Swtor= dog on a chain?

[Ansultares]

Agree WOW is just as linear. You follow the same type of paths, it's called level based progression.

By that definition, everything is linear.

 

WoW had so many more options for where to go. I never bothered to actually run every vanilla quest on either faction until after the BC release, but I never knew just how much content there was. I easily maxed all five of the main races' rep by the mid-30s/40s.

 

Just because you never bothered to deviate from the loose path WoW set you down doesn't mean others didn't take the time to explore the game. And I know it's completely linear starting with BC and probably including whatever content they've added to kalimdor/eastern kingdoms with the latest expansion.

 

The point is that the original release had enough content to facilitate the re-roll and growth waves that came 6+ months after its release.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Ansultares

[Minack]

^^ This guy is on a one man crusade because this game isn't WoW 2.0 so just ignore him. Game expands massively later on and just gets better.

 

lol nope

[Jswizzle]

By that definition, everything is linear.

 

WoW had so many more options for where to go. I never bothered to actually run every vanilla quest on either faction until after the BC release, but I never knew just how much content there was. I easily maxed all five of the main races' rep by the mid-30s/40s.

 

Just because you never bothered to deviate from the loose path WoW set you down doesn't mean others didn't take the time to explore the game. And I know it's completely linear starting with BC and probably including whatever content they've added to kalimdor/eastern kingdoms with the latest expansion.

 

The point is that the original release had enough content to facilitate the re-roll and growth waves that came 6+ months after its release.

 

All games are linear. Look up the definition. All games essentially put you in a giant box. You can't leave the box, you can't do anything other than what is programmed into the game.

 

The old Republic gives you plenty of choices. You can skip planets, quests. You can level up solely through PVP, which vanilla wow never had.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Jswizzle

[Redsuns_]

You mean just like every other MMO, but this doesn't have the illusion of filler space that adds nothing.

 

It's just like a wide tunnel that let's you walk further to the side on the way to your quest.

 

I can't wait until these type of people go back to where they came from.

 

lol sorry the huge big zones of swtor has ALOT OF filler space with NOTHING.

 

WIDE TUNNEL > NARROW TUNNEL. Its still better. You cannot deny this.

 

MMO cannot have open quest system like skyrim. All mmo must have quests that direct you from A to B. I agree on this.

 

But good design of the quests and zones can reduce the tunnel feeling. Swtor failed on this.

[Malichus]

Uh...no it doesn't?

 

There are significantly more zones per level range per faction in WoW than there are in this game. That is a fact. Therefore, WoW is less linear.

 

/thread

 

...and WoW launched that way, right? It's not because they have had 7 years of adding content to make it that way.

 

I've not seen an MMO launch with more content than is required to level to the cap in a very long time. If one expects anything different, then they need to refrain from playing an MMO for a few years.

[Sai-to]

@OP: Never played an MMO before? They're all like that.

[Hanscholo]

All other MMO's are the same to say otherwise is either ignorant or just plain wrong for the sake of it.

 

ALL have quest hubs, ALL have linking quests between them and ALL have quests you can pick up along they way.

 

Tell me how does SWTOR differ so dramatically that it needs to be commented on?

[Katrar]

It's funny to hear people complain about it when people have been playing WoW or other themepark games exactly the same way. They just don't realize it.

 

Well that's part of it, isn't it? The fact that other games have succeeded in hiding the corridors through various means well enough that people forget they are there? And SWTOR has generally failed in this regard in comparison.

[Nymaeria]

I'm not sure whether to laugh, or feel sorry for this delusion. Lvls 1-10 you level in one area, unless you want to go to another starter area and level there, lvls 11-20, you level in another area, unless you want to do the exact same quests in another 11-20 area and so forth.

 

 

I think you're missing the point. Since everybody loves to compare new MMOs to WoW, I'll also use that comparison (I haven't played WoW since I killed Heroic Lich King).

 

As an Imperial character in TOR, when you are leveling you go from your starter planet (there are only 2) to Dromund Kaas to Balmorra to Nar Shadaa to Tatoine to Alderaan to Taris to Quesh to Hoth to Belsavis to Voss to Correlia to Ilum (and Belsavis for dailies). And that never changes. If you roll Republic, you follow the same path only you get a new starter and instead of Dromund Kaas you go to Coruscant

 

 

As a Horde character in WoW, when you're leveling you start in your starter area (there are 6) and if you don't want to level there you can choose to go to one of the others. Once you're out of your starter you have multiple zones spread over 2 continents you could choose per level range. If I remember correctly, you get something like 35-40 zones to explore up to level 60. The most linear progression path starts in Outland and continues (though lessens a bit) in Northrend. But even then, you usually have at least 2 zones per level range to choose from. If you decide to roll an Alliance character you have 6 new starter zones to choose from and dozens of Alliance only zones and then the contested zones.

