Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Droid decay proposal Version 0.3
yet.) I don't believe combat droids should live forever at all, but I do believe players should have the chance to "keep" their utility droids functioning for as long as they feel them worth it. And in the end, my goal is about making sure droids continue to improve their worth to more professions.
AudioOrgana wrote:
Under the system I proposed the DE does not need to be present.
It goes like this :
1) Player's droid needs refurbishment
2) Player buys a new droid deed that they want to refurbish it with (must be same chassis, but module configuration CAN be different)
3) Player goes to "DRC", a ID-tent like structure (though hopefully more high-tech) where he can put his droid and feed the deed into a machine (kind of like you feed items into the Jetpack forge at the DWB)
4) Player sees an animation of the droid being dipped (or, as I said, to simplify development, make it more of an enclosed tube of sorts)
5) Player walks away with a "refurbished" (new) droid
A kit that does the same is fine with me - as long as the kit requires a droid deed. I've suggested that a half-dozen times in these threads yet the opposition to decay hasn't seemed to take to the idea. Thus the DRC was born - it gives them the immersion they want, it gives us the sales we want, it adds to the overall Star-warsyness of the game.
AO
Yeah, I just dont get it. If a player comes to me to buy a droid deed, goes through all the time to decide on the modules they want, the droid model, colors, etc, then waits for me to craft it... then why would they take it to one of these places you mention if they already have the deed? Whether they buy it from me or my vendor...they already have the deed and are ready to use it. Unless you are suggesting that all droid deeds must go through one of these "machines" to be readied? I'm not a big fan of that. The "ready droid unit" command is working just fine.
To me, TK's suggestion makes more sense, since it doesn't require a deed to work, just credits. And it's not a "kit" so much as a furniture item, so DE's (or anyone) can have them in their shops, but don't HAVE to get into selling them or being called with /tells all the time asking for an overhaul. Except when a droid finally does succumb to 0% integrity, and a DE would need to be present to put new modules (the same or different ones) into the "hopper" and let the player refurbish their droid. Probably the price to activate the machine would go up with each moduleplaced in it or something, Or if only DE's could operate them with new modules, then itwould be up to the DE charge a reasonable fee.
Message Edited by YodaMac on 02-19-2005 01:30 PM
Message Edited by YodaMac on 02-19-2005 01:31 PM
YodaMac wrote:
To me, TK's suggestion makes more sense, since it doesn't require a deed to work, just credits.
Let me clarify...
I'm thinking the credits go to the DE, as if you were paying him/her to do the work. However, this would only apply to some kind of 'normal' refurbishment. If it were some kind of public structure, the credits simply go away for good (the money sink I spoke of)...however, I'm thinking that this would cost more than what DEs would eventually charge for use of their refurb machine in their shop.
If there was to be the possibility of a broken module or part, the MDE would have to be there to operate the machine (and provide the correct/needed items to the input hopper).
And it's not a "kit" so much as a furniture item, so DE's (or anyone) can have them in their shops, but don't HAVE to get into selling them or being called with /tells all the time asking for an overhaul.
Exactly. This is more of ahybrid crafting/repair station as opposed to straight furniture, per se.
I guess you could put one of these in your own shop but an MDE would be required to operate in the case of replacement/upgrades and whatnot. I foresaw just some kind of 'normal' refurbishment being available for inputting credits. In addition, it would take the droid out of your datapad for the duration of time that the process took (since I don't think it should be instantaneous but should need anywhere from 20 min. - 90 min.)
That way, the quality of the station would matter when a user was working with the MArch.
Except when a droid finally does succumb to 0% integrity, and a DE would need to be present to put new modules (the same or different ones) into the "hopper" and let the player refurbish their droid.
I was thinking of some kind of operational mini-game that the MDE would have to 'play' to get the replacement/upgrade to work properly. There might be some chance that it wouldn't go right and the droid would be permanently ruined.
Probably the price to activate the machine would go up with each moduleplaced in it or something, Or if only DE's could operate them with new modules, then it would be up to the DE charge a reasonable fee.
