worn the hawtpants the devs gave you yet?

/snicker


You're kidding, right? I told you...I won't be turned, and I won't.

(note: had a great time meeting you....hope all's well with you-know-who!!)

/bow2 (not to hawtpants...just to you personally)

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OckVofad wrote:

TK, You do a great job and I have yet to see one post where you lose your cool.

Maybe you better go peep my old stuff then.

Keep up the great work. I post my thoughts on a crafting balance when you guys decide to present it.

I know you guys got to test out JTL. Got any general comments about droids in that?


/ductTapesMouthShut

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/bow

Respectfully,