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


ShonaChaos

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Clearly you never did if you actually believe EQ1 had the same issues being discussed in this thread. :D

 

EQ had load screens every new zone you entered. SWTOR has less as it is the planets that have the load screens and not the individual zones.

 

My guess is you haven't really played either.

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This is what you keep saying... without actually explaining how this is (supposed to be) true!

 

The mechanic of having to load a location (ship, planet) will always be there, this is the way that BW designed the game: load 'sections' instead of loading the whole galaxy.

 

The fact that BW has set their mind on having multiple sub-zones within the spaceport zone (hangar, airlock/elevator, (main) concourse) was BW's design choice reflecting how they consider a spaceport to look like.

 

That they actually placed some quest NPCs in some of these sub-zones is a perfectly understandable choice: use the space you got.

 

But what makes you say that the whole design is an artifect of the story system is quite a riddle for me?! :confused:

 

Honestly, can you tell me when you actually met a Quest NPC in the elevator/airlock between hangar and concourse?

 

Up until then I'll kindly ask you to please removed that BS that you are dropping all over the place. Thank you.

 

 

Indeed it would be difficult to fix it completely.

 

But then the solutions suggested remove the symptom without changing too much else.

 

As I've repeated said it's win:win.

 

 

(and yes I've has a few stories in those places, but that's the point the stories are rare, travelling is all the time).

 

 

 

How is it grossly exaggerating?

 

People want to take the immersion pieces out of the game. So why stop at travel?

 

Call it a red-herring or grossly exaggerating or whatever you want, but its the same in IRL law. Once you open those flood gates...

 

WoW is a good example. People complained for years and years about dual spec. It finally goes in and what do you see the very next day? "We need tri-spec!"

 

Give people an inch and they want a mile.

 

 

 

There is no mile.

 

The complaints are the same again and again in thread after thread.

 

The solutions are easy enough and don't really change anything other than solving the main symptoms.

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You know how I know you're from WoW?

 

This was a conscious decision by BioWare. Making you go aboard your ship was done intentionally so that you'd actually use your ship. Otherwise, you'd never go in it, and you'd race to the forums to make threads titled "Spaceships R useles fix NOA".

 

And this here is another example of how BW's story/rpg tunnelvision made them near blind to what makes the mmo genre tick.

 

Are you having a happy happy fun time entering and leaving your ship? Mabey a little half turn every now and then to throw a glance over your shoulder and marvel at its grandiosity?

 

No, I didnt think so.

 

It's not like youre in there hours on end deckin the place out with cool furniture and what not. The ships are totally pointless, as it stands.

Edited by Droidlife
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Dude, you are taking a position you don't even support just to continue to troll. But at least we have exposed the troll in this thread.

 

I know you hate having your position stripped down to its logical parts because it exposes the silliness of the argument.

 

If tedious is reason enough, it's reason enough. But we all know that it isn't.

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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.

 

You are missing the point. If we wanted a "real life" experience, we would either role on an RP server or actually, just do RL. We want fantasy and fun. The game itself is a time-sink, we don't need one inside it. Now, had this time-sink been similar to the old SWG starports, where you could socialize and dual, or even pvp while waiting on your transport, maybe that would be different. But these are all about 80-90% private instances. Don't need them in an MMO.

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EQ had load screens every new zone you entered. SWTOR has less as it is the planets that have the load screens and not the individual zones.

 

My guess is you haven't really played either.

 

 

 

Again though what is this thread about?

 

Loading screens at zone boarders? Nope.

 

 

Pointless loading screens followed by a bit of running and another loading screen at every travel nexus? Yes.

 

Even when EQ1 brought out PoP you didn't have to run through 4 screens to get from A to B.

 

The EQ1 (vanilla) equivalent would be run.... loading screen... run... loading screen.... run each and every time you zoned. :eek:

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I know you hate having your position stripped down to its logical parts because it exposes the silliness of the argument.

 

If tedious is reason enough, it's reason enough. But we all know that it isn't.

 

You've stopped making sense. Maybe go eat some dinner.

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I think while levelling they are ok and functionally work. Post functionality why?

 

Kaliyo does have a line I loved - A little bit of Drummond Kas on ......

 

Think she says it ina tat outpost.

 

Way I feel in every space station so I get it. But with all the quest triggers dependent on the travel system holo calls etc....

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Maybe Bioware can shorten the loading screens but i don't think they can be removed, they would probably need to redesign the whole game.

 

 

 

That's why either/or:

 

 

- Adding speeders that take you straight to the ship (just lengthen the cut scene to show you entering space port)

 

- Allowing quick travel straight to ship

 

would fix it.

 

 

Also:

 

- Reducing EFP and FP cds a bit would help

 

- Allowing FP to be bought not just on security key vendors.

 

would ease things.

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The fact that you can't even use your mount in most of the hangars and areas leading to your ship is the kick to the ribs while you're knocked down to the ground. Loading times are far too long, going between too many zones has too many loading time situations, and that's that. Poorly planned out, and not streamlined.

