You made some good points on what can and can not be expected of ppl taking part in PvP. Ppl who want to play 2gether should by all means be allowed to play 2gether, no doubt about that. The OP actually went more in the direction of what the possible outcome for PvP might be if the regular warzones/arenas turn into a farming ground for good premades. At some point you might get into a warzone only to see several ppl abandoning the match, getting new ones who too leave as soon as they realize that they joined a losing game. I mentioned teams coming back and turning the tide but that is usually a very rare occasion. This can often discourage ppl to que entirely for some time, making matches pop even less. However, I am sure some eventually get bored farming pugs/bads and thus suffer the consequences of their own premade choice. I tried to put the emphasis on challenge, to go up against your guild members/friends of whom you know are on a above average skill lvl, and if you know they are online and are about to que for PvP. Seldom do these ppl want to face each other and rather go 2gether, even if it means they will not apply themselves to their own skill lvl. I guess this is a bad excuse for trying to criticize premades of guild members/friends but some do que 2gether trying to stack the odds in their favor. Team ranked and yolo in general are a joke, even getting 8ppl to compete against each other has become a challenge, another show and tell of how little BW cares about their minigame. A returning player brought up several issues in this thread, and I agree with some while being against others simply because of the population issue. http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=866628 These problems, if I may call them as such, were mentioned so often by both me and plenty of others, for BW to take notice and apply at least 1 or 2 things from the list would drastically improve our favorite minigame. Guess we have to live with what we have, removing how ppl are allowed to que would just have a negative effect on the game.

I have never had an issue with premades, and I que solo since BW removed 8vs8 ranked...actually even started somewhat before that but I will come to the reasons for my own gaming preference. The problem for me, at least on TRE is the regular premades who que 2gether to stack the odds in their favor. This does not mean that they run with a trinity/2healer/take your pick "composition" but group up with those they know will perform better than the average PvPer. I never understood the mentality of these "pros", who rarely go up against each other because they prefer to group up and play against any1 else, premade or mostly pugs. I can understand ppl forming a premade to pursue conquest or because they know each other/are friends in RL but it seems more an issue of not wanting to waste their time with clueless ppl, or just those below their skill range. However, I wonder what else you can get out of these kind of scenarios if you are not being challenged to perform at your best. Just seems a waste in terms of trying your best against the best, learning, adapting and improving your game when it comes to PvP. Especially if you know these ppl to be good, being from your guild/seeing them perform well in the past and that you will face a challenge playing against them. Then again, for some the whole aspect of PvP is all about numbers, medals and the delusional feeling of superiority over ppl whose chances were stacked against them right from the start. Sadly the imp side on TRE has way more premade mentality than the rep side, but this changed several months ago when reps did the same and this issue will always be around. The only time some1 "new" can enjoy themselves is if they land on the premade team, and if they actually win. I am not suprised when a premade group blames pugs on their side for the loss but then again they only do this to random ppl, hence new players and it is always the same pros whose e-peen gets hurt. Certain individuals amongst these premades show their true colors when they solo que, often leaving matches early and/or trolling their team for losing. Depending on how hard they try, their numbers reflect their skill lvl and often they perform below average. I am not trying to set the bar here or decide what makes a good player/shows his or her quality because it depends on what map they get, and what class/spec they decide to play. Having support or not from your team has a huge impact on overall performance, another reason why ppl go premade. Alas, premades who group to stack the odds in their favor clearly show the "must win and nothing else" mentality. New ppl might learn a thing or 2 from them but sooner or later realize what they have to deal with once they switch sides or end up playing against them. Sometimes those who quit early actually enable the losing team to "come back" and win but...it does not really happen all that often. There is no way to resolve this issue, no work has been done on matchmaking and I honestly do not think BW will ever do something about this. Their only concern was getting quicker pops, they achieved this to a certain degree but looking at where we are today and the past...this seems to be as good as it will ever be in terms of our favorite minigame. I am against any more removal of PvP ques but I know it is hopeless to wish for 8vs8 ranked to be "given" back to us. That actually would require a much more active involvement on BW`s side, as they would be faced with the population/que pop issue even more. Lately I have been spending some time playing this game again, and I avoid endgame PvP entirely. Too many ppl who still grind for a companion, more often wasting every1s time not having a clue on what to do...and ofc, the well known premade regstars. Below 65 there is some fun to be found but a huge disperity in lvls can sometimes turn it into bitter frustration, or a boring medal/numbers grind. But every now and then there are some great matches to be had, and I am happy to see new ppl giving PvP a try.

I would like to thank everyone for providing each 1 of us who still keeps track of the forums, but does not play the game anymore and most likely w8s for their sub to run out..for the drama and lols. So at least on my behalf, ty for the posts. And thanks to BW too, make sure you give those hamsters a nice treat and remind them not to fall asleep again.

