Space Combat in The Old Republic (continued from pre launch)

[Tarka]

It might be what we expect, but I doubt it is what we hope for.

 

Also, I just gave in and got this game. It is great to see this thread still going strong. Well, not that great I suppose. It means we don't have 3D space flight yet.

 

It is, however, good to see you again Tarka InquisitorBort here.

 

Good to see you matey

 

Let's try to keep the fires burning on this one (and others too).

[dazednconfuzed]

I'll be keeping fires in here lit every so often when my brain has a fit about the tunnel shooter, but what other topics are we keeping on fire?

 

Or is it just a case of pick one from your signature?

Edited February 28, 2012 by dazednconfuzed

[terminova]

HOLY-COW! that link in your sig to the Star Wars Freelancer MOD is FREAKING AMAZING! I had no idea they made a Star Wars MOD for Freelancer. Is it still available?

 

Tide of War mod for Freelancer

 

That one?

[Tarka]

I'll be keeping fires in here lit every so often when my brain has a fit about the tunnel shooter, but what other topics are we keeping on fire?

 

Or is it just a case of pick one from your signature?

 

I'll leave that to your own preference

[Tarka]

Perhaps somewhat damning is that I've been almost entirely pulled away for TOR to play EVE. I never intended to play EVE, but I'd heard so much that when I was offered 21 free days, I took the opportunity to try it out.

 

Being free to roam in space is an awesome experience. Being free to do what we want, where we want is an awesome experience. Having a huge open area to travel around in is an awesome experience.

 

 

Now, I would not suggest trying to copy EVE here, but there are aspects of EVE that can and possibly should be looked at long and hard (and I can't believe I'm saying it, I assure you).

 

Consider this: My Smuggler character is a pirate, a criminal. Despite this, I cannot do ANY piracy or smuggling in TOR. Quite the contrary, I'm risking my ship and my neck for the AUTHORITIES? If there were a system somewhat similar to EVE, I could go where I want, be a pirate raiding convoys if I want, smuggle goods wherever I want, and so on.

 

 

In any case, before this game launched, I said that it was a critical element that could determine whether or not I subscribed. The outstanding RP elements of the game and entertaining ground game convinced me to buy the game. Now I find my attention wandering elsewhere. If they want me, and people like me, to stay here, they need to provide us with some kind of space game that has some depth.

 

I know some people will probably want to jump on your post, to wildly claim that you are wanting TOR to turn into EVE. However, I agree with your sentiment that for all Bioware's chest pounding about putting the RPG back into MMO's, they have so far missed so many opportunities to actually accomplish that goal.

• Smugglers smuggling contraband passed checkpoints to help the Republic.
  
• Bounty Hunters actually hunting bounties and bringing targets to "justice".
  
• Jedis in diplomatic missions.
  
• Siths sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction.
  
• Agents infiltrating structures to obtain information and assassinate key personnel.
  
• Troopers getting involved in ambushes and strikes on key structures and ships.
  
• Activists on both sides entering into skirmishes and battles, including in space, to affect outcomes of the bigger war that is going on.
  

The list goes on.

 

None of this is actually possible beyond the class story. So the whole premise of getting involved in the Star Wars universe falls by the side of the metaphorical road once a player hits end game.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Tarka

[Azzras]

Me neither. Although judging by their recent past, my gut feeling is that whatever they announce, it isn't going to be what expected (in a nice way).

 

We can only hope they actually read the hundreds of thousands of posts about space combat pre-launch.

 

They still never gave a dev response in the thread they created for this topic...

 

Maybe they will in this iteration.

[drosalion]

That was a fantastic post OP and i couldnt agree more. Really hoping to see 3d-space flight with multiplayer/co-op in the future of SWTOR, it is a much needed feature

[Galius]

Everyone needs to start posting a simple question they can not hum and haw about in the Q and A...

 

Like my sig.

 

Post it every week until they respond.

[Blackardin]

Not at all a bad suggestion, OP.

 

Not sure if its doable, or they are interested in doing so, but great idea non the less.

[shepardcomander]

Everyone needs to start posting a simple question they can not hum and haw about in the Q and A...

 

Like my sig.

 

Post it every week until they respond.

 

Already am, though I doubt it will last until they respond, just until this game card expires.

[Goretzu]

We can only hope they actually read the hundreds of thousands of posts about space combat pre-launch.

 

They still never gave a dev response in the thread they created for this topic...

 

Maybe they will in this iteration.

