But ultimately it boils down to the bare bones fact that both PVE and PVP are progression based. This appeals to many MMORPG players regardless of the environment. I agree that they are separate entities and should be treated as such. I also agree that a PVP environment should be driven by competition and not by gear. But as the current plan is for 1.2 , I don't see a push for equality. I only see a form of punishment for those players who are and have been progression driven.

I understand your point Danny. And I absolutely agree. But if the PVP system could be modified to be able to give new PVP players access to "tier 0" or "tier 1" with an amount of certainty that would very likely reduce the "power difference" gap. But currently as the plans for 1.2 are laid it, the cause and effect situation is calling the developers to instead punish those who have put time and effort into gearing themselves adequately instead of implementing a accessible tier of gear for new players.

The exact statement was this : As part of this effort, specifically for PvP, we are also working on changes that will reduce the gear related power difference between new characters at level 50 and players in full PvP gear. We feel that at the current time, this difference is too high. It does mention that the "power difference" will be reduced. That they feel the difference is "too high". Like I stated before, their is a "power difference" in new PVE player's effectiveness and those with gear. Why shouldn't their be a "power difference" for the parallel PVP environment.

I am not calling for the gear to be equal. I am only trying to make a comparison. That new PVE players have a gap in effectiveness between them and people with PVE gear who have put time and effort in order to have that increase in effectiveness. I am only trying to understand what this shouldn't be the same in a PVP environment.

So this post is in regards to : http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=260731 Essentially half way though the post it is stated that pvp gear will be reduced in effectiveness to reduce the gap between incoming 50 pvpers and current 50 pvpers with some amount of gear. Now let me get this straight... If I understand correctly: Pve'rs go through Operations/Hard modes in order to get gear. They do this in order to be able to undertake harder operations/hard modes and ultimately nightmare mode. They have an incentive to gear up in order to more adequately handle PVE encounters. So according to logic. Pvp players do their best to obtain gear in order to more adequately handle PvP encounters. So an incoming level 50 who intends to PVE most also catch up to current level 50 players with adequate PVE gear, in order to be as effective. Why should incoming PvP players be treated any differently? Time and effort rewards PVE players with gear. This gear sets them from the rest of the community in terms of their effectiveness in handling PVE environments. This same effort rewards PVP players. The time and effort you put in to the game should yield moderate results. Parallel and equal to the rewards that a PVE player gets for their perseverance. If PvP gear is , well for lack of a better word "standardized" to a certain extent. What is there to differentiate a player who puts in time and effort in order to be more effective than general community at what he or she enjoys, which is success to a certain extent in a pvp environment. Before you start flaming me, declaring that I am an elitist, I am only valor rank 36. And I am not severely geared, I am currently in a mix of centurion/champion gear with many, many holes in it. I am not trying to declare that people with gear should dominate those without it. But I think that degrading those who have put time and effort into obtaining their gear should not be penalized for trying to do well.