Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Droid and Pet calling proposal.
Straker_Atrella wrote:
1. Droids called not in combat are called instantly.
- Droids called currently in towns or buildings would perform exactly like they do now.
- Droids called outside of a town or building would be called instantly, however, they would not listen to any orders for 15 seconds. Their default command would be "guard." They would automatically guard their owner for the first 15 seconds. Droids without a guard ability, would automatically follow. This is pretty much how things are now.
- After the first 15 seconds, they will follow any commands just like they normally would.
2. Droids can be called in combat.
- A Droid can be called in combat, yet it would take 15 seconds for that Droid to appear.
- A Droid that is called in combat would not receive any orders for the first 15 seconds that it is called.
- For the first 15 seconds of a Droid called in Combat, it will default to guarding it's owner, after those 15 seconds, it will follow commands normally.
I think that this has the possiblity of moving forward with a few alterations. Instead of the default being guard, the default should be follow. The Droid/Pet would only attack if it is attacked first.
As was pointed out, people have the ability to switch weapons while in combat. This is a tactical maneuver. Everyone should have the chance to call a droid or pet while in combat, as an additional tatic. The one major problem that I do see with this suggestion is the ability to 'instantly' call an At-St while in combat; however even this should be considered a tatical maneuver.
Item to think about -
- If this was to be implimented, there could be the possiblity that any time you called a droid, the droid would be affected bythe 15 second command delay.
One thing that we could ask as a counter to this would be a 10 second delay on the first command being issued, on all pets/droids. Meaning that no matter when and where the droid is called, there is a 10 second delay placed on the first command issued. The Droid/petwould follow by default. After the 10 seconds, the droid/pet would function as normal. This would have an affect on droids/pets called on cities and out in the wilds. It would be a small nerf for a much needed feature.
In the theme of changing how people call pets/droids, we might also wish to once again bring up the reasoning behind not being able to call pets and droids within static city structures. The time of Master Creature Handlers running around everywhere has passed. Maybe it is time for this rule to be removed?
Drashk wrote:
Straker_Atrella wrote:
1. Droids called not in combat are called instantly.
- Droids called currently in towns or buildings would perform exactly like they do now.
- Droids called outside of a town or building would be called instantly, however, they would not listen to any orders for 15 seconds. Their default command would be "guard." They would automatically guard their owner for the first 15 seconds. Droids without a guard ability, would automatically follow. This is pretty much how things are now.
- After the first 15 seconds, they will follow any commands just like they normally would.
2. Droids can be called in combat.
- A Droid can be called in combat, yet it would take 15 seconds for that Droid to appear.
- A Droid that is called in combat would not receive any orders for the first 15 seconds that it is called.
- For the first 15 seconds of a Droid called in Combat, it will default to guarding it's owner, after those 15 seconds, it will follow commands normally.
I think that this has the possiblity of moving forward with a few alterations. Instead of the default being guard, the default should be follow. The Droid/Pet would only attack if it is attacked first.
Is guard really unbalancing though? Droids don't exactly pack a lot of firepower, they would only be usefull against mid to lower level PVE stuff. The fact that they could at least Guard you is what is so appealing and would help out those crafters and non-combatents a lot. Pets are mostly good for Tanking, their attack skills are not off the charts either, so Guard wouldn't exactly be overpowered.
As was pointed out, people have the ability to switch weapons while in combat. This is a tactical maneuver. Everyone should have the chance to call a droid or pet while in combat, as an additional tatic. The one major problem that I do see with this suggestion is the ability to 'instantly' call an At-St while in combat; however even this should be considered a tatical maneuver.
Well if this was considered unfair, keep faction pets the way they are. They are already flagged differently so that you can't call them Overt, so it shouldn't be to hard to seperate them. Honestly, I don't think an ATST would really be overpowered either. How often do you really see them used now in combat, not very, they simply are to weak. This change would at least give them a little value.
Item to think about -
- If this was to be implimented, there could be the possiblity that any time you called a droid, the droid would be affected bythe 15 second command delay.
Out of Combat NOTHING would cahnge from a player point of view.
