Squad Leader Archive
Thread: Here's a Novel Idea: Squad Leader Mission Terminals!
It seems that every other profession has their own terminals: Artisan, Entertainer, Explorer (Ranger), Bounty Hunter, Smugglers(I think, if they don't, they SHOULD), Faction....Why not a Squad Leader Mission Terminal??
This would accomplish a number of things: 1. Encourage more people to become Squad Leaders just for the ability to access these terminals. 2. Increase the value of the Squad Leader profession by being THE source for high level group missions. 3. Encourage group play altogether, something the Devs have claimed is a high-level goal for SWG. 4. Answer the players' call for "more content" by creating multi-part missions not unlike CoA Act II. 5. Answer the devs' call for a way to attract players attention to content.
With all these goals in mind, and an appreciation for what the content writers are capable of after playing through Act II, I think we could agree that the developers and writers could really take this idea and run with it. Naturally, we all want to see the current SL skills FIXED and more effective skills ADDED and that can and should take priority... But if the writers came up with a great mission, I can imagine they'll be the ones who start to push for new Squad Leader abilities that become necessary to complete these missions!
I, for one, wanted to be a Squad Leader because I envisioned leading a group of my most distant friends in fierce battles that involved coming up with strategies like proper troop placement, keeping a balanced team I.e. we need a CH or two to handle this enemy, and the smugglers slice the doors open,while the Bounty Hunters go after this other target, and the Commando's take down the fortifications, and the Rifleman/Pistoleers/Carbineers/TKA's/Fencers/Swordsmen/Polearms take on the onslaught, while the Healers and Entertainers keep up the camp that the Ranger set up when he wasn't too busy tracking our prey...
Of course, not EVERY mission would require every profession, but part of the job of Squad Leader should involve building the right team for the job!
Thunderheart, if you're reading this, I appreciate the positive tone you've set and I'd like to continue that... So I hope that people will leave the flame-throwing to the commandos and perhaps post YOUR ideas for missions. I'm sure due to copyrights, that only ideas developed by the SOE writers can be used directly, but I'd love to see some ideas...maybe we can inspire the writers a little. And player-driven content is desirable (and a LOT of fun) so let's get your ideas here!!
If we're constructive, creative and ACTIVE, maybe we'll finally get the attention we deserve and our profession might get fixed before we all just give up! (hurry devs, we're losing hope quickly!!)
What happens when the SL has to logout in the middle of the mission?
Serious question...
The SL is the only one who would have to accept the mission so if he has to leave the mission incomplete, it's only incomplete in his datapad. But just like the current system, if the mission is completed (even if it wasn't the SL that completed the final mission objective) the reward is split among the group.
These missions should be THE high paying ones and should be nearly impossible to solo...or at least too difficultfor ansquad leaderto Solo (but that's not very difficult. 
). A mission designed so that it would require Squad Leader abilities would be a definate plus, but that means GIVING us a unique ability that has value, which in turnmeans actually giving us something NEW.
SL mission = go kill a Krayt Dragon.
The group: Well, we have 20 people anda combat medic wants to join in. That would give us three and they can heal mind now. See ya SL!
And they go find their own Krayt. End of sad story.
I think its a good idea, needs some work around the edges, but a very good idea none the less.
I can see players hanging around SL terminals waiting for one of us to show up and when we do they /shout their skills so they look better than everyone else. lol
Would it be better if it was a multi waypoint mission? Accept one SL mission and it gives you 5 or 6 different waypoints. Hit all of them and you get the reward? Orshould it beone lairwith one type of mob, a super high level mob that is.
One problem I see is how the system will calculate the difficulty level. I would assume that you would have to form the group before you searched the mission list to set your mob level.
Has this idea been posted before?
Make SL viable, useful, full of kickass then worry about the aesthetic extras.
agreed
I definately had multi-waypoint missions in mind, but more importantly, multi-objective missions. Like attack AND defend scenarios, the mission begins with a call for help from a nearby <insert friendly townsperson> camp: They're being overrun by <insert nasty creature> and are unable to <insert another objective>. In order to complete the mission, you not only need to save the villagers from the <insert nasty creatures>, you have to stick around and defend the territory long enough for that other objective to be completed. ...That other objective could be that they need you to bring a medic to heal a poisoned townsperson, or they require the skills of a good artisan to rebuild some piece of equipment, etc. Once all that is completed, maybe the person you save notices that you have a Ranger/Bounty Hunter(for example) among your group and offers your partya chance to go hunt down the <insert REALLY nasty creature> that caused the problem in the first place, for an increased reward.
The mission payoffs should be HIGH to make them worthwhile, but the real reward should come in overall gameplay FUN...and maybe a little uber lootnever hurts.
irott wrote:
Make SL viable, useful, full of kickass then worry about the aesthetic extras.
agreed
I believe I stated that in my initial post, too. This is DEFINATELY not "the fix" for Squad Leader, but it could be "the path" to the fixes for Squad Leader. Look at the Explorer terminals. Nobody knew what what a Ranger was good for until they popped up, and then all of a sudden, not only were people becoming Rangers, their tracking abilities got fixed and they became "in demand".
Yes, I'm a newbie Squad Leader. Yes I'm content being a support character and not a 1337 macro-weilding, powerleveling character. I've done a little of almost everything to find what I like doing the best.
Ok, now that that's out of the way, I have a fewsuggestions... which will probably never be read by the devs since to my knowledge this board is shunned by them.
1) Squad Leaders should be the only ones able to have faction pets (excluding AT-STs when theybecome a vehicle and not a pet. And I'm a rebel.)
2) Creature pets should only be able to be used by creature handlers. (Excluding mounts if they ever get added into the game.)
I think those two changes would make both of those classes more improtant, and cut down on some of the soloing since this game is supposedly group oriented.
Thulium:
I think if the devs instituted your idea, SL mightactually be afun profession. As we all know, doing lair after lair after lair, killing the same dumb animals over and over is boring. Not being a crafter myself, I have no other way of making money. I group when I can (helps with the SL xp, duh, but also for fun), but we're still just killing animals.
Doing a "save the townspeople" mission (higher level MOBS for higher level groups, obviously) is a great idea. It would still be static content, but at least it would add a dimension to the exceptionally boring PvE that currently exists.
Good ideas, keep em coming!
Thunder, if you read Thulium's post, please bring the idea to the powers-that-be. It would help add a LOT to the game, and I don't think (although I'm not a programmer) it would be THAT hard to add the code.
But what do I know.
I love the idea. When choosing missions show the required skills for the mission.
- Have missions that included the majority of skills so that only a well rounded group can complete them.
- Give out badages for complete missions.
- Have multiple endings and ways to accomplish the goal.
- Give small amounts of plot, something the players can follow rather thanjust an insignifigant paragraph.
- Have each mission take at least an entire sitting to complete, Something more engaging than go to a point and kill
- Give rewards that are BETTER than the normal mission terminal. This way there is a motive and drive to have a Squad Leader.
Give us some skills 