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

[Xugos]

Yea....ZA and ZG rehash wasn't a content patch was it? Oh wait....yes it was. Which raid did they add with that patch by the way? Oh wait....they didn't add one. Oh! There was a new arena season with it wasn't there?! Wait....no......dailies....no.....

 

Yep, I think you've thoroughly proven your point.

 

Seriously though, what do you expect from a game that has been out a month, has been designed by a company that has never designed an MMO and is running on an engine that has previously been untested by an MMO? Personally, I think you are putting way to much of your time into being angry about a video game. Maybe you should just unplug for a while, go out in the sun and meet a member of the oposite sex.

 

 

ZA and ZG was not a major content patch at all. ZA in patch 2.3 was, however, because it was a full raid.

[Bazeleel]

 

Healing makes me cry. Not because there's no @mouseover. Half the time during WZ's the UI doesn't update the health correctly and shows everyone is at 100%, even when I'm watching them get torn apart. Hunt'n'Peck!

 

I don't even bother to pvp because it is so terribly broken!

 

Now raid healing seems to work better. The main issue I have right now is the combat delay and performance issues.....they need to be fixed...and fast!

[Aesri]

...99% of the things he posted about are very much needed. They just are.

 

No, they're WANTED. If you and he and others really "needed" these, you wouldn't be able to play the game without them. People wanting them to min/max or theory-craft is NOT an example of a thing being needed. There's a combat log coming. Enjoy it. Just be honest about why you WANT it along with all the rest of the list.

 

Desire does not equate to requirement outside one's personal considerations. Subjective vs. Objective.

[Treyzorz]

To the OP:

 

You practically invite people to flame you because of the terminology you use in the title of your thread - "Bioware, You Want to Resuscitate This Game? Then Implement The Following"

 

The game is barely 3 weeks old and you are claiming it needs resuscitating? I didn't even bother reading your list yet, I just wanted to point out that it IS POSSIBLE to provide constructive criticism without being inflammatory.

 

Yes, some people might flame you anyway but not nearly as many as will flame your OP as written and titled.

 

What he did was make a title that is freaking everyone out into both reading and responding.

 

This thread is at the top because of that title - it sparks emotion.

[Xugos]

No, they're WANTED. If you and he and others really "needed" these, you wouldn't be able to play the game without them. People wanting them to min/max or theory-craft is NOT an example of a thing being needed. There's a combat log coming. Enjoy it. Just be honest about why you WANT it along with all the rest of the list.

 

Desire does not equate to requirement outside one's personal considerations. Subjective vs. Objective.

 

If they're wanted, they're needed within the sphere of gaming. If you want to get into a philosophical debate about what is wanted vs what is needed within a game, you'll find the two to be synonymous since the game itself is a want.

[Bazeleel]

No, they're WANTED. If you and he and others really "needed" these, you wouldn't be able to play the game without them. People wanting them to min/max or theory-craft is NOT an example of a thing being needed. There's a combat log coming. Enjoy it. Just be honest about why you WANT it along with all the rest of the list.

 

Desire does not equate to requirement outside one's personal considerations. Subjective vs. Objective.

 

BUT

 

almost every vet mmo player is use to having mods, meters, target of target, etc....so to not have them is kinda silly on biowares part.

 

Target of target is very helpful, meters are not really needed but fun to have, mods...would just improve the game, no needed but look how much better WoW or even Rifts UI has improved because of the modding community.

 

They are thing that improve the game even if you do not think they will.

[NoxiousAlby]

But he hit the nail on the head so to speak. These are thing that either need to be added/changed/fixed.

 

 

You might not use them if they are added, or you might not think they are needed.

 

but

 

99% of the things he posted about are very much needed. They just are.

 

Needed in his & your opinion, others like myself think you both need to learn patience & perhaphs even skill if some of the things on his list are game breakers.

[Bdatik]

ZA and ZG was not a major content patch at all. ZA in patch 2.3 was, however, because it was a full raid.

 

ZA and ZG the 5man instances were added in 4.1, which is a major content patch.

[Xugos]

ZA and ZG the 5man instances were added in 4.1, which is a major content patch.

 

No, the WoW community, and also Blizzard, acknowledged, directly or indirectly, that it was NOT a major content patch. It was a simple intermission to the real content patch of 4.2.

[AilsaH]

Thats too bad he makes spot on points and great ideas.

 

Not saying I won't read his list, nor am I saying he doesn't have valid complaints. I am simply stating that he could have presented himself in a more respectful way and without the extremism he came across with.

