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[Giolon]

I'm actually glad that it wasn't that speedy. The way transport works in WoW (and most other MMO's atm) sucks. You get wherever you need to be way too fast or instantly.

Traveling around a huge planet and taking time to explore the zones actually makes up the biggest part of an MMO experience for me.
I realised a few months ago that's why I hate WoW so much now. Just insta travel everywhere. There's no immersion or bond with the world anymore. I just sat around SW and portalled everywhere.

I'm not asking for instant teleportation - but if I'm going to be riding on a speederbike, I want to feel like I'm going FAST - like flying through the trees of Endor fast. I don't actually know, but it looked to my eye like an approximately 50% speed increase on the speeder vs walking in that video.

I'd at least hope that we could go twice as fast as on foot on a freaking speeder, come on. Maybe it's something that'll work out like WoW where you get a crappy mount first, and a faster one later. I do remember the really pathetic newbie landspeeders they put into SWG vs. the fancy souped up versions you could have crafted and speed around like a demon.

 

[bjb]

I'm actually glad that it wasn't that speedy. The way transport works in WoW (and most other MMO's atm) sucks. You get wherever you need to be way too fast or instantly.

Traveling around a huge planet and taking time to explore the zones actually makes up the biggest part of an MMO experience for me.
I realised a few months ago that's why I hate WoW so much now. Just insta travel everywhere. There's no immersion or bond with the world anymore. I just sat around SW and portalled everywhere.

Who the hell wants to spend absurd amounts of time trying to get from point A to point B. Under the guise of "immersion".

I mean, nobody made you take those portals in WoW.

 

[BattleMonkey]

Who the hell wants to spend absurd amounts of time trying to get from point A to point B. Under the guise of "immersion".

I mean, nobody made you take those portals in WoW.

I think a problem with the teleports was that it fragmented the world where the population tended to all meet up in the same places instead of being more spread out. Before the portals, you had active community in multiple cities, they were all busy, but eventually you had nexus of portals that just made the most obvious place to be. Suddenly much of the world became barren as everyone would just instantly port back to the same hubs.

SWG had a nice transport system that required semi realistic waiting for transports and such, but of course with time they kept making the transport go faster and faster as people moaned about having to travel.

Obviously in a huge game you will want some speedy transport and not spend tons of time going from point a to b, and don't know if current MMO players will stand for a game that makes travel take so much time.

 

[Shrennin]

I think a problem with the teleports was that it fragmented the world where the population tended to all meet up in the same places instead of being more spread out. Before the portals, you had active community in multiple cities, they were all busy, but eventually you had nexus of portals that just made the most obvious place to be. Suddenly much of the world became barren as everyone would just instantly port back to the same hubs.

SWG had a nice transport system that required semi realistic waiting for transports and such, but of course with time they kept making the transport go faster and faster as people moaned about having to travel.

Obviously in a huge game you will want some speedy transport and not spend tons of time going from point a to b, and don't know if current MMO players will stand for a game that makes travel take so much time.

Although even with the portals pretty much out of WoW now (disregarding the mage's ability to make them), the game is still pretty segmented. WoW may not be all instanced, but it feels like it is and that's a disappointing development from what used to be a pretty open game. I like BioWare's stance on dungeon finders and in keeping the community together. I hope they stick with that stance because that alone will make TOR a more welcoming MMO than WoW (for me, anyway).

 

[The English Conquistador]

Ugh, just got a "testing opportunity" email, filled in the survey and gave truthful answers, as well as what I think would be the kind of criteria they'd be looking for, and I wasn't even accepted.

The fuck?

 

[Giolon]

I like BioWare's stance on dungeon finders and in keeping the community together. I hope they stick with that stance because that alone will make TOR a more welcoming MMO than WoW (for me, anyway).

What is their stance? I haven't been following TOR particularly closely for years.

 

[antonz]

Ugh, just got a "testing opportunity" email, filled in the survey and gave truthful answers, as well as what I think would be the kind of criteria they'd be looking for, and I wasn't even accepted.

The fuck?

Yep thats for the 3rd party focus group tests.

RockjawStephen Reid

The invites (to a survey) that were just sent are part of a short-term market research test - not a general testing invite.

