Those same concerns were raised in WoW for heirlooms/character boosts. Rift offers 80% xp potions. They did not harm the leveling process, they bolstered it ( and generated revenue for the game ). 12XP is focused on as it allows the Class Stories to be played seamlessly, which is a strong selling point. That said, I like your idea regarding the progressive experience boost based on story completion. That would be a decent compromise compared to a 12XP boost. An option for the developers would be to introduce the 12XP (Class Story Leveling Feature) as a CM consumable in a limited fashion, similar to Black/White Dyes or the Gold Scalene armor. Allow the developers to gather more data on what effects it has on the leveling process - especially when it's not tied to the ramp up before an expansion, when players tend to re-roll, return to the game, etc. From my POV, I already have every Advanced Class in the game. I'm currently leveling my second Guardian and Operative. Would I use this on future alts? Sure, but not all of them. I would consider myself a game loyalist. I'm not going to leave the game regardless if they implement the feature or not.

Which is more healthy for the game? A veteran player not rolling alts due to the tedium/disinterest, or providing veteran players incentives to roll alts (which is a common feature for other MMOs)? I disagree that professional game developers are not implementing 12XP because "they don't want cater to the lazy, instant gratification, entitled, have to have it now and for as little effort or cost as possible crowd". It's more likely that they are discussing the best ways to implement and monetize the feature. Speculation from both of us, sure. I believe the current boost WoW offers from a full heirloom set is 45%. One of the main attractions of 12XP is it allows the Class Story chapters to be played seamlessly, which is the centerpiece of the leveling content. If N% XP provides the same result, then sure. The PTS concept is an interesting idea - however the PTS is a volatile environment. I'm not sure how Bioware could properly monetize that idea, and it has the risk of fragmenting the player base by pulling players over to the PTS. The 12XP boost is an already developed feature, re-introducing it as a CM Consumable or Legacy Perk would be the most logical choice.

However, effort is subjective. Some may consider a task effortless, and be disinterested by that task. I am willing to put the "effort" to either obtain the credits in game, or work at my employer for real money to purchase the Cartel Coins to unlock the 12XP boost. Is that not effort? Energy expended/exchanged? If a Software Developer writes a script to automate tasks - is that lazy or efficient? If a driver takes a shortcut - is that lazy or efficient? This is turning into a circular argument based on your concept of lazy/effort. It's your opinion and I respect that, but I disagree. The only "effort" associated with the planetary quests/side content is dealing with the boredom - do you consider that good game design? That's great, so have I. You can continue to do so if that is how you wish to play. No one is taking that from you. You can choose not to purchase the 12XP boost. You'll have a choice.

I disagree. Where is the effort in completing the planetary question chains/side quests for the Nth playthrough? The only effort is dealing with the boredom - is that good game design, in your view? Flashpoints (which really means KDY 15-54), same issue. And yet, this is a common feature of other MMOs. WoW introduced heirlooms ( which they recently made even more accessible to players ) and character boosts. Rift offers 20/40/80% xp potions. Most of the concerns of the anti-12xp crowd have been stated before when WoW introduced heirlooms and character boosts. These features did not harm the leveling content or endgame - they helped inject life into it by providing players an incentive to roll alts (just as the 2XP/12XP events). How did that punitive grind and attunement process work out for Wildstar ( est 90K subscriptions )? As opposed to players not rolling alts?

I disagree. It's not lazy to avoid boring, repetitive tasks. The Planetary quest chains are not challenging content, they are tedious after several runs. Where is the effort involved? The only effort in completing the a planetary chain for the Nth playthrough is dealing with tedium and excessive travel time. Is that good game design to you? Now, the Class Stories are not challenging either, however they are ( subjectively ) better written than the Planetary/side quests, with more interesting choices and NPC. They are the centerpiece of the leveling process, a major selling point of the game. If someone finds the Planetary quest chains interesting ( or a challenge ) they can still do that content even with a 12XP boost, or they can choose not to purchase the boost. 12XP crowd is providing players with a choice.

I have every Advanced Class in the game, even mirrors. I would purchase a 12XP Class Story boost for my future alts. I would like to see 12XP implemented as a CM Consumable or Legacy perk, require a subscription and a Legacy Level requirement.

No it's not. It's a straw man argument. No one in this thread suggested to skip raid content for gear. What has been suggested is making the Class Story Leveling Event / 12x xp boost a perk or consumable.

After testing this against some Silver/Strong mobs on Voss/Corellia/Illum, my theory is that mobs in that level bracket are hitting for the same, but more frequently than pre-patch. Unfortunately, I don't have any pre-patch logs to confirm this. Pre-patch I would end fights with these mobs at 80-90% health, now fights end with 30%-40%. Looking at the combat log, I noticed some instant attacks happening very frequently ( for example, Maul 3 x 1700 in under one second ). 5100 damage in a under one GCD is quite bursty for a 46 mob. I suppose it's possible this is a result of lag causing the mobs to attack too frequently as the client doesn't acknowledge the attacks.

