Developer Dispatch: The Legacy System

[Hatenation]

I haven't read everything that has been posted here, so I might repeat a question, but here goes:

 

Can you only combine your OWN characters in a legacy, or is it possible to do that with other players as well?

 

The reason I'm asking this is because me and my brother play the game on our own accounts, but we still want us to be brothers in the game.. I think other siblings, spouses playing it, or child and parent, or even regular friends would want this also..

 

That would be awesome, cause my fiance plays it tooooo

[Lord_Kalte]

Not only family members, but what about the apprentices in the legacy? Anakin was the padawan of Obi-Wan, who was the padawan of Qui-Gon, who was the padawan of Dooku who was the padawan of Yoda! And don't forget the 1 000 years old line of Sith made by Darth Bane's Rule of Two that ended with Darth Sidious's victory over the Jedi.

[Hatenation]

It would be good if you could have another player as an apprentice or master through legacy, but i dont think its gonna work like that, You get account bound items from legacy rewards so i dont see how that would work across two accounts, awesome idea tho!

[Shonuff]

So how is this going to help people that already have multiple 50's?

 

Unlocking new species is not going to make them want to reroll the same classes just to have, maybe for some. But I know I dont want to go through the grind again.

 

Assuming you play all your 50's hardcore, you must have a lot of money. If that is the case you can buy a lot of these unlocks for cash

 

Of course if you filled all 8 slots you won't be able to try the new species unlocks unless you delete a character OR they open up new slots which according to the devs is not in the immediate future.

 

The Legacy system is about grinding with new alts easier. If anyone is paying attention (Not talking directly to you though) thats the point of Legacy. It's to make playign through the new stories less of a pain. It basically makes creating alts more fun.

 

Again if you want to grind a new species you can purchase them outright and get started which is probably gonna be folks main method of unlocking species cuz playing

[Jofunukun]

That would be awesome, cause my fiance plays it tooooo

 

See, I knew I wasn't the only one lol

 

Me and my brother decided to do that when we hit the legacy surname box, but alas you can only have one surname in the game, and not choose the same one if it already exists.. We tried that and failed..

 

So instead we turned it into Powerfull brothers seperated at birth, because togetheer they would cause "problems" if anyone knew their power when together.. And found eachother back at a later age..

[eriknimblehands]

My only complaint is as has been stated by others, I rolled 8 empire classes on one server, and 8 repubs on another. The racial unlocks really need to be bound to account, not legacy. Granted, I can see how that could get complicated, but seeing as how easy it is to level in this game, I want to experience every class and their abilities, not just the story. My main is a mercenary, but I'm also playing a power tech because even though they share a core class, their play stye is very different. I'm rambling now, but as a casual player, The races need to be more diverse from the start. The ability sharing, I have no problem with. But seeing as race is cosmetic only, it should not be limited in this way.

[bioenergy]

legacy work per acount or server?, i mean, if i have legacy lvl 25 on x server and then i decide make another toon on for example a pvp server i gona get that 25 legacy or i lose that legacy?

[Blondesolid]

Server

 

I just watched the video and I lol'd a bit when I saw a female sage, i think it was, spout heel and shoulder blade boost from an invisible jetpack lol,

[InfiniteEcho]

yeeaaah right.

 

what i saw till today is freekin me out. seriously guys?????

mixing the talents from class to class and even mixing the races is just a stupid and bad idea.

there is a history to that game and you guys just can't do whatever you want. an imperial agent or a bounty hunter is using force abilities???

 

THATS JUST SUCKS BIGTIME

 

and a pure blood sith plays a jedi or a trooper??? thats the big hit with legacy system and you are even proud of it???

if a pure bloods son or daughter betrayes the side and go republic the father would hunt him/her down and kill mim/her only through pure pride.

and if a member of a force sensitive family goes bountyhunter than because he isn't force sensitive. i can track und hunt down people as sith as well. but if i can use the force as lets say bounty hunter why would i risk the overheating of my weapons when i can shoot with lightning.

