Ranger Archive
Thread: Camps: A way to make them useful again!
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Nanuu
Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:18 am
#1
I was humming around on my speeder thinking about how much I missed the old days of star wars, back when there were no buffs....large group hunting....and pitching CAMPS.
These days, the only time I find myself in big groups are when we are going base raiding and PVPing.
First I thought, when we rally somewhere, I'm gonna start throwing down camps to bring back some oldschool vibes. But then it hit me...I found a way to make camps useful......
Often in PVP, particularly base raiding, the leader will shout the next waypoint to move to. Sometimes not everyone will hear the coordinates, communication falls apart and not everyone get to the next location. Well, you know when you are in large groups the closest mission shows up as a yellow WP? Why not make it so when you drop a camp, it shows up as a group waypoint for everyone? That would be extremely useful and I think it will bring back some of the old vibes a lot of use crave.
An extension to this idea would be to make the higher level camps do something like mask anyone who is in the camp so that they cannot be seen on the radar, or some other benefits.
Comments?
PS: I originally posted this in the scout forums. But when I thought about it, the idea of higher level camps providing the extended benefits as mentioned above would be a more appropriate thing to bring up in the ranger forums.
Nanuu
Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:24 am
#2
heres a copy and paste of another ideafrom the GCW version of my post:
Rikilii wrote:
Here's an idea, as a form of simulated R&R (which is what camps are for, basically--a place to rest): Any food you eat in a camp or cantina has half the filling.
Interesting idea, but that mightbe unbalancingwith how powerful some of this food and drink is. Maybe along similar lines, what about cutting down the food/drink/spice downer timers if you are in acamp.
BabyRancor
Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:45 am
#3
Nanuu wrote:
I was humming around on my speeder thinking about how much I missed the old days of star wars, back when there were no buffs....large group hunting....and pitching CAMPS.
These days, the only time I find myself in big groups are when we are going base raiding and PVPing.
First I thought, when we rally somewhere, I'm gonna start throwing down camps to bring back some oldschool vibes. But then it hit me...I found a way to make camps useful......
Often in PVP, particularly base raiding, the leader will shout the next waypoint to move to. Sometimes not everyone will hear the coordinates, communication falls apart and not everyone get to the next location. Well, you know when you are in large groups the closest mission shows up as a yellow WP? Why not make it so when you drop a camp, it shows up as a group waypoint for everyone? That would be extremely useful and I think it will bring back some of the old vibes a lot of use crave.
Not a bad idea, but it should be something that a Squad Leader uses. I'm willing to wager that some of the problems people have with organising a big group are due to not having/using SL. The waypoint thing for instance could be more easily done with a system message.
An extension to this idea would be to make the higher level camps do something like mask anyone who is in the camp so that they cannot be seen on the radar, or some other benefits.
This is interesting, but I don't know if it's viable. Camps show up on screen from a very long distance (for whatever reason), so I don't think it could have a tactical use. You may have a situation where you want to hide your numbers, but I can't think of a situation where that would be needed and couldn't be defeated by someone just riding up on a speeder and counting heads.
Unless you were talking about complete camoflague, removing everyone in the borders of the camp from the world and from the radar?
Comments?
PS: I originally posted this in the scout forums. But when I thought about it, the idea of higher level camps providing the extended benefits as mentioned above would be a more appropriate thing to bring up in the ranger forums.
frightwig
Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:21 am
#4
As far as the camp/waypoint idea, this is one of the better camp ideas I've seen so far and would seem pretty simple to implement.
When you survey for resources a "resource survey" WP is generated for the highest concentration area, and when you're in groups a "nearest mission" WP is generated for the group. Seems like the code is already there and could be easy to implement for camps. Once the camp is disbanded, the WP should disappear.
My only suggestion is to make this an ability of ALL camps, not just for ranger. That way, it could be useful to the squad leader profession, as well as Rangers.
When you survey for resources a "resource survey" WP is generated for the highest concentration area, and when you're in groups a "nearest mission" WP is generated for the group. Seems like the code is already there and could be easy to implement for camps. Once the camp is disbanded, the WP should disappear.