Precisely. I wouldn't really mind contracting out this sort of thing. It makes DE an even more unique crafting profession, in a way. Not just a droid maker but a droid fixer (via mini-game DRC machine operation as well).
I even see these machines as going into some kind of possible future changes in bettering droid AI and/or personalities.
/shrug
/bow
Respectfully,
/bow
AudioOrgana wrote:
Hmmm...well, my idea was very simple, but I think some people are missing the spirit.
Just to clarify...I didn't miss it. I just took and started brainstorming, that's all.
Yet another kit for us to sell is not decay.
Yea....that's why I wanted to try to shy away from one more kit/consumable.
I'd suggest:
- Repair Kits: These work as they do now, to repair white HAM damage
- Recon. Kits: (after the change) Usable by ANY player to stave off the onset or pace of droid
decay. So, these wouldn't go away but their features would be changed to fit
into a newer,more immersive system.
Under the system I proposed, we still get to make new droids - they have to buy a finished deed. Role-players and people with attachemnts to their droids get their way as well, because for all they know the system eats the deed and feeds it to their old droid. In reality, they are just buying a new droid and it is coming out with the same name/color as the old one. Win, win.
I sorta twisted your idea about because I just saw a new deed as being too.....boring.
Now, loading up the input hopper on a DRC machine with parts, you might have some droid shops where Med modules, Harvest mods and others were available....but you'd have to hit a different shop to find Combat modules, Ent. FX modules and StimDispensor modules.
You can think of this machine as a kind of special repair machine / vendor (for parts / modules). However, the nice part is that an MDE doesn't have to be about to baby-sit normal refurb situations and only is needed when parts/modules die or when an upgrade is ordered.
That's when the mini-game thing comes into play (which I personally would find very immersive and fun).
I did NOT propose a credits for repair system, which I am opposed to because it is not really a decay that is going to benefit us. It's a new moneysink, which isn't bad, but it defeats the whole purpose of player decay.
Again, clarifying...
The credits go to the DEs bank account, not to the system (unless a public NPC type facility were implemented). Even then, the NPC versions should be there only for convienence and shouldn't be able to produce refurb. 'effects' that were as good as what would be possible in a private droid shop.
I disagree that a DRC would be hard to implement - it didn't take them terribly long with ID tents. Part of the reason I suggested it as such was exactly as someone pointed out above - it increases the use of NPC cities. As to implementation, it could be, as I said, like the interior of a player city cloning lab, using art decoration that is already in the game (droids and workstations).
Yea...I wanted to try to build a solution that would contain a lot of the things the Devs were wanting anyway since it heighten the likeliehood that they'd adopt our proposal (in whole/part).
The reason for proposing the idea of a "dip"/lift, etc. was two-fold - one, to appease those people who have emotional attachments to their droids and are therefore opposed to decay, and two because we saw it in the films, and this game is desperate for content that replicates the SW films.
Absolutely. I'm totally behind this and I think it's one of the reasons why I like the general concept so much.
I'm glad people enjoyed the idea, but instead of making it ten times more complicated, please read it again and take it at face value. It could be VERY simple, yet very effective.
Errr...what I envision seems simple too:
- 1) Change Recon. kits into basic 'decay delay' kits
- 2) Add DRC machine - as described
Done.
What's complicated about that?
Your droid needs replacing, you buy a new deed, you go to this place and come out with a new droid. Yes, it's just a fancy way of turning in a droid for another, but it does address the issues on both sides.
True. However, I was thinking longer-term. The DRC method would be a way to bridge us over to upgrades, which we all know that players want.
AO
Respectfully,
Message Edited by TheRealTK421 on 02-19-2005 01:16 PM
YodaMac wrote:
Still not buying it or understanding it. Once a player has bought a droid deed, there is absolutely no reason for them to have tojump through a bunch of other hoops so that they can ready the droid.
