GW2 came out around the same time and is still a top mmo, estimated to have 600k active players, at least double that of swtor. Note that Swtor have once had 1.7mil subscriptions (not active players) a few months after launch. So Star Wars + Bioware + EA Marketing had no problem capturing enough players to be the #2 mmo. Retention in the problem. It was officially the fastest growing mmo, and unofficially the fastest shrinking mmo not long after. No, ESO is not built on Hero Engine. They used it for prototyping, but ends up deciding to built an in-house engine: https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/05/25/why-the-elder-scrolls-online-isn-39-t-using-heroengine.aspx Hero Engine is pretty unusual, to say the least. It is quite a feat to make nameplates that kills performance and leave it that way for nine years. Its limitations has been beaten to death on this forum so I won't repeat them.

I also think engine is not the root issue. Management is. Both in game and community. Just look at the credit spam on starter planets. Some players see them, ponder how it reflects the state of the game, and leave for other games in disappointment.

Time consuming, mat farming, and credit burning are exactly what Bioware have in mind when they "improve" systems to "support" new expansions. For crafting we've had Iokath Recombinator, Masterwork Data Crystals, and now in Onslaught they "just" ramped it up even more, perhaps unsatisfied with previous attempts. Outside of crafting, the 5.8 conquest "revamp" was the reason I un-sub'ed two years.

The initial release didn't encourage alts as much as the game does now. QoL is very low on Bioware's prioritis (just slightly above fighting credit sellers), the Galaxy Guide being the latest example (can't even hide it from interface edit and I bet that is intentional). But they just added legacy ban to guild this year or last so there is still hope.

More new subs, yes. Millions of new subs, no. There might have been a chance if Bioware fixed up the game interface and new player experience before the Steam release, including but not limited to the apparently throttled non-streaming download, wide screen support, initially hidden quick bars, lack of mention of the Quick Travel ability, bugged tutorials that don't allow you to read old ones after re-login (yes, I checked show read. it's still empty until a new tutorial comes in and reveal all.), and the hundreds of CC unlocks that annoy new players to hell. I can't even remember whether the ad-in-your-face galactic guide is on at level 1. Fix these, give new players a better experience, at least try to retain them until endgame. But of course, we all know how Bioware listens to players ever since this game is out. In a few days after the Steam release, the Chinese review drops from Very Good to Mixed. (I contributed to the negative since I'm APAC and how they withheld server move information from us in 2017.) 1.5 millions subs left this game 8 years ago (number deduced from official announcements). Those who come back saw the same game as before. Some see worse, like how the 20GB game is now 40GB and took double the hours to download. The improvements, few there are, like the fantastic graphic update since KotFE, are locked behind paywall. There is still time to save the English review I think. We will see.

EA Bioware not responding to players? That is new! No. I haven't seen worse community management than this game. Just play the game for what it is, avoid the part you don't like, and don't forget to sing prase to our Lord the omniscient Bioware when they grace us with New Content that we Need but we Didn't Know.

The grind has just moved on. Reputation and endgame gear, for example, in particular the later where rare set practically only drops in specific operation, plus lots of credits for augs and one to two magnitude more for rolling amps. The free part of the game - the main stories - is literaly just a free tutorial to get players up to speed. That said, with two players you should be able to duo all veteran mode flashpoints including the harder ones if your gear and skill is uo to par. Then you can move up to masters. That should be lots of fun. Don't forget the bonus and hidden bosses!

Hope you also don't reuse your passwords or use simple passwords. Most common way for game accounts to be hacked / hijacked and rid of all credits and items. Security key is a proven way to prevent that.

Yes you can, but not often done since you can solo most fights, master included. Google or search the forum.

IIRC a few things, like Cartel Races and additional bays, plus all legacy abilities, are not automatically unlocked with sub and may give you the feeling that you are still capped by the game. It shows how EA Bioware design and manage this game. How player feel has never been a priority, from the new Galactic Guide that auto-popup every week, unmovable popups, lack of mouseover heal, to the intentionally unannounced stealth server move on 2017 which they admit they knew would affect ping, and a long history of implementing mechanics to force you to grind the latest content (while often forgetting to review old grinds, like DvL tokens under the new renown system).

