Subs down 25%

[Zsavooz]

No apology needed, I understand the frustration - I play on the PTS and a Light server as two of my main servers, so yeah, there are those times (like yesterday) where I was wishing for someone to group with in order to take down a side boss on one of my class quests. But this type of thing was argued about back and forth in GW1 for years, and still is to some extent. Some people need to have that group feeling, while others are OK with soloable content. I am a mixture of both - I am grateful that the design of the game allows for the ability to pretty much solo while leveling (one of the reasons I was attracted to it), but since my years in GW1, have also enjoyed the MM part of MMOs, so yeah, there is no need to apologize for frustration. However, I look at it this way (excuse my long-windedness):

 

I have gotten into the habit of researching a game I am interested in before buying it, because I want to my sure my money is well spent - hence I did not buy Stronghold 3 even though I loved the original games (never had time to really play SH2 yet - maybe one day when I retire). The fact that it required Steam, plus the absolutely disasterous buggy launch (see Frostvein, I don't give everyone a pass) I decided the drawbacks were more than I was willing to deal with. Same thing with SWTOR, except that what was going into the game convinced me that it has potential to keep me as entertained as GW1 did (and still does). However, I was also leary of getting burned the way I did with STO's launch in which the game was nearly unplayable for me for the first couple of months (and hence, I never really got into it). If BW had not upped the max on servers and added additional servers to accommodate the initial launch rush, I think I would have been tainted by the STO experience when encountering server ques, and potential poor performance and just said the heck with the game. Fortunately, because BW did what they did, my launch experience was one of the best ones ever, and thus I am still here enjoying the game.

 

Unfortunately, that decision has now impacted the gameplay of many because we are spread so thin, and those players who did not do their due diligence in researching the game are now miffed and leaving because they expected a different game and features than what was actually being built into the game, so we have dead servers. I don't fault BW for this particular situation because I think they made the right decision, but I do fault them for not having the Transfer tool ready to go sooner - especially since they knew they would be doing a phased roll-out to other regions and the early adopters of those regions would want to move to local servers when they opened up. So yeah, I think their timing could have been better with the transfers, but I am patient person by nature, so can wait out the time needed for them to get the tool up and running smoothly in order to move to a better populated server.

 

 

 

 

Let me re-copy this from my other post since you must have missed it:

Nothing blind about it. I support BW because they have a track record of making games I really enjoy, including this one. Just because you, and many others out there, didn't get what you wanted doesn't mean that the rest of us didn't either. I am still throughly enjoying this game, and will keep my subscription for as long as I am. I'm sorry it turns out not to be your cup of tea, but I am one of those players who remains "engaged" in the game. Quite frankly, I don't care how many subs the game has as long as I am enjoying it. I certainly want it to succeed and enjoy a long life, but if the servers shut down next month or next year, then at least I still have gotten my money's worth out of it - I'll still be disappointed that it's gone, but then I'll just go back to playing GW1 and DA:O until the next one comes along.

 

So yeah, trusting BW over the myriad of people who are prone to asinine and hyperbolic outburts - no contest there.

 

 

 

I think that's the nature of the genre itself. An MMO is never "complete" as we think of the term, and the problem comes from how to keep players who prefer many different types of things entertained in their game while the next batch of content is ready for release.

 

Some people want sandbox features - but that leaves out the whole slew of people who detest sandbox - still no endgame for them.

Some people want hardcore raids for epeen items - but that leaves out the casual and sandbox player

Some people want nothing but PvP - but that leaves out the PvEer.

 

Unfortunately, a game can only offer so much within the time and budget constraints it has. SWTOR's design direction was such that PvP and End Game were secondary features to the class quests and overarching story line. In all reality, for a game like this - there is no end game, the ongoing story is the neverending end game. Problem is, a lot of people completed the first part of the story before the next part is ready and the current end game (Raid type missions) don't suit everyone.

 

BJ

 

 

I enjoyed reading your post, well thought out and cognizant.

[BJWyler]

... what?

 

Yea it's obvious you haven't even played the game.

 

It literally has everything this game should have, and more. The only difference is voice acting/dialogue.

 

Shocking enough, not every game is for every person. I like SWTOR, you do not. There are plenty of "rabid fanbois" for GW2 - I am not one of them, though I am for GW1. While TERA may have everything you want in a game, they are meaningless to many others.

