Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: The initial Summit report (quick version)...
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TheRealTK421
Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:29 pm
#1
Okay, well...for those unaware....
This past weekend was the SWG Correspondent Summit to cover the upcoming Combat Balance/Revamp. We met all day (and hung out pretty much the whole time) with Keldarin, Runesabre, Blair, TH, JustG, Jake and a few 'mystery Devs' (we LOVE those guys)...
They were wonderfully gracious hostsand treated us all to an incredible experience. Even more impressive was the willingness to really get down in the dirt and mix it up to make sure that this ends up being the best it can be. I have an order of magnitude more respect and awareness for the amount of lovin' baked into this mutha, I can tell you that...
Most of the serious talk time was devoted very very specifically to the Devs' proposed design on how to take the future of combat forward in SWG. Theyspecfically asked us not to hold back and many took them up on that offer, but good. These are not small fixes but a sweeping 'pass' that will go straight to the heart of what combat is, and can be,in SWG. We went over a lot of info (this is a big deal, all). They collected our reactions and comments on all of it so that it can be melded into their current plan to produce a final public doc. for all you great peeps.
They were wonderfully gracious hostsand treated us all to an incredible experience. Even more impressive was the willingness to really get down in the dirt and mix it up to make sure that this ends up being the best it can be. I have an order of magnitude more respect and awareness for the amount of lovin' baked into this mutha, I can tell you that...
Most of the serious talk time was devoted very very specifically to the Devs' proposed design on how to take the future of combat forward in SWG. Theyspecfically asked us not to hold back and many took them up on that offer, but good. These are not small fixes but a sweeping 'pass' that will go straight to the heart of what combat is, and can be,in SWG. We went over a lot of info (this is a big deal, all). They collected our reactions and comments on all of it so that it can be melded into their current plan to produce a final public doc. for all you great peeps.
After there's some time spent kicking around the info and reactionson the Corr / Dev side some more, the posted document/design threads for the public boards will be made available to all. TH has cleared us to state that the public, official CR/CB threads will start to trickle out around a week from Mon. or so but it may be longer (you all know how that can go). 
I'd obviously love to get a lot more(well, any)detail out butthey want us to make sure it's all nailed down, and the posts tweaked, so that the general public can get what we all got from the Summit.
IMO.....a very well thought out and should-be-super-fun combat system.
IMO.....a very well thought out and should-be-super-fun combat system.
And I can really say for now is that I am personally very excited and enthused about what's on the table (as were all Corrs that attended).The more I heard and the more I think about what theoverall vision forcombat seems to be,I like it even more.For the time being, I can't really answer much of your questions but with relatively vague impressions and opinions.
So, for now, I ask that you allhold tight on pumping for details till the public threads go up. Once they are, you all will have a chance to see (I think) most everything that we saw, detail-wise. Even if you don't, it's okay...it's still gonna rock when we're all on the far side of this change.
As always, more to come (much more) as soon as we're given the green light...
/bow
Respectfully,
/bow
Respectfully,
Message Edited by TheRealTK421 on 08-29-2004 11:43 PM
NitewolfX
Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:29 am
#3
Wow, I'm glad to know that the combat rebalance is going to be well received. Wait? I'm a pure crafter. *sigh*
TheRealTK421
Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:30 am
#4
/bow
Helstrum wrote:
At the same time keep in mind that when it comes to information and changes, we are all about to die from the thurst of wanting the flow to be more then a trickle.
Yea...I feel your pain. It's no fun to want to let everyone in on the goodness that will be the CB/CR. This isn't going to have a gigantic effect on us as DEs.
I wanted to at least be able to give you my impressions so you'd have something to go on.
I am authorized to say that the new armor paradigm is..............really slick. And I mean it's super cool. So cool, in fact, that it's actually got me thinking about being an AS (something I'd never even considered in the past).
I don't want to overhype it either. There's a lot of work to do to get there.
A week, I think I can hold out for. But at the rate it's been going, I'd almost bet closer to a month.
It might be longer than a week. You all know how that can go. I hate to give timetables so I am just stating the rough guesstimate that TH said was likely.