 

[Anasui Kishibe]

god, i need to stop reading this thread. It's so tragically painful

 

[Shrennin]

What is their stance? I haven't been following TOR particularly closely for years.

They are against dungeon finders that allow cross-server grouping and, from what I can tell, even against the idea of dungeon finders in general. I'm not sure if BioWare has said that a general dungeon finder is in the game, but one that allows cross-server grouping will not be in (the pessimist in me says that this stance won't last as BioWare said that they were not against it totally if que times were too long but I do have some hope that BioWare will implement other measures that will not fragment the community).

 

[Nolimit_SS]

So Swtor gaf guild EU:

Allegiance: Republic
Server: Probably PvE (we can let PvP beta testing decide how that turns out)
Members: wizard341, bjaelke, syoaran, fonds...

Any ideas for a name? Reply or send me a PM if you wanna be part of eurogaf's guild

Kill on sight!
I kid, but depends how pvp servers will be, like in Age of Conan or Aion where you were ganked whenever you went into zone with pvp enabled or like in WoW where people were more "tame" (though good old vanilla world pvp was fun)
We'll get more people in time, for both sides I guess, still early

 

[Piecake]

They are against dungeon finders that allow cross-server grouping and, from what I can tell, even against the idea of dungeon finders in general. I'm not sure if BioWare has said that a general dungeon finder is in the game, but one that allows cross-server grouping will not be in (the pessimist in me says that this stance won't last as BioWare said that they were not against it totally if que times were too long but I do have some hope that BioWare will implement other measures that will not fragment the community).

Well, I think having companions tag along if necessary should shorten up those que times

 

[Kintaco]

This coming week will a good week! Got my video card coming on Friday, and last of Finals on Friday as well!

 

[Kintaro]

I would do terrible things to get in the beta. lol

 

[Confused101]

I would do terrible things to get in the beta. lol

I'm getting to this point. Reading information and impressions and watching videos is just not doing it for me anymore. I need the stuff man. Right into my veins!

 

[aett]

I'd love to get into the beta, but my laptop uses NVIDIA Optimus, which only uses the video card when necessary and defaults to the integrated graphics when it's not being used, so the system scanner for the Beta application doesn't pick up my actual video card. Even when I switched the default card to the NVIDIA one, the scanner still only picked up "Intel graphics". Looks like I won't get chosen.

 

[bjaelke]

I'm not asking for instant teleportation - but if I'm going to be riding on a speederbike, I want to feel like I'm going FAST - like flying through the trees of Endor fast. I don't actually know, but it looked to my eye like an approximately 50% speed increase on the speeder vs walking in that video.

I'd at least hope that we could go twice as fast as on foot on a freaking speeder, come on. Maybe it's something that'll work out like WoW where you get a crappy mount first, and a faster one later. I do remember the really pathetic newbie landspeeders they put into SWG vs. the fancy souped up versions you could have crafted and speed around like a demon.

I think the first segway mount you get increases speed with 30-40% and then I heard from someone that you can get a faster one later.

Ugh, just got a "testing opportunity" email, filled in the survey and gave truthful answers, as well as what I think would be the kind of criteria they'd be looking for, and I wasn't even accepted.

The fuck?

Same here. Last time I'll tell the truth

 

[syoaran]

Worth noting that Bioware Ireland are going into a mass recruitment drive phase with community rep's being the brunt of new hires this summer.

EA's European offices are doing the same thing, all aimed at TOR. Makes a September release far more likely at this point.

 

[LowParry]

Man, shit is getting real. If this does release this year, 2011 is going to be my best gaming year ever (unless a future year tops it).

 

[Blackface]

After playing some more, the game is still amazing, but got some major complaints. We will see if they get addressed in a few months.

 

[Kintaro]

If TOR and DIablo 3 launch this year, I will be in trouble. Like, I may seriously turn into a hermit.

 

[LowParry]

If TOR and DIablo 3 launch this year, I will be in trouble. Like, I may seriously turn into a hermit.

Hasn't Blizzard stated that there won't be any major releases for the rest of the year? Diablo 3 this year though. Goddamn.

 

[bjaelke]

After playing some more, the game is still amazing, but got some major complaints. We will see if they get addressed in a few months.

You better fix (report) it. Can't wait for the NDA to be lifted, so this teasing can stop!

