Weaponsmith Archive

Well a couple months ago my pc went boom, and it took some time but its back up to its previous specs, and has alot of of shiney new parts inside. Anyway in the time I was gone my weaponsmith elapsed into cancelled. Which since I wasnt on was probabally a good thing.

Anywho I have been wondering whether I should reactivate and get back to work, or whether I should just leave my crafter in limbo or pencil it in for death. A number of things are bringing this question on. If I do stay and get ROTW I will not be able to have it on both accounts a drawback. I will also probabally rediscover joy in my combat character. After cu a MBH/MCH/Mmark a level 80 template tank, and will probabally get back into gear with the GCW with improved pvp and pve experience. I had a decent run as a weaponsmith and had alot of fun, but I was always mindful it was fun, because the combat in the game stunk so bad.

Though that said. I found that the profession had alot of problems. Not in much the crafting as filling my role in the community. I found after a time that many characters in the game were able to dovetail crafting and combat with an upside on both. After a MTK could kill krayts and make a fine t21. This was always unsettleing to me a guy out purgeing the wastes of all life could also have the hands of a mozart. This was a big problem. How could I get recognized when everyone and his brother had a weaponshop. Either become a soul dead mass producer at walmart prices, or spend all days doing on hand specialty orders.

That said it felt less then rewarding being the best tusken builder on server when nobody would buy the gun. Dozens of weapons I could make and less then 12 would sell. It was nice to here someone say wow you actually have what I have been looking for. Nobody else has proton grenades or rocket launchers or e11s on their vendor, but I also felt sad that more players were not appreciateing the hard work and time put in to make these things.

Finally I fealt drained by the hours of effort to find that I was hardly makeing any credits. Was never looking to make millions of credits, but for the time it took me to make a gun for 5000 credits I could have ran ten destroy missions and made 40k.

Now I have heard alot of negativity about the combat upgrade on alot of forums, but it strikes me that weaponsmith as a profession will actually be more rewarding not less.

1. Less part time crafters you want to be a level 80 death dealer. You need to put in the skill points no more half hearted things. This means the people that view weaponsmith as a money makeing sideline will need to choose go all the way or drop it. This is not a prod at competition, but a glutted economy is a glutted economy. This in turn will mean that weaponsmiths will actually get more respect from peers. If for no other reason they will no longer be a dime a dozen.

2. More range of weapons to fit special needs. If you do not qualify for a super charged scatter you are going to learn to make do with a regular scatter and so forth. Less of one weapon to kill them all. Only a fly by nighter would be unconsolable over this. This is what made them such a pain anyway. When all you need is 20 resources to make all the money. Why go out and collect specialty ingredients. In my book your not a real weaponsmith if you were torn to shreads by the best phrik/chromium/siliclastic spawn. These guys just sold what sold, and if you want a good the best grenade possible tough.

3. More interaction with customers not less. Which is where the fun really is getting a good rep, being recognized as a big part of a patrons success. Which is what any crafting profession should really be about. Nothing says good weaponsmith like someone showing off what you made with pride, and tales of good service.

I made my liveing in both my professions doing just that. Good service and good rep are golden. When I started BH I was able to get a good reputation for bringing hides and meat to my customers. When I was a weaponsmith I was able to fill all my customers needs, and they appreciated it. I guess I am saying is anything that increases the status of weaponsmith is probabally a good thing. If it had been even a little bit easier. I may have gotten to serve alot more people.

I suspect it could go either way. Personally I hate the level system and the UI changes make it all clunky and less enjoyable to play. Not to mention I suspect my WS will be really gimped and die a lot while harvesting stuff. On the other hand, new guns will mean new sales. Plus a lot of folks will have to downgrade their weaponry because they got spec'd out of their old gun. And maybe fighter types will love it, a bunch of kids will join up because of ROTS and we'll all be pleasantly surprised. But it's pretty likely a lot of people will leave or at least stop logging in as frequently. The traffic on the boards is already slowing and I see less people in live than I did before. So who knows what will happen.

CrazyBob - grumpy old weaponsmith
Check your global south of Dearic on Bria

To true but on the other hand the CU has been what kept many players on the leash without it alot of players that are here will be gone.

I just miss the simple days both ways.

When I provided a craft it was usually highly reguarded. I got in on weaponsmith late, but all my other crafts garnered respect. Even if it was supplying huge chunks of hide off worts.

When you knew who was the guy to go see about getting a good such and such. My datapad used to have seven shops on it. A could for guns a couple for armors one for meds, and one for droids. When chefs improved, and i took up ch I obviously added a couple. Unfortunately alot of crafters seem to have lost real pride in the work.