Community Q&A – April 6th 2012 Blog Discussion

[DarthZaul]

You don't understand. They have "metrics" and "numbers" and "targets" that say that not only is everything fine, but Scoundrel/Operative DPS is actually over-powered.

 

What's that? No, of course you can't see these numbers! Just trust them!

 

It doesn't matter if the players feel they are weak or if the players aren't having fun, it only matters if their secret numbers match their secret targets.

 

This calls for an ancient aliens meme 'Metrics'

[tjallred]

Almost all pvp servers are like this http://imageshack.us/f/851/screenshot2012040523510.jpg/

This has never happened to me. Even in the middle of the day there is like 30 people on the fleet. And my server almost always says light to standard. Server is The Maw.

[Strikeferret]

Re: PVP and server pop

 

I've heard people complain, but the one time I went out we had full teams on each side. Personally, I like being on a low-population server. Now, if you're on a PVP server, I can see the concern.

 

Re: Laughing

 

I assume this means the Agent's laugh is going, too. That breaks my heart. Can't there be an option or something so only the person running the agent can hear it? It was a little bright spot of "This is neat and different" as well as notifying me when I got another TA.

 

I realize it's strange to get attached to something like that, and that apparently there's a very vocal group against it, but it's one of the things that made this game fun for me, not just another online game.

[TyrantLeader]

Zilvra: I have a level 32 Scoundrel Scrapper. I am already having problems killing my on level bosses due to the 1.1 nerfs. What will the 1.2 nerfs do to me in PVE? It seems really unfair to the purely PVE players when the nerfs hit?

 

Austin: Many of the class story bosses are intentionally very difficult. This is something that all classes face and is not unique to Smugglers. The fact of the matter is that Scrapper DPS is closer to target in 1.2. Understandably, if you were already struggling with an encounter, you may view this as an undesired change. For clarity, we don't agree that this is "unfair" for "pure PVE" players as the changes are not meant to (despite popular perception) specifically target PVP over PVE.

 

Perception?? Scrapper dps is low, if not the lowest currently. We are getting nerfed in 1.2 so if my math is correct the dps should get lower? hmmm. So low dps getting lower is not a problem? So "the fact of the matter is Scrapper dps is closer to target in 1.2" is incorrect or your target is OFF. Fix your target then fix scrapper.

[Evgen]

I'm definitely getting a better that 4% chance to RE a blue item to a purple, at least on biotech. To get the blues, maybe that's about right.

[GorZie]

Austin: Many of the class story bosses are intentionally very difficult. This is something that all classes face and is not unique to Smugglers. The fact of the matter is that Scrapper DPS is closer to target in 1.2. Understandably, if you were already struggling with an encounter, you may view this as an undesired change.

 

I make it short Austin.

You Guys decided on a Merchandize , so deal with it.

It was clear from the very beginning that this game would not attract only "Core Players".

Nevertheless you decided to implement challenges in class story instances which are beyond hard, especially when people play with a higher Latency. Guess what, you guys just ignored that fact.

 

I don't understand why you guys didn't make the companion optional. So beginners and high pingers would have it easier and the "mmo-cores" could have had an epic time.

 

You limited your beta testing to North America, but you like whatever currency I suppose.

 

 

 

I'd like to recommend you guys to have a read through Ernest Adams Fundamentals of Game Design.

 

p.32 You Are Not Your Player: Do not assume that you epitomize your typical player. Player Centric Game Design requires you to imagine what it is like to be your player, even if the player is someone very different from you.

 

in this case

 

p.33 The Player Is Not Your Opponent: Do not think of the player as your opponent. Game design is about entertaining the player, not opposing the player. There are many ways to entertain a player.[/Quote]

 

I understand that

 

p.18 You Can't Please Every One. It's impossible to design an ideal game that pleases everyone, because everyone does not enjoy the same thing. Do not try.[/Quote]

 

However, you continue to displease people with nerfing classes due to PVP issues, which you deny here. LOL! But this is not the first class you cripple, remember SW juggernauts and their JK mirror. Too painful to level.

 

I'm currently testing the changes on the Bounty hunter, I'm up to 38 on the PTS.

The changes are okay and make the game a little harder. The most annoying thing about it is that the recreation ability becomes now part of my rotation due to your new heat management.