Agreed. It was a way to help bridge the suspension of disbelief to those players who felt that for role-playing reasons droids should last forever.
If you are under the impression STILL that I have some interest in role-playing, AO, then please read this post (since you must have skipped over all my other many ones). I am not at all interested in any sort of role-playing "pacifier" as I do not role play. I do , however, play SWG for Droid Engineering and Droid Engineering alone.
I use the term role-playing to talk about things that aren't part of the game mechanics and players project upon the game.
The reasons you have given for wanting droids to last forever is that they are (in your mind) living objects and you think they are "special" because of that and shouldn't decay. You then started a series of alarmists posts (SOME OF THEM WANT THEM TO LAST ONLY WEEKS!) and when questioned further past your initial posting you made it clear this was your base motivation. Although you waxed about wanting to "preserve" what is "special" about our profession that's what you finally boil it down to : you think they are special and therefore DE should live on an Island on it's own without concern for the viability of our profession as a business model. If you mean "special" as inbeing a stagnant, one-time sale lack of market, that's not something most of us wish to preserve.
In my eyes, that is a roleplaying reason. Droids aren't really anything in this game but a graphic and a mathmatical gameplay effect, just like everything else in SWG. Anything beyond that is something we project upon it, emotionally or conceptually, has nothing to do with mechanics but perception - and yes, is what I would call role-playing. You may not call it that - you can call it whatever you want - but your arguments are not based on game mechanics.
You also admit your concern is about the perception of our profession and again not the functionality and viability of it as a business model - you opened your anti-"MANDATORY DECAY" thread by saying just that. Well, that's nice for you - the things you have PROJECTED upon the profession. The reality is, we are a crafting profession in an MMO, and because of that we need to be able to compete in the marketplace and be a viable business model as well.
I think it's telling that you admit you play SWG for DE and DE alone - it shows where your viewpoint comes from, and let's us know you are not the typical player, or even DE. This helps balance your opinion and I applaud you for making it clear.
Which is why I lean more towards Jenden and TK's ideas. (lean towards....not 100%.
Yup, as I've said (and TK has said, and many others as well), we can beg and hope for more additions, but once we get them - a month or so later, things return to the same. What does "as long as they feel them worth it" mean? As long as they want the droid around, or as long as they feel justified in getting use versus the price? If it's the former - sorry, that's not decay that is going to help our profession, and if it's the latter - we can make that adjustment easily by varying the prices to make the value there. I know my prices would drop overnight if decay went in - it's just that I refuse to sell something that lasts forever for less than a premium price (which is why the average droid I sell is over 100K).
Decay that is "repairable" for a while, and then requires a "refurbish" or replacement seems reasonable.
On all droids? Because this seems contrary to your previous posts - especially the replacement. Do you now think mandatory replacement at some point is reasonable? If so, then at least we have a starting point to discuss true decay. Anything less than eventual destruction (however long the window is) is simply not true decay.
We work hard for our droids and enjoy making a lasting positiveeffect on many other players and the virtual "galaxy" as well.
And think of how many more people could be enriched by our profession, if only we needed them. The sad fact is, we don't. Go read in your "repeat business?" thread and see the last post before mine. That is so typical of what I hear from new DE's - it's fun, making droids is cool, but I can't even make enough credits to pay maintainance because the demand just isn't there.
People that have made a big success of DE are few and far between - it's time to open the profession up to more than just people like myself who have spent going on two years cornering the market with my droids, and those people who simply could care less about the market or anything outside of the actual construction of the droid (people like yourself).
You clearly love DE. Isn't it time to stop being selfish and make our profession needed more so more people can see how much fun it really is? Most players aren't going to soley play DE, and to restrict our profession to people who are either conglomerates or hobbyists is not going to accomplish that goal.
I've made it clear that I support full-on decay - personally, I'd be happy if the suckers just dropped every few months and died. You take your items out, delete it, and have to go buy another one. It's simple and works. Any of these false comparisons some are making to the vehicle system are just that - false comparisons that are convenient because in the real world robots and cars are both machines. A credit-based system, even one we are on the recieving end of, is not going to help the cause of making DE a more viable profession - it will just make those of us who are already here richer, and won't affect those who simply don't care about business at all.