If we could give out some of the info, it would just raise 8000 more questions. We know you all don't like being left hanging so the Devs thought it's easier for us to get it all nailed down and dump the whole thing on you.
Oh well, just so long as they do it right this time.
I think most all Corrs would say the proposal gets very very close to 'getting it right'.
It made us understand that they have been listening a ton more than anyone probably thought. When I hear people say (now) that they are ignoring the combat folks issues....well, I have seen the proof that it's just not true.
Respectfully,
ResourceMonkey
Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:57 am
#5
TK,
Although I agree that the GCW system needs a huge overhaul, I was wondering if any other issues besides Combat were discussed. Would like to know that those who aren't combat oriented got a bit of good lovin' as well. 
TheRealTK421
Mon Aug 30, 2004 9:01 am
#6
The actual meeting itself was very specifically focused on the CB/CR information. It's a big enough change that we really had to do it that way.There were some unofficial, off-the-cuff discussions on a lot of things.
ResourceMonkey wrote:
TK,
Although I agree that the GCW system needs a huge overhaul, I was wondering if any other issues besides Combat were discussed. Would like to know that those who aren't combat oriented got a bit of good lovin' as well.
Any of that stuff falls into the 'We're just talking here, folks...not setting development agendas' category.
/bow
Respectfully,
Kellisanth
Mon Aug 30, 2004 9:52 am
#7
NitewolfX wrote:
Wow, I'm glad to know that the combat rebalance is going to be well received. Wait? I'm a pure crafter. *sigh*
Same here...
I can't even fight to save myself from pesky Giant Gubbers or Crazed durnies that surround my harvesters/factories at times ...
(Maverick Gualamas are a pain too, as is the Veermok and Shaupauts, and occassional maulers)
I would *REALLY* love to be able to drop all but survey-IV and Engineer-IV to get some more pistol skill, instead of just being relegated to using the CDEF ...
/em mutters about having never baked a meal, or sewn a robe
But, hopefully, this rebalance will make things a bit more interesting for those who do fight. I'm just not sure my probot will be happy at being launched at the foes again.
Message Edited by Kellisanth on 08-30-2004 11:54 AM
Kleston
Mon Aug 30, 2004 9:58 am
#8
Of all of the professions I play (one account, no open char slots other than jedi, all chars have one or more mastered profs), DE is the one I've always expected the most from and enjoyed the most. I tend to be silent on the issues as there is no point in re-stating the same things as everyone else all of the time. But I'm sure that you managed to get us something good out of the combat rebalance, even if it's nowhere near all we've dreamed of. But after all that has happened, I've still got to say you do a good job for the DE community.
And a little hopeful wishing, that the devs decided to include droid decay in the CR/CB planning.
Nouveau
Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:08 am
#9
TK, thanks for the heads up!
I do echo what's already been said. I'm a pure crafter and the CR/CB really doesn't matter to me. Can you drop us any hints or insight on what they're thinking about doing for us? Are they considering the decay system? Considering different batteries? Stuff like that. Are they listening to us or are they turning a deaf ear because the Jedi are whining and we 'just' got a publish a few months ago? I know that there are other profs that are in dire need of revamp (smuggler springs right to mind... ) and I could live with that. Every prof needs their time in the barrel! It just seems they are spending an inordinate amount of time on something some people will never see or ever want (Jedi, not CR/CB. It seems alot of people want the CR/CB. 
)
) and I could live with that. Every prof needs their time in the barrel! It just seems they are spending an inordinate amount of time on something some people will never see or ever want (Jedi, not CR/CB. It seems alot of people want the CR/CB. )My 2cr...
TheRealTK421
Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:31 am
#10
For the 'pure' crafter types....
One of the things they recognize is that there's a lot of combat-related 'content' that is simply too easy to roll through right now. So, the rebalance/revamp is partly intended to undue some of that.
I suspect that this means that having a combat pet to help protect you (or allow you to make a clean getaway while on a harv. run) is something that will matter more on the other side of the CB/CR. Now...that just my impression.
Also, it wasn't like I got to lock a droid Dev in a closet and sequester him on our issues. Remember that there were almost 30 other people there all trying to do the same thing.
