Bioware, You Want to Resuscitate This Game? Then Implement The Following.

[Whatsalightsaver]

I actually agree with most if not all of the OP's items he says the game needs. I want this game to succeed and it's absolutely true that Bioware has a single shot to capture a large portion of the market. WoW players are tired of Blizzard's bullsh*t. *I* was tired of Blizzard's bullsh*t. People are looking for something new and exciting to play and SWOTR partially matches that description.

 

People will undoubtedly play till 50 as the questing experience is very fun and the game is very beautiful, but if a long list of frustrations and mediocre end game are not addressed this game will be like all the others that tried and failed. Anyone that tries to take out the WoW giant has an uphill climb ahead of them. No MMO I've played has hit the ball as hard as Bioware has but for it to go out of the park additional work is needed. The faster that work is done the more chance SWOTR can succeed.

 

I think everyone is willing to extend grace to a new MMO for a period of time. I know I am. It's up to Bioware to reward that grace with something that will never make us want to go back to WoW.

 

It's pretty good so far, Bioware. Fix SWOTR's problems and you may not only survive the infancy of your MMO, but stay around long enough to get the revenue you need to make this the next "unkillable" MMO.

[leetlazzy]

That is only the attitude of the entitled generation, most older gamers have been through this many times before. Were here for the long run and not the instant gratification, we understand that unlike MMOFPS RPGS are a work in progress that lives and breathes and expands over time..........we have patience.

 

Sorry but people like you are the main reason gaming today is going down the crap hole.

 

You sounds like one of them idiots that are okay with games being released unfinished and buying the DLC that should of come with the 60$ purchase.

 

People like you are the reason game companies do this kind of crap. They understand that people like you will keep paying for a game that isn't finished, because you're so called "more patient". You may like to be milked of money but i don't.

 

Like they say "first impressions mean everything" and this game in its current state isn't leaving a very good one.

[sithkllr]

What I dont understand is if a players really loves all the features used in Wow, then why not just play wow?

 

This is supposed to be a different game, I actually like the fact that as players we need to learn to play our classes again rather than using easymode mods like decursive, dbm, & threatmeters. Forget the fact that observations from guilds already doing heroic modes are we dont need them why dumb down the game mechanics? I for one pay to play, not play and watch tv or read a book at the same time.

 

Because people are tired of WoW. I like the new SciFi genre, new area, new quests, new classes, new weapons, mobs, etc, etc, etc. I could go on and on. But that doesnt mean I dont like some of the features and ammenities WoW has. some key elements ARE missing from this game. I mean come on, not even a UI scaling option?!?!?!

 

Honestly though, I would be happy with a customizeable UI. It sucks. Bad. There is no way for me to easily see when abilities proc, buffs and debuffs fall off, etc. Not even sound triggers. Like it or not, thes features are what the MMO community has come to expect, and if Bioware doesnt want to provide even the most basic improvements to a screaming and unhappy community, what does that say?

[Blacktailstalker]

Note: This is simply a list of issues that we all recognize exist. We all want the best for SW:TOR which is why we bought it in the first place, and if Bioware wants send a signal that it is dedicated to this game, then it would be wise to begin communicating and recognizing issues.

 

Edit: I am now understanding that some people disagree with the premise that this thread begins with: that the game is in need of "resuscitation." Please ignore that point momentarily if you disagree.

 

Well, for those of who may know me (because they despise me) from my rampant pre-launch criticisms of this game, including ones derived from beta experience, it's happening. Most of the beta testers' concerns were not addressed, and that leaves us with the current state of the game.

 

SW:TOR is a game with great potential. That being said, MMOs only get one shot, and this is SW:TOR's. Bioware MUST implement the following (a consolidated list of fixes that I have heard demanded by numerous people within the community) before the free 30 days game-time period ends.

 

THE LIST:

 

- Chat bubbles (with the option to disable for those of us who are introverted within the community, myself included.)