[Yarblockos]

Acquire foresight. Everyone, including the Rift/Aion/Warhammer Online players loved the game initially. You have to view the game objectively and comparatively to what else is on the market momentarily. As it stands, the game needs the aforementioned fixes, and the community needs to have the audacity to support those fixes and swallow their pride momentarily for the sake of the game.

 

You listed Chat bubbles as a method to 'resuscitate' a game. I think you've shown you lack any kind of objectivity by crying about ridiculously petty features.

[Bionixx]

I don't agree with the OP that these changes will save ToR from dying simply because it is not dying in the first place. However there are some ideas that I like. The chat bubbles would be nice as well as the 1-49 and 50 only brackets in PvP. This however would be stupid to do no as there aren't many level 50s on servers. Server forums are also a great addition that would help foster a community.

 

One thing I disagree with is the space combat. It's amazing. Do not change it, just add more missions. Rail shooter is much better than free roam because it allows for some truly spectacular scripted moments.

[vekkth]

most of the list is good, especially first half. you should have stopped there, instead you went all out trying to imagine a game of your dream, and lost the point.

 

in short, very top priority:

 

combat log

chat bubbles

better instancing

better responsiveness

less bugs, especially crucial ones

brackets in pvp at least for lvl 50

target of target

more vocal forum mods, indeed, they are here locking threads in a seconds but not communicating at all. useless waste of human resources.

OPTION TO TURN OFF CAMERA FOLLOW

 

this is the things that should appear at least partially in the next patch, some of them are really easy to implement like chat bubbles, combat log, brackets for pvp and option TO TURN THE CAMERA FOLLOW OFF.

 

next wave:

better UI, addons, macros, may be hardly restricted, but still it is indeed a must - this is not an action game with 3-4 skills for every character where reaction time is the key, its a fully fledged complex mmo where receiving information and planning your actions is the key.

better responsiveness (might be not so easy to implement since could be an architecture issue), more PvP content, etc.

 

everything else is either ok or can wait, in my opinion.

[Treyzorz]

You listed Chat bubbles as a method to 'resuscitate' a game. I think you've shown you lack any kind of objectivity by crying about ridiculously petty features.

 

If he said chat bubbles would soley help the game then he would of only had chat bubbles.

 

It appears you can't read as there are far more additions in that list.

[Rhyltran]

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

 

I hope a few enjoy it atleast.

 

What constitutes as a successful mmo? I keep hearing about "Failures." but judging by the community every mmo is a failure except WoW. Am I wrong? What other mmo's are currently successful?

[Bazeleel]

I don't agree with the OP that these changes will save ToR from dying simply because it is not dying in the first place. However there are some ideas that I like. The chat bubbles would be nice as well as the 1-49 and 50 only brackets in PvP. This however would be stupid to do no as there aren't many level 50s on servers. Server forums are also a great addition that would help foster a community.

 

One thing I disagree with is the space combat. It's amazing. Do not change it, just add more missions. Rail shooter is much better than free roam because it allows for some truly spectacular scripted moments.

 

I will agree with you on the space combat but I think its a personal thing. You either like it or do not like it.

 

I would very much like Server forums!

[BrigOrion]

If they were to implement it, it would contain an option to disable it. I'll sacrifice immersion for the sake of communication any day.

 

Everything being said appears in your chat window. So, are chat bubbles like training wheels?

[Treyzorz]

I don't agree with the OP that these changes will save ToR from dying simply because it is not dying in the first place. However there are some ideas that I like. The chat bubbles would be nice as well as the 1-49 and 50 only brackets in PvP. This however would be stupid to do no as there aren't many level 50s on servers. Server forums are also a great addition that would help foster a community.

 

One thing I disagree with is the space combat. It's amazing. Do not change it, just add more missions. Rail shooter is much better than free roam because it allows for some truly spectacular scripted moments.

 

It has been out for a little over a week and already a list of solid complaints for staple features of any MMO that are missing.

 

Once the honeymoon phase ends and the phrase "just wait for them to release it" becomes tiresome, people will leave in droves. Once this happens EVEN if SWTOR becomes hot again - it is too late, you cannot mend the damage.

[wrmrstacrdwower]

ZA and ZG the 5man instances were added in 4.1, which is a major content patch.

 

A major content patch is a patch that contents new instances that progress the story to a new level. Patch 4.3 was a content patch. ZA and ZG failed to do that.