One other thing is that we (as the Corrs.) came to realize that we might be better off trying to look further than our individual bullet-point issues and try to get at more 'core systems' issues. In that vein, I had a few great chats with some of the other crafting Corrs. about something like an 'Industrial' (crafting systems) revamp/rebalance...which might be intended to try to solve a whole lot of underlying things in one shot.
I think we can sell this much better, since it means they work on one thing that ends up addressing a lot of things at once.
For those that think the CB/CR won't affect crafting classes....................it will. We're still trying to nail down what kind of repercussions it will have and such though.
There ARE tidbits of stuff that relate specifically to DEs but they fall into the 'can't really talk about it yet' category.
/bow
Respectfully,
One of the things they recognize is that there's a lot of combat-related 'content' that is simply too easy to roll through right now. So, the rebalance/revamp is partly intended to undue some of that.
I suspect that this means that having a combat pet to help protect you (or allow you to make a clean getaway while on a harv. run) is something that will matter more on the other side of the CB/CR. Now...that just my impression.
Also, it wasn't like I got to lock a droid Dev in a closet and sequester him on our issues. Remember that there were almost 30 other people there all trying to do the same thing.
One other thing is that we (as the Corrs.) came to realize that we might be better off trying to look further than our individual bullet-point issues and try to get at more 'core systems' issues. In that vein, I had a few great chats with some of the other crafting Corrs. about something like an 'Industrial' (crafting systems) revamp/rebalance...which might be intended to try to solve a whole lot of underlying things in one shot.
I think we can sell this much better, since it means they work on one thing that ends up addressing a lot of things at once.
For those that think the CB/CR won't affect crafting classes....................it will. We're still trying to nail down what kind of repercussions it will have and such though.
There ARE tidbits of stuff that relate specifically to DEs but they fall into the 'can't really talk about it yet' category.
/bow
Respectfully,
JavelinCatcher
Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:46 am
#11
TheRealTK421 wrote:
One other thing is that we (as the Corrs.) came to realize that we might be better off trying to look further than our individual bullet-point issues and try to get at more 'core systems' issues. In that vein, I had a few great chats with some of the other crafting Corrs. about something like an 'Industrial' (crafting systems) revamp/rebalance...which might be intended to try to solve a whole lot of underlying things in one shot.
Intriguing, can you elaborate on this since this was a "non-dev" item? What kinds of "core issues" did you guys see cross crafting professions? ...I mean, I have my listbut this is the first time I've seen a cross-crafter list discussed.
ResourceMonkey
Mon Aug 30, 2004 10:53 am
#12
nm
Message Edited by ResourceMonkey on 08-30-2004 10:56 AM
TheRealTK421
Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:09 am
#13
JavelinCatcher wrote:
TheRealTK421 wrote:
One other thing is that we (as the Corrs.) came to realize that we might be better off trying to look further than our individual bullet-point issues and try to get at more 'core systems' issues. In that vein, I had a few great chats with some of the other crafting Corrs. about something like an 'Industrial' (crafting systems) revamp/rebalance...which might be intended to try to solve a whole lot of underlying things in one shot.
Intriguing, can you elaborate on this since this was a "non-dev" item? What kinds of "core issues" did you guys see cross crafting professions? ...I mean, I have my listbut this is the first time I've seen a cross-crafter list discussed.
Things that might be on the table (note: these are things just the Corrs. discussed for possible fodder):
- Resource 'stuff' (lots, stack limits, changing out % concentrations could be tied to the quality of the resources, etc)
- How crafters and Merchants can be better tied together, for a better outcome on both ends
- How the crafting process might be able to be changed to ensure that we don't see 10000 of the "best" item on a vendor and altering things so that hand-crafting actually has a reason to be "better".
Example: The best cars in the world? Hand-crafted. - Any crafting/production/industrial issues that really are common to us all and not focused on any specific profession.
Basically, I think we were really trying to consider how we can ensure that being a "quality" crafter would matter a lot...not just tying access to the best to how many factories you have. It's hard to explain all this a quick comment. When I can, we'll get a lot more info out to you as the Crafting Corrs are going to put together our own little mini-proposal to all the crafting profs. on the stuff we think would help us all.
/bow
Respectfully,
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