I invested almost 4 years supporting this game via sub. My point is: after 4.0 preferred is almost as good as subbed. Before 4.0, and before epic xp boost this summer preferred couldn't gear up just with comms (crystals now). And had to gear up, otherwise the game would kill them sooner or later. Hilts, barrels and armorings were for 7 comms (now they are for 2 comms). Quest rewards were from 1 to I guess 3 comms for hard/important mission. Now you get like 12 for each story fragment. Now you can get fully geared using mission rewards. Before, to be geared (with companion also) you got to either craft or buy from GTN. Both ways were seriously gimped for f2p. So free2players had to buy and spend cc to unlock options to gear up. That was logical. The actual gameplay made them invest in game one way or another. To craft gear you need more than 1 alt (you can't craft armorings, hilts and barrels on one char) -so f2p had to buy character unlocks for example (as I imagine, I wasn't preferred back then) To buy from GTN you had to unlock escrow or whatever it is called. Now all this (in this aspect) is pointless. You don't need to spend a dime. a) quest rewards are more than enough to buy new gear every 2 levels. b) game is so easy, that you don't need to update your gear.

you got it a bit wrong. When I payed for the game I felt it was worth it. Last few months I decided it is no longer satisfactory to me. I thought that un-sub = quit. Surprisingly f2p is very much ok for mostly solo, mostly story player. Thing is BW figured most of their players are mostly solo and mostly story people. They will start losing money, because once preferred -never go back They could of course put more restrictions on f2p. Or they could fix bugs. Fix gameplay etc. Many people who are 'just for the story' complain that it lost its appeal with very easy mode post 4.0 I suspect that pre 4.0 SWTOR was not so f2p friendly in terms of game difficulty. It is like they are missing an important point: they try to live on story people subscribing, while not realizing you don't need to be subbed to fully enjoy this aspect of the game. I just don't know what to make of it Thus my advice for story people complaining here: just go preferred.

Hi, not sure how much longer I will be able to post on forums... I've been a subscriber since 2012. After 4.0 came new story, that I'm VERY grateful for. Unfortunately they also made the levelling game much easier. Too easy for me in fact. Having no excitement winning the fights is boring for me. I un-subbed. Be back for the whole KotFE in 6-8 months. Meanwhile, I decided to check how's the preferred gameplay. On new server, with new legacy. Was hoping that with all the restrictions the game would me a bit harder, that I would level up slower etc. Well guess what: it is fine. I lost one quickbar -not a problem. 4 are enough I had to spend app 600cc (which I was granted as a sub) for hide head slot, unify colors and legacy name. No prob. Just finished Taris, after level 20 I gain exp a bit slower, but still much, much faster than before epic story boost. In a way I PREFER it this way. Playing as preferred. PROS: 1. No sense of wasted money "am I really paying for this?!" attitude. Its free so I have no demands/requests for the Dev team. I just enjoy a free ride 2. No sense of wasted time "gee, I haven't played for 5 days but I payed for them". I play when I like with no remorse etc 3. The game is slightly harder, which is good. Less money (I have to manage with 350k), no purples -but not needed in story nowadays anyway 4. All collections still unlocked, so I can customize my characters as freely as when I subbed. Still got Stronghold for free. All unlocked decos were available CONS: 1. Gen chat restrictions -sometimes have to wait like 5 sec between posts 2. WZ and GF restrictions. But since I can't pvp with vanguard/powertech anyway, that's not a problem atm 3. Only 2 crew skills, but a) crafting for self/alts is pointless as we level so fast -can't really keep up with levelling speed b) gathering/crafting for money is pointless because preferred have max 350k. And story missions pay well actually. Thing is: if STORY if the king now, and they make it a reason for people to subscribe SWTOR, well -there is really no reason. We can make alts and level them just as fine as preferred. If anyone wants a bit more challenge -preferred is better than subbed Maybe IF the devs decided to make a game a bit harder, it wouldn't be so cool as preferred for most. But now, story guys: try it. Try preferred.

