Smuggler Archive
Thread: What does the Smuggling Community want from the Smuggler Revamp?
1. Spice experimentation.
2. Experimentation on tools to effect slice outcome (but still maintain some random elements)
3. More things to be illegal ingame. So we have a change to smuggle for players (wishful thinking)
4. Bounty Hunter (player) tie-ins for when we fail special "high-risk" smuggler missions given from NPCs
Message Edited by rexan on 02-23-2004 12:12 PM
RandoQuin wrote:
Deathsticks???? if im not mistaken, those are cigarets...tobacco is not a spice.
that was the stupidest thing ive ever heard from that movie or any moive. the LAMEST joke.
that brought the whole of starwars down a bunch of notches for me. i dont mean, i dont mean to start a war
with you but, i dont agree deathsticks should be spice when its really not.
Well I will agree that it is a pretty lame joke from ol G.L. in Ep2.... but the fact isDeath SticksARE another illegal narcotic in the SW universe.
They would still be an option for smugglers. It would be a little hard to come up with exact stat modifiers for them since they havent had much explaination in the books or movies though. Other than the reason they are called Death Sticks since its very possible to actually DIE when you use them. The stat modifiers would also have to be good enough tomake it worth the risk of a possible death.
I would definetly prefer to see GlitterStim go in for a new spice first though... it was mentioned far before Death Sticks ever were in the SW universe. Its basic effects are like Muon Gold... only WAY better. Would definetly have to go into the Master box as well if it is to be more powerful than Muon and Brandy.
We definetly need something betterto help us compete with theChefs Vasarian Brandy if we are to get spices reworked. Even if it has a longer downer like Nuetron Pixie does. As of right now I can pop 2 Vasarian Brandy AND 1 Muon and have basically NO downer at all.
This really does make the Smugglers Delight (which is currently broken and not working correctly) basically useless for both us AND for the Chefs. I would also think that negating a downer effect would be more in line with something that a Smuggler would do... rather than a Chef. Since a Smuggler woulddefinetly have more experience when dealing with illegal narcotics like spices than a Chef would. Wereally need something that can help us compete with the Vasarian Brandy a little bit more... rather than have our best selling spice become nearly obsolete.
Or maybe (as has been mentioned a few times in other threads) have some sort of interaction between Smuggler's / Chef's that is similar to the way the Bio-Engineers have the link with Chefs now. Possibly use spices as another seperate additive for the foods. With different effects on the overall food result. Seems a little bit more fitting ( IMHO ) to have spices included in food rather than bio-engineered ingredients.
I know I wouldn't eat anything ( in real life ) after somebody told me that they had to go get some DNA samples to make my dinner. LOL
Just figured I would a few thoughts while I wait for my food to finish cooking here 
I havent read all the pages yet, nor all the pages of other posts, but I have heard a lot of (not so brutally stated) "why the hell do we need unarmed 4 if it is not used in smuggler?" I don't know if anyone has said anything similar to what I am gonna say but here it goes anyway.
I think something called "Dirty Fighting" should be more than playing dead and shooting people in the groin. Maybe since we have an unarmed background that is required we should have a move that is a pistol/unarmed combo attack, similar to but more brutal (and looks cooler) than the animation of /pistolmeleedefense1.
Spices/Underworld: (once again dont know if this has been stated or not)
I know you people think there should be a "smuggling" xp, not just pistol xp. Others have stated that spice should not be crafted, as it isn't it is Smuggled. I think smuggling xp should be used in both skill trees, and you have to smuggle spice in a similar manner to a smuggling mission, which there are many ideas on. I like the idea of jabba/nym/etc factions paying a role in missions, maybe they should play a role in spice also. IE it should cost you X credits to recieve the spice from them (or for them to help you get it from that unheard of planet), and then you actually have to smuggle it past someone/something. Spices should also have better stats in comparison to there downers... why have an 8 minute muon with bad side effects when you can just take a Vasarian Brandy or 2 and some foods with no side effects?