Hasn't Blizzard stated that there won't be any major releases for the rest of the year? Diablo 3 this year though. Goddamn.

They've said, that if they don't release anything this year, we can expect 2 major releases next year.

 

[DodgerSan]

You better fix (report) it. Can't wait for the NDA to be lifted, so this teasing can stop!


They've said, that if they don't release anything this year, we can expect 2 major releases next year.

Definitely. Don't wait and see if they fix it, get it reported. Even if it's something that seems as though it might have already been mentioned, or on 'known issues' faqs on the forum.

If there's a thread on the testing forum, add your voice to it. If not, start one. They need all opinions to be heard.

 

[Fonds]

Our little Eurogaf guild has got a name courtesy of Bjaelke.

GAFFER

It's sort of an abbreviation for Gaming age forum's ? (second F) European Republic
Can be intpreted in a lot of ways. Meaning someone that visits GAF, or someone that's a boss. Or someone that's in our little guild.
If you've got some idea's for filling out the second F, please let it be known
More members always welcome!

 

[Hixx]

'fabulous'

everyone should run around with pink lightsabers.

 

[The_Inquisitor]

Hm honestly haven't been playing it much since I finished downloading it. Finished L.A Noire, andRD: Undead Nightmare. I need to finish Halo:Reach, and I should make a lot of cash from amazon for my trade due by the 19th.

After that, I will pour some more time into the beta. I don't want to break my NDA or anything, but I felt a little put off at first. But I am going to play a bit more and report some bugs before I make a hasty judgement. I know once I get an hour in, I will be playing the "shit" out of it, just need to get Reach done first so I can get a few more pre-orders paid for.

 

[Fonds]

Hm honestly haven't been playing it much since I finished downloading it. Finished L.A Noire, andRD: Undead Nightmare. I need to finish Halo:Reach, and I should make a lot of cash from amazon for my trade due by the 19th.

After that, I will pour some more time into the beta. I don't want to break my NDA or anything, but I felt a little put off at first. But I am going to play a bit more and report some bugs before I make a hasty judgement. I know once I get an hour in, I will be playing the "shit" out of it, just need to get Reach done first so I can get a few more pre-orders paid for.

How bout I play it for ya while you're finishing Reach?

 

[The_Inquisitor]

How bout I play it for ya while you're finishing Reach?

Haha if anyone from Bioware is reading this, I swear to god I will be playing a bunch more over the next week. I have a few games pending for an Amazon trade by the 19th, so I have to finish them ASAP. Once they are out of the way, I can dedicate all my love to submitting more bugs (Already submitted one this beta). I swear I am not spitting your beta invitation in your face!

 

[zugzug]

Who the hell wants to spend absurd amounts of time trying to get from point A to point B. Under the guise of "immersion".

I mean, nobody made you take those portals in WoW.

This person needs to get use to having no community on his server then. I bet he will complain as well that all he does is sit around in (insert main city name) all day cuz there is nothing to do.

Bad reply is bad.

 

[syoaran]

Our little Eurogaf guild has got a name courtesy of Bjaelke.

GAFFER

It's sort of an abbreviation for Gaming age forum's ? (second F) European Republic
Can be intpreted in a lot of ways. Meaning someone that visits GAF, or someone that's a boss. Or someone that's in our little guild.
If you've got some idea's for filling out the second F, please let it be known
More members always welcome!

You should check the implications of what a gaffer means before using it as a guild name haha, its either neutral or negative connotations

 

[bjaelke]

You should check the implications of what a gaffer means before using it as a guild name haha, its either neutral or negative connotations

You mean gafer with one f? I quickly searched the name on wikipedia and urbandictionary before suggesting it and nothing negative came up (except for cumlicker!)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gaffer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer

 

[syoaran]

You mean gafer with one f? I quickly searched the name on wikipedia and urbandictionary before suggesting it and nothing negative came up (except for cumlicker!)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gaffer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaffer

Well, lets put it like this - do you want your uber guild to be known as the guy who fixes up a set (or worse, the tape itself). the 3rd one is new, but sadly even worse haha. Also even at its best, gafer is kinda - deep urban use of the boss, its mostly used to talk about an old man past his prime.

 

[Fonds]

I just checked the guild creation page and GAF'ER was an option.