 

I could simply say, Ah Frack It! I have 2 lvl 50 toons but I really like this game to be successful. I'd like to have people enjoy the leveling experience and stick to the game.

I'm looking forward to most of the content coming with 1.2 but I think a lot of people won't like it. May the Sh(i)tstorm fill your Sails and boost this game on the top were it belongs.

[bloomfireblade]

Discuss this week's Community Q&A blog in this thread!

 

well still no release date on patch 1.2 so i assume no patch in April hopefully may at soonest thanks for again upholding your reputation Bioware

[hunterpryde]

i understand we will be getting new gear n sutch in 1.2 but heres my million dollor question....

 

will we see a styles tab or sumthing in the future.... basicly the ability to wear what we have equiped but have it look like an item we collected in the past and wore.... sum low lvl items look realy great but my lvl whatever guy cant use it. id love to see the ability to wear whatever we have found in the past as a colection thing or whatever

[Witnezz]

For clarity, we don't agree that this is "unfair" for "pure PVE" players as the changes are not meant to (despite popular perception) specifically target PVP over PVE.[/color]

 

Changes are not meant to benefit small group and non-pvp'ers. Like any other endgame MMO content on the market ... Raid/PvP or die!

 

 

Fixed it for you ...

[MasterPromithes]

I make it short Austin.

You Guys decided on a Merchandize , so deal with it.

It was clear from the very beginning that this game would not attract only "Core Players".

Nevertheless you decided to implement challenges in class story instances which are beyond hard, especially when people play with a higher Latency. Guess what, you guys just ignored that fact.

 

I had both high latency and low framerates and i manged to get 2 characters to 50, so complaining about latency and not being able to truly solo is pointless, in fact before the game came out, BioWare had announced that every class would have companions. I am neither a hardcore player nor a pvper and I like the changes they are making, As a Shadow DPS I have to do twice the work to get the same dps as other classes

Edited April 10, 2012 by MasterPromithes
quote was not outlined

[Frog_brains]

ok first of all to these people who are having trouble soloing class quests. Really??? As long as you've got the appropriate gear for your guys (companions included) you should be fine. I don't even mean purple and orange modded gear, you have a good selection of lvl apropriate blue gear no problem.

 

I also don't understand people complaining that they're 2 or 3 or 4 lvls above their class quests. So what? you still get the same amount of xp as long as the quest is yellow or even green in your log. It doesn't have to be orange.

 

For people having trouble soloing class quests let me give you some advice if I may.

 

First make sure you're picking the right companion for your class role your trying to achieve, and or the boss/mission you are on. Ensure that they are properly equiped and the correct abilities active for the role you want them to play ( i had some embarrassing times with Theran Cedrax using him as a healer, while he had his blaster stance and not med watch!) Ie if you're lvl 33 and your companion only has lvl 25 stuff on don't be surprised they're not helping you.

 

Secondly do the side quests/ planet quests as well not just the class quests. If all your doing to try to lvl is just do class quests i can see where you might have trouble later on. I think the big turning point is on Alderaan. My experience is through lvling a consular, and if i were to have stayed on Alderaan for my class quest only I would have left alderaan below planet lvl ( i would have been lvl27 and planet lvl is 28

{for most of the planet at least there's a lvl 40 area as well}

I stayed on Alderaan and finished the rest of the planet quests and i left Alderaan at lvl 31 or 32, this made my time on Tatooine, Quesh, Balmorra much easier. They are not only much easier to do because of the extra xp I got doing them but also because of the drops i've gotten from boss' i would never have found if i stayed strictly with my class quests. On alderaan itself you would have missed at least 5 different champion lvl boss' that drop nice purple items.

 

I personally think they did Alderaan on purpose that way as a way of telling you: Hey! you're aproximately at the half way point of the story. Levels 1- 10 were just getting you started. 11- 26/27/28, we're ramping it up so you'd better learn to get your act together. After Alderaan if your stuffs not up to date, and you haven't learned to play your class, and try to rush through like you have until now, then guess what the games's going to kick your butt. With making the class quest on Alderaan so short it gives you the option of moving on to Tatooine if you want and grinding there, but something should be going off in your head when you've finished your missions there and there's more than 80% of the map still left to explore.