- Add a combat log. I will say this again. ADD A COMBAT LOG. IT IS A *MUST!* A combat log is needed for damage/healing/tank mitigation parses. If you are serious about having guilds progress in non-mediocre PvE content, these are essential.

- ADD TARGET OF TARGET into the game. Over-haul the UI in general.

- Fix bugs in general, but most importantly the ones pertaining to the mail system (where an item can be lost forever if the bug occurs.)

- Add FOCUS TARGETS.

- Add a fail safe (purchase confirmation) to item purchases and skill learns. Many people have lost commendations/credits for accidentally misclicking while using a high-sensitivity/DPI mouse and purchasing the wrong item.

- Overhaul the auction house system (GTN.) Add a search option, remove the 50 item limit on your auctions, and add bid/buyout functionality that isn't feudalistic and outdated.

- SERVER FORUMS. THIS IS A MUST TO ENSURE THAT A STRONG SERVER-COMMUNITY MANIFESTS ITSELF!

- More camera options. THE OPTION TO DISABLE "SMART CAMERA PIVOT" SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED!

- Implement a threat parse so that tanks can actually gage how much threat they have on targets. Right now, they are in the dark and they have a disproportionally stressful job. I can personally testify that I don't know a single person, nor do I think such a person exists or is common, that appreciates the current system of things pertaining to threat.

- An LFG system over-haul. I'm not saying it should be automated and teleport you to the location of whatever it is you're doing like WoW does, but there needs to be increased support for this. Perhaps introducing a channel with some extra features dedicated to creating groups would do it.

- Improve your servers so that you do not have to create two separate instances for a mere 50 people in a SINGLE sub-zone. That is just asinine and removes the social/community atmosphere from the game. I bought an MMORPG, not a single-player Mass Effect RPG.

- Fix accessibility to PvP gear. As it stands, many are reporting it is MUCH TOO EASY to acquire.

- Allow people to queue for SPECIFIC WARZONES.

- ADD MACROS.

- A customizable UI with third party add-on support. All healers (experienced healers) that I know cringe at the lack of a customizable UI. Click-to-heal made healing fun. Bioware MUST implement this.

- >>>>>>>Ensure mouse-over heal support.<<<<<<<

- A fix to optimization issues. Great machines are not running this game so great.

- A fix to delay issues that are not related to latency. People have "50 ms" latency and have a 3-4 second delay on select abilities.

- Better customer support. Hire MORE people, HAND THEM a company policy book, and GET them helping people out. No excuse for not having enough people when you knew how much traffic there would be on launch day.

- Buy a better swtor.com server. No reason why your WEBSITE should have queues when practically every MMO, including ones that have been less or more successful, did not have queues at launch, nevermind post-launch.

- Increase the number of players allowed on a server. Don't hide subscription numbers by artificially inflating server size. Reportedly, only 2000-2500 players are allowed per server, which is horrible. Bump that number up significantly, even if it is done gradually, or you're in trouble. The game world is already pretty empty in some places as is.

- Re-instate the appearance unifier, even if temporarily. No reason why a battle-hardened Trooper should look literally like a clown with a rain-bow themed assortment of ballistic armor plates.

- Have community managers COMMUNICATE to the player base that Bioware understands our issues and is working diligently on fixing them. As of now, it appears as though y'all are pretending NOTHING is wrong. Wake up.

- Dissolve the universal PvP bracket. Put in SPECIALIZED PvP brackets instead. A 1-49 bracket and then a 50 bracket would be a great start, but preferrably, just do a 1-30, 30-49, and then a 50 bracket. If the player base grows further (big if here), then dissect the brackets further and specialize them to an even greater extent. A level 50 has much more utility and more abilities in its arsenal than a level 15. Even if they have the same stats, that is UNFAIR because the level 50 has a vested advantage. That's why there should always be brackets, albeit with the boost system retained.

- Work towards providing the PvP community with something with more longevity and something that fosters community. That something is an arena system with arena maps. This would go a LONG way for the PvP community.