 

There are quite a few more options for your path of progression in WoW than SWTOR. Some people really don't like that they see the same zones in the same order with every character. You may be fine with it, but there's no reason to attack those that aren't.

[Redsuns_]

 

The old Republic gives you plenty of choices. You can skip planets, quests. You can level up solely through PVP, which vanilla wow never had.

 

lol what kind of choice is this?

 

Level through the linear planets. (BTW you still have to visit the planet and do the class quest for the companions.)

 

or

 

level by only pvp for a more mindlessly boring mmo experience.

[Katrar]

All games are linear. Look up the definition. All games essentially put you in a giant box. You can't leave the box, you can't do anything other than what is programmed into the game.

 

The old Republic gives you plenty of choices. You can skip planets, quests. You can level up solely through PVP, which vanilla wow never had.

 

Sorry but skipping planets/quests should never be a planned "alternative". Think about what you just wrote. The alternative to the linear questing experience is to simply avoid some of it?

 

Those that are saying the diversity of leveling options available in WoW and other games is inherently superior to a straight linear experience are 100% right. Those of you refuting this are doing so out of blind loyalty to an inferior product.

[Ansultares]

...and WoW launched that way, right? It's not because they have had 7 years of adding content to make it that way.

It did.

 

Like I said, when I finally took the time to run all of the vanilla content (except a few class and crafting quests), I discovered tons of stuff I had missed on my multiple previous 60s.

 

Actually, I bet they lost some of the character of those vanilla zones as they've gone back and re-touched them. I bet Dustwallow Marsh is half the mysterious place it was before.

[Minack]

@OP: Never played an MMO before? They're all like that.

 

No, they're all not.

[Jswizzle]

lol what kind of choice is this?

 

Level through the linear planets. (BTW you still have to visit the planet and do the class quest for the companions.)

 

or

 

level by only pvp for a more mindlessly boring mmo experience.

 

The point is you are free to explore. You have choices, you just don't like them. Would you guys really be happy with 5 more planets? I somehow doubt it.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Jswizzle

[BothanFourTwenty]

The point is you are free to explore. You have choices, you just don't like them. Would you guys really be happy with 5 more planets? I somehow doubt it.

 

I'm starting to think that no matter what new mmos come out with now people will NEVER be happy. That graphical chat room named World of Warcraft has spoiled everyone to the point of if it's new it HAS to have just as much content as current WoW with exactly the same features. I used to love WoW, played it for 6 years, but I have recently started to hate that game with a passion because EVERYTHING these days is compared to it. Is why I'll never buy another Blizzard game.

[Jswizzle]

Sorry but skipping planets/quests should never be a planned "alternative". Think about what you just wrote. The alternative to the linear questing experience is to simply avoid some of it?

 

Those that are saying the diversity of leveling options available in WoW and other games is inherently superior to a straight linear experience are 100% right. Those of you refuting this are doing so out of blind loyalty to an inferior product.

 

Thanks for the insight. Except you completely contradicted yourself. Aren't you skipping content in WOW to quest in the "alternative" areas? So it's a viable option in WOW, but not in TOR. We know where your bias is.

[Sai-to]

No, they're all not.

 

 

Yeah, they are. There is not one MMO that doesn't follow the definition the OP has used for "linear".

 

All MMOs are linear, in the way it's being used.

 

For example: FFXI

 

I start off in Ronfaure, then I either go to La Theine or Valkurm Dunes (depending if I get a party or not, though I have to go through La Theine to get to Dunes). Mind you, this is a straight line progression, just like the different areas of the Starter planets in TOR.

 

Then I go to Qufim Island. Then I go to Mandys. Then I go to Beetles. And so on, and so on.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Sai-to

[Surakis]

Except SWG

 

SWG's leash was the mission terminal.

[Ansultares]

I'm starting to think that no matter what new mmos come out with now people will NEVER be happy. That graphical chat room named World of Warcraft has spoiled everyone to the point of if it's new it HAS to have just as much content as current WoW with exactly the same features. I used to love WoW, played it for 6 years, but I have recently started to hate that game with a passion because EVERYTHING these days is compared to it. Is why I'll never buy another Blizzard game.

I'm asking for as much content, and generally as well laid out, as vanilla WoW had. So, no outlands, no northrend, the only thing behind the grey wall was a huge dirt patch, the airport was a nono and getting caught there could get you banned, etc.etc.etc.

 

WoW haters keep acting like it had no content at release, like both factions had a linear progression they were shuffled through from one zone to the next, but it was nothing like that. I'd say it easily had twice the content SWTOR has, at release.

