Why doesn't swtor utilize the entire planet???????

[_Ender__Wiggin_]

I hop in the driver's seat of my shiny, brand new, intergalactic spaceship. It's an exhilarating sensation, the first time one jumps into light speed, and I'm rifling through my star charts, giving orders, and preparing to visit the city-moon of Nar Shadaa.

 

As I arrive and my ship starts to convulse out of light speed, I gaze out of the front window of my cockpit to see a glowing ball of energy, light streaked speedways, and buildings bathed in the perpetual glow of neon. It's very exciting. The moon is enormous, and I can't wait to explore it's every locale.

 

Once I'm thoroughly done enjoying the art and design of this moon, my fascination wanes as quickly as the din of that first casino I couldn't play any mini games in. I can't travel anywhere else on Nar Shadaa but one very small city. In fact, I can't travel anywhere on any planet except one small part of the planet. Total bummer.

 

You see, friends, it's not that I don't like the art and the stories in each city. On the contrary, they're usually quite intriguing. It's just...well, I'm an explorer you see. It's in my blood. I like to run around and go to different places, travel from city to city, and keep my finger on the pulse of each planet I frequent.

 

In SW:ToR, one can travel and peruse the vagaries of a galaxy. Get to put on the shoes of each little planet, crawl in its skin, and wiggle around a bit. It's pretty cool. But I can't wiggle much.

 

I have a difficult time believing that my actions in one very small area of a planet or city are affecting my entire faction's influence on the entire planet. That would be like me going to Washington, DC, doing some errands in the surrounding neighborhoods, subverting a faction of congress, usurping one party of the bicameral system, and then lay claim that I have just taken over the entire United States of America (or the world for that matter) for the glory of the Empire. Yet, this is exactly what I did on Alderaan.

 

I'm just not getting it. In other games of this type, one stays on one world (for the most part), exploring the snow peaked mountains in high elevations, or trapping across the desert in the vast expanses between vales, valley, shorelines, and coastal capitals. It feels like I'm really exploring the enticing features of each planet.

 

I know this really isn't feasible in a franchise like Star Wars, since travel among planets is an integral part of the story. It would, however, be very helpful for one to be able to travel to separate parts of a planet.

 

So here is my suggestion: Allow for one to take shuttles to different areas of planets in upcoming game expansions. It's obviously too late now to change the way the zone system is set up. It would have been way more rad to take speeders to other areas of the planet, shuttles to different poles, and quick travel to bases or areas set up far away from the operating hub.

 

In some cases, the current system works and it makes sense. Especially in starting areas, but I'm just not really buying it on planets like Tatooine. The gigantic, arid, bowling ball of the galaxy. Where Tusken Raiders reign, and moisture farmers toil endlessly to make a living. The planet is so enormous, and the expanses are so extreme, I find it very hard to believe that I just traveled the entire planet in my questline. I'm not really sure how my actions in one very small area affect the planet on a macro level.

 

Additionally, I'm not sure why the Republic and Imperial bases would set up so close to one and other. Wouldn't they try and keep their respective capitals on different areas of the planet? Makes sense to me. Oh, you decided to build this massive Imperial base (unnoticed) in this small crevasse that just so happens to be next to one of the Republic's most notorious prisons? Get me that logistics guy, he's getting a promotion.

 

In sum, it would just have been nice to have the zones split up a bit more than they are now. Put some areas of the zones, ostensibly, on different parts of the planet. That way one feels as if they're really exploring the entire planet, absorbing the whole of the culture in that planet, and making more effectual change on the galaxy as a whole, instead of just very small parts of that planet.

 

When one clicks on a world map, it should show the world and the different areas of that world. Not just one large blob that we all expect to be our massive quest area, and that we assume is the entire planet.

 

Just a thought. Anyone else feel the same way when playing??

 

TL:DR = Put parts of zones on different areas of planet made accessible by speeder or shuttle travel. Bring the planet map up instead of one big map. Greater sense of exploration of world, versus just one small part of it.

Edited January 24, 2012 by _Ender__Wiggin_

[Tautfest]

I'm speechless... *Standing ovation* You said it all

[Uruare]

I absolutely agree with the sentiments of the OP's post.

[FalmeseReb]

umm, you cant be seriously expecting them to make an entire city planet in full 1:1 scale right? because that would cost billions of dollars.

[SNEAKYSIX]

Agreed with Op,

But..,, A compromise would be nice, maybe have sections of the map like for exmaple datacrons.