I agree it's a complex issue, and there is an ROI argument to be made. That said, ROI should not always be the deciding factor, in some cases perception issues can supersede it. Jedi robes are common in Star Wars thematically, so it's disheartening to hear comments such as "then don't wear robes to avoid it". This game does have a lot of travel time, time spent on mounts, and this clipping occurs more often than not, I believe it happens with every mount that you lean forward with ( Lhosans, Aratechs, etc ). I would not mind to see some transparency on the issue from the developers - as mentioned earlier in this thread it was at one point on a list of high priority known issues.

Several others have been reporting this, there are a few other threads regarding Silver/Strongs (in the 30-50 range it appears) being overtuned post-patch. That said, Knives is correct about Terminate. Pre-Patch this ability would hit for 90% of a players health - it's important that you interrupt ( or stun, use a knockback, etc ) to stop those casts. I believe Pacify/Obfuscate will work on mitigating this as well. It's kind of a wake up - "Welcome to Hoth" type ability

I agree, I would like to see them address this issue. I feel this is immersion breaking as well, it just feels low quality, a lack of polish, seeing a cape clipping through a mount. Jedi/Sith robes are quite common for a Star Wars IP - wearing a robe while riding a speeder should work without any graphical issues. This issue was acknowledged by Tait in a Known Issues list. I would imagine it's a difficult bug to fix, I hope they can find a solution for it.

I am having the same experience. Low level ( sub 30 ) and 55+ mobs are tuned properly, however Silver/Strong mobs in the 30-50 range appear to be slightly overtuned. My character and companion are geared correctly ( mix of 45-47 blues, orange shells with current blue mods, 41+ stat crystal ). I keybind all my abilities, mouse turn, interrupt, use cooldowns, etc. For example, fighting Vorantikus Crushers or Gormak Voss Crushers ( 46-47 Silver mobs on Voss ) - require stuns, interrupts, DCDs and/or kiting. It was comparatively less intense to fight these mobs pre-patch. Normal and Gold mobs feel the same as pre-patch, if not easier. 55+ I am steamrolling everything, so I believe this increase in the NPC power curve may be unintended.

Experiencing the same issue on Voss with Silver/Strong mobs. From what I have seen in chat, others had the same issue. My 47 Powertech was having no issues before the patch, now Silver NPCs ( such as the Vorantikus Crusher ) hit extremely hard. I had to stun, use DCDs, or kite the mobs to kill them. I took a parse from the combat log and submitted a bug report, I believe the Vorantikus Crusher took around 60% of my Powertech's health in 4 seconds.

I call it the Ex-Wife. Tank: Okay, we have a big pull up ahead. Agent: No problem, I got something for this. I'm going to call in an Orbital Strike! [ Your Orbital strike tickles weak mob for 400 ( critical ) ] Agent: ..... Tank: Bioware? Agent: Yeah....

Hey now, Anakin faction changed twice, and he did an AC Change from Guardian to Sentinel while in combat! ( Haxx imo ). This is a correct and very fair comparison. Based on that price point, what would you consider a fair price for an AC Change? $30 / 3500 Cartel Coins ( which I believe is around 3.5 Million Credits ). That feature with one month cooldown would be very reasonable in my opinion. My point is the fact they changed their stance a few times in beta, which means there isn't a massive technical hurdle to provide this feature. There are some technical challenges yes, but we addressed some of those in this thread.

I agree 100%. An AC Change would provide players with more choices. Maintaining player interest is a key component of any game, and this feature would provide that. Whether it's a leveling character that is reconsidering his AC selection, a returning player that has interest in the alternate AC of an abandoned character, or a bored veteran player that would like to experience a change in play style, this feature would offer that choice, as well as the possibility of additional revenue for the game.

Something along the lines of a metaclass is an interesting concept, but way beyond the scope of this thread. As for the gearing issues: The technical issues regarding gear differences can be addressed with adaptive gear and gear kits as part of the AC Change feature. For example, if someone decided to change a Juggernaut to a Marauder, the "AC Change Token" would contain a set of empty orange adaptive gear and a secondary lightsaber. This is similar to the kit you receive ( lightsaber, generator, assault cannon, etc ) when you first select an AC, or the speeder pilot token you receive when purchasing a mount from the Cartel Market.

The technical issues regarding gear differences can be addressed with adaptive gear and gear kits as part of the AC Change feature. For example, if someone decided to change a Juggernaut to a Marauder, the "AC Change Token" would contain a set of orange adaptive gear and a secondary lightsaber. This is similar to the kit you receive ( lightsaber, generator, assault cannon, etc ) when you first select an AC, or the speeder pilot token you receive when purchasing a mount from the Cartel Market.

There have been several debates on the term "Class" vs "Base Class" vs "Advanced Class". What else is there to discuss? We are requesting a feature to change our "Advanced Class". You raised the issue of changing your WoW Mage into a Rogue and brought this into the topic, so I'm not sure why you feel it has nothing to do with the topic. I presented the fact that Blizzard is going one step further and allowing someone to retain their 90 Mage, as well as purchase a 90 Rogue. No one is suggesting the ability to change your base class ( Trooper -> Knight ) so your argument has no substance. Personal attacks to do not support your argument. Address the issues point by point I have made in other posts. My definition of Pay to Win would be the ability to purchase raid quality gear or a buff that enhances your character's performance. Do you consider XP boosts Pay to Win? Do you consider Rocket Boosts Pay to Win? I provided several reasonable scenarios a few posts back. Feel free to comment on them if you decide to return to this thread.

