• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Star Wars: The Old Republic |OT| EA: "Let's blow this thing and go home!"

I don't mind the armor so much as long as they make all the designs eventually come in orange versions so I can customize my own look. And they need to stop trying to do just masks/helmets for everything. More hats or head gear variety. Slapping headgear on smugglers for example just doesn't feel right.
 

Tess3ract

Banned
Not all of them are vehicles quests (which I sometimes really hate). Some of them are a fun and different take on the game, like the one where you have to follow the hawks over the terrain in Howling Fjord as they zip around. Times when the gameplay of the quest itself was memorable. The Plants vs Zombies quest is pretty neat too.
Yep, I do it on every character because it's done so well.
 

Jomjom

Banned
Bioware just please implement the ability to lower hoods, visors, etc! I haven't seen my character's head/hair in 40 levels! I don't remember what my character looks like anymore.

I don't remember Jedis in Star Wars canon always with their hood up. It's freaking ridiculous.
 

bjb

Banned
Haven't played in a few weeks since there's nothing to do, but I checked the swtor forums this morning.

There's an overwhelming number of people complaining about dead servers and dying populations.

I knew things were bad, but not this bad.
 

Moaradin

Member
Bioware just put out too many servers. There are a ton of very healthy servers. They just need to merge them is all.

Also we need to see how 1.2 effects the population as well since there is definitely a lot of people waiting for that.
 

bjb

Banned
Bioware just put out too many servers. There are a ton of very healthy servers. They just need to merge them is all.

Also we need to see how 1.2 effects the population as well since there is definitely a lot of people waiting for that.

I don't see merges happening honestly. For one it's really bad press for the game. Likewise it would likely make EA's investors very angry.
 

antonz

Member
Mergers always happen early in an MMOs life. Any good MMO launches with more servers than needed for a better experience then consolidates down to realistic expectations
 
Mergers always happen early in an MMOs life. Any good MMO launches with more servers than needed for a better experience then consolidates down to realistic expectations

Ideally they should merge early on, but few MMOs ever do it when they need to because as said, it's seen as bad press. Players are usually begging for merges, it's what players want to happen, but the publishers never like the message it seems to send even though it's just logical that player interest is going to taper off after a launch window. RIFT players have been asking for one for a long time now since most of the servers have become light population and it wasn't till recently that they finally went and did them.
 

gatti-man

Member
WoW's vehicle stuff was some of the worst type of quests. I could see them adding some variety, but personally they were not fun to me.

WAR's public quests, just like RIFTs were just kill quests, the only thing that spiced them up was the competition aspect I think.

What I would have liked to see is some dynamic events to spice things up like RIFT and whats coming in GW2. I got boring and repetitive in RIFT though, but it was something different.

And I think TOR dropped the ball on generally doing anything with events. They say they got stuff coming after 1.2 but really there should have been at least 1 or 2 unique limited time events since the game launched. Again RIFT did this very well where the game almost had something new going on each month with events.

Events are sorely needed in swtor.
 

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
This was one of the major factors that lead me to quit the game, the lack of incentive to level same factions alts.

During the months of beta i played exclusively Republic so as to role Empire during live, but when i leveled my sorcerer to 50 there was 0 incentive to level another empire alt, no matter how awesome people said the agent story was.

No alternative leveling zones and the very very poor quality of the side quests are a very problem for bioware if they intent to add longevity to the player base. Every quest was a kill quest and every planet had the same quest progression. :(

I hate to pull a "WoW" fact, but one of the thing´s i enjoyed was that even within the same faction, races had a lot of variety to choose from, quest zone wise.

While I'm not going to argue your opinion since if it feels the same to you it feels the same. I will say though that I feel a lot of people make the mistake of comparing 1 planet in SWTOR to 1 zone in WoW. I feel this is unfair since there are a number of planets that have 2 or more zones that are quite different from each other. Belsavis is a good example. It has grassy zones with beautiful plants, an icy area and underground military bases. Voss's grasslands look vastly different than the Nightmare lands. Even Tattooine has flat deserts and rocky areas that have a different feel to them. Now obviously this isn't true for all the planets but it's not fair to say each planet is only 1 zone IMO.

I know when I was leveling up I skipped large sections of the later planets because I was overleveled so I'll still have a lot of fresh content on my second playthrough.
 
