Sadly EA controls everything. Since EA owns BW. If EA cuts the funding the game dies. With all the other blockbuster games EA makes. (Sims, DeadSpace and what have you) This game is really chump change. Heck look how long it took for the first expantion to come out. Oh and did I mention it was only a digital copy, there isn't a hard disc copy anywhere but in the volts of EA/BioWare. I hate to sound all doom and gloom as one of you put it. Yet thats the way things are. This game isn't nearly what was promised back when it was announced. I get an MMO is hard to make and run, yet many of the players are frustrated. Not enough new content. Both sub classes play the same. There is no real replayability in the game. Trust me I know how it sounds, but I was a big supporter of this game. I have spent a ton of money playing it. More than any other MMO. I got all my friends to join, yet here I am. Trying to keep my guild together and keep people interested. The lack of content and the lack of dev interaction (SF cantina tour) was bogus. The players are the reason the game does well, and the players need some form of satisfaction from the game. One character rename token isn't good enough. A few hundred cartel coins isn't good enough either. As a sub, the players deserve more. As a person who has supported this game since its announcment. I am saddened by what I see today. This is a pay to win game. The more money you put in the easier you win. It doesn't take talent or even skill. It's grind all day to get a piece of gear. ( Mind you I haven't looked at the markets since the conversion of planet comendations to planetary comendations) Then grind the next week to finish the armor. Then go do a raid to get better gear. Ladies and gentlemen this is Star Wars, did Luke wear armor? Did Vader? How about Yoda? People love the Star Wars Universe for the story. Not the gear...

So basically, it costs a ton of tokens to transfer your character to another server. Then you get one free rename token (per account) So what you ToR/Bioware/EA is saying. Give us money so you can do what you want... That's kinda lame if you ask me. I have played many MMO's before ToR and I got most of that stuff free for subing. Yet as a sub I still have to pay for things in order to get my characters to where I want them. Along with the gear... -sighs-

... I am kinda confused on this myself. Looking at it from the perspective as a gamer who doesn't frequent the forums. Or a gamer who created an account just to play the game. Then never came back to the forums. I find this a little odd. There are dozens of gamers out there like this. The only reason I even know mine is because I rant at the devs half the time.( Mind you my voice is never heard) I could possibly see how this would be easier to add friends in game. Link your friends from the forums to in game, but still. It could just be as simple as it is easier for them to keep track of us. Logging in to the site you have a different name/ names than you do when you sign into the game. That and this could possibly fix the issue of having to sign in to the site and the game. Which I have found kind of annoying at times. I understand the security key, but having to retype everything is kinda annoying and wastes time. Anywho, I hope this is a good fix for things

I went to the Cantina tour in SF. I must say I was sorely disappointed. I didn't hear anything useful in the way of ( The time line for the Hutt Cartel coming out or the Cathar.) The Cathar where supposed to come out last year. Yet here we are still waiting for them. They only wanted questions about why they did things this way. Or why they decided to put this in the story line. The place it was held was, not really a place I would expect a Star Wars The Old Republic to be at. Yes it is the Cantina Tour. Yet holding a get together at a sports bar isn't the best place to hold it. You have to be 21 to even enter the building. Which makes it hard for a lot of players under the age of 21 to have their voices heard. The only saving grace of the who get together was the guy from Lucas Arts. Props to him. He listened and talked with me and a few friends. As a gamer and a loyal Star Wars fan. I think we deserve more than what we are getting.

