Smuggler Archive

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electricnomad wrote:

I'm more in favor of putting all the mods in the Slicing line and the Master box. I think access to content should depend on getting as many skillpoints as possible invested in Smuggler, but for something like this, I think it's perfectly acceptable to put all the mods in one line and allow people to specialize if they so choose. Dabblers deserve something in return for their skillpoints, too.

I mean really, if you start making all mods depend on going up a while tier of the skilltree, you effectively mandate that people Master the tree in order to reap any significant benefits. This game should be friendlier to dabblers than that, and should encourage people to specialize (not just in a profession, but in a branch of a profession). It's the only way to prevent cookie-cutter characters from becoming the only type of characters.

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Good point.

What if we used my Smuggler Mission Difficulty modifier in my revamp. Instead rename it 'Smuggler Skill' or something. Have it not only apply to the difficulty of smuggler missions, but the ability of the smuggler to customize and tinker with his personal weapon.

Reach a certain amount of points, and gain the ability to tinker with your weapon a bit more.

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Smuggler_Caylin wrote:

Good point.

What if we used my Smuggler Mission Difficulty modifier in my revamp. Instead rename it 'Smuggler Skill' or something. Have it not only apply to the difficulty of smuggler missions, but the ability of the smuggler to customize and tinker with his personal weapon.

Reach a certain amount of points, and gain the ability to tinker with your weapon a bit more.

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lol, we seem to be quoting and leap-frogging a lot here.

I like the idea of tying in Smuggler Skill that would be in another tree, this would help to alleviate the problem aside from those who decide to invest the skillpoints.

Message Edited by Ryutek on 03-04-2004 05:20 PM

So you don't have to go back through my revamp. Smuggler mission difficulty there progressed so.

+20 at Novice Smuggler.

+5 for every skill box after that.

+20 at Master Smuggler.

Now if that was acceptable, I had smuggler missions go up in difficulty, every +20.

Is it possible to work your tinkering in the same way? +20 would signify 4 skill boxes in Smuggler.

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Smuggler_Caylin wrote:

Is it possible to work your tinkering in the same way? +20 would signify 4 skill boxes in Smuggler.

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Easily. This is specifically why I do not work with numbers until the idea is solid

Based on that principle, it would be easy to just obtain one more tinkering session at every +20, for a total of 6 sessions (like I outlined above). You could leave the "skill" factor all in slicing, or tie it in the same way, thus giving Mastersa slight edge on tinkering with their own weapons as well.

Sound better?

Another concern.

What if the person gets master smuggler, tinkers with their gun, then surrenders.

What then? They have the benefit of a master smuggler tinkered weapon, and then still be able to use it if they went... pistoleer... Squad leader and completely left smuggler.

I would propose that the tinkered weapon itself be certed to the player, and only useable if the person still has the amount of smuggler skill that was used on the weapon.

So by examining it you would see something like this on the gun.

"This weapon has been modified to be exclusively used by Caylin Borealis"

"This weapon has been tinkered with a total of 4 times."

"This weapon requires a Smuggler Skill rating of 80 to use."

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Smuggler_Caylin wrote:

Another concern.

What if the person gets master smuggler, tinkers with their gun, then surrenders.

What then? They have the benefit of a master smuggler tinkered weapon, and then still be able to use it if they went... pistoleer... Squad leader and completely left smuggler.

I would propose that the tinkered weapon itself be certed to the player, and only useable if the person still has the amount of smuggler skill that was used on the weapon.

So by examining it you would see something like this on the gun.

"This weapon has been modified to be exclusively used by Caylin Borealis"

"This weapon has been tinkered with a total of 4 times."

"This weapon requires a Smuggler Skill rating of 80 to use."

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This could work real well. It was a concern I also had, but until tying in "Smuggler Skill" there really wasn't an easy way to maintain any type of limitation.

I had been thinking of making it tied to number of experimentations and cross-checking with current skills, but a simple flag check on Smuggler Skill would be much easier.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I do have it so that the weapon is certed to the player (happens when the player is given the ability to rename the object in the original post)

Message Edited by Ryutek on 03-04-2004 05:35 PM

I thought about this to as well, Caylin. But I kind of thought if you did the grind to master smuggler you deserved that 1 tinkered weapon. Because it will decay and eventually poof anyway if you use it as a primary. And if you want a new one like it you will have to grind up to master smuggler again. I burn thru weapons at a fairly rapid rate but others may not. (yes, I'm zealous when it comes to blasting things).

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Ryutek wrote:

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electricnomad wrote:

I'm more in favor of putting all the mods in the Slicing line and the Master box. I think access to content should depend on getting as many skillpoints as possible invested in Smuggler, but for something like this, I think it's perfectly acceptable to put all the mods in one line and allow people to specialize if they so choose. Dabblers deserve something in return for their skillpoints, too.

