@BioWare - Suggestions to Improve Republic Appeal / Faction Balance

[DocVandar]

Great post OP! I have been pushing for more alien-like playable species for the Republic ever since I saw it first suggested (although, like others have noticed, I don't know how Wookies would work because they don't speak basic). This is something BW seriously needs to do.

[DocVandar]

IMO, they should be broken down as follows:

 

Republic - Togruta (force users), Kel'Dor (force users), Cathar (everything), Nautolan (everything)

Empire: Weequay (BH), Kaleesh (force users)

 

This is pretty spot on, IMO.

[BrunoLogan]

The gear color side of the question is really important. Brown, dark brown, oh, and light brown robes! At least the one bought with Coruscant commendations was a shade of grey but that's not enough. They should add blacks, greys, shades of red or even dark blues. Jedi players look all the same! They should add the hood option also and enable the match to chest color option so they would only have to design new chests and let the feature do the rest. My highest toon is Empire because most of my guildies from WoW decided to go Empire but liking the Republic I made a Jedi Knight and on another server and the difference is obvious: gear on the Empire side looks a lot cooler!

 

The propaganda idea is also a good one but propaganda by itself will drive people to frustration. There has to be nice things beyond just the propaganda.

Edited January 23, 2012 by BrunoLogan

[Sagarys]

Good discussion guys, keep it up!

[Sagarys]

Bump!

[kevshootit]

TOTALLY agree with your ideas about revamping the jedi, some of the most iconic jedi's DIDNT wear robes all the time, in the movies, MOST jedi took their robes OFF before combat,

 

I like the tunic with boots look for jedi, but the lack of options other than robes with hoods should be improved

[Imminentend]

That still allows for quite a few species that should be playable as of now.

 

IMO, they should be broken down as follows:

 

Republic - Togruta (force users), Kel'Dor (force users), Cathar (everything), Nautolan (everything)

Empire: Weequay (BH), Kaleesh (force users)

 

 

Bump for this, absolutely dead on. Really need to implement the Republic side first however to combat the imbalance. The zerg can get their aliens later XD

[Sagarys]

Bump for this, absolutely dead on. Really need to implement the Republic side first however to combat the imbalance. The zerg can get their aliens later XD

 

^ A thousand times this!!!

[Chaede]

Agree with the OP's post. Add fixing the delay on republic abilities due to bad animations and Republic might make a comeback.

 

Jedi gear - bland at best, outrageous fashion idea or parade float reject at worst

Jedi dialogue - humourless

 

It feels like the Republic story was either rushed and was incomplete (there are parts of the story and dialoge that makes no sense. Alderaan has a few that don't follow at all). Or it was developed first as a prototype or a basic story idea and then Imperial story lines got all the embellished features of creative ideas once they saw what was possible and improved on it.

 

I doubt these changes will happen anytime soon but they should have been considered before release... maybe if more of the art, class balance and storyline teams played Republic toons...

[cyco]

keep it up guys/girls =D bump.

[Glzmo]

Nice writeup and some good ideas there.

 

Another thing I think would be beneficial to even out faction balance is to make everything on the outnumbered side vastly cheaper. This would include everything Repair costs, skill costs, GTN fees, travel cost, commendation costs, etc.

Also, the rewards on the outnumbered side should be increased, including XP, Valor, Social points, crafting experience, commendations, credits, and a noticeably higher loot chance for rare items and credits.

It should be made dynamic and perhaps the cost would scale depending on the percentual offset between the number of currently subscribed characters of each faction on the server, so in case the Republic is gaining more and more on the Empire in the future, the costs and rewards even themselves out again and if the Republic was to take the lead, the Empire would be more beneficial to play.

 

Just an idea, but I think things like that have a great potential to help encourage people to create characters of the outnumbered side as well.

 

If they combined the above with a way to switch factions (something like an optional, epic quest line that would open up for your character to do if you have reached full light ranking on the Imperial side and full dark ranking on the Republic side) and be switched to the appropriate mirror class, it would be even more ideal as current characters could switch sides. It just shouldn't be too easy and quite time consuming to switch (maybe there would be a lengthy cooldown of several months to switch back) so people would just start hopping back and forth for rewards as they please.

 

Also, a hood up/down option with appropriate keybind for all the Jedi gear with hoods may be good, too (although this isn't limited to Republic only, I guess) as well as an option to freely recolor all gear.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Glzmo

[lordhaizen]

Hire this guy

[ScoobieWanDoobie]

I have tried out 6 reps and 2 imps, and there is nothing in OP that I disagree with.

 

In addition, I am an old-school Star Wars fan. I recognize Episode IV-VI. This makes for a problem, as the Imp environment is the one that looks most Star Wars to me. But this is not consequent either. Reps have the stormtrooper-looking troopers, and the walkers. This doesn't even make sense in its own context. It's like the dev teams for the different factions sat down at a big table and took turns choosing tech for their side.