Oh I have a feeling they will only tell us a few days in advance so noone can go. I have been asking this same question since November... (Remember, they announced the last one for December, 5 days before the event) Personally, I believe they are just going to do what they do best and keep their heads down and expect us to not pay any attention to their mess ups ( I.E. The Hutt Cartel expansion. At E3, the announcement was made that the things in the expansion would be free to subscribers, but now they're telling us it is an expansion that we must purchase, but wait there is more! If you order now you will pay more and not get a thing for it........) Does anyone else get my point here!? We were promised another race, specifically the Cathar, yet nothing has been said about it since the original announcement. Yet what we do hear is that they are working on stuff that, if it had been true to normal Bioware standards, would have been released at the start of the game (the SGR for one). There are bugs in the game that have been there since beta, and with each new patch more bugs are coming out, making gameplay difficult even on high end computers (I should not be lagging on a planet that only has 7 people on it with a rig that has the highest specs listed for the game) The fact that they haven't said a thing about when the SF Cantina Tour is means that they are just doing this for a show. We as the players don't seem to matter to them anymore. When people repeatedly ask/request/message/etc for a date for an event that SHOULD take at least several weeks to plan (hotels for the Devs, travel arrangements, location rental, etc) and no answer is given, it begins to make us as players wonder if the Devs even listen to us. The thing that kills me is that I have backed Bioware for years. Not only that, but the instant I heard about this game I joined the boards and the forums. I have been here since it started, my roommate has been around since beta on the game itself, yet here we are...twiddling our thumbs as the players. (It doesn't matter if you are a Subscriber, or an F2P player, this is a problem.) I expected more from this game and its developers. I pay for my monthly subscription, and even put money down for cartel coins from time to time (since that seems to be the only way to get ahead in this game anymore....hooray for pay to win!) and I do kind of expect to at least get some form of communication from the devs on things such as dates for their meet and greets. Then again, I guess I shouldn't have, because ever since EA bought out Bioware, their community management has gone down the tubes, their games have been glitchy and rushed, and there isn't the feel of well....Biowareness to the games anymore. As a Bioware loyalist, I have to say this hurts, I have support you for over a decade, yet this is the thanks I get? I am not just talking about my own issues with what is going on I am talking about everyone's issues with what is going on. 1) The fact that PVP is still wonky as all get out. It was orignally supposed to be divided by levels, or even by rankings, yet it is often a horrific cluster **** of people being outmatched or hacks being used (the naysayers of hacks can keep saying that, I've found websites offering programs such as speed hacks and other mods that are routinely getting reported, yet nothing is done). And I'm sorry, but when a level 10 consular can take out a level 45 immortality spec juggernaut, there is a problem. 2) The story line for some characters seems to be lacking (I am a Star Wars fan dang it! Give me something more than I have to kill my master and all his people then this one and that one. Yes Sith do that. I get it, but give me something more.) Some of the storylines feel rushed, while others feel very fleshed out and well rounded...yet all of them have constant "go here....now here...now here.....now back here.....now over there.....oh I forgot to have you go Waaaaaaay back there....." feel to them. This would be the third time I have had issues with things that are happening. Well I live in America and on the third strike your out! So either step up and tell us a reason why we should put up with this pompous, high society stuff you are pulling (seriously, it feels like the "Nobody gets to see the Wizard! Not nobody not no how!" lately!) or step aside and let people who actually will do the job right take over. We, the players and community, are the reason you are still in business! So do something for us and stop over looking those of us that have supported you in everything. Yes I am angry, yes I am irritated, and yes I am tired of this. Two words FIX IT! I am all for them going over to visit other places and other gamers, but deciding to postpone the SF Tour at the last minute bugs me

The devs wont even say a thing about the fact that less than a month ago on the live stream and the first live stream along with E3 of all places. These things were announced. We were all told that these things would be free. The fact that it seems that there is some arguing amongst the players makes me wonder about this community sometimes. Yes most of us have good intentions, but there are those of us who would rather troll than actually add to the conversation. The fact still remains that the Devs themselves haven't said a thing to answer any of my (or anyone's) questions. I am tired of not being heard or having anything of relevance said by the devs.

My other issue is that the level cap is only being raised by 5 levels. If It is a true expansion and not just some random update with new content. Then why are we only getting five levels. Its pointless to us that as a selling point. When other MMO's release an expansion its at least ten levels. This it sad, to say the least. Many players will hit the level cap on other planets before they even touch Makeb. Also the fact that Makeb isn't having any Class missions just side quests. Kinda erks me as well. Its like they just wanted to get this announced and out before the end of the year. Also another thing that kinda worries me is that there hasn't been a single Dev that has posted on the forums in a while... Yeah I understand they get a holiday break, but come one its a game people even some of the devs play it... Or was that just City? To conclude my personal opinion. Getting five more levels along with a planet with only side quest missions. Isn't worth ten bucks. Oh and just to let those of you know. All of this along with the Cathar were supposed to be released before the end of the year. So we all have to wait another 3-5 months. For this to even come out.