 

Lastly if you're still having trouble soloing as your desired end game spec then lvl as another tree that you think is easeir to lvl and then respec for your endgame spec once you've gotten to lvl 50, you do get 1 free respec after all.

 

I don't know about the rest of you but i don't enjoy games that are too easy. Getting your butt handed to you every once in a while by a class boss, is good for the soul. Especially when you realize you were trying to beat him with equipment that was 5 lvls old. Forces you to spend a little time equiping and not just trying to rush up to lvl 50. I don't know about you guys but there's a lot of fun to be had pre endgame.

[Evgen]

ok first of all to these people who are having trouble soloing class quests. Really???

Just a couple comments on yours.

 

1) A Consular is probably the easiest class to solo. I've leveled all 4 to act 2 at least.

2) Tatooine is before Alderaan, level wise, and story wise

3) If you are soloing Champions close to your level you must be a healer, the only spec I've seen capable of doing so. Sure there are some weak champions, but overall. Healer companions don't cut it against a champion solo. I'm sure there are some melee champions you can kite around an finish off over time too, but again, overall.

 

I agree with you on the level thing though, you have to skip a major amount of content to be doing stuff your level. I skip a lot just to try to stay only +2, then I can kill all the elites in my missions, and still get decent gear from the rewards.

[TheRealLuxford]

I am level 50 and want to know if my almost completed weekly pvp quest will still be in tact when 1.2 is updated? Or do we get new ones? Thanks

[Frog_brains]

Just a couple comments on yours.

 

1) A Consular is probably the easiest class to solo. I've leveled all 4 to act 2 at least.

2) Tatooine is before Alderaan, level wise, and story wise

3) If you are soloing Champions close to your level you must be a healer, the only spec I've seen capable of doing so. Sure there are some weak champions, but overall. Healer companions don't cut it against a champion solo. I'm sure there are some melee champions you can kite around an finish off over time too, but again, overall.

 

I agree with you on the level thing though, you have to skip a major amount of content to be doing stuff your level. I skip a lot just to try to stay only +2, then I can kill all the elites in my missions, and still get decent gear from the rewards.

 

I"ve solo'd my consular to lvl 44 pretty easy and i'm not a healer I"m a tank, I"m taking some time to level up some of my other toons to a similar lvl ( and crafting rank) to help all 3 of them to reach end game together. Now it may be partly because i'm equipping my toons with purple stuff i've learned from synthweave at the lower levels. But a Jedi Sentinel, and smuggler sawbones, are in their mid 20's now, and i haven't had to ask for any help from guildmates or other players, except for heroics 4 and some 2's.

 

Also i'm not 100% sure about this but i think that as long as the mission rewards are the same, weather the mission show's up red, orange or green. I know the only big change is when the mission turns grey you only get 5 xp, but i think you still get the same rewards and credits. I go back and do grey space missions for the commendations and i don't get the xp but i still get the daily comms and creds.

[Ensquire]

I saw with the new legacy system we will have possible "Rivals" and "Allies" in the family tree,

 

I would be really cool if you had a lv 50 flashpoint or Planet mission where- My Lv 50 Empire character gets to fight or go toe to toe with my LV 50 Republic character

 

For Obvious reasons you couldn't kill either character, but it would be cool to see a fight or mission with my legacy created rivals in their gear and see their look and voice.

 

Or a mission with my legacies family tree's allies, with the same ideas as above, but the mission would play out depending on how you played your character, light or dark. The light side meaning your legacy character is selfless and and will be a do gooder, or is dark and is brutal and will do anything to get the job done.

 

For the rival mission you could even have predetermined stats for the fight and the armour would be simply vanity OR you could have it where my character stats are the same as i play and you have a scenario where i win and my Alternate character escapes, or I'm defeated (because my "Rival" running with rakata gear purple and I'm playing a newbie lv 50 green gear) and i escape narrowly. You could have a default sith warrior or default jedi warrior template for those players whom do not have rivals at lv 50.(the same ideas apply for an ally mission) Just thought that would be an EPIC.

 

This would be good for you to do press wise because to MMO has ever tied together a players Alternate character with missions, and up till now a players alternate is just sitting there doing nothing.

 

For you guys at BW to do this would, it would be epic story wise as well because it would give the player a sense that he has control over the story because the character the player is running with is a character he or she created.