If that's what the community ends up proposing, you might as well just scrap the idea altogether - because it won't do anything for the profession long-term or help make DE the viable, fun, and NEEDED profession it's dying to be. You want to add need by adding new modules, which as anyone with a mind for business can tell you is a dead-end street (they sell well then drop down to levels like every other droid we sell because once sold they last FOREVER) - I'm trying to make DE needed with the tools we already have, so we can enjoy those additions even more.
The only way to do that is to increase the sales and demand for droids.
The only way to sustain that is for droids to eventually die.
If you can support the fact that all droids eventually should need replacement, then at least we have come further than we were when we began.
/shrug
AO
Eceen wrote:
You make a damn good case here AO. I will agree some form of decay is needed, as much as I hate seeing a perfect machine that I built finally break down. Besides it wont hurt my business any, my droids are fairly cheap already, and my prices would drop by about 5-10k I think. Although I do have a concern about combat droid decay. Which is very few people use them now because of the low damage resist, ham, and damage output. It would therefore absolutely kill the combat droid sales market if they would then decay. If this system were implemented then it would be necessary to adjust the armor segments we make to be able to tweak with a droids resists, as well as in the experimentation process be able to raise the ham more than a hundred or so like we can now. Also damage output from combat modules would need in my opinion different attack methods as well as more output. Without these necessary changes there would be no point to these droids. People could use pets or in my combat toons case simply solo, she is master tk/swordsman/master medic.
As an after thought, it makes more sense to me that if I am using a high grade steel to make this machine it should be more resistant and better able to take a beating than some furry critter that would barely be able to scratch its paint. A real life scenario is a bear vs an RV. The bear can push and claw all it wants but he isnt really gonna hurt the damn thing. Likewise with armor plating a critter should not be able to hurt a droid as much. So kinetic should be higher resist while a blaster should do more since it is meant to pierce armor. Just a thought.Message Edited by Eceen on 02-20-2005 08:19 AM
Message Edited by Eceen on 02-20-2005 08:20 AM
Combat droids already do decay, but people still use them. Speed it up a little bit and people will still use them (people take any advantage they can get).
Each Droid would have an Integrity Rating. This rating would completely replace the Vitality rating that all droids currently have. The Integrity Rating would be made up of 2 numbers. The first number would represent the current Integrity rating. The second number would represent the total undamaged Integrity rating. A Droid with 0 current Integrity can function as normal; however it will become permenatly damaged by doing so.
Current Integrity
The following will result in the loss of 1 point of Current Integrity
- Each time a Droid is called
- Every10 minutes that pass by, while the droid is active.
The following will result in the loss of2 points of Current Integrity
- Any time a Droid is incapped.
- Any time that anAstromech (or Flight Computer) associated with the ship that is destroyed in space.
Any droid that is in a *Low Power* status takes x2 the listed damage.
Overall Integrity
The following will result in the loss of 1 point ofOverall Integrity
- For every10 points of current Integrityrepaired (You can repair 1 - 9 points of current Integrity without fearof damaging the droid)
- Any time a droid with a current Integrity rating of 0 is called
-
Any time a droid with a current Integrity rating of 0 is active for more then 10 minutes
The following will result in the loss of2 point ofOverall Integrity
- Any time a droid with a current Integrity rating of 0 is incapped
- Any time a droid with a current Integrity rating of 0 is associated with a ship that is destroyed
Any droid that is in *Low Power* status takes x2 the listed damage.
Repairing Damage
The Current Integrity Rating on any Droid can be repaired at a Droid Repair Terminal (similar in function to a Vehicle Garage), by an LE Repair Droid, or through the use of a Droid Recon Kit (usable by only DEs). For Every 10 points of Current Integrity repaired, 1 point of Overall Integrity is lost. If you repair the droid every 1 - 9 points of Integrity loss, no permenate damage is incurred.
