Droid Engineer Archive

Thread: Droid Engineer, Droid Commander, and Droid Cert System A possible compromise

Nelus
Sat Jan 25, 2003 10:47 am
#1

erm, where is overbalance in the number of pets?


if seen BH hunting 10 and more mobs with cl20+ at a time. and there they dont have to just shoot once at the master of the pets.


there is no imbalance in the amount of pets i already made this clear to devs when they tryed to take out the +1pet in managment 3.


but now even worse nerfing a combination of classes, which the devs stated they will never do, this was the reason for the CH nerfs cause they didnt want to nerf the combinations of 2 professions. i dont think that CDC will be stronger than a master combatprofessions, right? why should than using DH/CH be nerfed but CH/+ all other class not? it makes no sense to nerf a combination that isnt to strong, why should it be nerfed? because it looks cool or because it is fun, please not again we had that already and it wasnt good either.


and im still trying to make u aware that ur system skillpointcosts are to high, how should the devs balance a cl50 Droid that requieres 210 skillpoint against a cl70 Creature that requiers about 90 skillpoints.


Drashk
Sun Jan 25, 2004 2:58 am
#2



Over the last few days I have been banging my head against the wall, trying to find a solution to the Droid Commander/Droid Cert/Droid Engineer conflict that has been brewing. I've stated that I believe that a Droid Commander profession would best serve the Droid Engineers in the long run and have earned a lot of flak for this. The people that have spoken against me have a right to do so, just like I have a right to state my opinion. My opinion and my representation of this community are at conflict, but as many have become aware, I am able to set aside my own feelings in the matter and fight for the community. One of the big concerns that people had before I became the Correspondent was that I would no longer be a vocal part of the community, which was one of the strong factors that brought me to where I am today. The saying goes that action speaks stronger than words. Fortunately, for me, words are the action that I can take and I think that the Cert System that I proposed and the information that GnomeAd 'leaked' from the Correspondents Forum speak very clearly what my actions are for the community. Here is another such example of letting my actions speak. I think that I may have stumbled upon an idea that may bring about a bit of a compromise for all parties, I hope.


The DEVs have stated they feel that a Cert System will not work and that a Droid Handler Profession would be the best route. The Droid Engineers have responded that they wish to see everyone get the ability to use Combat Droids. Droid Engineers have also stated that they would like to remain the crafting profession that it is. I am here to propose a three part compromise.


The Droid Engineer
In the beginning there where Droid Engineers and for a time it was good.
Droid Engineers would gain +2 Max Droid Levels at each Tier 4 skill. At Master Droid Engineer an additional +2 Max Droid Levels would be gained as well as +1 Additional Droid and +2 Stored Droids. A Master Droid Engineer would be able to have any combination of droids out as long as they did not exceed a total of Level 20.


The Droid Level Certs
The Droid Level Certs would be a new system that would be available to all Professions, but would come at a Skill point and Experience cost, as follows.



Level 1 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 15000 Combat Experience / 100 Apprenticeship Points


Level 2 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 25000 Combat Experience / 150 Apprenticeship Points


Level 3 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 35000 Combat Experience / 200 Apprenticeship Points


Level 4 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 45000 Combat Experience / 250 Apprenticeship Points


Level 5 +1 Max Droid Level / +1 Stored Droid
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 55000 Combat Experience / 300 Apprenticeship Points


Level 6 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 65000 Combat Experience / 350 Apprenticeship Points


Level 7 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 75000 Combat Experience / 400 Apprenticeship Points


Level 8 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 85000 Combat Experience / 450 Apprenticeship Points


Level 9 +1 Max Droid Level
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 95000 Combat Experience / 500 Apprenticeship Points


Level 10 +1 Max Droid Level / +1 Stored Droid
Cost - 2 Skill Points / 105000 Combat Experience / 550 Apprenticeship Points



At Level 10 any PC would be able to control 1 Level 20 Droid at a total cost of 600000 Combat Experience, 20 Skill Points, and 3250 Apprenticeship Points. The Levels gained would be stackable with those gained by a Master Droid Engineer, so a Master DE with a Level 10 Droid Cert would be able to call up to a Level 30 Droid and have a total of +4 Stored Droids.


The Droid Commander
The Droid Commander Profession would be the pinnacle of efficiency, when dealing with Combat Droids. Droid Commanders would have the ability to command a greater number of droids and at greater levels. Just as the Droid Level Cert System would be new to SWG, the Droid Commander tree would also be something new - a mini-Profession.


