This is the exact apologist/fanboi bulls**t I mentioned earlier. 1. A "majority" of additions and implementations are added "just because"? How obtuse are you anyways? Balance passes (a.k.a. "nerfs") result from player feedback. For 3.0, BioWare explained why they were changing classes to remove hybrids. (Sure, some people didn't like it, but at least there was an explanation.) Four years after the launch of the game and suddenly a level-sync system gets added. There was no huge outcry for it, no hundreds of threads. There also hasn't been an explanation from BioWare why they felt the need to add it, other than, "high level players can go adventure with their friends is they want to do that", which is utter bollocks. High level players could group with low-levels, steamroll the content, and the only thing that changed was the lowbies didn't get a lot of XP for the mob kills. Bonus mission/Mission XP was unchanged. So, said "lowbie" could clear a planet in a much shorter time. Again, this "addition" makes no sense (since BioWare won't explain it), but the fanbois like you all LOVE IT just because... well it's from BioWare, so you love it! 2. Meaning some people like it, but it was in the game from the get-go, not tossed in after several years. That means the level-sync was well-tested, etc. Now BioWare wants to toss in a level-sync system on planets that have multiple levels, and multiple other sync mechanics. Alderaan has three different level grades on it, and a fourth when you count the level-matching for Bounty Contracts. Just a little reminder here, bounty contracts are a level-match for a specific mission, regardless of planet mission range, and that one was still borked enough that the ability for high-level players to go to Ord Mantell and Hutta was removed. So yeah, I'm a little skeptical when BioWare says this whole new level-sync thing they plan to wedge into the code is gonna work out just fine. 3. Again, you really are blind to facts here. It's not "minimal change". A minimal change is making a heal or attack do less or more damage, or changing the length of a cooldown. Level-sync is supposed to check your level, and then nerf your health, damage, and defenses down to the highest level you could be and still gain XP from that planet. What could possibly go wrong with something as simple as that, right? Finally, you REALLY need to look up the definition of "immaterial". To paraphrase Inigo Montoya, you keep using that word, like you know what it means. An expansion, level increase, combat changes, Conquest changes, level-synch, and a massive change to crafting, and your stupid enough to call them "immaterial". I guess you fanbols are too busy defending your holy BioWare to actually think about what you're writing.

I'm glad the imprudent community wasn't able to change your mind. Admittedly, it must be humorous to see criticism of a system from people who haven't even experienced it. You gotta watch out for those psychic forumers... The "impudent community" you sneer at, have valid concerns with the whole level-sync program getting forced into the game. 1. No one was asking or demanding it be implemented. 2. People that play other games with level-sync have had mixed results with it. 3. Level-sync is a massive change to gameplay, being added (with no public beta testing) with no explanation as to why BioWare thinks it is a necessary change to the game. 4. It's being tossed in to the mix of yet another massive change to the game as part of an expansion. You even alluded to the potential for problems in your post, and you have a huge signature of your support for level-sync (IN ALL CAPS, just in case anyone wasn't sure.) I made a post a few months back when KotFE was announced, sort of a prediction/warning of what a massive mistake it was for BioWare to keep information on the game so limited. Yet here we are, just a few days away from early access launch, and at this time most of the information people will get on the game will come in the patch notes on the 19th (taking a leap of faith here that BioWare will post a somewhat comprehensive list of changes). There is going to be an "Alliance System" in the game, and I for one have no idea how that works. The "good news" is there will be all SORTS of information available on the 20th. Yay. Compare this news blackout to the launch of the Shadows of Revan expansion in 3.0 - where people knew what all the game systems were going to be, yet there were no leaks about Rishi or Yavin 4 of any significance. This time, BioWare has basically TOLD EVERYONE what Chapter 1 is, as well as Chapter 3. A video stream of players actually playing the game isn't a spoiler, but telling people what materials getting removed are going to be converted to is too much information? And all the fanbois and BioWare apologists are just fine with that? Really?

