1. Repeat Business:
As it stands currently, all non-combat droids will last you forever without even so much as a tuneup from time to time. The favored way to increase repeat business is through a decay system, though some people have expressed they would rather have another system in place of decay (no proposals on another possible system are available at this time though).


2. Bug Fixing:
There are many bugs with respect to droids and droid engineering that need to be fixed. A good list of them can be found here.


3. Droid Naming:
This is a conglomeration of those who want to be able to give their droids a starwarsy name (something with numbers in it specifically) and those who want droids with personality to be nameable. I believe that the whole droid naming system needs a revamp (for example, there should be a "name" command on them that names them in one shot, they're not creatures that need to learn through repetition). Seperating creature naming from droid naming should make it easier to allow for numbers in their names, as well as allowing the droids with personality to be named.


4. Inherent Function:
I merged together the people just looking for chassis specific bonuses as well as the ones asking for a specific chassis bonus (primarily the BLL's storing extra items). By employing a system of inherent functions in droids, we assure that there will be a wider variety of droids seen used, and add a little bit more "flavor" to the DE profession. We currently have a few droids with inherent functionality (MSE droid gets an additional +10 per detonation module, DZ70 and Probot's have built in combat capabilities, and Power droids can Recharge other droids) but we would like to see this expanded so all (or at least most) droids have specific functions for which they are well suited.


5. Droid Personality/AI:
Droids in the Star Wars universe have always been so alive, yet in SWG droids are very dry. Most just follow you around, and those that do talk do so very rarely and only have a couple of phrases that are used over and over. It would be very nice to see droids react to their environment in an intelligent way (whether that be a talking droid making some comment about the weather or an R2 beeping and whisteling about aproaching hostile targets).


6. Droid Need/Usefulness:
This is a conglomeration of requests for new modules and requests that droids be made integral for most if not all professions. The role of droids currently is mostly as extra tools, things that may give a minor bonus to some existing skill or add some convenience. Ideally there would be some skills/abilities in game that required droids to be completed in a reasonable manner. If you look at the current crafting professions that do the most business, you'll notice that they are all required or all but required for various professions. Architects are required by crafters for their harvesters, Weaponsmiths are required by combatants for their weapons, and armorsmiths and chefs are required by combatants to be competative/successful. Droids, on the other hand, are a convenience and possibly a small bonus, but never really a necessity.


7. Combat Droids:
Since the release of Episodes 1 and 2, combat droids have been an integral part of the Star Wars universe, however they are only present in the game as opponents. All other major icons of Star Wars (Jedi, smugglers, BHs, pilots) are available to players, and now many want droids. "Can you make me a Droideka" has always been a common question in this profession, and many DE's would like to be able to answer yes. This issue has been discussed in the past and it was determined that a droid commander/droid handler profession was the only way to get strong combat droids into the game. If nothing else the idea of higher end combat droids will have to wait until after the combat upgrade, at which point things can be reevaluated from a better perspective.


8. Droid Stats:
The current droid and droid module stats are readable only by DE's for the most part. Anyone else has a very hard time deciphering the ratings and values listed on deeds and modules. The UI needs to be revamped so that it displays all of the droids stats in an easily readable format that lists damages/speed, HAM, armor, and any skills that are required to use parts of the droid.


9. More Droids for Master DE:
This is a combination of people wanting either more droids stored in the datapad or more droids called at one time for master DE's. We were told back during the creature revamp that the ability for DE's to control 2 droids at one time was a definate possibility down the road. The ability to store multiple droids would be quite useful to a DE so that they can have one of each type of droid to show off to the customers. DE's currently have 13 different droid models they can make, each one looking different. Most customers only know what the R2 and protocol droids look like and would like a demonstration of some of the other droids. Yes, we can have a house with all of them on display, but that isn't very convenient for someone out in the middle of theed talking to a customer. The ability to call more than one droid would make some of our existing droids much more useful. A DE could finally use their own repair/power droids to repair/power their own droids.


10. New Chassis:
All other crafting professions in the game have recieved new primary items (guns, armor, clothing, structures, even creatures) except DE's. We are still stuck with all of the same droid chassis that were available to us at launch. Even if the chassis did not add any kind of new function to the game, new artwork would be much appreciated.

