My server was 'full' a couple weeks ago (albeit no queue). I'm currently seeing about 30-40 folks on a world, now lvl 38. Earlier zones probably had double that and still appear to have double that when I've gone back to check. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, generally I see another republic player every 15-60 minutes or so. With that said I've only ever seen about 4 empire players in the entire time I've leveled and one of those was a level 50 just griefing republic folks that were leveling. I think my server has since fallen to 'heavy' at its max load...

At first I thought the idea was good, but after thinking about it more, I don't think it is. My reasoning is that the combat just isn't interesting enough yet, it's too repetitive. I realize that's an odd argument but bear with me. So what keeps me going is the cool story, the equipment rewards, the new abilities and the new experience (e.g. new art, new world). Cutting XP means the equipment, abilities and experience all come 35% slower. That leaves me only with cool story. I don't want to grind 35% slower to be forced to appreciate the story. If they figure out how to make the solo combat fun and not repetitive though, I could see some value it.

I haven't seen a thread really addressing this yet. I see lots of complaints about bugs and design mechanics, requests for new features etc. Heck I have my own gripes about a lot of stuff which probably needs to be addressed (e.g. general chat is used as LFG but the population for flashpoints, while leveling, is split between the world and the republic fleet, there needs to be a more fluid way of getting into flashpoints without wasting time sitting around the republic fleet) IMO, the real issue is the single player combat. The mission descriptions tend to be well thought out and involved, the dialogue is good. The map layouts are interesting. But when it comes down to it usually I'm fighting: 3 regular mobs OR 1 regular and 1 upgrade mob OR 1 elite mob Rinse and repeat. On top of that most groups play out remarkably similarly. When I'm fighting 3 mobs, it doesn't matter what they are, i push exactly the same button combination every single time. The only difference with elite mobs is picking which ability to interrupt, but otherwise, exact same every time. Companion creates some mild variation in this...but not really. Solo combat should do the following: Sometimes it should make me feel epically strong, like i just pwned that guy (it doesn't) Sometimes it should make me feel epically weak, like woah I'm in the wrong area (it does) Sometimes it should make me feel like I need to play my class differently e.g. i need to kite, need to stun differently, need to cc etc (it doesn't) The challenge should feel varied from fight to fight, (it doesn't - to expand when it's always the same number and combination, it gets boring, but it's not just that, sometimes I should be worried about more guys joining the fighting if I play wrong, some fights should be more or less hard but I should be able to gauge that ahead of time) Sometimes there should be cool loot (there is) I should need to use my class abilities as well as my knowledge of the game to win fights in fun ways (it doesn't - to expand, interrupts on regular mobs, needing to move during the fight, using different abilities in different fights, stopping mobs from running away to get backup, etc) There is more beyond that, for solo combat, that I feel just doesn't work very well. I'm still playing, up to level 36 now. The flashpoints I've played don't seem to suffer from the combat issues as much as the solo play out in the world. My concern is, at lvl 36 I'm starting to feel the tedium of the combat issues. There are lots of other great things about the game which keep me going. IMO though, fixing combat to make leveling/soloing more fun is the largest short-term issue that needs to be fixed.

I didn't want to reply but find myself typing. While leveling, to ignore the need of your companion seems like folly. If you are a healer or a tank, your core dps will likely come from your companion. All that gear is replaceable anyway. I'd suggesting defaulting to what the developers have allowed us to do, need on anything you need, for you or your companion. If you live by any other loot system, I predict you'll be disappointed and angry from time to time. I don't know how high level content goes, but I suggest that folks should play by different rules. Suspect the player should only roll for oneself, assuming that companions are phased out in raid style content.