Novice Droid Commander - Prerequisite Level 10 Droid Cert
+3 Max Droid Level / +1 Additional Droid / +2 Stored Droids
Skill - Overload 1
Cost - 75000 Combat Experience / 600 Apprenticeship Points / 8 Skill Points


Droid Commander Branch 1


Droid Chassis Enhancement I
+3 Max Droid Level
Skill - Supercharge 1
Cost - 50000 Droid Command Experience / 6 Skill Points


Droid Chassis Enhancement II
+3 Max Droid Level
Skill - Supercharge 2
Cost - 100000 Droid Command Experience / 4 Skill Points

Droid Commander Branch 2


Droid Combat Enhancement I
+3 Max Droid Level
Skill - Overload 2
Cost - 50000 Droid Command Experience / 6 Skill Points


Droid Combat Enhancement II
+3 Max Droid Level
Skill - Overload 3
Cost - 100000 Droid Command Experience / 4 Skill Points


Droid Commander Branch 3


Droid Tactics I
+3 Max Droid Level
Skill - Suppression Fire
Cost - 50000 Droid Command Experience / 6 Skill Points


Droid Tactics II
+3 Max Droid Level / +1 Additional Droid
Skill - Tactical Fire
Cost - 100000 Droid Command Experience / 4 Skill Points

Droid Commander Branch 4


Droid Command I
+3 Max Droid Level / +2 Stored Droids
Skill - Speed Boost
Cost - 50000 Droid Command Experience / 6 Skill Points


Droid Command II
+3 Max Droid Level / +2 Stored Droids
Skill - Accuracy Boost
Cost - 100000 Droid Command Experience / 4 Skill Points


Master Droid Commander
+3 Max Droid Level / +1 Additional Droid / +2 Stored Droids
Skill - Overload 1 / Supercharge 3
Cost - 200000 Droid Combat Experience / 620 Apprenticeship Points / 2 Skill Points



  • Overload 1 - Increases the damage output of 1 Droid by 10% on its next 5 attacks. After the 5th attack, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid every 90 seconds.

  • Overload 2 - Increases the damage output of 1 Droid by 30% on its next 5 attacks. After the 5th attack, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid every 90 seconds.

  • Overload 3 - Increases the damage output of 1 Droid by 50% on its next 5 attacks. After the 5th attack, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid every 90 seconds.

  • Overload 4 - Increases the damage output of 1 Droid by 70% on its next 5 attacks. After the 5th attack, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid every 90 seconds.

  • Supercharge 1 - Increases the HAM pools of one droid for 10 minutes by 15%. After the 10 minutes, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid once every 90 seconds

  • Supercharge 2 - Increases the HAM pools of one droid for 10 minutes by 30%. After the 10 minutes, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid once every 90 seconds

  • Supercharge 3 - Increases the HAM pools of one droid for 10 minutes by 45%. After the 10 minutes, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid once every 90 seconds

  • Suppression Fire - Causes all droids under the DCs command to fire at a single target to reduce the targets chance to hit for 5 seconds. The targets chance to hit is reduced by 10% for each droid involved in this action. This ability can only be performed once every 90 seconds.

  • Tactical Shot - Causes all droids under the DCs command to attack a single target as if they were firing a single shot. 5% is added to the total damage for every droid that is included in the shot. This action can only be performed once every 90 seconds.

  • Speed Boost - Increases the Speed of 1 Droid by 25% for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid once every 90 seconds

  • Accuracy Boost - Increases the Accuracy of 1 Droid by 25% for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, the Droid's battery is depleted. This skill can only be used on 1 droid once every 90 seconds

*None of the listed skills, costs, or benefits are absolute values. I just wanted to get this idea out on the forum for everyone to consider.

Clarifications about the Droid Commander Profession.



  • The Droid Commander will only be able to gain droids by acquiring them from a Droid Engineer, Faction Recruiter, or Quest. Droids will not be acquired through 'taming in the wild'.

  • The Droid Commander is not required to program a droid. The programming options will remain as they currently are.


A Master Droid Commander would have a total of +40 Max Droid Levels, +10 Stored Droids, and +3 Additional Droids. The total cost from Novice to Master would be 800000 Combat Droid Experience, 50 skill points, and 1220 Apprenticeship Points. The Droid Commander Profession would be stackable with Master Droid Engineer, so a Master DE/DC combo would give a total of +50 Max Droid Levels, +12 Stored Droids, and +4 Additional Droids. Total Skill Point Cost for a Master Artisan/Master Droid Engineer/Master Droid Commander would be 210 Skill Points.


