I can't take the pointless travelling between planets...

[kitharen]

Those walks within some space station/port, lift and hangar are almost always the same, that's why they are so boring. If at least the scenery would be a little different or Bioware would have tried to make it not so obvious you're in a time sink it would have worked better. But as the system is now it just seems like a totally pointless waist of time. I like to waist my time killing mobs or doing quests, not running through the same corridor each time I want to change the planet.

[Goreson]

Anyone arguing for the pointless running about is REALLY grasping at straws to defend BW.

 

Making things drawn out and inconvenient =/= content.

 

anybody arguing that things (like quest areas) need to be accessable instantly without moving your character a step have no clue what a MMORPG is.

 

Compressing things so you don't have to actually do anything but press a button and start fighting =/= MMORPG.

[darkcerb]

Yeah....jusssssst like in the Star Wars films!

 

Man....hearthing would have made Luke Skywalker's escape from the Death Star sooooo much easier.

 

Yeah...and I want spells and wands and potions and....

 

Where are the toilets in swtor, it's not realistic enough!

 

This is a game, and those were films. Maybe it's time to take a step back?

[Darth_Nox]

I don't understand - why put a feature in that detracts?

 

I hate to make an unfair comparison but ... swg? Every single planet group had its own architecture, and it was completely different from another group of planets.

 

With the money spent on developing this one, it seems odd that it's so obvious how limited the palette of models used for scenery is.

Edited January 30, 2012 by Darth_Nox

[Kaelshi]

I see a lot of people saying things like "welcome to mmo's" etc.

 

I suppose if things never evolved in mmo's this would be an acceptable response.

 

However I am guessing most of those giving this generic response don't remember the first gen of mmo's and the things that eventually were phased out.

 

Perhaps you don't remember when dying in mmo's was debilitating to the point that many people would quit once they level capped if they died because the loss in things like skill levels would require another 100 hours of gameplay to earn back.

 

When there was no fast-travel of any sorts to speak of - hearthing? a fast travel button to get between hearth points? pah! ever heard of time-sink! welcome to mmo's!!!!

 

I could do without some of the time sink in travel between planets. I don't think it needs to be down to a simple click of a button - part of what I love about this game is story and part of story-driven is atmosphere so it's not completely out of place.

 

I just don't buy the "it's an mmo" argument since mmo's would still be completely broken if they never changed or evolved.

[Vyradder]

It would be nice if it was a bit more streamlined, or if we could use our faster mounts in stations in every case, but I don't find it so cumbersome that it detracts from the game.

 

Going to a new planet is an endeavour, and maybe it should be.

 

I'd like to see how this mechanic plays out in the endgame before I condemn it.

[Goretzu]

Right, here we go - again!

 

Many people that are complaining about travel seem to point to 'extensively long loading screens'...

 

well, it's weird that there are actually people that don't have to sit for hours looking at a loading screen...

 

wonder why? Because their system is able to load the required information faster!

 

Let me guess: you want BW to give each person who bought a sub for SWTOR an new, uniform AND high-end PC just so that you have the best experience possible?

 

Go play console!

 

Many people here are complaining about all the required steps to get to the hangar, into the ship, to the next planet, off the ship, into the spaceport...

 

Gosh, it's not a game where you are instantly teleported to where you want to go (for most parts)

 

Frankly, if you want that, why don't you play an online FPS?

 

Guess what: you spawn close to the battlefield, you run, you start PvP with your mates. Woohoo!

 

Oh, wait, SWTOR is not an Online FPS, is it?

 

You are actually loading a bit more than just 1 map, different places on a planet, a different planet overall... oh heck, let's just load the whole galaxy... because BW is already giving ever subscriber a uniform power PC anyways...

 

Many people here are complaining about long distance they have to travel thru buildings/the ship when travelling to a different planet...

 

Jeeez, aren't you playing online FPS yet? Oh, wait... ever played classics like Starsiege: Tribes and Tribes2? Guess what: you were running/skating for minutes to get to the enemy base! Because the maps were friggin huge compared to anything else FPS offered at that time.

