Droid Engineer Archive

Note: I present the following as a draft for a Droid Engineer 'vision' document, which we can (and should) work on and complete together...as a DE community. Please understand that I want non-DEs to make commenthere as well (your vision for us is just as important in some ways as our own vision for ourselves).

You'll want to be aware, that TH has always stated that our 'vision' document is the same as our Top 5. As such, I'll be having (when this is all done) a 'short' Top 5 and full/long version (which should have our longer term vision for what DEs should do/bring).

Please feel free to post/suggest an entirely new section (or add a sub-section to a current one, below). I'll update and/or repost a larger version as needed.

This is OUR vision post...I'm just compiling it all to take with...

/bow

Respectfully,

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Note: Please add your answer for this and I'll do my best to meld any such answers into one 'uber' answer.

When I first saw that SWG was going to have a Droid Engineer profession, I knew that's what I'd be doing. I saw myself tinkering and fiddling with parts to get that "perfect" droid to fly/repair ships, slice the Holonet and openlocked doors, translate the local lingoand generally annoy passersby.I figured that I'd be able to design, configure and build droids of all types to aid in all sorts of cool Star Warsy functions and fit most any need (for all players). My original 'vision' was to be: A major DEinmygalaxy and a purveyor of the highest quality 'funky droid goodness'.

As time went on and I got going, I realized that being a DE meant (in large part) being a miner/resource-collector. That's okay. I figured this might happen and took it in stride. Once I hit Master (thefirst time), I was understandably ecstatic. But that was only the beginning...

I realized as I went further and further along that being a DE meant providing many 'amenity' features for many professions and, sometimes, just making fun 'furniture'. That's cool.That sort of fits what I figured we'd be though I'd hoped for SOOO much more. Bump the Docs/Medics. Make life easier for Crafters. Make cool 'techno-bots' for Entertainers and, of course, make the coolest of cool combat droids.Especially after the two major DE publishes, I've felt a lot more like we actually had to "engineer" droids. It wasn't just the same old, cookie-cutter items shoved into a chassis. I had to pay more attention to what I wasdoing whenchoosing a good droid design and finding a market for my wares.

To me, a Droid Engineer in SWG should be able to design, configure and build droids of all sorts for any number of important purposes (note: not just 'toys'). I want Droid Engineers, and especially the quality of their droid products, to matter to all players. I want players to "need" that great droid...some sub-optimal droid just wouldn't do (unless you're on a budget). I want a great DEs droids to be nearly integral to how a player experiences their time in the SWG universe. It's immersive, it's cool...it's Star Wars.

Alas, I still believethat we've not yet reached our final vision.There's always more to do. I hope you'll add your vision of what we "are" and should be. Only then can we chart our way to our ultimate destiny.

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I'd just like to add a couple things that come to mind, I want to answer your very first question after i've collected my thoughts, but some ideas for enhancements to droids..

Protocol droid: useless right now, waking furniture... make them do what c3po does, and translate! A player can opt not to learn any of the in game languages, but instead, pulls out their droid whenever they are talking to someone they can't understand. The droid will then repeat whatever was said to you, in whatever language you do understand.

MSE droid in conjunction with some new part -> as a 'spy-cam' droid. Basically you'd be able to 'drive' it around, and see what it's seeing... range would have to be rather limited of course (say lesss than 1000M max?)

new kind of smuggler module, that will give a boost to the smuggler's slicing skills.

Another idea i had (which probably isn't as feasible) would be to make a 'communication' droid, so that when your not in a city, to pick up your gmail, or send gmail, you have to open the droid up.

Just a few for now, I had other ideas this morning, but they've escaped me during the long hard day of slavery to my employer. I'm sure i'll remember later

Z

Thanks for the comments.


Please remember, all....it will be of great help to me if you use the categories above when you mention your issue, addition or 'vision'.

If needed, suggest a new category (or sub-heading) for me to add.


Thanks!


/bow

Respectfully,

I'm just making comments on the document i will go into detail later. I think this is a great start and well written. My comments:

Have combat modules with different damage types: Energy, Heat, Acid , Etc

Armor modules should have resists displayed (How EXACTLY is a level 1 different from a Level 6)

Introduce a special "commando" module where rocket launchers, grenades, and other consumables can be loaded into the droid.

/agree with your other combat examples

Crafting modules should display the rating/percentage similar to stand-alone crafting stations. We should also be able to craft high quality crafting stations with high quality and rare resources that get a rating close but not as high as the stand-alone unit (maybe 40% instead of 45%).

The biggest complaint i hear from customers on the Merchant Barker is not how long it lasts but the fact that it falls prey to the Autostore Vehicle/Pet bug.

Entertainer Droid: I would like to see a module that would allow Ents to buff outside cantinas like doctors. Now some people will say this is a stupid idea b/c it hurts "immersion" or doesnt make sense. I would argue thatEnt profession classesneed all the help they can get. They have been severely hurt by the hologrind and AFK-buffbots. The current Ent module do not actully help the Ent classes make money. If doctors can buff at starports why not Ents?

