SWTOR: Dying or Prosperous?

[RoadtoArkham]

So, I'm a young guy. Through work and school (coupled with terrible home internet in my valley) I've only had the chance to experience 3 MMO's, WoW, City of Heroes, and SWTOR. I have enjoyed all three, though far be it from me to call them perfect gaming experiences. Though, to be fair, if I could get high-speed internet where I live, I would play A LOT more.

 

Now, 3/4 of the threads on the forums are complaints, issues, bugs, and low expectations that predict this game is "dead", "will die", "is broken", "is ruined", and so on. I have seen others praising the game, but nitpicking certain details. And, of course, the WoW comparisons and "back to WoW" comments pop up everywhere.

 

I want to know, and excuse my ignorance, but is it really that much of an issue? Is this game truly doomed? I'd like to remain skeptical of what I presumed was a vocal minority, but reading through certain threads reveals that there are some serious issues to be had. Are these kind of things normal?

 

I really like this game and I'm working on learning the mechanics, specifically PvP, so I can enjoy myself even more. But is it all pointless if the game is truly doomed to implode?

[JediMasterRyanW]

Forums are always home to the vocal minority and a wretched hive of scum and villany. What remains to be seen is if it's the 5-10% type minority or the 30-40% minority that's complaining. In-game community is much better, though. Bottom line is that some people like the game as it is, some people have a low tolerance for bugs, and some people just don't like the direction BioWare went with the game. Edited January 12, 2012 by JediMasterRyanW

[Drakos]

You will know in a few months whether or not the game is dying or if it's fine. I don't see them dropping the servers, there will be more than enough maintained subscriptions to ensure EA and BioWare keep the game active, as they have investments to recover.

 

All you need to ask yourself is whether or not you want to keep playing.

[Tiriensoul]

Small % uses forums, out of those a small % will leave, and out of those a small % will stay away.

 

look at WoW forums, it's been dead for 7 years now.

Same with every other game out there, but yet they are still here, thriving.

 

Do not worry about SWTOR, in any way shape or form. We haven't seen anything yet. Trust me.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Tiriensoul

[JediMasterRyanW]

You will know in a few months whether or not the game is dying or if it's fine. I don't see them dropping the servers, there will be more than enough maintained subscriptions to ensure EA and BioWare keep the game active, as they have investments to recover.

 

All you need to ask yourself is whether or not you want to keep playing.

 

Drakos! Haven't seen you in ages! Where's your blue text?

[HibashiraSakai]

Complaints are always louder. People who aren't complaining are busy playing the game.

[Umbral]

Small % uses forums, out of those a small % will leave, and out of those a small % will stay away.

 

look at WoW forums, it's been dead for 7 years now.

Same with every other game out there, but yet they are still here, thriving.

 

Do not worry about SWTOR, in any way shape or form. We haven't seen anything yet. Trust me.

Games being there is a LOT different from those games thriving. You go ahead and make a case that AoC, WAR, STO, etc etc are "thriving". Go ahead. I dare ya.

[Dianoia]

You should take a logic course while you're in college.

 

Then, you'd realize that anyone who says one way or the other is voicing an opinion far removed from fact.

[fenrishero]

I'm just trolling on here because I have nothing better to do right now. And if you want to know if this game will survive or not, wait till Diablo 3 comes out. If everyone disappears, it's not doing well.

 

On a serious note, consolidating some servers wouldn't be the worst idea. Some servers are seriously empty, and would actually benefit from being folded into other servers.

[Razhah]

So, I'm a young guy. Through work and school (coupled with terrible home internet in my valley) I've only had the chance to experience 3 MMO's, WoW, City of Heroes, and SWTOR. I have enjoyed all three, though far be it from me to call them perfect gaming experiences. Though, to be fair, if I could get high-speed internet where I live, I would play A LOT more.

 

Now, 3/4 of the threads on the forums are complaints, issues, bugs, and low expectations that predict this game is "dead", "will die", "is broken", "is ruined", and so on. I have seen others praising the game, but nitpicking certain details. And, of course, the WoW comparisons and "back to WoW" comments pop up everywhere.

 

I want to know, and excuse my ignorance, but is it really that much of an issue? Is this game truly doomed? I'd like to remain skeptical of what I presumed was a vocal minority, but reading through certain threads reveals that there are some serious issues to be had. Are these kind of things normal?

 

I really like this game and I'm working on learning the mechanics, specifically PvP, so I can enjoy myself even more. But is it all pointless if the game is truly doomed to implode?

 

Everyone has an opinion and alot of people came into this game with unfounded expectations. Some of the stuff being complained about is legitimate though. I wouldn't go running around crying about the sky falling yet but how BioWare handles the next month or two could decide the games fate.

[Shillen]

There will be a fairly large exodus after the free month is over. If you're on a well-populated server you probably won't notice but if you're on a lower pop server you might run into some problems.

 

But the game is far from doomed. It just isn't a blockbuster hit.

[Drakos]

Drakos! Haven't seen you in ages! Where's your blue text?

 

I retired the blue text when the game released. It makes it harder for people to find me, which has pros and cons. How's your gaming experience coming?

[Umbral]

Complaints are always louder. People who aren't complaining are busy playing the game.

