Thanks guys... wow... actual helpful advice:) I really appreciate it... i think im going to have to farm a bit by the sounds of it...thats the bit I hate.. with a passion... but if it lets me get back into the game it might be worth it.. i'll try following some of the guides you peeps have mentioned... thanks again very much. here goes nothing:)

Hi folks. I have an issue that im hoping some of you guys on here might be able to help me with... So, im quite a casual gamer..I Love star wars and have enjoyed running 5 toons through the various stories from 1-50. But. Because I have been doing this I have not been grinding gear to run high level content and now I want to do that i find it REALLY hard to get into groups because I don't have good enough gear. Is there something i can do about this? I am in a guild and they take me along on the odd op, but is the only way to get access to high level content to grind gear? If this is true, I fear my time left with SWTOR is limited as it races ahead to keep adding new, higher level content, requiring even higher level gear. Thanks in advance.

I agree... they created something truly great with SWTOR, but instead of focusing on how to make it better and more interesting for players they bolted more, uninteresting stuff onto it!! I bet they could have saved a load of cash too if they just made the launch game (except group finder etc, we needed that:) work better for them and create content inside their original content, not instead of it.. they wont read this anyway so I guess we will see what happens... ever felt like you were having a pointless conversation with someone who really wasnt interested in what you were saying? thats the way i feel about the devs at bioware sometimes....

Ok.. so.. here are my thoughts on SWTOR, a game that I love and really want to do well since it has so much growth left.... 1 Stop creating the same type of content that takes months to create but is consumed in a matter of hours!! In order to keep interest play time HAS to consist of more than just try this new FP, complete that new WZ, get this new companion. How do you create goals that take skill and time to achieve. My suggestion comes partly from Eve online. When players get to level 50 you could add 'Mastery'. Players could do quests, to find hidden books, or scrolls.. then learn these scrolls over a long period of time...REAL time.. they could add bonuses to already learnt abilities.. this principle of real time 'fine tuning' of your character could involve some interesting hunts for lost objects, or a combination of them for crafting.. and players will have to decide which of thier characters they chose to become a true master.. this works VERY well on eve, it takes players years to get to the top of thier abilities and this in itself unlocks the ability to use certain in game items.. Dont take this literally, this principle could apply to a whole host of things but time based learning really works if the reward system is also there. 2. Crafting... Again, an idea taken from another mmo, Neocron. perhaps as part of the mastery system players could get good at creating certain items.. in neocron there were players who devoted a lot of time to getting good at making stuff.. there has to be a pay off though... i suggest high level player crafted items only get a chance to have modification slots based on the skill of the crafter... and these modification slots could also be different to the standard ones currently available.. this opens up a whole new layer of crafting and player economy. with players going for the highest slot weapons and modifcations.. there will not be loads of the same items on the market and players can craft truley unique gear.. 3. use what you have already made!! there are loads of amazing worlds in swtor.. these are really only the 'leveling' worlds.. but why spend all that time creating a universe for levelling and then loads of end game instances?? create loads of end game quests, bosses to kill etc on the existing game worlds... yes i get the need for instances because of the number of people doing end game but find a way of creating a need to use the worlds you already made... I have loads of ideas what this could be but im sure others have too. 4. Allow different level toons able to play together... but make thier level scale up/down depending on thier group.. e.g. a level 50 trooper goes to Coruscant and wants to do the quests they missed earlier... let them join some level 15's, but his power output scales down (in the same way it scales up in WZ's) and he gets social/cash/legacy instead of xp. This would create some interesting mixes of groups and more players available for group play. The problem with swtor as it is, is the level system and drive to end game and then to FP's is more of a funnel through SWTOR, not an existence in SWTOR. I forget the last time i went to the starter worlds... shame because they are so well put together.. I guess my point is (and I have loads more ideas) but the continual creation of consumable content will only fuel the need for more consumable content. Make the content that has been created now more interesting and relevant. Thanks for reading... if you did:)

i know this has probably been said but im going to share it anyway......I just close my client to come on here and say im kinda bored.. i love MMORPG's.. because there are people to quest with and have a laugh...but i have just levelled up my Consular the last 10 levels (now level 45) with not one group quest...every one of the last 4 worlds i have been to has had a max population of .....5......really?? i find that quite dissapointing... i did all the quests on hoth and saw not a single soul... max population was 2.. my whole time there... anyway.. i cant play an mmo like this. i never ever thought I would doubt renewing my sub so soon after launch. please bioware, try and turn this into an actual mmo.

Neocron did it very successfully for years.. I look forward to seeing what GW2 is going to offer. in the mean time I'll keep having fun in SWTOR

guild wars 2 is going to have a combat system.. and i think it will do pretty well:) i think its more about how its implemented..anyway.. i hope they do something with SWTOR...i hope to play it for many years to come.. we will see.

what happened to the last one? just seems that all the new mmo's are employing a more fun combat system..and of all the mmos i have played over the years , aim and shoot has been my most favorite.. simply selecting a target and spamming attacks is one of the reasons i got bored of wow eventually.

Hi. Sooner or later SWTOR will be one of the few MMORPG's that do not employ a combat based (aim and shoot) control system. I have this suggestion for how one could work. All attack powers are principly aim based. BUT. This is how it would work and be fun. Powers are split between instant cast (by hitting the attack button) and "composed" powers. players can power up and chose thier instant cast powers. for example. A Trooper can change the ammo type in thier gun, or even the weapon they are using. add mods such as silencers, larger cannon, scope, grenade launcher . the list is endless.. when they aim and shoot with left mouse they shoot thier primary.. right click could be secondary. all aim and shoot... if they want to activate one of thier "composed" abilities they will need to select it (opening up more options, example, building a force attack, deciding if its aoe, fire, push, healing etc)... and since this means not being able to move (wsad) they select a target as normal using TAB (although not in the same way as the current system, see further down). the list of possible "composed" abilities is also endless.. they could prepare thier weapon for a charged blast for example... chain abilites could be used, first selecting charge, then charge type etc,... When they fire a "composed" ability they will still need to aim to do max damage, BUT, now they have an area of "Focus" . If they get thier target in this area they hit.. the reason for this is because of the amount of time it takes for composed abilites to activate, it would be frustrating if you had to aim carefully and keep missing... if you do not get the target in the area of focus you still have a small chance to hit (again to make it less frustrating) for force and non-force user alike this opens up a whole new system of primary and secondary weapons... force users could carry an orb, or special sabre hit which changes thier instant attacks, non-force could carry a massive variety of secondary weapons, grenades, etc. and the most important this is I think it would be a LOT of fun. this also makes some powers far more suitable in groups.. some even relying on group members to make the power viable.. for example... a force healer could use a power that is aimed at a tank, that channels force rage, or heal.. or a lightening attack that hits his targets.) this would need the massive concentration from the players character and lots of time to prepare, making it far more involving to play. Thanks for reading.. i have developed my ideas for this system a lot further and would be happy to share more ideas.