Yes Mr. UncleOst, this is why we can not have nice things.... I still like to log in every now and then for a bit of PvP, even if I get arena pops I apply myself and get through them. Nice way to get daily/weekly quests done, if you aim for that. The only thing about Arena PvP Purity is how devoid it is of anything but deathmatching, so if you like that kind of thing knock yourself out. It certainly is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, a sad mini game because getting a pop (choice t.m.) matters. That this amputaded form of PvP is the endgame content...3 cheers for Bioware. Have to mention this, with a feeling of a dagger up the strap but it is getting *********** painful after so many times...there is no matchmaking in this game when it comes to regs, so if you say the truth lies in skill winning these kind of matches then we can agree. Matchmaking is a whorish mistress, so get used to trying to overcome what the latest pop gave you. At least in ranked you get the role matchmaking covered... Funny how no1 mentioned the sync quers, win traders and/or afk players 1 meets in ranked. That is the alpha and the omega of it, so plz do rant on about how every1 sucks and is worthless if they do not ignore all of the above mentioned, and agree how arenas are the only way to test your mighty PvP skill. Because playing 8vs8, where you have to worry about more than just the other teams health bar is a L2P issue. We can not have ranked warzones (back) because that would take effort and investment coming from Bioware...the good old population issue argument, as most ppl know by now. So enjoy your purity and truth in small doses , for what it is. I still hope of getting more and not less when it comes to PvP. Or at least get back what was taken from us....

First off, I respect and give you credit for the time you took to name several important issues I share with you, and some of which made me leave. It has been a few days since I uninstalled the game and this time it will take alot more to forget all the bitterness I feel when I look back on what Swtor was and is, for the time being. Yes, I am also a founder, tons of achievements, some items and `stuff` most ppl will never get their hands on and all but as I have been burned for even bringing things like this up, and also warned by BW for my apparent toxic writing against/towards them in some of my posts I am just going to say I have been around since the start of this game and seen the good and the bad.... My sub runs out end of February and I am not going to bother being a customer till the late of 2016, where I would consider coming back if there is anything `new` to come back to. If it is just going to be the new chapters, with the same issues and `changes` to important aspects of the game...I am not really going to bother. The lack of attention BW is giving the ppl who have not only experience with the game itself, but have also made many good suggestions is the main reason I am walking away. I am not saying I count myself among those, but the PvP forum is filled with so many good threads...it is beyond reason why they are being ignored. Except I forget PvP is a minigame...have to remind myself of that everytime I mention it anywhere. This also ties in with your wish for testing the content before it is released but I can only presume BW believes the Swtor players have a much thicker skin to withstand all the failures that come with the release of anything new than rather having a dedicated group of ppl making sure ppl can enjoy the content before the actual `stuff` gets broken...fingers crossed it does not happen during major holidays. To come back to some of your points, and just to tickle some ppls feelings about another sinking ship... -Several bugs have been around for some time so I personally think they can not bother with fixing them, for whatever reason ppl wish to name. In the end it does not matter, bugs break the game and have a negative effect on the customers experience, it just depends on how thick your own skin is to deal with such an attitude, again as mentioned before but in the long run it speaks volumes about the incompetence of those who maintain it. The several negative posts on this have once again been named and shamed by some as an attack on BW so..I guess the idea is, if you are not allowed to complain just do not bother paying for the game. This approach works just fine. -The instant lvl60s are something I could care less about. It seems like another carrot on a stick for new players to jump into the latest `content` and introduce something BW defo has made a name for itself, the cutscenes and story telling. I have seen it in WoW but rather the dark side of it, and that would be an influx of clueless, angry and often abusive players who scorn those who wish to even make a remote attempt to help them in any way possible..and yet to these new 60s are nothing but elitist ******es, which is just fine I guess, as it works both ways. Many do not even bother doing FPs anymore, be it for the recycled content or for the new kids on the block. Altough I consider the original class stories to be far superior to KotFE they can still draw ppl into the Swtor universe, because after the KotFE content attempt with a fresh lvl60 it only makes the original stories seem more appealing to those who enjoyed the before mentioned. -Star Fortress runs remind of me of the LFR aspect of WoW, albeit they are mostly done as 2players compared to a 25group, the legendary quest chain to obtain a certain item for your character comes to mind, the endless grind...it was just enough to make me do it on my main, I never bothered trying it with my alts. Add to this the whole influence aspect of companions and alliance specialists, who btw are nothing but shallow copies of the pre-KotFE period, and it moves Swtor closer to what the whole garrison was and is in WoW. Altough WoW has completely different aspects in some points compared to Swtors strongholds the grind is still there, and unlike WoW there is no progress outside of the game, you have to be active to `get ahead` and there is only so many times I can do more of the same before I go insane. (rhyme pun intended) -Companions are a too painful issue to even mention, to compare the original class companions we had with the cluster **** we get with the alliance, lifeless, pointless amounts of them...the mess is made, I do not think BW will ever foster a single companion beyond what we have now. To me this was the second best achievement in my relative short history of MMO gaming I have come across, the uniqueness of those who were part of the fun found in this game, a major motivation to keep playing and exploring these characters...with the KotFE changes, if it was not sad for some then I am sure it made plenty of ppl angry. -I never cared much about the CM but I support your ideas, if only for those who found the thrill of gamble with them. To each his own, the reduction of drops with the latest packs has made at least some ppl on fleet vocal enough to even shame the regular trolls that come around after midnight, spewing poison over the general feeling of the game. It is just worse than it was, another decline made by BW. -The end game for me was to at least once get through a new operation, at least once and now even a casual PvE player like myself has not got a chance at that. Those who cared about this aspect of the game have long since left this game, even after beating every known operation on the toughest mode available...which if ppl think about it is not really such a long time period, if we consider when the latest operation was released. Then again, I am sure new operations will eventually come around, if ppl are willing to wait on them...just do not hold your breath if this is really what you care about. -So far I have got 3 strongholds and I have not even bothered with getting the Yavin one because of the community feedback on how badly it is designed. No point in going on this further, there is so much potential in strongholds that I feel like whoever introduced and finalized this aspect to the game was late for the bus...prolly still wating on it as they have not come back to do something proper about it. It feels just like a huge basket to drop your dirty socks into, and again I will mention it but not to force WoWs garrisons upon players here...it was done on a much more simple basis by Blizzard and it works and looks better. In closing...this actually made me laugh after I went through your post, there really was not much to add to a constructive and positive feedback by a player who is among those BW apparently cares the least about. I hope you feel the same irony I have felt for the past year or 2, I have no idea when it started but as I spent most of my time PvPing it most likely differs from your own experience. Not the first time I am taking a break and I hope it will not be the last time, but the only content that kept me around for these years was the PvP. It is in a sad state of affairs and continues to be a redundancy in BWs eyes. A minigame, as I have written so many times before, and one that will eventually bore others too, where nothing else is left but to move on and hope to find something else. At least PvE players had some sense of endgame, ranked in its current form since the introduction of arenas and removal of 8vs8 has only confirmed my suspicions of what this game has been deemed to succumb to...the failures of early times eventually come to haunt you but I doubt very few at BW care about the choices they made when they started this game, picking the engine, the code and the direction of what best to make of it. This game will never surpass the population issue unless BW shows they are willing to invest in the game, and frankly I am suprised they miss the cash potential it could have, but then again who knows if BW/EA are not just waiting for this cow to stop giving milk.... Feels good, last post, no regrets, but no time to waste either.

