Smuggler Archive

I've just recently joined the smuggler profession in the last few weeks, though I've been part of the game since Beta.

With the talk of a real revamp coming far down the road, and the talk of smuggling missions and bounties, I've been kicking around and idea for an Underworld reputation system available to Master Smugglers. Basically, we all need something to do once you hit master to keep things interesting. The idea is that based on your actions in game, you should be able to raise and lower your reputation in the Underworld, gaining you certain perks and certain drawbacks.

Central do the idea, would be smuggler missions, which we'll hopefully have someday. My idea for smuggler missions is that rather than come from a public terminal, they should be mailed to you and/or obtained via special npc's. The mission you receive (shoudl you choose to accept) should be based on your Underworld rank. Obviously the higher the rank, the more complex/difficult mission. And the higher payout you should receive. Perhaps 2 or 3 times a week (make it somewhat random), you get an email instructing to meet a contact at some covert location for a certain shady job proposal. Also, I think missions should be somewhat factional related. If you kill a lot of Jabba employees, he's more likely to send Boba after you than give you a job.

There should be as large a variety of ways to increase or decrease your reputation among smugglers. Obviously completing a smuggler mission successfully should give you a small increase in reputation. Failing or dropping a mission would decrease your rep, (and possibly piss off your employer, depending on the work you've done for them in the past).Hopefully the forthcoming (someday) bounties on smugglers will be of a limited time. Though some system willhave to be in place toprevent someone fromjust not logging in to evade their bounty.Perhaps the limited time would be based onthesmuggler's log-in time rather than real life time. You should get a large increase for evading the BH and an even large reputation boost for killing your hunter. Obviously if you're killed or captured (who knows?) your rep will take a hit.

Other ideas for raising and lowering repuation?

Smugglers who attain a large positive reputation in the underworld should have several bonuses. The first, obviously access to higher level, higher paying smuggling missions. The second should be access to special locations. Such as a backroom in Jabba's, or a safehouse in Theed. They could be used as temporary, limited time hiding spots when you have a bounty on your head. For example, the house in Theed you talk to the guard. "Hey man, the heat is on me, I need a place to lie low." Guard says, "Ok, you've done well for us in the past, you can stay for XXX time, but after that, we can't protect you any longer." The BH hunt time would freeze while you're there, so you can't spend all your time in safe houses, but if you're a certain level, you've earned a breather here and there

Another benefit could be earning the "Sidekick" GreenMachine spoke of? Everyone wants to work with the best. And if your rep takes a nosedive, your sidekick won't want to be associated with you. Perhaps there would be some limited number of static sidekicks with different ranges of skill. So there would be competition among smugglers to gain the best rep so that certain sidekicks would want to work with them.

All good smugglers need informants and sources of information. Smugglers with a high reputation should be able to buy info such as when a bounty has been put on them, and maybe even which BH is after them. Obviously this info would cost quite a few credits.

Other ideas for benefits?

Those who've become well-known (high rep) in the Underworld, will also likely draw some unwanted attention from the authorities (Imperials). The higher the rep, the more likely they would send a BH after you. And also your rep should dictate the number of BH's they send. Lowest level smuggling scum = 1 BH, somewhat low payout for the Bounty Hunter. Highest rated Smuggler on the server = any MBH can take the mission and there is a HUGE payout for the one that gets you. Also, depending on your faction with rival gangs, they may also be interested in taking out the competition once they hit a certain level.

Other ideas for drawbacks?

Well, the idea still needs a lot of fleshing out. And a lot of it might be pretty damn hard to implement, but I think it would add a huge amount to SWG. I welcome any additional ideas/feedback.

Thanks!

_____________________________________________________________________________
Mandarb Nightchaser

Master Smuggler
Master Pistoleer
Teras Kasi Master
Alliance Ace Pilot

all have been discussed and a been agreed appon already... i think... but all we are waiting for is the ok from the devs and the finsihed product.. .which should be around the year 2005... we hope...

I got another drawback suggestion (though I admittedly only skimmed this). If you've got a high rep you've got enemies. How about whatever criminal factions you are enemey to spawns more and/or higher level enemies?

PS: I really wanna find Greck and kill him.

Dayasi Vo'Boda CEO of SCUM PA.
Founders of Agrilatia in the Agrilat Swamps Of Corellia (Intrepid).
Taking Scum and Villainy to a new Level to Serve YOU.
Remember: SCUM does it dirtyAnother Horseman of the Smuggling Apocolypse