- Address content-related player concerns. Let us know what the horizon is bringing, and by this I mean, RELEASE MORE OPERATIONS/WARZONES and RATED WARZONES and give us an estimated time of arrival that is not too far off.

- A space overhaul. Not sure if the Hero engine can handle it, but space combat is just abysmal after the first few flying sortees. Something closer to SWG space but IMPROVED because this is 2011 and not 2004 would be required.

 

 

 

Let me know if I missed something. The aforementioned were the most common issues presented to myself by other members of this community.

 

 

If you support this list or want to petition me to add something to it, please say so.

 

TL;DR: pick a random spot on the list and read it. See if you agree.

 

 

That's the list. It's your choice to make this game or break it, Bioware.

Ball's in your court.

It's a check, but will it be a check-mate?

 

OP!, sure there are things you mentioned would be nice to have and there are things that they need to fix. What you fail to understand is that Bioware dosn't work on YOUR TIMELINE. If you think that everything has to be done within the free 30 days your WRONG. Infact, it's more beneficial if they stretch their workload. keep people interested because after the 30 days, they know that people are either in or are out. Whats left is what Bioware wants, their loyal fans and those are who Bioware is going to work for. Then, after a few years, people who quit this game after the 1st 30 days are going to be begging to come back because they finally had what they want or never come back.It dosn't matter to Bioware because they have already made a success with this game.The whole excitement within any MMORPG is to keep people guessing and to see how SWTOR is going to evolve. It's part of marketing strategy.

Edited January 3, 2012 by Blacktailstalker

[CANOFOWNAGE]

Xugos, you are spot on. People will defend this game's problems to the death.

[Vankris]

actually, most point if not all are reasonable i think.

 

though, the game is young, we have time before going through the list.

[Errathe]

What I dont understand is if a players really loves all the features used in Wow, then why not just play wow?

 

This is supposed to be a different game, I actually like the fact that as players we need to learn to play our classes again rather than using easymode mods like decursive, dbm, & threatmeters. Forget the fact that observations from guilds already doing heroic modes are we dont need them why dumb down the game mechanics? I for one pay to play, not play and watch tv or read a book at the same time.

 

But this is one of the problems. This game is, in so many ways, similar to 'that other game' that it's accused of cloning. However, SWTOR's similar features have been so poorly implemented that many plaintives could be forgiven for assuming that the engine development team simply turned up a couple weeks before beta, tweaked a few settings in the Hero engine, and didn't bother to check them.

 

Example: broken guild window. Not even going into the lack of guild features, but you'd think a functional and very basic guild window should be possible within SWTOR's budget and development cycle. It shouldn't be something that is getting patched only now.

 

It is inexcusable, but it is forgiveable. Pay attention to the difference in those two words.

[Runealdo]

Agree with OP

[Sykologist]

Sorry but people like you are the main reason gaming today is going down the crap hole.

 

You sounds like one of them idiots that are okay with games being released unfinished and buying the DLC that should of come with the 60$ purchase.

 

People like you are the reason game companies do this kind of crap. They understand that people like you will keep paying for a game that isn't finished, because you're so called "more patient". You may like to be milked of money but i don't.

 

Like they say "first impressions mean everything" and this game in its current state isn't leaving a very good one.

 

Actually you're the main reason gaming is going down the crap hole. You have an ideal of the "perfect" release for a game. Yet, that ideal is so unrealistic that no game will ever meet your standards.

 

And if that game ever DID meet your standards, you'd start ************ that they have nothing to add.

[DSPD]

Kudos to the OP. Have to say I agree with everything on your list. Unfortunately I feel that this post will fall on deaf ears.

[Edarahk]

/signed.

 

also, we'll see if any of this happens, i've said it once and i'll say it again:

 

there are way too many mouthbreathers who play this game to give voice/support to any worthwhile changes it seems. i won't be getting my hopes up.

 

btw i thought rift was GREAT, it was just too similar to wow but they implemented some really nice features.

 

my biggest gripes with swtor:

 

-no macros

 

-no multi-spec (helpful for players with tank/heal trees in thier subspecs making more groups more frequent in general for all.)