To have recieved a warning from Bioware because of my original post...not sure how that mind of theirs works but there is just no reasoning with some ppl. Even to try and find logic behind an `old player` sharing his views to new players on how much fun they can find in this game is apparently too much if you mention how dissapointed you might get when you find out what `we` had for years and how easy and simplified the latest overhaul was. There is also no point in responding to any1 who apparently still wishes to stick to attacking the threads title, or do not seem to get how things are worse than they have been. Hope that last part will be understood by most, all I can wish for in this season of good will.... Let us just leave it at that, shall we? What would be the point anyway knowing BW does what BW wants. I am just happy I picked up at least 1 fanboy who does not even get that PvP is always new, cause the content is the challenge provided by the real players you play against, altough new maps would be nice but this year (also next year apparently) it is BWs choice of flavor....no point in going any further on this either or anything else for that matter but do not hold your breath on my part. I am sure I could provide enough to get another warning... To all the new players, as in my original post, welcome and enjoy yourselves. I am just gonna start walking, and I am taking my stuff with me....

It is actually not an issue, I am certanly not looking for forum cred, sorry credit, I know how to draw out a pointless commentator like yourself who does not see that I wish for new ppl, sorry people to give this game a try because for them there is content, plenty of it even. If you can not see that the so called veterans, (sorry if it makes you butthurt but yea) the old ones who have been around for some time find the amount of content lacking and do not chase achievements...which again, is about time past and not time spent, as you can not get the Founder title again and not to be in your face but it means only that you saw how the game started and what it was and what it could have been compared to what it is today. The expectations and the first experience `we`had when the game came out. If you do not get that part then plz, sorry please enjoy your HM/NiM content and the recycle of what we have had for years, or just not to hurt your feelings, what I had for years. Just for the likes of you I will end it with something you can relate to, or at least I hope so. I wanted new content, something new to experience and I had that with KotFE. It lasted for about 2, sorry two weeks and now it is done. And yea, about forum posts, there are always about 1 person giving his opinion, which apparently in your case helped me more to prove my own views than my original post. Ty for that. Just my 2cents