Oh they did learn. It is only the diehard fans who download from the main site need to go through it. The Steam version - the public, newbie facing version - does not use BitRaider. However it also makes player download all 43+GB before they can play, with a pity throttle somewhere that I don't experience with other games or big downloads (such as tools and VMs from Microsoft). Last I checked, most negative reviews are about the downloads. I actually re-tried BitRaider on a fresh computer to write a (Chinese Trad.) newbie guide. The speed gain is very liberating. Wish they fix that instead of throttling almost everyone.

Hello, nice to meet you! And very nice to see a new face in GSF! (That's the name of the Starfighter PvP.) After you are in game (logged into a character), if you press Esc and select Preference, there should be a Starfighter tab at the bottom. There you can find and customise most keybinds, like which keys to shift power, which to use abilities, which to roll left/right, etc. You should still go through the "Tutorial" button in the GSF Hanger screen first. You may also customise the interface. When doing that, you can select Galactic Starfighter to show its boxes and move/zoom them. I recall that the default layout spread your status around, which I don't like. Once it pops, there are only two kinds of match each with their set of maps - Domination or Team Deathmatch. If you see A,B,C on the map, it is Domination. Usually everyone boost to the stations in two teams, leave a bomber to guard a safe station or two, and the rest try to capture another station / protect stations / scatter the enemies. If there are no station markers, it is a Deathmatch. The team that kill most wins. Stay together supporting each other - strikes go dogfight, scouts chase away gunships, bomber lay a forward base where gunships can support the fight and the wounded can get repairs or at least shake off chasers. It is... quite normal to die a lot in GSF. It can be very fast paced. Someone must die the most, on both sides. There are several techniques - environmental awareness, knowing the map, knowing the ships and gears, shifting powers, missile lock counters, flow and roles etc. that you'll need to pick up on the way, but team play is usually prime and foremost. Two three players who support each other can normally overpower a lone ace on a suiciding team.

I've read most of the hundred bad reviews this morning. Most are about the slow download - 4 hours is a universal minimal, assuming a stable connection. Many take longer and decided to abort, review, and quit. The rest are assorted and standard crowd - outdated graphic, outdated interface, lack of oceanic server, lack of languages, etc. If the game review become bad later, I am afraid it won't be because of forum trolls.

All classes do fine in PvE, if you don't have any prefernce. That leaves PvP. Check the PvP forum. Opinion varies. Yes.

The old guides are mostly good. 75 didn't change the core abilities much. But all heal specs have up to date guides. Here is also a generic one that is class-independent: https://mmobits.com/2019/02/13/pve-healing-101-guide-by-lorhin/ Do note that heals are the exact opposite of tanks. Heals are never in control, always reacting - whether healing, cleansing, chasing the dps (to heal/pre-heal), or running away from adds. You'll be.. "questioned" a lot. But I guess you know that. Still very satisfying if it's your cup of tea. Green numbers flying everywhere, keeping everyone healthy and clean, died healing someone through the burn phase etc. I recommend Mando/Merc. Great burst, good AoE, easy off-dps. Simple to play, excellent result. Smug/Oper depends on HoT, the busiest spec of the busiest role. But stealth have their hero moments. Most healers either love it or hate it, so it's best to decide yourself. Sage/Sorc is around the middle, very high mobility. Ok-ish for a new heal. Bubble is strong, wandering mend is smart, storm/quake is cool, with an ultimate panic button. The world need nannies. Lightsaber-wielding nannies who don't mind a 9 years old healing interface.

