Ranger Archive

"however, do you honestly think we have the slightest chance of getting it?"

We have as much chance in getting this, as getting anything else implemented.

How's that for logic?

"but couldn't we just start by getting our current camps fixed?"

I am not focusing on the bugs in these threads. I presume they will be fixed eventually.

What I am doing here is attempting to define the path for the developers to follow when they cycle back to us in the development schedule.

The modular camp idea may sound outrageously complex. But consider that most of the framework for what we are suggesting already exists in our professions (optional modules, profession interdependency).

It is possible the developers will ignore this portion of the treatise I am writing and proceed to do whatever they feel like.

But I want to still try to persuade them that a need is there to change the way this system operates.

Bihlbo - regarding the HTFB.. I was thinking that the resources for the camp would be the same. Just that once you "make" the item, you get it generated on the datapad. Once you destroy the camp, it dumps the item out of the datapad so you'd need to use materials again to re-create one. Thus, the resource consumption remains constant with what is in place now. Why go to the bother? I was thinking in terms of having a semi-permanent base, you'd need a mechanism to keep someone from creating a bunch of them and dropping them all over. Since the datapad is already set up to restrict such overuse, the dev's would just have to re-use that code.

FSS grinding - Force Sensitive Slot

For the most part, I don't like it. Waaaaaaay too complicated. And you are suggesting that our ideas affect scouts as well which doesn't help to distinguish us from them. If we were to impliment these ideas, they should be for ranger camps only, AND they should be optional in addition to what camps already do for us. It sounds like your proposal makes camps useless unless we customize them, and collaborate with other professions. I don't want this.

I hate the turret idea for camps. I have no idea why this would be necessary if creature repell actually worked. Maybe I could understand if our camps allowed commandos to set up a turret, like they allow other players to call a vehicle or pet. And who would realy use this? Most groups find using camps too time consuming and a camp is barely set up long enough to make it necessary for a defense like a turret.

The rescue shuttle is interesting, but I see much abuse with this mod uless it is very expensive. Maybe it should be made available to anyone in the group but the ranger who set up the camp to prevent what could turn out to be "my own personal suttle system". Also, maybe this option should only be available to the two major factions. The system would only shuttle players of the same faction, and it would cost the Ranger x ammount of faction points to call a rescue shuttle, and it would only shuttle the players to the nearest possible shuttleport (player city or game city).

The entertainer stage module is kinda silly as well. all ranger camps should allow the regeneration of BF by entertainers as a base skill. something that distinguishes our camps from a scout's.

I like the creature health mod. this would make camps more valuable to other players especially in groups. players might be more willing to stay in a camp that can heal their pets a bit faster before they start whining to push on cuz they gotta go to work in the morning and it's getting late.

I can't complain about the combat fortification module. Like someone suggested, if going into combat could mean that it temporarily disables the health mods camps provide instead of disbanding them outright, that would make hunting in groups much esier for rangers.

And the Faction network mod could be cool too. showing up on the mini map like a safe haven for other faction members could be invaluable to both rangers and others in the middle of an advanced planet. I don't know what faction supplies would be offered, but I see no problem in that.

I don't agree with rangers becoming sister architects, but I do like the ideas.

Machs, you've eloquently re-stated many of my main points, especially by mentioning the KISS rule.

Couple of issues: Do you mean that a HTFB would be a really expensive item that you buy once, then store on the datapad? This would be supremely convenient, but I think that part of the design of camps is their resource consumption, and this seems to bypass that. I don't think that's such a good idea (did I misread?).

FSS grinding?

I agree about what you've said concerning turrets, translocation, and faction supplies. But garages can only be found in certain static cities, and even then, not on all planets. I could see there being a real demand for having a Ranger around if the Field Base was the only way to repair your vehicle without leaving for another planet, or going halfway across the planet that you're on. I think the garage module is a great idea.

Sorry, did I read the word "turrets" - how does this fit into the Ranger's world.

Have I misread something or missed a point..?

Okay, those who know me know I love the modular idea of camps and I'm going to set down some arguments in defence of the idea.

• First of all, people say that all people do is pull out creatures and vehicles when they are in camps. Why should this be an inherent trait? What is it about having a tiny little campfire that would allow someone to call their pet? Making it an option rather than an absolute would make a person consider: hmmm, do I want extra wound healing or the ability to pull out creatures. (i think the camps should retain their current rate of wound healing, and you could increase the rate of said healing). So if you're soloing without pets and you pull a camp, you should be make it so that camp has better healing but can't pull out creatures.


