Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Concept Series: Factory Droid
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Kollos
Wed Feb 18, 2004 7:58 pm
#1
In the interest of moving forward positively, here is the second in a series of slightly more fleshed-out ideas. All of these ideas have been presented here on the forums in the past, in most cases many times. Note that whether these ideas are implemented as new droids or as new modules for existing Droids is largely irrelevant. New droids would be cooler but would also require more time and effort.
Factory Droid
The concept behind the Factory Droid is to give artisans the ability to create all of their products while "in the field" - even those that require factory made components. In order to keep the Factory Droid balanced, it should be rather severly limited in what it can do, but it should still allow crafters to sit in a city and craft items on-demand without having to have crates of pre-made components in their inventory.
Personally, I'd use the Binary Load Lifter chassis as the basis for the Factory Droid. It fits and would give the big guy a new lease on life. One service module just isn't cutting it, so let's give it something new to do.
I would require a number of subcomponents to make the "factory" part functional. In all cases, it would be possible to allow any module to fill the slot but only provide a minimal functionality. (I allow this caveat just in case it makes it easier to code. Naturally, the ideal solution would be to only allow the appropriate module in the appropriate slot.) The factory's schematic slot would be provided by a Data Storage module. The factory's input hopper would be provided by an Item Storage module, and in this case the module's level would determine the input hopper size. The factory's output hopper would be fixed and would only be 1 item, but naturally that 1 item could be a crate of components so that the factory droid could be used to make sufficiently large runs of most items for on-the-spot use.
Aside: the output hopper's size should be sufficient to make any single run required, but not necessarily large enough to cover subcomponents for those runs. As an example, Droid Engineers need 6 identical Advanced Droid Motive Systems to make a Binary Load Lifter. But making those 6 identical ADMS requires 24 identical EMM and EGPM. I'm sure there are similar situations in other professions, but since I've always been a Droid Engineer I don't know what those might be. In this particular example, Droid Engineers would be able to fully complete their run because EMM and EGPM come 25 to a crate. That might not be the case for other professions, however.
For balance purposes, the Factory Droid should consume power just like a factory, but at a much higher rate. It does not consume maintenance, after all. I recommend something really high like 100 power per item constructed.
Production speed could reasonably be the same as for a normal factory, but it could also be slowed down. I don't think going worse than double the time it takes in a normal factory would be useful, though, since the point is to allow crafting "in the field" where the customer is probably standing there waiting.
When crafting items, the Factory Droid could be immobile and non-responsive. For that matter, it could be required to "change modes" to switch from a mobile droid to an immobile (but operative) factory if doing so would make the programming simpler.
Thoughts? Improvements? Should I keep doing these?
Ai3o
Thu Feb 19, 2004 3:11 am
#2
Why not make itj so that some droids can run over to your factory and get stuff for you? so you dont have to!!
TheRealTK421
Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:45 am
#3
Kollos wrote:
Thoughts? Improvements? Should I keep doing these?
Yes....please DO keep doing these.
I might suggest, however, that we focus on the changes that we KNOW are on the table. Those should be the things that we spend time fleshing out and addressing now (so that they can be done as well as possible).
I really like the droid 'mini-factory' idea (and anything related to it). I want to respond to this idea but I can't right this second. So...for now....a /bump for you, good sir.
/bow
Respectfully,
IntoTheGarbage
Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:09 am
#4
I have suggested this many times as well. Although I think the treadwell would be a good candidate. If the art dept, could animate those arms it would be pretty cool. I think the BLL would make a good structure factory though.
ideas
Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:01 pm
#5
There is another advantage to these, besides in-the-field crafting. They save 1 lot. Granted, it is a much smaller factory, but for some people that would be a fine trade-off.
Perhaps this is a case where two level 6 item modules could have meaning. The "Droid Factory Module" might require item storage modules for the Input Hopper and Output Hopper. If you use two level 6 modules you could get 10 ingredients in and 10 items/crates out.
I'd love to be able to run a few electronics parts in the field -- so I can make the Architect->Furniture 3 Data Terminal anywhere, or so I can set up a small run of Seekers or Probes by the crate.
This is a great module idea!
Kollos
Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:27 pm
#6
Ai3o wrote:
Why not make itj so that some droids can run over to your factory and get stuff for you? so you dont have to!!
That's related toanother one of the Droid conceptsthat I intend to expand upon eventually - the Delivery Droid.
TheRealTK421
Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:30 pm
#7
Kollos wrote:
Ai3o wrote:
Why not make itj so that some droids can run over to your factory and get stuff for you? so you dont have to!!
That's related toanother one of the Droid conceptsthat I intend to expand upon eventually - the Delivery Droid.
Yea...I've wanted to see a Delivery droid in place for a LONG time.
I actually think this would be a better thing to have before even a Factory droid, to be honest.
Example: You run out of....*gasp* Muon. You call up your connection and he says he can get you some...but he's not ready to move just then. You send your delivery droid to him to pick up the order (note: you'd still be responsible to pay any/all starport or shuttle charges to go fully roundtrip).
This is a totally BOSS idea....
/bow
Respectfully,
wornol
Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:39 pm
#8
Why don't they make it so an Arch can add a BLL to a factoy schematic to decrease the time it takes to make an item in the factory?
TheRealTK421
Thu Feb 19, 2004 12:42 pm
#9
wornol wrote:
Why don't they make it so an Arch can add a BLL to a factoy schematic to decrease the time it takes to make an item in the factory?
That'd be pretty cool. If we could get an animation of a BLL like...circling around the factory (that had this installed), that'd be doubly cool.
It'd also be kind of nice to be able to set multiple patrol points for these and have them move their way from factory-to-factory. Maybe include an ability to have it pick up factory parts for you and "deliver them" (via Delivery Module?) to you wherever you might be. Now THAT would be useful.
Example: You're on Dantooine but your factories are on Coronet. You instruct your Adv. Factory BLL (with installed Delivery Module) to pick up item [X] from factory [Y] and deliver it to your location. Note that you'd still be responsible for starport/shuttleport charges for this to happen.
/bow
Respectfully,
IntoTheGarbage
Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:56 pm
#10
Kollos wrote:
For balance purposes, the Factory Droid should consume power just like a factory, but at a much higher rate. It does not consume maintenance, after all. I recommend something really high like 100 power per item constructed.
Production speed could reasonably be the same as for a normal factory, but it could also be slowed down.
When crafting items, the Factory Droid could be immobile and non-responsive. For that matter, it could be required to "change modes" to switch from a mobile droid to an immobile (but operative) factory if doing so would make the programming simpler.
Thoughts? Improvements? Should I keep doing these?
For balance purposes, it should come out that a factory is always a faster and cheaper way to build, the droid is only a convenience. I also think the complexity of the schematic that the droid can accept should also be limited. However both speed and complexity of the schematic it can handle would be features we could experiment up.
And no animation?! No way! I wanna see these droids build! Ok, that may be asking too much. But it would be cool.
MurienAquarius
Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:41 am
#11
I think that is a pretty cool idea, especially if would save us a lot!! Storage space is the biggest obstacle in this game, especially since I mastered Droid Engineer, and am constantly needing to run crates of EGP and EMMs through. Ugh. I am looking forward to seeing your delivery droid idea, Kollos. Do you have any plans for repair droid and power droid, that could accept waypoints, and go out to existing structures to maintain/power up to save us organic types time and hassle? I think in the interests of balance, make them vulnerable to attack while they are doing their rounds. Droid engineer could REALLY rock if we can get all of these ideas really talked about.
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