 

Carry on.

 

I enjoyed reading your post, well thought out and cognizant.

 

Thanks. I try and every once in a great long while, I actually find a gem.

 

BJ

Edited May 9, 2012 by BJWyler

[Wrakk]

Don't want this to turn into TERA vs Swtor thread but here's my 5 cents;

 

Tera is just another Korean grind mmorpg ( Like Aion for example ). Ppl are disposed towards saying: 'This game will be the next WoW killer & That game is the future of mmo gaming', etc

 

Sadly, most of the insinuations like that are pure rubbish; I played around 7 mmos so far and it's the same story with every upcoming title. In 3-4 months TERA will be mostly forgotten, the fate most of the new mmos share last few years.

 

Today's mmo gamers are more fickle and prone to changing games, etc. In reality that won't change the situation of 'mmo crisis' (so to speak) we have today....

Edited May 9, 2012 by Wrakk

[Tiaa]

Let me re-copy this from my other post since you must have missed it:

Nothing blind about it. I support BW because they have a track record of making games I really enjoy, including this one. Just because you, and many others out there, didn't get what you wanted doesn't mean that the rest of us didn't either. I am still throughly enjoying this game, and will keep my subscription for as long as I am. I'm sorry it turns out not to be your cup of tea, but I am one of those players who remains "engaged" in the game. Quite frankly, I don't care how many subs the game has as long as I am enjoying it. I certainly want it to succeed and enjoy a long life, but if the servers shut down next month or next year, then at least I still have gotten my money's worth out of it - I'll still be disappointed that it's gone, but then I'll just go back to playing GW1 and DA:O until the next one comes along.

 

So yeah, trusting BW over the myriad of people who are prone to asinine and hyperbolic outburts - no contest there.

 

You assuming I missed it...

 

...is you assuming I care if you enjoy the game or not,

 

...your opinions about what you think of people that have complaints and/or...

 

...you all together. Here's a hint.

 

I don't.

 

But nevertheless!

 

Bioware is the one that made people care about subscriptions by boasting and bragging about how many they would get / need to get etc.

 

Bioware is the one that released a bug filled game complete with random loading screens to things like companions not working properly.

 

Bioware is the one that ignored server decline. Even going as far as to basically say there isn't a problem.

 

Bioware is one that doesn't listen to their users until people go into revolt.

 

Bioware is the one that doesn't properly test content nor make a real effort to provide the players with the proper tools to test content . Samething they did in beta, samethings they are doing now.

 

Bioware is the one that thought they could ignore PvP and the MMO genre as a whole.

 

Bioware is the one whos quality of games started to decline after they joined up with EA.

 

Bioware is the one taking their time while we either sit on dead servers or leave all our characters behind and reroll on another server JUST to do content.

 

I'd go on but I do hope the picture is more clear for you now.

 

I don't even bother to argue with fanboys nor do I take most of them serious as most of you think brown nosing is going to get the game fixed.

 

News flash: Bioware doesn't need you to brown nose. They already think very highly of themselves to the point they think they can ignore the fanbase and know whats best.

 

You are may think everyone who complains is doing blind raging but I am very well calculated and the only blind people I see is the fanboys who spread tons of lies about what is in the game and how it plays.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Tiaa

[Zsavooz]

Don't want this to turn into TERA vs Swtor thread but here's my 5 cents;

 

Tera is just another Korean grind mmorpg ( Like Aion for example ). Ppl are disposed towards saying: 'This game will be the next WoW killer & That game is the future of mmo gaming', etc

 

Sadly, most of the insinuations like that are pure rubbish; I played around 7 mmos so far and it's the same story with every upcoming title. In 3-4 months TERA will be mostly forgotten, the fate most of the new mmos share last few years.

 

Today's mmo gamers are more fickle and prone to changing games, etc. In reality that won't change the situation of 'mmo crisis' (so to speak) we have today....

 

the only part of your post I agree with is this:

 

Today's mmo gamers are more fickle and prone to changing games, etc. In reality that won't change the situation of 'mmo crises' (so to speak) we have today....

 

the rest is just conjecture.

[Kimyrielle]

It literally has everything this game should have, and more. The only difference is voice acting/dialogue.

