Smuggler Archive
Thread: Revamp Discussion: Contraband/Missions PART 2 (Solutions)
jbezorg wrote:
Smuggle - \Smug"gle\, v. t.
- how tough will it be to get past customs.
- how illegal the item is.
- what ability the smuggler has in concealment
-
what knowledge the smuggler possesses in customs laws
Whenthat fails the smuggler can fall back on deception ( and if spice is dropped from smuggler then it can be replaced by the skill tree 'Deception/Bluffing/Concealment'. after all, Lando and Han were both gamblers and 'Deception/Bluffing/Concealment' could have a level 4ability that reproduces Han's KamikazeCharge on the Death Star in episode 4. )
When all else fails, smugglers can fall back on Dirty Fighting.
Smuggle - \Smug"gle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Smuggled; p. pr. & vb. n. Smuggling.] [Of Low German or Scand. origin; cf. LG. smuggeln, D. smokkelen, G. schmuggeln, Dan. smugle, Sw. smyga to introduce or convey secretly, Dan. i smug secretly, D. smuigen to eat in secret, AS. sm?gan to creep. See Smock.] 1. To import or export secretly, contrary to the law; to import or export without paying the duties imposed by law; as, to smuggle lace. 2. Fig.: To convey or introduce clandestinely.
[Try Merriam-Webster Unabridged.] Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Smuggle - \Smug"gle\, v. i. To import or export in violation of the customs laws.
[Try Merriam-Webster Unabridged.] Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
smug·gle ( P ) Pronunciation Key (smgl) v. smug·gled, smug·gling, smug·gles v. tr.
To import or export without paying lawful customs charges or duties.
To bring in or take out illicitly or by stealth.
v. intr.
To engage in smuggling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Probably Low German smukkeln, smuggeln, or Middle Dutch smokkelen.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smuggler - \Smug"gler\, n. 1. One who smuggles. 2. A vessel employed in smuggling.
[Try Merriam-Webster Unabridged.] Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Smuggler - n : someone who imports or exports without paying duties [syn: runner, contrabandist, mooncurser]
Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University
__________________________________________________________
Okay. drop the ninja and D&D thief references please because I don't want to play that game. I want to play SWG.
A guy who sits in an office all day and buys legal goods in one country/state/city/planet/whatever and transports them in such a way to prevent paying import fees/taxes/etc. is a smuggler.
However, in SWG we are talking about the 'do it yourselfer' i.e. Han Solo.
jbezorg wrote:
Smuggle - \Smug"gle\, <snip>
Following up on my post. If you want to get technical:
A good smuggler would know customs laws inside and out. What they are and how to circumvent them so one could argue that politician be a perquisite for smuggler. That does not fit in with the idealized and romanticized vision of the SWG smuggler so I would be disappointed if that actually happened. This is what 'Underworld' in smuggler is suppose to represent with the some of the same principles being applied to the GCW.
A good smuggler ( the 'do-it-yourself' type represented in the movies and SWG ) would know how to conceal items/people/whatever on themselves and or in various equipment to prevent detection. This requires some preparation though. A smuggler has two options to smuggle in an item. One is to take a hidden route that doesn't require concealment of illegal goods and passing through customs or Conceal the item on their person/ship/whatever and pass undetected by looking like every other traveler passing through customs. This is not disappearing in a puff of smoke or having some ability to be magically be unseen standing in the middle of a starport.
As in the movies, a Smuggler can make 'A few special modifications' to equipment and starships.
HOTDOG wrote:
DND_Cas wrote:
If the rewards are greater for one playstyle over another then the playstyle with the greater rewards is the best playstyle for that profession. Not exactly rocket science that is it?
HOTDOG wrote:
DND_Cas wrote:
Thats not the point here.
The point is that to be the best smuggler you have to be a pvp smuggler. That is wrong.
How is that?
The rewards are NOT greater. They are theSAME but in GREATER amounts.
A low risk might pay 2000 credits for smuggling 100 units of a certain component where ahigh risk might pay 2500 credits for smuggling 300 units of that same component.
So a smuggler who only took high risk missions would get MORE reward but has a higher chance at failing the mission (remember "high risk" pertains to the difficulty of the mission as well as the risk for visibility) and a smuggler who only does the "low risk" would get LESS reward but have a better chance at completing the mission (as it would be somewhat easier and without the risk of PvP).