"We want the star destroyers!"

"Alright, but ONLY IF WE GET THE WALKERS!"

[ScoobieWanDoobie]

TOTALLY agree with your ideas about revamping the jedi, some of the most iconic jedi's DIDNT wear robes all the time, in the movies, MOST jedi took their robes OFF before combat,

 

I like the tunic with boots look for jedi, but the lack of options other than robes with hoods should be improved

 

Agreed. All Jedis shouldn't wear robes at all. Look at Luke in Episode V. Or Luke in Episode VI. Only reason for the robes are that they all start out on Tatooine! (Just as beduin people wear robes.)

 

This whole "all jedis wear robes because that is standard issue jedi gear"-thing is a dumb idea that came with Episode I.

Edited January 24, 2012 by ScoobieWanDoobie

[BrunoLogan]

Nice writeup and some good ideas there.

 

Another thing I think would be beneficial to even out faction balance is to make everything on the outnumbered side vastly cheaper. This would include everything Repair costs, skill costs, GTN fees, travel cost, commendation costs, etc.

Also, the rewards on the outnumbered side should be increased, including XP, Valor, Social points, crafting experience, commendations, credits, and a noticeably higher loot chance for rare items and credits.

It should be made dynamic and perhaps the cost would scale depending on the percentual offset between the number of currently subscribed characters of each faction on the server, so in case the Republic is gaining more and more on the Empire in the future, the costs and rewards even themselves out again and if the Republic was to take the lead, the Empire would be more beneficial to play.

 

Just an idea, but I think things like that have a great potential to help encourage people to create characters of the outnumbered side as well.

 

If they combined the above with a way to switch factions (something like an optional, epic quest line that would open up for your character to do if you have reached full light ranking on the Imperial side and full dark ranking on the Republic side) and be switched to the appropriate mirror class, it would be even more ideal as current characters could switch sides. It just shouldn't be too easy and quite time consuming to switch (maybe there would be a lengthy cooldown of several months to switch back) so people would just start hopping back and forth for rewards as they please.

 

Also, a hood up/down option with appropriate keybind for all the Jedi gear with hoods may be good, too (although this isn't limited to Republic only, I guess) as well as an option to freely recolor all gear.

 

Faction change would be nice but what about the companions? As the player class mechanics wouldn't change, companions are mirrored mainly on their class/role and not on species or gender. The affections/relationships would get ruined and feel totally wrong. The nice thing would be taking the companions but then again I don't see Malavai Quiin on the Republic side: the guy is Empire to the bone. Due to this problem I'm not seeing faction changes any time soon, be it through an "epic quest line" or even through a payed service.

A solution would be abandoning some or all the companions via a nice story and getting new ones on future content (expansion?). Also you would have to get another ship and new story content for each class and for each faction. As you can see the way things needed to be branched would be a painful: double the story, double the possible bugs and issues aside the new content itself. Don't get me wrong. I'd like this. It would be awesome and rich for the story, the player and the game itself. I don't know just how much this is doable.

[Exellence]

speaking for myself, i'd join Republic with my lvl 50 Sith Sorc.

but I'd want my spells, gear, ship, and Dark Side points remain the same ))

[Sabarok]

Agreed. All Jedis shouldn't wear robes at all. Look at Luke in Episode V. Or Luke in Episode VI. Only reason for the robes are that they all start out on Tatooine! (Just as beduin people wear robes.)

 

This whole "all jedis wear robes because that is standard issue jedi gear"-thing is a dumb idea that came with Episode I.

 

Episode V & VI are not valid examples for what "Jedi" are. You are using a Jedi that was trained after the destruction of the Jedi Temple & the Jedi Order when there is no longer a Jedi wardrobe or formal training. The definition of a Jedi changed when Luke got trained and became the first of the new Jedi order. SWTOR is thousands of years before. I wouldn't even use Episode I as a basis for what Jedi should have been wearing thousands of years earlier.

 

I wouldn't use modern day soldiers as an example of what Roman Legionaries wore into battle.

 

Episode I Jedi existed entirely in a generation of peace, with II & III being their first major conflict. SWTOR Jedi are in an era of conflict with their survival at stake. It is for this reason I think it's justified to believe that they wore more than just robes. After the coming of Bane and the believed destruction of the Sith, perhaps it was during that period that brown robes became the standard clothing so as to make the Jedi appear more peaceful to a galaxy tired of war.

 

TL;DR: I agree all Jedis shouldn't wear robes, but your reasons as to why are flawed.

[mattmuffinman]

I want to play a republic character, but the character animations and range of clothing options are consistently weaker.

 

Look at the Jedi Knight class forums, of the 4 most replied to threads, 3 of them are complaining about seperate issues as to how the character looks. Bioware: do you think its acceptable that every single Jedi Knight robe in game prevents you from seeing your characters face? I am at a loss for words how you did not pick up on this, in a game that focuses on character development and story.

