Ranger Archive
Thread: CU: Hunting Viability
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Phenix1050
Wed Mar 30, 2005 7:16 pm
#1
This is another one of the important things we need to keep an eye on during our testing. Now this is a hard category to test for, because there are no "hard" numbers that describe what hunting viability is. So what this category basically becomes is a catch-all for the way that the other parts ofour profession comes together. As such, I will be working with all the other CU testers and with Owen to try to see where we fit it.
Try, if you can, to test how your skills affect your hunting. Try different templates, including some scout + combat stacker ones. these are a few issues to keep an eye on;
- If we have limited health (word still pending from TH) how does that affect us. Are we able to compete against a stacker with full health?
- If we don't get added Creature Level, are we being hit for too much and doing too little damage? Does that affect people wanting to group with you, further reducing your ability to hunt large animals to collect resources?
- How effective are traps? Are they usefull for both melee and ranged Rangers? Do the action/mind costs restrict you from using them a lot?
- Are traps showing a noticable effect? Some traps like the A-Mesh don't appear to be doing anything, despite a succesful trapping message. Do you notice you or your group hitting more often when using darts that drop defences? Are states sticking properly?
- If we get certed for armor (confirmation pending), do you think the armor is the right choice? Does hinderance affect your hunting ability as you level up Ranger?
- How do the armors for the other species (Wookies in particular) work? Do they decay too fast since there are less pieces that cover multiple armor hit areas?
- How much faster can a stacker kill a creature? Using the harvesting formula, do you think scout stackers will out-harvest us again (before group bonus)
- Are creatures much tougher now with less armor/buffs, to the point where you're getting killed by animals you don't think you should lose to?
- Do you think it's fair for everyone to see creature level, or should that be tied to creature knowledge skill?
Now the toughest questions of all are going to be the next ones, because these are all based on your perceptions, not on any actual data. These to me, are actually the most important questions because they are what will determine whether Ranger and are the questions that must be answered. The others are good hard data to have, these are the core issues:
- Do you think adding Ranger to your template made you a more effective hunter?
- Will Ranger be the most viable option in regards to hunting in the new system
- Is it fun to play as a Ranger in the new system if you're a hunter?
That's it. I appreciate any help that the other focus threads can offer and I look forward to hearing what you guys think of the questions. Feel free to offer suggestions as to what I should add/take away.
LINKS: These are good referance threads for further reading:
Master Ranger with Minimal Combat
Broken /Conceal Skill
*edit note* added in commentary from DaveG about alien species with different armors. comment is in this color. *edit note* added in new problems that have been noted- they are in this color. *edit note* added link to related thread.
Message Edited by Phenix1050 on 04-10-2005 07:59 PM
Message Edited by Phenix1050 on 04-13-2005 12:50 PM
Almagill
Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:09 pm
#2
LOL, ok, this is so similar to the list of concerns I just marked up in another thread that I just wanted to say "I didn't read this first".
DaveG
Wed Mar 30, 2005 10:10 pm
#3
Well structured post Phenix. Just something I'd like to add to one of your points...
Phenix1050 wrote:
If we get certed for armor (confirmation pending), do you think the armor is the right choice? Does hinderance affect your hunting ability as you level up Ranger?
We don't know how the new armours are going to be, but according to what's on the SWG website so far,most, if not all, armours are for a limited number of species. Therefore such armour checks for rangers will need to take into account species specific limitations. (i.e. will there be equivalent classes of armour for the 'minority' species, and if so, will those equivalent classes perform as well as their counterparts or not?).
Owen-Lars
Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:37 am
#5
DaveG Wrote:
"will there be equivalent classes of armour for the 'minority' species, and if so, will those equivalent classes perform as well as their counterparts or not?)"
Actually it shouldnt make a difference what so ever. Wookies has 3 sets (recon, battle and assault), ithys have 3 sets (recon, battle and assault) and the other bunch have 3 sets (recon, battle and assault). The only difference isthat the larger pool of humanoids will have more 'skins' open to them, therefore more choice over what their armours look like.
Just remember that the armour cores are totally seperate from the armour itself. For instance you can make a batch of 25 top quality armour cores then its up to you if you slap those same cores in wookie recon armour, ithy battle armour, imp assault armour or in a marauder set for example. If ranger gets an armour cert, then the cert will not be specific to certain species, it will just mean any person playing that profession will have access to either battle, recon or assault armours (this include wookie and ithys).
The added benefit is that wookie and ithy armour can now provide exactly the same protection (as they use the same cores) as normal armours. Its a good balance and should get rid of the major species related armour issues.
Powers
Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:32 am
#6
It also appears that gloves and boots won't provide armor protection for anyone anymore, which equalizes the Trandoshans and Wookiees with the glove- and boot-wearing species.
Powers &8^]
Calculus_Entropy
Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:15 am
#7
Powers wrote:It also appears that gloves and boots won't provide armor protection for anyone anymore, which equalizes the Trandoshans and Wookiees with the glove- and boot-wearing species.Powers &8^]
BUT, hands and feet aren't going to be able to be damaged, either. I am just clarifying that even though you won't be able to protect your hands an feet, you won't need to protect your hands or feet.
Phenix1050
Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:26 am
#8
The skin does have an effect owen-- it's where the "condition" lies, if I'm not mistaken.
and since wookiee armor covers multiple armor "zones" the individual pieces tend to decay faster. That decay can hurt if the wookiee pieces aren't properly compensated.
Owen-Lars
Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:47 pm
#10
Cant get hurt on rori:
- You cantbe hurt on rori no matter what you shoot at
- All mobs just stare at you but do no damage
- No need to heal because of this so cant test healing as we get no xp
Mobs/lairs have too much ham:
- We were in a group andstill had to chip away at low level mobsfor ages to get anywhere, please adress this by reducing the ham they have
- We dont mind them being tough but not in a way that requires us to slave away for 8 people to be shooting a target for 2 mins for 100xp each.
- Lairs have too much HP, they take forever to take down. I can understand why they need to take longer times but this is ridiculous
Traps:
- Traps have no combat delay so you can spam off 5 uses of a trap in a second.
- Traps dont seem to have combat timers associated with them so they simply fire off as soon as you press the button regardless of how long ago you fired the last trap.
Mobs Run Too Much:
- Not NPCS, creatures, mobs seem to run far too much making it extremely hard for melee group members to opperate.
- May be related to creatures not attacking us (we take no damage).
Owen-Lars
Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:16 am
#11
As far as im aware Phen, the skins do nothing but give visual apearance to the armour. All the stats are determined prior to you picking what set its going to be.
The main reason behind this is that the final stage will likely not be experimentable. The final stage is when you add some synth cloth, reinforced fibre panels, the core, optional loot and an apearance item. TH said you would be able to craft the set on the spot, at a startport of wherever and infront of the client, meaning you dont need a crafting station because there are no experimental values. This leads me to believe that there are no experimental values in the final stage of crafting therefore the condition would not be determined in the final (apearance) stage.
The skins seem to only determin how the set looks and that alone. Condition will be determined earlier on when the core is being created.
Calculus_Entropy
Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:22 am
#12
That was my understanding as well, Owen, but it doesn't mean we are right 
.
.Message Edited by Calculus_Entropy on 03-31-2005 01:31 PM
Owen-Lars
Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:27 am
#13
Yeah thats why i said as far as im aware hehe, im aware of alot of things, but dont make em right 
Im aware that all Man-U supporters are the scum of the earth but that doesnt mean im......... er...... actually that does mean im right. Bah i was always crap with examples.
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