@BioWare - Suggestions to Improve Republic Appeal / Faction Balance

[Vlacke]

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.

 

3) Not every Jedi wears a brown hooded robe: The amount of variety that the Empire has in terms of gear compared to the Republic is absurd. They have many more aesthetic options to choose from, and most of them are MUCH cooler and MUCH more intricate than the Republic's options. The next time the gear design team sits down to create some Jedi gear, they may want to look at some pictures of the armor Obi Wan wears in the Clone Wars or the outfit Anakin wears. Heck, even Luke in the Return of the Jedi had some sweet black gear. Just remember this -- when someone who isn't super-versed in Star Wars looks at a picture of the Jedi Knight PvP gear (the Samurai) then looks at the Sith Juggernaut PvP or PvE gear (the massive cyborg mech thing), most people are going to pick the Sith. If the aesthetics are their only concern, the Republic is doomed.

 

 

 

These two things are very important in my opinion.

Races ESPECIALLY.

 

Republic needs one cool alien race being exclusive to them in order to increase popularity.

Some work on aesthetics, armor design etc. also wouldn't hurt.

[Dyvim]

The consular classes are incredibly disappointing, both end game gear wise and theme/animation wise. At endgame sages/shadows get to wear rags and their ranged skills are based on throwing junk and rocks. Big rocks and small rocks. What is about as exciting as rocks...junk, and we get both of them, in amazingly endless supply, magically buried at our feet, no matter where we are at.

 

To me, you cannot highlight the coolness gap any better than to look at the skills, animations and gear of the consular and its subtypes. In a game where people have missiles, flamethrowers, lightning, and blasters...we get...rocks.

[Sagarys]

Bump!

[Aethyrprime]

Honestly, I don't see much of any of these things suggested as means of fixing faction balance. Simply create an epic form of whinage. The one key factor of the OP I can agree with is visual style choices.. brown robes are horrible and boring. But then again.. so is robochicken head or sumo-bull head and shoulderpads of closelined yo arse of doom, that the sith get. /shrug

 

Offering more alien choices than the republic already has is not cool either. They have several races more than the sith already. If that influenced side balance it would have by now. Sith are horribly limited on race choices. Most people play humans anyway so it has no effect. The only way you can play a twilek is if you play as Inquisitor, the only way you can play as True Sith is if you play as Warrior. All the other races also follow very limited choices.

 

I think giving all players the option of leaving the republic or the sith in favor of a "Hutt Cartel" type Option #3 is the only way you will ever get things close to balanced. If that were done the majority of players would probably not be republic or sith but rather be privateers as both sides suck.

 

Jolee Bindo is my KOTOR1 hero. Neutral sith, Neutral republic on all characters. Screw you LS/DS puritans.

Edited January 26, 2012 by Aethyrprime

[VicSkimmr]

Offering more alien choices than the republic already has is not cool either. They have several races more than the sith already. If that influenced side balance it would have by now. Sith are horribly limited on race choices. Most people play humans anyway so it has no effect. The only way you can play a twilek is if you play as Inquisitor, the only way you can play as True Sith is if you play as Warrior. All the other races also follow very limited choices.

 

The empire is incredibly racist (speciest?). It makes sense for the Republic, the faction that welcome aliens into it's ranks, to have more options. Of course it would help with faction imbalance. If I had the option of rolling a Togruta or Nautolan, but only as Republic, guess what I would do? I'd drop everything and roll Republic.

[Caminari]

Excellent post.

I'm struggling my way through Jedi Knight, and every step of the way I'm feeling like it feels as though it needs a little more punch.

They've fallen into the Superman/Captain America trap of writing a character to be moral, just and righteous and forgot to write a character with some actual personality.

[Sagarys]

The empire is incredibly racist (speciest?). It makes sense for the Republic, the faction that welcome aliens into it's ranks, to have more options. Of course it would help with faction imbalance. If I had the option of rolling a Togruta or Nautolan, but only as Republic, guess what I would do? I'd drop everything and roll Republic.

 

This is precisely the response I'm seeing from a large majority of people. Despite what a few non-believers might say, many players would play Republic if that was the only way they could play much more visually unique races like the Kel Dor and the Togruta.