The Overall Integrity Rating on a Droid can not be repaired. Flight Computers can not be repaired.
Disabled Droids
Once the Overall Integrity Rating reaches 0, the droid is disabled. Disabled Droids no longer respond to commands orhave any functioning modules, with the exception of Item and Data Storage. Items and Data can only be removed from a disabled droid.
(Optional) Anti-Decay Kits
The current Vet Reward Anti-Decay Kits could be made so that they are usable in a Droid, or a new Droid Anti-Decay kit could be made available through a static, one time only, quest.
(Optional) Integrity Maximum
Each Droid would have a Maximum Integrity Rating possible. Droids such as MSE and R5 units would have a lower Integrity Rating maximum then a BLL. Here is my suggested ranking of all current Droids, starting with the highest Integrity Rating.
- Highest Integrity Rating (100%)
- Binary Load Lifter
- R2 Unit
- Probot
- Power Droid
- LE Repair Droid
- R3 Unit
- DZ70
- R4 Unit
- Protocol Droid
- Surgical Droid
- Treadwell
- Flight Computer
- R5 Unit
- MSE
- Lowest Integrity Rating (25%)
(Optional) Droid Memory Core
Once a Droid is disabled, a radial menu option appears to extract the Droid's memory core. The Droid memory core has a list of all of the programmed droid commands. This would allow a droid user the ability to reprogram a new droid by simply transfering the information on the Droid memory core to the new droid. This would be done through the use of a radial menu located in the droid users datapad. All information, such as Droid name, programmed commands, and Starship commands, would be transfered to the new droid. (Starship commands would only be available to Astromech Droids)
All numbers listed here are for the purpose of example only
Message Edited by Drashk on 02-20-2005 02:29 PM
While we are on new theories, let me add in some "recycled" ideas from current in-game metrics that might go towards the solution of decay and repeat business:
Droids are like Ships
- DEs should be able to swap in/out modules within droids. If Jedi can do it with lightsabers, why can't DEs? Naturally, only DEs could change out modules, and you should only be able to change out modules you can create (i.e., a novice DE shouldn't be able to mess with a Level 6 Med Module). Obviously, there are some game metrics with that rule, but not written in silicon at this point. Still could offer the ability to switch out modules to the end-gamer in similiar fashion to the ship station. Why couldn't there be a DE station and model droid interfaces (no relation to ship droid interfaces) in the same process as ships?
Droids are like Lightsabers
- Modules should have uses or condition on them, just like crystals. Using the uses model, each time a modules function is activated (combat, med healing, harvesting, etc) a use count is depleted.
- Modules could have base uses wiht Quality experimentation (something to experiment with besides Effectiveness) could be used to generate higher uses within the specific module. (Give us 12 pt DEs something to do).
Droids are like Buildings
- Allow Master DEs to place Droid Repair Centers (in similiar fashion to Doctors, Entertainers, Musicians, etc) that allow players to take droids for the proverbial "oil bath" (more on that below)
Droids are like Pets
- If a module use count reaches 0, the droids overallvitality is reduced. (In the same model a pets' vitality is reduced when it dies and auto-stores instead of being revived).
- DroidRepair Kitscould then be used to return vitality to the droid (In the same model a pets' vitality packs)
- Could also tie into Repair Kit logic (similiar to clothing, weapon, armor) that if the player attempts a repair on the vitality of the droid, there is a chance of damaging it or disabling it altogether
Droids are like Vehicles
- Disabled droids could be restored at the Droid Repair Center (in game terms - similiar to the parking garage logic) where, for a fee a player could restore the droid chassis.
Droids are like Players
- Another possible method of repairing droid vitality damagewould be to let the droid heal naturally by allowing the player to put the droid into a locker or compartment at the Droid Repair Center that only the player can open (logically - transferring the droid from the datapad of the player to the datapad of the building) and have the droid stay for repairs while the player continues to play. The player could be emailed when the droid is done "cooking" and vitality is restored.
