Smuggler Archive
Thread: Idea: Smuggler Only Armor
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KaernLegorah
Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:10 am
#1
It certainly sounds strange, Smuggler Only Armor, but allow me to explain. Smugglers are meant to live dangerously, since of course the criminal underworld is supposed to be a dangerous place. Smugglers are on the front lines as their work brings them face to face with authorities on a regular basis (now if we could just get SWG to function this way 
). So Smugglers are in need of some protection in case the local authorities don't like what you're shipping and you've got to blast your way out of there. Wearing regular armors like Ubese or Composite just doesn't look very Smuggler-like, it makes it obvious to your opponents approximately how protected you are, and even before the fight begins it's kind of suspicious for you to come out of your ship decked in Composite head to toe!
). So Smugglers are in need of some protection in case the local authorities don't like what you're shipping and you've got to blast your way out of there. Wearing regular armors like Ubese or Composite just doesn't look very Smuggler-like, it makes it obvious to your opponents approximately how protected you are, and even before the fight begins it's kind of suspicious for you to come out of your ship decked in Composite head to toe!Smuggler's could use their own armor, but it wouldn't be the greatest armor in terms of overall protection. There's a way, however, to make it still worth it: the armor is completely concealable. You wear your clothing <b>over</b> the armor; you can be completely decked out with a shirt, jacket, pants, boots, etc and still be wearing your armor. The big trade off for this concealability is that the armor doesn't offer incredible protection, certainly no more than 40%.
The Pros and Cons that come with this idea (feel free to add your own):
Pros:
- For PvP, you seem like an easy target. If people don't think you're wearing armor then they're going to feel more confident when attacking you, which can give you the upper hand.
- Roleplaying; we Smugglers are meant to be sneaky, what better way to be sneaky than to have an unseen layer of protective armor under your clothing!
- Since the armor offers less protection than armors like Composite, and since it is meant to be concealable, then the Encumberance on the armor shouldn't be very high. So you should be able to wear it all without having to get buffed or eat any food.
- Stun protection. Think about it, here on Earth our Police forces are constantly working on more non-lethal weapons to capture suspects. Sure the Empire is a "kill on sight" type government, but they still take prisoners at times (ie. the crew of the Tantive IV in ANH). A Smuggler is afraid of two things: pissing off his employer, and getting caught alive. Stun protection actually makes sense to have in this armor, and besides the Devs have stated that after the Combat Revamp that Stun weapons won't be such a huge force in PvP like they are now, so in the long run it's not asking <i>that</i> much to have Stun protection in our armor.
Cons:
- The helmet piece of the armor will either be difficult to pull off, or might have to be left out. The reason is that it's hard to conceal armor on your head, and I wouldn't want to force all the Smugglers to start wearing Swoop Helms It would be kind of silly to have to helmet be flat out invisible, but I don't see any other way to appease both the hat and non-hat wearing Smugglers!
- Again, this won't be the most protective armor ever. I'm thinking under 40% protection with Vulnerabilities to Lightsaber and maybe one or two other damage types. See the Pros for my view on Stun protection.
- The armor would probably have to be a Master Smuggler armor. This is really only a Con for the non-Masters, but in some respects it's a Pro for the Masters because it means they don't have to worry about people dabbling in Smuggler just to be able to use the armor.
- The technical difficulties. Adding this armor to the game would be more technically difficult than any other armor because the Devs would have to create an entirely new place for armor to be worn. They could make it slightly less painful on themselves overall by making the chest piece protect the biceps and forearms, that would be at least a little less work than if we had separate pieces for the biceps and forearms.
So, what do people think?
KaernLegorah
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:25 am
#3
Iniaes wrote:You basically just described a PSG.
Except that PSG's last only for one or two fights. I'm talking about an actual set of armor that can last you months.
Mavarus
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:33 am
#4
Yea, I too am getting sick of seeing composite clones everywhere. There needs to be an alternate like protective cloths a tailor could make. We need something more starwarsy which this armor is not. We should have rebel armor that looks like what the rebels wore on endor in episode 6 and the imperials should get good resistance storm trooper armor, it would be more star warsy then for sure.
Pedjo_Gormsenal
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:33 am
#5
I really like the idea... I think I would be cool if they could "slice" their clothes. But they had to get metals and polmers and other such resources do they could fuse they into the clothing. You wouldnt be able to see it. I mean if you had it lik some low end composite like 50% effectivness and 70% special protection on somin. I think it could work plus did Han ever wear armor (except in a new hope as a stormtrooper:smileyhappy
? I would add content and draw more people away from being composite clones.
? I would add content and draw more people away from being composite clones.
WranglerDekar
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:50 am
#6
It's a fine idea and one I have been thinking about as i fall asleep at night haha. But not only do the smugglers need their own but all professions should have their own really...or all of a certain class. Smugglers with what u stated, maybe a commando and bh would be the ones in the comp, the melee fighters in robe style clothing or something like the Tantel, and the ranged fighters in something along the lines of chitin. support like rangers and scouts and squad leaders should have the lightest of all though, but i love the idea of profession armor. Wouldn't look for it for a long time to even come to thought but its great
dorsai78664
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:56 am
#7
Mavarus wrote:
Yea, I too am getting sick of seeing composite clones everywhere. There needs to be an alternate like protective cloths a tailor could make.
