Confirmed still happening 10/13/2021.

Especially when it's caused because your servers boot the player from the game right as they're trying to loot the last boss.

This time it happened right as we were killing the last boss of Directive 7, effectively robbing me of any loot. GG Bioware. FIX YOUR CODE.

This happens about 1-5 times per day, and it's more of a nuisance than anything, but I get completely disconnected on any character and the server select screen shows no servers, forcing a relaunch of the entire program. Every time, restarting the program allows re-connection, but my internet connection stays up, as does an IP ping for the actual servers. Fix your code.

That probably depends on the gold farmer in question. For what most people probably think of when they think of a gold farmer, I'm not sure EA cares either way, b/c a sub is a sub is a sub. Further, these would probably be the hardest to even identify, because at the end of the day they're players just like you or me. Mind you, I expect this only accounts for probably 20% or so of gold farmers. For what I expect the majority of gold farmers are nowadays (I'd expect this to be 60%+), similar probably applies (that'd be bot farmers). They may care to an extent, but again, a sub is a sub is a sub. This one might be more of a tossup where they tend to negatively affect players with nodes, etc., but overall, I'm not sure EA cares. That said, for the third type, those that steal accounts or use compromised CCs (this is where the organized crime comes in on the OP), you'd be absolutely correct, because they're literally destroying the game they're selling gold in, whether it's this game or any other. (The account thieves are the worst, because they create a whole slew of issues, but those with compromised CCs tend to hurt where it comes to financial fees and fraud costs). Now, as a practice, again, you're absolutely correct: they definitely prefer for us to spend our money on the cash shop instead (and quite frankly, when games do like SWTOR does, that's exactly how I'd personally do it, because it (1) supports the company and (2) is risk-free).

That thread alludes to what I was saying, but doesn't clarify if the TOS on that have changed since...2016. As I said, if it's still technically allowed (there is a way around the mechanical limitation using a particular piece of software, if it's still allowed), then that's one way he could do it.

I don't know if this changed since I last checked, but IIRC, it's not against TOS to multibox, just to use any form of input automation. (Read: you could load up two instances of SWTOR using particular software on one computer, and as long as there was no input broadcasting, shouldn't violate TOS.) If this is still allowed, you could pretty easily load up multiple instances of SWTOR to invite someone to a guild, just alt-tab between the instances of the game to accept/send. Back when I created my guild for my alts (I have a LOT of alts, and they'd flood most normal guilds)...this is how I invited them to my guild. (Now I don't worry about it so much, b/c that guild's become a small guild between myself, my brother, and my wife, and I just ask one of them to invite the alt in.)

...I literally saw gold spammers in WoW Classic during release week, when everybody was still lv20 or lower...

Hard disagree. First of all, WoW had this problem before they even had a cash shop, so clearly the problem exists without there even being a CM at all, or WoW wouldn't have had this problem. Second of all, I'd actually argue that the CM-to-GTN loop actually DECREASES this, because it gives players a way to "buy credits" without buying from unscrupulous sources. In fact, when I've wanted credits and was too lazy/tired/whatever to farm them myself, that's literally what I used to do: buy some cartel packs, sit on them for a day, then sell them on the GTN and voila! credits! WoW took this a step further with the WoW token (where you literally bought gold directly for cash through them), and while I haven't logged on in a while, I haven't really seen a gold spammer there since they did this.

If you played before you directly chose advanced classes, this might make more sense. It used to be, once upon a time, that you completed roughly the first planet as your base class. You weren't a Powertech or a Mercenary....you were a Bounty Hunter, period. Once you got to the fleet, you could then specialize into becoming a Powertech or a Mercenary. Similarly, an Agent could specialize into being a Sniper or an Operative, a Sith Warrior could specialize into becoming a Juggernaut or a Marauder, etc. However, you were always a Bounty Hunter, or an Agent, or a Warrior, etc. What's changing, as I understand it, is two-fold. First off, you are once again becoming able to specialize (maybe it's starting at level 1 like it does now, maybe not), but you'll no longer be limited to the specializations that were before set for your class...AND you can pick two. I.e. Your bounty hunter can still become a Powertech or a Mercenary....or a Sniper or an Operative or a Gunslinger or a Scoundrel...or a Vanguard or a Commando....and then pick a second from that list as well. He'll still be a Bounty Hunter, just with a playstyle/weapon set of the advanced class(es) he picks. Further, as I understand it, there will be more than two 'loadouts' you can assign your character, and I don't believe your combat style is locked to what we currently see as specializations (i.e. with 5 loadouts your Bounty Hunter could...if you picked Vanguard and Operative combat styles...have a Shield Specialist Vanguard (Tank) loadout, a Medicine Operative (Heals) loadout, a Concealment Operative (stealth DPS) loadout, a Plasmatech Vanguard (non-stealth DPS) loadout, and another loadout that's none of the above for shiggles. I think that's pretty neat, myself. (BTW, the reason I noted those two particular combat styles is because you mentioned the rifle idea. Both Vanguards and Operatives use a rifle.) However, he'll still be playing the bounty hunter story, still have the bounty hunter companions, still have the bounty hunter voice actor, etc.