writing a response to a post you didn't even read? troll

My sub runs out next Monday. I'm almost certain I will not re-sub it, until the rest of KotFE is released (I want to finish this story). What I'd like to hear in tomorrow producer livestream is them actually acknowledge the issues we keep beating here. Especially, what's most important to me: game difficulty. I'd be glad if they even touched the subject (even if to say thay know some people don't approve but they are ok with it). I would probably stay (or re-sub earlier, like in a month or so after a much needed break) IF they'd admit that the game got too easy and they plan to gradually increase the difficulty. Especially of levelling experience. I'm not interested in endgame much

fair enough. Just please don't repeat the argument that the game was easier pre 4.0, because you had easier time on Alderaan with your level 60 than now with your level 65. This is about LEVELLING experience. Going through the story. About level 20 on Nar Shaddaa, level 30 on Alderaan, level 40 on Hoth, Level 50 on Corellia. The fact that it was easier for top level characters before 4.0 doesn't have anything to do with the experience of new alt going through story chapters. Frankly, I don't care about level 65 experiences now. I have 4 of them doing the alliance grind, and if that was the main game -I would not pay to play it. I mainly do a new character, invent their personal story and go through chapters 1-3. It usually takes about 2 months to do that (yeah, I'm a casual), so I always have a class I haven't played for a year and the story feels somehow fresh. Except now it is too easy to be interesting. On the bright side -this has made me do much pvp nowadays. Can't commit to OPS and HM as those take too much time. WZ is fine as it lasts about 10 minutes. I have like 10 days of subscription left. I plan to transfer 1 of my characters to pvp server as I have enough comms to fully equip pvp gear. So in a way I understand you TUX. Supporting the easy mode is your evil scheme to populate pvp servers

With all due respect... so why are you even in this thread? You clearly don't give a dime on levelling experience. If I'd want to know what to improve in this game to make pvp better, I'd happily seek your advice. But here you're arguing with people who made dozens alts to 50 or 60 and telling them they are wrong to be dissapointed with recent levelling experience?

And what if I'm one of those players that don't do Ops, Fp and PvP? That I want to play Star Wars story? Do I have to play it on my grandma's level? Or do you want to exclude players like me for your own reasons? Get real: there are games/books/movies/sports/and any other activities that are for different target groups. I'm a Tennis player and while I enjoy occasional set with an old timer (I've never played with a disabled person). But you would not like to watch Federer (current top player) play 5 sets in AO with Rod Laver (former top player, now in his 70's). What would be the point? IF this game is now designed for disabled people, or old people, or children -well that's fine I wish it the best. But it would not be the game for me anymore. Putting ridiculous aside, as I don't believe any sane company for profit would try to do a game for 'everyone' as it would mean that game is for 'no one', I hope the game is still for casual -that means average (not one handed or blind) player. Of course I wish elders would get their SW game as well, should the demand arise. Children got some, so that s mot the problem You can't possibly think that ANY product out there on the market should cater to EVERY customer group equally well.

this is EXACTLY how I feel. I wish I was so well outspoken or new English better. Anyway -this very well put post should not get lost within all these strawmen and silly 'dismiss your half of the game' advice. Mind if I copy paste it if any other discussion on this topic gets too ridiculous?

I know only of ONE H4 left -the Aurora Cannon. Which is perfectly doable solo with healer companion. The only Heroic I know of thats near impossible to solo is the one on Makeb with poison room. Which is a specific mechanic, not difficulty level per se

no, he is right

I used to state that using Treek is lame. And embarrassing. Now its moot. Everything is Treek now. Anyways, I'm glad this thread goes in right direction. I hope they somehow address the levelling difficulty issues in Producer Livestream

I am more disappointed that we didn't get to discover all of ships secrets. First thing I'd do would be to put Dr Hutt and Voss Mystic into the Gravestone and find out how it's made, by whom and how to replicate it