Can you elaborate why you feel this feature would be game breaking? Several of the concerns and myths ( player skill, FOTM abuse ) have been addressed by the supporters of an AC Change feature. Who is asking for something to be handed to them on a plate? Those that have suggested the feature are willing to pay Cartel Coins or Credits via the GTN or a Vendor ( similar to the Mercenary Contract for Treek ). The feature would be accessible in a variety of ways to the player base.

WoW's Level 90 boost is also included with the purchase of their 6.0 expansion. I'll ask you a similar question - would you be comfortable with a free Level 50 ( previous level cap boost ) for everyone that purchases ROTHC? As for Rift's soul system, is it very much comparable to Advanced Classes in SWTOR. You select your souls while leveling your class which provide access to the soul trees. These can be changed at anytime. Let's imagine a world if Rift did not allow Soul swapping, and people requested it: Using your logic: You didn't level with the Shaman soul, so you won't know how to play it at cap. Bladedancers are overpowered, everyone will FOTM to one if they allow soul swapping I leveled two Clerics, if you want a Shaman soul, then level another Cleric. Yet here we are, Soul Swapping exists, and does not ruin that game. Rift Souls and TOR Advanced Classes are very similar features. TOR is ( for now ) more restrictive. The developers should reevaluate this design decision, as myself and others feel it would be a great addition to the game. To claim that this game was not designed around Advanced Class swapping is a false statement. I recall in beta the developers changing their stance on it several times. Before release ( around Nov 2011 ) they indicated there would be an AC change feature with an increasing cost as your character gained levels. The last communication from the developers on this issue is that it would "likely happen".

I cannot speak for others, but I have a Gunslinger, Scoundrel, and Operative ( and several other classes ). I support AC changes because I believe it is overall healthy for the game to provide more options for its players. To answer your question, consider: The player that decides they do not enjoy their level 35 Vanguard, and would like to experience the Commando AC without replaying 35 levels. Someone that has an abandoned character, e.g. a Level 50 Sentinel they have not played since 1.4 They have no desire to start again from level 1, however the option to change to a Guardian has renewed their interest in the character. One that is bored of their 55 alt, has no desire to do the same class quests, same planetary arcs, or grind GSF/KDY, but is curious in the play style of the other AC. These are all candidates for AC Changes, the end result would be renewed/retained player interest and additional revenue for the game.

Neither of us have any real data ( aside from our own experiences ) that would say there is a demand or a dislike for the feature. Bioware has the metrics ( abandoned characters, deleted ACs, tickets requesting to change AC, tickets suggesting the feature, etc ). Having said that, I feel the developers silence on the issue speaks loudly that they are at least entertaining the idea. Eric could post in this 400+ page thread and state they have no intent to offer an AC change feature. That's fine, so be it, end of story. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I do not believe the FOTM crowd is as rampant as some claim. SWTOR has a casual player base. Look at the number of NiM progression guilds and Ranked PvPers vs the entire population. Based on my experiences in this and other MMOs, most casual players choose a class based on theme, aesthetics, and combat mechanics. Allowing an AC change can rekindle interest in an abandoned character, provide revenue for the game, and retain a player that would otherwise leave. Someone may dust off that level 50 Jugg they never intended to touch again, change them to a Mara, level them to 55 and find a new interest in playing that character again. That's healthy for the game! Are there going to be some regstars that want to change AC for some perceived advantage in 8v8s? Of course. Why deny a feature for the entire player base due to this?

I provided a scenario above a few posts back. You are arguing semantics on the the definition of advanced class vs class. I'm not going to get into a circular argument with you on this, it's been done many times in this thread. Using WoW as an example really isn't going to help your point - they are currently selling Level 90 character boosts. So instead of "turning your Mage into a Rogue", you can buy a freshly minted 90 Rogue and keep your 90 Mage as well. As for pay to win, when this feature is implemented I imagine it would be available by Cartel Coins and Credits, so it would not be pay to win.

What if the player leveled through GSF or the Rails Shooter? What if they were carried through WZs and did not contribute to the team at all? I understand your concern, but it has already been refuted that leveling a class predicates knowing how to play that class, so using that argument against an AC change is a weak point. If the design intent of leveling through 1-55 was to enforce player quality at 55 then: GSF or Space Missions would not provide XP. You cannot have anyone assist you during class quests Your talent tree choice would be permanent ( want to heal at 55 - then forced to level as a healer ) Higher Level players could not boost you through H2/H4s etc Voss and Corellia mobs would not have been nerfed during beta due to complaints about their damage output. The idea that the leveling process teaches you to play your class is an illusion, and should not be a reason to deny an AC Change feature.