How I feel about the last 48 hours

[PhonyB]

to be honest, this is the first time I've posted on a topic on the forums for SWTOR, Mind you I am a little jaded with bioware due to the Mass Effect 3 fiasco, but what has transpired in the last 48 hours has been unacceptable.

 

This has caused me to voice my views. I have been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 and this has been a mismanaged patch/game since release. This game HAD potential but with the looming release of Diablo3, Mists of Pandaria and the countless other AAA MMO's coming out in 2012 the writing is on the wall for this game.

 

Lack of MMO experience within Bioware has finally reared its ugly head and its mismanagment of its playerbase and its expectations is whole heartedly sad. The games window for success is closing rapidly.

 

While coming out with a level 50 reward of a free month is great for those who have characters that high. Where the developer has placed a system for rewarding Alt characters ie>) Legacy System but then goes back on its intentions by rewarding players with max levels. This is contradictory in principal and is the reason why I have cancelled my subscription.

 

Flame on

[GothicSaint]

The weak declining population on many servers confirms your decision.

 

You are not alone

[irdc]

Lack of MMO experience within Bioware has finally reared its ugly head and its mismanagment of its playerbase and its expectations is whole heartedly sad. The games window for success is closing rapidly.

 

Lack of MMO experience has nothing to do with this. TOR has many people higher up that have worked on various MMORPGs. That is why Bioware hired them.

 

Perhaps the bigger problem is that there were over 700 people working on the development of the game alone. There were 35 or so for Everquest.

[Baldness]

Why do you think other mmo releases will be better ?

 

One of the challenges facing the industry that I see is that the fan base are far more solo orientated.

 

The more that's given to appease solo players the more become solo players. The more rules /policing for cry babies the less community and reputation mean to the player base.

 

Lot of patches and updates have had problems for over a decade. It is nothing new.

[Balrizangor]

to be honest, this is the first time I've posted on a topic on the forums for SWTOR, Mind you I am a little jaded with bioware due to the Mass Effect 3 fiasco, but what has transpired in the last 48 hours has been unacceptable.

 

This has caused me to voice my views. I have been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 and this has been a mismanaged patch/game since release. This game HAD potential but with the looming release of Diablo3, Mists of Pandaria and the countless other AAA MMO's coming out in 2012 the writing is on the wall for this game.

 

Lack of MMO experience within Bioware has finally reared its ugly head and its mismanagment of its playerbase and its expectations is whole heartedly sad. The games window for success is closing rapidly.

 

While coming out with a level 50 reward of a free month is great for those who have characters that high. Where the developer has placed a system for rewarding Alt characters ie>) Legacy System but then goes back on its intentions by rewarding players with max levels. This is contradictory in principal and is the reason why I have cancelled my subscription.

 

Flame on

 

 

Actually it is your 2nd time but I guess since both posts are from today, you can kind of consider it your first time.

 

It is sad though that your first time posting is a whine (well, it looks like both your posts were a whine) and not something constructive.

[Greenthy]

this week's decline of numbers WUT ?

 

yesterday fleet: 250 (between 4PM and 01AM CEST)

normal week: 100

[Rooks_THX]

to be honest, this is the first time I've posted on a topic on the forums for SWTOR, Mind you I am a little jaded with bioware due to the Mass Effect 3 fiasco, but what has transpired in the last 48 hours has been unacceptable.

 

This has caused me to voice my views. I have been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 and this has been a mismanaged patch/game since release. This game HAD potential but with the looming release of Diablo3, Mists of Pandaria and the countless other AAA MMO's coming out in 2012 the writing is on the wall for this game.

 

Lack of MMO experience within Bioware has finally reared its ugly head and its mismanagment of its playerbase and its expectations is whole heartedly sad. The games window for success is closing rapidly.

 

While coming out with a level 50 reward of a free month is great for those who have characters that high. Where the developer has placed a system for rewarding Alt characters ie>) Legacy System but then goes back on its intentions by rewarding players with max levels. This is contradictory in principal and is the reason why I have cancelled my subscription.

 

Flame on

 

You're not the only one

[Sinphonic]

 

While coming out with a level 50 reward of a free month is great for those who have characters that high. Where the developer has placed a system for rewarding Alt characters ie>) Legacy System but then goes back on its intentions by rewarding players with max levels. This is contradictory in principal and is the reason why I have cancelled my subscription.

 

Flame on

 

So just to get this right your upset cause people who played a class to 50 get a bonus to alts and got a free month? You don't have a lvl 50 ? just curious

[uziforyou]

The weak declining population on many servers confirms your decision.

 

You are not alone

 

Source?