 

-breaking combat in pvp is sketchy as F

 

-camera zoom not static at all

 

 

 

The game seemed great at first and it does have tons of potential but as you level and pvp and pve these glaring flaws mentioned by the op really start to become apparent for anyone with any mmo experience in high end pve/pvp environment. On the same note the changes listed by the op mean nothing to the average/casual mouthbreathing keyboard turning clicker types.

 

/que mouthbreather derp "GET SKRILLZ NOOB LOLOLOLOL"

Edited January 3, 2012 by Edarahk

[Drayzen]

OP makes good points. I don't have the urge to type it up, but honestly, he hit every point on the head.

 

More specifically. I want to speak towards the Community. While the Manager may be super active on Twitter, that isn't here. These forums don't have blue poster tags, there is no MMO champ to read posts. To be completely honest, the amount of community from the community team, is terrible. I get that you are assigned to marketing, but for the love of god, take a page out of Blizzards book. Or, better yet. Take a page out of Customer Supports book.

 

The lack of a customer facing approach on these forums is downright horrific, and a total travesty.

[Sithgrayjedi]

I really expected a WoW clone when I started playing thIs game, but what I discovered is a game that cannot be compared to WoW.

 

Some of the aspects and controls are the same, but some vast differences exist between this game and WoW. First, WoW is freaking easy, the games abilities are more mechanically geared. So long as your numbers are good you'll be on easy street. You can join a guild or play with friends and be golden for gear and gold for the majority of the game. In SWToR you are isolated, the shared guild loot simply isn't there and the player base is still too new for that kind of organization. The numbers; while still Important to gameplay needs; are not be-all end all when leveling, and you could still do relatively well with crappy gear while leveling up.

 

The animations in ToR are also much better in terms of quality and realism and so when you have your character use an ability he actually does that ability. To some this may seem like a delay or a cast time, but to me it just means I have to know my toons limitations. This is not wow, you're nOt spamming one button but rather your character is s

Doing an action you selected, work on your timing to work with your character, don't just spam stuff.

 

Oh well I'm probably getting off topic. The t l d r version, I see the op's rant as a comparison between wow and swtOr that is uniustified bEcause of the differences between the games.

[mastorofpuppetz]

Resiscitate? LMAo that implies the game even eneds it? The game sold truck loads and sales keep growing....

 

love how the chicken littles come here make like the sky is falling with ZERO fact.

 

This is a game thats easy to run on a wide range of hardware, because a few bozo's dont know how to maintain a PC they need to optimize more? This is a BS point. This game is a piece of cake to run.

Edited January 3, 2012 by mastorofpuppetz

[geogenetic]

I'm fine with anything that makes the game better as a whole, but I'm enjoying the game in it's current state as well. I'm excited to see how SWTOR progresses over the next few months.

[kalexkhan]

What I dont understand is if a players really loves all the features used in Wow, then why not just play wow?

 

This is supposed to be a different game, I actually like the fact that as players we need to learn to play our classes again rather than using easymode mods like decursive, dbm, & threatmeters. Forget the fact that observations from guilds already doing heroic modes are we dont need them why dumb down the game mechanics? I for one pay to play, not play and watch tv or read a book at the same time.

 

I don't want a different game, i want a better game.

 

When wow came out, it was better than everquest in key areas that counted. Quest based progression instead of group/camps. And accessibility of things like spells each level via vendor come to mind.

 

The discussion right now on swotr is if it's better than wow in enough key areas that count?

[Syleal]

Agree with the OP

 

 

/signed

 

The game is wayyy too unpolished.

Edited January 3, 2012 by Syleal

[RoJackal]

- Target of target

- Threat meter.

- Fix PvP gear, too easy to aquire.

- Fix flashpoint hardmodes, too many bugs.

- Fix ops, people should choose who gets what.

