From what I'm seeing in-game, at least part of your premise appears to be incorrect. Specifically, this: "Unfortunately, though, legacy gain is proportional to experience gain, and experience gain is exponentially proportional to level. " Apparently, this is not the case. Legacy XP is scaled. I've now talked to a few people in game that have verified that they actually gain legacy xp just as fast (sometimes faster) with low level alts. Apparently, the idea is Legacy is scaled so an hour of play with a level 50 gains about the same as an hour played with a 20. In short, you gain just as much (some are saying more) Legacy XP by playing low level characters. Edit: I haven't verified this myself, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm basing this on what other players that have claimed to have tested it told me.

I think you're correct. I've now spoken to a few players that have tested this, and your explanation appears to be the case. which kind of completely invalidates the point of the OP.

But the LS/DS restriction made it impossible for hundreds of Sith in this game to use a red lightsaber. The LS/DS worked against what you want to see, not for it. Removing the restriction now makes it possible for many Sith players to use a red lightsaber. If your point is that Sith should use red lightsabers, why are you disappointed that they removed a restriction that made it literally impossible for many, many Sith players to use a red saber? The problem lies in the idea that - in the movies - the Sith are the bad guys. So everybody equates red with the Sith and the Sith with evil. In this game, the Sith aren't evil. You can play a good Sith. Which complicates the "lore" issue tremendously. But any way you look at it, there is no lore in the movies or the books that say it's physically impossible for a sith to use a red saber.

Not sure why you quoted me there. I was simply responding to the person that complained the Legacy System didn't do anything for people that don't alt. I was just answering their question. I wasn't making on comment about the implementation at all.

This is an alt-system. This system was designed to encourage and reward alting. It's not meant to benefit people that don't alt. They've said the legacy system is to encourage alts from the start. Here's a quote: "We wanted to have a system that encouraged players to create alts and to play the game through the different story paths. So the legacy system is meant to do that." So no, it's not really for people that don't alt. Just like the new Op isn't for people that don't raid and just like the new pvp zone isn't for people that don't pvp and just like the new FP isn't for people that solo. I hope I'm not coming across as snide here. That's genuinely not my intention. And if I'm misunderstanding your point, feel free to correct me. I'm not always the brightest lightsaber in the room. I'm just explaining why it doesn't have much (if anything) for a main-player. Because that's not who the Legacy is designed to reward. I'm personally very happy to see an MMO actually reward alting (even if it's not perfect). It's a refreshing change for me. When they said this would have perks for a main as well, I took that to mean the main would benefit from a player's alts in various ways. If they've made comments that say Legacy benefits people that never alt, I've not seen them.

Good points. Honestly, I'm not sure why people keep debating the lore over this. No matter what your stance is on the gameplay value of the mechanic, the restriction undeniably violates the lore. Nowhere in the movies or the EU is there a situation where a Sith is physically incapable of using a red saber because of its color.

That sounds like a reasonable explanation. Assuming what you're saying is true (which I'm sure it is), I'd say you're right.

I think the problem you're seeing isn't because the players want those colors. It's because the game mechanic currently won't allow them to use red, even though they're Sith. I suspect after this restriction is removed, you'll see an improvement. I planned on playing a good sith, but as soon as I saw that he wouldn't be able to use a Sith saber, I gave up on the character altogether. I'll likely continue with him now that this is removed. There will still be folks playing with blue sabers, I'm sure, but I strongly suspect many are like me, and would prefer a red saber but the game prohibits it.

It could be that he didn't play his main as much as you played your alt? I don't know if that's the case; just trying to think of possible explanations.

Show me one instance in all of Star Wars where a Sith was physically incapable of using a Red Lightsaber because it was red, and I'll concede the lore argument. You can use the movie canon, EU canon, and even fan fiction that was written prior to this game. That restriction made it impossible for hundreds of Sith to use a red saber. That violates all Star Wars lore, EU and movies alike.

I think all the lore debates about the movies vs the EU are more or less irrelevant because the crystal alignment mechanic violates all movie lore and all the EU lore. Nowhere, in any Star Wars book or movie or comic has a Sith been physically incapable of equipping a red lightsaber. The current mechanic does, in fact, make it impossible for hundreds (maybe thousands) of Sith to equip a red lightsaber. We can debate its value as a game mechanic all we want, but whether or not it violates lore is academic. It absolutely violates lore in every form cf canon that exists.

TOR is part of the same canon that Exar Kun is part of. TOR is EU canon, not the movie canon. It's perfectly appropriate for people to use the EU for a game because it is in the same category.

