Your ideas have merit, unfortunately, SWTOR's mass exodus came within the first 3 months of the games launch. This was partly due to poorly implemented concepts in the game mixed with other launch issues. I cannot remember them all, but I know the launch of SWTOR was rough, and that is putting it lightly. Because of that, most players won't come back even with CC offerings, game time offerings, content unlocks, etc. If they do, it won't be for a long time. They might sub for a month, and then be gone again. Also, even though it has been 6-6.5 years, the MMO market is overly saturated with games. Not to mention other platforms such as console gaming and mobile gaming growth, players just forget games more easily than they use to, SWTOR being included

Of course my evidence is anecdotal, what personal experience isn't? Also, of course things change and happen in MMO's. Content changes being the main thing that happens, but name changes should be excluded. Most players who leave an MMO come back to play it again at some point, I am sure you have. What games have you played where name changes took place? You seem to have vastly different experiences than I have. Also, just because changing a name is not a big deal to one person, does not mean it isn't to the person who initially reserved the name. For some players, a character name is very personal (myself not included in this). I do agree with you that Bioware did not put thought into it because they did not see it failing, but again, why should a player who initially chose that name be required to change it due to Bioware/EA's screw up where server merges are necessary? The player/person not wanting to change their name paid to have early access to the game, or had that name first, and most pre-paid for at least one main purpose, to reserve a specific name. The player trying to use the name already in use should just be required to pick a different name. It is their fault for not pre-ordering and being here first to reserve that name. Regarding SWTOR doing this, yes, they do, but it is a system that can be fixed/tweaked, and my mentioning of other games was only to point out it is possible to do it without a name change requirement. People can disagree with me all they want, but as with any forum post based on opinion, I stand by first come, first server basis regardless of server merging. A player who was here from the get go, pre-ordered to reserve the name, or even if they did not pre-order, and had the name first, should have the right to keep that name. The player trying to use said name should be required to pick a different name. I don't think it is right to punish players who originally chose a name just because a game is losing players and requires server merges, or because the game studio wants to merge servers for their own reasons.

I call bs on you having to change your name in WoW. I have played that game since its launch in 2004, and have been through 2 server merges and NEVER had to change my name. I won't give my character name, but I can tell you, it is named after a movie character, and I doubt very seriously, NO ONE tried to use it prior to and after merge. To this day, I still have that character. And you are wrong, it DOES NOT happen on any game where they have more than one server. Like I said, I have played literally every MMO there is under the sun (to name a few; Wow, Aion, GW2, Neverwinter, Everquest I and II, Elder Scrolls Online), and some going back to late 1990's, and yes, I am old in terms of gaming years so what, and have never seen name changes be as frequent as they are in SWTOR.

The person who originally created it. Why should the person who originally created the name be punished due to EA/Bioware's screw up where they botched a game's launch and it has continued to lose players (hence the merge)? Like I said, first come, first server, and also like I said, other games have formed server merges where name changes WERE NOT necessary. If they can make it work, so can EA/Bioware.

This is hogwash. SWTOR is literally the only MMO I have played where this occurs after server merge. I have played all the big MMO's and some smaller one's which have had server merges, and name changes are NEVER required. If a user creates a character, especially if they reserved it, they should not be required to change the name. The person creating the character should be told to choose a different name. This goes with the whole "first come, first serve basis." There is no reason for Bioware/EA to do this, other games don't. It just leads to more issue.

I get email from difference sources through out the day (I use gmail), and never have issues with receiving mail once sent in a pretty speedy manner, but for whatever reason, every time I log into my account to post on forums, and get the 1 time password prompt, it takes forever to receive the code. Forever being 30 minutes plus at times. Now, I would understand if SWTOR were a busy game with millions of subs who might be logging in and need a code sent, but the sub base and player base for swtor is not that high, so why does it take so long to receive my one-time code to enter in order to login to the forums? I don't want to disable this feature, and shouldn't have to in order to receive a code within 5 minutes time like literally every other site that uses this feature seems to do. Is there something I might be doing wrong, or is this just a Bioware/EA thing?!?!