I mean really, if you start making all mods depend on going up a while tier of the skilltree, you effectively mandate that people Master the tree in order to reap any significant benefits. This game should be friendlier to dabblers than that, and should encourage people to specialize (not just in a profession, but in a branch of a profession). It's the only way to prevent cookie-cutter characters from becoming the only type of characters.

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The only reason I did not stack all of it in the slicing tree is that I did not want it to be overpowered. After all, if a Pistoleer takes Slicing only, and then is able to "tinker" with his weapon of choice, would that be overbalanced? (And yes, that is a question I'm not certain I can answer atm).

I fear that if it is all stacked into one tree it would be too diificult to implement because of the possibility of being overpowered. Now, if we require two trees instead of a full tier then this would alleviate the problem to an extent as well, and that would not bug me as much.

I don't mind having it all contained within the slicing tree, but I do think it may be unbalanced that way. Granted, you can still get Master Pistoleer and Master Smuggler, or any other combination of elite combat and Master Smuggler, and still achive this, but at least then you have decided to invest the skill points to achieve that goal.

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Since I'd put about 20-25% of the total power into the Master box, I don't think it would be overpowered if it was all in one branch. I don't see the danger in allowing people to get more power if they invest skillpoints. Some players complain about Pistoleers who go into Bounty Hunter for the Pistol mods and shots, but hey, those people invested a load of skillpoints for their mods, and they deserve a reward. Many Pistoleers get Dirty Fighting to augment their profession. Many Smugglers go pick up TKA Meditation. There's nothing wrong with sniping a line of skills to improve yourself, especially when a big chunk of the benefits is in the Master box. If a big chunk of the effectiveness was reserved for Masters, then I just wouldn't see any objections to putting the special powerup effectiveness in just the Slicing branch.

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electricnomad wrote:

Since I'd put about 20-25% of the total power into the Master box, I don't think it would be overpowered if it was all in one branch. I don't see the danger in allowing people to get more power if they invest skillpoints. Some players complain about Pistoleers who go into Bounty Hunter for the Pistol mods and shots, but hey, those people invested a load of skillpoints for their mods, and they deserve a reward. Many Pistoleers get Dirty Fighting to augment their profession. Many Smugglers go pick up TKA Meditation. There's nothing wrong with sniping a line of skills to improve yourself, especially when a big chunk of the benefits is in the Master box. If a big chunk of the effectiveness was reserved for Masters, then I just wouldn't see any objections to putting the special powerup effectiveness in just the Slicing branch.

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Message Edited by Ryutek on 03-04-2004 05:41 PM

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Smuggler_Caylin wrote:

So you don't have to go back through my revamp. Smuggler mission difficulty there progressed so.

+20 at Novice Smuggler.

+5 for every skill box after that.

+20 at Master Smuggler.

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Oh, and I was never hot for that mission difficulty / content distribution plan.

Here's how I would probably do it (more info at the link below):

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Master Smuggler = +15

+8 / +8 / +8 / +8

+6 / +6 / +6/ +6

+4 / +4 / +4 / +4

+2 / +2 / +2 / +2

Novice Smuggler = +5

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http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=smuggler&message.id=44969

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Roadego wrote:
I thought about this to as well, Caylin. But I kind of thought if you did the grind to master smuggler you deserved that 1 tinkered weapon. Because it will decay and eventually poof anyway if you use it as a primary. And if you want a new one like it you will have to grind up to master smuggler again. I burn thru weapons at a fairly rapid rate but others may not. (yes, I'm zealous when it comes to blasting things).

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My weapons last an absurd amount of time. It comes from improvising and getting the most out of my equipment. One pistol, entire pistoleer tree and almost +700k pistol xp in addition, and I'm only down 250 condition. I have not repaired it, and as you can tell, it takes me a long time to go through my weapons.

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electricnomad wrote:

Oh, and I was never hot for that mission difficulty / content distribution plan.

Here's how I would probably do it (more info at the link below):

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Master Smuggler = +15

+8 / +8 / +8 / +8

+6 / +6 / +6/ +6

+4 / +4 / +4 / +4

+2 / +2 / +2 / +2

Novice Smuggler = +5

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Message Edited by Ryutek on 03-04-2004 05:48 PM

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electricnomad wrote:

Oh, and I was never hot for that mission difficulty / content distribution plan.

Here's how I would probably do it (more info at the link below):

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Master Smuggler = +15

+8 / +8 / +8 / +8

+6 / +6 / +6/ +6

+4 / +4 / +4 / +4

+2 / +2 / +2 / +2

Novice Smuggler = +5

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http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=smuggler&message.id=44969

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I have no real issue with that progression plan, I just always liked having things look even through all my stuff. I can easily change my skill progression in this manner. Though what may only take 4 skill boxes in my skill tree to accomplish, would possibly take 7 from yours. Thats quite a bit of differance.