Ranger Archive

I'd like to start some discussion regarding ideas for improving the current camp system. NRaas has a separate "stickied" thread for camps based on the modular idea. I'd like this thread to look at alternatives that don't involve such an overhaul.

Current Problem: Currently, the benefits of the advanced ranger camps are so minimal or undesired by other group members as to make their use surprisingly limited. This is further complicated by the fact that a group can only use one camp at a time, limiting the accrual of experience to a single person. The effect of this is that the novice campers are getting priority and the ranger's versions are getting little bang for the experience buck. The 90% camping solution is typically solved by the cheapest/easiest camp.

Goal:Change the dynamics of camp benefits such that the default choice is NOT the easiest/cheapest scout camp.

Ideas:

• Fix the creature protection benefit that the higher camps are supposed to have


• Create a function that would allow other campers the ability to gain experience during a camp deployment. There are a couple of ideas for doing this:




• A transfer command that changes the camp owner from one scout to the next. Ranger deploys a camp, and after they hit the experience cap for that deployment, they simply transfer the camp to the next scout. This would eliminate the disruption incurred by redeploying camps every 5 minutes during an extended rest period. OR...


• Have a deposit box in ranger camps that allows other camp exp seekers to deposit a camp kit that puts them on the exp list for that camp. This keeps the raw material useage constant while giving other scouts/rangers the ability to accrue experience. OR...


• Have the HTFB work in conjunction with other camp types. The Master Ranger deploys the stuff like crafting stations and having the healing rate benefit and the other scouts deploy the tents. The scouts get the exp, while the group retains the other HTSB benefits (Master Rangers don't need the exp anyway).


• In addition to the higher-end camps having a better healing rate, also include an increase to the base effects of med packs and such. Basic camps have no modifer, and the rest scale, up to 25%(?) increase to the effect.


• BF healing for ranger camps (as supplied by entertainers, of course)


• HTFB camps that are semi-permanent. One camp can only be deployed at a time, and it disappears when the owner either destroys it or logs off. Or, have the camp deteriorate at a constant rate. Owners could use the control panel to "repair" the tent by adding in the appropriate amounts of new raw materials (keeps the dev's happy in that the materials are still getting used).


• HTFB that includes a mission terminal. However, this terminal has no payout for completed missions and serves solely as a means to "force" animals to spawn within a 300m radius of the terminal. This would permit people to venture further away from population centers (where there's not adequate foot traffic to spawn creatures) and enable ranger camps to compete with people zipping around the countryside on swoops, looking for dynamic spawn pops. This feature only possible if the permanance feature is included.

My main thrust of these ideas is 1) make the higher end camps have an impact on the short term uses most groups desire; 2) remove the experience penalty people suffer to have the master ranger camps; 3) differentiate the ranger level camps from scout camps.

Post your ideas. With any luck, we can get this thread "stickied" too.

Machs N'ihx - Master Ranger, Kettemoor

Note: I don't want to detract from NRaas modular camp thread effort. NRaas is doing a tremendous job and that particular thread is just one example of "thinking outside the box" typical of his threads. However, there are a few folks who don't think"modular" is the way to go, and it seemed to make sense to post something for those folks to develop ideas.

I'm interested to see how this plays out.

I can't propose the modular camp proposal without sufficient backing from the community.

So if someone else has a more favorable idea, I'm all ears.

wow, that is actually a pretty good idea . The devs might cut a thing ot two out of it, but a good idea none the less.

Just to voice an opinion, I prefer the modular camp idea. This is still very good, though.

I'm not sure which idea I like better. I think I'm leaning towards the modular camp idea, but I do specifically like 2 of the features you've listed.

1. the share XP system - to build on that idea, what about using the existing loot sharing system? A player with scout/ranger skill throws up a camp, types something like /sharecampxp, and all scout/rangers in the group that are in the camp get a portion of the xp.

2. the semi-permanent camp idea - being able to continue to add resources to a camp so it lasts longer. that's simply an awesome idea. the camp would have to not poof when the camper goes into combat however.

My two main issues are being able to heal BF in a small camp WITHOUT an entertainer, and most importantly having a camp that does not disband during combat. I think I like the modular idea more, because it gives us more customization.

I must say I like both ideas. I think this one has more chance of passing muster initially because it would take so much less work. Because of that, I must side with Machs due to feasibility (and I would like working camps in 2004).

- Add in that pets (faction or creature) get effective regeneration stat boosts while in camp and not fighting. The better the camp, the better the boost. +50 for basic, +100 for the other two Scout camps. Then +250 per level for each of the Ranger camps.

A stat boost is better than a multiplier since doctors could buff a stat from 40 to 1000+ which would allow close to near instantaneous healing if the rate at 40 was at all decent.

HTFB camps that are semi-permanent. One camp can only be deployed at a time, and it disappears when the owner either destroys it or logs off. Or, have the camp deteriorate at a constant rate. Owners could use the control panel to "repair" the tent by adding in the appropriate amounts of new raw materials (keeps the dev's happy in that the materials are still getting used).

Why not make it a deed? One closer to a harvester than a house.

- It takes up 1 lot so you can't litter the world with them.
- Instead of energy, you feed it hide, bones and other necessary resources.
- It can have maintenance and a redeed cost if wanted for balance.
- There are no access permissions, nor storage, for the lower camps.