 

i don't konw, i just don't get it what should be fun on that system. epic battles rise between different charakters like the fight between boba fett and darth vader or like jango fett against obi wan.

that fight wouldn't be epic anymore if obi wan had also a jet pack and jango will use force telekinetic don't you think.

 

that would be for me a reason to quit the old republic because this system is just plain stupid. according to the gameplay to the lore, to everything.

what happens is the game becomes a huge senseless sponge where everybody can do everything.

why should i play other classes then?? thats the reason to play it. a chalange!!!! to explore something new.

 

but what i saw in the trailer you guys posted gives me the creeps. a jedi with a flamethrower???

you really managed it to get every fun out of the game. the list is that long so i stay only to that point. all i do is playing the classes through their story because thats just the only thing that makes fun at all.

if its not buggy, its just not fun to play or senseless like for example the crew skills.

 

i am very disappointed in that. i just keep on going playing my story lines through. for that i love you. the voice over story telling class lines are amazing and either thrilling or just fun to play.

long live the casual players because for mmo players this game just don't have anything if the legacy system like it is comes.

 

 

If you hate the idea so much, don't angst in the forums. Quit the game and go back to Warcraft while the rest of us give this new system a shot.

[Eleeina]

That video was pretty awesome, definitely looking forward to 1.2 guys

 

It's funny what you say about a Sith Pureblood being a Jedi having only just finished Tatooine as my Jedi Knight

[Iannamist]

What if you have 4 existing characters currently? Would I have to delete one to make a legacy character? Or could I transfer one or two to another server. Currently all my characters are over level 35 with my main at 47.

[Freyrr]

I don't know I'm gonna have to call this one hardcore fail. With the legacy system there is some cool stuff but the one and only thing I was REALLY wanting was the new species. Seeing as how I've leveled cyborgs so far I get totally screwed in the species unlock area apparently. Not only that I play republic side, why should I have to roll an Imp and take it to level 50 just so I can never touch it again and go roll the species I want Republic side. Hate to break it to you Bioware but a lot of people don't wanna focus on chars on both sides.

[BearThing]

Thank you for creating a system that provides some type of reward for activity across multiple characters. There's much about the system that I'm looking forward to.

 

However, here's a couple of things I'm less enthusiastic about:

 

1) Tying one surname to all my characters. I realize this ship has sailed but I still DESPISE WITH A BURNING PASSION the fact that all my characters on a server must have the same surname. I know I don't have to use it as a surname, that it can simply serve as a label for disparate characters that are participating in some kind of shared destiny. Sadly, the net result for me is that my characters don't get to have surnames.

 

You are correct in asserting that part of the Star Wars experience is this notion of "Family" with your iconic example being the Skywalker Legacy. That is why the movies had such memorable characters as Obi-wan Skywalker, Han Skywalker, Lando Skywalker, and Boba Skywalker. Oh... wait... all those characters, undeniably part of the "Skywalker Legacy" still had their own damn surnames.

 

*Grumble*

 

2) Racial unlocks are a fine notion, but for me, in practice, they are going to be less useful than they might appear. In an attempt to make sense of the idea that all my characters are somehow related it just so happens that I made most of them humans---since humans are available in all classes. So when you turn the key on this new system with the 1.2 patch I'll have unlocked the ability to create *humans* in all classes.

 

*Grumble*

 

That shortcoming is less significant than the one presented because of the way my friends and I have set up our guilds.

 

Guild(S). Plural.

 

This game currently has eight classes with unique story lines, four per faction, with eight distinct Advanced Classes per faction. We have eight character slots per server. With an eye towards the future and the possibility of additional classes or playable races, as well as the notion that we all eventually want to play all the unique storylines, my guildies and I decided to create our Republic guild and Empire guild on separate servers.

 

Thus, when my Mirialan JK reaches 50 I'll unlock the ability to create a Mirialan on subsequent Republic characters I roll on my Republic server.

 

Ummmm....

 

*Grumble*

 

Apparently I'll be able to overcome these disappointments by paying several million credits instead and unlock races I didn't have the foresight to select the first time around. Delightful! I was SO hoping this system would provide some massive credit sinks!

