The Travel System Is Severely Hurting The Gameplay!

[Sai-to]

OP completely over-exaggerates, then under-exaggerates examples from WoW. Plus, he never compares the actual time it takes, but rather "steps involved".

 

More accurate version of "going to help a friend on Belsavis".

 

1. Quick Travel to Spaceport (or speeder, whichever is appropriate)

2. Enter Ship hanger

3. Get on Ship

4. Select Planet from Galaxy map

5. Exit ship

6. Exit Ship hanger

7. Quick travel or Speeder to friend's location

 

More like 7 steps. Not to mention it doesn't take long at all. The "4 minutes to load" was a completely out-of-line exaggeration. You can get from anywhere to any hub in 5 minutes or less. Especially if you use Fleet Pass and Quick travel.

Edited January 23, 2012 by Sai-to

[JuicyFruits]

Solution : change emergency fleet pass to emergency ship pass.

 

Problem solved.

[SuperomegaOP]

I made a post during closed beta last year saying that traveling between planets could be a hassle because they are spread out requiring load screens. (I wasnt playing beta at the time)

 

(I knew there would be loading screens but i didnt know they would actually be this long especially with orbit stations and planet docks)

 

about 2-4 months later it seems i was right.

[LogicalPremise]

I can give you a coherent answer. Basically, when you change something as fundamental as the travel system, you change the entire game design for everyone. Future expansions are designed with the idea of instant travel, and less work is done on the travelling aspects of the game. Currently, I can group with anyone to do quests and we manually travel everywhere. If instant travel were implemented, there would me many fewer people to group with who would be willing to manually travel, or I would have to sacrifice my game play to play in a group.

 

If you need examples of this, just look at WoW. No one is forced to use addons, however boss encounters are designed with addon users in mind. This is because designing the game for non=addon users would simply make it too easy for anyone using addons.

 

The LFG system had the same effect (even though I love it). Anyone not wanting to use the LFG system is very limited on the number of players with whom to group. Most players use the LFG system which therefore fundamentally changes the ability of non-users to to find people with whom to group.

 

Now, I am not a huge fan of the current travel system in this game. I think it is tedious to move through useless areas that many times look wholly similar and unremarkable. Being able to land directly on most planets would go a long way towards clearing up this system, as would giving you the galaxy map when you clicked to enter your ship door along with an option to manually enter the ship. Running from the door to the chair in the ship also feels tedious.

 

So, while I wholly support a streamlined (and in my opinion more realistic) travel system, I do not support creating two different options for how to travel.

 

That only took 56 pages to do.

 

Counter-response to argument one : Travel preference

 

One could argue you could travel with like minded people who like the "journey" since so many of them seem to be posting in this thread. It is curious that the majority seems to "like" the currrent system but you worry that if faster methods are implemented you'd have problems finding people to use it.

 

That implies either

 

1) the system sucks, and people are defending it simply to defend it without any merit or

2) the system sucks, and people are saying they like it but would use a faster system if available, making them hypocrites or

3) the system works for these people and you wouldn't have a problem in the first place.

 

If 1 or 2 are true, then the issue is moot. Fast systems will eventually come anyway, once these people's troll-stiffened patience for problems with the game runs out. If 3 is true you have nothing to worry about.

 

Counter-response to argument 2: the game is designed for it

 

No, it isn't.

 

The quests that require you to report to your airlock or whatever would not need to be changed. Again, nothing would be REMOVED from the current system whatsoever. Nor would it require game design changes. Clearly, to incorporate these quests into new areas would require building out the whole chain of station-airlock or docking area-spaceport that we have now. These places often house quests and other components that are rarely used or used by only 1 class, but they are ALL carbon copies and cannot require much, if any effort to implement.

 

On the contrary: given how much repetative content is passed off in the name of "making space", i.e. 7 identical pairs of orbital shuttles and docking stations, and 5 spacedock-landing areas, etc -- it seems to me that a short cut is essential as a quality of life issue.