The only reason why ppl use FOTM as a term to describe a balance issue in this game is the lack of matchmaking...even in ranked, as any team running with a merc or not a sorc healer is gimped. Might be taking it far if we add skill into the game but most ppl would rather have another DD on their team over the merc or/and a op/merc healer replaced by a sorc healing their team. Same goes for warzones, and ofc I see sorcs/PTs and mara/jugs all over the place compared to the odd merc/sniper, who still take more skill to play well. I have gone with imp classes here but yea, mirrors apply. The **** hits the fan once 1 side gets several or just more of the overperforming classes/specs, even with a close to average skill set on both sides. Do not get me started on sorc healing, I have yet to see an op or merc put up the same numbers as a sorc does, and even then it is from ppl I know to be skilled and have played these specs for a considerable time, if they get the support of their team they so desperately need. You are defo right about ppl who just like to play something they got used to, those who only accept a won match as fun and the odd sadist/troll but on the other hand...I main a balance sage for years now and a op healer but I have been playing everything from the start, several times over and I still enjoy changing my approach and role, especially since I have lvled most of my toons through PvP. I might get more on the scoreboard when I play my favorite characters but I do the same most of the time when I play any other class/spec, except ofc when the issue slaps you in the face once you jump into the first contact with the other team.... The tragedy of FOTM, or rather overperforming classes/specs is matchmaking, or to speak plainly: the lack of balance in terms of 2 teams facing each other on even odds when considering individual skill and coordination of the same depending on the objectives of the map. Depending on the warzone, a certain composition of classes/specs gives 1 team the advantage over the other, and if you add to that overperforming classes/specs being more numerous on 1 side...the outcome is obvious. As mentioned above, skill defo plays a role but even an average team stacked with more than 4 overperfoming classes/specs has the deck stacked in favor of them, right from the start. Defo depends on the warzone played but in arenas it is painfully obvious. Another aspect to this is, naturally, are premades and a coordinated group of ppl who focus, peel, kite, etc etc etc.... I salute you for the thread, I too would advice ppl to start early with PvP and learn from scratch. They should also not gimp themselves by not trying every class/spec there is. Sadly, some ppl just keep playing the same over and over, are even famous for it but show their true colors if their teams composition is not able to support them.... There is no FOTM, only the luck of draw when you enter a warzone..arenas are short braindead entertainment anyway, and prolly another obvious show of how little BW cares about their minigame, making it even less than it was....

I have been doing SF hcs for quite some time now and I have had less and less issues as I learned to adapt to each of the enemy types and how/when/where to use our little `bag of tricks´. My rep main is a balance sage in augmented 208 PvP gear (2 pieces are 204) with Biochem purple stim applied always, and I have been using M1-4X the moment I got him, atm at lvl 37 influence as healer. Got the legendary player achievement aswell as most of the `relevant` datacrons but more important is the fact that this is my main for years now...so I kinda know how to play him with some decent skill. Getting to know each enemy as well as how to use LoS properly while your dots are ticking/using earthquake and push properly is the difference between struggling and a walk in the park. Do not forget force speed to move out of harms way fast and phase walk to gain distance on hard-hitting enemies. Even with my comp healer I keep healing myself pretty much all the time but the use of Unity/Heroic Moment aswell as stim/medpac/adrenalin can help at start. Once your comp gets up and over lvl20 you will see the difference or rather how everything gets easier. On my last run I used Unity/Heroic Moment only in a few spots. I am sure ppl in 216/220 PvE gear have an advantage over PvP geared ppl so it is certanly a priority to gear oneself, the better your gear the more your chances improve. Considering I am utterly bored of doing SF heroics I stay around the entrance whilst in que for PvP..if some1 wants to run them I join in. The 2 main reasons are simple: 1. Once you get the achievement it is completely pointless to do content that takes ages to do solo. 2. If ppl think doing daily heroics is boring..this is 10 times worse. Keep at it, boost your favorite comp with gifts to make them better at their roles and last but not least...learn your class/spec pros and cons, cause sages suck at facetanking and rely on `hitting on the move and at distance`. P.S. I have done 2 SF hcs on my main jug tank in 208/216 with Senya on heal/influence at lvl 31. Was a bit tricky but takes even longer...not sure why but I think Bioware wanted ppl to experience the ultimate masochist achievement when running these things solo, but they prolly just forgot to put that achievement in....

Ppl should not care about a fictional world. They can like it or dislike it but that should be all there is. Life is too short to be a masochist and spend time with something that is either painful or boring...being a sadist on the other hand seems to suit most ppl on the internet just fine. Hence why so many like to troll or just annoy/harass others. Altough I really enjoyed your read and the Cleese aspect of it, the same could be said about any other aspect in this game. The never-ending same operations for months and the elitists who want a gear check/achievement link before invite, the same old crap in and around PvP and GSF which just got worse with the ignorant companion achievers, and last but not least the dumbing down/recycle of the rest of the group content most ppl already know so well that they happily lash out at new players who want to see that or this cutscene, or ask for boss tactics. If there is something that needs a buff is another nerf. A nerf to asking for more before the current is fixed and amiable.....