While I'm not going to argue your opinion since if it feels the same to you it feels the same. I will say though that I feel a lot of people make the mistake of comparing 1 planet in SWTOR to 1 zone in WoW. I feel this is unfair since there are a number of planets that have 2 or more zones that are quite different from each other. Belsavis is a good example. It has grassy zones with beautiful plants, an icy area and underground military bases. Voss's grasslands look vastly different than the Nightmare lands. Even Tattooine has flat deserts and rocky areas that have a different feel to them. Now obviously this isn't true for all the planets but it's not fair to say each planet is only 1 zone IMO.

Although, many zones in WoW are like that too. Borean Tundra, Vashj'ir, EPL, Desolace, South Barrens, Blasted Lands, Terrokar, etc.
 

Miletius

Member
Eh, the only problem I have with the zones are that they are self contained. It feels a bit claustrophobic and it lends the zones to feel even less dynamic. I would have loved it if the zones were a bit more open, and ideally had several self contained areas for differing levels. Kind of like the NS and Alderaan bonus series, but instead of it being a bonus it is an actual zone in story progression. For example, a "Korriban Wilds" zone would be awesome if it were connected to the Academy area and were for level 30ish Impreials. It's a way to keep the zones fresh, as a level 10 you'd be wondering where all the level 30's were headed. You could explore there and (get your ass kicked).
 

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
Although, many zones in WoW are like that too. Borean Tundra, Vashj'ir, EPL, Desolace, South Barrens, Blasted Lands, Terrokar, etc.

Doesn't change what I said. I haven't played WoW since 2005 so I can only compare to that.
 
Ideally they should merge early on, but few MMOs ever do it when they need to because as said, it's seen as bad press. Players are usually begging for merges, it's what players want to happen, but the publishers never like the message it seems to send even though it's just logical that player interest is going to taper off after a launch window. RIFT players have been asking for one for a long time now since most of the servers have become light population and it wasn't till recently that they finally went and did them.

I think SWTOR has a more "complex" server merger issue then other MMO's with the Legacy system. I think it will happen but it isn't something I believe they are ready to do yet.
 
I think SWTOR has a more "complex" server merger issue then other MMO's with the Legacy system. I think it will happen but it isn't something I believe they are ready to do yet.

They have said the same thing and also it's going to be an issue with character names, and now the Legacy names which are supposed to be unique on a server. Character tranfsers will be the first step which is something that is in the works.
 

Kem0sabe

Member
They have said the same thing and also it's going to be an issue with character names, and now the Legacy names which are supposed to be unique on a server. Character tranfsers will be the first step which is something that is in the works.

If there was a "free" character transfer feature for a single character per account, i would seriously consider re-subscribing to the game to see the new endgame content with my sorcerer, as my server is dead and (at the time i canceled) was impossible to find groups in fleet.

A cross realm group finder would go a long way to mitigate this tho.
 
If there was a "free" character transfer feature for a single character per account, i would seriously consider re-subscribing to the game to see the new endgame content with my sorcerer, as my server is dead and (at the time i canceled) was impossible to find groups in fleet.

A cross realm group finder would go a long way to mitigate this tho.

They aren't doing cross realm group finding any time soon, they just plan on doing cross realm pvp for now. Character transfers are coming, don't know if they will be free.

They should do what WAR did where they put up free character transfers, but they only did it for specific servers and you could transfer from which were low population, and eventually those servers were merged out after people got to move voluntary.
 

Cystm

Member
I can't see a way for them to allow character transfers with the legacy system they have in place. Unless people are willing to create a new name for their legacy or happen to have selected one that is not somehow already taken on their new server.
 

markatisu

Member
Haven't played in a few weeks since there's nothing to do, but I checked the swtor forums this morning.

There's an overwhelming number of people complaining about dead servers and dying populations.

I knew things were bad, but not this bad.

Not to take away from what you said but really you are using the SWTOR forums as a guide?

That place is a cesspool of ignorance and whining. Using them as a standard Bioware should be handing the game out free with 90 days access because its so awful and badly run
 
I can't see a way for them to allow character transfers with the legacy system they have in place. Unless people are willing to create a new name for their legacy or happen to have selected one that is not somehow already taken on their new server.

They should just allow players to have the same Legacy name if they want.

The only negative is that your going to have a ton of ppl cry like babies because they couldn't choose their original intended legacy name before, and now others can have the same name. Forums will light up with the cries for a Legacy name change service.
 

border

Member
Does this game have any kind of a dungeon finder yet? Or dual-spec system?

I quit after my first month because I felt like the lack of those things more-or-less ruined the chances of getting many instances done. I'd like to give it another go, though, if they've brought the game up to speed.
 
Does this game have any kind of a dungeon finder yet? Or dual-spec system?

