Droid Engineer Archive

Hello there. I've been browsing the boards for the past couple nights, and have actually learned a lot about the profession that I wish to master. Right now, I am only a mere novice Droid Engineer, and I am very close to getting blueprints 1 (should have it in a day or so). I just wanted to clear up some stuff about the profession, mainly purposes of each droid, some thoughts I have on the profession, and a couple questions. This post could get pretty long, so bare with me please

1. Right now, are R5's, R3's, R2's, etc just basically cosmetic upgrades of MSE droids? For example, I have an MSE Droid with a level 1 storage compartment, that can hold only 1 item. The storage capacity of the droid is based entirely on the level of the storage module installed, and has noting to do with the droid itself, correct? So an R5 unit with the same storage module will only hold 1 item? Or is it (or possibly something that could be / is / will be implemented) that each droid has a base level of what it can hold, and the storage module can be a multiplyer to that. Say an MSE Droid can hold 1 item with a level 1 storage mod, level 2 can hold 1x2 items, level 3 = 1x3 items, so on and so forth, but say an R5 could start with... 2 items with a lvl 1 mod, lvl 2 being 2x2 item capacity? I think that could be a good change to actually give purpose to higher level droids (obviously giving simular benefits to med modules and stuff)

2. Surgical droids are actually supposed to heal players (tho it's broken right now, this is the intended purpose, correct?) A med droid just allows medics to heal anywhere, whereas a surgical droid will actually heal you? Am I understanding that correctly?

3. DZ-70 droids... are those bounty hunter only, or can I, being a DE/CH/Rifleman use a DZ-70 to help me, as worthless as they are (I ask due to the title I have seen on DZ-70's in game: DZ-70 tracker droid)

4. What is a Seeker droid? Arakyd Droid? Treadwell Droid? And are there any current but broken, or future purposes for Protocol and Binary Lift Loader droids?

5. As of now, are there any -vital- components needed to craft a droid that need another profession? I know for the personality chips, the electronic GP's come from master artisan, but personality chips don't seem as vital to me, as much as just something that's a really kick ass fun feature. So are there any vital components that actually can't be made in the DE skill trees?

Also, I hear a lot about extrusive ore... what droids need extrusive ore, and is extrusive ore required, or just recommended but any ore will do?(I am currently on Naboo where there is none, and money is tight, so if it's just recommended, I could do without it for now)

Now for some ideas (most or all of which have already been posted numerous times on here)

-Make advanced droids (i.e. R5 compared to a MSE) have higher base abilities for installed mods. Example: An R5 unit will have more item storage with a storage module installed than an MSE would with the same level storage mod installed. Once again, as stated before, simular effects for data storage and med mods, etc.

-I know a lot of people are looking forward to having tons of combat droids and stuff. I would say give us 1 or 2 more combat droids (Droideka =]), up the effectiveness of our current combat droids... but not to the point where they can match with master CH pets. I agree with whoever said in a post somewhere else that a droid should not be a main tank pet. That should be a CH's job. But I think that a droid should be an effective weapon to use as a good support weapon for a marksman or brawler class character, or maybe even something that could solo some (but obviously not too high level) creatures, for maybe those who don't have high combat skills, but need, say loot, faction, or resources. DZ-70's could be good support for lower level characters, I would say maybe what a non-CH can get as a pet right now? 1000HAM, 100 damage? Is that too high? I dunno, doesn't seem like it. Maybe have a probot at 3000HAM, maybe 200 damage? And a Droideka available at master, or blueprints 4, that could be the best combat droid a DE could make. 5000HAM and 300 - 500 damage or so? I dunno the exact stats of CH pets (I am only novice CH as well, btw one who is happy with the nerfs that the class is getting) to compare to what the DE combat droids should be.

I also agree that combat droids shouldn't be the focus of droid engineering, there is so much that droids could be used for. But I think, that just of the nature of the class, that combat droids would be essential, and giving us a good 3 types of combat droids that we can make that are effective support pets would be perfect.

People have told me to quit DE while I can, but I refuse. For one, the class, even as broken as it is, is just still so damned appealing, and when they do get it fixed to hopefully what I envision the profession to be, it's going to be great. And deep down, I know that it might take awhile, but it will be fixed one day.

Thanks for reading and replying, I know I said a lot of what's already been said a hundred plus times here, but me just starting to read this board, and this being my first post, I still wanted a couple things cleared up.