Why not make datacrons a seperate area in itself.

Where the option on each planet would be to go to the explore section. On the edge of each screen would be explore zone featuring a massive free roam area where datacrons are randomly placed for us to find. The area would be covered by individual plantary fauna and beasts. There would be no quests there just a pure roam and explore. Id love that.

[Vid-szhite]

umm, you cant be seriously expecting them to make an entire city planet in full 1:1 scale right? because that would cost billions of dollars.

 

Of course not, but at least make the planets feel like they're the size of more than one city. Take a look at Skyrim - there are varied landscapes and all sorts of places to go and that's just one small continent in the grand scheme of the entire planet. It makes the world feel like a planet, rather than just one city that you have to take a spaceship to get to.

[Twaggy]

It's a great idea and one that works with the star wars name, however that is one major quest for the devs. One I wish they would do and who knows?! they might in updates add new areas to planets. I for one would love to go to areas other than the ones that are there.

 

So what is needed is time + money + gamer patience = SWTOR: Exploration Expansion Pack!

[Dekkau]

There is insufficient technical resource in the game structure to permit a planet wide generation of the type of world you desire. Should a more surface based scenario be the norm in the game I would suggest we would be limited to zones of the size seen in other popular games of this type. All game development effort would be concentrated on zones of a specific planet and the remainder would be mothballed. Added to this if you were to consider the greater world of Star Wars in respect of the sizes of buildings within cities you would challenge even the greater capacity of possibly all the computer power of the known world to generate the fantasy you desire. In simple terms it is not possible.

[CeruleanNite]

1. Because as small as they are now people still complain that it takes to long to get around them.

 

2. Because this gives them room to have expansions without creating a bunch of new planets. They can send us back to them into areas we havent been yet.

 

3. Because no matter what they did people wouldn't be happy.

[Death_Trap]

It's a nice idea to have a huge area for each planet, but that ignores the nature of game design. It takes a very long time to properly create a zone, let alone populate it with quests and enjoyable content.

 

As for having shuttles between different areas of a planet - there are two problems with that. First, many people complain about how long it takes to get around already. No need to make it worse. Secondly, having a shuttle/flight path/whatever to different areas of the planet would probably mean new art. You wouldn't be happy if every area on the planet had the same art style. Creating art for different areas of each planet would take a lot of development time, time that would probably be better spent on new planets/flashpoints/etc.

Edited February 24, 2012 by Death_Trap

[haliy]

I wanna see sometime in the future that the mounts we get able to fly. I mean, I know the technology is there since we already have spaceships. Now what about ships that fly around the planet? Just trying to get ready to drop some imperial walkers on their sides

 

Cybertech... now this sounds like the perfect profession to be able to build one of these bad boys

[noire]

1. Because as small as they are now people still complain that it takes to long to get around them.

 

2. Because this gives them room to have expansions without creating a bunch of new planets. They can send us back to them into areas we havent been yet.

 

3. Because no matter what they did people wouldn't be happy.

 

Thank you.

 

On another note, I have to ask ... which other happy meal MMO have the variety of minigames that everyone asks for? Gambling, racing, FPS, space sim and soon probably duck hunting. In time you might see most of these things, but bashing a game because it doesn't have virtual gambling or pod racing or space simulation right out of the box. It makes me wonder what expectations and delusions people around these forums have had. And before you start flaming away, yeah I would have loved a game that had a myriad of mini games in forms of racing, gambling, first person shooter and space simulation... but there's also something called reasonable expecations, practical limitations or common sense. Try to apply some logic into your thoughts and demands, think things through. You don't see me moaning about the fact that this game doesn't replace my own experience with that of my character when I'm playing...

[demonskies]

what would be cool if they released with like 3 or more giant planets that were all azeroth (for reference) sized. I mean planets that have multiple terrains and seasons. Then each expansion could bring a whole new planet or 2 of epic size and some new tormented raid boss from said new planet. I would have been happy without alot of planets if core planets were bigger with more terrain and different areas. Wont happen but would be awesome. Some of the planets are useless in size and just feel way to small like quesh but others feel really big with not enough to do in them except travel 20 miles in between quest hubs.

[daMarek]

The current planet sizes are really disappointing. Very few have higher level areas that make you go back to them. I wish instead of releasing new planets they would augment the existing ones until they are satisfactory.