Droids in Summary
These models of decay and economics could allow for several game economics to change in the following manner:
- Allow DEs to offer more module and chasissales, thereby increasing shop business flow and repeat customers
- Give DEs more control over the droids they make in creation and after-market management.
- Give DEs more experimentation power along the lines of other classes (doctors, weaponsmiths, etc)
- Use in-game processes that players are used to in other areas and try to help reduce much of the "how does this work" questioning that plagues our profession.
Finally, by trying to incorporate in-game mechanisms that are already used (and programmed), it might (emphasize - MIGHT) help the developers revamp our profession quicker and sooner because they do not have to re-invent the wheel, per se.
Overall, I like the ideas that have been presented and think we are well on the track to a better profession.
Onward and upwards - and stay tuned true-believers.....the best is yet to come.
Respectively,
Jonthalas wrote:
While we are on new theories, let me add in some "recycled" ideas from current in-game metrics that might go towards the solution of decay and repeat business:
Droids are like Ships
- DEs should be able to swap in/out modules within droids. If Jedi can do it with lightsabers, why can't DEs? Naturally, only DEs could change out modules, and you should only be able to change out modules you can create (i.e., a novice DE shouldn't be able to mess with a Level 6 Med Module). Obviously, there are some game metrics with that rule, but not written in silicon at this point. Still could offer the ability to switch out modules to the end-gamer in similiar fashion to the ship station. Why couldn't there be a DE station and model droid interfaces (no relation to ship droid interfaces) in the same process as ships?
Droids are like Lightsabers
- Modules should have uses or condition on them, just like crystals. Using the uses model, each time a modules function is activated (combat, med healing, harvesting, etc) a use count is depleted.
- Modules could have base uses wiht Quality experimentation (something to experiment with besides Effectiveness) could be used to generate higher uses within the specific module. (Give us 12 pt DEs something to do).
Droids are like Buildings
- Allow Master DEs to place Droid Repair Centers (in similiar fashion to Doctors, Entertainers, Musicians, etc) that allow players to take droids for the proverbial "oil bath" (more on that below)
Droids are like Pets
- If a module use count reaches 0, the droids overallvitality is reduced. (In the same model a pets' vitality is reduced when it dies and auto-stores instead of being revived).
- DroidRepair Kitscould then be used to return vitality to the droid (In the same model a pets' vitality packs)
- Could also tie into Repair Kit logic (similiar to clothing, weapon, armor) that if the player attempts a repair on the vitality of the droid, there is a chance of damaging it or disabling it altogether
Droids are like Vehicles
- Disabled droids could be restored at the Droid Repair Center (in game terms - similiar to the parking garage logic) where, for a fee a player could restore the droid chassis.
Droids are like Players
- Another possible method of repairing droid vitality damagewould be to let the droid heal naturally by allowing the player to put the droid into a locker or compartment at the Droid Repair Center that only the player can open (logically - transferring the droid from the datapad of the player to the datapad of the building) and have the droid stay for repairs while the player continues to play. The player could be emailed when the droid is done "cooking" and vitality is restored.
Droids in Summary
These models of decay and economics could allow for several game economics to change in the following manner:
- Allow DEs to offer more module and chasissales, thereby increasing shop business flow and repeat customers
- Give DEs more control over the droids they make in creation and after-market management.
- Give DEs more experimentation power along the lines of other classes (doctors, weaponsmiths, etc)
- Use in-game processes that players are used to in other areas and try to help reduce much of the "how does this work" questioning that plagues our profession.
Finally, by trying to incorporate in-game mechanisms that are already used (and programmed), it might (emphasize - MIGHT) help the developers revamp our profession quicker and sooner because they do not have to re-invent the wheel, per se.
Overall, I like the ideas that have been presented and think we are well on the track to a better profession.
Onward and upwards - and stay tuned true-believers.....the best is yet to come.