 

Now SWTOR is actually supposed to be an (MMO)RPG... well, BW did figure for you to play your role you don't teleport into your ship, you actually have walk thru a spaceport... an - ENORMOUS - spaceport.! (*swallows comment regarding male perception of part of their anatomy*)

 

Anybody who takes longer than 1 min running thru any spaceport (from entrance to hanger, not counting transition/loading screens) need to toggle from walking to running!

 

And dear Obi-Shinobi, do yourself a favor: watch Ep2 again... you know the bit about Obi Wan, Geonosis, message, Anakin to the rescue?

 

Let's see if maybe George Lucas has update that movie next year so that Anakin and Padme just teleport to his side? Just because SWTOR player can't take their time...

 

You are not supposed to instantly be at a buddy's side if he needs help in PvP! Not even in online FPS that's the case!

 

 

 

 

Nope, you're still just talking guff.

 

 

Sorting the travel system isn't the same thing as giving every subscriber a new PC.

 

It's just very silly and very poor attempt at a strawman argument.

 

 

 

 

Fixing the travel system is what's needed.

[AJMTL]

anybody arguing that things (like quest areas) need to be accessable instantly without moving your character a step have no clue what a MMORPG is.

 

Compressing things so you don't have to actually do anything but press a button and start fighting =/= MMORPG.

 

Are you delusional? IE: Reading words that aren't there?

 

They've got pills for that buddy.

[Goretzu]

How about you read the other threads on this very same topic?

 

Face it:

 

long loading times - PC issue

 

multiple steps to get from A to B - game design considered fitting for game mechanics

 

'longer' walks thru a 'empty' spaceports, etc. - game design considered for game universe

 

And yes, I'm comparing the movies and the game... because this is not STO but SWTOR...

 

 

 

 

Long loading times (or short for that matter) with multiple pointless loading screens that are an artefact of another part of the game IS a SWTOR issue.

 

That's the issue, and the one they will have to fix to stop annoying so many people.

 

 

Bad game design is bad game design, and currently that is what SWTOR has for it's travel system (the whole travel system isn't, but specific points are).

[Mazari]

Lets say I am in one city and I want to travel to a different city. I have to get in my car drive down the road.... you getting my point. You ppl and your "I want to just click and go here, then click to go there." Maybe MMOs aren't for you.

 

Lets force people to WALK in SWTOR, you don't run IRL 24/7 right?

 

I'm sure you will enjoy walking to a venor for 20 minutes if he ain't far.

[Lord_Rezo]

Blau

 

On all this there is a little good point, why does every station looks the same? I would make some differences (not only the npcs) but a station on the Hutt Space shouldnt be the same than the ones on Ilum (for example).

 

Its reasonable they are imperial-republic stations made by them acting as "embassys" but it still kinda strange :/.

 

And of course shutting down that %&·$%·$ droid would make me happy.

 

But traveling across the stations and that stuff is ok, isnt a lot of time lost.

[darkcerb]

Going to a new planet is an endeavour, and maybe it should be.

 

the word you're looking for is "tedious" endeavor implies difficulty, challenge interesting developments of any kind.

 

Not the same 3 rooms ad infinitum.

[bfishback]

Yeah....jusssssst like in the Star Wars films!

 

Man....hearthing would have made Luke Skywalker's escape from the Death Star sooooo much easier.

 

Yeah...and I want spells and wands and potions and....

 

I'm confused as to why Leia didn't pull her speeder out of her *** when she got lost in the forest. Also, why didn't Luke just quick-travel back home instead of driving there? What a noob. I also don't get why Luke didn't have a companion when he went to finish his act story.. he was bad.

 

Oh wait, it's probably because the game has added features to make the game more accessible that don't make much sense.

[Lord_Rezo]

I'm sure you will enjoy walking to a venor for 20 minutes if he ain't far.

 

If the game had 20 minutes walking ways on every city i would enjoy it much.

[Erevan_Kindelar]

The travel system does have some hoop-jumping that is un-neccessary. Personally, I do not mind it, especially when compared to the original SWG approach of "Enter starport"; "Buy ticket (before JtL)"; "Run to shuttle boarding droid"; "Get to droid 1 second after shuttle takes off"; "Wait 5 minutes for next shuttle".