I believe that this three step system would allow for


  • Droid Engineers to remain primarily crafters

  • Everyone to have a Level 20 Combat Droid at the cost of 20 Skill Points

  • The creation of a Droid Commander Profession.

  • A system that could be added in stages that would allow everyone to see what kind of effects that it would have on game play.

[Edit] To reduce an overpowering situation that could be produced by having a Master Droid Commander/Master Creature Handler/Faction membercombo, it is suggested that the maxium number of Pets/Perks/Droids that a person can control at one time be limited to a total of 5. This would allow a player the ability to have more Pets/Droids/Perks then the sum of a single profession, but would reduce the need to re-balance either Profession or Faction system.

Message Edited by Drashk on 01-25-2004 05:38 AM





Making SWG more Star Warsy. One droid at a time.
Pluto9Moon
Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:14 am
#3

Drashk you got a hard job ahead of you.

1) DE's should not automatically get any type of comparable pet to CH due to that fact we have to combat get ours they craft.
2) This "we make we can use it logic" leads to BE's and Weaponsmiths requesting the same privelege.
3) I do like the combat experience part of your cert plan, but only 20SP not so sure about that.
4) What keeps CH distince as a class that has worked hard for what they have gotten when people say we get uber droids under Cert why not pets?
5) DH as a half tree? Make it a full tree and tell people they have choices to make. My kids got outta this selfishness after they left their terrible 2's.



Sign for Hutt Faction here: Hutt Faction

Not against broad changes, just profession specific ones (read as CH) that go against what we've been told in the past.
(I hired Trayson as a ghost writer for a good tagline)
IndieTech
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:01 am
#4

Just to be clear here.. someone leaked the DC idea from the unseen correspondent forums?


Also..



The DC idea as stated by Drashk is an extremely well thought out idea, in regards to balance issues and to be honest, something that can be within the realms of the Star Wars Universe..ie, the Trade Federation of SWI and II fame would be a civilization that had a great number of Droid Commanders.


Now to get em to acknowledge that Droids in gneral are too much cookie cutterish..



Hang In there Drashk, and remember the Force will be with you, always.








Parthos Kincaid

Corellia Sector Force, Commander-in-Chief

Rebel Alliance of Naritus
"The flame of rebellion may sputter, but it will never die.."
EpiFett
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:16 am
#5

I Really, really REALLY REALLY like this idea.

Make it so that to get the added power, people need to pay the skill points.



1024x768 sig._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _K r i s t a e n _ _ _ R a d l o a y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1024x768 sig.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Master Artisan _ _ _ _ _ _ Master Merchant _ _ _ _ _ _ Master Droid Engineer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Vehicle Hitpoint information is in THIS LINK!

Drashk
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:25 am
#6





IndieTech wrote:


Just to be clear here.. someone leaked the DC idea from the unseen correspondent forums?




I was refering to this thread posted by GnomeAd. Lithium had a SNAFU that turned everyone into the Entertainer Correspondent for a few minutes and he stumbled upon a thread that I posted stating that creating a Droid Handler profession (I perfer the DC title which is why I use DC instead of DH) would really tick off about 85% of the DE community. I put my personal beliefs aside and shot straight from the hip on my comments. Later in that thread I also posted the first draft of the Cert System idea that is posted here and was later deemed by TH as being unbalanced.






Making SWG more Star Warsy. One droid at a time.
SinjenRandall
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:41 am
#7


You put a lot of time and energy into this proposal, as usual. Ipersonally don't see where the problem is in the mechanics of it. After reading through it a couple of times, it grows on me. Primarily the certifications portion of it. If there are enough options, then it would be something that virtually everyone could use, but still requires the skill points and experience points that the devs lust for.


But I would feel much better about it if we already had a list of new droid schematics and exactly what they looked like from both angles. For instance, how many new droids are we talking about? How many skills would you have to obtain before you are able to get the next best droid? How difficult are they to obtain resources for and make? Do they require an inordinate amount of rare resources? Are they hard-capped cookiee-cutter droids like we have now, or is CL derived from how well they are made and what modules go in? Are there going to be 2 new droids? 5? 10?


I can't speak for everyone else, but the whole combat droid debate just kills me. Now we are in a severe position of either taking what we can get, or getting nothing at all. The developers have already invested time in "the droid invasion", and basically we end up with a whole bunch of nothing. No matter how it is sliced, though, unless it is a copy over from CH (which nobody wants), it is going to take a lot more time and energy than they have. If I had a vote that counted, it would be to shelve the entire combat droid issue and get down to the business of fixing the Centralized Droid Issues and the better module ideas we have presented.