I agree with you except one thing: replay ability. I think BW would love their players to do some stories again -after all its subscription payed time. And long term players, that are done with all the stories need incentives to stay too, given that BW can't release new story content fast enough (I doubt it is even possible). Now the class stories replay ability is IMO lost. It might be possible that my cadence with SWTOR has come to an end. The longer I think about it the more sure I am that I wouldn't have the precise answer what need to change to increase difficulty/challenge incentive while keeping class/planetary story smooth and pleasant. What I particularly liked pre 4.0 was: if you had green gear several levels beyond content level and badly geared companion the gameplay became difficult up to impossible if you geared your companions and/or got blue gear for comms -difficulty was normal -with occasional hard/easy parts if you made an effort and crafted purples every 2 levels and had your companions in blue gear -it was easy. Now we have companions in something between blue and purple gear IMO. So whats left is our own gear to update. But I think it would be more fun if having an outdated greens made our fights very difficult. Just a thought, not some definite resolution to this. And adjusting final boss encounters (in chapter ends too -SW fights some ****** Sith on DK by the Chpather 2 end) is a must. Anyway, looking forward to Thursday stream

Since many people are missing the point in this thread, I'll try to be more clear: There are several different types of gameplay that are affected by game difficulty. 1) There is group content 2) There is end game/max level content 3) There is journey through the story -levelling from starter planet up to Corellia or even Ziost 1) I understand there are difficulty issues in group play, mainly tactical flashpoints. Since I barely touch those, I will not post about it. If anyone heavily interested in these wants to elaborate on tactical flashpoint difficulty, go ahead. 2) Max level content is a whole different thing. Operations are supposed to be difficult. Solo SF might be difficult for some. Heroics on former planets are easy, but maybe they were supposed to be. After all the whining about level sync, when many people complained that they are having their god mode taken from them. 3) From what BW told us, they noticed some people if not most just do the 'vanilla story'. It is no longer your average MMO, where levelling is just a preparation to endgame content (lots of endgame content), the gear grind etc. They realized their target customer is just doing the story. They even created new type of end game content -KotFE. So my OP is about this kind of gameplay. Going from starter planet up to the end of Chapter 3 is way too easy IMO. And I want to know IF it is gonna stay like this, because this is what BW wants the game to be, or is it subject to change in the future. I edited my OP to hopefully make this point more clear

arena?

Baras (Korriban), Nomen Karr (Hutta), master Yonlech (the hermit on Tats) were hard fights. Especially for a marauder

Dear Eric, hopefully you noticed multiple posts on these forums regarding game difficulty. Number of players feel the game is too easy post 4.0 This is particularly evident in the levelling game -going through chapters 1-3 is definitely easier, and to some of us actual gameplay got boring that way. Some say it is because the companions got stronger Some say it is because the mobs got weaker Some say it is because we level too fast due to increased exp gains EDIT: or because presence buffs (or any other buffs we get) are to strong Also there is a problem with final bosses sync -on Korriban and DK -they are synced to planets level and the epic fight becomes a joke. You definitely wanted to make the (EDIT: levelling) game easier, but question is: is it working now as intended? I understand that things like gameplay balance are not easy to change, and would not be changed overnight. Would you guys state how you feel about this now? Are things as they should be, or they need some changes?

He's talking about a bug that he's experiencing. Just because you or me don't have this bug doesn't mean it don't exist.

Dear BW, I hope you'll not try to cater to this soon-to-be-past player

I think you're on the wrong track here: you assume the main focus is end game player or level 65 character. While what BW stated is they got to understand most people just do the levelling story. Meaning they go from Chapter 1 to Chapter 3, and then they do it again on another character. The fact that on max level we could go back and just wade though all planets not being hurt, is irrelevant. According to BW only a small fraction of players did that anyway. The topic of this discussion, as I understand it is: the game is too easy when you play your character from Ch1 to Ch3 (or makeb and Oricon and even Ziost). And this is what most players do. So IF it is indeed too easy it becomes boring. If it becomes boring people stop playing. And unsub. You just don't make pvpers or raiders out of people like me. If this aspect of the game is no longer attractive, the game will lose subs sooner or later. And EVERYONE, including hardcore raiders and pvpers will get hurt by this. I was always advocating that ALL aspects of the game should be catered to. BW should be able to make the game fun for all types of players. They decided they're not able to do all that at once. Now they focused on story rpg gamers. But they failed. It is as if they wanted to balance pvp and ended up unbalancing it even more.