 

Careful. I am playing TERA too and I love it (particularly for its fresh approach to combat and its looks, which blows TOR's dull graphics right out of the water), but I am sure we will have pretty much the same discussion in TERA around 6-8 months from now, too. TERA seems to go down the same road as most MMOs - its endgame will be raiding. Which means, unless the devs pull out something really spectacular and surprising, we will see the same mass exodus of casual players to the next MMO. Unless someone hammers the basic truth "raiding-based endgame and casual players don't mix at all" into the devs' heads, casual players will remain a caravan of vagabonds who buy an MMO, play a couple of characters to max level, and then move on to the next game, for conventional MMO endgames have nothing to offer to them.

[RedWolfs]

BW may be a little bit more "SOE-ed" than you expect. After the NGE, BW hired a boat-load of the NGE devs for this game who "cut their development teeth", so to speak" on the CU and NGE since they were about 6 months apart. Dallas Dickerson and some of the other "leads" were there as well. In fact, BW got so many of these people it opened a studio in Austin TX, same place as SOE's dev teams, rather than import all these up to WA state.

 

Most of the problems that I can see with TOR that are causing these retention problems come from developer mindset. TOR seems to be the ultimate NGE of sorts (WoW copy), which pretty much maimed SWG. Anything that was left was killed off via Lorin Jameison, who changed SWG yet again with C6CD thru GU-Whatever. Another NGE of sorts, this time only in about a years time instead of 1 massive patch.

 

Now, they also got some very good talent from SOE as well, such as Adept-strain. This guy coded the appearance tab for SWG completly on his "off-time" just due to the fact that players wanted it and development had no time and resouces to apply to it. The appearance tab was greatly appreaciated and was done , in fact, very well with VERY few problems when it came.

 

Either these "older SOE" guys need to see the "error of their ways", a personel change, and/or some new blood and way of thinking needs to happen to give BW even a fighting chance, IMHO.

 

Note I said Smedly for a reason. As far as I know none of the old blood that came from SOE to Bioware thanks to Lucas Arts has openly called the NGE move a huge mistake. Admitting you have a problem (or something is a problem) is the first step in dealing with the problem. 1.1 and 1.2 have failed to amp subscriptions for a reason, they did not listen to a significant portion player base, and more than half who have tried this game are not paying subscribers today as a result. 1.3 will not have a meaningful spike in player base as Bioware as a company has not taken the first step in dealing with the problem they have created with the community.

 

The game is great, once you get past all the bugs, and the story is one of the best every applied to an MMORPG. I love the blend of MMORPG styles and systems they have. The customer would forgive much if Bioware would forget about metrics, and deal with people instead. While metrics say this may be a more balanced equation, if the player finds the new balance less fun, THEY WONT PAY FOR IT.

 

Seriously I have seen other MMO's driven into the ground the same way SWTOR is, Rift and LOTRO to name two. Rift has not turned it around, mostly because they made the choice as a company to cater to a select customer base of hard core gamers. LOTRO went down that road with their MOM/SOM expansions and each cost them subs. LOTRO turned their subscriber (not talking FTP account numbers, but the real subs as they are not a true FTP but a Hybrid MMO) when they again embraced a broader customer base.

[Andryah]

Bioware is the one that made people care about subscriptions by boasting and bragging about how many they would get / need to get etc.

 

Bioware is the one that released a bug filled game complete with random loading screens to things like companions not working properly.

 

Bioware is the one that ignored server decline. Even going as far as to basically say there isn't a problem.

 

Bioware is one that doesn't listen to their users until people go into revolt.

 

Bioware is the one that doesn't properly test content nor make a real effort to provide the players with the proper tools to test content . Samething they did in beta, samethings they are doing now.

 

Bioware is the one that thought they could ignore PvP and the MMO genre as a whole.

 

Bioware is the one whos quality of games started to decline after they joined up with EA.

 

Bioware is the one taking their time while we either sit on dead servers or leave all our characters behind and reroll on another server JUST to do content.

 

I'd go on but I do hope the picture is more clear for you now.

 

I don't even bother to argue with fanboys nor do I take most of them serious as most of you think brown nosing is going to get the game fixed.