 

That gave me 5 minutes to smack talk in Local or Guild chat, but the option to spend a minute or two running through the space port is better than 5 minutes sitting around doing nothing - not quite enough time to make it worth whipping out my crafting droid to fill a couple of orders, or to take a bio break and be sure of making the next shuttle...

[darkcerb]

If the game had 20 minutes walking ways on every city i would enjoy it much.

 

I think you've boiled down the counter-argument nicely there, Immersion is awesome as long as it's contrary to what others enjoy and or inconveniencing them.

 

I'm willing to bet even if they merely added the option to skip all the filler you and many others would still complain.

[Buur]

omg why do i have to drive in my car to get to work in the morning... why the feck didnt i get an instance travel button on m butt to get me to work in a split second...........

 

Bad comparison is bad.

[ebunts]

The travel system does have some hoop-jumping that is un-neccessary. Personally, I do not mind it, especially when compared to the original SWG approach of "Enter starport"; "Buy ticket (before JtL)"; "Run to shuttle boarding droid"; "Get to droid 1 second after shuttle takes off"; "Wait 5 minutes for next shuttle".

 

That gave me 5 minutes to smack talk in Local or Guild chat, but the option to spend a minute or two running through the space port is better than 5 minutes sitting around doing nothing - not quite enough time to make it worth whipping out my crafting droid to fill a couple of orders, or to take a bio break and be sure of making the next shuttle...

 

Guess you wasnt areound when you waited 10 mins for a shuttle was you

[Vecke]

On EQ2, people often came to the forums to ask for faster travel. Specifically, they tired of the boat rides to certain zones. They usually got the same responses that are given here.

 

"It's an MMO."

 

"It's called immersion."

 

"Why do you want to skip the game."

 

"I LIKE to see the world I'm playing in."

 

The posts were flooded with replies like this.

 

So, EQ2 added travel that skips those boat rides (bells). When that happened, there were complaint threads about how they were eliminating the immersion, and now people wouldn't see the world, etc.

 

Thing is, EQ2 kept the boat rides. They just added an alternate means so you didn't have to ride the boats if you didn't want to.

 

But the boats were still there.

 

Since that addition, I never saw a person ride a boat again. I'm not exaggerating there. Not one person. Ever.

 

So all the people that insisted the boat rides added immersion, didn't use the boat rides as soon as a more efficient mode of travel was added. Even from the people that only played solo (meaning there was no group waiting for them), I never again saw another player on a boat.

 

I wonder if TOR added a more efficient means to travel between planets, how many people here that are so steadfastly against it would still travel by loading through the various hangars and starports.

 

Bottom line, every MMO I've ever played (from EQ1 onward) streamlines travel at one point or another, and to be honest, I'm glad.

 

For me personally, I would be fine if everything was required to go the "slow" way on the first time through, but after that, give the option to skip loading onto your ship, pulling up the map, clicking a planet, then loading onto the planet.

 

Leave it as an option for folks that enjoy that 30 seconds, sandwiched between loading screens. But for those that don't enjoy it, let the journey just be a classic star wars screen wipe, with you arriving on the next planet.

 

I can understand both sides of this debate. Some like the immersion, some consider it a detraction from the immersion.

 

What I don't understand is people that oppose having it both ways, so everyone can enjoy it they way they like.

Edited January 30, 2012 by Vecke

[Napalmbrain]

Educate yourself on the meaning of the phrase 'time sink'.

 

Welcome to MMO's.

 

Wow you are defending this sh**?

 

Just because MMO's are a time sink doesn't mean they have to include stupid sh** like this.

 

This is a HORRIBLE design decision and it has actually played a big part in me and a bunch of other friends cancelling our accounts.

 

It is a little more than a timesink, it is there to piss you off and waste your time, no question. Just one of the many many many reasons this game is a joke.

 

200 mil and 5 years? Laff....

[darkcerb]

long post.

