Ranger Archive

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Owen-Lars wrote:

Hey guys, i would like to run a few ideas past you just to see what you think about them. They are nothing new, just another way of telling the story to give the devs options.

We all know of the modular approach and how cool it would be, this doesnt mean i like this idea better, just that its another alternative:

How do you feel about making camps combat buff modules?

Camps from the begining have always been heading down a slippery slope because they slow adventuring down and provide survival type functionswhen in this game theyarnt needed much. This has been the main problem for camps and why they have been nerfed into oblivion although if they would of been changed rather than nerfed we wouldnt have this problem. As i see it, we need to move away from the out of combat recouperation view of camps and into the combat arena. Camps need to do things for us and those in our group whilst in combat and provide functions attractive to group situations.

For those that have played WoW you will most likely of heard of totems and how they work? Essentially they are player or shaman placed items in the game world that provide combat buffs/debuffs/restrictions. Although i dont want our camps to turn into wood poles i would like to see a tendancy for our camps(or a couple of them)to move towards more combat effects and a situation where we place an Entrenched Fortification Camp to give us defensivebenefits to the party, or an Assault Platform Camp to give usoffensive benefits.

There would be various camps split into 2 types; Fortifications and Survival Camps. Here is a basic run down of the type of camps you would see in each type:

Fortifications:

Fortifications specialise in combat bonuses and benefits that will effect how you fight. The camps themselves are reletively small and are designed to act as an indicator of the current combat camp rather than a defensive/offensive structure. There are a number of key points to consider with these camps:

• Only 1 fortification effect can be applied at once, if two clash, no effect is given


• Any players in the rangers group in range of the fortification (128m radius) will gain the benefits.




• Are you certain that this radius does not need to be decreased? If the players are firing from within the structure, because it gives them a bonus to defense while within it's boundaries, then they have a maximum firing range of 65 meters. Melee fighters would need the increased range more, but I do not think that this radius should be almost double of the longest base range of ranged weapons. Perhaps 80-100 meters would be more accurate?


• Fortifications can be placed much more easily, up to 40m from a lair.




• Good to hear. This needed to change a long time ago, but that also means they will not be able to repel aggressive creatures. I know our camps don't anyways, but they say they do all the same.


• These fortifications are destructable by attacking the energy source in the center of the camp (protected) and has around 40-50k hitpoints.




• Does the energy source have a hate indicator for enemy creatures, or would that only be NPC's or in PvP if it would be applicable in that respect?


• The fortifications stay up in combat and last for around an hour.




• Does this mean that if combat lasts about an hour, that the fortification would remain for that amount of time before automatically disbanding unless you can end combat before that hour of time?


• A ranger can only have one fortifications up at a time.


• Fortifications (like existing camps) cannot be placed during combat so you must prepare for your battle and also makes taking out the camp a goal for the opposition.

Fortification Options:

Assault Platform: The Assault Platform acts as an offensive launchpad giving bonuses to those group members inside its radius.

• General Melee Accuracy +25


• General Melee Speed +20


• General Ranged Accuracy +25


• General Ranged Speed +20

Entrenched Bunker: The Entrenched Bunkers acts as a defensive possition giving those in group and in range defensive benefits.

• Melee Defense +50


• Ranged Defense +50




• The Ranged Defense of a trench should be higher than the melee defense, because it is meant to allow you protection while preventing the enemy from getting within melee distance. I don't want to cry nerf on them, though, so perhaps there is another alternative?


• Also, I have seen many times that I wanted to fight a very difficult creature, but the terrain was not appropriate for fighting them with line of sight interference and so on. Would this trench be able to accomodate 8 players, more, or less?

Hunting Blind: The Hunting Blind is designed to aid in hunting and gives hunting bonuses to those that are in range.

• Trapping +40%


• Creature Harvesting +15%


• Creature to-hit +10


• Defense vs Creatures +10 (10% damage reduction)


• Damage vs Creatures +10 (10% increase)




• The offensive increase versus creatures should be a little higher, though. This hunting blind should allow the players to prevent the creature from acknowledging their presence, which would prevent it from moving quickly in an agitated manner.

The art of these new camps:

Like i was saying, these fortifications, rather than having a massive footprint, are prety small using existing art assets to indicate what type of camp they are. I was thinking we may aswel use htfb deed (not the camp but the deed) art and possibly the architect wall modules to make something that looks like a fortification? Ill have a play around with some art assets tonight and see if i can get some screenies.

Survival Camps:

Survival camps are essentially camps that provide out of combat functions and benefits. These camps use the High Tech Camp, Field Base and High Tech Field Base art assetsand the same placement rules as we currently have. They have a few key points:

• Only one survival buff can be present at any one time, same buffs can be extended/reapplied


• Cannot be placed in combat.


• Survival camps (excluding the rally point)DO NOT stay up in combatand disband after 30 mins unless otherwise stated.


• Camp functions are only useable by the ranger's group (excluding the rally point)

Survival Camp Options:

Recouperation Facility: The Recouperation Facility is the most basic of ranger camps and is designed as a quick place and recover camp between fights limiting the downtime. This camp does not stay up in combat.