[JediZenn]

I am only lvl 13 or so but I just can't get into this game. I always have a feeling of being led like a dog on a chain because the worlds/quest enviroments are so linear. I always feel like I am being led down a tunnel, and at the end the next quest starts that will further lead me down another tunnel and maybe this one has a 90 degree turn. I dont have the feeling like I am in a world that I can go anywhere I please like in other mmorpgs I have played.

 

Does it get better at higher lvls? Should I stick with the game? Does anyone else have this feeling like the game is controling them instead of you controlling the game??

 

Thanks in advance for your feedback

 

 

Technically, once you get your ship you can go to any planet you want.

 

Thats just as "open" as say, World of Warcraft.

 

This is NOT Skyrim, nor will any MMO ever BE like Skyrim.

 

All MMO's linear, always have been. Also, KOTOR was Linear, very Linear.

 

Being Linear doesn't automatically mean bad.

[Sai-to]

I'd say it easily had twice the content SWTOR has, at release.

 

 

LOLOL

 

No, no it didn't.

 

The worst part is the WoW fanboys treating each planet as a single zone. That makes me rofl

[Bowlan]

I think you're missing the point. Since everybody loves to compare new MMOs to WoW, I'll also use that comparison (I haven't played WoW since I killed Heroic Lich King).

 

As an Imperial character in TOR, when you are leveling you go from your starter planet (there are only 2) to Dromund Kaas to Balmorra to Nar Shadaa to Tatoine to Alderaan to Taris to Quesh to Hoth to Belsavis to Voss to Correlia to Ilum (and Belsavis for dailies). And that never changes. If you roll Republic, you follow the same path only you get a new starter and instead of Dromund Kaas you go to Coruscant

 

 

As a Horde character in WoW, when you're leveling you start in your starter area (there are 6) and if you don't want to level there you can choose to go to one of the others. Once you're out of your starter you have multiple zones spread over 2 continents you could choose per level range. If I remember correctly, you get something like 35-40 zones to explore up to level 60. The most linear progression path starts in Outland and continues (though lessens a bit) in Northrend. But even then, you usually have at least 2 zones per level range to choose from. If you decide to roll an Alliance character you have 6 new starter zones to choose from and dozens of Alliance only zones and then the contested zones.

 

There are quite a few more options for your path of progression in WoW than SWTOR. Some people really don't like that they see the same zones in the same order with every character. You may be fine with it, but there's no reason to attack those that aren't.

 

No, I'm not missing the point. What is so epic about deciding to do kill x, retrieve y, and kill z amount of mobs in a different location any different than the original place you started? All the quests, all the progression, all the leveling paths...whether you roll a gnome and go to darnassus, roll an orc and go to Taurus, ect...to level...its the exact same thing. There really isn't any freedom in the game, you are bound by what level you are as to where you go, and quite honestly, in some areas...you are forced to go to other areas due to lack of quests. Not exactly freedom in my book.

[Jswizzle]

I don't hear people saying WOW had no content at release. It had no battlegrounds and there was less end game than TOR. That is just a fact.

 

As far as the size of the world. It's hard for me to say. I remember starting on vanilla WOW as my Night Elf hunter. It was pretty linear guys. I couldn't really explore much until I leveled up.

 

I just don't get this argument.

[Minack]

Yeah, they are. There is not one MMO that doesn't follow the definition the OP has used for "linear".

 

All MMOs are linear, in the way it's being used.

 

For example: FFXI

 

I start off in Ronfaure, then I either go to La Theine or Valkurm Dunes (depending if I get a party or not, though I have to go through La Theine to get to Dunes). Mind you, this is a straight line progression, just like the different areas of the Starter planets in TOR.

 

Then I go to Qufim Island. Then I go to Mandys. Then I go to Beetles. And so on, and so on.

 

Eve.

 

The only thing linear about Eve are the tutorial missions and maybe the Sisters of Eve arc. After that you're on your own.

 

Even Galaxies after NGE wasn't linear. They eventually added the legacy quest line in order to make leveling easy, but it only got you to about level 50. After that you were expected to find you own way to 90.

 

Now if you want to say Theme park MMOs are linear then I don't think anyone could disagree with you, but to say that All MMOs are linear is just patently false.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Minack

[Ansultares]

Being Linear doesn't automatically mean bad.

It doesn't absolve a game of offering bad content, either.

 

At some point on Hoth I felt like I was completing my class quest, plus two side quests, and ignoring one heroic quest, per zone. It felt so repetitive because each quest hub basically had the same setup.

 

I don't understand how people skip planets. What do you do, spend 1hr running across the entire planet, doing the three class quests on that planet along the way? How do you substitute for the XP, through flashpoints or warzones, or are you one of those people who skip bonus series' in order to "maintain the challenge?"