 

News flash: Bioware doesn't need you to brown nose. They already think very highly of themselves to the point they think they can ignore the fanbase and know whats best.

 

You are may think everyone who complains is doing blind raging but I am very well calculated and the only blind people I see is the fanboys who spread tons of lies about what is in the game and how it plays.

 

Actually, that is a whole lot of misplaced anger for one person to hold on to, much less use as a lecture baton on others.

[Frostvein]

Careful. I am playing TERA too and I love it (particularly for its fresh approach to combat and its looks, which blows TOR's dull graphics right out of the water), but I am sure we will have pretty much the same discussion in TERA around 6-8 months from now, too. TERA seems to go down the same road as most MMOs - its endgame will be raiding. Which means, unless the devs pull out something really spectacular and surprising, we will see the same mass exodus of casual players to the next MMO. Unless someone hammers the basic truth "raiding-based endgame and casual players don't mix at all" into the devs' heads, casual players will remain a caravan of vagabonds who buy an MMO, play a couple of characters to max level, and then move on to the next game, for conventional MMO endgames have nothing to offer to them.

 

Tera just has a ton going for it now. Many unique features in a market saturated with the same old same old.

 

Guild v Guild warfare, single faction, amazing engine, unique combat, politcal aspects, LFG, server transfers, etc.

 

IMO, its a better MMO then most everything out right now.

[rakuenCallisto]

Don't want this to turn into TERA vs Swtor thread but here's my 5 cents;

 

Tera is just another Korean grind mmorpg ( Like Aion for example ). Ppl are disposed towards saying: 'This game will be the next WoW killer & That game is the future of mmo gaming', etc

 

Sadly, most of the insinuations like that are pure rubbish; I played around 7 mmos so far and it's the same story with every upcoming title. In 3-4 months TERA will be mostly forgotten, the fate most of the new mmos share last few years.

 

Today's mmo gamers are more fickle and prone to changing games, etc. In reality that won't change the situation of 'mmo crisis' (so to speak) we have today....

 

The reason TERA is so paramount is because it's basically a 3rd person beat' em up with MMO elements and features.

 

That means it's not a boring snoozefest of me vs. some mob or even better, a PvP player, just spamming abilities until one of us goes down. Every ability is skillshot. Every move matters. Tab targetting is boring and so isn't the combat that comes with it. This brings a whole new dynamic to combat.

 

This does multiple things, but the most obvious is grinding/farming. These things are no longer tedious and boring. It's so much fun just USING the combat features.

 

I'm not even gonna go into all the end-game goodies like GvG, Area Control, WvWvW and end-game politics that involve guild leaders and cross server options.

 

This is just the surface of TERA.

 

Then again, it's just like any other mmo right?

Edited May 9, 2012 by rakuenCallisto

[rakuenCallisto]

Tera just has a ton going for it now. Many unique features in a market saturated with the same old same old.

 

Guild v Guild warfare, single faction, amazing engine, unique combat, politcal aspects, LFG, server transfers, etc.

 

IMO, its a better MMO then most everything out right now.

 

YES THIS.

 

Thank you.

 

Most of the people crapping on TERA make it clearly obvious they haven't played the game, let alone researched.

[BJWyler]

You assuming I missed it...

You are correct there - sorry.

 

...is you assuming I care if you enjoy the game or not,

 

...your opinions about what you think of people that have complaints and/or...

 

...you all together. Here's a hint.

 

I don't.

Never really crossed my mind, actually. It seemed entertaining enough for me to respond, so hence:

 

But nevertheless!

 

Bioware is the one that made people care about subscriptions by boasting and bragging about how many they would get / need to get etc.

And anyone with any intelligence and knowledge of today's gaming industry can see through the marketing hyperbole and take it for what it is.

 

Bioware is the one that released a bug filled game complete with random loading screens to things like companions not working properly.

Nobody likes bugs (well, except for those people who study them), but as I mentioned in an earlier post, that's the nature of today's technology and gaming industry. Unfortunate certainly, but unavoidable in my view (having just a bit of experience in that). What separates the men from the boys however, is how those issues get corrected. BW has done an average job IMO - I have certainly been subjected to worse - and none of it is game-breaking for my play experience, so I report what I see and carry on.