 

The previous poster mentioned that most people play human anyway. That's because the only other options besides human are... blind humans, cyborg (barely) humans, and green humans. Twi'lek is the only thing not human and even they look pretty human -- they're not alien enough to be appealing! The Kel Dor are downright scary. I think many players who wanted to play a darker Jedi would roll them.

 

Is this fair to the Empire? Probably not. But hey, it fits the lore because they're a bunch of dirty racists. If anything, let the Bounty Hunters be Weequay (sp?) or Duros or something.

[Sagarys]

Excellent post.

I'm struggling my way through Jedi Knight, and every step of the way I'm feeling like it feels as though it needs a little more punch.

They've fallen into the Superman/Captain America trap of writing a character to be moral, just and righteous and forgot to write a character with some actual personality.

 

^ This. A million times, this. I'll admit, it's hard to write an archetypal "Good" character that still has a unique personality, but I think that it's a necessary extra step that should have been taken. Drizzt is a good example of a stereotypically "Good" character with a very unique personality. To keep it in the Star Wars universe, so is Obi Wan in the Clone Wars.

[Darth-Piranha]

republic player here: pretty much the only thing that I feel is lacking is black outfits. We really need more black leather.

 

Not talking about Darth leather, but just some black outfits for the republic. I mean both Anikin and Luke Skywalker wore black outfits did they not? Anikin was still a Jedi sporting black leather?

 

And Luke was sporting Black suit with a Black glove over his robotic hand, saved his father from the dark side.

 

I just think the whole vintage spacy brown leather, 1930s Flash Gordon thing is fine but not if its the only style we get :/ I personally would rather be a light-sider who looks dark.

[Nikolu]

To be honest I don't see how changing aesthetics and PR are going to fix an ESTABLISHED client number base.

 

People have chosen their characters, their faction and races. Most people will be unwilling to re-roll after already putting in time.

 

The fact that being "bad" is appealing really shouldn't have been a shocker to anyone.

 

Fixing a faction imbalance in the opening month of a game I hope is totally a back burner issue for Bioware at the moment, there are dozens and dozens of bugs to squash, encounter mechanics that don't work, features to implement... the list can go on and on.

 

Attracting new people to the republic side is going to take more than just making it more Sith, punishing Sith players for choosing Sith (I laughed at responses that thought this was a good idea), making up a new "Jedi" hero that acts like Sith and giving the Jedi fancy new clothes.

 

You are trying to force something on people they don't want (proof is your imbalance), its not about honey or vinegar, its simple. People LOVE to be bad, particularly when there are no consequences.

 

Bioware could have left its dark side light side "choose your own adventure" out of it and billed the "war" in a more neutral way if faction balance was at all a concern. But currently the Sith are the "aggressors" and the republic "noble defenders" its not a PR issue, its what the game is in its current time line.

 

Saying "there is a war" choose your side, the currently winning aggressors who get to be royal richards and get away with it, or some dudes getting their butts kicked and have to bow and scrape to everyone along the way, really didn't make it a hard choice for your average gamer.

[Imminentend]

To be honest I don't see how changing aesthetics and PR are going to fix an ESTABLISHED client number base.

 

People have chosen their characters, their faction and races. Most people will be unwilling to re-roll after already putting in time.

 

The fact that being "bad" is appealing really shouldn't have been a shocker to anyone.

 

Fixing a faction imbalance in the opening month of a game I hope is totally a back burner issue for Bioware at the moment, there are dozens and dozens of bugs to squash, encounter mechanics that don't work, features to implement... the list can go on and on.

 

Attracting new people to the republic side is going to take more than just making it more Sith, punishing Sith players for choosing Sith (I laughed at responses that thought this was a good idea), making up a new "Jedi" hero that acts like Sith and giving the Jedi fancy new clothes.

 

You are trying to force something on people they don't want (proof is your imbalance), its not about honey or vinegar, its simple. People LOVE to be bad, particularly when there are no consequences.

 

Bioware could have left its dark side light side "choose your own adventure" out of it and billed the "war" in a more neutral way if faction balance was at all a concern. But currently the Sith are the "aggressors" and the republic "noble defenders" its not a PR issue, its what the game is in its current time line.