*Marr'Taan LeBeau (Radiant Server)

Imperial - Creature Handler / Droid Engineer / Sniper

Oh, and the last question that I forgot:

Are there any tips to... kinda power level myself through the long and treacherous exp journey?

So far I am mass practicing MSE droids, since that's all I can really do, and I've heard that at Blueprints 2, advanced frames give good exp, but is there anything in blueprints 1 that give good exp? Do the actual new types of droids you can make give better exp than the 147 I am getting per MSE? Cuz seriously, 147 per unit when I need 48k is just ridiculous, and it's only gonna get harder when I need 62k+ or however much it is that I need for blueprints 2.

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Nell2ThaIzzay wrote:

Hello there. I've been browsing the boards for the past couple nights, and have actually learned a lot about the profession that I wish to master. Right now, I am only a mere novice Droid Engineer, and I am very close to getting blueprints 1 (should have it in a day or so). I just wanted to clear up some stuff about the profession, mainly purposes of each droid, some thoughts I have on the profession, and a couple questions. This post could get pretty long, so bare with me please

1. Right now, are R5's, R3's, R2's, etc just basically cosmetic upgrades of MSE droids? For example, I have an MSE Droid with a level 1 storage compartment, that can hold only 1 item. The storage capacity of the droid is based entirely on the level of the storage module installed, and has noting to do with the droid itself, correct? So an R5 unit with the same storage module will only hold 1 item? Or is it (or possibly something that could be / is / will be implemented) that each droid has a base level of what it can hold, and the storage module can be a multiplyer to that. Say an MSE Droid can hold 1 item with a level 1 storage mod, level 2 can hold 1x2 items, level 3 = 1x3 items, so on and so forth, but say an R5 could start with... 2 items with a lvl 1 mod, lvl 2 being 2x2 item capacity? I think that could be a good change to actually give purpose to higher level droids (obviously giving simular benefits to med modules and stuff)

The main benefit from higher level Droids, aside from the cosmetics of the different body styles, is that as you go from a lower to a higher model you gain more module slots. In almost every case going higher up the schematic tree will result in more slots to install modules in. So even thougha module in an MSE works the same in an R2, the R2 can hold alot more modules.

2. Surgical droids are actually supposed to heal players (tho it's broken right now, this is the intended purpose, correct?) A med droid just allows medics to heal anywhere, whereas a surgical droid will actually heal you? Am I understanding that correctly?

That is the popular theory, I can't actually recall reading anything from Q or a Dev that said that for a fact though.

3. DZ-70 droids... are those bounty hunter only, or can I, being a DE/CH/Rifleman use a DZ-70 to help me, as worthless as they are (I ask due to the title I have seen on DZ-70's in game: DZ-70 tracker droid)

DZ70 is the babt Combat Droid. It will attack on command, and likely die just as quickly. Anyone can use one, regardless of the name they hav when they are first Tamed. The BH droids (Seeker Droid and Arakyd Probe Droid) are not actually Droids at all but are in fact tools that go in the inventory. They are one use items that only a BH can use for tracking down the targets of their missions.

4. What is a Seeker droid? Arakyd Droid? Treadwell Droid? And are there any current but broken, or future purposes for Protocol and Binary Lift Loader droids?

See above for Seeker/Arakyd Droid details. The Treadwell is just another type of Droid, but it has a pretty unique and interesting body style. I get alot of comments when I bring mine out in town. As far as the Protocol and BLL, your guess is as good as anyone elses. I would imagine they have thought of or could come up with a use for BLL's with Player Cities (like maybe a city requires one or if there's one around it reduces maintenance or something similiar). The Protocol's main thing though is translation, or at least that's what was emphasized in the movies. Since they decided to make languages meaningless in the game so far, the Protocol has no real purpose. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

5. As of now, are there any -vital- components needed to craft a droid that need another profession? I know for the personality chips, the electronic GP's come from master artisan, but personality chips don't seem as vital to me, as much as just something that's a really kick ass fun feature. So are there any vital components that actually can't be made in the DE skill trees?

Actually the Electronic GP and Memory Chips are used in most high end Droids to some degree. They are used in Advanced Droid Brains (need 4 identical of each). They are also used in level 5 and 6 Data and Item modules. And there are other things they are used for that don't spring to mind. You wil need a constant supply of those two items (from a factory in most cases) if you make it to Master and do much business at all. We also need the occassional Power Core Unit from an Architect, and we need a Composite Armor Segment from an Armorsmith. I don't recall what level Arch is needed (though it's low in one of the trees), but the Armorsmith has to be up to Personal Armor 4. The segments are needed for level 5 and 6 armor mods, but since we are stuck at Medium/40% armor in Droids right now there isn't much use of getting them. Hopefully that will change soon.

