Smuggler Archive
Thread: How the crackdown should work.
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CorellianCowboy
Wed Feb 02, 2005 10:02 pm
#27
I agree that confiscation is way too harsh... I know if I lost my Krayt enhanced, damage sliced DE-10, I'd throw a fit.
I'm tellin you guys, the way to go on this issue is fining and travel restrictions.
I'm tellin you guys, the way to go on this issue is fining and travel restrictions.
yimaz
Thu Feb 03, 2005 6:27 am
#28
Orcajum wrote:
So what if the searching authority were allowed to simply remove the slicing enhancements from a piece of equipment and 'lock' it from being enhanced in the future? Obviously slicing Uber weapons would go down (because if people consider a 25% spd slice 'ruined' then imagine how ruined an unslicable weapon would be), but would allow cheaper weapons to be sliced and made semi-comporable with those Uber weapons. No more whining about 'ruining' a 5-million-cred Kryat DE10 with a 30% speed slice.
Now, I don't know how the mechanics in the game are currently worked, if the coding for a weapon still retains its pre-sliced stats in memory or whatever. If it weren't possible to simply remove the slice, perhaps the search party would just degrade the damage range of the weapon (or effectiveness of the armor) by around 10-15%. Or if even that were too harsh, the item could just suffer an instant 50% decay. These would all be some ways to make the penalties more than just monetary while not completely confiscating million credit equipment.
One of my biggest fears, however, is that the CURB will balance weapons based on the assumption that those weapons will eventually be sliced. That development would essentially destroy any chances of making sliced weapons a rarity instead of the norm. And obviously, if they are still a norm, there can be no criminal enforcement as to the possession and use of such weapons, essentially keeping us useless to the playerbase.
JTGAlpha wrote:
I disagree with all of your solutions, but your problems are right. You wanna get rid of the loopholes? Then get rid of them. Droids only get a pass on scans if they've been modified by a smuggler. Imperials get heavy fines unless they outrank the officer scanning them (and send out a wider variety of Imperials, sheesh-it wouldn't hurt to see a good sized bust or sting by a high muckety muck moff with a full squad at his heels). Confiscation will never be accepted by the playerbase. Death and money are good but the money needs to be upped or percentage based. More stormtroopers are good, but it won't solve anything because the problems still remain. And player bounties need to be more prevalent. I think getting put on the bounty hunter boards will deter a lot of people. Heck, if you DON'T like PvP then perhaps you can opt for a PvE bounty hunter. Who cares. The point is the same. But that's just me.
QFE on JTG's idea 
DragonSnack
Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:46 am
#29
Locate the scanners in the hallways of the star ports. I have never seen more that 1 or 2 non NPCs in that area. and if need be just add an additional room - a"customs inspection" room to the hallway.
Scanners can't be located in the boarding/unloading area - ever get load killed?
Scanners can't be located in the ticket terminal area. Too many players concentrated in that area -JTL takeoffs and ticket buyers.
Scanners can't be locatd just inside the front door. Too much lag coming form the activityjust outsidethe front door
Penalties:
Everyone gets scanned but there is a (just pick a reasonable percentage) chance of an illegal item being discovered.
The per centage of a successful discovery is reduced by 10 per cent for a player that has novice Smuggler skills.
The per centage of a successful discovery is reduced as a player levels up in the underworld brach of sm,uggling and that chance is reduced to 5per cent for a Master Smuggler.
Gotta love the Smugglers
Add a corruption factor. When an illegal item is discovered allow for a small chance for the player to bribe the scanning trooper.
add a penality to reduce the chances of bribery being successful if the player is a rebel.
If the bribe is not successful then the item is confiscated and placed in an locker. the player can then contract with a Smuiggler to "slice" open the locker and retrieve the item.
The player can stand and fight to keep the item.Put more NPCs around to discourage this type of behavior. If the player fights and wins that player gets to keep the item. If the player looses the fight not only does the item get confiscaed but the palyer gets DBed.
Of course the player always has the option of running and trying to avoid paying the bribe or having the item confiscated. Running wouldtag the player as a criminal for a short period of time - 5, 10 or 15 minutes- and be attackable by any NPC in the area.
Anyway you look at it
The scanning process should be an inconvience for everyone . After all it isenforcing the law.
The consequences for getting caudhgt must be severe enough to make people think twice about carrying illegal goods through Star ports.
As far as using scanner patrols outside the citys:
Keep them anduse the same chance calculations to determine if a scan is successful or not.
The consequences should be really nasty. No bribes allowed. The scanningpatrol should havetougherNPCs and more of them.
After allif I'm posted to the sticks I wouldn't be a happy camper and I'd take it out on everything I can possibly take it out on.
ana-mo-cara
Thu Feb 03, 2005 11:25 am
#30
I think you guys missed a critical point in my idea.
Temporary slices of weapons and armor.
Permanant slices what we have now.
Temporary slices last for a couple hours. You slice someones gun and armor. The slice lasts for a couple hours. Thats it after a couple hours the slice wears off, and its no longer a sliced item.
Permanant slices are exactly like we have now. Its sliced it stays sliced. It cannot be unsliced.
The devs could just pop this in to let players decide whether they want the item sliced or not when they pop on. They get a little notice its not like someone is borked off the mark. They logon after it was patched in and get a choice do you want to keep your sliced items sliced. Warning sliced items can be seized by the imperial authorities with no chance of return.