 

Saying "there is a war" choose your side, the currently winning aggressors who get to be royal richards and get away with it, or some dudes getting their butts kicked and have to bow and scrape to everyone along the way, really didn't make it a hard choice for your average gamer.

 

 

1) Its too early in the game to have an ESTABLISHED client number base. With all the qq of the both Republic and Sith players, many clients have both Republic and Sith characters, while others are questioning the side they are on and are rerolling. People are still getting a feel of both of the sides, so you cant quite call anything established after only a month of live game play, a vast amount of undecided players, and new subscribers coming every day.

 

2) Aesthetics and PR is not forcing anything on anyone who doesn't want to play republic. A more appealing Republic would definitely lead to a more played faction, simple fact. If players choose not to switch, they are not being forced to, its just giving them more of a reason to, and as some of the suggestions state, and incentive to.

 

3) Yes the bugs and encounter issues should be top of the list, however balance is equally important, as it in itself causes issues beyond that of coding and graphics. Peppering in a solution here and there while fixing major bug issues and implementing new features would make for the most effective patches.

 

4) A million sith aggressors and a few republic getting their *** beat makes for an epic movie storyline, and follows lore well, however it makes for an inefficient game with several issues for both parties.

 

5) "People love to be bad" is very very subjective. YOU love to be bad, you have made that clear, however you cannot speak for the people.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Imminentend

[Sagarys]

To be honest I don't see how changing aesthetics and PR are going to fix an ESTABLISHED client number base.

 

People have chosen their characters, their faction and races. Most people will be unwilling to re-roll after already putting in time.

 

The fact that being "bad" is appealing really shouldn't have been a shocker to anyone.

 

Fixing a faction imbalance in the opening month of a game I hope is totally a back burner issue for Bioware at the moment, there are dozens and dozens of bugs to squash, encounter mechanics that don't work, features to implement... the list can go on and on.

 

Attracting new people to the republic side is going to take more than just making it more Sith, punishing Sith players for choosing Sith (I laughed at responses that thought this was a good idea), making up a new "Jedi" hero that acts like Sith and giving the Jedi fancy new clothes.

 

You are trying to force something on people they don't want (proof is your imbalance), its not about honey or vinegar, its simple. People LOVE to be bad, particularly when there are no consequences.

 

Bioware could have left its dark side light side "choose your own adventure" out of it and billed the "war" in a more neutral way if faction balance was at all a concern. But currently the Sith are the "aggressors" and the republic "noble defenders" its not a PR issue, its what the game is in its current time line.

 

Saying "there is a war" choose your side, the currently winning aggressors who get to be royal richards and get away with it, or some dudes getting their butts kicked and have to bow and scrape to everyone along the way, really didn't make it a hard choice for your average gamer.

 

Your last paragraph is precisely my point. The rest of your post is subjective.

[Imminentend]

bump!!

[Sagarys]

Bump^2

[Aethyrprime]

There's a factor you aren't considering much. I believe that the side balance will look very different in 3-6 months. Let's just pretend for a moment that many players who picked up the game and have already completed all the content and are waiting for the next big thing have a larger percent in the imperial simply due to the amount of numbers the side has. I think that given a few months things will balance out because as of this time even I plan to play my already rolled republic characters just to experience the story.. something not many other games offer. That alone should tell you that it's quite likely that many current imperial players will eventually roll republic alts together as guilds on different servers (more often than not) or even on the same servers just to experience the story from that perspective.

 

Without meaningful end game pvp faction oriented content such as what I suggest in my signature there is nothing making me feel "bound" to a side. It's just two pools of players to do multiplayer content with while I progress through a different storyline perspective, be it Imperial or Republic.

 

If they add some meaningful pvp content that makes side choice matter.. well then by all means I think the side balance issue will need to be addressed in some fashion. I've also suggested ways to do this as well tho I think the self adjustment overtime will be the deciding factor no matter what.

[VicSkimmr]

bump. it. up.

[cyco]

/bump

[Imminentend]

bump!

[Sagarys]

B to the ump!