But since this train is full speed, and the only way to stop it is to de-rail, I support this idea.





Sinjen
Elder Ticklemonster - Unlocked Pre Publish 9
Master Pilot
THE Hero of Tatooine

Zoppo
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:46 am
#8

This as usual thoroughly thought-out idea grows on me.



Daktari, Master Droid Engineer on Lowca
Pluto9Moon
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:47 am
#9

Currently DEs have one major skill. We can make and sell droids. This is a 92 point skill at master. CHs can train and use pets up to CL 70. This is a 106 point skill. GnomeAd

92 points for MDE 2 pets CL20.
20 points for Cert 0 pets +CL10
15 points for 2 pets and +CL12

+137 points for 4 pets CL42

WOOT AND STILL MASTER CH FOR A TOTAL OF 7 Weapons.

Thanks Drashk (nice attempt but this is what the Devs are saying people will do the Math) I want a DH/DM/DC prof and i want people to still argue that pets and droids are different so i can have more. But i also want to have to earn it.



Sign for Hutt Faction here: Hutt Faction

Not against broad changes, just profession specific ones (read as CH) that go against what we've been told in the past.
(I hired Trayson as a ghost writer for a good tagline)
EpiFett
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:58 am
#10

Creature Pets and Combat Droids will be considered "the same".


With your math, You could have:

2 creature pets + 0 Combat Droids
2 Combat Droids + 0 creature pets
1 creature pet + 1 Combat Droid

OR

2 creature pets + 2 Utility Droids
2 creature pet + 1 Combat Droid + 1 utility droid



1024x768 sig._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _K r i s t a e n _ _ _ R a d l o a y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _1024x768 sig.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Master Artisan _ _ _ _ _ _ Master Merchant _ _ _ _ _ _ Master Droid Engineer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Vehicle Hitpoint information is in THIS LINK!

Pluto9Moon
Sun Jan 25, 2004 5:59 am
#11

Drashk i want to apologize quickly I did not mean to sound smug. The tone of this forum agaisnt CH's has caught me off guard at times. I too came to this forum thinking all DE's wanted were droids that worked and possibly newer modules (a lot like we CH's would like to train animals to sniff out resources). Anyone who thinks CH is all that profitable and is this angry over the DE/DH debate should try playing it soon.

But this really is utter mayhem. I agreed in large with your Corr hat off post. I believe the DE's are getting ready to have a cash cow. One that hasnt been seen since the mount patch. Sure its gonna take a while for some DH's to progress to uber combat droids. But it will come.

The other thing i dont believe that comes acrossed is my empathy for the profession in its current state. But like i sed although i know the DE's are largely more in touch with droids i challenge them (if they drop professions as threatened to become CH) and see how much money we make selling and training.

But back to the point your plan really does seem well drawn out but again i dont think it will fly.

Its either gonna be Certs or a new profession.



Sign for Hutt Faction here: Hutt Faction

Not against broad changes, just profession specific ones (read as CH) that go against what we've been told in the past.
(I hired Trayson as a ghost writer for a good tagline)
Pluto9Moon
Sun Jan 25, 2004 6:19 am
#12

Epi, I am just saying that plenty were against the droids count as pets idea. As you can see repeatedly in this forum. There are few if any DE that equate droids to pets. So in the scheme of things I believe its cool. I will go as far as I can to have it all too.


Oh yeah we still want to craft. WHAT?? A new profession???? lol its funny.

Im telling you this is like Weaponsmiths asking for flame throwers. If you want more bots out im all for it. Anything CL10 and less and non-combat though. If not spend a few weeks tapping monsters MOBS to get a handler profession. Rather than someone throw two freebie pets in your class.

But i do agree with some posts here just i dont see that everyone thinks it out. LOL someone sed theres still CH dabblers somewhere in these threads. Very few CH dabblers exist they all have CL1 pets that are better than my graul.



Sign for Hutt Faction here: Hutt Faction

Not against broad changes, just profession specific ones (read as CH) that go against what we've been told in the past.
(I hired Trayson as a ghost writer for a good tagline)
Drashk
Sun Jan 25, 2004 6:28 am
#13






Pluto9Moon wrote:
WOOT AND STILL MASTER CH FOR A TOTAL OF 7 Weapons.



Thanks for reminding me that I forgot the suggestion for a Droid/Pet/Perk hard cap. Just like the old days, there would be a limit of 5 Droids/Pets/Perks that one could have regardless of their profession(s).





Making SWG more Star Warsy. One droid at a time.
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