Also, I hear a lot about extrusive ore... what droids need extrusive ore, and is extrusive ore required, or just recommended but any ore will do?(I am currently on Naboo where there is none, and money is tight, so if it's just recommended, I could do without it for now)

In some Droids and components Extrusive is required. Can't remember which off the top of my head, check out SWGCraft.com for some help with that. In some cases though you will only need "low-grade" ore, which is one of a list of ores including Siliclastic, Intrusive and Carbonate. We do also need the Siliclastic itself from time to time, so when you can stock up on that as well.

Now for some ideas (most or all of which have already been posted numerous times on here)

-Make advanced droids (i.e. R5 compared to a MSE) have higher base abilities for installed mods. Example: An R5 unit will have more item storage with a storage module installed than an MSE would with the same level storage mod installed. Once again, as stated before, simular effects for data storage and med mods, etc.

I would have to think that this is in the long-term plans for Droids in some fashion. One of the experimental categories we get to work with is Capability Level. I believe this will be used to boost a given module's effectiveness, but it doesn't currently work that way.

*Marr'Taan LeBeau (Radiant Server)

Imperial - Creature Handler / Droid Engineer / Sniper

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Cool, thanks for the reply.

I'm really worried about the master artisan stuff that I need... since I am not a master artisan I won't be able to make that stuff, and I don't know any master artisans either.

But thanks for the reply and the info.

if you want a good profession to be , don't be a droid engineer. I would change but i'm already at master droid engineer and it would be a waste of time.

Nell:

I'm not a Master Artisan but what I've done is have other MAs I know make me schematics which I can then run in my factory. You will need a factory sooner or later unless you can badger some MAs into making components for you all the time. It's a bit inconvenient, but no biggie.

So I suggest you get to know some Master Artisans if you're not gonna get the skill yourself. Alternatively you can get MA, make some schematics, run off tons of the Electronics GP Modules and Electronic Memory Modules, then surrender those skills (believe me you can give em up to get some of the higher level DE skills - unless you sit and grind for 8 hours a day you'll have the time to get MA, make schematics, run off items, then surrender the skills when you need the points).

Get MA, it is sooo trivial to get once you have completed the Eng tree. I am sure your survey is capped if you harvested your own things, so the same grind you used to get Eng IV can be thrown at the clothing and management trees. It will take a while to work thru the DE tree, so having those skills can be of great use to you and others. Grinding, I got the points needed to get the two trees in a short matter of days and already had 100xp over the needed for apprentice from survey and eng training.

As far as being a DE, well I am greatly annoyed at how broken it is right now, but cannot see myself going for another profession mastery; the idea of the DE is just too appealing and I have faith that in the end it will live up to my expectations. Just remember to sink points in other areas as a change of pace to grinding. I won't get to DE the fastest, but I won't get burned out by the trip.

For grinding I did basic MSE's till Blueprint I was acheived, then because I wanted speed and had materials to burn I cranked out R5's, far more wasteful but faster. Once you get Blueprint II you enter the golden age of grinding that will run you to mastery, Advanced Droid Frame Units. ADFU's cost 150 metal and 70 fiberplast which makes it far easier to crank these out. I'd recommend getting to Blueprint III and then work a little on the Production line so you'll be able to sell packages that people want.

As for your list of questions

1. No clue, this whole thing is so bugged I can't keep track of if they are working or not.


2. Surgical droids don't do the healing, they help with it.


3. Yes, no clue why you'd want to hunt with one though.


4. Seekers and Arakyd's are the BH droids that BH's need in quantity, treadwells are just mouser with a different look.


5. Advanced armours require composite armour panels from Armoursmith: Personal Armour line at level 4. Power Droids, or GONK's as people call them require the Power Cores from Architect: Buildings level 1, they don't need to identical and are not to be confused with light power cores. Master Artisan is strongly recommended, almost all droid in Blueprint III and up require many master artisan components and several droids in the lower levels of Blueprints need them.


6. Extrusive ore is needed for anything with a manipulator arm and one or two other components but I'm not sure. I've got 14K units of the stuff I got from the first resource batch on Starsider and I'll delete it all before I give up. We're on our third resource batch now and I'm not sure if there is any in this one either.

The rest of the stuff should be posted in another thread for ideas but instead of making a new one, look for some of the existing ideas threads. They have some of the ideas you already do but are constantly getting refined.