Scout Archive

So, I'm approaching Master Scout, and I'm thinking ahead about that 620 apprentice XP. Of which I currently have 50. I've read other threads about this, so I've read suggestions for getting it, and I'm mentally preparing myself for that grind.

On a more general note, however, I'm struck by the feeling that this AXP requirement has drawbacks kind of like a pyramid scheme. If you're the last to get into the scheme, you're screwed. If your a casual player like me, who seems to be behind the XP/skill curve for my chosen server, then getting that AXP is going to bepain in the butt, because most people I encounter don't need my skills. Sure, it's nice when I'm looking to get TRAINED, and being behind the curve has saved me a lot in training expenses. But I worry that it will take me forever to get my own AXP. It's not like my other (non-Scout) skills are particularly advanced either. And since servers have population caps, it's not like there are new players steadily flowing in either.

This is more or less just a complaining post. I realize there's no real solution to this other than changing the XP requirements for Master Scout, which I'm not requesting. But at least does anyone agree with me that this requirement seems to penalize the casual folks who are advancing as time allows?

I agree. I've had to work harder than I wanted to for the apprenticeship xp. I don't find looking for people to train to be an enjoyable aspect of the game. I want my games to be fun.

this is gonna probably sound horrible but what i did for the AXP i needed (not all of it of course) was find a person using the search function in game who was a surveyor / master artisan/t them ask them how many surveying points they had stored up if they had a bunch and they were willing, I would meet up with them, they would sell back survey 4 andI would train them back upwe would do this until the xp they had couldn't support it. Then it was on to the next volunteer. Thats how I made the last few hundred or so.

Ivy

I agree with Squid it's not really a pyramid scheme. Being an earlyadopter has one set of advantages anddisadvantages, while comming to it later has a completely different set of advantages and disadvantages. One thing I would like to point out though, is that there will be two sources of apprenticeship experience that won't totally disappear, new players and people trying different skill sets. Was it easier to get apprenticeship experience the first couple of weeks after launch, yes of course. However, that was a transient response, we are starting to see the system in steady-state. The apprenticeship experience was put in asan incentive for player interaction, especially for people who don't interact much to begin with. I don't think the real point is to "gate" your progress, rather it is a potential icebraker. Example below:

Player1: Can someone train me in Trapping I?

Player2: I can.

Player1: Thanks I'm think I'm doing something wrong, it takes forever to get any trap exp.

Player2: Well I can give you a few suggestions....

Granted it's an idealized example, but situtations like this can diffinently happen.

I've noticed it is a lot easier to get AXP if you have "master something" in the title floating over your head. I have a character who is a master artisan. I had a little trouble getting enough AXP to get him there. After I made master, I started having tons of people ask me for training, and quickly maxed out on AXP. It helped that I spent lots of time hanging around the public crafting station in Coronetmaking stuff, so it was easy for people to find me.

Now I am facing the AXP grind for my scout character, too. It isn't easy, especially since scouts spend most of their time out in the wild, not hanging around in cities where the crowds are.

I have to agree with Squid and the guys here.

The whole point of requiring AXP, is (in my opinion) to require you to help out other players. And the thousands of times that I am standing in a cantina, med center, shuttleport or starport that is filled with people begging for training,I know there are players out there who need training.

You just need to be paying attention to when someone asks. Try and get there first. Build relationships with people - there are three Rangers on Bloodfin who know they can contact me as soon as they level and I'll be there to train them. Set up that kind of network.

AXP is tough on the casual player, but if you make it a goal one night a week to go out and get 100 or so AXP, you won't have too much trouble filling it. Just find a crowded area and wait. You won't be disappointed.

B

I agree with Squid in that if you keep your eyes and ears open for training requests, its not that bad of a grind. Especially if you start well before you reach master. Another point of advice that I would offer is to use the /invite command the instant you hear of a training request. I would hang outside of a starport and keep my eye on the chatbox. If you have /invite already typed, when you see a request, all you have to do is to type the name and hit <return>. Don't bother looking for the requester, it takes too long. Use the invite command and (if you are a good typist) you will get the AXP about 8/10 times.

Bazoo,

I'll one up you - make an /invite macro and put it on your quickbar.

B

Doesn't a /invite macro still need you to find and click on the target (if you're using /invite %TT or whatever it is)?

I usually do what Bazoo said.. sit there with /invite already typed and watch spatial chat like a hawk

Which of course has led me to invite MANY people who want skills I don't have because I type faster than I think (at 5 am)

I guess I agree with you in theory. In practice, however, I had about 900 AXP when I hit Master Marksman and I have about 500 right now (need a bit more before I finish Camping 4, lol, the only box I need for Master Scout).I have found that by having skills in many different areas and leveling them all up, you increase your ability to train people. For instance:

You have Scout 4, 3, 3, 2

I have Scout 3, 3, 2, 1, Marksman 2, 3, 1, 2, Entertainer 1, 3, 3, 2 and Medic 2, 1, 1, 1

I am going to get to train more people than you simply because I have the abilities to do so. All AXP goes into same pool, doesn't matter if you got it training marksman, scout, entertainer, chef, weaponsmith, etc.

Maybe I just got very lucky, but I always seemed to find people around starport, shuttleport, cantina, bank who needed training. If some guy runs buy spamming his "I need training" message, type quickly and get him before someone else does.

Good luck!

Maevir Songo

Pistoleer/Scout/Musician

The Concillium

Gorath

/disagree

The system is fine. And it's not just master scout btw, all master levels need the same amount. Maybe you don't realize it, so I'll say it. You don't need special scout AXP, meaning you have to teach scout skills. You get AXP for training ANY skill.

Like you, I realized about halfway through my scout tht I needed that AXP. So I started paying attention and watching for people asking for training, in ANY of the skills I had. By the time I reached and got the final scout xp for master, I already had more then enough AXP.

You win out by being late and slow, because you don't have to pay for it. But it's harder to gain the AXP. Well those who are training you might have had the opposite problem, in that they had to pay for training. I'm a ranger now and I have had to pay for 2 skills so far, because rangers are so few, and Tat is no unpopulated. Even though I am a long way from needing AXP again, I have about 1200 points. This is because when ever I see someone needing training in ANY skill I have, I offer it to them. Sometimes someone gets to them first. When I worked for master scout, I rarly had to /shout I was offering training. Just keep your eye/ears peeled for others /shout to get trained.

Thanks everyone for comments.

I guess I get frustrated by the AXP system because I tend not to have a lot of time to play the game. Sitting around waiting for people who need training can waste a whole evening I have to play - and I tend to enjoy a more active playstyle to one of sitting around, chatting, crafting, etc. I don't mind interacting with people, I just don't like sitting around waiting for them.

I'll get there, I'm sure. I may try to find a novice Scout who wants to team up for some adventuring - where I can help him advance faster and then train him. That would be more fun than camping a shuttleport or cantina.

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Jai-Bri wrote:

I'll get there, I'm sure. I may try to find a novice Scout who wants to team up for some adventuring - where I can help him advance faster and then train him. That would be more fun than camping a shuttleport or cantina.

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Jai-Bri, now you know why it's called "apprenticeship experience".