Just a far fetched claim on my part but it seems that for Bioware less is more..at least more to **** up. Since the release of KotFE the 4 different primary stats have been changed into 1, companions lost what made them unique, not just the roles they could perform but also several unique talents. ( for me, Khem Vals unique devour talent only available to him and Vectors unique passive talent is what made them memorable) Not only are they the same, from a logical point of view certain companions now can perform roles that literally have nothing to do with them, and I stand by that claim. Think it through, come back with telling me Kalyo could also heal you. It goes against something more than just logic, it goes against the background and history players built up with their companions. The loss of companions being unique with removing every aspect of gearing them is another awful choice made by Bioware. I do get the `less time spent on this and more time for that` but hey...it strangely reminds me of removing ranked 8vs8. I am fairly certain it had and still has something to do with the population issues, the removal of a unique aspect to companions just feels to me like some1 at Bioware made the grand decision of dumbing the game down a few notches and making it playable by even ppl with a 2 digit IQ. Who cares, you can now play with any companion you choose to, build up influence with them, see those several extra convo lines you might have missed...makes perfect sense, I guess it really does to some ppl. Just another daft move on Biowares part, but I can only guess they believed and still believe new players will not complain about something old players not only got used to, but loved the game for it and considered it to be what made Swtor unique. I know it seems that I have been dishing out the word unique quite alot. So at this point I would like for every1, both old and new players to look at what gives Swtor that unique feeling. Obviously it was the aspect of playing in a MMO enviroment with a companion that would support them in their interaction with this fictional world. Players could get through most of the content on their own, but not only care and develop their character but also that little cute sidekick or that horrific monster to which you would never turn your back to. At 1st we got a serious flaw with the performance of the above mentioned. It made the game too easy, but from the point of new players I am sure they actually like to be able to get through the content. There was still a challenge as still is, I gave it a try when I started a new toon on a different server. Might be less a challenge since I have been through a good 30+ toons but it was still fun and enjyoable. For veterans it was an utter faceroll with the provided bonuses from legacy. The 4.0.2 `nerf` was so badly done that it makes me wonder if ppl working at Bioware even try something for longer than 5minutes before implementing it. Or maybe it is just a briliant financial move to save money on testing...let the customers do it for you, might be worth considering for those new happy pills soon being avaiable at your local pharmacist, just do not mind the boil growing on your ***... To each his own, considering I have maxed out my pressence I can still deal with most of the content on my own. Besides, if you do not like it just move on. I know I will in less than a month as the content is too little, and it comes out too late. Might as well w8 it out for another 6months and then come back to have something `to do`. And maybe by then there will be some sort of balance as I have found lvl sync to work in very strange ways...anything up to lvl40 can be done with your eyes closed, anything above becomes slightly tougher but really makes no difference, except for the time spent on whichever you are grinding for. Last but not least, I am suprised that very few ppl mentioned the astounding amount of bugs and the delay/laggy gameplay that came with 4.0. I would not even bother posting about this had I not read about it from ppl complaining on forum/fleet/planets/PvP/PvE zones about how much the framerate performance dropped, not too mention the random lag spikes. Whatever it is, I have had it both outside and inside of warzones and arenas, so no, no1 is hacking. Take the good with the bad, do what makes you happy and is fun. After all,it is just a game....

The last part is something I have noticed to be absolutely true. It is so rare these days not to see at least 1 sorc healer, and I pug 99% of the time. On rep side ofc there are sage healers but the issue lately is that imps tend to have at least 2healers per match. This is not a QQ on and about healing but since sorc healing atm is op, having 2 or even 3 of them crosshealing puts the odds on the imp side in most wzs, since by recount most warzones are more about survival and control. The trend atm for me is that I can get my imp daily done in half the time compared to my rep. This is 65 I am talking about, low and midbies are even more random but I guess things change. I would not be suprised if another shift happens in favor of the reps on TRE but so far I enjoy the challenge of facing a good premade, albeit even if they are rare on imp side. Let us all hope ppl rather take up a challenge and change sides than be bored of the same rollover grind and become bored of PvP entirely....

