[Game Update 1.7: Return of the Gree is coming soon!]

I just want to hack of that things arms. Light-sabers aren't as fun if you can't hack stuff off with them. Well it wouldn't really be hacking it would be more like one clean swipe. Please Bioware make this happen. I will give you all my Starwars gummy treats.

 

I see what you mean, but think about the gameplay. Swtor battles take longer then most normal games and imagine fighting a guy and every time you hit him it cut somthing off... youd end up with a pile of imperial soilder. If you want to hack arms off go buy The Force Unleashed.

[Star Wars: The Old Republic – State of the Game #2]

Hello again Jeff,

 

This piece will be about open-world PvP but some foreword is needed so I'll start from far away.

 

It is common knowledge that a good work of art should address at least five of the basic nine emotions: tranquility, love, laughter, compassion, heroism, wonder, anger, fear, disgust. The idea was pioneered in Western culture by JD Salinger in his Nine Stories, while in Oriental art, especially in Indian, it has been an axiom for some 2000+ years already.

 

Some still art genres like photography or sculpture can in fact concentrate on as few as three of the nine and still remain art per se. As opposed to that extensive works like movies or literature strive to have the spectator experience all nine and several times each. While I'm certainly not saying that including all nine is a guarantee of critical acclaim it is worth noting that by doing so you can usually avoid being outright boring.

 

Since SW:TOR is undoubtedly a work of art and an extensive one, I can't help noticing that there is very little humor and fear in the game, most of the storyline is concentrated around love, anger, tranquility and bravery. Those who have played Jedi stories find them dull and boring since they are mostly stripped of anger and disgust. The Sith ones are livelier for the same reason, and the only storyline that had really funny jokes in it was the smuggler story. Yes, and I have yet to experience any fear in the game at all.

 

In my humble opinion this is the one of the core reasons for players to lose interest and quit the game after a couple of months' play: lack of humor and lack of fear. Let us see how these issues could be addressed in an economical yet functional way.

 

Laughter is the easy part, in fact the problem has been solved already by game events that let players play tricks and practical jokes on one another. I loved the rakghoul event for the given opportunity to fly to Tython and infect a ton of unsuspecting newbs with the plague or just to explode into green goo in a heroic area for imps and send the whole imp party scrambling for vaccine. I still do retain an infected character on my account, in hopes that one fine day the plague will become contagious again.

 

There are other, less practical but still funny events that will still produce a healthy player laugh. One example is the WoW Valentine Day event (or is it Easter, I'm not sure) when players could buy a special weapon (a flower bouquet) that could be used on any player to decorate them with temporary bunny ears (now I think it was Easter). Orcs with bunny ears looked hilarious and this is my most positive memory about WoW. In EVE online, a generally dark and fearful world, the fun part is generally found in smack talk in Local chat (approximate equivalent of General) especially in low-security pirate systems. Some EVE players also consider funny the occasional killings of game developer invasion fleets but opinions vary here (I have CCP Alice's frozen corpse in my collection though). Still I think that SW:TOR devs can create a fun event every six or eight weeks and that would solve the problem. Valentine day and Easter are coming, guys, and GWL, Jr birthday is on May 14. Be creative.

 

Fear, the other big absentee, is also essential for player interest. One of the easiest way to induce a sense of fear is by making people risk, and humans love risk, they only differ on the required dosage of this adrenal. With this fear issue though I fear that my proposals could hit a major Bioware corporate no-no.

 

It all centers around risk you see. It is not really risk if you can't lose anything as opposed to winning. And losing time or stuff or (oh noes) gear leads to Player Whine about Gameplay. And Player Whine about Gameplay is a corporate no-no for Bioware. This is an overcatious attitude, to be completely honest (the company had next to none time to gain professionalism here).

 

Let me outline it: a modest amount of whine about things occurring in game is a sign of game health. It means that players are hooked and want the to see improvement rather than quit. Of course the customer service should be on guard to solve the issues that really need solving like trapped or stuck characters or vanished items. But problems like "this guy cheated me an took my gear" or "won't return my 10 million credits" or "is trolling my channel with provocative language" in my opinion hardly need any administrative action at all. Because it is the dark emotion that the player in fact needs. It means he enjoys the game. Let me repeat that in a slightly different way: no whine about gameplay means they are quitting out of zero interest.

 

Now the constructive part: I have a suggestion about zoning and production of fear and risk. There is one such place in the game already: the Outlaws Den on Tatooine. The territory that falls under such rules should be enlarged and such zones should be arranged on all existing planets, PvP between same-faction parties should be available there too.

 

The easiest way to lure players inside these areas should be via abundance of resource nodes. It should become common knowledge that collecting resources in safe zones is nerfed and is dull and tedious while in free-PvP areas it is lucrative but risky. A correct balance of fear and greed and you'll be amazed by the results, I think.

 

Venturing into these areas should be optional for storyline or planet quest completion but mandatory for opening the full map. An unconnected optional heroic could also be moved inside the area. Whine about "I got killed collecting laminoid" or "these 50s gank us and we can't complete the mission" will be a sign of success. This is fear and risk, produced on a small scale.

 

One step further into the field of fear would be to make the killed player lootable. Say, for like 15 seconds the killing party can loot any inventory items excluding gear off the fallen player. All my gathered bio samples and medpacks...

 

The ultimate terror could be produced by an area with highly valued rare resources and lootable gear. May Revan save us of these nightmares... Still if everyone sees a big red warning on entry... To lose a full Rakata set... Oh noes... The concept works well in EVE online and Entropia Universe though.

 

Well, it is up to you guys, of course, how to use these ideas and wether to use them at all. What about me, I'm opting for "cheese" with this whine.

 

I think im going to start a petiton.... Merera for developer. Those were some amazing ideas. Like for Outlaws Den I go there often and theres hardly ever anyone there. If there was something to draw them in(loot,gear,major exp, etc.) It may actully get active.

[Star Wars: The Old Republic – State of the Game #2]

SGR and bugs were never handled by the same department. Ever. Ever. Ever. It's inclusion didn't push anything back, push anything to the side, or take precedence over other issues. Hate SGR because you don't agree with it, don't hate it under the false assumption that everything was put on hold just for SGR. It's rather obvious that's not the case.

 

Ya... sorry. just my social views. Your right. So im done with this form im going to go play the game.

[Star Wars: The Old Republic – State of the Game #2]

That is NOT an excuse. They're running a game business, not a novel publishing, so the engine is the main selling point and should be made priority ON TOP of the scripts and/or any other matters. Make sense, no?

 

Besides, if they are able to waste time thinking about realizing SGR and other frivolities such as seen on the Cartel Shop, they should have been able to make double time fixing the engine. It's their main responsibilities to the customers. Proper, no?

 

Come on....

 

Exactly im not sure about other servers but on Jung Ma companion color unifier is not working.... and their worrying about SGR!!!!!

[Star Wars: The Old Republic – State of the Game #2]

But are you actively offended by the possibility?

 

I dont care what others do but if male NPC's start trying to flirt with me then yes. lol