[Imminentend]

Lets get some chatter on here!

[Deewe]

There's a factor you aren't considering much. I believe that the side balance will look very different in 3-6 months. Let's just pretend for a moment that many players who picked up the game and have already completed all the content and are waiting for the next big thing have a larger percent in the imperial simply due to the amount of numbers the side has. I think that given a few months things will balance out because as of this time even I plan to play my already rolled republic characters just to experience the story.. something not many other games offer. That alone should tell you that it's quite likely that many current imperial players will eventually roll republic alts together as guilds on different servers (more often than not) or even on the same servers just to experience the story from that perspective.

 

Without meaningful end game pvp faction oriented content such as what I suggest in my signature there is nothing making me feel "bound" to a side. It's just two pools of players to do multiplayer content with while I progress through a different storyline perspective, be it Imperial or Republic.

 

If they add some meaningful pvp content that makes side choice matter.. well then by all means I think the side balance issue will need to be addressed in some fashion. I've also suggested ways to do this as well tho I think the self adjustment overtime will be the deciding factor no matter what.

A very valid point indeed.

 

Still I agree on they have to make the republic side look more like badas*. It's fine to play the good guys but people like better when they shoot first

[GoggleBoi]

Totally agree with the OP. Now, I know there are some that don't like th EU and such, but here's the thing.

 

The brown robe thing? It came later. Like, waaay later. In this time period, Jedi *are* bad ***. They're generals and admirals. They are senators and governors. In fact, many supreme chancellors are jedi. It doesn't change until a few sith wars down the line, when Darth Bane shows up, about 2000-2500 years from the point in which the game is set. The war at that time is so horrific, so totally all encompassing that the Jedi DO become what everyone is talking about in here; war-shocked.

 

At that time, the Jedi order decides to pull back from the galaxy at large and to protect them, but not be a part of them. They choose to give up their possessions and such, and live simple lives (Aka, where brown TRAVELLERS robes, rather than the flashy personal clothing they once wore).

 

If anyone has read the Darth Bane series of books, you'll see what I mean. The Jedi in TOR are exactly like the Jedi in the 3 prequels; which is sooo anoying because that is the end of the Jedi. This is supposed to be in and around the golden age of the Jedi, and they look exactly the same. -_-

[plusieurs]

I understand that people might like Wookiees, and that conceptually, they would be decent for smugglers (thought they could also work as bounty hunters. Sith racism seems not to impede a freelancer much), but really, I wish people could understand that it shouldn't happen for reasons such as this:

 

Think of how much you've enjoyed some of the funnest, funniest and darkest most threatening lines your characters have said, how the voice actors brought them alive or used inflection to really boost the impact of the lines.

 

Wookies get none of this.

 

Aside from that, I think this list is really good. I think that a good example of the kind of Jedi that could help Republic appeal would be one like a young version of Jolee Bindo from KOTOR1

[Raigirin]

Bump for more republic ******ness

[Imminentend]

Totally agree with the OP. Now, I know there are some that don't like th EU and such, but here's the thing.

 

The brown robe thing? It came later. Like, waaay later. In this time period, Jedi *are* bad ***. They're generals and admirals. They are senators and governors. In fact, many supreme chancellors are jedi. It doesn't change until a few sith wars down the line, when Darth Bane shows up, about 2000-2500 years from the point in which the game is set. The war at that time is so horrific, so totally all encompassing that the Jedi DO become what everyone is talking about in here; war-shocked.

 

At that time, the Jedi order decides to pull back from the galaxy at large and to protect them, but not be a part of them. They choose to give up their possessions and such, and live simple lives (Aka, where brown TRAVELLERS robes, rather than the flashy personal clothing they once wore).

 

If anyone has read the Darth Bane series of books, you'll see what I mean. The Jedi in TOR are exactly like the Jedi in the 3 prequels; which is sooo anoying because that is the end of the Jedi. This is supposed to be in and around the golden age of the Jedi, and they look exactly the same. -_-

 

Very interesting, im not deeply familiar with all of the Star Wars lore, so this stuck out and proved to be rather intriguing for me! Wonder if that was a little oversight by the development team O.o