Pilot Archive
Thread: Profession-specific space content.
Take a look and let me know what you think:
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TomoRainer wrote:
I'd just like to see a little discussion, brainstorming, and general airing of opinions about ground profession-specific space content. The obvious areas are bounties in space, smuggling, and integrating the new ranger concept, but I'm sure there's room for other professions as well.
For instance, is it troubling that the recent smuggler concept has no plans for space missions? Or that BHs can't hunt marks in space? Or do you think space should be separate, and that content for ground professions isn't important, or at least not in relation to the greater need for general post-master JTL content? Do you think there's room for both, or that there are ways to include the wider pilot community in gameplay that may have at its center BHs, smugglers, rangers, etc.? Are there ways to involve the ground game that take into account our place as pilots, or should our main focus be placed squarely on an independent JTL?
I'm just looking for open discussion here, any opinions or tangents are fine.
Space should, after so much time has passed since the initial JTL expansion, finally be treated as an inseparable part of the game, with all the mechanics to support it.
Profession-specific content (both on the ground and in space, as well as a combination of the two) is essential.
Seamless integration of the "ground game" and the "space game" is essential.
If this is someday meant to become a Star Wars game, of course.
Message Edited by riotcontrol on 10-12-2005 11:24 AM
However, post-master mini-profs could work and they could also compliment ground profs. For example there could be a space smuggler prof that would involve, well, smuggling in space. It wouldn't effect or be at all involved in the ground smuggler prof, however logically a ground smuggler would get a more complete experience if they were also a space smuggler. The same would go for a space bounty hunter, or a space ranger. These post-master mini-profs would be mutually exclusive, would allow access to new and dynamic content and would feature some reasonable but balanced new abilities.
Or, another idea that just jumped into my head - the smuggler mini-prof might focus on bonuses for POB ships, reflecting the smuggler's need to transport goods, the bh might focus on single-pilot craft, reflecting a bher's solo nature, and the ranger might focus on two-seater ships, reflecting... well, I'm not sure exactly but it fits. They could finally create those formations they talk about in the manual, but put it in a squad leader space mini-prof. Have imp and reb specific mini-profs.
A little off-topic there, but it's an idea nonetheless.
ValiantHalibut wrote:
Well, if there was ground profession specific content in space then the first scream that would echo through the forums would be of Jedi demanding the ability to use skills in space. Despite the many possible boons to various professions, that is a can of worms that should not be opened.
What skills would that be? Force lasers and midichlorian missiles?
Ground profession-specific content does not equal arbitrary new skills or bonuses to already present Pilot profession skills.
For all I care, Jedi can get timeline-specific space content for their profession too. Such as, for example, floating around as a frozen corpse.
I asshipwright and pretty much devoted crafter on my main character could go for more space content oriented around crafters. Much the same as the Armorsmiths have a RIS armor quest I could go for something to that effect for Shipwrights in Space. Make it ground crafting and space combat related. But tone down the ground combat all the time otherwise I'll never be able to get the high content for space.
Don't get me wrong I'm all for the Ground Combat and space integration missions like the JSF quest but there should be alternate ways of doing those quests as well for Crafters. As it stands now unless I can get enough imperials on my side and switch faction on the ground my main will never fly a JSF. I'm not going to drop my shipwright and Merchant abilities to go get combat skills only to drop my combat skills after I've got what I've wanted.
I'll agree with space bounties so long as a BH player kill in space doesn't count against the target on the ground. As it is not justified for a jedi to lose double xp while killed in space. But I think space ship bounties would be a neat addition to the game even though I'd probably never get to take them.
And I think at the center for gameplay should be the shipwright for without them who would build those marvels of the sky.
In factI thinklootable schematics would be a huge benefitto pilots and shipwrights. Make those lootable schems similar to the way a DE-10 and a AV-21 work. A looted component and a schem. Or make a DWBlike conclave in space thatcan only be arrived at through fighting 5-6 consecutive (no landing)space missions andthe ultimate prize needs a shipwright to craft it within. Similar to the Jetpack and MandoArmor in the DWB.
riotcontrol wrote:
ValiantHalibut wrote:
Well, if there was ground profession specific content in space then the first scream that would echo through the forums would be of Jedi demanding the ability to use skills in space. Despite the many possible boons to various professions, that is a can of worms that should not be opened.
What skills would that be? Force lasers and midichlorian missiles?
Ground profession-specific content does not equal arbitrary new skills or bonuses to already present Pilot profession skills.
That's how I look at it: profession-specific content shouldn't mean for profession-specific skills that affect the wider space game, but would provide various mini-games for those professions and, ideally, pilots in general.