I find it odd that nothing has been announced myself. The fact that everyone is keeping their mouths shut on the date just means they don't want to deal with the community due to the fail that was the first and second Live Stream. Considering everything in the new Add-on Hutt Cartel stuff was announced months ago. Oh and it was supposed to be free to subs, and it was supposed to be out before the end of the year. And what ever happened to the Cathar? The Devs may be trying but they don't seem to be trying hard enough to communicate with us as the community or as the players. I am getting kinda annoyed at the fact that this continues to happen. Before this game I could swear by the Bioware name. I have played everything they have made. I loved every game. This one is good, but no where near what Bioware can do. Part of me wants to blame EA because they don't want people like me going to the Cantina Tour, because I know the Star Wars lore and history almost better than Lucas himself. They don't want the hard questions asked. They don't want to have the facts slapped back in their face. I know I have posted supporting this game. That wont change, but I will not let something I love turn into EA's new money machine. EA has no idea how to run an MMO. Even though we all know EA bought Bioware because of the success of the KOTOR games and the reinvention of the Star Wars universe. I am tired of not being heard as a player and a supporter of this game. The live streams were bogus and pointless. We learned nothing about the game or what is to come. Even those that got to ask questions were in both the first and the second. Which I find a little off. If I where to ask a question like, "When is The Hutt Cartel coming out?", all I would get for an answer is that it will be out soon. Or in the spring. I want a date! Not some bogus time frame that can be changed at a whim of the devs. I understand programing can be complicated, I am a programer myself. So with as many people that work for the company... (EA and Bioware) which is a lot, why is it that somethings aren't getting fixed? Things that I know were reported in BETA? As a sub I want more for my money. I shouldn't have to pay 30 bucks for a sub card and then add money to my account to help me get stuff I need for my characters to keep up with the F2P players that have bought a bunch of amazing gear on their characters. Back to the point. I want a date within the next week and if I don't get one I will be mailing EA and Bioware. The fact that we are not being listened to as players there is an issue. Without us there is no game. We have stuck with this game since the beginning. Some of us bought the Collectors edition, others bought the game then the digital version just to get the extra stuff. We have supported and kept this game running. Yet we aren't getting answers nor are we getting feedback. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!

I find it odd that nothing has been announced myself. The fact that everyone is keeping their mouths shut on the date just means they don't want to deal with the community due to the fail that was the first and second Live Stream. Considering everything in the new Add-on Hutt Cartel stuff was announced months ago. Oh and it was supposed to be free to subs, and it was supposed to be out before the end of the year. And what ever happened to the Cathar? The Devs may be trying but they don't seem to be trying hard enough to communicate with us as the community or as the players. I am getting kinda annoyed at the fact that this continues to happen. Before this game I could swear by the Bioware name. I have played everything they have made. I loved every game. This one is good, but no where near what Bioware can do. Part of me wants to blame EA because they don't want people like me going to the Cantina Tour, because I know the Star Wars lore and history almost better than Lucas himself. They don't want the hard questions asked. They don't want to have the facts slapped back in their face. I know I have posted supporting this game. That wont change, but I will not let something I love turn into EA's new money machine. EA has no idea how to run an MMO. Even though we all know EA bought Bioware because of the success of the KOTOR games and the reinvention of the Star Wars universe. I am tired of not being heard as a player and a supporter of this game. The live streams were bogus and pointless. We learned nothing about the game or what is to come. Even those that got to ask questions were in both the first and the second. Which I find a little off. If I where to ask a question like, "When is The Hutt Cartel coming out?", all I would get for an answer is that it will be out soon. Or in the spring. I want a date! Not some bogus time frame that can be changed at a whim of the devs. I understand programing can be complicated, I am a programer myself. So with as many people that work for the company... (EA and Bioware) which is a lot, why is it that somethings aren't getting fixed? Things that I know were reported in BETA? As a sub I want more for my money. I shouldn't have to pay 30 bucks for a sub card and then add money to my account to help me get stuff I need for my characters to keep up with the F2P players that have bought a bunch of amazing gear on their characters. Back to the point. I want a date within the next week and if I don't get one I will be mailing EA and Bioware. The fact that we are not being listened to as players there is an issue. Without us there is no game. We have stuck with this game since the beginning. Some of us bought the Collectors edition, others bought the game then the digital version just to get the extra stuff. We have supported and kept this game running. Yet we aren't getting answers nor are we getting feedback. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!

I agree we need more than five days notice for this. I live in Oregon as well. I need to ask time off for work. So give us a date.

