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Some important featuresseem to be missing from JTL in my eyes. Basically the ground game caters for several different playstyles but in space there seems to be only one, namely combat.

So to address this i present the 'Explorer' space profession.

It works like this:

A player can choose to be either a current combat profession or an Explorer but not both.

As an Explorer they can still choose which faction they work for, the same as pilots do now.

Explorers would have very limited, if any combat abilities (perhaps a single turret in multi player ships)

Their skill boxes would focus on different parts of exploration rather than combat, such as:

1000

Freight -

*Going up this skill tree alows the Explorer to equip bigger and better cargo bays to their ship (at the cost of mass).

*Cargo bays are neededto transport goods from one sector of space to the next.

*Most cargos would not survive hyperspace so the Explorer has to traverse the galaxy via a series of 'Gates'

*Each station would have a fluctuating price they payout on every cargo dependant on how much is being delivered by players (So if lots of players deliver what started out as a profitable cargo, before long the station is paying a lower rate)

0100

Mining -

*This skill tree allows the use of more productive mining bores/lasers.

*Ore would have tobe stored in a cargo bay thus forcing the 'miner' to balance his ship between production and payload.

*Ore would be mined from asteroids.

*Miners would have a 'Survey' or 'Scan' ability to see what ores could be extracted from individual asteroids.

*Certain Asteroids could have hidden dangers (such as that huge worm thing the Millenium Falcon hid in)

0010

Salvage -

*This skill tree would allow the Explorer the use of more powerful 'Tracktor beams'

*The explorer wouldsalvage parts (engines, weapons etc) and cargo from destroyed ships and space hulks.

*As players in the combat game destroy a target, it has a chance to become a 'space wreckage' The larger the ship the bigger the chance of this. Which can then be salvaged by an Explorer.

*A tractor beam could also be used to tow disabled players to stations, depending on the size (mass)of the ship vs. tractor beam level.

0001

Skills -

*Because of their lack of defences an Explorer has certain talents they can call upon

*Call Escort - The Explorer can call an escort for a short time to get through a notorious part of space.

*Dependant upon which faction the Explorer is aligned with and the level of skill decides what tier/type of ship come to escort them.

*Emergency Thrust

*Divert power to shields

*Emergency Hyperspace - The explorer can quickly Hyperspace to a safe location at the cost of any cargo.

(I don't know enough about the StarWars universe to list existing ships so i made up some examples based on the Privateer Hutt ship names)

Inplace of weapon points, each ship has a varying number of 'Tool' points used to equip either Tractor beams or Mining lasers. Cargo bays would be mass dependant and not need a hardpoint so to speak.

* Cu-Pa -A light, fast one person ship - low mass. Mainly used for mining small asteroid belts and short range salvage opperations.

(One tool hardpoint)

* Spat - A light, fast single person ship with light defences.

(One tool hardpoint - One weapon hardpoint)

* Bantha - A bulky, medium sized one person light haulage ship. Used mainly for localised haulage.

(Two tool hardpoints)

*Dewback - A sleek medium sized two person ship withlightdefences (a manable turret)

(Two tool hardpoints - One manable weapon hardpoint)

*Ronto - A heavy multiplayer haulage vehicle - High mass - manable weapon turret - Two manable tool turrets

(Two tool hardpoints -Two manable tool hardpoints - One manable Weapon hardpoint)

I have lots of other ideas but time is running out (work /shudder) so i'll add them later.

Hope you like it.

-FáÐè-

Galaxy Girls - Miss July

Good ideas. Because of the whole space mining thing, we would see a lot more people in space.

Don't Panic

This is a well-thought out idea. I like it. Some of the names are a little strange (carrion spats don't live on Tatooine, they're Corellian, for example), but it could easily become a profitable profession.

Mining resources (not just ore; asteroids are composed of all kinds of things, so claiming that any inorganic resource could spawn on them is perfectly acceptable) from asteroids could be very useful, and since it's reliant on a kind of souped-up sampling instead of harvesting, only "Explorers" would be able to get these space resources. If the spawns of resources in space were different from those on the ground....say, more pure....then smaller amounts of them would be acceptable since they'd be more valuable.

The addition of this Explorer profession would not only give an additional profession option, it would also allow combat players something else to do- either escort Explorers or prey on them, if a mechanism for boarding (ala my Piracy post) were added.

I'd like to expound on the list of ships. Since you've taken care of the neutral side of things, I'll list some Imperial and Rebel ideas:

Imperial Lander (seen in Episode IV SE) - low-level, no weapon hardpoints, 1 tool hardpoint (technically used for transporting ST regiments, but could be adapted)

AA-9 Coruscant Freighter (seen in Episode II) - mid-level, no weapon hardpoints, 2 tool hardpoints

MandalMotors StarViper (Shadows of the Empire) - low-level, 1 weapon hardpoint, 1 tool hardpoint

Rebel Medium Transport (seen in Episode V) - mid-level, no weapon hardpoints, 2 tool hardpoints

Karetyr Sales and Services Network
SWG Veteran Since June 28th, 2003

Reply nice idea, but the dev's would have to add alot of content to incorperate it. Including asteroids that can be mind and are static, gates to neighbouring sectors, space hulks and damaged ships ( which would add to server lag in the areas where people are trying to have combat)

Maybe to more sectors could be added for this however. Witha mix of these factors and additional dangers which would cause you to need escorts from fighter pilots. Obviously harvesting resources in space has to be faster than doing it on the ground but the dangers of doing it must also be 10 times worse.

As a land side miner that would love to see the trade expanded into space I totally love this idea!

It gives added dimention to space play and provides a non-combat alternative to folks who like to get up there but would like to do commerce rather than fighting. (Although I do like Serae's notions of risk for the explorer). Way to go! Good ideas!!

Grey

Grey
Sunrunner Galaxy

Yes you definately need more risk to this enterprise. Space explorers should be the more adventurous type, you can find a big richresource and mine it quickly but equally you can't get out of the area by hyperspacing as you said, you have to slowly trudge through the system and are in danger of getting attacked and losing all the resources you mined.

The more I think about this idea the more i like it, perhaps this should be a SP prof instead tho, and ACE pilots could use the prestige towards the xp for it aswell.. mmm maybe that would work maybe it wouldn't just a thought. Just want something to spend the 15 mil prestige on