 

Unless the FP's are uber extensive in what ever SWTORs end game storyline is it's not a major content patch.

[Xugos]

You listed Chat bubbles as a method to 'resuscitate' a game. I think you've shown you lack any kind of objectivity by crying about ridiculously petty features.

 

It is an integral part of the method. Having localized communication is essential in building a desirable social atmosphere. WoW's social atmosphere was nice because the various spheres of dialogue were clearly separated.

[Alexia-Moi-Voss]

Space combat is fine, in fact i think its better than fine. If anything were added to it it would only make it better, I'm someone who grew up with space-sim games and tachyon being among my favorite among them the way ToR pulls of the space combat is nice and akin to the old space-sim games which sadly are no more and i think a genera which should come back.

 

Btw as for Dev communication take a look at the Dev Tracker forum. it has useful info such as what bugs are being fixed / worked on and things being added. but it sounds like many people arnt reading it even a little

[Xugos]

Space combat is fine, in fact i think its better than fine. If anything were added to it it would only make it better, I'm someone who grew up with space-sim games and tachyon being among my favorite among them the way ToR pulls of the space combat is nice and akin to the old space-sim games which sadly are no more and i think a genera which should come back.

 

Btw as for Dev communication take a look at the Dev Tracker forum. it has useful info such as what bugs are being fixed / worked on and things being added. but it sounds like many people arnt reading it even a little

 

 

I had read all of it. It fails to address the most pressing of issues by far, and only addresses <1% of the total issues facing the community as a collective body.

[Eldren]

You don't speak for me, OP. I agree with some of your points, disagree with most of them, and disagree entirely with the self-entitled, demanding, "Do it my way 'cause it's the only way the game can succeed" mentality. If it isn't your mentality, you need to reword your post so you don't sound like a third grader stamping their feet at their parents because they want dessert before dinner. The parents just send the kid to his room, then chuckle at how cute and ineffectual his rage was after he's wailed himself to sleep.

 

THE LIST:

 

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

I happen to agree with you here. It's a necessary function for those who want to RP in a cosmopolitan setting like Coruscant or Dromund Kaas. Outside of this, people largely won't care.

 

- Add a combat log. I will say this again. ADD A COMBAT LOG. IT IS A *MUST!*

Why, exactly? I don't agree with the mentality that says "We need numbers so we know what our best rotation is." Some might use it for that; most will use it in lieu of a damage meter so they can determine which players aren't meeting their personal output minimums, then kick those players from their groups, exacerbating the ongoing whining for a group-finder system.

 

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

This would be useful, I admit, but it's also fairly easy to tell which target the tank in the group is attacking. This game expects you to pay attention a bit more than the current MMO king of the hill. This would be a nice quality-of-life improvement, but that's about it. I'd say this should be low on the priority totem pole.

 

- 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.)

If items are being lost in the mail, I agree that this ought to be fixed. This, however, is the first I've heard of this bug.

 

- 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.

I agree that a blanket search would be nice for those who are either aware of what specific item they want, or want to price compare so they can set their prices. I think the notion of a bidding format is outdated, however: auctions in WoW and even in the real world on Ebay typically do better with a buyout system. People can just decide on the spot if they want to pay the price, and move on if they don't. If they do, they don't have to bid, worry about someone else outbidding them (many times out of spite because the higher bidder has excess disposable cash), and wait for their item, they just get it. Be aware: this isn't an auction system. It's the Galactic Trade Network. People set prices, they don't let the buyers set prices.

 

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

I'd like to see this, if only so a blacklist of misbehaving players can be put together, but at this stage of the game, it isn't necessary. You build solid server community by being social, which is what BioWare (and any MMO developer) wants. BioWare has chosen to encourage that behavior in the game instead of on their forums.

 

- 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.

A LFG channel would be nice, if it's zone-specific. A global channel would become a de facto Global General, if WoW was any indication. Having spent time listening to the General channels on Dromund Kaas and Coruscant (in beta), I don't want to deal with that while I'm out in the wilds of Taris, and don't want to have to leave the channel to shut people up.

 

- 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.

BioWare has already said this is a temporary measure, and they'll likely remove it once people spread out more. Right now people are still clustering in the faction homeworlds and in the mid-30s zones. Ilum on my realm (a realm consistently high population, with queues at peak play times) had a grand total of 12 people on it at 8:00pm server time tonight. That should tell you something. Have patience, and the artificial instancing of zones will go away, as BioWare has already indicated.

