Oh **** not this again! Unless you are an 'elite' player, you don't need 340 gear. I get by perfectly fine with 'only' 330. Some people come across like the kid having a tantrum in the cereal aisle because mummy won't buy the Choco Krispies. 😂 Many of these same people would then complain that the 'high end' content doesn't give enough rewards if they don't get something special. 😏

Actually, Casino gambling is not as 'ugly' as some people make it out to be. It's closer to the Lottery, where many people spend/lose a little but some people win a lot. The actual percentage of revenue returned to the players is not as bad as some people think. Personally, I've only been to the local casino twice. The first time, I won $600 playing blackjack ($300 in chips, $900 payout). The second time I won around $40 on slots. 🙂

After the power went out due to hurricane Fiona, I needed an OTP for the forums, but not for the game. 🤔

There can be a difference between the time when something is 'sent' and the time when it arrives. 😏

There is no need for massive amounts of credits but, credits are still used for things like 'repair costs', 'travel costs', expanding outfit and inventory slots, etc.

Ya know, there is an option in Preferences to disable invites.... 🤔

Or, you could have 2 Guilds, one for each faction. 😀😇 (With a common Discord.)

Afaik, in most instances, you can do a 'solo' flashpoint in veteran mode and it still counts towards the story progression. The veteran mode can be done with a combination of humans and companions. Thus, your friends and family can assist you. (You need to 'manually' enter the FP in vet mode at the entrance or whatever.)

How about this then. Will you never play baseball (football, poker, chess, etc, etc) with your buddies/family again because you've done it before and there's no new rewards? 😂🙄

People also seem to have lost the ability to find/look-for instructions. There is a 'sticky' at the top of the New Player Help forum called "SWTOR Acronyms Explained". 🙄

The one-time code is requested when the system doesn't recognize your IP address. Normally, if you have an 'always on' internet connection, your IP shouldn't change. Make sure you're not doing something silly like turning off your modem each night or whatever.

Bad idea. Too immersion breaking. It would be like having Russia as part of NATO. 🙂

Ya know, it is possible to quit a Guild ... 🙄

The next time you watch the Superbowl, ask yourself how you can still enjoy the same old game you've seen for years. 😂

The only new 'stronghold' like place I'd Like to see would be a 'Zoo/Garage' where I could display my collection of mounts and pets. The planet wouldn't really matter, but some place 'neutral' - i.e. not Coruscant or D.K. - possibly Nar Shadaa.

So, have they turned the Cannon right side up yet, or is it still 'overturned'? 😁😇

Yes, but you are totally ignoring the fun aspect of MM flashpoints. Not everything in the game is just a matter of how long it takes and/or what shiny rewards you get. That's like saying you should only run the 100 meter dash because it's shorter than the 200 meter. Personally, I like doing the harder FPs, when it's a good group. I get much more of a sense of accomplishment. On the other hand, doing MM Hammer Station is just a bore. 🙂 Disclaimer: I'm 331 iRating, so there's not much in the way of gear rewards for me in anything other than R4. I have most of the decos as well.

Also remember that 'Thanksgiving' depends upon what country you're in. 😇

While I understand people's concerns about 'gambling' and people getting into financial difficulty, there is a case to be made for people staying out of other people's fun. There are lots of examples of 'gambling' in many basic things such as: Getting a rare 'shiny' in a pack of sports cards, Pokemon cards, Magic the Gathering cards, etc. Getting a rare 'Hot Wheels' (or other brand) model. Playing Bingo or Chase the Ace at the local community center. Straight up 'gambling' at the local Casino or Las Vegas. It may be difficult to strike a balance between 'fun' and 'addiction', but a total ban is not the answer. 🙂

You did say that all drivers are up to date, but did you mean 'all' drivers, or just the graphics driver? (It happens. 😏 ) In any case, it's possible, since it's a new computer using the latest hardware, that some driver - usual suspects are the audio or network drivers - needs a bit of 'updating' to be completely stable. Sometimes these problems magically go away after a Windows update. 🤞 Oh, and I notice you mention Maleware Bytes and Bitdefender. Try turning those off.

Republic is best. 😁

And don't forget punctuation. F'red, Phre'd, etc.

As asked above - does the game crash, or the whole computer? Is this a store-bought computer, or one you assembled yourself? If it's the whole computer that crashes, I'd suggest you check CPU temperatures. It could be that the CPU fan isn't running properly, or the thermal compound is misapplied/absent, or, at the extreme, someone forgot to remove the plastic protective cover from the heatsink assembly.

Decoration drops are not a guaranteed thing. They're random. You usually have to do any FP many times to get any specific drop.

It seems rather silly to quit any game simply because your favourite name is taken. Have you considered just spelling the name differently, such as Phred instead of Fred?