This is actually a good idea. If I get it right. What you mean is that level sync would not be set too high? For example on Corellia we're synced to 52 (by the way, I had higher health being 51 (over 23k), on 52 I had (22k and something) -so the sync isn't all that well tuned) -so now we're synced to 52, and you propose we're synced to 51? That might improve things a bit. Let mi add to your list: 1. Boss fights, that are important to story must not level sync -Baras or Thanaton or Korriban, Emperor etc -these need more health 2. mobs need to have enough health to survive area attacks. It can go along with reducing number of mobs. I 'm fine with less fights, but more meaningful ones 3. mobs need to hit a bit harder. Today my sorc fought (without companion) with Thanaton on Corellia. The Big Bad survived 2 rounds (survived more than one rotation), which was impressive given the current difficulty level where everything goes down fast. But my sorc never got below like 75% of health. Its like the Arcann fight -they just don't hit hard anymore.

I noticed they never post on Mondays. Figures they need to get through all things that happened on weekend. So would not expect any communication till tomorrow. Or even further, given number of issues.

My point is: if Death From Above or other these kind of skills are an instant kill-switch the game loses its replay value. It makes most fights almost the same. And too easy. Even with epic xp boost it takes weeks to finish class story. And 90% of things we do in game is fights (and watching cutscenes) -since they removed travel If 90% of time in our personal story is boring, easy, the same, and not engaging than the thought of doing another character through their story (and boring fights) is not appealing to me. And I suspect for any average gamer. Bear with me: you get all these exciting skills, yet you have no place to use them. Some of them proc, give you buffs etc -but the mobs don't live long enough to even check it out. And no it is not working as intended. What BW told us: They figured most players just do story -class, planetary. So they decided to 1. give us more story (KotFE storyline) so that most players get the content they want 2. make going through the story more fun. Less grindy. Streamlined as they called it. So they a) decided to give us more xp for class and planetary story and flashpoints b) decided to weaken the mobs and strenghten the characters and companions c) level synced content so that people may go back to past planets and do the content there out of god mode they figured people will be able to enjoy their personal stories even more. The intentions were good, but the implementation failed Somehow the game become so easy that many people find it boring. I know that these forums are not even a percentage of players, but so many threads on this topic states that something is not right Anyways, it is boring to me. I think its a damn shame that while trying to appease the players like me, they did exactly the opposite. If their conclusion will be: people stopped doing story, so lets focus on ops and pvp that will be Benny Hill (I have nothing against new ops and pvp maps/balance) and while SOME people may find this easy mode fun, they are either -the ones that don't care about story. They do ops, pvp or other things in-game that don't involve levelling alts. Which is fine, but the topic shouldn't bother them at all -the ones that will play for a month or two and move on to other activities.

I don't play from the beta/game start, but I was around when there were no one time passwords, just questions (2012 maybe? -can't remember) Unsubbed once, for 2 months. After SoR (which was a letdown for me), to play Witcher 3 My playstyle is 90% story, 90% solo. I pvp while levelling on ranged characters (I suck in melee pvp) When they announced KotFE and their new philosophy -aiming at "story" players I resubbed (after 2 month hiatus). I was hoping its my turn to be BW target player And I'm not happy with the game. My STRONGEST issue is DIFFICULTY How am I supposed to enjoy another alt, and stay subbed/playing if the whole journey is a yawn in terms of fights? I made a thread about Death From Above. BHs get this skill early in game. It is a kill switch for 80% of mobs. Do they really expect me to enjoy a game where I don't need to put any effort or attention to fights? This needs to change. My sub runs out, and I'm off this month. Will not be coming back until KotFE is all released, or they change the difficulty. This could include changes to companions power/toughness changes to mobs toughness changes to experience gain rate changes to buffs or a debuff of some kind or any other things that would make going through personal story more challenging