Been reading most of the threads written in the past month, and I am not suprised that so many are complaining while others love what the KotFE expansion changed and `brought` to players. I have been playing this game from the very start, and unlike some ppl I took the bad with the good and tried to make the best of it. Most by now know all the things that went wrong and I admit that BW did a good job on the new story telling direction...alas maybe coming a bit short on how long it lasts, honestly even as a casual you can get through it under 24h of gameplay, and all that remains is the usual MMO grind, more towards companions than gear or rep but the concept is more or less the same. The issue for me is the lack of everything else. I spent most of my time with PvP and I rarely do ops anymore as I do not care about gear/difficulty progression. So on the food table of the current state of this game you will not find much to keep you around, and any1 with something better to do than compare clothing on a sunday in a public building (look at my new 0000 gear I got from HM) will not stick around to do the grind of companions. Talking about them, they are defo way too OP, and have at least for me even further reduced the reason to do group content as pretty much anything but ops can be done solo. Not sure why I see this as a step back but maybe BW will do something about companions in the future...and seriously, why the **** so many of them, we can still only use 1 active and 6 on missions. All in all, pretty much the same routine for me which is come and go, be back some time and in and out etc. because, even tho ppl are ` vocal` about the changes made by BW they should know better that the current Chapter Release Content is a good buck maker in the long run, if nothing else ppl will hopefully see Swtor as another revolving door MMO...and if nothing else, it will most likely remain very retainable for BW for quite some time.... P.S. Bless the forum mentality and the twitter/facebook generation...cause your opinion matters as much as the choices in this game.

Not sure if serious but if BW does change it so casuals once again get it their way I would not mind them doing the same for PvPers...just an idea, but I am certanly not advocating it. And I do not mean to offend, but if some1 asks for a requirement change like this they are by every definition a casual. So in the end BW will decide what works for them, and not for you, it is that simple. I would not mind a companion for which 1 would need to do GSF, and altough I never liked it I would still play the required matches to obtain that/those companion/s. But it is nice to see how many PvPers defend this idea, or better said do not wish to be let outside as if Swtor was only about PvE. I do wish to add the incentive part for doing a `little` PvP, besides getting the companion/s. PvP will make you better at playing your class/spec. Granted you will not excel at anything after 20matches but you will defo gain some skill, and if it really bothers ppl to do PvP to get a companion...just skip it. Tough luck, I know but I kept coming back to WoW and leaving and never bothered with Ashran or PvP...I just do not like it, to each his own. So yea, certain achievements and other `things` I never obtained and never will but I would not post a thread about it being unfair...it just makes you look like a spoiled child who wants everything his/her way. And I am sure there are plenty of games out there where ppl skip certain tasks to obtain something just because they can not be bothered...just an example but I will never kill a 1000 mobs with a few of the old companions, and certanly not doing it either with some new ones. I mentioned GSF, did about 100matches alltogether since it was released and I never looked back, but I would strap in again if I knew it would take 20matches to get something I want. Suck it up, 20matches are nothing and you can still do something in the meantime. Hell, you might even learn a thing or 2 about the amazing bolster system, or wait to see if BW does care enough to change it.... P.S. If some1 is looking for logic behind this task...do not bother, I am sure BW works in mysterious ways, like voodoo and hamsters and..stuff. Altough, when I met him on my sage he was doing quite a fine PR show against imps....

Totally agree that there is no real challenge left unless you wish to play your character solo through any of the PvE content without using a single companion, ever. So many ppl already wrote how companions are way too strong and as some1 who has been through all the different classes (high pressence) it just feels silly what companions can do. I do love that we have access to all kinds of new ones but its annoying beyond words for me that I can not change anything about them except for their role and `skin`. And I am just going to mention it but not going to bother with reasons for and against, the speed at which 1 can lvl now is ridiculous... Do not get me wrong, I am sure some ppl like that they can speed through content, and that they do not have to micromanage their companions gear and everything that goes with it but for me, this was 1 part of Swtor I saw both as RP and RPG...with it gone, a huge part of my previous experience in this game seems to be swallowed up and/or dumbed down so BW can cater to casusal players. Just my 5cents, to each his own... Concerning the MMO part in Swtor, the recycled flashpoints do not seem appealing enough for me to even bother doing them, not too mention I have done most of them as often as Kuat but I am certanly going to give the `new` operations a try, in hope to feel the MMO aspect of this game and for the social interaction. And I do hope they provide a challenge, compared to the faceroll I just went through with a group in Blood Hunt... Having been through 2 characters in KotFE, 1 imp and 1 rep I do have enjoyed the stories and the decisions made and plan to play 1 more on each side to see the different reactions and `outcomes`. Kinda feel a bit let down by the impact of the choices made so far on the story but I hope BW will keep a track of them and apply them in the new chapters. Considering it is going to be quite some time before we get new content, all that is left for me is to get back into PvP. BW did a good job on what they are known to do well but it remains to be seen what exactly they can offer to ppl in context of keeping this game a MMO experience, which is something I value more than a singleplayer experience. Right now, if it was not for the PvP I would almost believe we got a weak excuse for another Kotor game, a somewhat clumsy attempt to give ppl what they asked for years ago...but time will tell. P.S. I am not in the habit of rushing through content but seriously, even if ppl have little time to play the game they will be done with it way before the new content is released. For the new folks or those who have just returned from a short/long break of the game...lets just say you are in for a treat. Just plz, if you do try out PvP do not call for hackz or balance, but do type in any chat window available to you... BETTER THAN CROSS-SERVER! Tyvm in advance.