It brings strategic slice use in to focus. If its a pop gun you have thats weak and pathetic. Then you might go with a perma slice. If its a krayt flamethrower with a form fitted stock. You might decide I probabally do not want this sliced until I need it sliced.
The problem with rank is an obvious one.
Rebel colonel gets scanned and gets recognized killed on spot.
Imperial colonel gets scanned but gets a slide.
There is no drawback for being an imperial colonel. Unless the scans are even steven. Where in a game where temporary slices are allowed there is no reason for the imperial officer to carry a sliced weapon in a city.
Planeseeker
Thu Feb 03, 2005 12:27 pm
#31
ana-mo-cara wrote:
I think you guys missed a critical point in my idea.
Temporary slices of weapons and armor.
Permanant slices what we have now.
Temporary slices last for a couple hours. You slice someones gun and armor. The slice lasts for a couple hours. Thats it after a couple hours the slice wears off, and its no longer a sliced item.
Permanant slices are exactly like we have now. Its sliced it stays sliced. It cannot be unsliced.
The devs could just pop this in to let players decide whether they want the item sliced or not when they pop on. They get a little notice its not like someone is borked off the mark. They logon after it was patched in and get a choice do you want to keep your sliced items sliced. Warning sliced items can be seized by the imperial authorities with no chance of return.
It brings strategic slice use in to focus. If its a pop gun you have thats weak and pathetic. Then you might go with a perma slice. If its a krayt flamethrower with a form fitted stock. You might decide I probabally do not want this sliced until I need it sliced.
Aren't powerups basically a "temporary slice?"
I'm looking at it this way: When you slice a weapon you are messing around with the workings of the weapon to the point that you are not able to undo what has been done. If slices were temporary, it would be the same as a powerup. A temp fix that boosts one of the stats. I don't think your idea is bad, just redundant unless they remove powerups.
I would be more interested in some item that conceals the fact that the weapon has been sliced, giving the person a % chance that they can avoid the scan. Smugglers craft it and have to use it when slicing the item (as it would have to be placed on the weapon at the end of ths slice), and permanently affects scans.
This could even be an item like the different items shipwrights use to enhance one aspect of an item with a loss to another. Meaning a higher slice but lower % on scans or the other way around.
My 2 cr. Thoughts anyone??
Graby
Orcajum
Thu Feb 03, 2005 1:42 pm
#32
So what if the searching authority were allowed to simply remove the slicing enhancements from a piece of equipment and 'lock' it from being enhanced in the future? Obviously slicing Uber weapons would go down (because if people consider a 25% spd slice 'ruined' then imagine how ruined an unslicable weapon would be), but would allow cheaper weapons to be sliced and made semi-comporable with those Uber weapons. No more whining about 'ruining' a 5-million-cred Kryat DE10 with a 30% speed slice.
Now, I don't know how the mechanics in the game are currently worked, if the coding for a weapon still retains its pre-sliced stats in memory or whatever. If it weren't possible to simply remove the slice, perhaps the search party would just degrade the damage range of the weapon (or effectiveness of the armor) by around 10-15%. Or if even that were too harsh, the item could just suffer an instant 50% decay. These would all be some ways to make the penalties more than just monetary while not completely confiscating million credit equipment.
One of my biggest fears, however, is that the CURB will balance weapons based on the assumption that those weapons will eventually be sliced. That development would essentially destroy any chances of making sliced weapons a rarity instead of the norm. And obviously, if they are still a norm, there can be no criminal enforcement as to the possession and use of such weapons, essentially keeping us useless to the playerbase.
Now, I don't know how the mechanics in the game are currently worked, if the coding for a weapon still retains its pre-sliced stats in memory or whatever. If it weren't possible to simply remove the slice, perhaps the search party would just degrade the damage range of the weapon (or effectiveness of the armor) by around 10-15%. Or if even that were too harsh, the item could just suffer an instant 50% decay. These would all be some ways to make the penalties more than just monetary while not completely confiscating million credit equipment.
One of my biggest fears, however, is that the CURB will balance weapons based on the assumption that those weapons will eventually be sliced. That development would essentially destroy any chances of making sliced weapons a rarity instead of the norm. And obviously, if they are still a norm, there can be no criminal enforcement as to the possession and use of such weapons, essentially keeping us useless to the playerbase.
ana-mo-cara
Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:20 am
#33
Actually powerups are slightly different, but it is a valid point that powerups and slices are far too similar. In my oppinion powerups shouldnt do the same thing as slices anyway. They should be for hams accuracy that sort of thing.
Though if you look at the TEF/GCW patch they are pushing now. You will realize that the crackdown is literally over, and smugglers will be worth even less. I can afford to go on leave, and simply pay the 1000 credit fine.
Jaguarrr
Fri Feb 04, 2005 1:20 pm
#34
ana-mo-cara wrote:
Actually powerups are slightly different, but it is a valid point that powerups and slices are far too similar. In my oppinion powerups shouldnt do the same thing as slices anyway. They should be for hams accuracy that sort of thing.
Though if you look at the TEF/GCW patch they are pushing now. You will realize that the crackdown is literally over, and smugglers will be worth even less. I can afford to go on leave, and simply pay the 1000 credit fine.
They can do that. Damage and speed pups are just way more popular.
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