Anelitt Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) Won't solve it. Worst case you'll have the scale shift to the other side and Empire will be the minority. Besides who says it's art/race/gear or w/e. Everyone has his/her own reasons. This is an issue all MMOs go through because it's a consequence of being able to choose whatever you want faction/race/class. Ofc you are right in regards that everyone can choose for themselfes. But by that logic though all developers of mmo's are compelety at the mercy of something they cannot control. Will players choose even among factions? yes? Good! No? Well we're SoL time to make a new mmo Edited January 24, 2012 by Anelitt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stejo Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Won't solve it. Worst case you'll have the scale shift to the other side and Empire will be the minority. Besides who says it's art/race/gear or w/e. Everyone has his/her own reasons. This is an issue all MMOs go through because it's a consequence of being able to choose whatever you want faction/race/class. You can't be that thick. There is a reason why you picked the side you picked. And there's a reason why I picked the side I picked. And these reasons can be studied and analyzed. Worst case scenario you picked a side randomly, it still doesn't matter since you were just as likely to pick either side in this case. Just because you don't understand math or psychology doesn't make them go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtmach Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 You can't be that thick. There is a reason why you picked the side you picked. And there's a reason why I picked the side I picked. And these reasons can be studied and analyzed. Worst case scenario you picked a side randomly, it still doesn't matter since you were just as likely to pick either side in this case. Just because you don't understand math or psychology doesn't make them go away. What?... I don't even know how to reply to that... How do you fix faction balance with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakima Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) I'll bite... Say I create a house with two rooms, but you can only enter one. In one room is a boring dude with a brown robe who will offer to teach you to meditate. In the other room is a bad***** with a sweet black robe who offers to teach you the secret of power. Which room do you choose? In a 2 faction game, if one side is way more attractive to players than the other...guess where they will go? That's a societal or cultural problem not a designer one. Selfishness is not only rewarded its seen by many as an admirable quality (Greed is Good mentality). Selflessness is rarely rewarded and its often labeled as naive, weak or unrealistic. We have a generation of people who grew up watching "Wall Street" and identifying more with Michael Douglas's Gordon Gekko than Martin Sheen's Carl Fox or to use another Stone* film as an example; in Platoon they saw Sergeant Barnes as a bad*** and Sergeant Elias as a wuss. *Wall Street and Platoon are very similar films. Both feature Charlie Sheen playing a young male who has two make role models both fighting for his character's soul. Edited January 24, 2012 by Sakima Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esaru Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Analyzing your target audience, behavior patterns, psychological profiles, influences, statistics, polls, there's a whole science behind this kind of thing. Then you got data from months of beta, guild deployment program, the opportunities were there and missed one by one until it came to this. You don't just make two factions and hope for the best. You hire ppl to analyze stuff and tell you how likely it is for your target audience to pick each faction. Then they tell you what kind of improvements each faction needs to be more likely to attract more players and keep adjusting by making them cooler, prettier, whatever works until statistics tell you that it should be balanced. WoW's horde faction wasn't made ugly as hell by accident. But ok, let's just say it's the players' fault. That works too. well said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jezzikah Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I blame Jar Jar Binks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakima Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I blame Jar Jar Binks.... Gungans should be a playable race. We want Gugans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PjPablo Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 MMO players tend to chase shinies. Add some nice shinies to the smaller faction and it will level out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anelitt Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Analyzing your target audience, behavior patterns, psychological profiles, influences, statistics, polls, there's a whole science behind this kind of thing. Then you got data from months of beta, guild deployment program, the opportunities were there and missed one by one until it came to this. You don't just make two factions and hope for the best. You hire ppl to analyze stuff and tell you how likely it is for your target audience to pick each faction. Then they tell you what kind of improvements each faction needs to be more likely to attract more players and keep adjusting by making them cooler, prettier, whatever works until statistics tell you that it should be balanced. WoW's horde faction wasn't made ugly as hell by accident. But ok, let's just say it's the players' fault. That works too. You good sir have restored my faith in the forums, nice to see a post that adresses reality rather then mindless drivel because people cannot possibly admid their precious BW could ever do anythign wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtmach Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Analyzing your target audience, behavior patterns, psychological profiles, influences, statistics, polls, there's a whole science behind this kind of thing. Then you got data from months of beta, guild deployment program, the opportunities were there and missed one by one until it came to this. You don't just make two factions and hope for the best. You hire ppl to analyze stuff and tell you how likely it is for your target audience to pick each faction. Then they tell you what kind of improvements each faction needs to be more likely to attract more players and keep adjusting by making them cooler, prettier, whatever works until statistics tell you that it should be balanced. WoW's horde faction wasn't made ugly as hell by accident. But ok, let's just say it's the players' fault. That works too. No MMO has gotten this right. What would the target audience be? MMO players, especially since the widespread success of WoW, vary widely. The beta players of this game really limit the scope if you consider those who join after launch. There was a poll done at the end of the beta that asked all of these relevant questions, so I know they have the bulk of this employed, just like other MMOs out there. But it's always an uphill battle because forecasts are never accurate to the degree of player satisfaction. The only way this would work, considering how many subscribers come in or go each month, is to refine both factions every 4-6 months to keep somewhat up to date with the current player base. The stories, the gear, the relevant lore, etc. That's way too much work for too short a timeframe. And with regards to WoW, the horde faction was inspired by the races that were part of the horde during the original Warcraft games. In fact it wasn't until Burning Crusades that Blizz acknowledged the "ugliness" of the Horde and brought in Blood Elves to give em the sex appeal. Faction imbalance is a longer term problem generally addressed by expansions, at least that's what I've seen during my WoW days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanWolfShadow Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 MMO players tend to chase shinies. Add some nice shinies to the smaller faction and it will level out. LOL... So true. 