If you call the Droid in the city, it takes commands instantly, just like now, well out of combat. If you call out of the city, the person will wait the exact same 15 seconds they do now. The only difference will be the Droid appears instantly, yet wont take commands for 15 seconds. Roght now it's 15 seconds already, just the Droid isn't there.
One thing that we could ask as a counter to this would be a 10 second delay on the first command being issued, on all pets/droids. Meaning that no matter when and where the droid is called, there is a 10 second delay placed on the first command issued. The Droid/petwould follow by default. After the 10 seconds, the droid/pet would function as normal. This would have an affect on droids/pets called on cities and out in the wilds. It would be a small nerf for a much needed feature.
Not needed, due to the above.
In the theme of changing how people call pets/droids, we might also wish to once again bring up the reasoning behind not being able to call pets and droids within static city structures. The time of Master Creature Handlers running around everywhere has passed. Maybe it is time for this rule to be removed?
Works for me, anything to make Droids or Pets more convieniant will be good.
I honestly think the would be a huge change for us, without affecting balance at all, you just made Droids a ton more usefull. Would appreciate and eyes you send this way Drashk..... 
Message Edited by Drashk on 11-18-2004 08:51 AM
Drashk wrote:
Straker,
Don't forget that currently the code for pets and droids is the same. This means that any call timer changes made to a droid, would also effectpetuse. This includes Rancors and other 'high end' CH pets. I believe the same also applies to Faction perks as well, which is why I pointed out the default issue. The DEVs are more likely to accept a single change that affects pets/droids/perks, instead of a droid only change, as would the player base.
I guess I am not understanding what you are saying. It is SUPPOSSED to affect pets as well. Currently a CH has to wait 15 seconds for their pet to appear as well, they would have the same 15 minute wait, they just couldn't give orders. Any other Elite Combat Class can instantly pull a weapon out and use it. Defenses from combat Classes such as Melee Defense or Dodge, automatically kick in right away. These can even be augmented through specials. A CH doesn't get Weapons, he doesn't get defensive bonuses, ALL he gets are his pets. His pets AREhis weapons and defense. I fail to see how letting him use them while others can use theirs is unbalanced.
I understand CH's used to abound and Pets were overpowered, that was to much. Yetit went to far, you hardly see any now, there needs to be a happy medium.
Its not the player point of view that I am refering to. It may come down to ease of coding. It would be 'easier' to code a command pause on intial call then it would be to make acceptions to that rule. I'm just trying to point out that if such a change was to happen, it might be easier for droid/pet/perk users to take a small hit to city calling, to balance out the bonuses gained from wilderness calling.
I understand what you are saying and if that needed done, that would be fine. Crafting and Med stuff arn't activated so it wouldn't really impact much. What I am saying is that Faction Pets already have seperate code then CH pets and Droids. If they didn't you wouldn't need to be overt to call them. I don't know the code, it may be easy, or it may be hard, but there is a difference already.
Message Edited by Drashk on 11-18-2004 08:51 AM
The great thing about this change is that it helps EVERYBODY, Droids and Pets in general would become much more user friendly. Yet at the same time it would also help out 2 professions.
That seems like a lot of bang for your coding buck. Especially since "hopefully" it really wouldn't be all that much work either.
Message Edited by Ekaw on 11-18-2004 11:24 AM
edit #2
Well, actually, the 15 sec call timer in combat would be good, cause you would not be able to spring a suprise rancor on someone, but the command timer idea, should be dropped i think.
The key though, is to make pets useful in combat. Including PvP.
Joukahainen wrote:
I'm a CH and I feel that this would effect me as well. I disagree with this post though. I'd rather pets be made more useful in combat than us given the ability to pull them in combat. Personally, I'd prefer that it was like the old days when we needed to pull pets and vehicles while in camp or in a city. This requires only a little planning.
The key though, is to make pets useful in combat. Including PvP.
I don't think that you will find much disagreement here about Pets needing to be more viable, maybe some day they will be.
Remember though, this wasn't an idea to "fix" CH, it was an idea to make the use of pets more convieniant for EVERYBODY. A side effect of which would bea little bit of CH love. It wouldn't be nearlyas much as you guys may want (or need,) yet it would be something.
A change such as this would be a positive change to many different professions, so coding time "may" be found to implement it. Where it's much less likely that (right now,) time would be spent on a single profession.