I agree with the sentiment of this post. LS/DS should absolutely have more meaning. I completely disagree with the specifics. Color crystals was a horrible choice for implementing meaning to the LS/DS mechanic. There's absolutely no reason my smuggler should be limited to a green blaster crystal. Han Solo never shot a green bolt in any Star Wars movie ever. More importantly, this mechanic makes it literally impossible for hundreds of players to play a Sith with a red lightsaber. That's just silly, IMO. A Sith should always have the choice to use a red saber, no matter what his alignment. To prevent that goes against a very iconic element of Star Wars. I'm not saying they should have to use red, but to absolutely prevent them goes against every piece of Star Wars lore in the movies and the EU. There were plenty of Sith that didn't use red sabers, but show me one situation - ever - where a Sith (no matter what his alignment was) wasn't allowed to use a red saber. They do need to give it meaning, but color crystals was a terrible choice. I would rather see certain skills be unlocked via a third tab that are exclusive to your alignment.

I agree with this. I think it's a perfectly reasonable solution. A one-time race change option offered only after that race is fairly unlocked (just like everyone else would have to do) and restricted only to a race that wasn't available when the character was created. That sounds convoluted, I know, but I think it's the most fair solution. On a side note, I'm like you. I'm eager to be swayed on these forums by legitimate arguments. My self-esteem is in no way, shape, or form dependent upon winning a video game forum debate.

Okay, this is actually a better answer than what I gave. I'm personally not pushing for a race change, but I gotta admit, you make a decent point here.

But nobody is asking for a race change option where their character's DNA is changed. They just want to physically be a Chiss. If the people asking for this were totally fine with their characters just being a Chiss in every physical way except DNA, you would still oppose it on what grounds? It's completely acceptable and fits within the technology of Star Wars to have yourself physically changed to be another race. If the people that want this say, "I'm perfectly fine with my character's DNA being a human, I just want him to look - in every way - like a Chiss," would you still oppose the suggestion, based on lore?

So if the only way to implement a race change and maintain the RPG elements would be to physically alter - in every way - your character to look like the other race, that would be the explanation. I gave an explanation that fits the RPG elements. After that, anybody can RP the reason they want. What part of RPG am I missing? I've not seen anybody asking for this change demanding the DNA of their character be altered in the quest dialogue. It's all just a physical change anyway. Once the NPC changes your physical appearance to a Chiss, you're a Chiss. And after that, if the player wants to say they were always a Chiss, good for them.

This confuses me a bit. No characters in the game have actual DNA. It's all just an appearance change. I don't think anybody would care if the NPC text just referred to changing their appearance. The only difference is one line of text from one NPC. After that, the RPers can say whatever they want.

I don't quite understand what you're saying here. I'm not saying your point is invalid or anything, just that I genuinely don't understand. Most of the complaints I've seen have been people complaining because they have been playing alts. It looks (unless I'm misinterpreting what you're saying) like you're complaining that you didn't roll alts? Is that correct? If so, why? Again, I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just genuinely curious.

While I'm personally against the idea of race changes in this game, in the Star Wars universe it's easy to explain. Star Wars has already shown they have the capability to basically make any alterations to someone's physical appearance. A Star Wars version of a plastic surgeon, for example. I mean, people asking for this are just asking that they alter their physical appearance. I'm pretty sure that's accomplished very easily in the Star Wars universe. Just look at Luke's hand. I'm not sure on this as it's something I was never interested in, but I think that's actually something they offered in SWG. I could be remembering incorrectly, though. That said, I think offering an additional character slot is a much better approach, and one that doesn't negate the entire purpose of the Legacy System (to roll alts).

Wonderful attitude. I am a total alt player, and I feel exactly the same way toward WZs, Ops, and endgame FPs. I'm glad to see them adding this content, even if it is content I'll likely never (or rarely) experience.

To clarify, you haven't been paying to beta test their product. They released a product and if you think that product is worth your sub, you pay the sub. Bioware has never asked you to pay for an entertainment product that doesn't entertain you. If this game failed to entertain you, you really should have canceled your sub and check back later. If it did entertain you, then you aren't paying to beta test anything. You're paying to be entertained. I'm playing because it's fun. It's engrossing, it's star wars, it doesn't feel like a race to end-game, and I'm genuinely interested in the story. Others disagree, and that's fine. But that's why I'm playing. And if I don't find it fun, I'm not going to continue to pay. Future promises have no impact on that decision, and I think Bioware understands - and even agrees with - this approach. They've never asked me to do otherwise. And I'm looking forward to 1.2 because it's making (IMO) a good game better. If I felt it was making a bad game good, I wouldn't be subbed right now.

I'm a total altaholic, so the Legacy System really makes TOR a perfect fit for me. Well, that and the fact that I'm a total tool for Star Wars . That said, I think you have some genuinely valid concerns there. Hopefully, they'll make it a major feature but not a requirement for folks like you. I've heard (but haven't verified) that a dev said most things available through Legacy will be available (but expensive) through other means. Hopefully, that's true.

All reasonable questions to ask, I agree.

I definitely agree with everything you've said here. I hope people didn't think I was saying it means the game is growing or anything of that nature. That wasn't my intent. I was just saying that it's a good indicator that the game still has a substantive amount of folks playing and that the people playing are spread fairly well across the level ranges. I saw nothing in that interview to make me think that wasn't true.