Droid Engineer Archive

Thunderheart wrote:

Operating droids is a critical issue and I know you folks wanted to get involved in this discussion as soon as possible.

Funny... we've been asking for direct Dev comments and communication in the DE forums for months and just now we're getting some actual information on these plans.... deep into Publish 6? This is extremely disappointing and the developers must make every effort to not do this again, for Droid Engineers or any profession.

Thunderheart wrote:

The key design challenges are:

The cost of droids (ala having them as power pets and combat tools) has to counterbalance the combat advantages they give to the player. The core advantages are:

The power level of the pets

Number of pets (droids in this case)

The design has to fit into the existing skill/experience point scheme

I understand your framework, it's a game with rules and balance afterall... but there are some serious misconceptions the Developers are under, in my opinion. I'll point them out below, with elaboration.

Wrong. There is a significant number of Droid Engineers who disagree that the highest power of combat droid made available to DE's must equal that of the highest Creature Pet level. I am among them. I challenge anyone to disagree with me after I point out one visual fact. The most powerful droid represented in the movies (Droideka of Episode 1 or perhaps the Super Battle Droid of Episode 2) cannot and does not equal the destructive force of the most powerful creature pet from the movies (Rancor from Episode 6). You'll find many DE's are perfectly happy with the limited ability to call a level 20 or level 25 droid. This also meshes well with the point raised in another post that the Empire at this time has outlawed high power combat droids for personal use. There is simply no need to apply such drastic force to mutate the Droid Engineer profession to fit into a BE/CH formula. We can, and should be, different. There is simply no need for this! A DE community that has been yearning for more combat ability yet content with a crafting role for so long, does not need to be sated with such a drastic change. Moderation is key!

Wrong. You are painfully treading on the toes of three communities with this change. A. Droid Engineer players (who have patiently waited for months and months to see desperately needed attention given to their profession, especially with the introduction of new droid combat chassis). B. Bio Engineer players (who undoubtedly are relishing their new found uniqueness and value to ALL players in the game). C. Creature Handler players (who have endured much pain and suffering over the many months of struggle and strife only to find a new, "equal" profession to challenge their abilities and stature!) By adding this fourth, new profession to the game: you are alienating and ignoring THREE groups of players who are already in the game. You are toying with and altering PLAYER'S professions.... Speaking as a Master Droid Engineer, I announce plainly that this idea of a Droid Handler/Master profession is deeply worrisome to me and all the other players who have patiently waited for their neglected Droid Engineer profession to see some daylight and hope.

Wrong. This debate so heavily revolving around combat is truly and inherently unnecessary. This discussion is becoming such a huge topic only because everyone, Developers included, DO NOT want to see the return of "Pet Wars", only to be replaced with "Droid Wars". This is a very valid concern, however; legions of powerful combat droids following every player around would simply not happen if a moderate, sane approach were taken to this question! I refer you back to Misconception #1: the addition of low to moderate combat droids would not require such a hefty and game-altering change (the DH profession). Again, if lower to moderate level combat droids were introduced into the DE tree without the introduction of droid handler profession, the questions and concerns of balance and fairness for all players are much more easily solved, and vanish entirely. DE's who do not wish to participate in combat and wish to focus on crafting have that choice, while those who might want to aide in the struggle will have a small selection of fair, balanced, and competent combat droids to command.

Wrong. This is a serious misconception but a very understandable one. To understand the true intent of the Droid Engineer you need to step out of whatever paradigm you're in. You must understand that, in essence, we are a different breed of profession entirely, neither crafter nor combattant. The DE profession should thrive on utility and versatility. Our products: Droids, were meant to be the "swiss army knives of the galaxy". The Droid Engineer provides Droids: We build through Droids... We augment other professions through our Droids... We make life easier for others through our Droids, We combat through our Droids, and everyone uses our droids. We are not a combat class, nor are we a crafter class. Droid Engineers are a facilitating class: useful to ALL players and professions. This should be our aim. This should be our goal. Do not paint DE's into one black or white corner: we are the oddballs, the unclassifiables, the techies, the helpers, the bringers, and the tinkerers. Yes, it's true we craft our products... but DE's should do so much more. We need a refocus on utility, we need a refocus on modules that can help ALL professions, we need Droids to be elevated to a state they truly deserve: a utility tool that touches every aspect of Star Wars Galaxies; not just another soulless weapon system or useless trinket.

1. DO NOT implement a Droid Handler / Droid Master Class.

2. INTRODUCE many, many more utility modules to the DE class... Hundreds of ideas can be found in the DE forums and we invite ALL professions to make module suggestions to help THEIR professions.

3. FIX the current extensive litany of Droid Engineer bugs.

4. ADD the Droid Repair pack. Vital to make CL 10 combat droids useable by ALL players now!!! We suffer with our droids not being able to be repaired like creature pets!

5. MODIFY the DE skilltree: granting CL +5, CL +5, and CL +5 modifiers at various boxes in the tree.

6. DEPLOY 3-4 new combat chassis schematics to the DE skilltree, using built in subtle differences and abilities for differing combat situations. Configurations should be used including non-lethal "Combat Utility Modules" (I have a post on this in the DE Forums) which help ALL professions and players.

1. 90% of the DE population is against the DH idea... they are happy with no DH.

2. "Droid Wars" is avoided.

3. DE's retain core crafting abilities.... with a heavy focus on utility for ALL players.

4. DE's gain a balanced, fair, modest combat ability in keeping with game fairness and the genre.