This might take away any crazy connotations people might have with the name? How does that sound to you?

 

[Blackface]

You better fix (report) it. Can't wait for the NDA to be lifted, so this teasing can stop!


They've said, that if they don't release anything this year, we can expect 2 major releases next year.

I will say this. After playing SWTOR there is absolutely no reason for Diablo 3 to have taken as long as it has. None at all. It has taken as long to develop as SWTOR. And no way is it the same scope. I honestly think Diablo 3 has be done on PC and they are holding it back to close the gap between a PC and console release.

 

[Retrofluxed]

Woo! A new Q&A over at BetaCake. And it's a new leaker instead of vague Deebo.

 

[Dresden]

<straight outta compton>

 

[water_wendi]

Omg i need this game.

 

[zugzug]

Worth noting that Bioware Ireland are going into a mass recruitment drive phase with community rep's being the brunt of new hires this summer.

EA's European offices are doing the same thing, all aimed at TOR. Makes a September release far more likely at this point.

So yeah after reading this I went to look at the Bioware Galway site, to bad Ireland is not handing out work permits to those who earn minium wage. seems like you have to be at the 60k or 75k earner to have an easy time to get a work permit.

They speficially say, able to apply for job without company sponsorship. So you gotta be there already.

TO bad woulda been nice to change of lifestyle move to a new country and work as a CSR on this. If anyone at Bioware reads this if you want someone with a California accent PM me. I'll move myself, if you can provide assistance with work permit. Midle aged adult WTB new job in new country.

 

[Ashodin]

into my veins nowwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[bjaelke]

Woo! A new Q&A over at BetaCake. And it's a new leaker instead of vague Deebo.

That was very extensive. Hopefully it wont come back to bite current/future testers in the ass.

I just checked the guild creation page and GAF'ER was an option.

This might take away any crazy connotations people might have with the name? How does that sound to you?

Fine by me.

 

[Retrofluxed]

That was very extensive. Hopefully it wont come back to bite current/future testers in the ass.

Eventually they are going to have to the lift the NDA. The more people you bring in, the more leaks you are going to get.

 

[bjaelke]

I was thinking more along the lines, that they would limit playtime and new invites until they have revealed the new game system(s).

 

[FGMPR]

This thread continues to make me sad for my lack of beta entry. The game sounds like its coming along great.

 

[D3adend]

Eventually they are going to have to the lift the NDA. The more people you bring in, the more leaks you are going to get.

NDA's for MMOs get dropped soon before release and once things get finalized.
If there are parts of the game that are not satisfactory to BioWare, why drop the NDA?

 

[Retrofluxed]

NDA's for MMOs get dropped soon before release and once things get finalized.
If there are parts of the game that are not satisfactory to BioWare, why drop the NDA?

That is what I was getting at. There is supposedly going to be a "huge" flux of invites at the end of this month. I'm expecting an NDA drop following shortly afterwords.

 

[GasProblem]

Oh god I want to play this game so bad. Finally a MMO with a good story.

I'll be either going Smuggler > Gunslinger (Wookie companion f' yeah) or a Sith Inquisitor > Sorcerer. Or a Bounty Hunter. Or all of them. I'm going to be a hermit when this game comes out.

 

[LowParry]

I should have not read that Q&A. It just has me begging for this game now.

 

[syoaran]

That is what I was getting at. There is supposedly going to be a "huge" flux of invites at the end of this month. I'm expecting an NDA drop following shortly afterwords.

I expect high end content to be only tested by those that proved themselves before in earlier tests, to protect the story against high end leaks (if there is a vanilla end game store)

 

[Hixx]

From the way nda breakers have been describing the game as basically complete I am amazed we don't have a release date. I wonder what EA are waiting for.

 

[bjaelke]

From the way nda breakers have been describing the game as basically complete I am amazed we don't have a release date. I wonder what EA are waiting for.

One thing is tweaking, fixing and balancing the game. Another is testing new content as it is added to the build. We still don't know if they are done adding stuff. I'd assume that the still to be announced game system is not implemented yet. If it was, we'd have heard about it now or at least have an idea about what it is.

EA is having a press conference at Gamescom, where they could announce the release date (late September). They wont announce the date more than two months prior to the release.