I quit after my first month because I felt like the lack of those things more-or-less ruined the chances of getting many instances done. I'd like to give it another go, though, if they've brought the game up to speed.

Never had problem doing any instance, have done them all multiple times.

But yea they are adding both eventually, not in yet.
 

Miletius

Member
I can't see a way for them to allow character transfers with the legacy system they have in place. Unless people are willing to create a new name for their legacy or happen to have selected one that is not somehow already taken on their new server.

A mandatory legacy name change upon transfer really isn't that difficult a concept to grasp, nor should it be hard to communicate, implement, and broadcast.
 

bjb

Banned
Not to take away from what you said but really you are using the SWTOR forums as a guide?

That place is a cesspool of ignorance and whining. Using them as a standard Bioware should be handing the game out free with 90 days access because its so awful and badly run

Eh I wouldn't say I'm using them as a guide, I just thought it was concerning to see -so many- threads (and/or posts) regarding a dying population and dead servers.

I mean it makes sense. My entire guild stopped playing almost two months ago claiming there was nothing to do.
 

Francois424

Neo Member
Eh I wouldn't say I'm using them as a guide, I just thought it was concerning to see -so many- threads (and/or posts) regarding a dying population and dead servers.

I mean it makes sense. My entire guild stopped playing almost two months ago claiming there was nothing to do.

It's an ever increasing problem, and a Serious source of frustration for many ppl.
I had to relocate 3 times already, and this time I've got my legacy and all... I really don't want to do it a 4th time as it would take too long.

But MindTrick has dropped 15-20% population in the last month, and it's twice as worst on the Republic side (23ppl on fleet, as opposed to 100 on Imperial yesterday). I hope BioWare get their act togetter and start finding ways to handle the problem(s); they did say they where "looking into it" back in early February, and then nothing... /sigh

Can't wait for 1.2 to spark some accounts to life once more.
 

Moaradin

Member
Imperial has the better storylines. Republic has a few good ones but Imperial Agent and Sith Warrior are probably the best in the game.

Then there is the cool factor.
 

Giolon

Member
I don't think it has so much to do with storylines as it is the Empire being perceived as cooler. Personally, I think the Sith side tries too hard to appeal to your inner-13-year-old sense of cool to the degree that it turns me off playing that side, but throwing lightning around and being evil does seem to attract more people. Many of the Imperial classes do have more flashy animations. Jump squat vs. front flip + ground punch lightning explosion.
 

Draxal

Member
I don't think it' story as Agent's least played while Sorc is most played Imp Side ... and agent's the best while sorc's the worst story for that side.

Another factor, is that it makes sense to play on the more populated side in this game ... no sense playing on a dead side/server ... everything benefits from playing on a more popular side/server now.

Kinda wish they took away same faction pvp, because at least there would be more incentive to roll the other side (Vanilla wow, horde got insta q's because there was less of them, and thus alliance rolled horde to get insta q's).
 

gatti-man

Member
I don't think it has so much to do with storylines as it is the Empire being perceived as cooler. Personally, I think the Sith side tries too hard to appeal to your inner-13-year-old sense of cool to the degree that it turns me off playing that side, but throwing lightning around and being evil does seem to attract more people. Many of the Imperial classes do have more flashy animations. Jump squat vs. front flip + ground punch lightning explosion.

At lvl 15 Jedi story line is non existant and boring. By lvl 15 bh I have a main rival and a great companion. If i had to review the Jedi side of the game i would give it much lower marks than the imp side so far. I must be lucky though bc as I alt there are always atleast 20 people on every planet. Not that I group bc its not worth it but planets don't seem dead.
 

Draxal

Member
At lvl 15 Jedi story line is non existant and boring. By lvl 15 bh I have a main rival and a great companion. If i had to review the Jedi side of the game i would give it much lower marks than the imp side so far. I must be lucky though bc as I alt there are always atleast 20 people on every planet. Not that I group bc its not worth it but planets don't seem dead.

Knight or Counselor?

Knight story ramps up at the end of Coruscant, and then again at the end of Act one.

And there's alot of people on the starter planets/coruscant, you won't start noticing it to be really dead until you reach Nar Shadaa or Tatooine.
 

gatti-man

Member
Knight or Counselor?

Knight story ramps up at the end of Coruscant, and then again at the end of Act one.

And there's alot of people on the starter planets/coruscant, you won't start noticing it to be really dead until you reach Nar Shadaa or Tatooine.

Knight. Nar shadaa is crap and tatooine is huge so i could see why they would feel dead. Tatooine was dead in the movies too.
 