At this point one could argue- and someone definitely will- that you could complete more of the low risk missions in a given amount of time than the high risk missions; Meaning you could quite possibly earn the SAME amount of rewards in the same amount of time.
So again, how do you see that one type of smuggler would be better than the other? Especially when- as Silversable has pointed out- most smugglers will frequent the low risk missions and rarely attempt the high risk ones?d
Yes the rewards are greater. From GreenMarine on pg1:
DND_Cas wrote:
Yes the rewards are greater. From GreenMarine on pg1:
The rewards for critical missions would be somewhat higher than normal missions. Also, some types of illegal cargo would only be available via critical missions. The RISK is possible PvP as well as other penalties. The REWARD is rare components (if you cheat the supplier) or better cash.
The fact that pvp smugglers get better loot is the problem here not cash. If it were just cash I'd agree with you.
True, if those 'rare components' are such things as hyperdrive parts and componets that the smuggler would want for their ship and if those components are only available in the critical missions, then you're practically forcing the player into PvP.
These rare componets should be handledby completingquests. The smuggler would have2 option for missions
- Low Profile- shipping the goods in small batches making multiple trips making it harder to detect the contraband and reducing the risk of losing the entire cargo if you get boarded.
- High Profile - All of it in one go. harder to conceal and you're most likley lose it all if you get boarded.
I don't care if low profile missions take longer then high profile missions. That's the cost of trading a sure thing for quick turn around.
Don't forget that high-profile missions can also mean there is a higher chance of damaging your ship. So running high profile missions could end up costing you money with downtime and repairs(e.g. Han's troubles with the Falcon in 'Empire Strikes Back').
Sengis wrote:
THE PROBLEM IS MOST UBER ELITE proffs can hammer any scanning party, I think confiscation or unslciing of contraband and heavy fines might be asolution.
Exactly
There is no way that customs would allow a squad of overt Rebels to board a shuttle from Corellia to Yavin. They would simply be arrested or turned away. It is, after all, an Imperial Shuttle.
There is no way a pilot would allow a Rifleman with a sliced T21 in his carryon luggage to travel on his shuttle. He can be arrested for Smuggling!
There is no way that customs would let the Rifleman keep the sliced T21 they found in the luggage going into the cargo hold of said shuttle. They would be allowing him to smuggle!
Slicing should also be risky. The slice is removing safety systems and/or overpowering the weapon. Sliced weapons should have a % chance to blow up on the user if the condition goes under 100. 0% at 100, 100% at 0.
Both the detection and the danger of the weapon failing and blowing up in your hands could be modified by the % of the slice. A lower slice weapon is a safer slice and could also be easier to pass through customs.
...) A pilot learns flight paths and runways, a smuggler learns to asteroid belts, and landing on uneven terrain.
Tawd wrote:
If we smugglers are so sneaky, able to circumvent customs...
Why must we use starports? (IRL Drug smugglers don't)
Itplacatesthesneaky nature, so sought by a Jedi in hiding(Good ol' Ben Ken). Places as well a smalldemand forthe smuggler's transportservices. Why would i want to wander through scrutiny, and metal detectors,a nd gawd knows what else they'd have?
This doesn't mean we can't land in starports, because authorization forging seems a sliceable accomplishment, but launch authorization would likely include a registered flight plan, and much more visual check (cargo inspection, passports, proof of payment for all docking fees, liscence and registration
As per all the rest of the post... you all took the words out of my mouth.
A little tounge-in-cheek fun
Overly friendly female voice enunciating every word slowly at the Starport.
"Now.. boarding.. flight number, undisclosed.. at gate number, first exit door past the maintenance closet.. please have your ticket ready for, a shifty looking bothen, at gate number, first exit door past the maintenance closet.. Please ensure that you, have not checked you luggage at customs.. Thank you for flying, undisclosed."
At the information desk, a confused traveler holding a ticked and a bubbly clerk.
traveler: "Errr..... ".
bubbly clerk: "Yes? can I help you?".
t: "Err... I'm suppose to be on flight... er... 'undisclosed'".
bc: "Do you need directions to the first exit door past the maintenance closet?".
t: "Err.... No...."
bc: "Then how can I help you?".
t: "Ummm... How do I get 30 crates of muon past customs?"
bc: "Oh, that's simple.... ";
Message Edited by Zeon_Zaku on 07-16-2004 11:54 AM