 

 

 

I'm still hopeful.

 

I understand it's a huge undertaking (and one that might well only be done in a full blown expansion).

 

But SW without proper space (well proper unrealistic "film" space anyway ) just will never be fully SW.

[Deathnasty]

Welcome to Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. It’s been many years in the making and the team is very proud of what we’ve achieved. Since we’re an online game we are going to continue building on the game for years to come. You can count on us to diligently expand the game and service to surprise and delight you. We’re going to not only respond to your feedback, but also hopefully exceed your expectations on how Star Wars: The Old Republic will evolve over time.

 

Many of you helped make the game what it is today by participating in our testing programs. You’ve watched the game grow over the past year and have been very vocal about things you’d like to see in the game in the future.

 

A team is never finished building a massively multiplayer game, so we’d like to take this opportunity to reveal a little information on what the team is working on for patches coming in the near future. Our priorities have been, and will continue to be, based off of the feedback we receive from our players.

• New Content – We will be adding new content to the galaxy on an ongoing basis. These worlds will include Operations, Flashpoints and solo content.

 

• Guild Functionality – Guilds are important to the long term health of any MMORPG. We have a huge list of guild centric features. This will be an ongoing effort that will probably never end. Guild banks are the first thing we’ll be delivering in our plans for increased guild functionality. Eventually we even want to deliver on the promise of the long hinted at “Guild Capital Ships”.

 

• UI customization – You like choice. We hear you! SWTOR is all about choice. Being able to choose how you interact with an online game is something we feel is very important. We are going to be giving more control over the UI as an ongoing effort. This is a very big priority for us.

 

• PvP – We have an entire team dedicated to adding content and features to player vs. player. We have some of the most experienced PvP developers in the world on this team. So far very few people have seen, or know much about the stunning Open World PVP on Ilum; when you get to the high levels prepare to be blown away! In addition to that high level PVP content, expect new Warzones and new PvP features on a regular basis.

 

• Space Combat – We will continue to add missions to the space game. We also have a special project going on right now that will expand space gameplay in a significant way... for now the details will have to remain under wraps.

 

• Legacy System – The ability to select a surname for your character is just the start of something much bigger. Soon, the Legacy experience and levels you earn will grant your characters access to powers, objects and other cool benefits.

 

• And more – We have an entire team of developers working on future content. Right now we are focused on nothing else but

Star Wars

: The Old Republic, so expect new and cool things.

 

 

It is fair to say that we’re just as excited as you are about the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Not only are we launching one of the largest and most impressive games ever created, but we’re also excited about the prospect of continuing to work on the game so that you, the fans, will always have something heroic and amazing to enjoy. Thanks for playing.

 

 

James Ohlen

 

Game Director

 

 

its incoming---Soon lol

[Darth_Relyt]

That and, as someone who grew up with Star Fox 64, I love the space missions. All I'd ask is more variety in the missions.

 

Love the Star Fox sires. Which is why I would love to see space pvp bass of of Star Fox 64 multiplier battle.

[dazednconfuzed]

its incoming---Soon lol

 

What's coming though?

 

• Space Combat – We will continue to add missions to the space game. We also have a special project going on right now that will expand space gameplay in a significant way... for now the details will have to remain under wraps.

 

All it says is that space is being expanded in a significant way. This tells us nothing beyond they plan on expanding their space content. For all we know, this could be bigger and better tunnels to shoot in (not that bigger makes a hell of a lot of sense, and better is subjective), and that really wouldn't do anything for our concerns.

 

Or possibly the long-hinted-at guild capital ships. I guess they would be classed as a space expansion.

 

No, what we would like, and what we have wanted from well before launch, is simply a dev to step into this thread and say 'We understand your concerns, and we will look into the possibility of introducing 3D space controls and group gameplay in space'. That in itself would go a along way to making a lot of people in here a lot happier.

 

Instead we get an ambiguous message that could mean just about anything, and people coming in here to tell us we are complaining about nothing.

 

Love the Star Fox sires. Which is why I would love to see space pvp bass of of Star Fox 64 multiplier battle.

 

You mean 3D flight? That's what PvP in Starfox was, wasn't it? Yeah, that's what we want too.

 

On a side note, speaking of Starfox, I was in my local game store the other day, and I spotted a Starfox game for the Nintendo DS. On the front of the box it was advertising that it now had 3D flight.