One thing I have noticed to slightly ease the deal with seasons is that roughly 22 of the 100 levels are basically free if you're subbed during that time, based on Season 1 (came out April 27, and IIRC lasts until the end of this month, roughly 5 months, with each month having an average of 4.33 weeks, for 21.66 weeks total, with each week granting 8 points, and each level costing 8 points). That's 2 tokens per server (which are unfortunately locked to that server unless you transfer characters), and 600 cartel coins per server. It's not a ton, mind you, but that's an additional 120 CC per month per server just for the seasons and being a sub (and logging in each server at least 4 days each week). Given 5 servers (2 US, 3 Eurpoean), that basically doubles your free CC for a subscription...before you even play the game. Add to that playing the game, and I'd wager it's pretty easy to complete the other 58-59 levels playing normally over the course of several months, and that's an additional 3400 CC over the 5 months playing the game or 680/month. So, if you stay subbed and play the game, they effectively replaced RAF for subs with just over triple the normal CC grant for the sub (because you're still getting the original sub grant as well, 500-600 CC depending on duration). It's not bad. I wouldn't go the route of grinding out the CCs on other servers, mind you...that isn't why I play the game, but for what it is, I think it's a nice additional benefit.

Kudos to you on the Kai Zykken changes!

That's actually outdated information. If you sub for longer periods at once, you can actually get more than 500/month for the sub. IIRC, it's 600/m for the sub alone at a 6m sub, so someone in your case, subbed since 2012, could be getting 700/m between sub and authenticator.

It says optional because the field exists and is not necessarily required to log in. Example: I have an active account (currently subbed as well), I have a security key, you need it to log in. My wife has an account she never plays (and currently is not subbed), with next to nothing on it, and doesn't want the key on her phone, so she doesn't. Getting the key is also optional, hence the difference between my situation and my wife's. I do wish Bioware would go the ATVI/Blizzard route on this, and make it something that it both (a) didn't ask for every time and (b) enabled via push notification rather than strict number generators (i.e. log in, if it's flagged, your phone gets a 'click yes if this is you' notification), but it's still a good idea to have even this, because MFA is MFA, and it's one more step to keep people out of your account (obviously I lost this argument with my wife on this, but it's only a game account so I'm letting it slide).

This is such a unique occurrence, it never happens. Nobody ever experiences this. This also isn't a parody of another song describing the situation:

I've played them all. WoW has been kinda going downhill for a while now, though, with this newest thing more of a final nail in the coffin than anything. (I played from late BC through early Mists, then for almost all of Legion and the first bit of BFA, then the first couple months of Shadowlands.) FFXIV is an amazing game, and I absolutely love it. I'm just taking a break so I don't end up burning out on it. (I will be back for Endwalker, and for now I've done everything in the game that I'm currently interested in [up to and including savage raids, but not ultimate, because I don't find that as much fun].) ESO I've enjoyed, and will play again. I've played off and on since beta, with a long break from roughly Morrowind through the beginning of this year. Currently on a break from that again due to real life stuff and having completed basically everything I'm interested in that isn't more high end (i.e. vet trials, etc.). TSW I played the base, enjoyed it, not a fan of Legends. TERA I played a long time ago when it was new (before ESO was a thing, and actually it was my friends in TERA that convinced me to play SWTOR the first time)...but haven't touched it lately, and haven't heard good things that make me want to go back. New World is fun. Not as a 'main game' type of fun, but as in an a 'I have a random amount of time to kill, let's play something' kind of fun. Like an MMO version of Stardew Valley. SWTOR...I've played off and on. I first started during RotHC, had fun, played through SoR, had fun, took a break. Came back for a bit of KotFE, had fun, took a break. Came back for a bit of KotET, had fun, took a break. Came back for Onslaught, had some fun, took a break. Came back a couple weeks ago as time allows, am having fun, and we'll see where it goes. Other than my initial stint with WoW, I've never been one to be stuck on exclusively playing a game for a long period of time. There's too much out there to enjoy, and I'm not going to limit myself if I find something else that I like.