Respectively,
Some ideas here very similar to things that have been talked about, but this is a GREAT brief write-up on combining them in a simple list. I would go 100% for everything in this post. Nice job!
- Droids wear out from use and time called, more is used at low power.
- Decay is repaired with either Recon kits (by owners,) or at a station, like an oil pool. Some max Vit is lost.
- The lower it gets, the worse it functions, like Jendens examples.
- When a Droid hits 0 it is disabled, it needs replaced. Period.
- If somebody wants to save their "sidekick" they use an anti-decay kit on it BEFORE it hits zero.
The Anti-Decay kits are the best thing to ever happen to us DE's. Seriously, it takes the entire arguement about droids not dying and makes it moot. People now get to choose if they want to use it on their sidekick or their other stuff.
Havn't played a year, or don't have one yet? Well keep your sidekick repaired and safe and he may make it until you do, or buy one. People sell these a lot, going rate on Scylla is 7 million, this gives those people who don't care about credits even more of a reason to make them.
YodaMac wrote:
I particularly like the "Droid Memory Core" idea (at first glance) as a great way to keep from having to reprogram your droid commands over and over. It would even be helpful with just programming your five datapad droids, in that you could copy the core to the new dorid, then simply re-name it and all the rest of your droid commands would already be there for you.
You know, that's one of the wonderfully unique things about droids in the game - the ability to give it customized personal commands. Just one more thing that separatesthem from a crate of buff foods. All I'm asking is for us DE's to keep that in mind when we talk about taking them away from players regularly.
SomeDE's view droids and our profession as just pixels and gameplay mechanics, and it's clear from their viewpoint that if it's not about credits or strict gameplay programming, then it doesnt benefit them.Fortunately most DE's (and the DEVs) don't view our hard work, or the importance of droids in the game, that way and will continue to support improvements to the DE profession that don't compromise it, but improve it for all players.
DE will continue to be a difficult profession to master and thrive in. But the things that make it worthwhile and unique in the game are worth fighting for. If we reduce DE to what all the other mass-producing consumable professions are like, then yes, any player who can crank out crates will be able to stand in Coronet and sell them all day long. Is that our ultimate goal for droids? Should it be? There's nothing wrong with being a sought-after profession. Those that work hard at it can make it (as several of us have)and I like that we are one of the few professions who enjoy helping each other out to succeed. We don't have to be another "overnight" success profession like all the other "grind it and sell it" ones - because Droids are not like anything else in this game.
Jenden, TK (and even Drashks -partly) proposals all put forth very valid ways to keep players using, wanting and replacing droids- without forcing our profession down a slippery slope to "mass-production or no production".
I really don't understand why you continue to act like just because some of us like to actually profit from Droids means that we don't care about them. If I didn't care abotu Droids, why would I be a DE? Time for profit ratio is certainly very low. I could make 4 times as much money doing one of the more profitable professions. We DO care about droids. Yet we are also realists. Instead of trying to put Droids on an alter above every other crafted item in the game, we accept that fact that Droids in SWG are a lot like other craftable items. Obviously it would be great if they were better, but we choose not to be greedywith developer coding time.
I think your really being an alarmist with all your talk of crated droids and such. Probably only like 20% of the people use their droid often enough to replace it every month. Another 50% would fall into the 2-3 month range. Then another 30% probably don't really use a droid. The 2-3 month people would be foolish to spend money on crated droids, simply because something may improve on them, and they are now stuck with an outdated model.
The 1 month people would be the ONLY ones who may buy crated droids, mostly like Doc buffers and such. Droids where quality doesn't matter. This group of people would be very small.
I stock about 50 different types of Med droids (hand made,) at each of my vendor locations. I very rarely get custom orders, people simply go pick out one they like. My vendor is always stocked, the only reason somebody would want a crate of droids was if they didn't have a well stocked vendor to go too.
Let me ask this Yoda, what is the difference between your crates of Droids and a well stocked vendor? You go on and on about customer interaction and such, but even now with the current system, people buy droids from vendors with little to no interaction.