Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Thunderheart--on Utiliy in droids..can this be right?
All I have to say, is if after publish 8, DE is not the profession that it needs to be, I'm not waiting until they go though all the other professions before they attempt to address our needs again.
Won't be a big loss if I'm the only one, but some how I don't think I will be.
Devs, You've had too much time already and it's running out. I suggest you use the remaining wisely.
SWG-Runesabre wrote:
It is my intention to add more utility to droids but it is not my intention to do this at the cost of another profession's utility. There are a lot of ways to give utility to droids so we would prefer to invent new meaningful utility to the game rather than rehash or steal away functionality from another profession. The sum of the changes should be an overall advancement/enhancement to the game and not simply a rearrangement of functionality.
http://www.gamekast.com/swg/foodtables.html
Nuff said.
There are a lot of ways to give utility to droids so we would prefer to invent new meaningful utility to the game rather than rehash or steal away functionality from another profession.
Sodan,
Sodan-droiddreamer wrote:
http://www.gamekast.com/swg/foodtables.html
Nuff said.
Once again, you show to be the hammer that can succinctly put its head on the nail.
Good form.
/bow
Respectfully,
SWG-Runesabre wrote:It is my intention to add more utility to droids but it is not my intention to do this at the cost of another profession's utility. There are a lot of ways to give utility to droids so we would prefer to invent new meaningful utility to the game rather than rehash or steal away functionality from another profession. The sum of the changes should be an overall advancement/enhancement to the game and not simply a rearrangement of functionality.
So if giving meaningful utility is not meant to steal away from another profession, how do
combat droids(pets) and potentially a Droid Commander profession not impact the
Creature Handler profession of combat support pets? Or is there another vision as
to what CH role is suppose to be in the SWG universe?
/bow
Shian_Tavkin wrote:
YaY I got a TK 'breakdown'
Errr....that was 'Breakdown-Lite'.
I'm sorry its gone this way TK, but I am glad to see you back to 'normal'
Thanks...I actually feel like there's quite a weight off my shoulders now that I can 'take off the gloves'.
And, what's funny is....I'm getting 5-starred again for the first time in weeks.
"The Blind leading The Not-So-Blind" sums it up very well for me, and I agree.....C is the answer very likely.
Yup....it's been this way for a LONG time. Honestly, I'm not sure they ever had a way to solve the problem of being 'blind' to droids and DEs. I think, to be honest, they kind of tossed this in since they knew they needed droids to be in the game somehow.
They just did it.................errrrrrrrrrrr................poorly (and, I'm being kind there).
Respectfully,
Thanks for posting this.
SkyeDarkangel wrote:
I'm a Master DE and a Master Chef.
I thought I was going to specialize in selling people stuff to enhance their gameplay and their abilities.
I was half right.
My droids don't sell. I've asked for dozens of my customers to help me test droids and their abilties, and they've just told me they don't want/need a droid since they are useless or already have one that does what they need. (I got several guild mates that told me that, since they had their perma-crafting droid and it was going nowhere.)
As a Chef, I make a dozen different foods that enhance SKILLS.I make a Novice Scout skip half a tree up in the Harvesting abilitiy with ONE USE of a Food called Veghash. And that's WITHOUT additives! I made a snack that lets people get out of Incap faster, I made one that raises their Melee defense, one that enhances their DAMAGE! I can enhance UNARMED DAMAGE! That's cutting into a Weaponsmith's territory, isn't it?
The point is, I can enhance and greatly increase several important and useful skills for people, like giving a Novice Artisan with Surveying I the abilty to Survey 128 meters instead of 64.
Why can't droids do something useful? Even bofore the Revamp Chef's had few popular products, as a DE I've sold 3 droids TOTAL. And this person said "thanks, but thats all the droids me and my PA mates will ever need, thanks anyway".
I love droids. It's one of the two professions I've always wanted to be since I started this game. Now I'm both of those, and one is working, and one is NOT. And frankly, this one NEVER HAS! Why can't a droid enhancecertain skills when I can do it with foods? Add limitations like time limits, uses, sucking up more battery power, etc. But make us WORTHWHILE!
Please.