 

I have to laugh at the person that considered this a "time sink" that MMOs bring. No, that's grinding gear, points, rank, mats, and things of that nature. Loading screens are not a "time sink" as well as needless travel where you can't even use your mounts lol.

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The fact that you can't even use your mount in most of the hangars and areas leading to your ship is the kick to the ribs while you're knocked down to the ground. Loading times are far too long, going between too many zones has too many loading time situations, and that's that. Poorly planned out, and not streamlined.

 

I have to laugh at the person that considered this a "time sink" that MMOs bring. No, that's grinding gear, points, rank, mats, and things of that nature. Loading screens are not a "time sink" as well as needless travel where you can't even use your mounts lol.

 

The big fail is that BW can not discern the difference between a smooth time sink like a mellow griffon ride from one end of a vast area to the other, and a point and click grind demanding your constant attention. Time sinks are in there to make people pay subs, and thats all fine and dandy, but demanding that you sit there like an idiot and "steer" your toon through the process of sinking time is just daft.

 

Traveling is when we take bios, make sandwich or talk to our significant other. Not actively move our toon along corridors, click on doors, navigate pointless ship interiors or wait for microscopic panels to spawn.

Edited by Droidlife
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Again though what is this thread about?

 

Loading screens at zone boarders? Nope.

 

 

Pointless loading screens followed by a bit of running and another loading screen at every travel nexus? Yes.

 

Even when EQ1 brought out PoP you didn't have to run through 4 screens to get from A to B.

 

The EQ1 (vanilla) equivalent would be run.... loading screen... run... loading screen.... run each and every time you zoned. :eek:

 

And in SWTOR you don't load screen every zone. It's way better. You can travel nearly an entire planet and never see a load screen. If SWTOR was like EQ, Anchorhead would zone to Jutland which would zone to... etc.. etc.

Edited by Surakis
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Going personal, no more substantive arguments, eh?

 

Ok, heres a substantial question: are you having fun with your ship, apart from playing the "no u-turns allowed" game, which im sure has you hopping up and down in your chair with exitement? (Btw, you know that game has nothing to do with your "ship" right? It's just an illusion)

Edited by Droidlife
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I agree that travel in SWTOR could be tidied up for more immersion and fun. My ideas:

 

* Replace the black loading screens with something - a moving lift/door, a relevant splash screen, something. Black screens are not fun.

 

* Entering your ship's airlock does nothing but place you on board.

 

* When sitting at the Galaxy Map on the bridge, you can select a destination and then you get the takeoff from planet scene, travel through space and the landing/docking scene. It doesn't require additional interaction.

 

* As an option, each of the travel steps in the point above can be done manually for those who enjoy the RP.

 

* When you step out of your airlock you are on the planet/station.

 

* I prefer distance affected how long you were in hyperspace but others may not - perhaps make this a Preferences setting. Time should not be onerous but give an impression of differing distances, perhaps include a visible timer.

 

* Add an option to take off and be in space about a planet/station, to afford access to the Space missions.

 

* When you leave a group member's ship, you exit into their landing bay not yours.

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I very much agree here. When I can look at my chat window and have it filled with nothing but the last several meaningless zone changes then I start thinking there's too many there. Then I wonder just how that made it so far into development that they couldn't turn back and eliminate a few steps.

 

Now they're stuck having to figure out how to make all this artwork actually usefull.

 

Like making quick travel work in spaceports ...period!

 

Add the terminals, put in taxi's, QT to ship ...these are all great idea's.

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Yeah some of us work and aren't putting 100% attention into a forum post. I'm pretty sure you understood what I was saying.

 

BTW I am pretty sure I can go back and grammar snipe your posts too.

 

You may find some double entendre's :)

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I think you make a good point, but it doesn't even remotely address the point I was making.

 

This isn't "my" issue. I didn't create this thread. Frankly, I'd be perfectly content if they don't change the travel system at all (which I've said multiple times in this thread).

 

I didn't make a suggestion.

 

My point was about the massive amount of people fighting so hard against a suggestion that is small and completely unobtrusive to their gameplay. And none of the people my point was directed toward - not one - said "Hey, that's a good suggestion. You should suggest it to BW." Every single one of them have fought for 70 pages about how they are against this change that is small and has zero impact on their game.

 

Vecke, sorry, somewhere in these 70+ pages my brain started to count ice creme cones, so yeah, of course, it's not your thread and there is nothing wrong with you posting your suggestion here for both sides to have something to consider (and potentially even somebody to catch on and say 'hey, let's drop that idea into the Suggestion Box')

 

But, see, your point about why people are fighting so hard against a suggestion... well, why discuss that?

 

I mean everybody who goes contra against a/any change in something (whether this game, any game, politics, fashion, you pick) will have what s/he considers a 'good' reason, just as everybody who goes contra against the status quo of the game(...) will have what s/he considers a 'good' reason.