 

Bioware is the one that ignored server decline. Even going as far as to basically say there isn't a problem.

I saw no indication that they ignored it. I actually saw an interview where they acknowledged the decrease in active/concurrent players. I didn't see where they said it wasn't a problem, but weren't concerned with it because they had plans in place to rectify it. Plans they have already implemented for APAC and are finalizing for the rest of us. I will submit, that they should have had it ready sooner.

 

Bioware is one that doesn't listen to their users until people go into revolt.

Really? I guess that's why the concept for the original LFG tool was scrapped, the plans to be able to get rid of companions was scrapped, and additional servers were added during launch (and current sever limits increased) - because they didn't listen to the players ... oh wait, all that happened because they listened to the players. Little surprise that they would be reluctant to act on any of our demands now.

 

Bioware is the one that doesn't properly test content nor make a real effort to provide the players with the proper tools to test content . Samething they did in beta, samethings they are doing now.

Oh, so the Public Test Server I play on doesn't really exist? That month of testing 1.2 on the PTS didn't really happen? Dang, thems is good pills my doctor gave me!!

 

Bioware is the one that thought they could ignore PvP and the MMO genre as a whole.

No, they thought they could try to add a little something different to the genre as a whole. It was a mistake on their part to assume that the gaming community was intelligent enough to realize what the priorities of the design were going to be before people spent money on the game. Yeah, shame on you BW for bringing something different to the table.

 

Bioware is the one whos quality of games started to decline after they joined up with EA.

You're right, I hate the quality of the DA series so much, I just have to keep on playing them just to remind me how much they really suck. SWTOR - I need at least 4-5 hours a day just to make me appreciate just how bad the game is.

 

Bioware is the one taking their time while we either sit on dead servers or leave all our characters behind and reroll on another server JUST to do content.

Again, I will agree on this point. They should have had the transfer ready to go sooner. But I am a patient person, and to err is human - to forgive, divine. So yes, they made a mistake, but I will take the higher road and let them correct said error within a few weeks.

 

I'd go on but I do hope the picture is more clear for you now.

"Crystal" (anyone who gets the reference, let me know)

 

I don't even bother to argue with fanboys nor do I take most of them serious as most of you think brown nosing is going to get the game fixed.

 

News flash: Bioware doesn't need you to brown nose. They already think very highly of themselves to the point they think they can ignore the fanbase and know whats best.

 

You are may think everyone who complains is doing blind raging but I am very well calculated and the only blind people I see is the fanboys who spread tons of lies about what is in the game and how it plays.

 

I will always wear the title of fanboi for any game I enjoy with pride, thank you. I will also be critical of said game where warranted, and make suggestions when I feel the idea is good enough. I will also take to task anyone who makes asinine and hyperbolic statements (such as your final comment in the post I responded to) because ... well it's what I do for entertainment when I can't play the game.

 

BJ

Edited May 9, 2012 by BJWyler

[rakuenCallisto]

Careful. I am playing TERA too and I love it (particularly for its fresh approach to combat and its looks, which blows TOR's dull graphics right out of the water), but I am sure we will have pretty much the same discussion in TERA around 6-8 months from now, too. TERA seems to go down the same road as most MMOs - its endgame will be raiding. Which means, unless the devs pull out something really spectacular and surprising, we will see the same mass exodus of casual players to the next MMO. Unless someone hammers the basic truth "raiding-based endgame and casual players don't mix at all" into the devs' heads, casual players will remain a caravan of vagabonds who buy an MMO, play a couple of characters to max level, and then move on to the next game, for conventional MMO endgames have nothing to offer to them.

 

There's actually a LOT more endgame than that, AND they are adding in more now!

 

Just the PvP battlegrounds, end-game politics and GvG/WvW is more than enough to keep me busy once I ding lvl 60.

[rakuenCallisto]

I saw no indication that they ignored it. I actually saw an interview where they acknowledged the decrease in active/concurrent players. I didn't see where they said it wasn't a problem, but weren't concerned with it because they had plans in place to rectify it. Plans they have already implemented for APAC and are finalizing for the rest of us. I will submit, that they should have had it ready sooner.

BJ

 

You are right, but It was actually worse than that.

 

They acknowledged the problem in the same interview you are talking about, AND THEN said that server merges were not a priority.