Knights of the faltering entertainment...cause choices matter.

I actually thought this to have been a joke on BWs part...guess the joke is on replay value.

Best comment so far, respect where it is due... I love these whiny threads where ppl expect to be told everything. Whatever happend to being suprised and finding out about the unknown the old fashioned way. You know, by giving it a try? If ppl do not like something they can always move on, and the monthly sub, in the 1st place could not have been that much if ppl are still bothering to post about the lack of news. I am all for asking questions but some things are best left in the dark...especially if they turn out to be bear dung. At least once you are kneedeep in it you wont bother looking further, in case the bear turns out to be hungry, or even worse, in mating season....

IMO Level Sync is a great idea for ppl who are starting out in the game. For them it will become mandatory as they will never or barely know what it was like to feel overpowered when going back to lower lvl planets and it will provide at least the feeling of a challenge as we had it when this game was 1st released. It will be a serious pain in the *** for farmers/crafters, and if ppl think Level Sync will encourage ppl to group up...then I do not really get why Bioware decided to `fix` group experience, not to mention that most PvPers know the issues in lowbie bracket. A `true` lvl 25 will have serious problems facing a fake 65/25, just because of the talents available to the second...I can almost taste the tears on PvP servers. To come back to the OP part, I seriously do not believe having more talents whilst being downscaled in lvl will make the OP feeling true, and I do not think we will ever feel it again. Just for my sanity, please do not start the elitist/superior talk on veterans, any1 who gets to the current endgame character lvl should have a visible way to display his/her power except for spamming talents, be it current hitpoints or walking over enemies others have to struggle with. Maybe we will still be able to burn through reds, but I did enjoy coming back as a Darth to Korriban and being visibly stronger than the new players who were starting out...guess I would still remain a Darth compared to an Acolyte but us having the same hitpoints? Not sure, maybe it is just me but I do find this silly. It is still a question of time spent ingame to see how Level Sync will play out once KotFE is released but to be blunt, or just to put my finger in every1s eye... what happend to the illusion of it being or not being another recycling move by Bioware? FPs/OPs recycled, that is for sure so I am not suprised seeing Level Sync being introduced. To me Level Sync will just make ppl spend more time `getting things done` than it takes them now, a perfect example of recycling. Again, I speak of ppl who have been through the old content, making it appear more challenging will not make ppl go back...or at least I do not believe that most wiil bother with it. On another note, knowing how Bioware insisted on Bolster in PvP and how long it took them to get it right I shudder what might happen if Level Sync is introduced with as many flaws as Bolster had. Once Level Sync goes live I would not be suprised if ppl would figure out exploits or simply failures in the system, and it would take a huge ****up to get rid off Level Sync. Even then I firmly believe Bioware would stick with it and have their customers endure till they get it right.... So to conclude, good move for new players, a dagger up your strap for old veterans...w8 it out and see for yourself. Too early to tell and if it sucks it is not the end of the world.....I have been in and out of this game more times than I have seen ppl running naked in Huttball.

What a waste of space... Like it or not but Bioware does what Bioware wants. I personally see the whole `what players want` as an excuse, that works each and every time in their favor, same could be said about lvl scaling and some already mentioned why Bioware would have this introduced. It takes time to show which decisions made in the past were wrong and which ones were good. To argue about something no1 has tried yet is beyond daft...and if you do not like it you will move on or stick around for the personal abuse, which speaks volumes about that person and his/her mental state. The obvious community majority is always silent, as some1 wrote: `Those who are happy do not complain. and those who do not like something move along.` I would like to add that positive feedback on forums is a rare sight but it happens from time to time, compared to complaining, no matter which way you twist and turn your issues they are still just yours OP....

Maybe I should have mentioned this earlier but better late than never... 6th rule No1 should bother equiping any gear above 162 when going for PvP. Altough this is a lvl 50+ issue it is still worth mentioning that PvE gear with set bonuses work in PvP, and it is always nice to get that little edge over others. 7th rule Do not bother with augments before lvl 60, they are a waste of credits and mats. (if you have craft them yourself) Hope this is enough for any1 to get into PvP but every1 should remember to at least TRY to help others. I will give you 1 chance to get your **** 2gether, after that you are on your own.