And lastly I think any ideas should be fully thought through. We can't make smugglers too l33t, or else there will be an TON of new smugglers and there won't be any competition in goods. We also have to think about how one smuggling tree should work with the others, take Creature Handler for example, you have to have some skills to tame the pet, some to be able to call it, and some to teach it.The smuggler proffesion should be "weaved" togethor like this, should have good bonuses, but should also have a certain "fail" rate, and maybe you can lose money (or even xp). Other proffesions have "fail" rates, any crafting proffesion does (Oh **edit** I just wasted 100k on these looted items to make this modded backpack and I failed... **edit**, or What the **edit** do you mean these crates of guns are cruddy compared to what (insertthebestweaponsmithonyourgalaxy'sname) makes?? I spent 500k on the resources, the power, and factory cost!!) There should be alot of reasons why you would want to be a smuggler... but maybe some that would keep you away from the risks of smuggling (OMG It is smuggling for christ's sake)
oh and one more thing so I don't forget (once again I don't think this has been mentioned) I think that high ranking imperial officers shouldn't be so prone to smuggled good scans. Maybe the spice is reprimanded or the gun loses condition, maybe one of the troopers kind of sort of tell so and so that you had illegal goods, and you lose some faction. Also kind of tied in to this would be like the "fast-talker" skill, not so sure what lvl it is in Underworld, but I think that the % chance of avoiding scan shouldn't be totally random.... I think you should have to be a fast-talker and go into a conversation with the NPC running the scan, the answers to their questions could affect your likelyhood of succeeding, and your skill level would affect either the % chance or the likelyhood what you say will be positive in determining if you fail or not. This should work in a group also, and you shouldnt have the same chance with a 20 person group as a 1 person group, the more illegal goods there are the less likely you will succeed.
Well that's my opinion,
The Smuggler Mini-Game
First off, I like many of the ideas listed here for Smugglers. I had some thoughts as to the Smuggler Mini-Game so I thought I would list them and ideas/thoughts for each part. Some have been talked about before, and some are new ideas but I thought using some key locations in the SW Universe could really add to the "Star Wars feel"
Objective: To create a mini-game system for smugglers that encompasses many facets of the smuggler profession AND can be flexible enough to be modified in the future space expansion.
Premise 1: The game should focus first and foremost on being a SMUGGLER, not a "hacker", not a "bar brawler", and not a "Faction Point Broker". Each skill on its own could be utilized in part, but the end focus should be on smuggling. I'm glad we can slice, but that should not overshadow the rest of the profession
Premise 2: Player-to-Player Interaction optional (and for the most part the most fun) but not required. We cannot create a game which focuses totally on other players as the sole means of content. We also need a system capable of working around physically meeting with other players. A player should be able to work their skills no matter what time they log on or for how long.
The most difficult part of creating a system for a Smuggler is the fact that loss MUST be factored in. Crackdown has put a start to this but it needs to be more. In order for a Smuggle to occur we need a Buyer, a Seller an Illegal Substance and a means of Transportation. Pulling a Jedi out of the Bounty System is a nice 'game' but it downgrades us from a Smuggler to a hacker, and I don't think that is what our total vision should be, although it could be added into this system. Perhaps we need to think a bit more about what people need and why it would/could be against the law. Force Crystals for one (along with other Jedi components) should be considered contraband and not be able to be sold or moved on the open market. Only by allowing the removal of certain contraband will it force players to enlist the need for a Smuggler. Perhaps certain Components that become contraband like Krayt Tissues would be illegal to sell on the Bazaar, and unable to transport without risk of getting confiscated - the option of getting a Smuggler would look much better. In order to make a Smuggler needed, there needs to be a reason to move things. I think components for making illegal items is a great way to do this (as end-user items are usually not moved in bulk).
Jabba's Palace should be utilized more as a "hub" for underworld activity and expanded to allow more immersion in the game. If you needed something done on the QT, or required Underworld jobs done, Jabba's would be the place to go. Just earning the right to be in the Palace is a plus to some. I would think some of the most elite Smuggler missions would come from hubs such as Jabba's, Nym's or the like. This can add great faction -vs- faction Smugglers as one "underworld empire" might offer more for an item then another.