For instance, maybe only smugglers can smuggle, but non-smuggler pilots could participate as interdictory forces or as support for the smuggler. Likewise, BHs may be open to being disabled and captured by Imperials, Rebels, RSF, or CorSec, if they're deemed to be operating too far outside the law, but it may also be possible for pilots of any faction to act officially as their scouts, or even to provide backup against particularly heinous foes. Plenty of room for other ideas, too.
I'd see most (if not all) of these roles as being opt-in processes. If you take a Ranger, BH, Smuggler, Jedi, etc. mission in space, then you're open to being attacked or supported by anyone who's interested in getting involved. There might be a fair way to integrate how you act as a Ranger/BH/Smuggler/Jedi/etc. on the ground with how you're attacked/supported in space, but I'd think that'd be a much more difficult and gray area to address than how you involve yourself in space business that provides content but not combat-related skills.
Edit: Not to mention crafters, particularly shipwrights, and quite possibly droid engineers (for astromechs) and architects (space-based housing, businesses, stations?). Crafters have certainly been neglected lately, and I'd love to see a broader base of the crafting game involved in the vacuum.
Message Edited by TomoRainer on 10-12-2005 02:57 AM
riotcontrol wrote:
ValiantHalibut wrote:
Well, if there was ground profession specific content in space then the first scream that would echo through the forums would be of Jedi demanding the ability to use skills in space. Despite the many possible boons to various professions, that is a can of worms that should not be opened.
What skills would that be? Force lasers and midichlorian missiles?
Ground profession-specific content does not equal arbitrary new skills or bonuses to already present Pilot profession skills.
For all I care, Jedi can get timeline-specific space content for their profession too. Such as, for example, floating around as a frozen corpse.
I agree with you 100% that, ideally, there should be much, much more ground-space interaction. I also agree that, rationally, Jedi skills can not be implemented in JTL space unless the actual player is, in fact, a Jedi. That scenario is unlikely because if you did have Jedi skills you would most likely be out abusing them in real life rather then a game. At least, I would. Maybe that's just me.
However, history has not shown any verifiable link between the mass of Jedi (and by this I mean the ever present noise-makers and whiners - I do understand that there are a number of quality players with Jedi characters) and anything that can be defined as "rationality."
As far as post-master content - well, there is a way that exciting, long-term and dynamic gameplay could be implemented however it would be well beyond the scope of what the devs seem willing to do.
thank the maker someone is finally on my side...
TomoRainer wrote:
Edit: Not to mention crafters, particularly shipwrights, and quite possibly droid engineers (for astromechs) and architects (space-based housing, businesses, stations?). Crafters have certainly been neglected lately, and I'd love to see a broader base of the crafting game involved in the vacuum.
Message Edited by TomoRainer on 10-12-2005 02:57 AM
TomoRainer wrote:
That's how I look at it: profession-specific content shouldn't mean for profession-specific skills that affect the wider space game, but would provide various mini-games for those professions and, ideally, pilots in general.
/clap
Ooops! Sorry, wrong thread.
But seriously, that´s exactly the way it should be. Just give these professions missions - not skills. Let BHs engage Jedi in space as well as one the ground. Not everybody is an able pilot? Good, stay on the ground, or stay off the terminals in the first place!As for Smugglers - we would love it, hands down. Rangers and Commandos? How about missions actually involving boarding a vette after it is disabled?
Not entirely sure how this would work for crafters other than shipwrights. Perhaps it gives a limited use Harvester schematic that is better than a heavy mineral miner. Only a Master Architect can make it, but any crafter can use it?
Or perhaps the reward might be something along the lines of the 30k resource vet reward? Make it a lower amount but repeatable. That would certainly help out the lower CL crafters who find it very hard to survey and mine for those specific resources found on places like Dath.
I'm fine with BH hunting in space, whether PvE or PvP. But I don't think they should make the same mistake as they have with teh Smuggler loot and have really high end stuff or things essential to other profs being dropped most often from their marks.
Jedi should get no benefits in space at all. The day that happens is the day I quit this game and burn the CDs
Smuggler missions are a well-documented area.
How about some Squad Leader things? Maybe if they put in some NPC craft that actually work properly, but the SL gets some space commands akin to bomber strike - not in the generation of craft but in the ability to direct your NPC wingmates attacks.
How about that for starters?
I would like to see something like squad leader in space. This would give the group leader the abitilty to do syncronized hyper jumps for all group members. When you jump, you would see all the ships in the group jumping out of site at the same time, kinda like when the rebel fleet jumps in the movie. Would also give formation command, and system messages the way squad leader does on the ground to help corodinate attacks and stuff. I know this doesent have much to to with ground/space interaction, but its something that would make space alot more interenting.
And I agree BH should be able to hunt marks in space. The fact that you cant is the only thing keeping me from going BH!