A little over-dramatic there, don't you think? I don't need to know everything about the expansion, as far as gameplay goes. What I would like to know are the specifics of crafting, instead of two "posts" from BioWare employees, the first one written like it was an intra-office memo to confirm things to all the other employees, that had been in on all the informational meetings since development of KotFE started, and then a "clarification" post that only muddied the waters even more. Tell me how BioWare explaining the following would ruin everything, if you can: 1. The level stays at 500, and the materials currently in the game will be level 1-8 after all changes. Will there be a level 9 material coming into the game? 2. Current level 9 and 10 augment kits will be changed to level 8 augment kits. Will there be a level 9 augment kit, or will level 8 remain the top level needed for the new augments? 3. If level 8 augment kits (that are converted) remain the top-level kit, will all the armor/gear/weapon pieces we've augmented also be converted, or will we have to replace all those? 4. We will need crafting materials that can only be obtained from operations and conquest rewards. The announcement has been made that conquest will be disabled for "at least a month". Considering the reality that the expansion is guaranteed to bring the usual flock of bugs and exploits that will need to be addressed, what exactly are your plans for correcting conquest problems in a timely fashion what with the holiday season (and everyone taking vacation time) rapidly approaching? Any of that game-breaking information in your opinion?

Okay, after going through the 27-odd pages of replies, I apologize if I missed this question already having been asked. However, from all the twitch videos I've seen, the old crafting bonuses (for example, T7 had a +2 Crit chance for Slicing) are going away. Is that correct that those bonuses are being removed, and if so, for those of us that bought the old 100,000 credit sensor mods for the ships droids, are we getting compensated for those?

The reason I've not made many posts on these forums is because actually getting involved in most "discussions" is a waste of time and bandwidth. That doesn't mean I don't read these forums often and form opinions. There are two rather passionate groups that post a great deal. In the first group you have people that don't like some changes, and intelligently or otherwise, make negative comments. Despite the merit of this groups argument(s) (for better or worse), the first group meets opposition from the second group, which can best be described as Apologists or fanbois. The second group wouldn't care if BioWare served up a steaming pile of s**t on a broken plate. Group Two would gobble it down, demand seconds, all the while deriding and insulting ANYONE that has something bad to say about their beloved SWTOR and BioWare. Here's what I do know: While the majority of people playing the game don't post on the forums, there are issues that transcend this little oasis of subjects and responses. Of those people, the people I talk to in voice chat, raid channels, and from my friend list, the vast majority does NOT like the forced level-sync. The reasons are varied, from how it may affect RP events, doing daily missions, helping guildies that just want to face-roll content, to (probably legitimate) fears that BioWare will really screw it up. There was no cry on these forums (or in discussions in-game) for level-sync before 4.0, or 3.0. Now, all of a sudden, it's coming, it's mandatory and BioWare hasn't explained why. In fact, MOST of the game mechanics are still a mystery, with my best guesstimate for the arrival of the "blog post" where we get all the information will be the Oct. 19th patch notes. So let's review. Level-sync wasn't requested previously, wasn't a "Problem" really, but now for some mysterious reason, it's getting stuck in the game. The people that don't like it have valid reasons for asking why it must be mandatory. (Full Disclosure: If BioWare offered a purchased perk to toggle level-sync off, I and many people I know would buy it, no problem). The people that play the apologist role for BioWare, telling people to quit (and ALWAYS asking for their "stuff"), to "get over yourself" in no way invalidates the concerns of other players. By the way - telling people to quit? Be careful what you wish for. But to round this post up, I do believe the majority of players are against mandatory level-sync. But the majority of players won't post here in the first place because of the apologists and fanbois that always reply in the same fashion, and even more telling, the dearth of response(s) from BioWare. Case in point - the huge number of threads complaining about the level sync issue, and BioWare's sole response was to post that they were merging all the threads, and tell people to play nice. So, maybe there's a few good reasons why people don't post on these forums.

That's it? Over 1200 posts on the subject, and BioWare's "big" move is to combine all the threads? Nothing about, "expect some more information and clarification on this obviously controversial issue on Friday"? While I'm asking, when ARE we going to get some serious information on the game changes? October 19th in the patch notes, AFTER everyone has paid subs for the last 4 months, so if subscribers decide to bail, it'll just be, "Hey, thanks for the cash, suckers!" ?