Edited February 29, 2012 by dazednconfuzed

[Azzras]

Everyone needs to start posting a simple question they can not hum and haw about in the Q and A...

 

Like my sig.

 

Post it every week until they respond.

 

Hey Galius!

 

I'm glad to see you're still around.

 

I to would like an answer about full control space combat.

 

You'd think the hundreds of thousands of posts pre-launch would have gotten us some response.

 

Keep hope alive, m8.

[LeftyCrow]

Casting my vote for Full Control Space Combat. I want to take as long as I want to take down a big destroyer. I dont know if any of you have tried, but atleast on the empire side when I see the large destroyer I try to take out the bridge. No matter how many rockets I unload on it I can never destroy it.

[dazednconfuzed]

Hehe, that used to be one of my favourite things to do when playing TIE Fighter. All the fighters have been destroyed, nothing left to take on except the Destroyer... Here we go... lol. I remember there was this sweet little blind spot they had behind them, so you could even get them in the flying tin can that struck fear into the hearts of the Empire's enemies, lol.

[Roechacca]

yes free roaming space and / Or ?! at least a brake N gas peddle on the rails. Even go carts have that and they have to forward in circles too.

[dazednconfuzed]

I'm not too sure how much simply adding a break/aceleration function into the existing tunnel shooter will improve it. All it will do is allow you to fly slower, you still don't have any control over where your ship actually goes, which does kinda defeat the point of 'space' combat.

[Ihalle]

I have to agree, with everything. I hate the constraints on the rail shooter genre. I am swearing with anger by the time the missions done -- not because I am really into it. But because I can't control my own damn ship. Freedom my butt. Edited March 1, 2012 by Ihalle

[Andurial]

Oh hell I just want a toggle for photon torpedoes so my missiles don't bug out when I'm out oh photon torpedoes.

[dazednconfuzed]

Someone started a thread in the Suggestions forum, that you all may want to go and sign.

 

Linky

[Krisskar]

--In the mid 1990's my computer was anemic compared to today's. Yet there was a stand alone flight simulator game, called "Tie Fighter" that I loved.

--Now something similar to that old game could be substituted for the rail system space game in swtor, with the added ability for PVP......wow wouldn't that be cool?

--also the Tie Fighter game had a great story line and progression.....which could be adapted to a space quest line for players.

--It wouldn't have to be the ACTUAL Tie Fighter, just use that concept as a basis for a fun space aspect to swtor.

Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, World of Warcaft veteran.

"There is no mmorpg so good that it can't be ruined by devs."

[va_wanderer]

I wouldn't mind seeing a larger "playground" for people to fly in, honestly.

 

Just set it up that if you move outside certain boundary areas, the game auto-flies you back in towards the center instead. It probably wouldn't be too rough to take some of the "destroy/defend" space station missions and use those as a first attempt at more freeform flight.

 

We'll need a "radar" system as well, though. And an "exit area" button similar to Flashpoints.

[Tarka]

My latest thoughts that I put in the suggestions thread linked above:

 

Those who know me on these forums will already know that I'm all for "free form space combat" contained in "pockets" of action.

 

Instant Action, just add player

Meaning that the player has full control over the ship within a specific environment designed for a specific encounter. Not "roaming around aimlessly" (as Daniel Erickson once put it). More like Hyperspace into a zone, kick the crap out of the enemy and hyperspace out.

 

Space Travel in TOR

I can certainly appreciate how some may not want to get bogged down in "manual" flight (using Hyperspace routes ofc) from one planet to another, especially if they are leveling up......

 

So let's not force people to ALWAYS use manual flight, let's look at the possibility of adding optional manual flight instead, and having specific reasons to do so.....

 

Optional encounters and Exploration

What about other planets, star systems, asteroid belts that may be perhaps "off the beaten hyperspace lanes"? THOSE destinations could require a little more "finesse" in piloting craft and thus players are being encouraged to quite literally "explore the galaxy".

 

Anyone remember Obi-wan finding Jango on Kamino? Then following him to Mustafa, and having to fly through the asteroid belt? Imagine being able to do such things either in solo encounters, or as a group (wingmen fighter craft, or on your ship manning the guns).

 

 

 

Someone mentioned the substitution of the Tunnel Shooter. Personally speaking, I wouldn't suggest replacing the Tunnel Shooter that is already in the game. I suggest leaving that in place for those who like that kind of thing. However, I DO advocate the inclusion of "full control space combat and travel" for specific scenarios that might appeal to other players.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Tarka