Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Fellow DE's: Forming a unified discussion on Combat Droids
I SO hate people who go through and one-star things... The star system needs to be nerfed.
If you aren't going to argue, leave the thread alone.
TheWoody wrote:
To take the post waaaay off topic, I have to say that for the most part I like the starring system. On the DE boards it instantly warns me to those newbie hologrinder questions without having to open up the page. For the most part it seems to work in our forum, and is only occasionally abused.
/disagree
Have a 1-star stalker follow you around. Have enemies that have anywhere from 3-8 accounts... it's not good. Look at the first post in my faq (in signature). Yes it's outdated. 
I'd prefer it he shared... but then again, that's just me. LOL
TheRealTK421 wrote:
Uhhh...you've been doing spice again, haven't you?!?
I told you to lay off that stuff.
I changed my preferences to see all posts a long time ago, regardless of rating.By doing that, Igave myself the option of ignoring threads.... I don't want to rely on some 6 year old to make that decision for me. But we digress...
/emote cracks the whip.
Back on topic folks. 
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So, has anyone been able to consider, on a chassis by chassis basis, any idea which droids should be free of combat modules? The original ideas I posted to start this thread off were stringent, I'll admit that. If they kept their mitts off Protocols, R2's and R3, that would make me a bit happier, at least (my personal opinion).
Anyone else?
I think it's easier to go by what droids should have combat modules. DZ-70, Probot, BLL. I don't see the surgical or repair out there fighting, nor the astromechs. Protocol droids... hah. Maybe a little turret ontop of a mouse droid...
Virtanis wrote:
So, has anyone been able to consider, on a chassis by chassis basis, any idea which droids should be free of combat modules? The original ideas I posted to start this thread off were stringent, I'll admit that. If they kept their mitts off Protocols, R2's and R3, that would make me a bit happier, at least (my personal opinion).
Anyone else?
It's just well... most droids SHOULDN'T have combat modules. I'll wait to see what's given to us however...
Woody says: "I can't back down from the 'total module mobility' because to remove it and make specific droids for specific purposes would be the largest nerf this profession would ever suffer."
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We're talking combat ability with combat modules here (at least, that's what this thread is really about). Nerfage isn't possible since Protocol droids, for example, can't engage in combat now as it is. They can't nerf what isn't in the game already.
Woody continues: "There is one chance of compromise, from my standpoint. Most of the population (80% I am guessing) has already agreed not to use high level modules in MSE droids, as well as not using the cluster bug. There's nothing stopping everyone from agreeing not to use various combat modules if they are also 'undesired.'"
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An excellent point Woody and absolutely do-able. But......... Beforethose of us whodread the concept ofthe "Prissy Protocol Plasma Proton-Launcher Droid" are forced to resort to this type of self restraint, those of us who might view that type of droid as inherently non-Star Wars will do what we can to see this immersion abomination aborted mid-term!!
Wood,
TheWoody wrote:
There is no way I can step forward and actively try and limit that without sound evidence that it will damage things in the long run.
Just playing devil's advocate here for a second (though you know that a large part of me agrees with you)...
There's a reason why "total modularity" in combat modules for existing chassis might need to be reduced to 'partial modularity'.
The reason?
Bugs, issues and problems with the myriad of possible combinations that would be possible.
Example: We just got multiple crafting stations fixed, finally. It has NEVER worked properly up until just recently.
Can you imagine how hard it will be to create a list of "working combat droid configurations" or setups?
How many combat modules will we get? 6? 8? 10?
What if we had to confirm that those possibilities would work with EVERY other possible configuration of:
- crafting module
- armor
- Item/data storage
- Chassis type (base or advanced)
I think you get my point.
Ensuring bug-free functionality, from a development standpoint, is a HUGE reason not to allow for true, totality in terms of combat modules for existing chassis types.
Oh...and...don't forget about all those clients that will be sending /tells and emails that "My T21 module won't work in my R2 Adv when I have a _______ crafting station!! I want a refund!!"