Okay first of all, you're making a HUGE assumption that just because you're "over-leveled" for the planet, that BioWare has decided that you can stay there with their "de-bolsterization" and continue to get XP. Here's a (true) example of what might happen if you're correct. I have several level 60's that I finished using 12xp, with sets of full 6 piece raid gear. If this level sync garbage (Full Disclosure: I think it's a HORRIBLE idea) works as you think it will, I can just take my fully-geared 60s back to Tython, Ord Mantell, Korriban, or Hutta, and do the other side missions at MAX level for the planet, and get to level 65 with minimal effort. As long as BioWare has this all figured out and debugged so there's no screwups. Does that make sense to you? Oh, and let's not forget such fun places like Belsavis - 41-44 except for the daily misisons (lvl 50). How's that going to work again? Or just using Tatooine - lvl 24-28, EXCEPT for those pesky GSI missions (level 52-55). How is that going to be handled? Oh, and the Alderaan example you used? Good luck with that one. Alderaan is level 28-32, EXCEPT for the Bonus Area (lvl 40), EXCEPT for the GSI missions. So, considering all the usual bugs that come with an expansion, adding a level sync process that we don't need on several planets that have multiple "level" issues (Tat, Alderaan, Hoth, Belsavis, Nar Shadda as examples), seems to me a horrendous idea. Prior to this expansion, I don't recall seeing massive numbers of threads dedicated to begging BioWare for level syncing on old planets. Considering also that it's starting to look like all the information we're going to get on this expansion and changes to gameplay are going to come on Oct. 19th, when we can read them in the patch notes, I'm hoping the amount of bile spewed in BioWare's direction will cause them to abandon the level sync idea.

You mean, how well would it fare (if it got to court) when it was noted that something had been promised in writing? That's called a contract. Look it up, Johnny Cochran. The "bottom line" is that subs were promised something, to be delivered via in-game mail, on a specific day. With just a few mouse clicks you can go and read it yourself. You won't, of course, because BioWare can always depend on its legion of fanbois (like you) to ceaselessly defend it, and the game, regardless of what negative garbage they pull. What's unclear there? Am I somehow not reading a part of that? The part that would mention, "Except for the companion. That one, we have a nice big surprise for you!"

Uhm, no thanks. Go to the SWTOR.com website, and then click on the link to the information about KotFE. At the bottom, there's a list of "Subscriber Rewards" that says... You see anything in there about needing to enter the expansion? I don't see anything like that. Even the "fine print" (The part with the *) says: Got Treek via a mission on Fleet, nice little cinematic and all, so I can't believe that a token for a mission to say... Belsavis (the big-time Republic prison and all that other yummy RP stuff), and you go into a cell block, click on a carbonite block and... taa-daa! Out pops Nico! But nooo, NOW we're finding out that to get something that BioWare has had the money in-hand for (at release) almost THREE MONTHS, and promised, in writing to deliver via game email, the story has changed to mean to say that we'll need to stroll around an inevitably buggy expansion. Well, THANK YOU BioWare. Sorry if I'm not happy about getting told a lie.

What kind of BS is this? It states, on the website:: So now you're saying I *MUST* enter KotFE to get my companion reward? Why? I've been a sub non-stop since pre-launch, and to be quite honest, after the debacle of Shadow of Revan, I've decided that early access aside, I'm not going to beta test the next expansion for BioWare in the first week. Oh and, from what I quoted, it seems that while we get a week's head start to "play" the game, we'll be waiting on the 'rewards' until Oct. 27th. But BioWare/EA has had our money for months now, so that sounds fair, I guess? What I would like, is for BioWare to keep its promise(s) as to rewards, and give me my new companion so I can wander around the rest of game while waiting for the inevitable patches to fix the game-breaking bugs sure to be in the code. THEN I'll see about trying out KotFE.