 

Overall i think the legacy idea could be great and if you guys attempt this it would solidify that TOR is not afraid of innovation.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Ensquire

[Evgen]

I"ve solo'd my consular to lvl 44 pretty easy and i'm not a healer I"m a tank, I"m taking some time to level up some of my other toons to a similar lvl ( and crafting rank) to help all 3 of them to reach end game together. Now it may be partly because i'm equipping my toons with purple stuff i've learned from synthweave at the lower levels. But a Jedi Sentinel, and smuggler sawbones, are in their mid 20's now, and i haven't had to ask for any help from guildmates or other players, except for heroics 4 and some 2's.

 

Also i'm not 100% sure about this but i think that as long as the mission rewards are the same, weather the mission show's up red, orange or green. I know the only big change is when the mission turns grey you only get 5 xp, but i think you still get the same rewards and credits. I go back and do grey space missions for the commendations and i don't get the xp but i still get the daily comms and creds.

 

I'm just saying I've only seen healers take on tough champions close to their level solo.

My Shadow tank is the easier than my Guardian or Scoundrel to solo, Commando healer spec is pretty easy too with her AoEs.

I just mentioned abtou the rewards because at 32 a level 30 quest reward will seem better than if you were 35, from experience I haven't paid too much attention t the XP rewards based on the colour of the mission so I'll take your word for it.

 

I do know that when I played the Nar Shadaar bonus series at level my trooper had a hard time. Admittedly, I hadn't had a hard time with anything up till then, so I realized I wasn't using my powers to their potential.

 

I think in this game you have to skip content, especially if you want to do heroics and FP while leveling. A guild mate of mine who hadn't skipped much of anything intentionally just dinged 50 on Belsavis. About 70% of the way through. And that was probably while doing some missions that were grey. He did play a lot of space missions though.

Skipping stuff helps make the next time around more interesting, skip different stuff next time.

[Frog_brains]

unfortunately i'm not the type of player to skip anything hell i've got almost all the planets i've been too explored 100% and that includes the imperial side (got to love the shadows cloaking ability) For me what gets me even by doing the same missions over again is with different classes' the NPC's act differently to you and even the same class but with different light/dark choices they interaction is different. To me that's enough of a variation in the missions to make it worth repeating again. I'm of course probably not typical of most players, i'm after all a person who's completed 100% game content in GTA; vice city and San andreas, and found all the easter eggs.

[Black_n_White]

ok first of all to these people who are having trouble soloing class quests. Really??? As long as you've got the appropriate gear for your guys (companions included) you should be fine. I don't even mean purple and orange modded gear, you have a good selection of lvl apropriate blue gear no problem.

 

I also don't understand people complaining that they're 2 or 3 or 4 lvls above their class quests. So what? you still get the same amount of xp as long as the quest is yellow or even green in your log. It doesn't have to be orange.

 

For people having trouble soloing class quests let me give you some advice if I may.

 

First make sure you're picking the right companion for your class role your trying to achieve, and or the boss/mission you are on. Ensure that they are properly equiped and the correct abilities active for the role you want them to play ( i had some embarrassing times with Theran Cedrax using him as a healer, while he had his blaster stance and not med watch!) Ie if you're lvl 33 and your companion only has lvl 25 stuff on don't be surprised they're not helping you.

 

Secondly do the side quests/ planet quests as well not just the class quests. If all your doing to try to lvl is just do class quests i can see where you might have trouble later on. I think the big turning point is on Alderaan. My experience is through lvling a consular, and if i were to have stayed on Alderaan for my class quest only I would have left alderaan below planet lvl ( i would have been lvl27 and planet lvl is 28

{for most of the planet at least there's a lvl 40 area as well}

I stayed on Alderaan and finished the rest of the planet quests and i left Alderaan at lvl 31 or 32, this made my time on Tatooine, Quesh, Balmorra much easier. They are not only much easier to do because of the extra xp I got doing them but also because of the drops i've gotten from boss' i would never have found if i stayed strictly with my class quests. On alderaan itself you would have missed at least 5 different champion lvl boss' that drop nice purple items.