Message Edited by Jenden on 02-15-2005 08:32 AM

Message Edited by WarlordRhawn on 02-15-2005 09:11 AM

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WarlordRhawn wrote:

My biggest problem is that droids don't work in a manner that is consistant with the Star Wars universe. Let me explain what i mean by that. Currently you must have a certification in order to make use of the droids features. This is self defeating, as a player I will just skip this step and go about my business. Its faster even this way. If droids were used instead to help compensate for the players weaknesses, we would sell a lot more droids AND they would suddenly have a useful functionality.

This current implimentation is also unstarwarsy. Luke didn't need to be a smuggler to have his R2 unit slice into computers. R2 covered Luke's needs. Han didn't have to have training in Ewok in order for C3PO to do his job. They just didn't it, they did it because that was what they were programmed to do. Droids in SWG should work the same way. Their programming should be assumed to already be in place and thus the player shouldn't have to be certified in order to make use of the functionality. All the player should have to do is tell it to start and then end.

If you want to help me a DE, remove the certs and thereby finally give droids a useful purpose. My alt is DE btw.

Message Edited by WarlordRhawn on 02-15-2005 09:11 AM

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Jenden wrote:

 

The big difference between teh star wars galaxy and SWG is that in the movies they didn't have to worry about "fairness". In your example, if droids could slice weapons/armor, then you are making things unfair/fun for smugglers. That is one of their abilities, and by giving it to a droid that anyone can use you are essentially giving everyone that ability. I believe the way we need to look at it is what abilities can we give droids that either A. are really needed in someone's profession or B. do not step on the toes of another profession (so essentially new abilities that don't currently exist).

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I understand that position, I really do.  I see the wisdom as well in not making the R-units slice since that is a non-basic profession skill.  However I think the developers should seriously consider removing the certs so that the basic level skills can be covered by the droid.  Yes that would devalue that profession some; however, CH's still need the scouting to get to novice CH.  SL's still need exploration 4 to get to Novice SL.  You can also reach a compromise for instance:

A harvester droid can be used by everyone, but do not allow the droid to go beyond Hunting 1 or 2.  If this is done, having hunting three or better is still always better than the droid and thus the tree has value.  At the same time there still is a market for my harvester droid and this solution would be faithful to the Star Wars Universe. 

Also isn't the basic trees kind of like "preparation" for the hybrid/elite classes?  I state this because there are instances where the prerequisite really isn't useful to the player.  The new FS skills comes to mind.  If you look at the developers logic it sure seems that they are saying whats important is that you have the background in your character to enter the more specialized professions.  I would see this as being totally consistant with a removal of the cert system for droids.

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WarlordRhawn wrote:

I understand that position, I really do. I see the wisdom as well in not making the R-units slice since that is a non-basic profession skill. However I think the developers should seriously consider removing the certs so that the basic level skills can be covered by the droid. Yes that would devalue that profession some; however, CH's still need the scouting to get to novice CH. SL's still need exploration 4 to get to Novice SL. You can also reach a compromise for instance:

A harvester droid can be used by everyone, but do not allow the droid to go beyond Hunting 1 or 2. If this is done, having hunting three or better is still always better than the droid and thus the tree has value. At the same time there still is a market for my harvester droid and this solution would be faithful to the Star Wars Universe.

Also isn't the basic trees kind of like "preparation" for the hybrid/elite classes? I state this because there are instances where the prerequisite really isn't useful to the player. The new FS skills comes to mind. If you look at the developers logic it sure seems that they are saying whats important is that you have the background in your character to enter the more specialized professions. I would see this as being totally consistant with a removal of the cert system for droids.

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What if we remove the cert system steal a little from JTL.

Lets say that for an untrained person to use a harvisting module they first need to get someone with exploration 4 to program a skill chip. While programming that chip the scout must choose bone, hide or meat and the droid can then only harvest that material at the level of a novice scout.

Thus anyone can use a harvister droid but its harder and not quite as good as a novice scout. Then we just need apply the same idea to the other modules.

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Talmor1 wrote:

I can agree with that list. While I might have shifted the order around a little, it is generally what I would agree with.

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Rihtan wrote:

What if we remove the cert system steal a little from JTL.

Lets say that for an untrained person to use a harvisting module they first need to get someone with exploration 4 to program a skill chip. While programming that chip the scout must choose bone, hide or meat and the droid can then only harvest that material at the level of a novice scout.

Thus anyone can use a harvister droid but its harder and not quite as good as a novice scout. Then we just need apply the same idea to the other modules.

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What a fantastic suggestion, Jenden what about this?