 

Nail on the head there, it's the perfect solution and one every mmo is adopting these days I have just enough faith to trust bioware will refine the system and enough genre savy to know they wouldn't throw away the assets they already have in place.

 

Those that continue to argue against both want others to enjoy the game there way or no way, they just want the attention. Whatever the case it's trolling.

 

Having said that I still feel the need to voice my views, after blizzard rolled back there proposed real name = forum name proposal after a forum up-roar I've had more faith in actually being heard by dev's.

Edited January 30, 2012 by darkcerb

[Goretzu]

On EQ2, people often came to the forums to ask for faster travel. Specifically, they tired of the boat rides to certain zones. They usually got the same responses that are given here.

 

"It's an MMO."

 

"It's called immersion."

 

"Why do you want to skip the game."

 

"I LIKE to see the world I'm playing in."

 

The posts were flooded with replies like this.

 

So, EQ2 added travel that skips those boat rides (bells). When that happened, there were complaint threads about how they were eliminating the immersion, and now people wouldn't see the world, etc.

 

Thing is, EQ2 kept the boat rides. They just added an alternate means so you didn't have to ride the boats if you didn't want to.

 

But the boats were still there.

 

Since that addition, I never saw a person ride a boat again. I'm not exaggerating there. Not one person. Ever.

 

So all the people that insisted the boat rides added immersion, didn't use the boat rides as soon as a more efficient mode of travel was added. Even from the people that only played solo (meaning there was no group waiting for them), I never again saw another player on a boat.

 

I wonder if TOR added a more efficient means to travel between planets, how many people here that are so steadfastly against it would still travel by loading through the various hangars and starports.

 

Bottom line, every MMO I've ever played (from EQ1 onward) streamlines travel at one point or another, and to be honest, I'm glad.

 

For me personally, I would be fine if everything was required to go the "slow" way on the first time through, but after that, give the option to skip loading onto your ship, pulling up the map, clicking a planet, then loading onto the planet.

 

Leave it as an option for folks that enjoy that 30 seconds, sandwiched between loading screens. But for those that don't enjoy it, let the journey just be a classic star wars screen wipe, with you arriving on the next planet.

 

I can understand both sides of this debate. Some like the immersion, some consider it a detraction from the immersion.

 

What I don't understand is people that oppose having it both ways, so everyone can enjoy it they way they like.

 

 

 

 

EQ1 boat rides were much worse (by worse I mean waiting longer potentially, although not always worse in the context of game immersion).

 

But again there were valid reasons for that in EQ1 (game immersion and actual physical game design - the boats were physical items within that world).

 

The problems here are really just bad game design (you are not waiting for a "physical" boat NPC to come, you are just facing a loading screen and run), they could be eliminated and nothing would be made worse, just improved.

[Duusor]

You have an instant travel, a fleet pass, and many very short taxi rides to get you into an area quickly, even if you haven't got your speeder yet. I've certainly walked more for less in other mmo's. I expected walking and load screens when I purchased the game. I can guarantee, with four kids and a 50 hour a week job, there's nobody that gets to play this game less than me... I just don't find travel to be an issue.

[pellib]

Agreed, make transportation fast and effortless.

 

And while you are at it please make sure we can farm for crafting material without having to dismount the speeder.

 

And the idea of cooldowns on quicktravel, who implemented such a pointless thing ??

 

Please let me mount weapons on the speeder and make customization of the speeder possible.

Edited January 30, 2012 by pellib

[Katharis]

I wish the instant gratification generation people would all quit this game and go find some other game to complain about.

 

I know, right! But forget about all the pointless travel, the real issue ruining this game is how quickly our characters heal. It's ridiculous! They can be lying there DEAD and then as if by magic POOF! They're up and running around like nothing ever happened.

 

They should have to spend at least a DAY in a bacta tank. Heck, in the movies Luke spent at least a few minutes of screen time in a bacta tank after that wampa clobbered him on Hoth, and then he had a few more minutes of bed rest. Every time someone is injured in this game and then just pops up all miraculously better all of a sudden, immersion just flies out the window and goes CRASH like a Star Cruiser in an Ewok Adventure.