 

I personally think they did Alderaan on purpose that way as a way of telling you: Hey! you're aproximately at the half way point of the story. Levels 1- 10 were just getting you started. 11- 26/27/28, we're ramping it up so you'd better learn to get your act together. After Alderaan if your stuffs not up to date, and you haven't learned to play your class, and try to rush through like you have until now, then guess what the games's going to kick your butt. With making the class quest on Alderaan so short it gives you the option of moving on to Tatooine if you want and grinding there, but something should be going off in your head when you've finished your missions there and there's more than 80% of the map still left to explore.

 

Lastly if you're still having trouble soloing as your desired end game spec then lvl as another tree that you think is easeir to lvl and then respec for your endgame spec once you've gotten to lvl 50, you do get 1 free respec after all.

 

I don't know about the rest of you but i don't enjoy games that are too easy. Getting your butt handed to you every once in a while by a class boss, is good for the soul. Especially when you realize you were trying to beat him with equipment that was 5 lvls old. Forces you to spend a little time equiping and not just trying to rush up to lvl 50. I don't know about you guys but there's a lot of fun to be had pre endgame.

 

Amen Brother!!

[Black_n_White]

I saw with the new legacy system we will have possible "Rivals" and "Allies" in the family tree,

 

I would be really cool if you had a lv 50 flashpoint or Planet mission where- My Lv 50 Empire character gets to fight or go toe to toe with my LV 50 Republic character

 

For Obvious reasons you couldn't kill either character, but it would be cool to see a fight or mission with my legacy created rivals in their gear and see their look and voice.

 

Or a mission with my legacies family tree's allies, with the same ideas as above, but the mission would play out depending on how you played your character, light or dark. The light side meaning your legacy character is selfless and and will be a do gooder, or is dark and is brutal and will do anything to get the job done.

 

For the rival mission you could even have predetermined stats for the fight and the armour would be simply vanity OR you could have it where my character stats are the same as i play and you have a scenario where i win and my Alternate character escapes, or I'm defeated (because my "Rival" running with rakata gear purple and I'm playing a newbie lv 50 green gear) and i escape narrowly. You could have a default sith warrior or default jedi warrior template for those players whom do not have rivals at lv 50.(the same ideas apply for an ally mission) Just thought that would be an EPIC.

 

This would be good for you to do press wise because to MMO has ever tied together a players Alternate character with missions, and up till now a players alternate is just sitting there doing nothing.

 

For you guys at BW to do this would, it would be epic story wise as well because it would give the player a sense that he has control over the story because the character the player is running with is a character he or she created.

 

Overall i think the legacy idea could be great and if you guys attempt this it would solidify that TOR is not afraid of innovation.

 

I agree with you here man. Granted, there is a lot of skepticism towards GU 1.2 ( I personally am myself). But this would be a great addition to the legacy system, although I guessing this won't be coming or considered for a while.....maybe after 3-4 updates later . But it would be cool if you addressed it to them in the next Q&A and see what they say. They probably would skip the question but if they answered it I would like to see what their thoughts on it.

[Razdek]

When is the very apparent bioware preference for sith going to be fixed? See most people will say, just roll sith. But I do not think that is a fair response considering not everyone wants to be the bad guys... And I still want my cool factor. So lets break it down.

 

- Lighting over clunk a chunka... enough said.

 

- Troopers shoot EVERYTHING out of their gun. Bounty hunters get to fly up in the air... a rocket launcher on their wrist and just much cooler animations overall.

 

- Sith leveling orange items just look mint in comparison to the (yes very jedi like but non the less boring) plain brown robes. Now don't get me wrong, they look like Jedi, but it still feels like more effort went into the Sith armour. Not just leveling but in end game as well.

 

- STARSHIPS STARSHIPS STARSHIPS!!! Okay smuggler ship is a given (it had to be the falcon, that is not in argument). But the trooper ship and the jedi ships well they look like shoe boxes (and not even good shoes, more like the sorts of shoes you get from a $2 shop). Okay Sith ships. They get a slave 1 lookalike (love it), an epic looking oversized intercepter that just looks mean and well Imperial Agents just get this sleek looking pristine ship that is incredible.

 

So when are these "cool factor" issues going to be addressed? Some animation changes and just overall feel of republic characters would be great and possibly help balance the current "under populated" republic side.

[Hogild]

To player complaining about the nerf in the Scrapper tree i would like to say that frankly we deserved it.

