300million and lots of worn out spacebars

[Gungan]

The moments when I interact with the game world in a meaningful way are the highlights of leveling.

 

This. It's not voice overs that make a game good. The voice overs and stories aren't even anywhere near as good as Mass Effect, where there's some actual emotional depth in conversations with fully fleshed out characters. I care about Mass Effect characters more than some family members because I find them to be far more interesting people.

 

There isn't a single character in SWTOR that is that well defined, or with which you develop that kind of rapport.

 

They are all generic archetypes with high school problems.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Gungan

[GamewizX]

you must have the opposite of midas touch

 

I fail to see the point of this reply.

[Seregul]

I'm actually kind of curious what the "spacebar" group thought they were getting when they bought a game advertised as being... "A cinematic story driven MMORPG".

 

I ignored the advertising and looked at the actual product. Now don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the cinematics and VO quite a bit, and while the story was good it really wasn't anything new. WoW has story. The distinction with SWTOR is the way it is delivered to you. I would still hesitate to call it "story driven" though, because while there is more immersion with the VO rather than just the text, underneath that SWTOR is still structured as a traditional MMO, with character levels, talent points, gear grind, etc. And there is a schism between the two, because the story doesn't impact the gameplay significantly. To me "story driven" would mean no leveling and no class trainers, instead your character would progress based solely on the choices made during the story. And there would be way more phasing, I'd expect to see my decisions manifest themselves in the in-game world.

[GnatB]

I disagree. I'm personally most looking forward to what happens with the story next, with our characters and with the galaxy.

 

None of which requires wasting money on VA's. I play this game for the story. (I play MOST games for the story. I may try to do each flashpoint once, don't do ops or PvP at all) Doesn't mean I need to sit around waiting for the VA's to earn their paychecks reciting their lines once I've finished reading the text.

 

Now sure, for those rare scenes that consist of something more than somebody standing there reciting lines and have some action to them, I might not skip through them, but that makes up maybe 1% of all the scenes. And even then there probably isn't any real VO going along with it.

 

Cinematic/Story driven doesn't require VA's.

Edited May 11, 2012 by GnatB

[TheMunny]

First MMO was SWG, and the list of MMOs I've played just off the top of my head are SWG, MO, LOTRO, CO, COH, STO, EVE, WOW, DCUO, Aion, and a slew of other smaller named MMOs.

 

And I've been playing this game since last August when I got into beta.

 

Try again.

 

 

Edit: Oh, add WAR to that list. Also, I'm only counting the games where I've had at least a 3 month subscription to.

 

That explains it..

 

Most of those games are post WoW and/or attempted to copy/paste WoW in some form. No wonder why you enjoy ToR considering it is a futuristic carbon copy of WoW.

Edited May 11, 2012 by TheMunny

[Gungan]

I ignored the advertising and looked at the actual product. Now don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed the cinematics and VO quite a bit, and while the story was good it really wasn't anything new. WoW has story. The distinction with SWTOR is the way it is delivered to you. I would still hesitate to call it "story driven" though, because while there is more immersion with the VO rather than just the text, underneath that SWTOR is still structured as a traditional MMO, with character levels, talent points, gear grind, etc. And there is a schism between the two, because the story doesn't impact the gameplay significantly. To me "story driven" would mean no leveling and no class trainers, instead your character would progress based solely on the choices made during the story. And there would be way more phasing, I'd expect to see my decisions manifest themselves in the in-game world.

 

That is a very apt observation/conclusion.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Gungan

[Wazooty]

The voice acting is all superficial. Plus it's essentially worthless once you hit end game. If you want to keep subscribers end game is where your eggs need to be, so to speak.

[GamewizX]

That explains it..

 

Most of those games are post WoW and/or attempted to copy/paste WoW in some form. No wonder why you enjoy ToR considering it is a futuristic carbon copy of WoW.

 

Really? STO, MO, Eve, COH, DCUO and SWG are like WoW?

 

Try again.

Edited May 11, 2012 by GamewizX

[kurzis]

Really? STO, MO, Eve, COH, DCUO and SWG are like WoW?

 

Try again.

 

to be fair STO and DCUO are the only one that was post WoW

Edited May 11, 2012 by kurzis

[GamewizX]

to be fair STO and DCUO are the only one that was post WoW

 

As is DCUO, but I would not consider DCUO to be anything like WoW. Edit: Haha you edited your post

 

Point being is that the other poster is so bent on trying to validate his own argument by claiming I'm new to the MMO industry. I'm anything but.

Edited May 11, 2012 by GamewizX

[GnatB]

The voice acting is all superficial. Plus it's essentially worthless once you hit end game. If you want to keep subscribers end game is where your eggs need to be, so to speak.

 

You sure about that? Seem to remember most metrics indicate the vast majority of people playing any particular MMO arent' "end game" players.

 

But I'll agree that the voice acting is all superficial and unneeded.

[Kubernetic]

If "watching people talk when giving you a task to do" constitutes "a cinematic experience", then Hollywood has been doing it all wrong all these years!

 

News flash. There are no real cinematics in this game other than the Hope and Deceived trailers, and whatever the intro is called. There are only dialogues.

 

I am so frickin' tired of watching people talk - that's what TV and movies are for. I want good gameplay in my games.