/bow
Respectfully,
Virtanis wrote:
Beforethose of us whodread the concept ofthe "Prissy Protocol Plasma Proton-Launcher Droid" are forced to resort to this type of self restraint, those of us who might view that type of droid as inherently non-Star Wars will do what we can to see this immersion abomination aborted mid-term!!
I am also concerned with out the changes coming will affect "immersion".
As a fan of EU, I don't want droids in SWG turned into something that really doesn't fit in with what's "real" for the EU and/or the movies. The Dev team has stated that one of the main design goals was to stay as close to the ethos/pathos of Star Wars and the EU as possible.
I might suggest that we start to frame this discussion not on the droid chassis vs. the combat modules that can go into them but, instead, on how they will be used (any by whom).
By this, I mean:
What kind of "combat droid" would a civilian (not faction-aligned) have and use?
What kind of "combat droid" would an Imperial player user?
What kind of "combat droid" would a Rebel use?
Perhaps if we consider how the upcoming changes would play out, taking those kinds of questions into play, it will help us to arrive at whatever answer best fits what we all want, i.e. better droids.
Example: An R2 Adv unit with a T21 combat module would be, primarily, a Rebel-use droid. The reason is that it is sort of a 'clandestine' configuration of a Star Wars EU "legal" droid. This might mean, for example, that NPC Stormtroopers could 'detect' a rebel player that was using such an 'illegal' combat droid and try to harass him/her. Hey....what do ya know?!?! Content and immersion!!
On the flip side of that example....
An Imperial Player would be able to have combat modules added to Adv Probots that might aid in repairing AT-STs or providing very short range (and maybe temporary) Covert Scanners of rebel players.
It's these sorts of "how will it play out practically in the game?" questions that I think we need to consider to get the best compromise of what's possible and how to do it.
/bow
Respectfully,
You bring up a lot of good points, D-man, and in truth we don't know what is going to happen. We may well see only some droids with combat functionality depending on what happens. Here's the scenarios as I see it:
-Only combat droids will be given the ability to hold weapon modules, . Sadly this does include the protocol and the BLL I'm afraid. The evidence suggests the last two as protocols were recently given combat animations and BLLs were specifically mentioned by Thunderheart in the question-answer thread. But the reason for 'modules' is because the higher the level of droid engineer, the more powerful the weapon module you can make. I'm predicting 6 different modules (Level 1 through Level 6) as it seems to best fit in with our profession.
-Droids will be given a new module slot called the 'weapon module slot.' This is a third type of slot, just like we have module slots and armour module slots. In such case, at first reaction a list of droids we would like to see with the module slot and a list of those without would be somewhat useful. However, in retrospect I feel this would be fruitless in the end anyway, unless only a few droids got this slot (I.E. the probot and DZ-70 are left off the list). The reason it would be fruitless is because the decisions have all long since been made or else they wouldn't be able to work on it now. The timeline has been set and published, and all decisions seem to be following the main ideas in what was described in the first 'Plan' and follow-on statements by TH, as well as asmall conversation I had with one of the Devs on Ahazi.
-All droids will get combat modularity via a normal droid module. They will remove the combat ability from the probot (like the removed the medical ability from surgicals-only all that time ago). Course this means the probot is slightly nerfed as it loses a module slot, and a module slot will have to be added to the standard probot model. This or a combination of this and scenario two is the most likely event for the simple statement under "Droid Combat Functionality" in their 'in development' page: Combat Module ideas and basic rules for combat modules for all droids
In all events, I think there is an underlying fact that I've started to realize is taking shape. People are complaining that we will be just another "Creature Handler" profession. I am now beginning to agree with half that comment. We are not another CH profession, we are the replacement. It was spoken of in a Dev Q and A a few months back that they were unhappy with the creature explosion, and they would much prefer if droids filled that role as droids were more 'star wars' to them than creatures. Furthermore, droids are supposed to help anyone and everyone, as discussed to death in these forums and even in their design. The fact that anyone can program one if they desire would be a good example.
In all events, we don't have the info to form up opinions at this time anyhow. I would suggest waiting till they were at least on Test Centre before making huge complaints about systems that may or may not already be in place.