 

Scoundrel is a tricky class to play that places lots in the hand of the player. Unlike the Trooper, Sage, or frankly, even the Jedi knight. It demands that the player pays attention and uses the many abilities and CC to full use.

 

Im currently playing in 2 diffrent guilds both are pretty PVP oriented but we have done most of the flashpoints and other PVE stuff that requireds group. I also got a lvl 45 Commando, a level 50 sentinel. a level 25 sorc, and ofc the level 50 scoundrel scrapper.

 

So why do i who have put down more then 10 full days of playtime on just my scoundrel think about the nerf? Excellent. Raise the bar even further beacuse frankly, i would like more of a challange in PVP with my scoundrel. The flachette round crit in lvl 50 pvp is ridiculus. The fact that you can maintain your target in stun and basicly kill it off in a matter of seconds is no challange. If the target however can brake your stun and defend it self, you can always stealth away yet again. And heal yourself and come back for seconds.

Imagine a full team of theese guys in a premade ranked warzone? Whats the defence against it? With this said i have lots of fun playing my scrapper. Both in PVE and PVP. Played right it will still be an awesome class.

 

Now with this said i would like to also say, yet again. Scoundrel is a demanding class to play. I simply think people who are complaining are thoose "crappy" scoundrel. I mean no offence. But some people just cant play it well. I have seen many hybrid build scoundrels doing terrible results in warzone and by following them around watching how they play it i would have to say they play it terrilbly wrong. Scoundrel isnt a balls to the wall class like the Sent/Maur it takes finesse and planing.

 

For example. Tagging up with another scoundrel is excellent. A single scoundrel is very weak against multiple opponents and taking down big tanks is a daunting task. If you play together and break your stealth to begin your burst damage rotation even theese 19k hp tanks go down in a few seconds. Combined this poor tank suffers a 60% armor reduction from 2 people unleasing 4-8 k hits in their back while stunned. This is how the scoundrel should be played. Throw all the ranged skills in the trash bin beacuse if you are using them you are playing it wrong!

 

But the purpose of this post is not to write a HOWTO for how to play scoundrel class.

It's about letting the DEV's know not all players hate their NERFS.

 

But i agree with the others saying that the Q&A is awefully done. If you as a dev are doing theese things. Then do it properly. I have put down so much time in this game now that i would get really pissed if you ignore your player base like KOTOR did.

 

As a software dev my self. I was thought in School about userbase and feedback. The funny thing is. Our teachers actually used KOTOR as an example of how not to do things. How not to misinterpret your feedback. If you however do this... Please dont give poor excuses and hide the truth. It's obvious, and quite frankly embarrassing that you wont go head to head solving theese issues with the players.

 

Just my 2 cents. From a hardcore player and a dev. To swtor devs and players.

[sithkult]

I just hope pve players do not shed tears when the update is done because those of us trying so hard to get to valor 60 need balance. If you can not finish a class quest, level up or upgrade gear that is what friends are for. If you want to play through the game solo you can just make sure you got good pve gear before you run through it.

[DarthFourTwenty]

I still say that the nerfs in 1.2 will backfire...especially for commando... I wish we had specific skill trees for PvE and PvP and be completely independent of each other.

 

that's a STUPID idea! the game already will have plenty of customization. having separate trees would just be OVERKILL, OP, and just plain IMBA!

[Kaidimao]

 

I do have a simple question. Is there or is there not a solo PVE endgame? If so, what is it? Operations and group only? Dailies? Solo PVE is what I am asking about, with the kind of activities and size that Warzones and Battlegrounds recieve.

 

Not angry - just concerned.

 

From what I understand there are dailys e.t.c that solo people can do. And to be fair, This is a MMO, All solo activities at end game are supposed to be just to help you do the multiplayer activities, whether that be pve or pvp.

If you want a pure solo game buy one?

[narcsissism]

Ok considering you havent ansewered the last 8 pages of questions im doubting you will reply to this aswell but worth a try.

 

In the email i receaved i was told i could transfer all my charecteres from my current server wich is dead 99% of the time and the legacy levels and all eqwipment will be transfered with them so can you plese tell me when this will happen and if you are going to keep your word and allow all eqwipment legacy levels etc to go over i allredy checked the server and have friends on it in Aus and they are further ahead of me in legacy levels so dont even try to say this would make the game inbalanced.