Publish 28

[Lexx Yovel]

Armor Enhancements

• We are removing armor certifications for all armor wearing classes. This means that any class that is able to wear armor will be able to use Battle, Assault, and Recon armor type, with the following exceptions:

- Mandalorian Armor will still be restricted to Master Bounty Hunters and Master Commandos.

- Jedi will continue to be restricted from wearing armor.

• All armor hindrances will be removed. There will no longer be a penalty for wearing armor.



Armor Loot Drops

• We will be adding more armor loot drops to the game. The power of the armor that can be looted will be proportional to the Combat Level of the MOB.

• These new armor loot drops will use a wide variety of stats and protections.

• We will be adding a much larger variety of clothing armor for all players through loot drops throughout the game, including Jedi exclusive clothing.




PvP Enhancements

• A command will be added that can be used from the tool bar that will allow players to declare from “Combatant” to “Special Forces” in the field. This will take 30 seconds to execute.

• If you are killed in PvP combat by another player, they will be rewarded one of your items chosen at random. This could be either an equipped item or an item in your inventory. No-drop, bio linked, and no-trade items will be exempt from this.

• After you are killed you will have the option of placing a bounty on your attacker. This will deduct the specified amount from your bank account or from your cash on-hand and add the bounty to your killer. Bounties placed on a player will be cumulative, so if multiple bounties are placed on a player, their overall bounty will increase. The bounty can then be claimed by a Bounty Hunter as described below.



Bounty Hunter System

• If the /bountyCheck command fails it will now clear its cooldown timer properly so that it can be used again immediately.

• Bounty Hunters will now be able to use the /bountyCheck command on other players. If the other player has a bounty on them, the Bounty Hunter will be notified of the bounty amount and will then have the option of attempting to claim the bounty. Claiming a bounty will flag both the Bounty Hunter and the target as PvP positive using the existing duel system. (Insuring one-on-one combat.) If the Bounty Hunter kills the target then they receive the bounty and it is cleared from the target. They will also receive the PvP item as described above.




Item Changes

• We will be removing the no-drop, no-trade, and bio-link items off a wide variety of items. These will be primarily quest reward items.




Entertainer Additions

• To allow entertainers the option of engaging in more of the content in the game, we have added combat abilities as part of the progression path. Entertainers will be able to advance through either combat or their normal activities. None of the existing entertainer abilities are being removed, though AI will no longer ignore entertainers.



In addition to these items, we will also working on key fixes and other regular updates that will be released between now and then.

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All of this is good, EXCEPT that one thing. If THAT ever goes live, it might actually scare me from PvP'ing, or playing this game altogether. Imagine fighting in your full Mandolorian suit, only to have it looted by some uber leet PvP'er. Or imagine a poor newbie PvP'ing, only to have his prized possesions get looted.

If the devs want to encourage PvP, that is a terrible way of going about it. I can't seriously expect the devs to implement this (they had people vote on their ideas for death penalties on the SWG forums). If the devs have any sense in them, they'll know this is a terrible idea.

If anything, they should make it so the person who beats someone in PvP gets rewarded, but not make it so the loser has to suffer terribly (and be scared from PvP'ing forever, and possible quit SWG).

[Ty'e X'lor]

Oh goody.... theyve killed whats left of the GCW.

P.S. Is this real or a rumor... if its a rumor chances are its wrong.

[Leviathen]

I still really think they need to bring back Battle Fatigue and combat wounds for entertainers. It was a great idea, it shouldn't have been removed.

I really like the bounty check, great idea to add.

I have mixed feelings about looting each other. On one hand, I see all pvpers having inventories FULL of junk just so that that hopefully gets picked, and honestly, I dont carry much valuable stuff on me. But having things like my expensive weaponry taken from me, I dont like that. I certainly think it will change the face of PVP and it is intriguing to me! It will also somewhat increase the use of player housing, since PVPers will have to contiuously switch between junk items and their normal stuff.

Where is the trader loving?

[Ty'e X'lor]

Yeah but notice, they can take equipped items as well as uequipped. So that means armor and weapons that you will constantly have to re-buy. Somebody will probably have a code of conduct that involves taking the helmet of those hes slain.

[Leviathen]

I think that perhaps that that change my be alterered slightly, seems rather controversial.

Anyone have any idea whats on deck for 28?

[Kurke_Aumea]

If you can loot things off of other players via PvP, then you can kiss PvP good bye. No one will want to PvP if they are going to lose their prized scythe or something like that. I actually like the idea of looting others via PvP, but unless you are forced into open PvP players won't participate because they have too much to lose.

[Leviathen]

I disagree with you Kurke... although I believe initially the numbers will be lower, I think afterwards it will pick up again.

Perhaps what they meant by more loot too is that nothing will be rare anymore.

[Kurke_Aumea]

I mean, say you have this really ncie set of armor or a really nice weapon. Are you willing to risk it in PvP? The only thing you had to worry about before was decay (and I thought they had taken that out???). Now, your prized loot can become someone elses prized possession if you lose at PvP. I just can't picture players putting it on the line like that.

Now, if you have nothing to lose or you're uber at PvP, then it's a different story. But for the time and effort people invest in obtaining some of their items, I just can't picture them risking it all in PvP.

On the flipside, it is something to encourage PvP, but if they would have gotten the GCW to work properly, I don't think something like this would have been needed. It's not that I am against looting other players, I'm just skeptical as to how it will be received.

[Leviathen]

I am quite skeptical as well, but I can just see it leading to people PVPing with not the best stuff they own, just stuff. And that would make an even playing field.

[Kurke_Aumea]

Hehe, you're just too optimistic. lol

I think the bigger question is how many people will really PvP? Yeah, they're being given more incentive to do so, but will they still do it? They just put PvP into EQ, but I heard it wasn't going over too well. I guess people just like to know that they can beat the NPC monster, but beating the player sitting over in the corner is a coin toss.

[Leviathen]

You can't stop Rebels and Imperials from fighting.

The numbers will drop, PVP will still be present, and then it will rise up again. That is what I predict!

And if you aren't optomistic with this game, you end up cancelling your account

[Santos]

Er....dude? thats publish 28....

[Lexx Yovel]

Lol guys, looting in PvP is a terrible idea. I'm shocked it's even being considered... that's already mind boggling in itself.

If they did implement this, I am in no way going to PvP. I'm not going to put my weapons, armor, loot, etc, etc on the line just to PvP. Putting stuff away in storage before you fight is already an inconvenience in itself, and I cant imagine people wanting to store things in their bank everytime they are about to PvP. Also, it's irrelevent, since the stuff you put into the bank is mostly designed for combat anyways.

No one is going to risk losing their item(s) just for PvP'ing. There is not yet a clear incentive for the galactic civil war. The devs need to work on bonuses for the war, not punish people for dying in PvP.

Trust me, people were outraged at decay when it was around... no one (accept maybe the 4% that voted yes for it on the SWG forums) is going to want to lose their items in PvP. The MOST I will stand for is maybe losing some credits (depending on your combat level). Anyone who wants this implemented into PvP is obviously not thinking clearly, on both sides. They are probably thinking it'd be cool to steal an item from an enemy, BUT not thinking about what it'd be like to lose an item to one.

Besides, there are dozens of ways people could abuse or avoid this. They could log off before they die for example.

All I know is that if this is implemented, the already near non-existant PvP will cease to exist completely.

[Leviathen]

I appologize, I read publish 29, not 28.

I think traders need more loving

I agree that it doesn't sounds like a good idea, but it will be interesting to see.

[Santos]

Entertainers get CL90, traders, once again, get short changed...