 

This was months ago.

[Alkiii]

Careful. I am playing TERA too and I love it (particularly for its fresh approach to combat and its looks, which blows TOR's dull graphics right out of the water), but I am sure we will have pretty much the same discussion in TERA around 6-8 months from now, too. TERA seems to go down the same road as most MMOs - its endgame will be raiding. Which means, unless the devs pull out something really spectacular and surprising, we will see the same mass exodus of casual players to the next MMO. Unless someone hammers the basic truth "raiding-based endgame and casual players don't mix at all" into the devs' heads, casual players will remain a caravan of vagabonds who buy an MMO, play a couple of characters to max level, and then move on to the next game, for conventional MMO endgames have nothing to offer to them.

 

As a gamer, I really don't care if it's successful or not in 6-8 months. I don't pick favorites and don't limit myself to one game. I surely don't bash another game because I favor another. I truly enjoy SWTOR. It's a lot of fun. But the bugs, the lack of bug fixes (SOE has been bugged since Beta and they STILL haven't fixed the encounter), the lack of population on (3) different servers I play on, the ability delay and the performance issues (even on my high end system) definitely take their toll. Then, when someone like myself tries out another game it makes it quite apparent that the devs just aren't making the right decisions over there at Bioware.

 

I want SWTOR to succeed and who knows what the future holds, but right now, the game is in pretty poor shape for such a high-end title. Of course, this is just my opinion. However, as a former shareholder of EA (I made about $4000.00 when I sold my shares in November), what I saw yesterday in their report tells me that things aren't as good as the SWTOR supporters are trying to portray and I would not be happy if I still had those same shares today (I would have lost $300.00 if I decided to sell today).

 

When SWTOR isn't in the top (5) games they're working with, things aren't as peachy as everyone is trying to make it out to be. Again, I absolutely love SWTOR, and I hope to come back someday. But right now, there's just better quality products on the market to satisfy my entertainment needs.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Alkiii

[Staavis_SC]

I don't even bother to argue with fanboys nor do I take most of them serious as most of you think brown nosing is going to get the game fixed.

 

Oh? Really? You don't argue with "fanboys"?

 

You assuming I missed it...

 

...is you assuming I care if you enjoy the game or not,

 

...your opinions about what you think of people that have complaints and/or...

 

...you all together. Here's a hint.

 

I don't.

 

But nevertheless!

 

Bioware is the one that made people care about subscriptions by boasting and bragging about how many they would get / need to get etc.

 

Bioware is the one that released a bug filled game complete with random loading screens to things like companions not working properly.

 

Bioware is the one that ignored server decline. Even going as far as to basically say there isn't a problem.

 

Bioware is one that doesn't listen to their users until people go into revolt.

 

Bioware is the one that doesn't properly test content nor make a real effort to provide the players with the proper tools to test content . Samething they did in beta, samethings they are doing now.

 

Bioware is the one that thought they could ignore PvP and the MMO genre as a whole.

 

Bioware is the one whos quality of games started to decline after they joined up with EA.

 

Bioware is the one taking their time while we either sit on dead servers or leave all our characters behind and reroll on another server JUST to do content.

 

I'd go on but I do hope the picture is more clear for you now.

 

I don't even bother to argue with fanboys nor do I take most of them serious as most of you think brown nosing is going to get the game fixed.

 

News flash: Bioware doesn't need you to brown nose. They already think very highly of themselves to the point they think they can ignore the fanbase and know whats best.

 

You are may think everyone who complains is doing blind raging but I am very well calculated and the only blind people I see is the fanboys who spread tons of lies about what is in the game and how it plays.

 

Tiaa, you have a phone call on Line 2. I believe it's Mr. Pot. He says you are...well, you get the idea.

[Kimyrielle]

There's actually a LOT more endgame than that, AND they are adding in more now!

 

Just the PvP battlegrounds, end-game politics and GvG/WvW is more than enough to keep me busy once I ding lvl 60.

 

Maybe I have overlooked something, but I am not aware of anything either already in-game or planned, that would count as a "PvE endgame for players with casual attitude towards gaming". Don't get me wrong, I love that game - but I have been disappointed by MMOs telling me the "Thanks for playing a character to max level, but if you don't want to raid, it's time to pack your stuff and leave through the backdoor" thing so often that I don't buy new MMOs with any plans to stay past maxing 1-3 characters anymore. *shrug* Perhaps one MMO will prove me wrong, one day.

