I've been pondering the subject for a long time, and watching the recent interview with James Ohlen and other Bioware's finest - I caught on the thought that possibly they could have companion characters preform the crafting for you.

This is just random spitting, but there's too many hooks and leads to fully dismiss it.

Facts:
- Bioware has stated Darth Vader standing over a workbench isn't very heroic.
- Crafting will be in the game: "With a twist". Therefor, it won't be VERY different from your average MMO, just a little.

Hooks and leads:
In the KOTOR games, you could use for example hacking and repairing skills of your companion characters to your advantage. Same in Mass Effect. Also, ALOT of Companion Characters are currently released in SW:TOR are 'techies'. They've learned to survive by being smart and crafty. They know technology or security systems. For example the typical robots: R2 D2, T3-M4 - all very skilled repairbots and computer hackers, or the steriotype engineer sidekick: Chewie, Bao-Dur, Mission Vao.

Characters currently having a very 'techie' appearance:
- The Bounty Hunter's 'smart girl': Mayko
- The Sith Warrior's smuggler captain.
- The Jedi Knight's droid.

All in all you can see that there is a possibility that they may use the same trick they used in the KOTOR games: "Should I take T3 because I'll need to break open some doors, or will I take Bastila to split some head?". Though I'm sure Bioware won't make that the only reason to invest in a companion character's "repair" or "security" skills - there is also an opening for crafting here.

Immersion and 'fun':
I'm not sure if there is any way to make this immersive or fun for the player him/herself. Though, I did enjoy KOTOR 2's quest with Bao-Dur, where he knew how to make a lightsaber and what parts I'd need.

Bottomline:
There is an opening to allow crafting to be done by your companion characters, at the advantage of investing in crafting 'points' on them so you do not gimp your own character. Also, having someone else do it for you would further enhance that "being the hero". My theory however ends at the question: "Would this be fun?" because I have no idea. Then again, Bioware are much better game creators than I and I am sure they could find a solution, if this is the route they have taken.

Now brb, I have to tell little Mayko to craft me a sandwich..

Some good ideas there Fedaykin! Another way around the problem would be to possibly take a leaf out of Flagship's book, and use a system similar to Hellgate: London - where you can obtain components, but you use a machine to upgrade your weapon or armour. In the case of SWTOR, it could be a droid which does this, and if you're obtaining components from looted enemies, at least you're not getting out the mining pick and hacking away at nodes of copper, tin, iron and so on.

There has also been a mention of Alchemy in relation to the Sith, and with what happened on (forgive my dodgy memory if I'm wrong with this) the planet of Voss, and I seem to recall someone from Bioware saying that it isn't Alchemy as you might know it from WoW, for example. I don't know whether Alchemy would tie in with crafting or whether it would be used as a mechanism to augment and further differentiate attacks by a specific class for example.

Most of what I'm blathering on about, of course assumes that somehow you will be able to obtain components which can somehow be used to create or augment; however it is entirely possible that perhaps Bioware have a different mechanism for achieving the same ends...

This is a great spin on crafting, I think i've been trying to wrap my head around a system that didn't involve you beating the tin out of the ground. This makes alot of sense within the TOR universe - and like you said even pulls a bit from ME:2's upgrade system. I dig.

The idea of "recovering" components for use in crafting from fallen enemies is an excellent one that doesn't break immersion in the story or game, and on top of that, ANY idea where someone else (even an NPC) is doing the actual GRIND of crafting is one that I will fight for like it was the war for independance.

On the subject of GATHERING, I have no doubt it will work like how you guys suggested.

There will never be a mining pick involved in SW:TOR. Actually, in essence, I think this is the very 'non heroic' thing about most MMO's gathering and crafting system - looking around the landscape for mines. After all 'miners', respect to those gathering humanity's needs aside, is not a very heroic profession. I have no clue or any hints as to how GATHERING itself will be handled. I see no indication anywhere, though I'd thanks for sharing yours!

However that debate is somewhat off-topic: I mainly wanted to hear your thoughts on CRAFTING itself.

I personally believe that Darth Vader could just as easily stand in front of a workbench. Jedi (and presumeably Sith) do craft their own lightsabers, do they not? Though I wouldn't discourage a system that would allow my closests companions to craft stuff for me, so I can focus on shooting stuff better! I don't think there is a grand "need" to keep old Vader away from the workbench but I guess Bioware wants to get things right - so again I agree with them as always.

How does crafting work when Darth Vader (you) is too heroic to stand in front of a workbench? The only answer I can think of is indirect crafting: Ordering one of your closest companions to do it for you.

Though how could this be made interesting? How can this be challenging? What about rare resources? Blood, sweat and tears into that particular special rifle you've always wanted that looks so awesome. When things are so very 'out of your hands', what is the satisfaction part of the craft? I have no idea here.

It would still technically be in your hands as the player. Moving crafting to companions only makes it so your player character isn't doing anything but you, the player, would still be responsible for crafting. The player would still have to somehow obtain the necessary components and order the companion to make the desired item (the grind, if you will) as it is highly unlikely that gathering and crafting will be set-and-forget in any form. It doesn't really change anything in my eyes.

It would change one thing: It would basically take the fun part out of it. Actually doing it YOURSELF. Alright.. Bioware must have a different idea with this then.

Doh. So much for my Mayko sandwichcrafting.

I could see gathering being somewhat automated. Something similar to how you would survey minerals in ME1. You find a resource and mark it somehow and it gives you a slight boost to 'gathering'. Basically every so often a mine or factory or something along those lines that you've invested in would tick and resources you can craft into things are delivered to your ship. By allowing me to boost the productivity of these by finding points around the worlds or investing in parts(either through crafting, looting, or purchasing) and thus allowing me to turn a larger profit off them makes sense to me as a more hands off way of gathering.

As far as the actual crafting goes I've always seen it as heroic. I'm such a bad ass that I make and design my own equipment. That could be just me though.

Well we just have to remember that we play heroic characters, and what are heroic people doing? They order whatever they want instead of searching for it. So there are allready mining companys out there harvesting materials, why not paying them for certain amount and use these resources for the crafting.

That a Jedi crafts his own LS was made pretty clear in Kotor and I don't think they will change much on that but the same can go for any class. A Spy which is crafting/modifing his blaster etc., the same goes with the armor. We are heroic characters, that's why we can beat up several enemies at once and also be a good crafter and good in our profession.

Even I really really liked the SWG crafter paradies... it's too detailed.