Social Points (Suggestion to fix farming)

[JTShadow]

I would like to recommend that you only gain Social Points by doing group activities relevant to your level. I know some people who plan to farm Black Talon at level 50 just because of the amount of social points you can gain and the ease of the instance once you've reached max.

 

I believe you should only be able to gain social points in groups/ops that are at least green to you. If you think that punishes people who help their friends and guildmates level then you could make it only give social points if the quest is green to someone in the party and in range.

[Tuscad]

I would like to recommend that you only gain Social Points by doing group activities relevant to your level. I know some people who plan to farm Black Talon at level 50 just because of the amount of social points you can gain and the ease of the instance once you've reached max.

 

How about no, they are hard enough to get. Its not like I enjoy farming and running Black Talon 30+ times to get up to level 3 social but its impossible for someone who has trouble finding a group for anything else to get social points.

[FoxNemhauser]

or maybe if you don't like it - just don't farm it?

 

don't tell others how they should play the game.

[JTShadow]

The social system wasn't developed with the intention of letting you run black talon over and over again just to up your social points, its just as bad as node flipping or kill trading in ilum. It's using game mechanics for an effect that wasn't originally intended.

 

I can understand its hard to find groups, I have that trouble myself. I'm only Social 2, but that doesn't make it ok to abuse the way the system works. It defeats the purpose and benefits that people receive for going that extra mile to work hard and legitimately up their social level.

 

To the opinion that if I don't like it, don't do it, I don't do it and I wont stoop to that level, its just my opinion that if they can't play the game the way it was intended to be played and they have to find loopholes, then maybe they shouldn't be playing at all.

[testszag]

The social system wasn't developed with the intention of letting you run black talon over and over again just to up your social points, its just as bad as node flipping or kill trading in ilum. It's using game mechanics for an effect that wasn't originally intended.

 

I can understand its hard to find groups, I have that trouble myself. I'm only Social 2, but that doesn't make it ok to abuse the way the system works. It defeats the purpose and benefits that people receive for going that extra mile to work hard and legitimately up their social level.

 

To the opinion that if I don't like it, don't do it, I don't do it and I wont stoop to that level, its just my opinion that if they can't play the game the way it was intended to be played and they have to find loopholes, then maybe they shouldn't be playing at all.

 

if you feel that way, report it to bw, let them make the call. until then, let people play the way they play.

[Aedyl]

Is the purpose of social points/perks to encourage people to group? I think that is what the social system is for. If people are grouping to do content, they get social points. If they choose to do Black Talon/Essles ad nauseam, that's their business.

 

This is nothing like node flipping on Ilum. In that case, opposing faction players have to cooperate, ie not fight each other. Opposing factions cooperating in a designated PvP area is unintended. That is way different than people running a repeatable quest over and over.

[ferroz]

The social system wasn't developed with the intention of letting you run black talon over and over again just to up your social points, its just as bad as node flipping or kill trading in ilum. It's using game mechanics for an effect that wasn't originally intended.

[citation needed]

[sikandar]

I think diminishing returns on a quest chain/FP if your character has run it before would help that. At the same time, social points are not hard to come by nor should they be - most people in our guild are in the social 7+ range after leveling to 50 together.

[Lord_Lunacy]

I think diminishing returns on a quest chain/FP if your character has run it before would help that. At the same time, social points are not hard to come by nor should they be - most people in our guild are in the social 7+ range after leveling to 50 together.

 

Did you group exclusively from the get go? How many are in your guild? I've tried grouping with core group for 20 lvls, and it got me nowhere fast. Trying to keep a full group when everyone is scatterbrained is problematic, so farming was the only option to catch up.

[Lord_Lunacy]

if they can't play the game the way it was intended to be played and they have to find loopholes, then maybe they shouldn't be playing at all.

 

I get it, you want the system changed, but don't presume to tell others how to play their game until you pay their sub or work for BW and have direct authority to change the system/rules.

[Master-Nala]

My response to this suggestion:

 

No.

[sikandar]

Did you group exclusively from the get go? How many are in your guild? I've tried grouping with core group for 20 lvls, and it got me nowhere fast. Trying to keep a full group when everyone is scatterbrained is problematic, so farming was the only option to catch up.