Hi BioWare! The "FAQ" for the expansion right now basically covers why we should keep giving you money every month until the expansion arrives. Other than that, it's pretty short on information. I suspect that there will be more "FAQs" coming from the players in the next couple of weeks. Such as: Companions: I won't have any companions at the start of the expansion? Even the ones I paid real money for (Cartel Coins) like HK-51, Treek, and in effect, Nico Okar? Ouch. How will I craft? How will I do conquest? For that matter, what about all the time and credits I spent getting ALL my companions gifts so they had 10,000 affection? Is that all gone, and I'll need to do it again? 8 X Whole lotta alts = expensive, and annoying if that has to be repeated. Crafting: Is there going to be a cap increase for crafting? This goes back to the whole "All my companions (spouses included) are MIA" thing. The level cap increase has been announced, so it might be nice to be able to get my crafters cooking up the best craftable gear modifications, barrels, saber hilts, etc. before hitting elder game at level 65. Conquest: What's going to happen with conquest? Those missing companions are really going to be a hindrance to players that did crafting to get conquest points. Then again, a little imagination and "planetary conquest" can take on a whole new meaning in October, because the players could potentially invade a planet, and while making crafted items to build points, team up for planet-specific missions in order to exceed a pre-set planetary point total to capture the planet from the new Empire, to get say... tokens to be traded in for high-end gear. Just sayin'. There's options out there for immersion, right? The expansion is in the can, so to speak, with beta-testing to work out the kinks before it goes live, so I can't see why there isn't more information forthcoming. Oh I know, I know, you want to wait until the next Cantina Tour, right? That's a few weeks off though, and considering what's been announced, that's going to feel like it's taking just this side of forever before new information arrives. There's more than a few "I'M GONNA QUIT!" threads running (this isn't one of those, I've been subbed since pre-launch and intend to continue, thanks), and I predict that'll get worse. Even if the information comes out in measured amounts once or twice a week, that would be nice. Might save you some headaches in the process.

I don't post on these forums much, because for the most part I just stop in from time to time when I want to see a continuous stream of train wrecks that is this pathetic whine-fest of forums. But I saw this thread and now I must admit I'm kind of curious here. Which group was/is the majority? First we had the slot machine in its original form. Many threads (many, many threads) filled with complaints. Was that the majority or the minority? Then, after the undetermined-ority voiced their collective anger over the accessibility of pixels, there were changes made to the slot machine. Many more complaints. Are the complaints *now* a version of the majority? Speaking strictly as a civilian, I can understand BioWare's reluctance to address these forums more than they do. No matter what they say, no matter what changes they make to the game, there will be dozens of people here that do nothing but complain, usually with an ultimatum to do things "their way" or else they will quit the game. (Usually in ALL CAPS, so we know that this time they really, really, mean it. Not fooling around this time!) Like I said earlier, I don't post much on these forums, or read them on a regular basis. Usually, my interaction with BioWare comes in the form of my just playing the game, because I really enjoy it. I see a lot of other people doing that, and not wasting time or elections posting here. So I have to wonder if *we* are the majority? Ah, I suppose it doesn't really matter. People having the audacity to just go playing the game and having fun can't possibly merit any consideration from BioWare.

Well since you asked, I spent many years as a volunteer Firefighter/Paramedic, and also worked as a volunteer for disaster relief, and as a SAR diver. In short, you probably don't want to compare your life to mine. My example was meant to be as absurd as yours (and others) who think that BioWare has some nefarious plan to anger their customers, or those that think they could run things better. I have absolutely no "need" to champion SWtOR, nor any other MMO I've played. The difference for me is that I have enough going on in my life that I can find other fun things to do, like reading a book (although this thread is about to reach the size of a good novel shortly). If the game isn't available because of programming problems, I don't need to get my shorts in a wad and demand all sorts of compensation. My life doesn't revolve around this game. I certainly have a lot more patience for a game that has had a life of 4 months when compared to one that has had one of say, 8 years or more. So you go right ahead and complain about not being able to move your pixels around. I'm going to go read The Girl Who Played With Fire and put this mountain of garbage thread behind me and out of my mind. EDIT: Wrong book title.

No, it's not an argument meant to mislead. It's true you don't need to be a musician to recognize an incorrect note. However, unless you can play the music better than the musician on the same instrument, you're limited to a wince at the mistake or moving out of earshot. I do find it interesting that you mentioned a single note mistake. The game is unavailable for a short time in the greater scheme of things, and people go completely berserk over the inability to log into a virtual world consisting of pixels. If you were listening to a musician and they hit a wrong note, would you rush up and attack them, and demand a refund if you had purchased a ticket? Stunned that people don't sit back and realize how ridiculous their complaints are in comparison to real problems in the world. Let's throw something out there for perspective: How many children in the world have died from disease or starvation while you've been whining about not being able to play a computer game?

Part of the problem here Grrl is that you have this idea that because YOU don't like the maphack, *everyone* should be denied access to it. How do you consider that fair? You didn't pay for my copy of the game and you don't pay my subscription fee each month, so DON'T tell me how to play the game.