 

How many people on either side have by now dug in and potentially are just trolling for the sake of trolling the other troll who trolled of course first, or actually could give a perfectly fine reason why a suggestion should not be added to the game, frankly I'm not really sure I'd care to find out.

 

If you were to ask me why oppose such an option, yes, I can give you a reason, or actually a number of 'em:

 

1. It requires work on BW's end. (somebody here suggested 3 minutes... LOL... and in an hour we have world peace :rolleyes:)

 

Frankly I'd rather see BW put that energy into fixing actual gaming issues not 'convenience' issues.

 

(Now, at what point something should rather be considered a gaming issues than a 'convenience' issue, that is up to each person. And potentially such a (IMO) stupid thing could be for somebody a gamebreaker. Which would only be relevant, if indeed the number of people leaving the game because of it, was that large that BW would be running into an actual problem keeping the game alive. Interestingly enough, in all those threads on this topic, in all those postings in those thread I have seen very few people who actually claim to have quite the game because of the travel system or are saying they will quite the game if it is not 'fixed' ASAP. Apparently there is more than enough 'stuff' in SWTOR to keep people, even those who are not happy with the travel system; add to that the people whom I'd class as 'lazy' because to them it is suggested that things could be easier (which had actually never crossed their mind) and now they raise arms and demand that things be made easier. :rolleyes:)

 

2. 'Better the devil you know' - we have seen it here in SWTOR and we have seen it in other MMOs over the years: something is supposed to be 'improved' and the whole thing blows up in their face.

 

I'm actually back with DAoC due to the SWTOR maintenance schedule: On Jan 25th they released version 1.111 which saw a wide range of things changed/added (missions, quest, class balancing/modification, etc.). Within hours after the update a hot fix for a number of issues had to be rolled out. And tomorrow the next version will be rolled out: 1.111b.

 

This is just an example.

 

But it should show that when you start to mess with things, **** can (and very likely will) happen.

 

That is why, if it is not really a major issue, instead of trying to tweak it so that potentially everybody is happy, I'd rather see things working - which the travel system does.

 

And which a badly done tweak may then cause to fail. (Do I have to say the 'I...' word?)

 

3. 'Exploit'...

 

Wait... what?

 

Well, to some degree this falls under no 2: a badly done tweak, but it may also be lack of consideration on BW's end: while everything works as designed, the result is not as BW (and potentially the gamers) expected. Think 'Biochem'.

 

In what way could your idea be exploited?

 

Well, depends on what BW would do.

 

Let's assume that as soon as you enter the spaceport there is a station. You can access it to quick travel (you don't have to, it's an option).

 

Let's assume you have the option to QT to your ship or to a different planet.

 

Right, your ship: no real harm there as you'd load the ship (approx. 30 sec plus cutscenes) and then you'd have to run to the cockpit and go from there.

 

But what if BW figures they may as well do spaceport2spaceport?

 

Select destination, approx 2-3 min loading screen (depending then mostly on your system!) and you are there. Maybe not even cutscenes. Potentially use QT to the closest point where some friends need PvP help, speeder to final destination.

 

See how that could be a problem? :eek:

 

So, instead of giving in to all those ideas of how to make life in MMO easier, let's at first stick with a 'if it ain't broken, don't try to fix it' policy... because even something like Biochem would have found its place in the natural order of SWTOR if/when BW had started looking at the other skills. Up until then, heck, you picked the 'wrong' crew skill, start again. I've done it, not Biochem mind, Slicing on my first character for example, because I found another skill more suitable in combination with the rest of my skills.

 

Hope that explains why I'm not really in favor of changing a travel system which works perfectly fine for me.

 

Not to mention that it seems like a lot of this 'seeing an issue' comes from Imps... well, maybe that is the counterbalance to all the issues the people seem to find with Rep :lol:

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My game must be broken because I get a total of 2 (not 5) loading screens going from Belsavis to Ilum.

 

I load once to get onto my ship then I load once to get off my ship.

 

Where are all of these other "load" screens? Certainly you aren't referencing the 5 second black screens when you do things like push elevator buttons or go from shuttle to ground? Firstly, those aren't load screens and secondly...5 seconds. 5. If you are complaining about a 5 second transitional screen, you need to quit the game and probably never play any game ever again as pretty much every single game has some kind of load time in it.

 

 

edit: fixed a grammar issue so the grammar police doesn't give me a citation

 

why has no one responded to this post?

 

this guys says he doesnt need to use any orbital station that causes extra loading screens at level 50 planet.

 

and this is also hilarious to me since the same guy that wrote it was trying to chastise me for saying the same thing about level 10-30 planets.

Edited by Gilbara
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I also get tired of all the running , theres at least one or two scenes that could be cut, my biggest gripe ( and yes its a minor one that dont mess with play) is the out of sequence cut scenes,, for instance, when you exit your ship by the door, you shoundnt be seeing your ship heading toward the planet
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