My only suggestion is to make this an ability of ALL camps, not just for ranger. That way, it could be useful to the squad leader profession, as well as Rangers.
Nanuu
Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:40 am
#5
I agree. It should work for scout tents. My intentions of posting here were for gathering ideas for what higher level tents could provide. I should probably also post this tent idea in Squad Leader to get them brainstorming too...
frightwig wrote:
My only suggestion is to make this an ability of ALL camps, not just for ranger. That way, it could be useful to the squad leader profession, as well as Rangers.
Nanuu
Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:47 am
#6
BabyRancor wrote:
Nanuu wrote:
I was humming around on my speeder thinking about how much I missed the old days of star wars, back when there were no buffs....large group hunting....and pitching CAMPS.
These days, the only time I find myself in big groups are when we are going base raiding and PVPing.
First I thought, when we rally somewhere, I'm gonna start throwing down camps to bring back some oldschool vibes. But then it hit me...I found a way to make camps useful......
Often in PVP, particularly base raiding, the leader will shout the next waypoint to move to. Sometimes not everyone will hear the coordinates, communication falls apart and not everyone get to the next location. Well, you know when you are in large groups the closest mission shows up as a yellow WP? Why not make it so when you drop a camp, it shows up as a group waypoint for everyone? That would be extremely useful and I think it will bring back some of the old vibes a lot of use crave.
Not a bad idea, but it should be something that a Squad Leader uses. I'm willing to wager that some of the problems people have with organising a big group are due to not having/using SL. The waypoint thing for instance could be more easily done with a system message.
Yeah well the waypoint idea is to make CAMPS more desireable. Right now they are rather useless.
An extension to this idea would be to make the higher level camps do something like mask anyone who is in the camp so that they cannot be seen on the radar, or some other benefits.
This is interesting, but I don't know if it's viable. Camps show up on screen from a very long distance (for whatever reason), so I don't think it could have a tactical use. You may have a situation where you want to hide your numbers, but I can't think of a situation where that would be needed and couldn't be defeated by someone just riding up on a speeder and counting heads.
Good point. How close are camps/PC objects rendered in spatial? Someone should test this.
Unless you were talking about complete camoflague, removing everyone in the borders of the camp from the world and from the radar?
This would be kinda cool, but sounds like a lot of work. I don't know how unbalancing making people completely disappear from spacial would be...might be bad.
Nanuu
Mon Jul 12, 2004 11:56 am
#7
I originally posted this in the scout forums. But when I thought about it, the idea of higher level camps providing the extended benefits as mentionedbelow would be a more appropriate thing to bring up in the ranger forums. Some rangers believed that Squad Leaders might also be interested in hearing this idea, so I went ahead and posted it here. Perhaps with this idea, you might think up some new ideas to squad leader using this thread as a good lead into a productive discussion.
Check out these threads in Scout, GCW, Ranger:
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=scout&message.id=18403
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=ranger&message.id=57983
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=GCW&message.id=216972
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=ranger&message.id=57983
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=GCW&message.id=216972
IDEA:
I was humming around on my speeder thinking about how much I missed the old days of star wars, back when there were no buffs....large group hunting....and pitching CAMPS.
These days, the only time I find myself in big groups are when we are going base raiding and PVPing.
First I thought, when we rally somewhere, I'm gonna start throwing down camps to bring back some oldschool vibes. But then it hit me...I found a way to make camps useful......
Often in PVP, particularly base raiding, the leader will shout the next waypoint to move to. Sometimes not everyone will hear the coordinates, communication falls apart and not everyone get to the next location. Well, you know when you are in large groups the closest mission shows up as a yellow WP? Why not make it so when you drop a camp, it shows up as a group waypoint for everyone? That would be extremely useful and I think it will bring back some of the old vibes a lot of use crave.
An extension to this idea would be to make the higher level camps do something like mask anyone who is in the camp so that they cannot be seen on the radar, or some other benefits.
Comments?
BabyRancor
Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:10 pm
#8
I like it all
Owen-Lars wrote:
How about this Jakkin?