I agree. Originally, way back at launch, I thought buffed clothing could be a solid replacement for armor. I was told by numerous TKs at the time that armor would turn out to be more hinderance than help with unarmed because of the encumberance. Now, I can't imagine going after someone with a +25 intimidate inflitration suit and they are hitting me with a Jawa and wearing composite.
Message Edited by dorsai78664 on 08-21-2004 01:56 PM
KaernLegorah
Sat Aug 21, 2004 3:28 pm
#8
Composite is out of hand. When you start seeing packs of newbies running around with CDEFs wearing half a suit of Composite, you know there's a problem!
I'd really like to see more viable alternatives, and they don't just have to be different looking armor that offers the same protection. I think the advantage (for PvP) to the Smuggler Armor I'm suggesting is that people think you're armorless. They'll figure that they can beat on you pretty good before you'll be able to fully equip your armor (or they'll hope you're not carrying any at all). Sure you won't get the same protection as wearing Composite, but you also won't have the encumberance of it.
I gotta agree with WranglerDekar that it would be nice to see people use different armor depending on what profession they are. Put the BH's and Commandos in Composite, the Marksmen, Pistoleers, Carbineers, and Riflemen in Padded, the Melee profession in Tantel or Ubese, etc, etc. Of course they'd have to change the stats on all the armor types if it worked that way, but it would make the game much more interesting and fun instead of walking around cities thinking "oh look, the 15th guy today wearing all black Composite, and look! He's with 2 guys in all bright red Composite, that makes 19 of those I've seen today!"
Unfortunately any new armors will probably be a long way off. I only hope that the Combat Revamp changes Buffs and Armor so that we actually see some variety out there.
I'd really like to see more viable alternatives, and they don't just have to be different looking armor that offers the same protection. I think the advantage (for PvP) to the Smuggler Armor I'm suggesting is that people think you're armorless. They'll figure that they can beat on you pretty good before you'll be able to fully equip your armor (or they'll hope you're not carrying any at all). Sure you won't get the same protection as wearing Composite, but you also won't have the encumberance of it.
I gotta agree with WranglerDekar that it would be nice to see people use different armor depending on what profession they are. Put the BH's and Commandos in Composite, the Marksmen, Pistoleers, Carbineers, and Riflemen in Padded, the Melee profession in Tantel or Ubese, etc, etc. Of course they'd have to change the stats on all the armor types if it worked that way, but it would make the game much more interesting and fun instead of walking around cities thinking "oh look, the 15th guy today wearing all black Composite, and look! He's with 2 guys in all bright red Composite, that makes 19 of those I've seen today!"
Unfortunately any new armors will probably be a long way off. I only hope that the Combat Revamp changes Buffs and Armor so that we actually see some variety out there.
SpaceCobra
Sat Aug 21, 2004 4:16 pm
#9
I think that it is unfortunate that to be on the same level combat-wise as everyone else you might as well be wearing composite armor. That and the fact that combat is so reliant on buffs. That just seems so odd to me. You don't watch Star Wars movies, or read the books, comics, etc, and see all the characters decked out in composite armor (or even some of the lighter armor) and then stop and say, "Hey, doc, you got some meds to help me through this combat?" In fact, there's usually no doctor.
I guess this is the way it's gotta be, but at least there could be more variety to the look of things.
dorsai78664
Sat Aug 21, 2004 4:48 pm
#10
I think the buffs, food, spice, etc. is really more a part of the RPG than continuity. Even among some of the other LucasArts games, you see differences. In KOTOR, you can get as hopped up on drugs (battle stimulants) as you like and they even included cybernetic implants. In Jedi Academy, you are left to just conventional weapons, force armor, and your wits.
But...the balance is on the way.
Velneth
Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:03 pm
#11
The only way I see the balance actually helping all this is if the armor gets a major nerf, with much lower hard caps.
I'd also like to see more variants in appearance, and more specialised armor...
I'd also like to see more variants in appearance, and more specialised armor...
MylesTeg
Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:33 pm
#12
Honestly, I really don't like PvP at all. I just like shooting stuff. But you try to shoot some people, and it's like, "Hold on while I eat my lunch, then do some drugs, and have a smoke." Let's just bust out a weapon and go to work. Forget all that other stuff.
Ipseck
Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:02 pm
#13
have you guys tried the other armors? Some of em look great and don't actually look like armor. Padded, tantel, mabari.. Be creative. I have some uber tantel armor (40% 65/20/19 ham chest) that I like to wear when I'm not buffed. I'm workin on tantel chest, mabari pants, tantel boots and compo or ubese gloves for the armored-but-doesnt-look-it look.
I don't think armor is very smugglery period.. I believe we'd be more about packing light, running, hiding and avoiding getting hit, than being able to take a hit.
I don't think armor is very smugglery period.. I believe we'd be more about packing light, running, hiding and avoiding getting hit, than being able to take a hit.
Message Edited by Ipseck on 08-21-2004 11:03 PM
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