So using a setting to build atmosphere, lets start with the Cantina, and a Smuggler Operative NPC. There should be two types of missions. One that involves other players, for high profit and risk, and lower paying missions that do not involve other players at all. The Non-player ones are pretty simple pickup and deliver but still involve smuggling and raising/lowering faction due to missions run, but lets talk about a Player Driven Smuggle Mission:
Going on the premise that optional high-end components are illegal, A player needing a Krayt Pearl moved from Tatooine to Naboo would journey to a Cantina and speak with an NPC Smuggler Operative (Who works for Jabba, or perhaps Nym or other Faction Empire). They would enter the location of the delivery (NPC City Cantina or Player Cantina on any Planet with a NPC Smuggler Operative) and also enter the value of the cargo with an amount for a bounty should the delivery fail. A player cantina would have an option to have a Smuggler NPC Operative in there. The bounty must be paid up front, and is refunded (minus say a 20% handling fee for the Smuggler) once the delivery has been made. Should the player not have the up-front money to add for the bounty, then perhaps a Trip to an Underworld Hub where Jabba could choose to put up the Bounty money for say a 30% fee - which is better then having to put up the entire cost. The player would of coarse have to earn the right to be in the Hub in the first place (i.e completed themepark)
A Smuggler seeking work could visit a cantina operative for low level NPC smuggler missions or, travel to a Underworld Hub (Jabba's or Nym's for example) to get the high risk (player based smuggle jobs). Once the job has been accepted by the smuggler, (an NPC Operative or Terminal could be used) The first part of the job is to travel to the pickup location and get the goods (from the NPC Smuggler Operative or perhaps Terminal (less immersive). Then the Smuggler needs to deliver the goods to the location specified (again, an NPC Smuggler Operative) within the time alloted. The Seller/Buyer would be notified of the delivery. Failure to deliver the cargo inacts the Bounty. There should be an increased chance for the smuggler to be searched during the time that he is carrying the cargo.
- If the Smuggler fails the mission (ie was confiscated, etc) then the smuggler CAN choose to visit the Faction Hub and pay for the loss to Call Off the Bounty.
- If the Player Bounty Hunter successfully tracks and kills the Player Smuggler, then the Bounty Hunter gets his bounty and the Smuggler is reduced in Faction or ability to run Smuggles for that faction until they build up trust again. This would require building up faction from -5000 to a positive number. The higher the faction and Smuggler Skill (up to 5000) the better missions the Smuggler is allowed to do for that faction.
- If the Player Smuggler Kills the Bounty Hunter, then the option is given to the Bounty Placer to offer the Bounty again at a higher price, BUT the Smuggler earns a discount on the faction points he will loose once a Successful bounty is carried out. Perhaps instead of dropping to -5000, it is only -3500. The player can still choose to try and pay off his debt to the faction who sponsered it.
So, what this gives is a risk/reward to the Smuggler. It even offers the Smuggler the ability to steal the cargo and offer it to a different buyer (either player or other faction empire) for a higher price *IF* the Smuggler is willing to deal with the consequenses of his actions. It also adds more faction gaming into the system with the Smuggler at the heart of it all. Checking into the Underworld Hubs could list what that faction is looking for and what they are willing to pay.
Once the Space Expansion is put in, this system is easily expandable because it can now include Imperial Boardings, Pirate Assaults, and other Transport happenings to up the Risk for Smuggling. The problem with this system is that it requires material to be confiscated in order to make a Smuggler needed. I suppose just adding them to the Contraband list would work, but it really does not give that extra push that a Smuggler is needed.
I have seen Kav's 2.5 Vision release and like a lot of what I read. Perhaps some ideas on the mini-game from could be merged in with that since his seems a little more detailed from a mission standpoint.
Hello all, I just want to add my .02$ to this thread.