 

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

This is asinine. If it isn't easy to acquire, people who spend all their time PvPing will be able to completely roll people who are just dipping their toes in it as a diversion. Ease of acquisition encourages people to try out new parts of the game. This is good. For those newbies who enjoy PvP, you have a greater pool of opponents/allies. For those who don't, they aren't going to stick around long enough to acquire the PvP gear. You don't want to lose those who might be interested, however, because it's excessively difficult to acquire gear appropriate for the activity to begin with.

 

- Allow people to queue for SPECIFIC WARZONES.

Sure, why not?

 

- ADD MACROS.

The game plays fine without them. It's a quality-of-life issue, and quality of life issues tend to take a huge back seat to last-minute stability and mechanics issues in a game that's just launched. Let's keep in mind that at this point, The Old Republic is officially only two weeks old.

 

- A customizable UI with third party add-on support.

Read the Dev Tracker forum. They've indicated there's support on the dev team for a UI that's more customizable than moving your chatbox around. This said, I don't support third-party add-ons. They aren't necessary, and often do more harm than good. I'd rather know I'm with a player who's good because they learned the existing UI, not because they automated several things from mods. Also realize that the way the UI looks may not be entirely up to BioWare: this is a licensed intellectual property, and LucasArts has a huge say in how it looks. George Lucas is notorious for being tight-fisted with Star Wars aesthetics.

 

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

I see no reason why this shouldn't happen. Again, I say it's likely all in good time.

 

- 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.

Read the latest patch notes on the Dev Tracker. They're aware of this, and working on it.

 

- 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.

While a 4-hour telephone queue is ridiculous, BioWare has a bottom line to consider, and they're building a business here, not dealing with an existing throbbing pile of payroll cash lying around unused. More support is likely to be hired as they believe it's necessary. You don't get to determine when that is.

 

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

Your entire argument here became invalidated the instant you compared this game to other MMOs, the most recent of which is only a couple years old, the most notorious of which is now in its progressing 7th year. This MMO is 2 weeks old.

 

- 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.

The game world is empty in some places because people haven't gotten there. It also has to do with server population: some are huge, some aren't. I again point to this being 2 weeks old: people will spread out, and zones will feel more populated. As it stands, however, your argument is again invalidated with accusations of artificially inflated subscription numbers, something you have no way of actually knowing.

 

- 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.

Their reasons for taking this out were valid, as was their statement that they intend for it to return once it works better. They took it out because it wasn't meeting quality standards. I'd rather not have a subpar system when I know they intend to give us better: I'm fine waiting til it's better.

 

- 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.

They have. Repeatedly. Spend time in forums here besides the General Forum. Like Dev Tracker, for instance.

 

- 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.

Since you gave no real reason for this, I'm going to conclude it's just your personal preference. BioWare disagrees. Accept that they have the authority here, that you don't, and agree to peaceably disagree.

 

- 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.

They have. Again, spend time elsewhere, and don't just haunt General. They've already, however, learned from the mistakes other MMOs have made: they don't want to give a date, have something happen and not meet that date, then listen to the player whining that "BioWare lies to its players". The stuff will come out when it's been designed, QA'd, and likely tried out to get semi-live environment bugs worked out via PTR. Not before then. Be patient.

 

- 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.[/b]

 

This isn't SWG. Stop asking for it to be. I'm sorry you can't go back to SWG, but it's shut down because it wasn't making money, and likely wasn't even breaking even so SOE could just let it languish in obscurity without cost to themselves. The space game is a diversion, not a major focus. If it's that important to you, go design your own space combat game. Until then, either accept that it's a side game here (much like PvP), or stop playing.

Edited January 3, 2012 by Eldren

[Xugos]

This isn't SWG. Stop asking for it to be. I'm sorry you can't go back to SWG, but it's shut down because it wasn't making money, and likely wasn't even breaking even so SOE could just let it languish in obscurity without cost to themselves. The space game is a diversion, not a major focus. If it's that important to you, go design your own space combat game. Until then, either accept that it's a side game here (much like PvP), or stop playing.

 

 

I've never played SWG in my entire life. A good game developer takes everything successful from other games and inducts it within their own game. Bioware doesn't seem to fully comprehend this.

[Rhyltran]

What constitutes as a successful mmo? I keep hearing about "Failures." but judging by the community every mmo is a failure except WoW. Am I wrong? What other mmo's are currently successful?

 

Yes. I'm quoting myself.