Ranger Archive

I've already posted this on the scout section, but I felt that it should be here as well.

My suggestions (all based, I think, on common sense) for modifications/changes for XP's for Scouts (and subsequently for Rangers as well):

1) Fishing, Foraging, and Camping should all give Wilderness Survival XP (leading up the Survival tree of Scout and the Frontiering tree of Ranger) - it just makes sense. It doesn't have to be a LOT of XP for fishing and foraging, but if you're going to put an in-depth multi-step game mechanic, like the fishing process, into the game, you should at least give people a reason to use it (besides the 1-5 units of fish and the 1-5 units of chum bait they get out of it). Also, it would help alleviate some of the BOOOORING camp time that's spent JUST to get those Wilderness Survival XP by a) giving something to do during that time (foraging that's worthwhile), and b) every XP accumulated this way is one you don't have to accumulate through camping only.

2) Trapping seems fine to me, as is.

3) Scouting XP should go away and be replaced by Hunting XP and Exploring XP (for each of the respective "trees" of the Scout chart, and for the Field Bio-Science and Wayfaring trees of the Ranger chart, respectively). "Hunting XP" would be gained by harvesting creature kills. "Exploring XP" would be gained by, imagine this, EXPLORING! I know, I know, it's a crazy concept, but it might just make sense if you think about it. There is already some kind of invisible barrier around the various cities in the game and this can be used to determine the "Exploring XP" accumulation. You've all seen it before - the notice of "You are now leaving CITY NAME." Therefore, the Devs should just institute an "odometer", if you will, that records the number of meters of travel for a character OUTSIDE of the city (i.e. after you've "left' the city limits/departed through the city barrier). Then "Exploring XP" should be given based on your exploring (travels). That way, you wouldn't have some "Urban Ranger" who gained all of his Scouting XP by kiling and harvesting the minor creatures on the city's edge and has practically NEVER traveled for any extensive time out to the wild (other than finding a spot to set up his camps and parking there). This would also give a lot of people incentive to actually explore a lot of the remote ares of the worlds instead of just going to and from mission locations and cities. I'm not sure, but I think it'd be a relatively simple concept to implement considering all of the distance measurements that are already being used throughout the game (range to creature, range to mission waypiont, etc).

I actually was excited when I first saw all the things the devs had put in the game for those of us aspiring for master scouts/master rangers. I thought, "How cool! I can even fish?" Only to have my enthusiasm dampened when I realized that for all the time it took to do it, I ended up with nothing really substantial to show for it (not even meager XP's). The same goes for foraging. I mean, yeah, you can get some kinda interesting stuff by foraging, but nobody wants to buy it in one-sies and two-sies, so now you're stuck either giving it away, or stockpiling all the different types of goods until you accrue a sellable amount (which takes forever at that rate).

Anyway, I just felt that I had to post this suggestion more for the Role-Playing purpose than anything else. I'm not a powergamer or anything, and I'm not asking for rapid XP progression. But if something just makes sense, then there's no reason not to do it that way, you know? I mean, I can't see that fishing/foraging XP's, or even Exploring XP's, are going to make Scouts/Rangers sooooo easy or tough that it would be a game balance issue, so why not?

Besides, also from a Role-Playing aspect, don't you think that if you met a Master Ranger in the cantina of whatever town, he should have some very interesting stories to tell about all the various places he's been and seen? The many planets and different terrains? The hidden places he's found and explored? Not just the million or so Fynocks or Paralopes (Talus) he's skinned?

Just my 2 creds... (Input is welcome).

Thanks,

Malborka

Aspiring Ranger, Talus/Endor, Tarquinas Server

Does nobody agree/disagree?

Just checking.

Thanks,

Malborka

Aspiring Ranger, Talus/Endor, Tarquinas Server

Upon further review, I'm thinking of perhaps an Exploration XP accumulation method that might go something like this (please review and give me your thoughts on it):

In order to accumulate Exploration XP's for the Exploration (Scout) and Wayfaring (Ranger) trees, the Scout/Ranger would have to accrue a certain amount of mileage (or "meter"-age, I guess would be the most appropriate term) OUTSIDE of citylimits (the invisible barrier surrounding the cities). In addition, the acquisition of the Skill Boxes on the Skill Tree Branch from the profession chart could require that the Scout/Ranger have "checked off" a certain number of "Region" boxes, I guess. The planet map could have an overlay for divided regions as an option on the right side (where the notable places are now). The Scout/Ranger would basically be required to at least be just inside a new Region (which could be a pop-up notification just like the "You are now entering CITY NAME" thing) and then he/she would have to accrue a certain amound of "meter"-age within that Region in order to qualify as having "explored" it. I realize that the individual could go just inside the new Region and just go back and forth to accumulate the "meter"-age, but this system would at least force them to go to different Regions in order to progress up the skill tree and it could be made so that one can accrue anough "checked Region boxes" on one planet (thus being a Master Scout/Ranger of Naboo, for example) or, should they choose not to have to travel too far from the cities, they could accrue the different Region boxes by only exploring (and thus "checking off" Region boxes for) Regions surrounding cities, but they'd have to travel to other planets then to accrue enough Region boxes for progression.

I think this idea, while hopefully not being TOO convoluted and difficult to program, would serve to realistically portray the development of the Exploration and Wayfaring skills and would basically result in two types of Scouts/Rangers - the expert Scout/Ranger who specializes in all terrains/regions on one planet, and the planet-hopping Scout/Ranger who accrued his skills by being exposed to the wide variety of terrains/regions the the different planets provide.

I don't know, but I think both would be pretty cool from a Role-Playing perspective and at least for now, this seems like a pretty interesting and realistic method for handling this situation (as long as it's not too difficult to program of course).

What do you all think?

Malborka

Aspiring Ranger, Talus/Endor, Tarquinas Server

I know, I know....I can hear you all now -"He'sjust bumping his own thread to be seen" (lol). Not really, but I don't mind the spotlight either (heh). Seriously though, I just think that some of these ideas will really help the Ranger profession, and I wanted to make sure the Correspondent saw them, that's all. I promise not to do this again, but for now,...

/bump

Malborka

Aspiring Ranger/Rifleman, Talus/Endor, Tarquinas Server