Atlough I wrote some time ago that I will not respond to anything PvP related...helping ppl figure out how to get properly into PvP and beyond might be worth the time. Forgive me for ignoring the options you listed, there are some truths in them and some that actually hurt your performance at an early stage. It makes it much easier to just point out a few basic things to get you into PvP at lvl 10 and beyond.... 1st rule Go with custom gear. Considering the amount of CM items you should not have problems purchasing these empty shells, and even going for a unique look if you choose to. As far as upgrading modifications is concerned, there is a certain game changer at around 30+ lvl where modifications get a 3rd stat to them. (armoring/barrel/hilt stay the same, the changes impact enchantments and mods) It is wise to get them as soon as possible, altough they make more impact on tank specs than damage dealers/healers. Stick with blues, purple modifications make little to no impact and are in my eyes a waste of credits and mats. (if you choose to craft them yourself) 2nd rule Implants and earpieces become avaiable from around lvl 15+, really depends on your servers GTN or if you can craft them yourself. It is important to remember that every slot on your character is considered when Bolster comes into play, so having even a cheap green earpiece will give you that extra expertise bonus. 3rd rule Ignore all color crystals that give you expertise and stick to power/crit crystals. Last time I tried expertise crystals out in lowbie/midbies they actually lowered my expertise down from 2018. 4th rule Many ppl ignore this but even relics count towards expertise. The easiest way would be to spam the 1st FP out there, (Black Talon/The Esseles) which both per run yield 200 alignment points of your choice. Another way is to get Diplomacy early, altough it does take time to get to the better/more alignment gain missions. At around 2k alignment towards either Dark/Light side you can purchase 2 relics from the relic vendors on fleet, (GTN section) which start at around lvl 19. 5th rule Most lowbie/midbies matches I have been in have been won by and through communication. This is the perfect time to encourage ppl to use chat actively, not just to call out incs but to `plan ahead`. Sometimes there are responses from trolls and general idiots, either ignore them or `ignore button` them, really depends on each individuals curent mood and tolerance lvl. Last but not least, I would seriously not bother with PvP until you finish the story on your capital. Working towards 2018 takes time but having 2 companions getting the above mentioned done becomes much easier and certain classes/specs become more viable in PvP as they gain lvls. Expertise is everything, so make sure you got all slots covered by the time you hit lvl 30 because getting into the midbracket is quite a game changer when facing 50+ without 2018...no matter how good you are. Enjoy lvling through PvP, I have done my share and I still prefer it over any other form of experience gain.

A few come to mind... Darth Barf (highly suggest to google Barf, Spaceballs was such a crappy movie but I dare any1 to make their Sith look like John Candy) Darth Scarf (brings a new meaning to autoerotic asphyxiation..choke yourself with delight) Darth WhatIsLove (on TRE, the moment you are spotted on fleet the general chat will be all about you) Darth Dinsdale (running out of ideas but better end it with a Python classic than some other)

I really enjoy reading your posts, they have more truth in them than most ppl give you credit for. It is true that alot of trolls and general losers killed the PvP population, and the cheap server transfers only added to the diminishing player base on several servers. It is not that certain other servers gained an influx of players but that those who remained behind now have even less ppl to play with, and thus many either transfered too or stayed behind but naturally play less and less or have quit the game entirely. Altough pooling players 2gether can be a good thing for more variety it has had quite the opossing effect when it comes to PvP participation, on all lvls when counting all the servers 2gether. And blame does not really fall on the community entirely, we have more than enough evidence of how BW treats PvP, their `adopted` minigame child. Apparently no1 can hear you scream in space, same thing could be said about the Swtor community PvP balance threads... PvP endgame content would have been fine if BW had not removed 8vs8 ranked entirely, kept team ranked arenas only and never allowed the retarded yolo que. If ppl do not see that BW tried to bury the complaints and issues caused due to low population by allowing solo participation with a ranking entry and provided trinkets, of no way but playing against the same ppl over and over then plz do think again, it is as obvious as the sun and the moon. Why this caused ppl to take it out on others, be it name calling or general keyboard war abuse should not suprise any1. Not having the option of choosing which aspect of PvP, arena/warzone selection is another proof of their neglection and population issue, be it intended or just laziness. Most ppl who took part in the last or previous seasons knew the problems, saw the fotm classes/specs not being dealt with, not to mention the issues with sync que, win trading and general 3vs4 abandon/afk trolling. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of pages about these issues. I still enjoy this game, all aspects but particulary the PvP and yet...I am a realist for quite some time now. As much as I have invested time in PvP I do not want to bother anymore telling those who have a direct influence on what PvP looks like and what it should be to get their **** 2gether. It is a *********** waste of time, it is a minigame and ppl really ought to get that fact right. It is not the right place or topic but to start on and about the Cartel Market...no thanks, that at least we can always count on. Do you best or do your worst but you can not keep a community per server long enough 2gether, and interested in the same over and over again. Take it in good faith, Domi. And this goes to every1 else too, this aint the PvP you are looking for.... P.S. I am seriously not going to bother posting or replying anymore to anything related to PvP. No big loss, either way...