'Ooooh! SHINY! WANT!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kourage Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 It's BioWare's fault 100%. They didn't make Bounty Hunter neutral or for Republic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JansanRuno Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I have 8 characters - 4 Republc, 4 Imperial. All in various stages of leveling from about 12 to 31 (my highest). That is pretty balanced for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecoffeecup Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'll bite... Say I create a house with two rooms, but you can only enter one. In one room is a boring dude with a brown robe who will offer to teach you to meditate. In the other room is a bad***** with a sweet black robe who offers to teach you the secret of power. Which room do you choose? In a 2 faction game, if one side is way more attractive to players than the other...guess where they will go? I'm more attracted to the Republic side. I can't take all the sith nonsense seriously, and although I liked my imp. character, working for an Empire built on sith power struggle nonsense and racism just does not appeal to me in the slightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lokits Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) it is bioware fault on other mmos u are not allowed to roll the most populated faction on that server so it can balance out if you want to roll on that faction because ur IRL friends are there you will have to choose other server or w8 a few days untill more characters are created on the lower playerbase faction not to mention bounty hunter and smuggler and trooper should exist on both factions the IA could be called rebel agent on republic side Edited January 25, 2012 by Lokits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malefactor Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 What do people propose they do about it? They can't force people to play a certain faction, locking servers by faction causes uproar/whining, giving incentives (bonuses, perks) causes uproar/whining, pretty much anything they attempt to do will cause complaining and cries of "unfair they get x why don't we, not my fault I rolled on the overpopulated side". This is a problem as old as 2 faction MMO's, and no one has yet been able to solve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kourage Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 it is bioware fault on other mmos u are not allowed to roll the most populated faction on that server so it can balance out if you want to roll on that faction because ur IRL friends are there you will have to choose other server or w8 a few days untill more characters are created on the lower playerbase faction not to mention bounty hunter and smuggler and trooper should exist on both factions the only that doesnt fit in is the IA What world do you live in? On my world, what you just stated is completely false. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulvan Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 We are to blame but they did make the empire seem more appealing to players. The animations are cooler Ia has the coolest ship in the game. They also seem to get cooler clothing. They also get better companions. Example: Khem val pet of tulak hord who eats force users. Or a talking lizard who seems to have lost his mind (Qyzen Fess). So while it is true we are to blam empire just seems to be more appealing for the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PjPablo Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 LOL... So true. 'Ooooh! SHINY! WANT!' Sad to say but unique, easy to get, crystal colors would attract people to one faction over the other. I don't get it, but it would work. Start giving out purple to Repub and watch out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperomegaOP Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) actually considering that sith have better combat animations and slight buffs over there mirror on the republic side I'd say that currently that its bioware AND the playerbase faults bioware can help the balance by actually balancing between two the factions......... Edited January 25, 2012 by SuperomegaOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancrizans Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'll bite... Say I create a house with two rooms, but you can only enter one. In one room is a boring dude with a brown robe who will offer to teach you to meditate. In the other room is a bad***** with a sweet black robe who offers to teach you the secret of power. Which room do you choose? In a 2 faction game, if one side is way more attractive to players than the other...guess where they will go? Sane people would choose to learn to meditate and transcend the deceptions of human ignorance. However we as a materialistic, short attention span, instant gratification, next to no wisdom, give me shinys society gravitate towards things that are false but give the illusion of being impressive to those who aren't given to reflection. That is why most people rolled Empire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inarai Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 If you played both sides, you'd notice, that empire has superior artwork and the overall better storyline. And that's entirely Bioware's fault. I play both sides. And what you just said there isn't true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ealabor Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 working for an Empire built on sith power struggle nonsense and racism just does not appeal to me in the slightest. Reminds me of the Democratic party. The players are to blame here, specifically those that roll a Sith and go light side That just kills me to see those people in a BG with me, knowing they are contributing to persistent queue of Huttball. Their main argument for doing so? Brown robes.. seriously. As if you couldn't just purchase a black robe off the Nar Shadda exchange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggymo Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'll bite... Say I create a house with two rooms, but you can only enter one. In one room is a boring dude with a brown robe who will offer to teach you to meditate. In the other room is a bad***** with a sweet black robe who offers to teach you the secret of power. Which room do you choose? In a 2 faction game, if one side is way more attractive to players than the other...guess where they will go? Hm, Choose the wise jedi? Or choose the Teenage goth sith? I want to look like a ******, Not a skinny jean wearing black and blue highlighted hair scene boy/girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasted Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 If the Republic stood for something worth fighting for more people would care. As it stand its bland good guys versus an interesting Empire. Which side do you choose? Reminds me of two things: First the non-spoiler: Guess what the primary motivation for the Trooper is in Act 2 and 3? FOR THE REPUBLIC! EMPIRE MUST DIE! While it isn't bad... It would have been nice to get something else. That or "For the credits" but when you think about how accomplished your character is; couldn't he make 10 times the amount the republic gives him acting independently? Second: There's a mission on Courscant where you have to choose between revealing the plans of a republic senate who is bringing out a bill that supports the empire or reporting said bill to the media. Lightside option is not stealing the notes for media proof (Republic stands for FREEDOM OF SPEECH!) Darkside option is taking it and giving it to the media. After finishing the quest I relised something... Wait, wouldn't freedom of speech also extend to the media in having freedom to report whatever they want? Damnit I was smart talked out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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