[Myzamar]

What's with all the nay-saying over this game? It's only just started. That said however, there are some serious issues that need addressing, namely healing. Please Bio, increase the healing or decrease the 'cast time'. It's stupid that i am spam healing with little or no effect. Drop the healing level skills and base it on a stat e.g. deliverace level 1, 2, 3, etc (BIG NO NO!!), instead stat level it with willpower, i.e. more willpower=higher healing. Also, sort the commando healing because, atm, it just doesn't work. Why does commando have a healing that is based on tech level? You can only stack tech level on a weapon or an off-hand item making the healing skill useless (the one from the gun). What's with the transport skill at level 25 costing 40k credits to learn?? I have a level 20 char and have nowhere near that sort of money. If that skill is going to cost that much then can you please increase the quest rewards? And one final thing; PLEEEASE can we have more space-battles, they are very good. But can we have control of our ships and not just aimlessly fly around with the game controlling our ship movements? And make them harder please..

[LogicalPremise]

I've never seen so much blatantly illogical trolling in one single place. Double kudos to people responding with even more outlandish "ideas".

 

Here's the problem with your so-called list. Most of it is vague, lots of it has no real applique to the way the game is played, and too much of it is just whining. I hear over and over again that the beta testers complained about this stuff and weren't listened too, and yet not a single thing on your list is game breaking. Huh.

 

- Chat bubbles (with the option to disable for those of us who are introverted within the community, myself included.)

 

What is this, Hello Kitty Online? You lead off your list of "things needed to keep the game from dying with chat bubbles?

 

I understand the sort of upset that leads to this kind of histrionic ranting, but look over the forums. There are hundreds of posts like this, demanding various things. Bioware never has, and never will, take features feedback from forums. Period. They may deign to respond here and there or implement a nerf , but there is no one going over your list and thinking "Hmm , better hop on that".

 

Most of your list is crap that will be addressed in the first 3 to 5 months. People will say "WoW had it blah blah launch should have had it" and yet we all know EA wanted it out by Christmas so things got left and now have to be added back in. Deal with it.

 

Stripped of that, your list is whining about things *you* like not needed features.

[mastorofpuppetz]

I don't want a different game, i want a better game.

 

When wow came out, it was better than everquest in key areas that counted. Quest based progression instead of group/camps. And accessibility of things like spells each level via vendor come to mind.

 

The discussion right now on swotr is if it's better than wow in enough key areas that count?

 

WOW is not and never was betetr then EQ unless you were a 40 yr old socccer mom playign a game for the first time.

[gbrecht]

Agree with op, but sadly I think they don't have a chance to fix all the problems quick enough. The game will drop to 500k subscribers by 3 months i bet.

[Nidien]

Keep addons in WoW were they belong. Addons are a HUGE part of what ruined WoW, when they can literally play the game for you and tell every brain dead derp out there how and when to move it's absurd. Keep addons in WoW and let them rot with WoW.

[KerinKor]

Which they already blew. Sorry the game will just get thrown with the other failures Rift, Aion etc...

And your definition of failure would be ... ?

[flunkorg]

I've never seen so much blatantly illogical trolling in one single place. Double kudos to people responding with even more outlandish "ideas".

 

Here's the problem with your so-called list. Most of it is vague, lots of it has no real applique to the way the game is played, and too much of it is just whining. I hear over and over again that the beta testers complained about this stuff and weren't listened too, and yet not a single thing on your list is game breaking. Huh.

 

 

 

What is this, Hello Kitty Online? You lead off your list of "things needed to keep the game from dying with chat bubbles?

 

I understand the sort of upset that leads to this kind of histrionic ranting, but look over the forums. There are hundreds of posts like this, demanding various things. Bioware never has, and never will, take features feedback from forums. Period. They may deign to respond here and there or implement a nerf , but there is no one going over your list and thinking "Hmm , better hop on that".

 

Most of your list is crap that will be addressed in the first 3 to 5 months. People will say "WoW had it blah blah launch should have had it" and yet we all know EA wanted it out by Christmas so things got left and now have to be added back in. Deal with it.

 

Stripped of that, your list is whining about things *you* like not needed features.

 

*applauds*