[CeruleanNite]

The current planet sizes are really disappointing. Very few have higher level areas that make you go back to them. I wish instead of releasing new planets they would augment the existing ones until they are satisfactory.

 

From what has been said, that is the plan. They plan on expanding and sending you back to the planets you have been to but they will be higher levels.

 

As for as going back to planets already in game, I do know that for Nar Shadaa, Alderaan and Hoth on the Empire side you do go back for the bonus series.

[FourTwent]

vagaries

 

my word of the day

[Paxmendacium]

I agree but a planet is massive...you could have an entire mmo take place on one planet...wow did that for a while before outlands and it wasn't even all of azeroth...

[Paxmendacium]

I wanna see sometime in the future that the mounts we get able to fly. I mean, I know the technology is there since we already have spaceships. Now what about ships that fly around the planet? Just trying to get ready to drop some imperial walkers on their sides

 

Cybertech... now this sounds like the perfect profession to be able to build one of these bad boys

 

Flying mounts ruin world pvp though!

[themacr]

You just awnsered the question why the hell there are space stations on each planet and people have to walk to a shuttle to go down to the planet.

 

The awnser is: so in the futurte we can add more content.

[jarjarloves]

because thats what expansions are for

[Ironspeed]

Flying mounts ruin world pvp though!

 

What world pvp?

There basicly isnt any places at all (I know they are, but take out ilum and one spot in tatooine or something) that you can really be in danger of the other side, everything is different area, heavy guarded (I tried getting in to a republic area on hoth I think, failed badly, was alone though).

 

To have proper world pvp you need wast(er) open(er) areas of conflict and same quest objectivs or atleast some form of crossing the path..

[TiiRahnedancer]

I mean planets that have multiple terrains and seasons.

 

Nah, that's too anti-Star Wars. Their planets are thematic. We have Desert Planet, Ice Planet, Swamp Planet, City Planet, Cloud Planet, Forest Moon, Water Planet, Volcano Planet, etc.

[Softwalker]

Because Lucas arts doesn't want too.

 

There was once a MMO that had exactly what you requested.

 

7 complete plannets with massive explorable areas and secrets to find.

 

It also had Space combat that wasn't like riding a rollercoaster.

And the world PVP was grand.

There were 32 professions you could mix and match.

Any armor and weapon was usable by anyone, though not with the same skill.

 

It was called Star Wars Galaxies.

It had one major flaw, Jedi were rare and not everyone could be one.

Lucas arts Killed it in order to bring us World of Sabercraft.

[TyHeaton]

Because Lucas arts doesn't want too.

 

There was once a MMO that had exactly what you requested.

 

7 complete plannets with massive explorable areas and secrets to find.

 

It also had Space combat that wasn't like riding a rollercoaster.

And the world PVP was grand.

There were 32 professions you could mix and match.

Any armor and weapon was usable by anyone, though not with the same skill.

 

It was called Star Wars Galaxies.

It had one major flaw, Jedi were rare and not everyone could be one.

Lucas arts Killed it in order to bring us World of Sabercraft.

 

Star Wars Galaxies sucked. It's easy to make massive planets when 99% of them are flat lifeless plains.

 

Don't be bitter that your game of choice wasn't as good as you thought it was. If it was, it would still be around now.

[Gwenny]

OP nailed exactly how think about the planets.

 

When I first heard about this SW game, what the OP describes, entire planets to explore is what I expected. I didn't read up too much before I started playing (only a short 2 year wait ).

 

By the time I hit the third planet I was bitterly disappointed. The area we get to quest in isn't even big enough to count like a country, let alone a planet!

 

Any planet would have different climates (they could look at the oddball planet called earth if they want an example), and even a desert or ice planet would have different zones, there's sand deserts, rock deserts, canyons, saltflat, etc etc.

 

On top of that is also the monotony of the questing. Class questline is great, no problems with that but all other fillerquests...... ugh.....

I have developed a strong allergy against blue glowing panels.... hundreds and thousands of them.....

Mob diversity? Humanoid, robot, Humanoid, robot, Humanoid, robot, Humanoid, robot, Humanoid, robot, Humanoid, robot, ad infinitum.

It could have been so much better, hell! It SHOULD have been so much better, they had the budget for it...

 

I subbed for three months, but have unsubbed, I can't even bring myself to keep playing in the time I have left.

 

PS: This was not a ragequit post, I wanted this game to succeed so much. But even High Command of my guild has thrown the towel in and our 390 man big guild has moved to GW1 to prepare for GW2