Droid Engineer Archive

Well....the ideas differ quite a bit. And many of them have good arguements behind them. Of course, I too have ideas with reasons why I think they're the best option, but that doesn't mean I'm right.

However, I think most everyone will agree with basic problems about our profession. Gorantoth does a great updated list of our issues, and JediYak has a wonderful guide. Both of those would be great reads to get a feel for things. Otherwise, I think there are some universal problems that we have...

1) Most of our droids don't "do" anything. We can put a Medical 6 Module in an MSE Droid, and put the same module in a Surgical Droid. Both will do exactly the same thing, yet the Surgical takes a bit more to make. The only difference is cosmetic. This is more of a design flaw than a bug....yes, it gives versatility to the droids, but by not giving droids "Inherint" functions, there is no reason to choose the more expensive version than the cheaper one. The Customers know this, and thus often prefer to go the cheaper route, which is an MSE with every module you could want for a dirt-cheap price.

2) Bugs. Some of the things simply don't work as we think they were intended. Data Modules is a great example....everyone will agree that they are broken. All they do is store extra waypoints, but not many people are so adventurous as to run out of room in their datapad....we've had them store Missions once, which was a bug, as well as pets, which was another bug. We've been told that new "information types" would be released to make these useful again, but that hasn't occured. Then there are other bugs like being unable to name conversation droids (Repair, Surgical, Protocol), unable to put numbers into the name (IE, R2-D5), etc.

3) Markets. Since the only modules that work are Item Storage, Medical, and Crafting Modules (IE, the other three of the total four modules we have), and since in #1 every droid chasis is basically the same as the next, we find ourselves with very few markets to make our droids useful. We have a Medical Market, which is currently useful and does what it is meant to do.....the Plan's idea to make the Surgical Droid stand out by giving it extra medical capabilities is really nice, and addresses #1, but keep in mind our Medical market is allready decent. Second, we have Crafting Stations, which are mobile and thus are a solid market as well. Item Storage is not much of a market, because a simple backpack can hold far more for cheaper; instead, item storage is a minor bonus to droids with the other two abilities. Combat Droids aren't a market either, as the Probot is the only semi-viable droid, and even it is surpassed by a CL15 pet. (We used to be able to say "At least it's a little more damage on top of your CL15 pet," but now with only one pet being allowed out at once, of course a player will go for the superior damage)

In any case, I think these three issues are the big universal ones that you won't find a whole lot of arguement against. Now how to fix them, heck, that's anyone's guess. But there's no shortage of ideas.

I have an idea.....why don't we start an "Ideas" threat listing out all the possible ideas for certain areas? We allready have one for Modules (located here: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=24426), and there's also one for droid-related buildings for Player Cities (located here: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=31178). However, why don't we start a few more Ideas threads, something to only compile the various ideas for the facets that are our problem? I know the Modules idea will fix our "not enough markets" issue, since new modules give new abilities which open up droids to new customers. However, we still need to compile the ideas for Combat Droids, how to implement those, how to implement the Cert system which would govern them, etc. We could also use an Ideas thread about 'Inherint functions", where we list our ideas about what each droid chasis will inherintly be able to do, along with whatever modules are put in. That would make each chasis different and useful, depending on situation and player needs.

In fact, I'll go start those now.

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I have an idea.....why don't we start an "Ideas" threat listing out all the possible ideas for certain areas? We allready have one for Modules (located here: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=24426), and there's also one for droid-related buildings for Player Cities (located here: http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=droid_engineer&message.id=31178). However, why don't we start a few more Ideas threads, something to only compile the various ideas for the facets that are our problem? I know the Modules idea will fix our "not enough markets" issue, since new modules give new abilities which open up droids to new customers. However, we still need to compile the ideas for Combat Droids, how to implement those, how to implement the Cert system which would govern them, etc. We could also use an Ideas thread about 'Inherint functions", where we list our ideas about what each droid chasis will inherintly be able to do, along with whatever modules are put in. That would make each chasis different and useful, depending on situation and player needs.

In fact, I'll go start those now

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Great post. Thanks to all of us that know way more then I for answering TH while Sin is away. I hope we are making her proud. Anyway when you get some strong answers post them here so TH can just come and get everything easy.

I think.....

/Netchan...

I am not a droid engineer but if your basic combat droid were eqaul to say a cowardly gurreck and you can either use that or a pet you would see less pets. If you do more powerful droids and have droid handlers it will just be a mirror of CH but would give people choice. Despite what the loud minority say the majority of players and fighters seem to prefer to have a pet (which could be replaced by a droid than be without) ony seem to want to force people to group but it seems a vast number want to be able to solo. Then all the dancers can shout get that droid out of the cantina.