I understand many peoples opinions and issues with the new expansion. Then again I understand the need for things like expansions. For those of you who watch TV or have a computer. The new WoW expansion is all over the place. People pay a price just to get the game. With updated content and what not. Hell name an MMO of the last 10 years that didn't have some form of expansion that players had to pay for. $10 isn't evil. I understand the reasons for needing it. Yet having said these things... I have many issues with what this update is. Five levels isn't even going to make me blink twice. Oh a new planet that I know nothing about... Oh and more content. That's cool, what kind of content is it? I have watched the livestreams and all of these things where supposed to happen soon... Spring isn't soon from the first livestream date. Also this entire expansion was said, that it would be out soon, before the end of the year.., (I might be misunderstanding them but that's what I took from the first livestream.) Also where are the Cathar? Why are you talking about these awesome and new content updates yet not telling us the players. The people who pay you what the heck is going on.

I have noticed that the date for the January tour hasnt been given... So I would like a heads up considering I want to go but need to ask time off for work. Its less than a few weeks from January people Give us the date!

Since the game has gone free to play there have been a ton of issues with people logging in and being able to play. I have been kicked from the server multiple times, and I am a paying customer. Since the server consolidation, and the game going free to play. I have been wondering. (Along with many other players) Why there hasn't been a new server. If the servers are almost always Very Heavy or Full. How am I supposed to be able to play my characters if I can't stay logged in for longer than 5 min? My main character is a 46 right now and I don't dare touch him because every time I login as that toon I get kicked... Something needs to be done here. I was kicked twice today. Not only was I kicked from the server but the game shut down on my twice. Which is getting annoying. Try as I might to play. I can't . I am getting tired of this. I want to play the game. I want to play through the story. I also want to get my characters to 50 but I can't do that if I can't stay logged in for more than five minutes. I know that the Dev's are working on stuff, but at least get the game to run instead of giving us more content. If I can't even do a single quest without being booted from the game what is the point? I have suggested having a server or two dedicated to the free to play players. I have also suggested a number of other things. This issue needs to be fixed. Or the game may suffer ill effects from the community. The main servers are almost always have lag and a very heavy population now. Which is good for PVP but bad for those who want to play the story. I am looking at the North American servers right now and every server has a Very Heavy or Heavy population. This is the third time I have logged in, in the past hour. Some things need to be changed in order for those who want to play. I as a paying player am supposed to have first dibs on things, but if I keep getting kicked or booted from the game... It makes things harder for those of us that want to play. Yes I know this is a long suggestion but I am trying to get the point across. I am tired of having to login multiple times and get kicked. I know many of the other players are as well.

I have an idea that could help wit some of the server issues along with a few other issues that have arose due to the free to play option being instated. 1. I think that there should be a specific server/ servers for free to play player. 2. There should be an option for the paying players to join these servers. If they so choose. 3. The fact that some free to play players actually want to play the game and not mess around and antagonize the paying players they should be given more cartel coins for being players. 4. I have been playing a while and when I hop onto my home server and find people RPing things they really shouldn't over general chat. It kinda makes me want to stop playing a bit. So my suggestion is have more mods in game. 5. Give the Paying players something, yes we got cartel coins but to be honest there are many different things that could be added for us. We have been playing for a while and have achieved a lot in game. We have fought for the right of each side. Jedi, Sith, Light or dark side. We have been playing and we deserve to have a little something more so to speak. Im not saying we need more, but I have suggested a lot of things that would be cool to see happen. I did mean to turn this into a rant but at the same time it kinda needs to be. I know that some people agree with me and others don't I have no issues with that. Its all opinion, but when friends of mine are being booted from the server so people like me can play I really find that it is an issue. People want to play and I don't have any issues with that. I just think that everyone should get a fair chance.