 

Counterargument to point 3: Addons/LFG and WoW comparisons.

 

I touched on this in point one, where I said since there are so many ardent defenders of this, who are so supportive of it they can't even appearantly read the posts before bashing them, but there is another angle to this.

 

If two systems are present, the better system will be used. IF everyone in this thread defending it isn't a hypocrite, then a large number of people will value the so-called immersion and playbase separation enough to keep it vialble.

 

But let's say you're right and they don't. Guess what? It means it's a failed system. All MMO's have them. Part of the MMO life cycle is moving away from things that don't work to things that do. People will always bash this process, but you can't make everyone happy.

 

My system would require that

 

1) you have been where you are fast travelling to the "long way" at least once

2) is primarily for inter-planetary convience for those of us who don't have security keys (sorry, after watching two friends unable to play the game at all for days with these things, not touching them)

3) would NOT interrupt the class-quest chain, nor would it allow quick access to worldbosses (you'd still get dumped either on your ship, or at a spaceport).

 

Unraised Argument 1: Security Key

 

"USE THE FLEET PASS"

 

I don't have one. Many people don't have one. As they are not required, nor are they issued by the game with every copy, I think the fleet pass cannot be considered in any travel discussion simply because it is not universal.

 

If it isn't universal, you can't dismiss me with it because I don't have access to it.

 

Unraised Argument 2: Could be used to abuse <insert feature here>

 

Abuse would have to be taken into account into any system designed.

[Kuvi]

The great thing is, if they do add ways to make it not take 25 minutes to get somewhere, and you want to keep it as is, you can take the long route. Don't assume that because YOU like something everyone else must to. We don't. People complain about the travel system constantly. Just because you aren't one of them doesn't make any of them wrong.

 

The person stated THEIR opinion. They even said "In my opinion" at the end - and complimented the OP. What is wrong with you?

[Solmansays]

As someone else already said

Ditch the entire space dock sequence (until there is an actual use for them )

this will make planet to planet travel a little less annoying

[LogicalPremise]

So, what, you want everything done easy? That aint the way here.

I agree, it can be tedious, but it's not the way that things are done here. Don't like it? Find someplace else to play. This game is not 'easy mode' game.

 

No one is talking about easy mode. Did you even read the thread? No?

 

Trolling reported.

[Norumaniac]

Lol, "easy mode"... That doesnt mean anything. If we were talking about fights or w/e, ok.

 

But we are talking about stuff in the game that is just useless.

 

 

And to make it even worse, every freakin Orbital Station looks the same.

[_Miranda_]

So, what, you want everything done easy? That aint the way here.

I agree, it can be tedious, but it's not the way that things are done here. Don't like it? Find someplace else to play. This game is not 'easy mode' game.

 

I don't understand how removing the needless hallways and docks makes things "easy mode."

 

There's no challenge to walking down a hallway. All those extra screens exist only to create an illusion that this tiny, tiny game is larger than it is.

[Pinchy_]

The system could use work, but...

 

 

 

 

 

You seem to have unnecessarily counted steps, or not counted them when you should have. If you count clicking on the "speeder guy" a step, how come selecting the flight master isn't a step? *boggle*

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCr-l9naPmE#t=1m02s

Edited January 23, 2012 by Pinchy_

[Waxmask]

Another valid point ruined by Fanbois....keep it up guys, you are killing your own game!!!

[OverclockFTW]

Anyone here play EQ back in 1999?

 

I remember a time where it could take upwards to an hour or 2 (if lucky) to go from Faydwer to Odus or the Qeynos. Waitng for the boat, etc etc.

 

It was so bad people were willing to pay good amounts of platinum to wizards and druids to act as a taxi and teleport players around.

 

Ah, the good ol days.....

 

I'm sorry were you guys complaining about something in swtor?

