Ugh, let's not. I'm playing a female consular for the first time and Holiday...well, if she becomes a romance option then she will be out of my ship's airlock and headfirst into the nearest black-hole faster than you could say "May the Force be with you."

Well aside from making the Alliance a playable third-faction; what would be rather cool is to be able to create and hang individualised family portraits of our favourite characters and their love interests on our stronghold walls. p.s. And a West Coast server for the Asia/Pacific/Australia/New Zealand/West Coast US players.

Fair enough, but small steps first. The Alliance already possesses the seed of a third-faction with the existing infrastructure on Odessen. If the third-faction compromise ends up being popular and successful then yes, expand it to other factions in the future.

Just a reminder to any passing Developer that a number of us would like the Alliance to continue into the future as a playable third faction.

This kind of absolutist thinking is what is damaging to the game, it is a “my way or the highway” mindset. The idea for a third-faction is not resource intensive and would help to stem the potential loss of further subscribers from the game, a loss that frankly BioWare/EA can ill afford. What we need are gamers who understand that compromise is the best solution if this game is to continue without losing further income. Gamers need to get behind the third-faction compromise and get in the ear of developers and others about it. After all I believe it is a win/win scenario, whilst what is proposed for 5.10 and possibly 6.0 will be a win/lose situation with the game further atrophying. However, by all means wish total destruction on the alliance, just keep in mind that what you are wishing for is equivalent to “cutting off your nose to spite your own face”.

QFT I'm cool with those people who want to return to the never-ending war between the Empire and the Republic; that being said, I and others here would prefer to remain with the Alliance as a third-faction, allying with or aiding either the Republic or the Empire, or both as we see fit. Choice is good. All we third-faction supporters are asking for is choice. That all that we have achieved through the last two expansions should count for something in the long run. After all, we did save the galaxy and the hides of both the Empire and the Republic by destroying the Eternal Empire. All we ask is that we aren't shoe-horned back into the Republic or Empire against our will. All we want is the choice to stand aside and be a third-faction. Yet there are people who would happily see the Alliance burn - who would happily deprive us of a choice - who would force us to play either of two loathed factions when we know and have experienced something better. That's not reasonable or cool.

Personally I'd prefer BioWare to be a little more forthcoming with its subscribers about what the future holds for the Alliance - will it be a third-faction, or exist in some actual form, or is it to be completely phased out? Despite my request here, I'm not holding out much hope for the Alliance and so am in the process of converting my Rishi stronghold into a quasi-Alliance base, complete with Republic and Imperial guards and all the main companions from the expansions. If the Alliance does not continue into the future, then my characters will at least have an off-world base that is neither Republic or Empire.

No, because ultimately we are still being forced to return to either the Republic or the Empire. A great idea, but I think for the moment it should be small steps. Let's ask for a third-faction and if the Devs decide to do that, then they may feel inspired to create reputation for the Alliance via dailies. I really don't know what their resources are so I'm trying to propose a compromise that wouldn't be too resource-intensive for BioWare.

The Third Faction Compromise (feel free to add to it if you have any ideas about improvements): I’ve brought up my idea in other threads, but given that it can be difficult for people to find individual posts among the multitude, I thought I’d make a dedicated thread instead – especially for anyone who has the ear of developers or if developers swing by on occasion. My idea is that the current Alliance should remain as is and become a dedicated smaller and sovereign faction for player-characters who do not wish to return to either the Republic or Empire. This third-faction is to help stem the potential loss of subscribers (and improve BioWare’s dwindling income) by offering a compromise solution to upcoming content. Effectively, Odessen is enlarged to become a land-based ‘fleet’ with all the ‘bells and whistles’ and functionality of the current Republic and Imperial Fleets. The Alliance Commander would have the opportunity to either formally ally the Alliance with the Republic or Empire, or alternatively give conditional support to either faction depending on whether the mission aligns with the principles, morals and goals of the Alliance Commander – in this regard the Alliance remains a true neutral force, whether lawful/chaotic/etc. The improvements to Odessen would be as follows: - Unique player housing accessible from the Odessen base. - Shuttles that enable Alliance players to commute to either Imperial or Republic fleets. - More merchants, expanded bank and galactic trade area, and class trainers. - Also, a new diplomatic area where envoys from the Republic and Empire are available as mission and quest givers, or as a staging point where the Commander is sent onto either Imperial or Republic space for missions. The only real new content would be unique player housing – everything else already exists or will exist in-game and can be recycled into an expanded Odessen base. Feel free to add additional and considered ideas. I'd appreciate that this thread is not derailed or dismissed - my idea I believe is workable and would be a win/win for both the community and BioWare's bottom line.

That is the heart of the issue. Will returning subscriptions compensate for the loss of more subscribers? Will the game continue to tread water barely keeping financially afloat, or will the new content put further lead in its 'shoes' and it goes under, and eventually there will be no game. My advice to BioWare (and all those who have their ear) - for the umpteenth time - is to continue the Alliance as a playable third faction. This would help prevent the inevitable loss of further subscriptions and income.