• Secondly, people say that the big camps are little more than eye-candy. Well, what if they weren't? What if you had a high tech field base that stayed up in combat, had a rocket launcher and a stage for healing BF? (the rocket launcher thing is NRass's idea) Then we wouldn't have a complaint like that. Right now, I agree, there is little need for a Ranger camp. Ask a novice scout to pull out your basic camp kit and you get basically the same thing as a Ranger camp. The only difference i notice right now is that higher level camps offer you access to faction stuff if you're overt. That's it. Not much of a big bonus if you ask me.


• Thirdly, I think some people may have misunderstood (if you read the original post, it makes it a little more clear) most modules that could be applied to a Ranger camp are not made by a Ranger. A Ranger probably doesn't know the first thing about how to entertain a crowd, but a Musician or Dancer should know how to make a decent stage (to heal BF). Similarly, what would a Ranger know about how to make a shuttle? That's why another proffession should have to make them. This would make Rangers a more valuable part of the group. If you have a large group going, invite a Ranger, because with enough people around, you're sure to have someone who can make the different modues.

I agree, we need things fixed with our camps now. But this is not a horribly difficult revamp. Essentially we keep the same camps, there's just a few new items that can be put AROUND the camp. many modules wouldn't even need new animations. A passive healing bonus module wouldn't need one, and neither would one to suppress the NPC's and creatures.

Thank you NRass for sticky-ing a post on modular camping to the board, I think it's one thing we should push for as a revamp. It would (in my humble opinion) give the Rangers a greater part in PvE and PvP, would allow our HTFB's to actually act as BASES, and would make the Ranger need other proffessions (for modules), increasing our role in the community and in the economy. This would not hurt other proffessions (and I think if done properly) could HELP other proffessions. I think (this is a little off topic, but bear with me, that SL's need modular camping too, and much like us getting hunting blinds, SLs need at least one or two new schematics that they can build (encampments- good only for passive attack/defense bonuses and should not have modules for healing) and perhaps even bounty hunters should be allowed some camp sites (you see NPC bounty hunter camps in the wilderness) perhaps the BH camps could have a module(also able to be placed in Ranger camps) that is a data terminal and provides info much like an NPC informant. or something like that.

Modular camping is something that would bring Rangers forward. I agree, right now our camps are eye-candy only and they do little to shift the balance of power in a fight, but imagine if you could set up a base in a battlefield that people could use as a forward post, that would auto attack anybody who aggo'd the people in the camp. Perhaps another module could be a covert faction scanner that would instantly attack if you were overt or on a battleground. That's just off the top of my head, it could use some work. But any way you look at it, camps should be better. Yes, we could ask for something simple that would be nice, or, we could ask for something that would make us valuable in PvP and make us a larger part of the TC community.

See, that's the one thing I don't like. Right now, when I'm with my hunting group, unless someone is working on camp exp, I'm the one that is asked to deploy the tent (I use nothing but the best) I don't want to have to look around the group and ask someone for a stage attachment for me to be able to use my camp. All I have (as a ranger) is my camps, don't take that from me.

I don't see how this is taking away from you, All modules are OPTIONAL. You don't need a stage to make a HTFB, but if you want to heal BF, you would. In fact, if you added zero modules, in my opinion, that would be the exact type of camp you have now. So modules aren't a neccesary componant butrather something that would add to your camps.

No one is saying that your general idea of camping should change. You should be able to build a camp just like you are now, and little would be different than what you have now. However, if you're looking for something in addition to your regular camps, you'll need to coordinate with other proffessions. That's not really going to take anything away from you making the camps. No ones asking you to subcontract to make a regular camp =P

Okay then. That doesn't sound as bad as what I (mis)read earlier. As long as you don't take my camps from me.

Wow this is good stuff. I like the idea of either crafting myself or buying complex camps if I am feeling lazy. The hunting blind would be great as well.

Aitwexoeth

"You don't need a stage to make a HTFB, but if you want to heal BF, you would. In fact, if you added zero modules, in my opinion, that would be the exact type of camp you have now."

Ok. I think this is where many of the detractors are getting hung up.

Should the camps have a inherent functionality? At least the minimum healing rate by default for instance?

Right now, I have it written that the only thing you can do in a camp with no modules is logout safely.

Should the Basic Camp have the same functionality that exists now, with no optional modules at all? And all other modular camps build off that basic setup?

What should be the inherent functionality available in a modularless camp?