Scout Droids: Agree

Stimpack dispensor module should hold Stim-Bs. When I tell people they only hold stim-As they think its worthless.

Item storage: Agree

Structure maintenance: Please, please, please add the ability to deposit power.

BH droids: Fix unlimited seeker usage bug

Auto-Repair: I put these in all my tanks. it cuts down on the use of droid stim dramatically.

Survey droids: When I tell people that these do not do anything other than the resource list they dont want them. Returning stats in some fashion would be very useful. I dont understand why we cant have the survey tool screen open up like the user was actually on the planet. They then get one resource tohighlight and hit the "survey" button and have stats returned.

I'll make further comments later. Got to leave work.

Visit OckTech DroidWorks on Bloodfin
Theed, Naboo Waypoint -6015, 3346.
Bestine, Tatooine Waypoint -595, -4220

Admin for Bloodfin Droid Engineer Association

I'd like an HTML tag Please

Please don't ask for quest schematics / parts. While, it's a good idea... it will take them a long time for themto come up with and implement the quest, and even longer to get it working properly. Having these items as loot drops isn't perfect, but at least we'll be able to actually get them.

Instead of both ideas, I'd like to see all those pointless droid schematics removed from faction recruiters and replaced with something we can't build.

RA-7 "bug droid": Using it's vast knowledge of Imperial policy, this droid nullifies faction penalties for officer ranked non-human Imperials, and provides a small bonus to humans. In all other respects it's an advanced protocol droid and is constructed in the same manner with the same limitations.

LIN Demolitionmech: Can be bound to a factional installation to replenish it's mines, or called in the field to assist in disarming enemy mine fields. In all other respects it functions as a low-level astromech.

I have a ton of these factional droid ideas, but I'm using these two because the art work is already in game.

Ok. Heres my thoughts on the rest of the document.

Since this expansion has been in developement for so long, I'm assuming what will happen with droids is set in stone. I still give my thoughts in case I'm wrong. Disclaimer: I know I am not a Dev and I dont know what is going to happen blaa, blaa, blaa.

What I WANT to happen: There are new modules for navigation, repair, shield usage, and weapon usage. The modulescan fit into

anyastromech chassis but since the R4 and R5 have less slots those droids are inferior tohaving R2 or

R3 units in your ship. Astromech units can be damaged in flight or disabled requiring them to be repaired

or reconditioned.

What I THINK will happen: No new modules but the abilities vary with chassis type. A R5 will only be able to do navigation and

repair while a R2 or R3 will be able to do all ship functions.The current user of a R3 unit will be able to

"plug" his/her droid into the ship and be on their way. They will not have to buy a space-specific

astromech. Astromech units will not take damage individually while in space.

What I DO NOT want to happen: Plugging any astromech into the ship enables all ship functions regardless of chassis. The droid

deed or chassis is used in the construction of the ship and cannot be removed (like a component

similar to the protocol droid/shuttleport). See "What ITHINK will happen".

/Agree with everything else you said especially droids being able to move about multipassenger ships.

I have made multiple posts on these points:

1) I want higher level combat droids.

2) This is the only way we are going to get higher level combat droids. Don't complain.

3) Droid engineers MUST make all the droids.

4) Droid Commander must be well thought out and not a carbon copy of CH.

5) A Master Droid Commander should be able to participate in higher level content such as the Corvette orDWB without being a

a drag on his/her group.

I have aslo made multiple posts on this topic. I am for a new droid decay system. Combats droids should last abt 2 months. Utility droids should last 3-4 months. I dont care how this is achieved.

I would like DE Craftable stormtrooper/rebel armor similar to mandalorian armor but not as impossible to get. Perhaps a high ranking PCcan get a schematic from the recruiter. (My hope with the combat and GCW changes is that craftable faction armor is added and that it is as good as the current armor). Example: DE crafted gloves which give a "cybernetic" bonus to weapon speed.

Not a huge priority with me but I like the concept.

More player craftable droid chassis: Ditto

Not a big fan of loot used in craftable items. There is a reason why the AV-21 costs 3 million credits on my server. If we were to do this I would only want it used in an "Uber" DL20+ droid like an IG-88 or in GCW related items.

My two credits.

Visit OckTech DroidWorks on Bloodfin
Theed, Naboo Waypoint -6015, 3346.
Bestine, Tatooine Waypoint -595, -4220

Admin for Bloodfin Droid Engineer Association

I'd like an HTML tag Please

I dont know why the forums double spaced that part of my message.

Visit OckTech DroidWorks on Bloodfin
Theed, Naboo Waypoint -6015, 3346.
Bestine, Tatooine Waypoint -595, -4220

Admin for Bloodfin Droid Engineer Association

I'd like an HTML tag Please

Droids with JTL:

Once I heard of the space expansion - my first thought was the last 30 mins of Ep. 4 - R2 being lifted and loaded into the X-wing, his 'on flight repairs' and even his demise at a blaster bolt from Vader. How to incorporate this into JTL.