[SikrouDeco]

I can't wait for EA employees like Rayla to start coming in and telling us losing subs is a good thing.

 

reduced subs reduces lag.. so that's a good thing right? </sarcasm off>

 

Maybe I have overlooked something, but I am not aware of anything either already in-game or planned, that would count as a "PvE endgame for players with casual attitude towards gaming". Don't get me wrong, I love that game - but I have been disappointed by MMOs telling me the "Thanks for playing a character to max level, but if you don't want to raid, it's time to pack your stuff and leave through the backdoor" thing so often that I don't buy new MMOs with any plans to stay past maxing 1-3 characters anymore. *shrug* Perhaps one MMO will prove me wrong, one day.

 

You read my mind. I'm all but finished with mmo's.

Edited May 9, 2012 by SikrouDeco

[BJWyler]

You are right, but It was actually worse than that.

 

They acknowledged the problem in the same interview you are talking about, AND THEN said that server merges were not a priority.

 

This was months ago.

 

IIRC, they weren't a priority, but were on the table - the priority being that the Character Transfer tool would negate the need to perform a server merger because it would be complicated by the Legacy system.

 

Oh? Really? You don't argue with "fanboys"?

 

 

 

Tiaa, you have a phone call on Line 2. I believe it's Mr. Pot. He says you are...well, you get the idea.

 

LOL - why didn't I think of that. Thanks for the laugh.

 

BJ

Edited May 9, 2012 by BJWyler

[Slurmez]

You know what I couldnt beleive? I couldnt get over how fast Bioware doled out -

 

Invite a friend free trials

 

Weekend trials

 

An almost randomly thrown out 30 "free" days

 

The just couldnt get how fast these things were given out, just seemed unheard of at that stage in any MMOs life let alone a successful one.

[SikrouDeco]

You know what I couldnt beleive? I couldnt get over how fast Bioware doled out -

 

Invite a friend free trials

 

Weekend trials

 

An almost randomly thrown out 30 "free" days

 

The just couldnt get how fast these things were given out, just seemed unheard of at that stage in any MMOs life let alone a successful one.

 

Yeah, seems desperate times have come to the galaxy... SWTOR is yet further proof, MMO's have a beginning, middle, and sadly.. and end..

Edited May 9, 2012 by SikrouDeco

[mSum]

I like this quote form the IGN article:

"Most of the subscriber number drop was attributed to the loss of more casual players."

 

You can read it here: http://pc.ign.com/articles/122/1224460p1.html

 

LOL. Not sure where IGN got this, no direct quote is cited. But if that's what BW/EA thinks....they are very wrong. The hardcore "fans" if you can call them that, left months ago because there wasn't enough to do. They leveled, cleared every operation and got bored.

[mSum]

The only problem with SWTOR for me is how few people are left on my server, and it's getting worse every week. In two hours I can't even get the PvP daily done most of the time because queue times are so long.

 

Guild recruiting is difficult because there aren't many people out there to recruit.

[Dezzi]

I like this quote form the IGN article:

"Most of the subscriber number drop was attributed to the loss of more casual players."

 

You can read it here: http://pc.ign.com/articles/122/1224460p1.html

 

LOL. Not sure where IGN got this, no direct quote is cited. But if that's what BW/EA thinks....they are very wrong. The hardcore "fans" if you can call them that, left months ago because there wasn't enough to do. They leveled, cleared every operation and got bored.

 

They got it from page 7 of EA's report which states, "... with a substantial portion of the decrease due to casual and trial players cycling out of the subscriber base, driving up the overall percentage of paying subscribers."

[pairadox]

Yeah, seems desperate times have come to the galaxy... SWTOR is yet further proof, MMO's have a beginning, middle, and sadly.. and end..

 

I dunno about that.

I think what we might see is another change in the system of mmos itself. Games like (god help me.) MW3 are very popular. Id be willing to bet at some point soon, we will start to see mmos starting to marry with alot of those ideas.

 

More casual, less intensive. More quick and easy to get into estyle games.

 

Im not saying its good. But its selling.