 

P.S. WoW has a lot of subs because the game is accessible to a wide range of people. It's easy to understand and get into, and system requirements (even at release) were very weak. Any soccer mom with an Emachine can play WoW. This is blizzard's design model. Easy, accessible, low system requirements. Nothing Blizzard releases is ground breaking or innovative. There have been tons of other great MMO's that have been launched since the days of UO and EQ, many of which offered great features and innovative/original ideas. Though sub count never reached WoW numbers due to sheer system requirements and cut throat difficulty of the gameplay itself.

 

Bottom line: Sub count does not equate to quality or good ideas. SWTOR does not need to mimic every single thing that WoW does or has. If you like WoW so much, feel free to go back and play it.

 

Personally, I like the amount of travel time SWTOR has. It's not enough to make travel boring, but it's long enough to make you feel like you're playing in a huge universe composed of large worlds and sprawling cities. Having a 1 button-push insta travel system would only serve to make the world feel smaller or more instanced.

 

Another valid point ruined by Fanbois....keep it up guys, you are killing your own game!!!

 

Just because someone has a different point of view then your own, doesn't make them wrong. "Killing your own game", comments also displays a clear lack of experience in the MMO genre. SWTOR has been best success in MMO history from a financial standpoint aside from world of warcrap. With well over a million subscribers, estimated to grow to much higher numbers in the next coming months, the game is anything but a flop.

 

Is it perfect? No, but no MMOs at launch are. In fact, EQ has been out since 1999 and it's still not perfect. WoW 2004, and it's far from perfect itself.

 

So keep the whole "sky is falling" comments to yourself. No one cares.

Edited January 23, 2012 by OverclockFTW

[Kwyn]

 

1. Quick Travel (LOAD) to Spaceport (or speeder, whichever is appropriate)

 

2. Ride to the spaceport from the speeder/QT Terminal, then dismount and run to the hangar

 

3. Enter Ship hanger

 

LOAD

 

4. Run (not ride) to your ship door

 

5. Get on Ship

 

LOAD

 

6. Select Planet from Galaxy map

 

7. Land on orbital station

 

8. Exit ship

 

LOAD

 

9. run (not ride) to the exit

 

10. Exit Ship hanger

 

LOAD

 

11. Run to the planetary shuttle door

 

LOAD

 

12. Run to shuttle

 

13. Board shuttle to the spaceport

 

LOAD

 

15. Run to the spaceport exit

 

16. Ride to the speeder

 

17. Quick travel (LOAD) or Speeder to friend's location.

 

Fixed

 

It's not that you have to *go* to all of the various points along the way (although it is total overkill imo) but that you have to dismount so often and the ridiculous amount of load screens you have to endure

 

I remind you ... 800 programmers on four continents and 200 million

 

It's like the US government contracted out for this game and ended up with $2000 toilet seats. Some of those people were clearly padding the invoices cause art and story aside, the tech side of the shop didn't deliver what they were paid for.

 

Like I said,

Love the game but the lack of polish just makes me wince

[icroyal]

Agreed. There are way too many steps involved for travel. Current system is crap.

[Kunra]

So, what, you want everything done easy? That aint the way here.

I agree, it can be tedious, but it's not the way that things are done here. Don't like it? Find someplace else to play. This game is not 'easy mode' game.

 

Your an id...Fanboi.

 

WoW is "easy mode", still, suposedly, has 10 MILLION playing it.

 

Want this game to make it? Get rid of Tedious and Frustating game mechanics.

[wutru]

I'm going to laugh at all the fanbois who defended this system when Bioware changes it in the future. You know they will.

[OverclockFTW]

Your an id...Fanboi.

 

WoW is "easy mode", still, suposedly, has 10 MILLION playing it.

 

Want this game to make it? Get rid of Tedious and Frustating game mechanics.

 

This game has already "made it".

 

It's the most successful MMO launch in history aside from WoW, and already has over a million subscribers.

 

How would this game "not make it"? Where games like Vanguard:SOH launched with only 240k subs, down to 40k in the first month, back in 2007, and the game is still live today, at pay to play model.