First I want to say that I really like all of the ideas presented here. People are definatly putting some time into their thoughts, I really like seeing that. Makes me proud to be a smuggler. And I want to also say to LodekDall, I think you are starting off on the right foot as Coordinater, please keep up the good work, and chatter.
Now for my thoughts on some of the ideas presented here:
The idea of a Black Market by R07KraytIs one of the best ideas I think I have heard. I really like that idea, and would add a definate tone to the game, IMHO. I don't know how feasable it would be for the DEV's to put something like that into the game is, but it's still a very cool idea.
Tertiushand wrote:
Im easy to please, i like PvP and i think smuggler should somehow be a little more involved.....perhaps slicing Covert Faction Detectors, making them useless for 20 seconds....just enough time to sneak a small group by
Tapion of Ronin
nice idea
With the Smuggler revamp I would like to see the concept of a Star Wars underworld actually fulfilled and realized.
Weapons: Permits to carry weapons of different classes in certain systems . Walk around a major city carrying a T21 rifle and not be questioned byt he authorities? I doubt it. Military grade and higher weaponry should not be so casually displayed in public in major cities. In the wild or small towns of Tatooine, etc sure, but not Theed, Coronet, etc.
Slicing: Modifying a weapon or piece of armor should present a check of the slicer's Underworld skill and if failed, the authorites noticethe illegal modifications you are making and come over to enforce the law. Make slicing a shadier, more back alley kind of operation as opposed to the /shouting in front of a starport in plain few in a metropolis kind of operation it is now.
Spicing: Under the effects of an extremely powerful mind altering substance? Think the authorites don't know what a 'Gold head or a Pixie freak looks like under the influence? Make it so that using these powerful and illegal substances comes with possible consequences should you be caught in public under their influence.
Likewise, if you are walking through Coronet (or another city) past some local security/military or Imperials, are 'fighting to stay conscious' and you _puke_on their spit shined boots, odds are they will stop you to find out what's up.
Smuggling and the Space Expansion (long way off I know, but the ideas all came at once while on break at work tonight)
How in the makers name would someone be able to carry tens or hundreds of thousands of units of a resource like a metal, gemstone, etc around? The weight/inventory space required to carry large quantities of resources needs some adjustment.If this happened, with the advent of player starshipsthere would be little need to own a freighter to haul wares when you can just pick up the HUGE amount of resources, hop a non-player shuttle to your destination, and make the sale. A lot of non-smugglersmake good credits selling resources, and I do not want to nerf their business potential,I would just like to see a little more realism (it's all fiction, I know I know) in the transport of large quantities of resources, hopefully in a way that makes the profession of smuggler feel more like a smuggler and a valuable member of the economyinstead of just a methlab running weapons and armor hacker. Imagine it, you could make a business actually smuggling goods (both yours and those of others) or just simply transporting perfectly legal goods to a destination for another player or an npc (rather see player interaction but would take npc smuggler content as well).
Taxes and tariffs. Transporting resources to another world shoudl involve some kind of payment toboth the planet you are leaving and your destination when it comes to the import and export of resources and...well, anything. Want to dodge the fees? Don't declare it and try to smuggle it in. You may avoid the fees, but then you may get caught andhave your shipment confiscated by the authorities, illegal or not for tax evasion (lol).
Interaction with authorities. I would like to see more radial menu based conversation and such with authorities , with better responses given to those higher in the Underworld line. The better your skill in Underworld, the smoother and more believable your responses and their delivery are, the more likely you are to talk your way out of or through a tough situation with Johnny Law.
Sorry, I know this was longwinded, but it was from the heart. I got sick of grinding professions for an unlockable class I really don't think should even exist in this time frame (unless you are three feet talll, green, with pointy ears), a blue ghost of a tatooine hermit, or a geeky lil farmboy from Tatooine whose father was a force sensitive mass murdering Lord of The Sith. I got so sick of the grind that I just decided to blow it off and start playing a profession I always wanted to try and play long term: Smuggler. Now that I am a master smuggler I really would like to see myself as such and not just a dope dealing weapons hacker who knows a few sneaky tricks with a pistol.
Thanks for your time and thanks for reading,