 

Similiarly on the Jedi Consular forums the most replied to thread complains about the the project/throw animations. To be frank, telekinetic throw is pathetic compared to force lightning.

[BrunoLogan]

Bump this thread!

 

This thread has been one of the best threads I've ever seen in these forums. Keep on posting guys!

[FinalFortune]

2) The Republic needs more cool alien races (making this one green because it seems to be the most popular idea by far): This was said in another thread somewhere, and I agreed with it. The Sith are the racists. The Republic are open to alien relations. There should be many more race options available to the Republic that AREN'T (<---this is key) available to the Sith. This would give an incentive to roll Republic. Examples of races that could be included are the Kel Dor (Master Plo Koon), the Nautolan (Master Kit Fisto), Togruta (Ahsoka Tano), Wookies! (for Smugglers!), the Voss, etc. These are races that I've already seen in game, so the models are already there. They just need to be playable. This would definitely draw players that are more interested in aesthetics to the Republic.

 

Yes please

[Aleriastar]

Something what maby not just for republic but I know would sell appeal for jedi abit more and the other classes would be Weapon creation, just seems that 90% of jedi have 3 set lightsabers all looking same the silver gold one from trailers and the first lightsaber you get and also Cerebral lightsaber looking.

 

Just a idea and like I said its not just for republic but to make your own unique weapon would help abit.

[BrunoLogan]

Something what maby not just for republic but I know would sell appeal for jedi abit more and the other classes would be Weapon creation, just seems that 90% of jedi have 3 set lightsabers all looking same the silver gold one from trailers and the first lightsaber you get and also Cerebral lightsaber looking.

 

Just a idea and like I said its not just for republic but to make your own unique weapon would help abit.

 

That would be really cool! They could even be Bind on Pickup and the skill could scale with the toon level in order to be able to build better lightsabers in line to the level. However it should be implemented on consistent manner so the quest rewards/boss drops/vendor lightsabers are still worth to get. Maybe blue quality lightsabers with weapon damage values in between the orange ones you come across. Mods, crystals and hilts are already in the game through artifice crafting skill. To assemble a lightsaber you would need those components and some other mats (the special metals from the missions). That would be good for the economy cause artifices and other crafting and gathering skills would have one more way to use what they produce. Very clever idea! Thumbs up!

Edited January 24, 2012 by BrunoLogan

[PezzXXIV]

Just want to throw my 2 cents in here as well!

 

I rolled a Chiss BH as my main and I love playing her but I wanted to see what the other side was like and explore their stories. I really feel that you cannot play your character the way you want to on the Republic side. Everything kind of forces you to make a lot of light-side decisions.

 

I rolled a Jedi Knight and got him to level 7 before I couldn't take it anymore - the dialogue felt bland, robotic and stereotypical as though it were a satire of some generic hero story. So I scrapped him and re-rolled a Jedi Consular, who's story I am enjoying more. Anyway, I'm on Coruscant and during the story there is a part where you can accept a mission that requires you to do something noble no matter what. Refusing to turn in these mission components will not complete the mission. The only other option is to give the questgiver these parts which gains you light-side points. I could not do the evil thing, I could not sabotage the Republic or the order (which is my personal character's backstory) and therefore could not take my character in the direction I want him to go.

 

In contrast, my Sith Inquisitor who is a noble but sarcastic healer and racking up light side points has had more options available to him. He can choose to do that which is morally right OR he can be a right awful dude. I also didn't have any problems like this with my BH.

 

TL;DR - Give us the ability to truly take Republic characters the direction we want them to go instead of pigeon-holing us into the stereotypical roles.

 

TL;DR II: I still enjoy playing my consular

[Sagarys]

Hire this guy

 

I agree. BioWare, I will purchase a plane ticket to Austin and begin packing my bags. I await my contract.

 

Some more good points in here. I'm glad many people agree on the same issues. Hopefully this will help give the argument strength. Keep up the discussion. The more this thread sticks to the front page, the more likely it is that a Dev will read it!

[VicSkimmr]

I have tried out 6 reps and 2 imps, and there is nothing in OP that I disagree with.

 

In addition, I am an old-school Star Wars fan. I recognize Episode IV-VI. This makes for a problem, as the Imp environment is the one that looks most Star Wars to me. But this is not consequent either. Reps have the stormtrooper-looking troopers, and the walkers. This doesn't even make sense in its own context. It's like the dev teams for the different factions sat down at a big table and took turns choosing tech for their side.

"We want the star destroyers!"

"Alright, but ONLY IF WE GET THE WALKERS!"

 

You can't really make an argument like that and simply ignore half of the canon of the movies. Just because you personally don't recognize them doesn't mean they aren't there and just as valid (and important) to canon as the OT.