I am a returned mature-aged player/subscriber. I first played when the game was released, then took an extended multi-year break from all MMOs. I returned to SWTOR in January this year as a free player, then resubbed about a month later. I’d have to say that I loved SoR and thoroughly enjoyed the two expansions. The storyline drew me in from the word go and was a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs. The journey was truly absorbing - and this is coming from a real-life writer and novelist. The first character I took through to the end (but have held off from doing Nathema) is my fully-light aligned Sith Warrior. The idea of the Alliance is absolutely her. From the beginning of the game all her choices were light aligned and she went out of her way to save republic non-combatants and civilians. When it came to choosing to kill or save an enemy, she always chose the save option, so allying with the republic during SoR and being the Alliance commander was for her a no-brainer. Now she has to choose either Republic or Empire. If she is forced, she will go to the Republic, but her real home – her moral, principled, emotional and intellectual home is the Alliance. I have said this in the past and I will repeat it again for emphasis. The logical way forward for BioWare is to have the Alliance continue as a playable third faction. This would mean that there is less risk of loss of player subscriptions. This is how I would design it: Odessen is expanded into a land-based ‘Fleet’. Odessen has unique player housing accessible from Odessen. Odessen has shuttles that enable Alliance players to commute to either Imperial or Republic fleets. Odessen has expanded features – more merchants, expanded bank and galactic trade area, and class trainers. Odessen has a new diplomatic area where envoys from the Republic and Empire are available as mission-givers. Those who choose to remain with the Alliance are prompted to either be in a permanent alliance to the Empire or Republic, or give conditional support to both depending on the mission, morals and principles of the Alliance Commander. The only real new content would be unique player housing – everything else already exists ingame and can be recycled into an expanded Odessen base.

The 'proof of the pudding' will be whether or not new servers have to come online and remain to handle an increased player load, or whether the existing servers stay as is or are merged. I suspect, and this is just a guess, that cancelled subscriptions will be equal to renewed subscriptions. After all, SWTOR is not a brand new and shiny MMO but one that has been around a few years and is showing its age. It does not have a history of frequent content updates or improvements and really the new content will be perceived to be the same old, same old jedi vs sith/empire vs republic. No new bells & whistles to tempt gamers who have the lure of new games and new expansions and new 'shinies' to tempt them. If I am right, then what BioWare needs to do is not put offside subscribers who enjoyed the Alliance and want to continue the Alliance. Putting those gamers offside means loss of subscriptions from an already dwindling subscriber-base. A further erosion of BioWare income is not a wise move. If I were BioWare I'd be looking to continue the Alliance as a third-faction, smaller yes than the big two of republic and empire, but large enough to have a dedicated base (with shuttles to empire/republic fleets, dedicated player strongholds, trainers, more npc merchants, and quest/mission givers in the form of diplomatic envoys from the Republic and Empire). However, this win/win scenario is unlikely to happen because certain players have been agitating for a return to empire vs republic war because they hate the Alliance. The trouble is that they do not realise the win/lose consequences of their activism, and they will have to bear the responsibility of those lost subscriptions.

Pot meet Kettle...

I honestly do not know if there will be net loss or a net gain of subscribers. I am however a pragmatist and given that BioWare's subscriber base is not a particularly large one to begin with, an unnecessary loss of subscriptions is something that should be avoided by the company, especially when a third-faction would be the most obvious fix. It would be so easy to have a win/win scenario, rather than a win/lose one.

You might want to consider mentioning it. It's too late for 5.10, but something might be salvaged for 6.0. A third-faction would be the most obvious fix. That is unless you don't have an issue with lost subscriptions?

In any of your conversations or questions posed to the Developers on Twitter have you ever asked about the possibility of a third-faction comprising the Alliance? A third-faction (allied to either the Empire or Republic) would help prevent loss of subscriptions from those who prefer to remain with the Alliance. I will be reconsidering my subscription too if the Alliance is totally phased out.

Do you possess a time machine and have actual statistics confirming the above claim because to me it reads as hyperbole. In future you might want to add in qualifying language to such sweeping claims - such as "I personally know of x-number of players who will return to SWTOR with the return to Empire vs Republic storylines" because any other claim is simply unsubstantiated nonsense.

Ditto what Goreshaga said.

The Alliance continues as a smaller third faction for those who wish to remain as Commander. The Commander then has the opportunity to ally the Alliance with either the Republic or the Empire, or perhaps take on a true neutral role by aiding both the Republic and the Empire at different times based on the mission objectives. Odessen's role is expanded to include a unique player stronghold based on the planet and accessible via the Odessen base. Odessen is also expanded to include trainers, shuttles to and from Imperial/Republic Fleet, and mission/quest-givers in the form of diplomatic envoys from both the Empire and Republic. Vanilla companion love interests are given speaking roles and more individualised missions - or at the very least, player characters receive regular letters from vanilla love-interests. Bring back the role and necessity of the player's personal starship and allow us to crew it with selected companions. Allow us to decorate the starship by providing hooks. Ensure that all missions and story-lines that begin solo/story end solo/story without a requirement for forced grouping (e.g. how the Shadow of Revan was handled). This player would like at least one future male love interest for my female characters to be honourable, well-adjusted and aesthetically pleasing; and not a traitor, a teenager with parent hang-ups, a bug-man, a walking hormone, or a pirate who has been hit with the ugly stick, which seemingly has been the norm for all previous love interests. ----------------------

This springs immediately to mind.

My Sith Warrior found it very easy to forgive Quinn because she (I) believed that Quinn's primary motivations were Duty and Loyalty which meant that he adhered to the military Chain of Command, and so she (and I) understood why he did what he did.

You could also use Latin and go Ancient Roman for your name.

Thanks for the tips. I looked up our address. Technically we're supposed to be connected to the NBN between July and September next year with FTTC (Fibre to the Curb). Because we're in regional NSW a lot of providers don't 'provide' access, so our options are rather limited. Not sure if Aussie Broadband offers services in our region.

I've been playing (on and off) MMORPGs for the last eighteen years and believe me BioWare is not an outlier. Aussies and Kiwis have always been treated like red-headed step-children by US game companies even though we pays our subs the same as everyone else.

I would suggest that BioWare doesn't have a Structural Editor on their staff because a Structural Editor is usually the one who would pick up problems like plot holes, logical inconsistencies and other issues that we as players are seeing in the character returns.