 

Now then, because I don't want to be labeled as simply a hater, here are some solutions to my issues:

 

1) Retool the way the Legacy name works. We still create our Legacy and select a unique Legacy name, shared across all our characters when we initially finish Ch.1. But let us also define a non-unique surname on a per-character basis when each character reaches that milestone.

 

People who already have Legacy Surnames they love can still use their Legacy name in the surname slot. Or they can define individual surnames that better reflect the nature of the relationships that the game is allowing. Why would the rivals or allies within your Legacy share your main character's surname?

 

I realize that part of the idea behind the Legacy Name is to create a way for *players* to achieve fame or notoriety. With my suggestion, that function remains in place and is firmly attached to your unique Legacy Name. Non-unique per-character surnames would supplement that function by allowing players to define nuances between the characters in their Legacy and to define "informal" connections with players outside their Legacy.

 

2) Get a character to 50, you get to unlock a race---any race for either faction. Seriously... you're throwing away the notion that there is any sort of lore-based reason why a race should ever be limited to any faction or class, so why leave any restrictions in place at all. If it's meant to be a reward, make it a reward for everyone, not just those who are playing the game in a specific fashion.

 

By the way, if you're still looking for things to put into the Legacy system, might I respectfully request playable Togruta.

Edited March 23, 2012 by BearThing

[tkslfhkdksls]

Unlike some fixes happening lately, I like this one. Instead of feeling like a fix that should of been there at the start. This one actually feels like an upgrade. And instead of being just for raiders and capped pvpers, this benefits the entire player community. Even the casuals.

 

I like the added races, and skills. I like making the classes somehow related. I view them like EQ's AA system. Just extra ablities earned during your leveling up process. Except with the bonus all your characters on the server share the benefits.

 

As most people, I fear that many of these abilities no matter how weak, could be unbalancing. Most of us are not worried about it being a problem in pve. But in pvp a small ablitiy earned through an "legacy system" could be very unbalancing. And it will almost have to make new capped tiers. A level 50 with no legacy points, will certainly be outmatched by a level 50 with max legacy points awards. And I think many feel the pvp is still going through it's adjustment period anways. So it doesn't need more unbalancing.

 

The extra emotes seem weak. As 90% of the emotes in the game don't seem to work anyways. So why don't we fix the broken ones before we add new ones.

 

Storywise it seems messed up, as you can't even mail your other characters stuff on the same sever. So how are you raising, teaching, and sending gear to your character on the other faction?

 

And I hope they allow you to make your extra characters you already created benefit from this system. What if your 2nd or 3rd character wanted to be Pureblood Bounty hunter? Do you have to kill him off and start all over? Probably, but hopefully they will have something to adjust that when this first gets going.

 

But even though I like this development. I still think the game needs pazaak, speeder racing, swtor type arena duels, swtor pve bounties and other mini games Bioware is reknown for in this game.

[Kantorock]

I'm looking forwards to unlocking my character's Legacies.

 

However, the one thing I'm not seeing as part of my starship's upgrades - Mailbox, Training Droid, Galactic Market Kiosk. etc. - is the inclusion of a Mod Station. It's rather disappointing to return to my ship hoping to upgrade my weapons and armor with the modifications I just earned only to find out I have to leave the planet I'm on and head back to Coruscant/Domund Kaas to implement said upgrades.

[Aambed-khar]

Once again I feel Bioware has nailed it! I have been loving the game so far and it makes me excited to see them trying something new. Legacy to me seems like an extra layer of rewards for people who like to play with more than one character... which seems to be most people.

I pre-paid for 6 months of game time, and if they gave me the option, I'd get a lifetime membership

Keep up the good work BW! I think you are doing great.

[xarxares]

@above Have you tried Ctr+rightclick on an Orange item.... dont need no modstation for ages.

 

 

@dev team: the post by Deewe some pages ago= excellent. all the stuff to make a good game great is in there. well thought through list of things I would really really want to unlock. read first- reply later.

 

and yes, i do have 50's alts and a 30 and a 39. rerolling would <insert bad word> to get a 'new' race. but that's minor compared to Deewe's list.

 

enjoy the game while you p(l)ay it.