It's...a thing. I don't think it was necessary. (I get removing the Master Loot part, that you could have made a fair argument for), but the full shift appears to be done just because WoW did it. That said, it's also not really the end of the world, either. For those who would whine "BuT I diDN't gET to RoLL?," yes you did, it just didn't display on your screen, and you lost the roll if you didn't get the item (and won the roll if you did). What HAS changed is that you no longer get a choice whether or not you roll (everybody now rolls all the time). I think the OPTION of a need/greed/pass system makes more sense, but this also isn't game-breaking, so...

Given early changes here, be careful what you wish for, or you're going to end up with the first half of that ("Kolto shot has been removed"), but not the second.

While that wouldn't be fun, and I wouldn't disagree. If you only have an hour or a couple hours to play every week, then odds are you're not running any content that requires any gear whatsoever (literally, as long as SOMETHING is in the slot, scaling takes care of the rest), so you don't need the gear. Augments are pointless, because scaling removes almost all stats (except tertiary stats), so again, not needed. In fact, in this regard, Bioware is closer to appealing to the casual player than most other MMOs, because you can at least catch up in ilvl without running the hardest content in the game. This sounds like a whole other limitation, then. I've been able to gather upwards of 10k tech fragments in a week, even when I've only had 4-5 hours to play that week, just from conquest alone. That right there is 3.3 set pieces per week, plus any that might drop from the conquest boxes, either when the conquest is completed or on Tuesday when an invasion resets. Touchy subject here, because I, and probably many others, actually disagree with the ability pruning, at least the way it's been toyed with so far on the PTS. They've reverted the worst offenses, but we're talking about taking away key abilities like Saber Throw from a Jugg/Guardian, Sleep Dart from an Operative/Scoundrel, etc. Although, that said, for those few hours per week...again, you don't need the gear. There's not a single veteran flashpoint in the game where you need a fully augmented amplifier rerolled set bonus 306 gear. I can't confirm with the newest of flashpoints, but even master mode hasn't required all of that in my experience. (The later master modes might be way smoother with 306 gear and preferably a set bonus, but the earlier ones [FPs that were in the base game] literally just require one to be aware of mechanics and their class.) It's not a gear test, it's a skill test. And if that doesn't interest you, that content isn't for you. Story mode operations don't require full set bonuses either (they help, but they're not needed). Same applies to some of the HMs/Veteran operations. Nightmare/MM ops, sure, THEY do, but again, if you're playing that content, you're not only playing for 1 hour per day and a couple days per week. That's like saying "oh, I do world first progression in WoW but only log in for raid." Simply does not happen. This is more of an issue with inflation because the game doesn't have a reasonable credit sink, not really an issue with pricing overall. Yes, prices are well beyond normal stuff, but it's also related to you being able to sell at prices way beyond normal stuff. When it was 20 million for a full set of Revan armor, which was one of the most expensive items on the GTN at the time, you'd be lucky to sell crafting mats for 100k. Now it's 10s of billions for the rarer armors, but you're selling crafting mats for millions, rather than 10s of thousands. The rules haven't really changed since inflation, just the numbers. Currently, yes. If you start carrying over gear sets and tacticals, however, then it could be that you're not getting into an op unless you have gear that drops from another op. Example: maybe as a 'mando DPS you're not getting in unless you have Apex Predator from Dxun. If you think that doesn't happen, look at how some raid teams are for trials in ESO, where gear sets DO cross expansions. A tank MUST have their set from Maw of Lorkaj and MUST have their set from Sunspire or groups don't want them. A healer MUST have their set from WGT and MUST have their set from...well, you get the point. Not all all. I'm talking about when you carry things across that maintain the power level and don't give people a way to 'catch up,' then people aren't 'caught up' when new content comes out and need to run that old content (even if they're pros and ran it on another character but just don't have the right gear for this one) just to have the set bonus they need to do their job effectively in the new content. Again, ESO does this, and this is a major fallback ESO has as a result of doing this. WoW used to have this problem until they started disabling gear sets after content was old. SWTOR is simply learning from other games on this. Possibly, and this is a concern of mine as well. Hopefully they'll rebalance the old content accordingly, but this is Bioware, so flip a coin to see if that happens. That's not really true, overall. There might be a set her or there, but for example, Concentrated fire just affects things related to Supercharged Gas, which will likely remain. Tactician relates to Tactical Advantages, which still exist (although the rework is literally turning that set into a talent, so it'll be interesting to see if it could stack with the set before 80 I expect that this is one in particular that they don't want people being able to double-dip in at level 80, however). Right Price is based off CD usages that PTs/VGs are likely to keep. This isn't new to Bioware or SWTOR, either. Sets existed before, they'll exist again. 6.0 did well with them, IMO. Hopefully 7.0 will do the same.