Well, swtor had an APAC server. Three, in fact, in 2012, less than three months after launch. Bioware/EA shut them down just one year later. The players were moved to West Cost USA. The reason given for moving us to North America instead of merging the three server was to "accommodating all the existing play-styles". Then, four years later, as Bioware focus on Anthem and with swtor leaking subs, we got United Forces, which merged the three west coast servers to Satele Shan. Thus all the APAC guilds are on Satele Shan. The play styles they used to justify not keeping the APAC server? Not mentioned at all. One thing they also didn't mention: "west coast". It is intentional, and we knew why soon enough. They were going to merge west coast to the east, and after the merge they officially say they didn't want us to know in advance. They also said "We expect some of you playing on formerly West Coast servers may see higher ping times. We’ll use the next two weeks to smooth out any kinks and resolve any performance issues encountered." Well, two years come and gone. The ping issue capped by lightspeed is still here. The solution is obvious, and we don't know why it hasn't been "resolved". I left because of the stealth server move and the later conquest update which made it an ugly grind (a recurring theme over the history of swtor, really). Resubed a month to see how it goes. New level cap ruined my gears, but ok, I'll regrind. A few new stories, a few new fp, one new op. The good? There are still many players. Some real newbies. Some old newbies like me. Good for swtor. The bad? The ping is very bad when there are more players. I press a hotkey. Nothing happens. I move around and press some more hotkeys from muscle memory. A few seconds later I am teleported and if I am lucky I saw the abilities rapidly taking effect. If unlucky, that is a few seconds wasted doing nothing. Either way, I need to catch up with my cooldown status, the boss's new facing, the team's new positions etc. Guess I'll give Bioware another two years to smooth out the kinks. Would you still trust Bioware/EA on any APAC server?

1) Buy a pack of toothpicks. Pimple needle also works. 2) Insert it into the keyboard between W and S, so that either one is always pressed. 3) Now your f2p players is constantly moving. Without using macro or bot or anything fishy. Alternatively: Find a guild and get some real social play. You don't even need to chat. You just need to run flashpoints.

I and many players are using Win 10 and most of us seem to not have freezing issue caused by Win 10. By "Freezing", do you mean: 1. Swtor action freeze, animation and sound still going on, resume to normal after a while. 2. Swtor screen temporary freeze, resume to normal after a while. 3. Swtor freeze forever, turns white after a while, and must be killed. 4. Swtor make windows freeze, windows resume to normal after a while. (swtor may recover or may crash). 5. Swtor make windows freeze to blue screen of death and restarts. 6. Other, please describe.

Mostly agree. But... 1) I think off-heals are not mean to give DPS enough heals to overcome another DPS. 2) The best "off-heal" of a sage/sorc is the bubble, which can absorb our own non-crit attacks. Yeah there is a 20s CD I know. Stupid CD.

You need 110% accuracy to always hit boss, yes. Tanks (real or skank) have 10% passive accuracy, plus 1% from companion bonus, so it's common accepted that tanks don't need accuracy stats. You miss as a Sentinel even with 110% because off-hand attacks has lower base accuracy. If you mouseover your accuracy stat it'll shows the details. Note that it's generally not worth stacking accuracy pass 110% for off-hand attacks.

It's only "Toggle Chat Panels". And it does not turn off the sound.

If you don't want to or can't go through group finder to run a flashpoint (e.g. Colicoid War Game), you must find the "quest giver" of the flashpoint - most can be found on the fleet, with newer flashpoints on Odessen and other relevant planets (e.g. Manaan has nothing else but the flashpoint giver). When you talk with them you'll be able to pick a difficulty. Note that some flashpoints difficulties may have story or level restrictions. Normally through, going through group finder does give you a bonus quest that gives you more ©xp and credits. So it's usually preferable.

TL;DR - You get discipline abilities automatically. You only need to train class abilities. Check your ability window if you are not sure - trainable class abilities (if any) will show up greyed at the top.

I do advise putting the shield on even when not sage tanking. It boths lighten the healers burden, enabling them to do more dps (or save more people), and with the counter attack utility it's one or more free disturbance or lightning strike, which is not bad. Particularly effective on boss phases with low but steady raid damage, where the bubble can take multiple hits. I won't say that bubbles are absorbing too little damage; they are hp buffers in the role of pre-heals, not DCDs. But I do wish the cooldown can be shortened a bit, which will make the bubble utilities more useful.

May be that's because there is no DPS loss yet. We are still at 5.8. And of course solo/story flashpoints should not give you problem. They are story/solo for a reason. It may take longer after the nerf lands, but you'll pass them without problem. If that and story chapters are the most challenging endgame contants you do, yes I don't think you'll be impacted much if at all by the nerf.