[Aambed-khar]

I'm looking forwards to unlocking my character's Legacies.

 

However, the one thing I'm not seeing as part of my starship's upgrades - Mailbox, Training Droid, Galactic Market Kiosk. etc. - is the inclusion of a Mod Station. It's rather disappointing to return to my ship hoping to upgrade my weapons and armor with the modifications I just earned only to find out I have to leave the planet I'm on and head back to Coruscant/Domund Kaas to implement said upgrades.

 

Hi Kantorock! You do not ever have to use mod stations if you do not want to. Simply go to your inventory or character profile and Control+RightClick the modable item and you can swap mods wherever you are. Easy-peesy

[Shamanghost]

"Legacy 7 - was my idea"

 

No, it was my idea.

[DarthNaissan]

I took a look at an article that went into specific mechanics of the Legacy system. My interest for now is mainly with the family tree (I like roleplaying in the context of the game dialogue).

 

http://mmo-mechanics.com/news.php?article=1-2-legacy-system-preview

 

The relationship options are ally, child, spouse, adoptive child, rival, and sibling. This is a nice variety of options and I approve of same-sex characters being able to be set up as spouses. But I was hoping for a Master/Apprentice or Mentor/Protégé option. I have three Sith characters who I view as the master, the master's apprentice, and the apprentice's apprentice, and I'd like to be able to indicate that in the Legacy tree.

 

The problem with the available options is that they're too specific or have the wrong implication. My first thought was to select ally, except that in my head-canon (and because these are Sith we're talking about), the apprentice kills the master, and the apprentice's apprentice works against the apprentice in turn. I could pick rival, but that implies open hostility and/or competition. Again, in my roleplaying head-canon, these characters aren't at each other's throats. They cooperate and are quite civil with each other most of the time. I could pick adoptive child, but that's a different relationship entirely, especially given that Sith don't get assigned to masters as children.

 

I realize this isn't important in the grand scheme of things, but given that this feature is specifically intended for roleplaying flair, I feel there need to be additional relationship options.

 

And as a P.S.: Please make pilot suits that are medium and heavy armor. Hell, just take the same suits and make copies that count as medium and heavy armor, then have them be sold for the same number of commendations. There are currently only two classes that would be able to make optimal use of the pilot suits mechanically. For the rest, they only serve as vanity.

[samafong]

This is what I call terrible game design.

 

keep in mind your game is only 4 months old, and don't just rush to keep adding new elements!

 

also think about the players, they are paying you equal amount of money, but those whom cannot afford full day on this game is considering punished by this damn feature!

[Sadare]

Legacy should be bound to account to help in unlocks unless we are gonna get more char slots as it is im filling places in 2 servers as it is as the lack of slots and if im gonna alt more with new legacy unlocks then will be alot easier if bound to account as oppsed to server. Seems very restrictive being bound to server.

 

Wish there was more races tho to have in this legacy thing then the ones already in game for char creation there aint enough choices

 

Again legacy to account for unlocks would be the prefered thign then allow you to make them lats on otehr servers or ideally more char slots on your home server.

[gamorrean]

One of the things that i enjoyed and others around me did was race specific factions and abilities tied to classes, now that they are blurring the lore, its no longer Starwars and just a mmo like WoW who just gave pretty much everyone the same abilities and destroyed the LORE.. Hey Bioware just make Mass Effect online then you can screw with what ever you want, cuz i'm done and now waiting for GW2 for my fun.

 

At least SWG kept the Lore correct

[Kozakkoo]

yeeaaah right.

 

what i saw till today is freekin me out. seriously guys?????

mixing the talents from class to class and even mixing the races is just a stupid and bad idea.

there is a history to that game and you guys just can't do whatever you want. an imperial agent or a bounty hunter is using force abilities???

 

THATS JUST SUCKS BIGTIME

 

and a pure blood sith plays a jedi or a trooper??? thats the big hit with legacy system and you are even proud of it???

if a pure bloods son or daughter betrayes the side and go republic the father would hunt him/her down and kill mim/her only through pure pride.

and if a member of a force sensitive family goes bountyhunter than because he isn't force sensitive. i can track und hunt down people as sith as well. but if i can use the force as lets say bounty hunter why would i risk the overheating of my weapons when i can shoot with lightning.