LOL...

Did you even read my other posts?!? I am aware immortal is a tank spec, hence me saying they roll that spec and basically aug dps or wear dps gear, hence the term skank tank. The term "immortal" is used figuratively here, meaning they can take on 5 guys at a time like tanks, which I have ZERO issues with. Skank tank meaning they roll into a tank spec/advanced class, but socket dps augs, and put on DPS gear which I HAVE MAJOR issue with. I am not talking about a Jedi Guardian Rolling Vig or focus which is DPS, or a Sith Jugg rolling Vengeance or Rage which is DPS, I am talking specificly about those who roll Immortal or Defense, and use DPS gear/DPS augs. Here, how is this for specificity; Jedi Guardian = Defense mirroring Sith Jugg = Immortal spec. Again, these two are the main classes I see in warzones using skank tank. They roll the defensive adv class, but socket augs and gear for DPS spec. You seem to be confusing aoe with ST. I am not speaking of AoE. I understand the damage output an AOE (Focus or Rage) based Guard/Jugg can put out. It is AOE! I am talking about the mitigation and damage output even when they roll Immortal or Defense and socket dps augs along with dps gear from a st standpoint. 1v1'ing them as melee is next to impossible. Ranged can kite them well enough.

Don't open with rotation if you suspect they will use pacify which triggers the buff. Just hit them, see if they pacify, and if so just heal yourself that 6 seconds.. then after pacify is down, do your burst/rotation. I have had to adapt to mercs who have learned to do this, and still die sometimes as a Sent. The camo skill might seem like a good skill, but good mercs typically will aoe me while camo'd which gives them a huge advantage. If you think mara/sents are more tanky than jugs/guards, something is wrong, or you are overly attacking when sents have Saber up or rebuke or some other defensive CD such as guarded by the force. Again, adapt, don't go balls to the walls if you see those abilities in use. I am sorry, but lol.. this is not happening. Our camo last 6-7 seconds and is on a 45 sec CD, compared to sin permanent until they attack or are aoe'd. Obfuscate 60s cd or 45s cd if utility used is a fairly long cd, or at least long enough for you to heal yourself, or prepare for the next incoming damage. Most mara/sents don't wait around 45 secs just for one CD to come up to kill one person, and if they do, they are one vengeful mf.

Probably should have searched for a thread regarding matchmaking first before posting, but unfortunately I don't think it exist and probably never will. This has been something people have been asking dev's to implement for a long time. I think I read somewhere they did make some changes, but, if you ask me I don't think that is case. Past 3 warzone's (non-ranked) I have been in though, imp side has had at least 2 dedicated healers, and one group had 3.. two sorcs and an op. Needless to say, even with us focusing heals, interrupting, and cc'ing, we never had a chance with our zero heals lol.

LOL... wow ------- The Joke way up here ------- (Your Head)

Exactly this ^^^ The problem is though the cast time for it currently is too long so they would need to shorten the cast time for it.

Sigh, not focused by a PT, my statement was based on some other posters claiming PT's get focused first. Way to misconstrue my post/words/context/thoughts?!?

While one can appreciate the work that went into this breakdown, and while I can appreciate your thread/post, bolster has never worked and has always been broke in my opinion. Your example is just one reason why I think it is broke. Another example is seeing a sin do 3.7 mil damage with an item rating of 219 in Huttball as of late. Why do I mention a specific class? I mention them because I think different classes benefit more with bolster than others. The analysis stated damage dealers gain accuracy and power, so I can understand high damage out put, however, there are sweetspots that exist and smart players stay in lower rated gear until they get fully geared 248 gear with augs. This sin was an example of what I just said, I actually asked them. They needed two pieces of 248 gear in order to complete their set, but still pvp'd in 219 item rating gear. Anyone with a brain can see this is broke. Bolster is meant to make lower geared players who just hit 70 competitive, but as it currently stands, sweetspot geared players are not just competitive, but blowing 242 geared players out of the water in terms of damage/less deaths. The discrepancy needs to be fixed, and the gap tightened.

Well, enjoy being wrong, because I play neither.