 

Aion launched in 2009 with a 4th of the subscribers swtor, and it's still going strong with patches, updates and expansion.

 

EQ, FFS, launched in 1999 and it's STILL pay to play, with tons of servers, and has like 15 expansions, all of which on release you had to pay for: With more frustrating and hardcore mechanics then you could ever imagine.

 

Seriously, does everyone on SWTOR think WoW was the first/best mmo ever? That it was the only successful one? It's not, get over it! lol

Edited January 23, 2012 by OverclockFTW

[Sai-to]

Fixed

 

It's not that you have to *go* to all of the various points along the way (although it is total overkill imo) but that you have to dismount so often and the ridiculous amount of load screens you have to endure

 

I remind you ... 800 programmers on four continents and 200 million

 

It's like the US government contracted out for this game and ended up with $2000 toilet seats. Some of those people were clearly padding the invoices cause art and story aside, the tech side of the shop didn't deliver what they were paid for.

 

Like I said,

Love the game but the lack of polish just makes me wince

 

 

 

Kindly don't "fix" things that I wasn't talking about. I wasn't talking about Starter planets.

 

I actually agree that the starter planet procedure is stupid. They should add player docking ports on all of them.

 

Also, you are guilty of over-exaggerating too. The "loading" between quick travel and when going from spaceport to docking bay is insignificant. It's a little black screen for 2 seconds. The only significantly loading there is in the game is when you go to a new planet.

 

And besides... you missed the point where the steps don't matter. It's the time. And since you can get from any place on any world to any hub on any (non-starter) planet in 5 minutes or less... there's really no complaints to be had (except for starter planets).

Edited January 23, 2012 by Sai-to

[GalacticKegger]

I'm going to laugh at all the fanbois who defended this system when Bioware changes it in the future. You know they will.

By all means, feel free to hold your breath.

[Kunra]

This game has already "made it".

 

No it hasnt.

 

While there may be a "short term" gain, the game is a "long term" loss, as it is.

 

Story, Cutscenes, multple Choice, Load screens, Travel times, Crafting that is useable by your character 5 levels below starting.

 

Games has so many core issues, its sad.

[TJixlee]

I'm running TOR off my SSD and it still takes a good 40-50 seconds to load between worlds.

 

you need to clock that SSD and make sure its actually transferring data at its maximum potential. i read that a lot of ppl have problems with SSDs cuz they dont wanna go into the BIOS to tweak it to the right performance. it took me a few days and TON of reading but i got it and i NEVER wait longer than 10 seconds EVER. anymore now that i put it on my SSD

[MCAwesomeFace]

I'm not sure about non-pvp worlds, but a quicker, more instantaneous method of travel could have some serious implications in a PvP server. It would be much easier for someone to call upon their lvl 50 friend to screw someone questing on Tatooine over. It also works the other way too, someone getting ganked can't just "OMG PLZ HELP" and instantly have 4 lvl 50's at their back. The current travel system adds some actual challenge and danger to the environment by cutting people off from their higher level lifelines.

[Surakis]

Once again, it's not about the amount of time it takes.

The issue is about the inconvenience of clicking and loading.

 

Yeah! You could double the time and as long as it was on a griffin these Pandas would love it!

[Surakis]

1. We need a quick travel to player ships with no more than a 5 min cooldown.

 

Why? How often do you need to be returning to your ship?

[JaggedOne]

I didn't want to start a new thread to mention this, but I will do so here. I read so many fanboys not wanting to make things easier and/or insisting that things are kept "realistic". I bet every one of them uses his Fleet Pass w/e he needs to, never stopping to think about the ridiculousness (is that even a word?) of the fact that you flew your ship to a planet, then you use your Fleet Pass to magically beam to the space station from anywhere in the galaxy, pretty much instantly, and when you get there, you find your ship parked and waiting for you!!!

 

Don't any of you "realism" idiots ever speak to me again!!!