Droid Engineer Archive

If there is merit to a dedicated thread like this like for the combat droid, please sticky this, or copy contents to a new message which can be worked on.

First off, I am hoping to pull together creative, productive thoughts on the DE profession and fruits of our labor. We all know the pains and there are separate threads for those. My inspiration does not just come from the difficulties we have seen, but also the request of the devs on our thoughts as shown by a recent (8/15?) response posted.

First off, my intent is to show how the DE trees and products could be altered to make it more of a useful 'team player' class. My focus is on the noncombat aspects of the DE, since the combat style droids are covered in another thread. My believe is, based on our placement in the genre, that droids fulfil an incredible utilitarian/support role which is not entirely in the DE's working skill set. Again, this will be augmented by combat-centric discussion in the other thread.

First, a fundamental concept is that robots are assistive, not replacive, to other classes. This is shown by some of the initial items they can be loaded with. Next, is that better DEs should be able to make better droids, reflected in increased capabilities and allowances. Lastly, robots should be your 'Plastic Pal Who Is Fun To Be With' (HHGttG). Ok, well, metal, but the idea is that he will have his own personality to the owner.


First thing is the skill tree. We really have 3 different trees right now: Accessories (Droid Production + Droid Construction Techniques), Skill Quality (Droid Refinement), and Schematics (Droid Blueprints). DP and DCT really do the same thing, since what they give jumps back and forth.
DP should contain product modules. These would initially be the different station kits available. The usefulness could determine the rank I-IV they are on. This would also include datapad modules and storage modules. I would suggest actually making these relatively small, but allow them to store things other than droids (datapad) and containers (storage) to prevent nesting. By making them small but retail contents when DPed, it allowes a minor additional space capability without making them useless or too useful. I was thinking different sized which would include maybe 4, 8, and 12 slots. At the upper level, maybe only made by Masters, would be a micro-factory, something capable of creating a stackable unit of an item (such as darts) or a very, very small quantity (like 5) of an item. This would be great for the medic on the road who can throw together stims in his bot. It needs to be low enough, however, to not infringe on Architects.

CDT should contain progressive modules. These would be skill assistive modules which allow skills either at a percentage ability or as a flat adder. This is currently seen in the medical modules. The idea is to give the owner the capability of using a skill in a non-standard location or provide assistance to skills in general. This could be reflected with a large number of modules which have a range of capability as the DE's skill rank is higher in CDT. Note that the droid should never provide the skill; it merely augments the available skill. In addition to Medical, I could see an Entertainment Module (allows BF restoration, BUT at a lower than normal rate to not infringe on the high level Scout camp), a slicer module (maybe just a lower bonus given the durability of the end item compared to restorations that medical give). I would also say that, initially, the droid should never get more than 70% of the capability that a location provides (such as a medical center), BUT have it provide an additional augmentation when you have the droid and are in the location (maybe 1/5 the value). This would encourage owners to have them out during their skill work.

DR is fine, giving flat additional skill to the DE. One thing which could go here: Personality chips and possibly Programs. A Program would take up a slot (maybe you can have 1-4 Brain slots, depending on model) and allow you to have the bot perform a specific activity. This could include things like: Deliver Power, Deliver Maintentance, Harvest. The brain (maybe it is an aspect of the Personality chip or different) could be used in pathing and avoidance (the better/more the avoidance). IMHO, droid work away from you should not be transparent. Droids go missing and are target for combat. This would help foster living near where you work. The balance then would be the versitility of the commands vs the skill at which it will avoid getting hurt.

DB is kinda OK, but I would suggest removing the stuff that does not work and add it in later when it does. Having unattainable goals is useless. This tree should focus on the chassis, both the appearance and capabilities. The chassis will affect at least what level of DP, CDT, and DR modules can be used (so no MSEs with Medic IV). The chassis should improve in quality, durability, and capability as the skill to make it grows, with at least 3 models per chassis style (minimal, normal, advanced). Some chassis may allow for better modules than others (Medical Droid maybe allows for Medical IV, but level III of the rest).
'Single Use' droids would also be great, as discussed in other threads, where the value is offset by the cost of production.

Robots should also wear down. I would suggest maybe just the chassis wears down, not the components, but is repairable by a DE. It should cost resources, but at worse 'fail' to repair and not degrade the bot. This process shold take time (so maybe the droid is put in a slot in a kit which has a long duration) so it cannot be easily used in combat. Droids should also be allowed to get incapacitated, self recoverable (but maybe just to a fractional 'online' state). death should reduce them to a pile which is reconstructable by a DE, perhaps requiring a dedicted station/kit (again, a very long cycle time so it cannot be used in combat).

These are some initial thoughts on how the DE can make a name for himself without infriging on others; a great set of non combative capabilities that would foster inter class work.