Orr they already came to complain, saw how people are bullied here when they do and it's condoned by the community staff, and didn't bother. Or just don't care enough to complain after seeing their complaints fall on deaf ears with other failed games.

 

Time will tell after the first month, then again after the second. We'll never know for sure though, because like all those other games Bioware/EA will maintain they game is a success right up until the day the announce the free to play.

 

I hope I'm wrong, because I like enough about the game to stick around, but I certainly see why so many players have already left.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Umbral

[TheKillerCF]

Complaints are always louder. People who aren't complaining are busy playing the game.

 

i would call this an extremely accurate assertion of the SWTOR community as a whole.

[JediMasterRyanW]

I retired the blue text when the game released. It makes it harder for people to find me, which has pros and cons. How's your gaming experience coming?

 

Oh, as well as can be expected with the limited time I have to play it. In at 7AM on EGA Day 1 and only level 21. You?

[Tiriensoul]

Games being there is a LOT different from those games thriving. You go ahead and make a case that AoC, WAR, STO, etc etc are "thriving". Go ahead. I dare ya.

 

Uhm... What are you talking about? Go out, find other genre's to enjoy.

Visit their Forums and see what's it like. It's the same every where.

 

And what's AoC and STO.. i don't even....

[Jswizzle]

There will be a fairly large exodus after the free month is over. If you're on a well-populated server you probably won't notice but if you're on a lower pop server you might run into some problems.

 

But the game is far from doomed. It just isn't a blockbuster hit.

 

2 million in box sales within a month. Is a blockbuster hit for an MMO. Sorry to burst your bubble. Bioware has already stated they are experiencing *growth*. All these supposed players quitting either haven't really quit, or so many more people are trying the game out it isn't noticeable.

[RoadtoArkham]

You should take a logic course while you're in college.

 

Then, you'd realize that anyone who says one way or the other is voicing an opinion far removed from fact.

 

No ****?

My point was that I was skeptical until my independent research yielded undeniable evidence of issues I consider to be rather large. Since hard data relating to future prospects of this game is likely to be slanted by Bioware, I rely on the experience and anecdotes of the community, which greatly outweighs my own.

[Umbral]

 

And what's AoC and STO.. i don't even....

'nuff said.

[Drakos]

Oh, as well as can be expected with the limited time I have to play it. In at 7AM on EGA Day 1 and only level 21. You?

 

Cleared 50 on a sorceress, have a second at 33, and have a few low-level alts scattered about. >.>

 

My friends are trying to get me onto their server as Republic, but I'm not sure if I'll be playing for a while.

[Giondi]

There are huge problems and bugs in this game. Of course, it's only been out for 3 weeks and the launch of this game was smoother than pretty much every game I've ever played (people like to remember Vanilla WoW as perfect, but I'm convinced they weren't there from the beginning, that game was a mess when it launched). Given the number of orders, I'm just surprised that the servers didn't crash on launch day. Give the devs time to fix some of this stuff, the time to start worrying is when there are problems and there hasn't been a patch in a long time.

[Papazooki]

2 million in box sales within a month. Is a blockbuster hit for an MMO. Sorry to burst your bubble. Bioware has already stated they are experiencing *growth*. All these supposed players quitting either haven't really quit, or so many more people are trying the game out it isn't noticeable.

 

Box sales really help, but they aren't as important as you think they are.

 

What matters most is retention.

[Tiriensoul]

'nuff said.

 

I won the discussion, so yea nuff said.

[knightblaster]

So, I'm a young guy. Through work and school (coupled with terrible home internet in my valley) I've only had the chance to experience 3 MMO's, WoW, City of Heroes, and SWTOR. I have enjoyed all three, though far be it from me to call them perfect gaming experiences. Though, to be fair, if I could get high-speed internet where I live, I would play A LOT more.

 

Now, 3/4 of the threads on the forums are complaints, issues, bugs, and low expectations that predict this game is "dead", "will die", "is broken", "is ruined", and so on. I have seen others praising the game, but nitpicking certain details. And, of course, the WoW comparisons and "back to WoW" comments pop up everywhere.

 

I want to know, and excuse my ignorance, but is it really that much of an issue? Is this game truly doomed? I'd like to remain skeptical of what I presumed was a vocal minority, but reading through certain threads reveals that there are some serious issues to be had. Are these kind of things normal?

 

I really like this game and I'm working on learning the mechanics, specifically PvP, so I can enjoy myself even more. But is it all pointless if the game is truly doomed to implode?

 

The reality won't be known for another 30-60 days. The critical period in a new MMO's lifespan is the first 3 months of sub time, or less. There is always a drop at the end of the first free month post launch, and there will be here as well. The key is how many of the people who stay after the first month will stay for the next and the next after. That depends on patches, to some extent. Another issue is how many will continue to join in the next 1-3 months.

 

Don't base this on the forums, however. It will become known in the MMO world at large if the subs are hemmoraging a lot. The in-game forums are almost always extremely negative, even for very successful games like WoW (reading WoW's forums, you'd think everyone hates the game, yet the people posting are all paying WoW subscribers).

[Darka]

Every game will lose members, but I have felt TOR has handled itself a lot better then other MMOs at this stage.

I