Francois424

Neo Member
Is there a reason why more people go Imperial? Is it really just down to the class names and associations?

IMHO, the imperials have better 2nd zone as well.
Drummund Kaas VS Coruscant ?
- DK is better, and gorgeous looking, and you don't fight crime syndicates only until the end.

The Fleet is also better looking and has less obstacles (no fence for the skill trainers for exemple)
Black Talon > Esseless (BT is a bit shorter and better balanced).

Once you have a character at level 20+ you dont really want to start over on the other side... and you end up with more Imperials.

I do enjoy playing Republic from time to time, but it's too quiet (except on 'The Harbinger' heh.) If I was to play one character only, it'd be Imperial as well.
 

Giolon

Member
At lvl 15 Jedi story line is non existant and boring. By lvl 15 bh I have a main rival and a great companion. If i had to review the Jedi side of the game i would give it much lower marks than the imp side so far. I must be lucky though bc as I alt there are always atleast 20 people on every planet. Not that I group bc its not worth it but planets don't seem dead.

To you perhaps, but different people like different stories. I don't think they're a major motivating factor for people though. Case in point - the Agent's story is most regarded as one of the best, yet it's the least played class. The JK story is fairly well regarded in the community too.

All of these things are transitory. Aesthetic elements like the animations and clothing styles available for your class are not. I think these things have a far great influence than any individual class story. Story ends. The styles for the two factions and individual classes are relatively fixed and then that's what you're stuck with.

I think Imperials also have momentum on their side now as well. Perception is that "Nobody plays Republic" and it's somewhat true. Faction imbalance is something Bioware needs to address, though solutions are hard to come by.
 
Majority of the population even before the game launched and even knew about what stories were what... the imps were the most popular faction by far and also the most popular guild choice as well. Course the bad guys in Star Wars have always been more popular in pretty much all things. 501st costuming, the values of the toys always favored bad guys, the most popular characters, etc.
 

gatti-man

Member
To you perhaps, but different people like different stories. I don't think they're a major motivating factor for people though. Case in point - the Agent's story is most regarded as one of the best, yet it's the least played class. The JK story is fairly well regarded in the community too.

All of these things are transitory. Aesthetic elements like the animations and clothing styles available for your class are not. I think these things have a far great influence than any individual class story. Story ends. The styles for the two factions and individual classes are relatively fixed and then that's what you're stuck with.

I think Imperials also have momentum on their side now as well. Perception is that "Nobody plays Republic" and it's somewhat true. Faction imbalance is something Bioware needs to address, though solutions are hard to come by.

No I'm sorry but the story is pretty bad on just a general objective basis. Jedi don't offer the interesting options of the Sith/dark story lines. Ias aren't rolled because everyone thinks they are the worst class it has nothing to do with story.

I wanted to be light side from go, the storyline talked me out of it.
 

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
IMHO, the imperials have better 2nd zone as well.
Drummund Kaas VS Coruscant ?
- DK is better, and gorgeous looking, and you don't fight crime syndicates only until the end.

The Fleet is also better looking and has less obstacles (no fence for the skill trainers for exemple)
Black Talon > Esseless (BT is a bit shorter and better balanced).

Once you have a character at level 20+ you dont really want to start over on the other side... and you end up with more Imperials.

I do enjoy playing Republic from time to time, but it's too quiet (except on 'The Harbinger' heh.) If I was to play one character only, it'd be Imperial as well.

Heh, I feel the exact opposite on everything you said

- DK is dreary and rainy, I hated it while Coruscant has beautiful views of the city and some colour.
- Esseles had a better storyline than BT
- The imperial fleet is dull black and red, the Pub side is colourful and vibrant

To each their own. I don't know why people like to play on the side that always loses.
 

Cystm

Member
A mandatory legacy name change upon transfer really isn't that difficult a concept to grasp, nor should it be hard to communicate, implement, and broadcast.

Have you read their forums? These are not the most reasonable people we're talking about here.
 

Trouble

Banned
Finally got the PVP speeder that is being removed in 1.2

EoyID.png
 

Moaradin

Member
Mandatory Legacy Name change would be the smart thing to do but you know how MMO players are. They would want their exact Legacy name while totally disregarding the person who has it already on the server.
 

Cystm

Member
Mandatory LegacynName change would be the smart thing to do but you know how MMO players are. They would want their exact Legacy name while totally disregarding the person who has it already on the server.

They just need a shallow means to incentivise it (yes, not being on a decaying server should be enough, but :
People.
) to lessen the impact for selfish players.

Title: "Pioneer."

lol
 
Top Bottom