Message Edited by Owen-Lars on 07-12-2004 08:40 PM
That's exactly the sort of thing that would make people want to have a ranger along on hunts.
Owen-Lars
Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:31 pm
#9
I like it all That's exactly the sort of thing that would make people want to have a ranger along on hunts.
Ya great idea mate, so is it true that sand storms etc DO effect a character in some ways? or is it just visual stuff?
If it is i dont see why something couldnt be done with this. I mean talk about combat balance hehe rangers would be very desirable on advanced planets, also endor, yavin, dathand lok should have more storms etc.
rangers would be very desirable on advanced planets, also endor, yavin, dathand lok should have more storms etc.Advanced planets should not just be feared for their habbitants but for the atmosphere.
Message Edited by Owen-Lars on 07-12-2004 10:31 PM
Phenix1050
Mon Jul 12, 2004 8:16 pm
#11
I would love to see more than just BF being hurt. I don't know about you, but being wet and miserable make me far less likely to perform any actions. Thus, perhaps there shouldbe some sort of HAM drain and an increased cost for actions and damage taken. To offset this, there would have to bea "warning period" for each storm. Each storm will have several phases. The begining phase will be a visual/audio warning. You'll see onscreen stuff, like you do now, and hear the storm apporach. There is no actual damage taken during this.
The storm then works like this: each stage is represented by some visual/audio cue so you can see how the storm is progressing. For monsoons, there would be lightning that would show the transition from phase to phase, in a sandstorm perhaps a mini-sand tornado would go by. (What would be REALLY cool is the random lightning strike or tornado strike to players.
The phases work like this: (note- all effects "stack" so the 1st effect lasts until the end of the storm)
1st phase: no damage
2nd phase: multiplier for all actions. Thus any special attack would drain your ham faster.
3rd phase: multiplier for all HAM. Damage is now increased, and special attacks drain more.
4th phase: accumulation of Battle Fatigue begins. Damage taken is increased again, as is the cost of special attacks
5th phase: Status effects like Blind (sandstorm) and stunned (monsoon) become active through the duration of the storm. Damage is now taken at huge rates and special attacks consume HAM like your fat uncle on Easter.
6th phase: Random HAM attacks by the storm. Based on your resists to kinetic damage, this cannot be blocked, but would eat away at armor. Damage is now almost doubled and special attacks cost so much an unbuffed person would almost incap themselves. Staying unprotected at this point is suicide.
7thphase: The storm begins to subside, and the effects rotate backwards from the 6th one.
Perhaps onscreen text would accompany the phases.
"You hear the approach of a sandstorm, you begin to contemplate shelter"
"The storm has hit and you should seek shelter"
"The sandstorm has picked up and the particles are stinging you"
"You feel weakened by the storm's intensity"
"The sandstorm has blinded you"
"The sandstorm is slowly draining your will to live"
or something like that to alert people who may not realize what's going on.
Message Edited by Phenix1050 on 07-12-2004 11:18 PM
Therascalking3
Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:03 am
#12
From all the posts it seems the squad leader community wants our extension of the Surivial tree to deal with fortifications useful in combat and for troop transport. Read some of the other posts on this board and you will see what im talking about.
With your two ideas i kind of like the one about having a retreating point appear in the waypoints window and having a camp there. The other idea sounds like a rangers job not a squad leaders.
BabyRancor
Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:10 am
#13
Personally, I've always liked the notion that tailor clothing and camps are the only refuge from environmental damage.
Right now there is inclement weather code that supposedly drops accuracy (sandstorms on Tat for instance). It would be much better if an unprotected character were to accumulate battle fatigue (or something) when outside in one of these storms.
The accumulation of BF could be countered by either Tailor clothing (which would decay rapidly and help that profession out with a renewable income source) or by pitching a camp. Each level of camp would reduce the BF accumulation rate according to the healing mod on the camp, making the higher levels of camp desirable.
Essentially this would give players the choice between sitting out a storm in a camp (and being better protected) or making the effort to have protective clothing on hand and replacing it regularily.
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