 

/sigh..........that's what I thought. Another anecdotal assumption that has no basis in fact. I have a feeling you're correct but that's all it is, a feeling. I wish people would quit putting this stuff out as if they have some clandestine contact within Bioware to validate their own 'feelings'.

[Can-Vi]

I have been playing MMO's since UO/EQ1 and this has been a mismanaged patch/game since release.

 

First you claim that you have played EQ1, someone might think this guy has some background in mmos, so he might know what he is talking about, but then:

 

This game HAD potential but with the looming release of Diablo3

 

he who compares any mmo with D3 only shows one thing, he has no clue of what he is talking about, of all the possible examples you picked the only example that couldnt be picked. If you dont know the differences of the 2 concepts well... i rest my case here.

[Tiku]

There should be an emoticon to /fanflames or something.

 

I think it would be of great use on days like this!

[Aehgo]

Over the last 24 hours

Patch 1.2 release.Me and 3 guildies head straight to correlia and go through all the quests in less then 20 minutes((Maybe 30)),kinda dissapointed at how easy and quick it was((Although there was one funny part in the heroic 4 boss,one of my party engaged the boss before I was through the door and it closed:DIt was like the Phantom Menace red screen,just watching my party die and I couldn't do anything,was hilarious.))

 

Got bored of the legacy thing fairly quick, my Sage is my Imperial Agents brother who is married to a bounty hunter whose adopted kid is a Sith Assassin,Family get togethers would be fun.

 

The new pvp would be fun if there wasn't so many fresh 50s playing with terrible gear,most of which are on the republic,while the empire is filled with full BM and Rakata.

Still the flashyness of 1.2 and legacy kept me playing long into the night.

Overall it was a good patch in my opinion.

 

Get on today after studying,play for 20 minutes at most,notice the Correlia dailies are gone and the crystal vendor is back,I thought..hoped they meant it.But then the 'Servers down in 15 minutes' came up.Get no info for a few hours and then told the servers are down till 12!?!?..

Bitterly dissapointed..

Edited April 13, 2012 by Aehgo

[Metukka]

This is me caring.

[Enkenon]

First you claim that you have played EQ1, someone might think this guy has some background in mmos, so he might know what he is talking about, but then:

 

 

 

he who compares any mmo with D3 only shows one thing, he has no clue of what he is talking about, of all the possible examples you picked the only example that couldnt be picked. If you dont know the differences of the 2 concepts well... i rest my case here.

 

Indeed.

D3 is not an MMO.

It's a single player game with limited multiplayer and some arena options but not an MMO.

Cause if D3 is an MMO then any game with a multiplayer online feature is an MMO and that pretty much describes every game out there.

[Kaisernick]

Im sorry Mists of Pandaria a AAA MMO?

 

Are you serious?

[Dezzi]

Lack of MMO experience has nothing to do with this. TOR has many people higher up that have worked on various MMORPGs. That is why Bioware hired them.

 

Perhaps the bigger problem is that there were over 700 people working on the development of the game alone. There were 35 or so for Everquest.

 

Bingo.

 

And these 700 people are spread across 4 countries. Did you know they outsourced their art, QA, and CS?

[Catch_TwentyTwo]

The weak declining population on many servers confirms your decision.

 

You are not alone

 

Really? Yesterday I queued mid evening for 40 minutes. Last time I queued on a Thursday was the Thursday after Christmas.

 

Populations may be shifting, but I do not think they are falling.

[LordHazanko]

I hate this game.

 

I hate BW.

 

I hate EA game.

 

I hate patch 1.2.

 

I hate how they gave 30days of free game play after I canceled my sub and my account won't be active to receive the 30days.

 

I hate how they just spammed the last 48 hours of Freaking patches and nothing is fixed, and the game is being revert back to before 1.2...

 

I hate how they think giving One Day Compensation is going to make up for all their mess ups... Nothing but a bunch of baddies

 

I hate how the customer service for this game or the company sucks!!!!!

 

One thing I'm happy about...

 

I canceled my sub just as I downloaded the patch, so I can happy that my money isn't going to some trashy game that can't even get its bugs and corks worked out before going like.

 

And thats my "I hate video" for you Bioware!

Edited April 13, 2012 by LordHazanko

[PseudoCool]

kinda gotta agree about population's shifting.. last night at 12am there where over 250 people in the Imperial fleet on my server (Sith Wyrm) and that was the most I've ever seen there.. ever.

[Dezzi]

Really? Yesterday I queued mid evening for 40 minutes. Last time I queued on a Thursday was the Thursday after Christmas.

 

Populations may be shifting, but I do not think they are falling.

 

Not sure last night is any solid measure of the population of the game...

 

Try judging on a day that doesn't see a major update drop.

[PseudoCool]

I hate this game.

 

I hate BW.

 

I hate EA game.

 

I hate patch 1.2.

