LOL I actually write software for a living, and it doesn't make that much difference. A true lag spike means the game basically stops. You get no information fromthe server, and nothing from your client goes to the server. If you have a true lag spike, everyone around you will either quit moving or move in the last direction they were moving when you stopped getting information till the spike clears up. That's not what's happening here. I'm GETTING information from the server. I know that, cause I can see folks pushing buttons, changing directions, and what not. I'm just not getting ALL the information from the server... damage and what not is missing. It's not a lag spike, I can guarentee that. It's a hack, where the hacker intentionally lags and backloads damage or whatever ability then reconnects. Then everything seems to happen instantly. It's a very common hack in PVP.

Here is the catch... SWTOR is only one of several online games that I play. One of the games I play monitors the connection real-time and I never have lag spikes. In fact, I have a lag spike in other games maybe once every couple of months. SWTOR seems to have them alot, but only during pvp. If I had connection issues, it would affect all the online games I play.. not just swtor, and not only when I pvp. It's really picked up with frequency lately too. It's almost like someone has figured out how to make the wz on the server stutter for a second or something. I would expect these sorts of issues if I was thousands of miles away from the servers, but I'm pretty sure they are in Austin... which is only about 250 miles form my house.

I'm sure BW can tell when someone hits the "exit wz" button. Just penalize when that happens, or someone times out behind the wall. They don't have to penalize those that lose connection or game freeze. People could still dump wz but pulling the ethernet, but that's alot more trouble then it's worth.

Here are some ideas that could help.. 1. 20s invulnerability to CC after one wears off. 2. All CC that lasts more then 3s is broken on damage. 3. No CC while stealthed. Stealth should lock out CC, and it should stay locked out for at least 3s after the player comes out of stealth. When I stealth can keep 2 players CC'ed at a node indefinitely, you know stuff is broken. 4. No class should get more then 1 stun that lasts more then 3s. 5. Root should count as CC. 6. Pull/knock back should count as CC for resolve/cc lockout. It also shouldn't be allowed when you have resolve/cc lockout. Some ideas, dunno if all are necessary... but they would help the CC issue.

If they forced all premades (ie. 3 or more queing together) to use the ranked queue, it most certainly would upstep the ranked queue and give the pug queue a better chance at having a non-faceroll match. The problem with a premade isn't JUST the fact they they tend to better geared, more coordinatd, and on voice chat.. it's also has largely to do with the fact that they have a much better balance. Most premades have some sort of very solid healer, a stealther, a jumper, and a sorc for pulls. You get those 4 in a premade, you can pretty much beat any solo queue group except maybe the rare random one that has 8 very solid players and is well balanced. Most solo queue groups have MAYBE one healer, and at least 2 - 3 recruit gear wearing folks.

Then again, if they removed the enemy markers... they would need to change the graphics for the AE's to be more consisten. I mean, right now.. a sorc AE is really obvious without the marker, other classes however.. not so much. The marker makes it an even playing field for all AE casters regardless of graphic.

I dunno, it seems to be getting worse... alot worse. Last month, I'd see maybe 1 cheater every 8 or 9 matches... now it's about every other match. Lag hacks are brutal, especially in hut ball. The speed hacks are heinous as well, people moving around so fast you can't even get target on them LOL. Just today, I was in a hutball match and was running down the top ramp for a score when all the suden *poof* I was at the other end of the pit with no enemy around. It was like I was teleported or something. Dunno how that one works... but I went from about to score to all by myself way over on the other end of the pit (to far to have been pulled) with not a soul around me. I think hackers are more prevalent because they see how nobody ever gets caught, so they figure they have t hack in order to compete. Tha pretty much ruins the game. If your not going to stop the hacks, pls incorporate them all into the game so everyone has them and it's an even playing field again. Another hack (or bug maybe?) that drives me nuts is when you take all the damage at once. What I mean is, your fighting one guy and taking no damage.. then all the sudden *poof*... 20k+ damage at once. Not in one attack, but like 10 attacks all stacked up and applied at once. Very frustrating since you have no chance to pop medpack, bubbl, or anything else. Maybe some of this stuff is just bugs in the game, but I play with sub 50 ping and 45/30 internet... so I don't think it's my side causing this. Any advice?