I think it would be kind of a cool idea to be able to edit your character, like facial features and scars. I know that you can. When you create your character, but it would be cool to be able to edit your character along the way it would make the game that much more interesting for those of us on RP servers. AGE: I know that all the characters are the same so to speak, but having a Jedi that looks 50 and is just getting out of the Jedi temple as a padawan is kinda... Odd, there is no explanation to why your character is the age they are. Being able to start as a kid in the temple or even just doing a training cinematic with your character as a kid in the Jedi or Sith temple would be cool. In every form of reference that we have, to the STAR WARS UNIVERSE there is an age requirement. Even Yoda said Luke was to old to be trained. There is no reference to this in the game. Which bugs me as a STAR WARS fan. GROWING UP: It would be cool to be able to edit your characters looks as they age. Having your character start as a kid and making their way up to become a Sith or Jedi Master. Level vs. Age: Level 1-10 kid Level 10-20 teen/ young adult Level 20-30 Young adult to middle aged adult. Level 30-40 Middle aged adult to older adult Level 40-50 Master status. Old/ possibly elderly Level 50-60 Still Master status, and the same age. Just with more experience and knowledge in the force. This idea can work for most of the classes. There is no age to old or to young in the Star Wars Universe. I would just like to possibly see more things that I can do with my character after I have created it, besides making the cloths/ armor the same colors. It would put the game ahead of all the other MMO's I know it would be complicated, but it could encourage the people with lvl 50's and higher to go back and create a new character to play.

Agreed! I would play all those games. Heck forget lvling I would make credits. Heck yes

I really think this could be a good idea for RP purposes. Yes we can do this through RP but if we could add them to our friends list or with in our guild as Apprentices. It would be cool. Not only could it help with lvling characters, but it could also be tagged to the Masters legacy in some way. To make things more fun. I know that there have been issues with people power lvling, but given the chance this could be a cool idea

Personally I like all of your ideas. I would be happy if any of them ever happened. Yet the three that I would choose differ from many of yours. 1. The ability to add guild members as your Padawan/ Apprentice. To help with lvling and what not. 2. The ability to play my Jug, the way he was before he got nerfed to all hell. ( Im sorry when I get locked down by a lvl 11 in pvp and I can't fight them one on one when I am a lvl 42 there is a problem. Fix pvp. considering I can solo some world bosses. There is kinda a problem. 3.I would also like to have better stories on the dark side force users. To me the light side stories are amazing. You are fighting tooth and nail. to get what you have. Even with the bounty hunter and the imperial agent. The stories are good. Something seems to be missing from that on the dark side. It might just be me, but it really doesn't seem all that sith ish to have what happens happen. In the story. Running around and killing other sith lords and masters at such low lvls just doesn't seem right. I want to have to think when I am fighting a boss. Which I really haven't had to do except on Hoth...

Have you played the Imperial Agent class? Heck there are ways for each group to work together for a common goal. Over throw the Emperor. Or a senator that has to much power. There is always wiggle room as you put it. For any side

I have said it before and Ill say it again. I use to play City of Heroes. The fact that there were super groups along with the ability to have multiple groups get together and smash baddies. Having the ability to have both sides, in a guild is something that people do anyway. It already happens. So why not try to fix the issue and have cross faction guilds

I agree with the pvp idea, say a smuggler or bounty hunter is on your team and they have a mission to make that team fail and the other win. It makes things very interesting. The technical standpoint though isn't really that bad. All other MMO's have two sides. Making a third would separate ToR from all the rest, of the hum drum. If we had neutral classes, it gives us the chance to work for the Republic one second then the Empire the next. I also know that the Imperial agent kinda does some stuff like this, but it doesn't seem very convincing to me.

Yes I am very aware of the lore about why each side doesn't work well with the other, but if you think about it. If you have a main bad guy that both sides need to join together to fight though. I would make sense. Say Malgus for instance. Having both sides get together to over throw a specific bad guy would make sense

I know that the lvl 1-50 stuff has been done, but there is so much more that can be done with these two classes.

Not only could this make chatting easier, but it could start the idea of possibly having guild fights. Think of having two guilds going up against each other in warzones, or just having battles on planets. (guild rank) So we can see who is the best guild. Considering I know of a few guilds on the Imps side that are kinda large. I have no idea who or what guild is the larges or most prevalent on the server. Things like this should be able to be known.

Another idea I have had which could make the story line for these two character classes. A lot of fun and more interesting. Is making both the Smuggler and the bounty hunter neutral. Have them work for both sides in order to make money. Which is something that these characters will do anything for. Making them neutral would mean having a smuggler smuggle stuff from the Republic into the Empire (for credits) With the bounty hunter. Have them hunt everyone. I'm sorry if I am playing Boba Fett I want to feel like him, and not just follow the same go here, then go there mail missions. I want to kill stuff!!. Heck make it so we can put bounties on player characters. Or be able to smuggle stuff for player characters. These are just ideas, but I think they could make the game more fun.