 

I hate how they gave 30days of free game play after I canceled my sub and my account won't be active to receive the 30days.

 

I hate how they just spammed the last 48 hours of Freaking patches and nothing is fixed, and the game is being revert back to before 1.2...

 

I hate how the customer service for this game or the company sucks!!!!!

 

One thing I'm happy about...

 

I canceled my sub just as I downloaded the patch, so I can happy that my money isn't going to some trashy game that can't even get its bugs and corks worked out before going like.

 

And thats my "I hate video" for you Bioware!

 

wow.. you sure got your hate on huh?

 

Here's an idea: come up with a constructive suggestion on how to fix the problems, not how to fix your pockets or your hut fweewings.

[Kaisernick]

wow.. you sure got your hate on huh?

 

Here's an idea: come up with a constructive suggestion on how to fix the problems, not how to fix your pockets or your hut fweewings.

 

i think he may have been acting sarcasticly, otherwise your statement stands

[Birdmen]

It looks like there will never be another "WoW", as far as an MMO being able to catch lightening in a bottle.

 

There ARE too many MMO options and will soon be more for people to all clamor to one game.

 

Honestly the only reason I'm still playing is because I'm a big Star Wars fan and the fact that I looked forward to this game for SOOO long that I guess subconsciously, if I unsubbed it would feel like all that time looking towards this game was even more of a waste of time than it initially was while I was doing it.

 

I think in some of the "fans" eyes, this game isn't a success or will never be a success.

 

But if EA is able to make profit, they are going to consider it a success.

 

Sure, would they like to gloat and say we have the #1 MMO. I'm sure, but at the end of the day, as long as the corporate big-wigs can still afford to go out on their yachts and go golfing in million dollar a year clubs, they will be happy.

 

They already said in the past 500k subs would make them money and if they could retain 1 million they would be ecstatic. 1 mil subs is a far cry from what most MMO'ers would consider a huge blockbuster success.

[Cadred]

Source?

 

/sigh..........that's what I thought. Another anecdotal assumption that has no basis in fact. I have a feeling you're correct but that's all it is, a feeling. I wish people would quit putting this stuff out as if they have some clandestine contact within Bioware to validate their own 'feelings'.

 

While it's probably not 100% accurate as these are 3rd party numbers, the general idea is probably correct:

 

http://www.torstatus.net/shards/us/stats

 

Scroll to the bottom and note the "Overall Change" value.

 

For the record, I intend to keep playing as--at the very least--the character storylines are interesting to follow. I just hope the general population starts trending the opposite direction as it'll make life at the end-game more entertaining.

[Elonaria]

I for one, have found the game to be extremely enjoyable, and extremely lacking in key elements at the same time. It will eventually be a solidly amazing game. However, like Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, how low will the population dwindle in the meantime, while it is being perfected? A perfection that should have been completed *before* launch?

SWTOR is extremely reminiscent of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. It was another game that (in my opinion) was one of the best MMOS ever created (both past and present). However, the time spent fixing screw-ups after launch killed the game of VG and I believe it will kill SWTOR as well. Granted, VG at launch was a complete massacre of epic proportions, and SWTOR isn't quite the extreme mess VG was, but still eerily similar.

 

However, due to the fact that we live in an instant gratification society, Vanguard and SWTOR have another thing in common; they were released FAR too early. SWTOR's 1.2 should have been part of the initial LAUNCH, not an update or second thought. Seriously, UI customization?...that should have been dealt with before the initial release. Legacy is another gumball to be chewed on later (whole other post).

 

BOTH games are phenomenal games, but the problem lies in the fact that they released them too soon in order to fulfill two things:

 

a) to quench and quiet the incessantly impatient and WHINY playerbase constantly begging and complaining for the release.

b) to put the money back in the pockets of the funders of the game(s).

 

I don't recall Monopoly, Chutes & Ladders, or Clue having to completely redo their games (sure they have made other *editions*), but the original board games still remain untouched and perfect the way they are. Why? Because back then, we lived in a world that was NOT built on selfish seclusion of me, myself and, I...but rather the greater good of the whole. It has nothing to do with BioWare screwing up on SWTOR, or the fact that VG changed ownership/handlers.

 

It has everything to do with everybody and their brother being impatient SOBs

 

In my opinion, the makers of MMOS need to start learning from the mistakes of their predecessors and making sure the game is PERFECT at launch...to avoid issues like the ones we're seeing.

 

And...the players (myself included) need to sit on their hands during the creation of an MMO, shut up, and wait until the makers of that game are ready to launch it on THEIR terms...not ours.

 

I may be wrong, and I certainly DO hope I am, because there is nothing I would like more than for SWTOR to have an enormous playerbase after all is said and done.