So, overall, I really do love the new Engineer system-especially how it interacts with other peripheral systems, such as changes to Planetary Surfaces (which will now give clues as to what materials you can find there), Material Brokers, Collector Limpet Filters & increased Storage Limits for Materials & Data.
That said, though, there are certain things I'd like to see for Engineers before this year is over. These are:
1. No need to maximise each grade before progressing to the next: I see what they're trying to do here, & I do respect it, but I don't feel we should have to maximise each grade before we can progress to the next. Instead, I'd prefer it to be 1 upgrade per Grade, then you can progress to the next.....though my opinion on this might change during Beta.
2. Give us multiple paths to rank upgrade: This already exists, to some degree, for some Engineers......so why not extend it to *all* the Engineers? Affiliate all Engineers to a local Faction, so that gaining Rep with the Faction will bleed into Engineer Rank-with optional Faction missions aimed at giving you a one off boost in Rank. Have tasks that you can perform, directly, for the Engineers, that will improve your Rank with them-like bringing Liz Ryder Land Mines & Explosives, or continuing to interact with Black Markets and/or gifting illicit goods for The Dweller.
3. Retain Favours: Dynamic Ranks-be it for Engineers, Factions, Powers or Super-Powers-is a good thing for the game IMHO, & "Calling in Favours" was a big part of this for the Engineers. So I think the mechanic should be retained. Don't have all the materials you need for an Experimental Effect? Call in a Favour to have it applied anyway......how much you lack determines how big a favour you're asking. Want to tweak one of your Module Upgrade Stats (positive or negative) or Experimental Effect Stats (positive or negative)? Then call in a favour to get a random tweak to the stat you choose. For example, you like your upgrade overall, but feel the DPS is a bit weak. Call in a favour & you will get to "re-roll" your DPS stat.....but with a guarantee of improvement.
4. Make Blueprints more flexible: Materials Brokers are a great idea, but there should be other ways to use materials that might otherwise not be useful at the present time. Have 1 or 2 components of a Blueprint be flexible, allowing the commander to offer up materials of greater or lesser quality. Got a Blueprint that requires a standard Focus Crystal? Then maybe you can swap it out for an Exquisite Focus Crystal instead......for a bonus upgrade roll......or swap it out for a Flawed Focus Crystal.....for a penalty to the upgrade roll.
Anyway, those are my general thoughts but, overall, I definitely feel the Q1 Update is a massive step in the *right* direction.
That said, though, there are certain things I'd like to see for Engineers before this year is over. These are:
1. No need to maximise each grade before progressing to the next: I see what they're trying to do here, & I do respect it, but I don't feel we should have to maximise each grade before we can progress to the next. Instead, I'd prefer it to be 1 upgrade per Grade, then you can progress to the next.....though my opinion on this might change during Beta.
2. Give us multiple paths to rank upgrade: This already exists, to some degree, for some Engineers......so why not extend it to *all* the Engineers? Affiliate all Engineers to a local Faction, so that gaining Rep with the Faction will bleed into Engineer Rank-with optional Faction missions aimed at giving you a one off boost in Rank. Have tasks that you can perform, directly, for the Engineers, that will improve your Rank with them-like bringing Liz Ryder Land Mines & Explosives, or continuing to interact with Black Markets and/or gifting illicit goods for The Dweller.
3. Retain Favours: Dynamic Ranks-be it for Engineers, Factions, Powers or Super-Powers-is a good thing for the game IMHO, & "Calling in Favours" was a big part of this for the Engineers. So I think the mechanic should be retained. Don't have all the materials you need for an Experimental Effect? Call in a Favour to have it applied anyway......how much you lack determines how big a favour you're asking. Want to tweak one of your Module Upgrade Stats (positive or negative) or Experimental Effect Stats (positive or negative)? Then call in a favour to get a random tweak to the stat you choose. For example, you like your upgrade overall, but feel the DPS is a bit weak. Call in a favour & you will get to "re-roll" your DPS stat.....but with a guarantee of improvement.
4. Make Blueprints more flexible: Materials Brokers are a great idea, but there should be other ways to use materials that might otherwise not be useful at the present time. Have 1 or 2 components of a Blueprint be flexible, allowing the commander to offer up materials of greater or lesser quality. Got a Blueprint that requires a standard Focus Crystal? Then maybe you can swap it out for an Exquisite Focus Crystal instead......for a bonus upgrade roll......or swap it out for a Flawed Focus Crystal.....for a penalty to the upgrade roll.
Anyway, those are my general thoughts but, overall, I definitely feel the Q1 Update is a massive step in the *right* direction.