Higher level camps can have one or more storage lockers. This would be the only optional component(s). It could be either a master-level item. Alternately use unlocked containers for the component. Or both with the master item granting more storage or some other benefit. I imagine on the order of 20 slots maximum so it doesn't replace a house.

I really like the idea of a perminant camp.. forget the semi..

I want the campsite to be my home.. I want to be able to setup a community of rangers in a forest area. Like an outpost.

Why do our campsites dissapear in the first place?

Let the experince tap out but don't get rid of my camp until I'm ready to break it down.

Also I want to be able to go inside one of my tents. I appreciate the fact that I can build a fire that is water proof but I still want to get inside my tent.

"I think this one has more chance of passing muster initially because it would take so much less work."

Think small, andreceive small thingsas aresponse.

I hope a giant leap of faith will give the developers the resolve to add in the larger and more flexible system.

Though I do understand that many of you want a more immediate gratification, I don't expect the developers to implement most of this stuff in one pass anyways.

• While we wait, they can fix the bugs with the current system, ensuring that the underlying systems will be available for a grander system in the future.

But if we compromise now for the simple solution, that is probably all we will ever receive... The simple solution.

In addition to the higher-end camps having a better healing rate, also include an increase to the base effects of med packs and such. Basic camps have no modifer, and the rest scale, up to 25%(?) increase to the effect.

BF healing for ranger camps (as supplied by entertainers, of course)

HTFB camps that are semi-permanent. One camp can only be deployed at a time, and it disappears when the owner either destroys it or logs off. Or, have the camp deteriorate at a constant rate. Owners could use the control panel to "repair" the tent by adding in the appropriate amounts of new raw materials (keeps the dev's happy in that the materials are still getting used).

HTFB that includes a mission terminal. However, this terminal has no payout for completed missions and serves solely as a means to "force" animals to spawn within a 300m radius of the terminal. This would permit people to venture further away from population centers (where there's not adequate foot traffic to spawn creatures) and enable ranger camps to compete with people zipping around the countryside on swoops, looking for dynamic spawn pops. This feature only possible if the permanance feature is included.

Some cool ideas I like thus far. Some have been stated but I like your twist on it. The better heal rate across the board is cool, whether it be from pure healing or using stims, just give it a bonus. Like if you were wearing clothes with the medical mods in them.

BF healing needs to happen in the camps with use of an entertainer. I have had ents come along our hunts just for mind healing from mind disease. They love it because they get out of the cantina, they get more attention in general(RP), they get paid either cash or the resouces, and sometimes if they have skills, they can help in the attacks. This is usually the higher end entertainers, so it's OK that they are able to heal BF in higher end camps. Even if its just the Field bases, but should be all ranger camps.

Semi perm HTFB sounds great. Its' been asked for forever, and and it really needs to happen. Otherwise there is no purpose in using the camp. You're not going to use the resources to throw it down when all you need is to heal or pull out pets. Just for pure defence of the camp you need it, but for those semi static spawns in an area, where you or your group are killing all around one area. Run back in, heal up, rest, re stock traps, boom go back out. Considering by the time you have the HTFB you are nearly master, you don't need it for xp gain anymore. You are also done with Survival line and dont need xp anymore. So make that camp worth the while.

This idea of missions terms inside HTFB is as always great. I like your balance of making it no payout missions. Rangers don't need misison payouts, they get their money from the resources they are harvesting. So if I can plop my HTFB down, solo or group, get some missions for some local fauna, and kill harvest away. The weapon, combat, scouting xp is enough and add the raw resouces, it's a sweet deal. This ties really well into the semi perm HTFB and why you would leave one up.

I would say extend out the mission range to the same 500m of our track. Why? because after getting our missions, say we don't get WP, we can use track to find it. Another twist on it, and it makes our skills useful. What if the mission term really just spawned creatures, wasn't really a mission as we are used to? A list comes up of the types of creatures it can spawn based on your planet and area. You choose one, hit track, and go kill it. Run back to your HTFB, rince and repeat.

For me this would be great fun, it would be, Being a Ranger!

Think small, and receive small things as a response.

I hope a giant leap of faith will give the developers the resolve to add in the larger and more flexible system.

That, or it will get us ignored for 6+ months. You remember BEs and DEs? They'll still need six months of balancing from this point, and while not nearly as broken, we need as much effort (or more because we have lots of systems) to get us where we would like to go.

I will settle for the ideas here and get my instant gratification, then get the more sweeping changes later.

"You remember BEs and DEs?"

But they did receive their big revisions.

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Seiryuu wrote:
Think small, and receive small things as a response.

I hope a giant leap of faith will give the developers the resolve to add in the larger and more flexible system.

That, or it will get us ignored for 6+ months. You remember BEs and DEs? They'll still need six months of balancing from this point, and while not nearly as broken, we need as much effort (or more because we have lots of systems) to get us where we would like to go.

I will settle for the ideas here and get my instant gratification, then get the more sweeping changes later.

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I agree with Nraas and need to metnion that there is no quick fix, no easy answer. Even for the small stuff we got pushed back because of Player Cities and Vehicles. Things take time, and there is no way (I think) to get to the top of the list, except for letting nature take it's course. Plus, I would rather as for a million dollars and get $10 than ask for $10 and get $0.10.