This is exactly what I said... it will hit for that if your really well geared or if your going against someone who is poorly geared. EDIT: Misread, thought you were talking about the sorc being min/maxed. I still stand by my statement though, your not going to hit anyone for 4.5k regularly until your very well geared.

Well, I'm not sure if you have seen the sorc trees... but to do what you suggest, I think this would require a hybrid lightning/madness sorc... which isn't really viable spec anymore. The insta cast whirlwind (along with 2s after-stun) is about mid way thru the madness tree. Bubble-stun and overload root are half way (or further) thru the lightning tree. I'm pretty sure you can't spec all of those together anymore, cause lots of folks complained and got the nice hybrid spec nerfed. Everyone said it was to much CC. It may have been, I never tried it myself.. I've always been full heals or full madness.

LOL 4-5k with death field if your REALLY well geared, and fighting a noob with 1k or less exp haha. I'm have 3 or 4 pieces of elite so far, and several will/end augs (although gear not complete) and deathfield RARELY lands for 4k+... I've never seen it hit for 5k, or at least not that I've noticed. Then again, I don't watch my damage to closely... I'm usually focusedon rotation and whether I have a proc from FL to use with CD. FL is probably going to be close to 4k also. Some noobs get hit for more, but against the average pvp'er yo prbably won't get 5k. Sorc is a difficult class to play right now. We definitely need some dps tuning. Currently, we are the squishiest class and really low on the burst dps. You know stuff is broke when our biggest nuke is an AE that only hits three people LOL. If you get really good at your class, you will win about as many 1v1 battles as you lose. You won't, however, win any battles if they guy is decent and has gear as good as yours. We just don't have the combination of skills to win 1v1 in match of evenly skilled and geared players. We simply die to easy. In the meantime, load up on resolve stims, warzone medpacs, and warzone adrenals... they are a pretty huge boost to your ability to stay alive and do some damage. I always have a resolve stim up, and when I'm defending a node and need to buy some time... the adrenal and medpac really helps alot.

LOL you wear the heaviest armor, and have the best burst damage in the game. That seems right to you? Most classes get pwned if they are in the middle of 4-5 enemies instantly (try playing a healer for instance). I've always thought heavy armor folks should be tank types.. decent dps, but less then lighter armor wearers. This game turns that upside down. The heaviest armor has the best burst dps. It's like putting a wizard in plate... it's silly.

Do dots still break stealth? As for crappy PVP, it seems like matches are WAY more unbalanced day of and day after weekly refreshes. Lots of pre-mades get into the un-ranked queue and it makes for alot crappy matches.

I use it when I run out of force, and that DOES happen from time to time in long and heavy duty battles. I generally will drop a heal bubble on the ground around me first though, then sac down and get at least half my force back. The heal bubble tops me off, and I continue healing. When I'm stuck at a node guarding, I will sac down and pop heals till I crit to get the 2.5k and 5k medals. I generally only do that if I'm playing dps spec though. I get those medals pretty easily if I'm playing healer spec.

I'm actually quite well geared. When you put a well organized pre-made team against a team that doesn't know each other, half are well geared, half have 500ish expertise, and have no vent server which to organize.. it's unfair. Not everyone is in a PVP guild. Hell, I love my guild.. but they don't PVP. I'm stuck queueing solo, which is fine. I don't mind losing, but I do mind going against a pre-made and getting blown out. It's not fun. It's not fun blowing out another team either. PVP should be challenging and either team should have an equal chance at winning. Pre-mades don't belong in the same queue as PUG's. It just isn't fair to the pug team. All you folks that do pre-mades, sorry you don't have the sack to queue solo if there aren't any pre-mades out there queing. I apologize if your to sissy lala to pvp without the security of your team. If your so ******, you won't mind queing solo when there aren't any pre-mades for you to go against.

I hate cats, I'm allergic to them. When they fix the problem, the threads will stop.