I think it blatantly points out how mishandled we are, both in terms of communication and "balance" in game.
I challenge TH to respond to this post in a way that will prove his point. (Note: It's okay, TH, I know you can't/won't....since your statement is not defendable in light of the player experience and knowledge posted above.)
/bow
Respectfully,
Presumably you can add droids that enhance a profession or a specific skill if there are already other ways of accomplishing the same task.
For example, I can get skill tapes to increase my survey skill up to the skill system cap, which you've mentioned, of 125. So clearly the balance of gameplay/skill is already dealing with that particular bonus. So why not a droid that grants a similar boon? It'd take a Master DE with near perfect materials to produce one that provided the maximum bonus, so there'd be a range of skill bonuses. It'd be critical of course, that the bonus from the droid and that from the skill tape, as well as any from another source, didn't stack, or didn't stack beyond the 125 cap.
There are numerous examples of these bonuses that are already in the game; skill tapes, bio-engineered clothing, special looted items, etc. Producing droids that provided similar bonuses wouldn't be adding any unbalancing skill mods beyond those that already exist; but it would provide more utility for droids, produce more variety and choices for players, and promote increased use of droids.
Post from a non-DE who thinks you guys are, of all the classes, getting a raw deal:
- When mounts wereadded the game, CHs were spammed with demand and made stacksof money
- When the new cloning system was added to the game, BEs were spammed with demand and made stacks of money
- When vehicles were added to the game, MAs were spammed with demand and made stacks of money
- When decent food buffs were added to the game, Chefs were spammed with demand and made stacks of money
Ok, in each of these cases demand dropped to a sensible base level after a month or so, which is as it should be. But each of these professions can still sell a popular line of goods.
The touchstone for the DE revamp: The day after the patch, you guys are turning off your MDE tags to cut down on the spam of customer orders.
Devs, take that as the functional requirement for the changes. Now you know what needs to be achieved, choose a way to do it. If DEs get anything less than that, they've been sold short.
I wanna buy a droid that does something cool and fun!!!!
DarthIguana wrote:
SWG-Runesabre wrote:
It is my intention to add more utility to droids but it is not my intention to do this at the cost of another profession's utility. There are a lot of ways to give utility to droids so we would prefer to invent new meaningful utility to the game rather than rehash or steal away functionality from another profession. The sum of the changes should be an overall advancement/enhancement to the game and not simply a rearrangement of functionality.
Are we getting "enhancing a skill" with "adding a skill"? I'm thinking of utility in terms of, if I'm a smuggler, a slicing module in droid would help me perform better slices not unlike BE enhanced clothing giving a scout bonuses to mask scent. I don't think that anyone is asking for a slicing module that allows non smugglers the opportunity to slice items for themselves.
Has this argument come about from a lack of each of us not being clear on what the other is saying?
chris
The dev responses don't seem to make a lot of sense on the droid utility. A slicing Module is a great idea. R2-D2 sliced all the time. Droids that could monitor harvesters or deliver good would be great too.
As far as adding skills go, I CAN eat travel biscuits and get terrain negotiation without spending any points for scout. This completely contradicts runesabres statement. I cam also add a skilltape and get close to 20 skillpoints worth of terrain neg. by not having to spend it on scout skills.
It is time to show the poor DEs the love. they have been patiently waiting since the game started and supposedly have been the primary focus for just as long. The changes that are coming just aren't enough. Why will people still buy Probots when a Bio-E can make a vastly superior pet that lasts forever and is easy to maintain not needing a bazillion subcomponents for a repair kit.
P.S. DEs sorry if i am trolling.
Message Edited by BisonJelly on 03-04-2004 01:18 PM
Astrakhan wrote:
I wanna buy a droid that does something cool and fun!!!!
AudioOrgana wrote:
I think I speak for just about every DE when I say, "That's what we want too!"
Add useful to that list, and I think you'd have everyone satisfied.
Audio
As best as I can tell, TH's statement kind of negates that droids will be "useful" to all players.
The reason that a player would own/use a droid is that they would assist them in-game in some fashion. Apparently, from what it's sounding like, we won't get to have those "checkers" that other professions get to enjoy.
And....did you and I really switch places?
/bow
Respectfully,