 

We met up at Esseles and grouped from there to 50. There were days we veered away but for the most part we were grouped for FPs, Heroics, and some class quests instances. We learned quickly that having a couple people do their own class quest allowed the primary to summon a companion to allow some accrual of affection. I will say its no easy task, however, if you are determined you can make it work. That said, by the time we finished Hoth and its bonus series we grouped a bit less (dailies, FPs, Heroics). We all have seen more than we really wanted to of each other's class quests.

 

If you are in your 20s maybe set a target of Tatooine. Tell people in your group to get caught up to Tatooine and start from there. BW did do a decent job of progressing class quests at the same pace of quest hubs across the board. This also had a great side effect in that we were always ready (and grouped) to take a break and go run a FP every few levels.

[JTShadow]

if you feel that way, report it to bw, let them make the call. until then, let people play the way they play.

 

What do you think the suggestion forum is for? I'm not currently stopping anyone from doing anything am I? I'm posting my suggestions/concerns in the appropriate forum, using it for exactly as it was purposed.

[JTShadow]

I get it, you want the system changed, but don't presume to tell others how to play their game until you pay their sub or work for BW and have direct authority to change the system/rules.

 

Again, I am not telling people how to play, I am making a suggestion on the suggestions forum. If you don't like it thats perfectly fine. As per this forums rules,

 

Keep comments on-topic and constructive.

Make sure your post contributes to the discussion.

 

I don't believe your comment follows either of these rules. If you are going to use the forums, at least do so appropriately.

[JTShadow]

We met up at Esseles and grouped from there to 50. There were days we veered away but for the most part we were grouped for FPs, Heroics, and some class quests instances. We learned quickly that having a couple people do their own class quest allowed the primary to summon a companion to allow some accrual of affection. I will say its no easy task, however, if you are determined you can make it work. That said, by the time we finished Hoth and its bonus series we grouped a bit less (dailies, FPs, Heroics). We all have seen more than we really wanted to of each other's class quests.

 

If you are in your 20s maybe set a target of Tatooine. Tell people in your group to get caught up to Tatooine and start from there. BW did do a decent job of progressing class quests at the same pace of quest hubs across the board. This also had a great side effect in that we were always ready (and grouped) to take a break and go run a FP every few levels.

 

I myself find difficulty gaining social points, but thats my problem and I wont abuse game mechanics to make up for it. I do wish the social points you do get were slightly increased at least, but I figure its kind of a "social status" kind of thing, its fun, it gets you some fun items, but is no way needed for gameplay and is just an extra. I wish I had more, but it will come in time. I hope Bioware can take a look at my suggestion and consider it, and I know many people out there don't like the suggestion and thats ok. Not all suggestions will be liked, or popular, but if you think more about the scope and balance of the game and less about yourself I believe this is a good improvement for the game itself.

[Frigidman]

If someone has X level of social... does it hurt someone else's game? No.

 

I choose to group up through every mission, and actually be social... therefore I raise my level the way I want too. Many times, doing all missions together means doing many gray missions on a planet to finish them up (its so easy in this game to out level an area before you ever finish all the missions). So you want to screw that all up for those of us who are actually grouping and doing low level missions on a planet?

 

This suggestion needs to die.

[Raant]

Man if there where any better way to get social points i would gladly stop farming BT in every alt before i reach lvl 15+, because i have done every single heroic i can with my main and i havent reached social 4 because of how the system work. The system its broken, plain and simple. For example the only way u can get social points its by dialogs and some Heroics doesnt have an ending dialog, so if i u found a group after getting the quest it gives u nothing. I have tried to get a group of people to quest together but every1 has its own way of playing the game and its very hard to keep up. And also there is not very good rewards for social right now, all the armor its light armor and some are gender restricted so.... The only thingh worth its the mounts and some of them are not even lvl 50 mounts.

 

So plz tell me if there is no better way to get social points than Black Talon what do i do to get the mount i want.

Edited February 6, 2012 by Raant

[JTShadow]

If someone has X level of social... does it hurt someone else's game? No.