To force EVERY person who wishes to fly to buy a droid isn't feasible. Just too ugly. I think that the ships should come 'as is' with a standard 'droid' so that they can simply buy and fly a ship. But for those few who own their own droids, I was thinking about something like this:

My thoughts are that there are 4 different types of R-units or Astromech Droids.Each body type should give an uniqueinherent bonus - this way, not just one type of droid will be sold since it is 'the best'. You want more speed - get the R2, more shields - R3, more accuracy, the R4, etc. I do not know the stats on flying and what can be improved upon so I won't go into it.

Next are the modules. Have them also give bonuses to different areas just like frame types do - just better or worse depending upon experimentation. Scale and balance will need to be factored in but just like a MBH going into combat with a CDEF or a MBH going in with an LLC - some 'advantages' should work and since it requires NO special skills to own a droid - these bonuses will be available to all.

The only question would be how to use a droid in conjunction with the ship. I imagine that your ship will be stored on your 'datapad'. A radial menu on the ship that says "droid option" would work. Click on it, and a list of all of your droids in your datapad appear - and you choose which one you want to be associated with the ship. That way, when you 'generate' the ship, your droid's bonuses are included in it. It would ROCK if the color pattern of my droid was reflected upon the droid in the top of my x-wing but eh, I won't complain.

Repair - R2 worked on repairing Luke's X-wing as well as the royal shuttle in Ep 1. Perhaps having a 'ship repair' module where, as long as the ship is in flight and the droid is assigned to that ship, a low regen rate is in effect for the ship.

Damage - If your ship is destroyed, your droid becomes damaged and will need to be repaired. I don't know if the system will allow for a 'critical hit' where the droid is rendered inoperative and all bonuses are then lost to that ship during flight (may require more programming than it is worth) so this simple ship gone/droid hurt works. This damage should be the "Black Bar" variety, requiring a Droid Repair of some sort to happen.

Sorry, for the ramble. I am sure you can rehash it and make it more comprehensive.

FRUGA HAS LEFT THE GALAXY - Good luck all, I'm done with this game - Account Closed 9/10/2004
with a two month visit again from 6/05-7/05

Upon launch of JTL - An Empire Deserted (no one on planet) Coming in 2005! "Star Wars Galaxies: The Jedi Empire"

Here are my thoughts that I would like to add :-

Structure Maintance:-

I feel these would be better and used more if they could be used to deposit power as well.

Repair Droids:-

At the moment I feel there is no real use of them apart from the new auto repair module, which is working ok ..here are a few points on the matter

i) Repair modules/Le-Repair should be able to repair vehcles and perhaps JLS ships

ii) As this would lose the money sink thats already in, would it be possible to place some kind of money sink in this also?

iii) Master Artisans and DEs should be the only ones to use shuch droids ie mobile repair stations

iv) Addtion of Pit Droid frame.. apart from being cool these could be included just to repair ships perhaps/vehicles and perhaps given some kind of bonus..

I would still like to see higher level droids in the game ie droideka,battle droids, super battle droids etc..Some kind of Droidhandler classwould be great..As already mentioned I would like to see new modules ie new damage types modules.

korveck Voss....Master Artisan ,Master Droid Engineer ,Novice Rifleman

If you were to go with continuity on starfighter droids it should go like this:

R5: only lets you jump to the starting planet's sectors

(naboo,corelia,tatooine,rori,talus)

R4: This one should actually be more useful when dealing with ground vehicles, since that was what it was designed for. In a ship, same abilities as the R5

R2: Lets you jump to anywhere but the deep space sectors

R3: lets you jump to any space sector.

TYTACK SECAC-SCYLLIA GALAXY
CEO OF TYTACKS DISCOUNT DROIDS
LOCATED AT STC, NABOO

The one thing that really annoys me is modules with multiple levels. No-one ever asks for the lowest capable module I can make, everyone asks for the best I can produce. To me the lower level modules are just TreeFiller to give newbies something to do. The most I would agree is necessary is two variations of a module, a lowtech version (Novice and low level trees) and a hightech version (Master and higher levels).

With some of the modules removed it would be easier to find tree space for *new* modules that actually do different things. Example:

Lowtech combat modules (As we know them today)

Hightech combat modules (As they are today, but with adding specifics, like heat, acid etc) The way I am thinking here is that if a modules requires Chemical, then make the different chems do different things, like fiberplast add acid, lubricating oil add cold etc.

Wracca
Master Droid Engineer
Wracca's Palace of Droid Love, Mos Espa, Tatooine, Chimaera

Vendor: Maraac - Complete Droids, Mos Espa (-2395, 1403).
Vendor: Graak - Complete Droids, Mos Eisley (2468, -4652).

/bump

Visit OckTech DroidWorks on Bloodfin
Theed, Naboo Waypoint -6015, 3346.
Bestine, Tatooine Waypoint -595, -4220

Admin for Bloodfin Droid Engineer Association

I'd like an HTML tag Please