Weaponsmith Archive

• Enhancers and sub-components are now devoid of stats thus removing much of the complexity that provided a challenge for weapon design.


• Removal of power-ups from the game removes a degree of flexibility in weapon design.


• One line of experimentation removes any remaining challenge in creating a custom design, thus giving rise to only cookie-cutter weapons. Furthermore, since one line can be maxxed with little effort, the 12-pt smith is no longer a necessary goal to achieve.


• Constant meddling with the resource caps neutralizing any effort in accumulating the best resource for our product.

...and so on!

I estimated today that the above game decisons translate to a loss of approximately 125 million. I actually don't mind this that much. I consider this to be entirely my fault having put, what I know now to be misplaced, faith in SOE to give us advance warning of such radical, game-altering changes via their much publicized forum setup as Stettin accurately pointed out.

What kills me though is that in an effort to placate the quick-gratification cry-babies, the flexibility, diversity, and complexity that made this game great have been severely reduced, if not entirely eliminated. These elements are the elements that attracted players like myself ... the patient,number-crunching crafter who got as much satisfaction in deciphering weapon design and calculating resource spawn metrics as a BH got from taking down a mark, or a hunter slaying a Krayt. As a result, I was able to create and grow my business and support a very loyal customer base.

However, SOE in one quick, masterful stroke, has effectively removed the serious, devoted crafter from the game. Funny thing is that from a game mechanics point of view, I don't think we will be missed. The way the weapons are right now, they require no skill or design understanding whatsoever. Anyone can create any weapon in the first day they try WS, whereas before anyone could do it assuming they had the patience and put in the effort. As such, there will be a multitude of generic, hardly varying weapons available everywhere. SOE will claim that this means that combat is now more skill-dependent. True, but they define skill as left-mouse-button-clicking speed and aiming as in an FPS. I thought preparing yourself by researching, knowing, and choosing the tools of your trade was also a skill, and that's what the variability of the weapon design brought to the table.

Having said that, I would like to salute all of you smiths out there. For me, this forum is a haven of rational thought and mature conduct. Your inputs were of enormous help and provided a lot of stimulating thought and discussion. Although I was not a frequent poster, I tried to defend our profession as much as I could in issues of resource caps, resource buffs, ranged/melee defense, etc, and there wasn't a single day that went by without me loading these pages. My special salute goes to our corro, Summer, who IMO has done a fantastic job representing us.

I will now move to space, where it seems the last frontier of the true Star Wars experience really exists in this game. I will wear my Master Weaponsmith tag with pride so by all means /wave if you see me around ...

With Respect,