 

I choose to group up through every mission, and actually be social... therefore I raise my level the way I want too. Many times, doing all missions together means doing many gray missions on a planet to finish them up (its so easy in this game to out level an area before you ever finish all the missions). So you want to screw that all up for those of us who are actually grouping and doing low level missions on a planet?

 

This suggestion needs to die.

 

Yes, I do want to screw that up for people doing grey quests. It's a pretty simple concept actually. Just like how you only get a miniscule amount of xp from completing quests that have gone grey (What is it, 1xp?) the same should be for social xp to boost your social level. I firmly believe that doing easy content shouldn't be rewarding. Now if your helping a friend do that content and its green or higher to them, sure let it reward you for socializing and helping out, but if your that overleveled for the content and your grouping up for it I don't believe you should be rewarded.

 

If they don't eliminate social gains for grey quests/content then they should at least lower the amount gained so its not so rewarding. Sure it doesn't hurt me if someone is social X, but why should one person be able to run the easiest instance of the game repeatedly and have the same rewards as someone who leveled up grouping or do their dailies grouped and so forth, thus utilizing the system the way it was intended.

[RepublicChicken]

I started a jedi knight, did class quests exclusivly (only did two or three side-quests) and reached the Fleet at level 8. Was that wrong of me? I mean, the side-quests are there for a reason. By skipping them, I'm not playing the game the way it was intended.

 

What I mean is I play the game however I want, and as long as no one else is affected by it, why does it matter? The whole point in the game is to have fun, and I don't see the point in restricting the fun just to force people to play the way it was "intended". If you don't get social points if you are too high level, does that mean you should be banned from planets if you are too high/low level? And what about trading between alts? My crafters sends a lot of stuff to my alts so they can get new weapons. It's not intended to be used that way, but why does it matter?

 

My game, my decision, my fun. If you aren't affected by it (other than it annoys you that I have more social points than you), who cares what I do?

[MajikMyst]

[citation needed]

 

You need a citation on why exploits shouldn't happen or how they weren't intended?? Seriously??

 

He is absolutely correct.. No citation required..

 

Personally.. I wish they would just double the amount of social points you get in a conversation.. Either that or make ways to get social points that don't require another player.. Like social quests or something.. An entire portion of the game shouldn't be locked out to someone just because they aren't a social butterfly and does absolutely everything with someone else..

[ExBrillig]

No. The fix to this is to take the points out of Esseles/BT. There's a clearly designed way to gain social points, and if you don't want to do it, you should go without.

 

After all, there's a clearly designed way to get PvP rewards and raid gear, but no one is (seriously) suggesting that they be made available for credits.

 

Social points are their own advancement track with their own requirements. If you want to trivialize that track, I insist on all the others being trivialized as well.

[Knewt]

They could just remove social points. The idea of social points is counter-intuitive to the game BW produced. The 1-49 game is supposed to be about me and how I am a hero. Why do I want to compete with people about my dialog answers when the story is supposed to be about me?

[JTShadow]

You need a citation on why exploits shouldn't happen or how they weren't intended?? Seriously??

 

He is absolutely correct.. No citation required..

 

Personally.. I wish they would just double the amount of social points you get in a conversation.. Either that or make ways to get social points that don't require another player.. Like social quests or something.. An entire portion of the game shouldn't be locked out to someone just because they aren't a social butterfly and does absolutely everything with someone else..

 

Thanks its nice to see some support. I do agree that social gains should be increased and there should be additional ways to gain social points.

 

On a side note, a majority of people are saying I should leave them alone and shouldn't even suggest this since it hampers their gameplay, I'm sure if I suggested instead to double all social gains and to give us social points for grouping in pvp or datacron hunting and so forth that people wouldn't be telling me to "leave them alone" "let them play their way" and "it shouldn't be a suggestion".

 

As I said, if you don't like it thats ok, your allowed not to like it, but as per forum rules you should at least add constructive critisism instead of complains about how I'm stopping you from playing your way, because unless my posting in the forums actually affects your gameplay I'm doing nothing more than suggesting something to BioWare.