• Max Auto Wound Healing




• If players were wounded greatly and often during combat, then this would be acceptible by the Doctors. However, most wounds occur as a result from death, and therefore it should not be instant healing but instead a rate close to that of meditation in the Teras Kasi Artist skills. Perhaps 50% of that rate.


• Health Regen +200


• Action Regen +200


• Mind Regen +200

Hunters Retreat: The Hunters Retreat is designed for an out of combat place to regen, refresh and prepare for the day's hunt. It provides basic recouperation bonuses, large concealment benefits and also gives users a Hunters Instinct buff. This camp doesnot stay up in combat.

• 50% Auto Wound Healing


• Camoflague +50


• Hunters Instinct Buff




• Camoflague +10%


• Trapping +10%


• Melee Defense +10


• Creature Harvesting +10%


• Damage vs Creatures +10 (10% damage increase)

Hunters Instinct Buff: This buff is designed specifically for PvCreature combat to increase the effectiveness of those wanting to go out and hunt and gives the ranger a desirable function in groups. To get the buff, the player has to access the camp terminal and select "Camp" from the radial, the player will then have to wait aprox 2 mins for the buff to take hold (similar to how we get inspiration buffs only longer) and the buff lasts 1 hour. The creature harvesting and damage vs creature bonuses enable the players with this buff to fight much more competantly against creatures and when coupled with the hunting blind gives a total 20% damage increase against creatures, a very desirable increase.Only people in the rangers group can get this buff.

Rally Point: This massive structure is obtained at Master Ranger and is designed as a rally point for troops and groups to prepare, re-supply and launch from. It can be registered on the planetary map if factionally alligned and players can go 'overt' using the camps terminal. This camp does stay up in combat up until disbanded or reaches its 1hr duration.

• 50% Auto Wound Healing


• Faction Terminal (same costs as recruiter, can go pvp flagged, reb/imp depending on ranger allignment like we have now in the HTFB)


• Entertainers can buff/heal just like a cantina


• Can be registered on planetary map using camp terminal


• Prepared Buff




• General Melee Speed +5


• General Melee Accuracy +10


• General Ranged Speed +5


• General Ranged Accuracy +10


• Melee Defense +5


• Ranged Defense +5

Prepared Buff: This buff is designed to enhance the combat capabilities of those troops who spend time and effort to prepare, rest and plan their attacks. To get the buff, the player has to access the camp terminal and select "Camp" from the radial, the player will then have to wait aprox 2 mins for the buff to take hold (similar to how we get inspiration buffs only longer) and the buff lasts 1 hour.The mods are specifically designed for PvNPC or PvP combat and should not be more attractive for creature combat than the Hunters Instinctbuff

Extraction Beacon: The extraction beacon is a hunting device used to extract a group from the wilderness after a long day's hunting by calling in a shuttle to that location. This camp cannot be placed in combat so it is not an escape tool, simply a survival extraction device. Once the camp has been layed there will be a 1 minute countdown before a shuttle will apear. Once the shuttle arives players have 1 more minute to use the terminal before the camp is disbanded. Players who choose to travel can travel to the planetarystarport/outpost of their choosing for 1,000 credits.

• Allows travel to planetary starports/outposts from camp location


• Only 1 way travel


• Costs 1,000 credits


• 1 minute before shuttle lands, 1 minute after that until camp disbands and window is missed.

Camp Art:

Apart from the Extraction Beacon we can use existing camp art assets as the new camps with possibly a slight modification to the camp terminal interface and Rally Point faction terminal. Here are what each camp would look like:

• Recouperation Facility = High Tech Camp art


• Hunters Retreat = Field Base art


• Rally Point = High Tech Field Base art


• Extraction Point = Random POI camp artwith shuttle

The Ranger Tree:

Here is how the Ranger Tree would look like in regards to frontiering and the new camps:

• Recouperation Facility: Novice Ranger


• Entrenched Bunker: Frontiering 1


• Hunting Blind: Frontiering 2


• Hunters Retreat: Frontiering3


• Assault Platform: Frontiering 4


• Rally Point: Master Ranger


• ExtractionBeacon: Master Ranger

Final Comments:

The bonuses of the camps are very attractive and give a lot of mix and matching potential between the various camps. The mixture of out of combat survival units and in combat fortifications really does a lot to enhance not only camp functionality but also what a ranger does in swg as a whole. The downside to camps is ofcourse they cannot be used in towns and have certain limitation where they can be placed in the wild, this i hope, in conjunction with the skill point investment will ofset the benefits of these camps to the point of balance.

That is it basically. I hope that the designcame across on the page with the main purpose to give rangers out of combat functionality and also a very group friendly in combat benefit through the use of camps. Please feel free to let me know what you think about it. Oh and dont think i still dont like modular camping

Message Edited by Owen-Lars on 06-24-2005 08:57 PM

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If you need for me to come up with some concept art for these structures, I can do so with a little more description. I think that if we make this as easy as possible for the Devs we will have a better chance at having them implemented. I just hope they don't steal these ideas as well .