Exactly. Give them a unique mount or title or stronghold decoration (or maybe even an entire stronghold!)...but don't prevent them from playing the game.

My biggest excitement for loadouts is this: I have at least one character of every advanced class. Every one that can be a tank, is. Every one that can be a healer, is. Now, I can take my PT tank, give him a second loadout of either Merc or Operative, and have him also able to be a healer or DPS depending on the situation. I can do the same for my Sorc, by making him also a Jugg (or, if I don't care about ever tanking on him, maybe make him a Marauder. Or, if I want to be stealthy sometimes AND maybe tank, make him also a 'sin.) Additionally, I can take my 'pure dps' characters and give them the ability to tank/heal if groups need it. My sniper can now be a merc or operative or PT as well. My marauder can drop a saber and become a jugg, etc. I think that's a great option.

I'm sorry, but hard disagree here. You can literally run a few flashpoints in a day (spammer station, anyone?), collect a whole bunch of disposable gold gear (that's all garbage for you), deconstruct it, get a Legendary Ember for roughly every 5 gear pieces, and sell each one for roughly a million credits. I average 10 pieces of loot per flashpoint, and spammer station takes about 15 minutes, so that's 8 million credits per hour right there. No fishy emails or breaking ToS, just playing the game, for an hour. You do have a point there. That first gear up to 306 does take a while...maybe almost as long as it takes to level to 75. I would very much disagree about "longer" though. It's a fairly simple grind: run Flashpoints, equip anything that's an ilvl upgrade, break everything else, spend tech fragments (it's like 300 per piece) on slots that fall behind, repeat. Takes about a week, conservatively estimating. As far as augments, yeah, that could be a bit of a grind (although not as bad as you're saying, again, 8 million credits per hour just running flashpoints), but those also are something that, at this point, I'd probably skip for the next couple months if I was a newer player, because you can get 'enough' to experience so much without touching them anyhow. (In fact, of my characters, only two or three have fully augmented gear.) That's the thing: I *can't* buy anything. I said that I have a couple billion, then qualified that with I am relatively poor. I can buy most Legacy unlocks, sure, because the war on inflation is over, and inflation won, but items on the GTN that people used to buy for a few million or tens of millions? They go for tens of BILLIONS now, and I can't touch them. It's the same as it's always been for me, just the number of zeroes have changed. Again, this is simple: so newer players actually have an opportunity to get into endgame content. Imagine if you HAD to run every operation from before 6.0 to even enter Dxun. How many people would be doing Dxun? 5? 10 per server? Basically. Why SHOULDN'T they? If you're interested in end-game raiding, do you want to spend your time having to train somebody through every operation in the game before doing the one you want every single time someone leaves the game for any reason? You yourself said that you've looked at, and I presume also played, other games. Why should it be harder for you to come back to SWTOR if you try another game? Because that's what you seem to be asking for here.

I mean, maybe? I'm not so sure, given Saber Throw and Sleep Dart. Yes, they *said* it was a bug and they never meant to remove them, but it was only after massive complaints. I'm slightly more inclined to believe it wasn't a bug and they just realized that removing those abilities will alienate way too many people.

I agree, and it would be nice to at least be able to keep 'dead' abilities on our bars for when they're swapped out due to certain encounters, etc. (I had this same complaint in WoW, where I was regularly swapping in and out of a particular ability on raid encounters.) That said, with 4-5 loadouts spread across 2 combat styles, that might at least be workable, and better than what's on live now (where you just respec and re-do everything all the time every time), because it at least allows for 2-3 baselines for each combat style, so you are only tweaking one or two buttons (rather than all of them).

I believe that's supposed to happen with Loadouts (which I don't believe are live yet, just the ability trees themselves for a couple classes). That said, I fully agree. If loadouts can hold quickbar assignments, I'll absolutely love that.