Droid Engineer Archive

I think this might be where DE falls down, logically.

There are currently a few kinds of socket:

Defensive -- only takes armor
Cluster -- only takes clusters
Personality -- only takes personality chips
General -- takes almost anything

I think the General module is where things fall down.

I propose a new model, where we have multiple kinds of sockets, and you need to mix and match appropriately.

I would begin by adding a 'crafting' socket type, a 'medical' socket type, and perhaps a 'repair' socket type. I am quite certain that others will add to this, I'm just brainstorming here.

So now instead of simply knowing that an advanced R4 can hold three modules, but an advanced R2 can hold a socket cluster and two modules, we'd need to know a bit more. What if astromechs didn't even HAVE a medical socket, and in fact only surgical type droids did? What if astromechs had a repair socket, but treadwells had two, so they could get some sort of stacked effect, or perhaps have two different KINDS of repair modules (structure AND droid, perhaps?)

Further, I can imagine there being MORE THAN ONE KIND of cluster module, each of which is defined by the combination of socket types it carries.

By further restricting what kinds of modules go into which droids, we'd refine our markets, mitigate the nested cluster issue, add some logic to the droid chassis selection process, and, in my opinion, have a more interesting profession.

it's not a bad idea, but without some form of droid order interface given to us by the devs all I can see here is an extra half an hour of trying to explain to someone what they can and cant have in each chassis type

After telling someone last night 3 times that a protocol droid couldnt be named, colored or do any damage they proceeded to order a blue protocol droid with 'the highest damage possible'... hey at least he didnt ask me to name it for him

LOL -- I would just take the protocol to the back of a shuttle. The heat from the engines should blue the ditanium steel just fine!

Perhaps this idea feels 'right' to me because of the way I market and sell my droids: I obtain a list of desired capabilities from my customer, and then offer a selection of chassis and price-points.

sounds about the same way I do it... doesnt help with stupid customers tho

and a droid order interface... hmmmm now that IS a feature i'd like...

Oh yes, and this also fits neatly with some of the combat module/combat socket proposals I've read, which probably helped to inspire the idea in the first place.

Yes, currently the only 'droid order interface' that's available is from any enterprising folk who may have created web-based ordering systems.