 

i don't konw, i just don't get it what should be fun on that system. epic battles rise between different charakters like the fight between boba fett and darth vader or like jango fett against obi wan.

that fight wouldn't be epic anymore if obi wan had also a jet pack and jango will use force telekinetic don't you think.

 

that would be for me a reason to quit the old republic because this system is just plain stupid. according to the gameplay to the lore, to everything.

what happens is the game becomes a huge senseless sponge where everybody can do everything.

why should i play other classes then?? thats the reason to play it. a chalange!!!! to explore something new.

 

but what i saw in the trailer you guys posted gives me the creeps. a jedi with a flamethrower???

you really managed it to get every fun out of the game. the list is that long so i stay only to that point. all i do is playing the classes through their story because thats just the only thing that makes fun at all.

if its not buggy, its just not fun to play or senseless like for example the crew skills.

 

i am very disappointed in that. i just keep on going playing my story lines through. for that i love you. the voice over story telling class lines are amazing and either thrilling or just fun to play.

long live the casual players because for mmo players this game just don't have anything if the legacy system like it is comes.

 

 

 

 

I totally agree with you. But there is something behind this system. It is how I see it. Bug Ware was very proud of their story ble ble ble ..... Obviously most of us just press space instead of listening force sensitive stone, to get finally lev 50, pvp gear and kick some a.....

Unfortunately BW was pretty sure that 90% of players are dump and will believe: Amazing story will allow you to experience brilliant adventure in Star Wars universe ... ble ble ble, btw this is what I call perfect example of expression called: "full of sh....."

 

What really happened:

 

BW from the very beginning assumed that community needs some really simple game, so they copied WOW. They thought the success of this game is its simplicity. eeeeeeeeee wrong:

Its just its atmosphere which makes really life looser feel like someone important. Let's connect simplicity with great Star Wars title and we are going to make millions ....

I need to admit EA provides really good marketing and their trailers sell the game really fast. Unfortunately after we reach lev 50 there is nothing to do, because a lack of the end game content.

 

Big corporation like EA always work according to their marketing plan. Which means if they assumed we will play every single char to "experience amazing story" for one year, it has to happen. BW will not come up with anything new on the fly because its not according to their plan, they need to stick to it.

 

So EA/BW have a problem. PPL didn't buy our .... marketing trick, what we can do about it ?

 

hmmmm, let's force them to play all chars, there is like 16 stories players should go through.

hmmm, I have a brilliant idea, lets implement legacy system which will force them to lev all these classes or any 12 yrs old kid will beat them on pvp because he will have much more skills and better gear.

 

Hang on a minute, ppl already complain that they wont play so many char because they have no time for it.

 

hmmmmm, right, lets make another video with James O. telling us that its a brilliant idea to have legacy, and still you can play only one char and get some extra items/skills etc.

 

lol, I can see it. If you play one char only you will have to spend 1000s hour to get these bonuses, so it will be better for you to level other chars. And still BW have you leveling dozen of chars, and make you pay for it every month.

 

So basically only kids who have plenty of time will stay and people having limited time to play will cancel subs. Sooner or later SWTOR dies, and EA/BW already know that but they want to get as much money as possible of you......

 

 

The problem of EA/BW is that their priority are to not provide the game which is a fun, but pure marketing and screwing ppl for a big money as banks etc. do

 

So people do not expect something new here, BW want you to play existing content/no content for a long time, and they will sell you any bull.... necessary for you to do it anyways

 

BTW I want Star Wars Galaxies 2, same system and new graphic engine !!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited March 23, 2012 by Kozakkoo

[gamorrean]

Edit 2: What about the academy that Luke Skywalker started? Didn't he move away from the rule about only teaching younglings and also teach adults, who ended up learning relatively fast seeing as they became jedi? Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

in the expanded universe yes, but at the same time that's like saying every person who lives in the starwars universe is force sensitive....

 

Sorry bioware, but i think you just broke something major here