 

Sorry, but you are wrong. Unfortunately, you space-barred through the actual cinematics, so you think they're all just people talking to you.

 

Try the Trooper story. It's got some great cinematics, and some epic ones toward the end of Chatpers 2 and 3.

[TheMunny]

As is DCUO, but I would not consider DCUO to be anything like WoW. Edit: Haha you edited your post

 

Point being is that the other poster is so bent on trying to validate his own argument by claiming I'm new to the MMO industry. I'm anything but.

 

Yep, trying to validate...

 

SWG was a bag of crap as were most of your titles you mentioned.

 

Been playing MMO's online since Asherons call.

 

I have also tried many new titles since then.

 

Doesn't make ToR any less of WoW + Space.

 

Hell, even Rift has a few unique designs....

 

Name 1 thing ToR has that is unique to the genre? Other than the ability to screw your companion...

[Qaoz]

So many people with ADHD in here. Some with ADD as well.

 

It's almost funny.

[Sotaudi]

anyone think voice acting was worth the money or was it a waste and has it just heavily restricted the game?

 

any new content, expansions etc will require voice actors, this is going to ramp up the cost of new content meaning development time might be pointless.

 

im starting to worry that going down the voice actor route might of killed the game before it even started, especially considering the lack of communication from the dev team, new bugs with every patch and lack of content being released.

 

im wondering if the devs have any plans to revert back to the tried, tested and working text based approach for new content or will they keep pointlessly wasting money on mediocre voice actors?

 

First, since Bioware has not disclosed the actual development costs and since industry analysts estimate the cost to be more likely between 150 million and 200 million, your point is off, cost-wise, as much as 50 - 100% too high. More importantly, by contrasting the total cost of the game and the amount of spacebar pushing you perceive, you are suggesting that all that money was wasted because you perceive that people are not bothering with experiencing the voice acting. Grossly over estimating the total cost then falsely suggesting that all that money was spent on voice acting is highly disingenuous.

 

Even without that, your premise is absurd. Yes, people spacebar through voice-overs they have seen before. Guess what, people spacebar (or whatever the mechanism) through content they have read before in other games. Those who would spacebar through the acting they have not seen/heard yet are the same people who spacebar through text based quests that they have not seen before. In fact, I would venture to say that it is far more likely that someone would spacebar through a quest dialog they have not seen before on games with text based presentations. Thus, if the fact that people spacebar through stuff they have seen before and if a minority hitting the spacebar through everything means this was a waste, the you have to also conclude that text based presentations are a waste as well.

 

Is it really wasted? Ironically, just last night, I was playing a different game, and it, of course, is primarily text based in its quest presentations, and what few times there is a voice over, it is presented with a still "picture" of the NPC. While I was playing it, I couldn't help buf think how primitive the whole thing felt compared to SW:TOR. So, no, the money spent on the voice acting was not a waste. In fact, I would suspect that there will be more and more of a trend to implementing this in games as it does add a lot to the flavor of a game.

[Gungan]

Sorry, but you are wrong. Unfortunately, you space-barred through the actual cinematics, so you think they're all just people talking to you.

 

Try the Trooper story. It's got some great cinematics, and some epic ones toward the end of Chatpers 2 and 3.

 

My main is a Trooper. I didn't space bar through a single thing. The story was still so generic and unmemorable that I can't even remember what happened after Act 2, and I only have 2 characters to remember. Dialogues are not cinematics, and there are no cinematics in the trooper story either. I caught up to the traitors? Talk talk talk, end dialogue and fight.

 

Seriously, please tell me what the story was for trooper so I can actually remember, or point me to a site that has a summary because I would really like to remember.

 

I couldn't bring myself to care anything about my companions either because they're totally uninteresting people with high school problems. I hate the fact that they're all troopers too. The only character that was even remotely interesting was the chick from SI that has a breakdown when you save her from the space station on that rescue mission.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Gungan

[Kthx]

So many people with ADHD in here. Some with ADD as well.

 

This is an insult to the integrity and maturity of those who suffer from ADHD and ADD.

[GamewizX]

Yep, trying to validate...

 

SWG was a bag of crap as were most of your titles you mentioned.

 

Been playing MMO's online since Asherons call.

 

I have also tried many new titles since then.

 

Doesn't make ToR any less of WoW + Space.

 

Hell, even Rift has a few unique designs....

 

Name 1 thing ToR has that is unique to the genre? Other than the ability to screw your companion...

 

If most of those titles were bags of crap to you, then perhaps you just aren't into the MMO genre that much.

 

I enjoy TOR. I find it hilarious that is so offensive to you and you are so out to "prove" my personal preference of games is wrong.

 

This all boils back to my original reply to you. I find that TOR has both great VO as well as fun gameplay. Clearly my MMO experience isn't new or restricted to just one type of MMO. So instead of you desperately trying to cling this idea that only those with extensive MMO experience with your exact mindset can hold a valid opinion, try and recognize the fact that I'm entitled to enjoy this game and that it differs from yours. It might be hard for you, but at least give it a try, hm?

Edited May 11, 2012 by GamewizX

[TheMunny]

If most of those titles were bags of crap to you, then perhaps you just aren't into the MMO genre that much.

 

I enjoy TOR. I find it hilarious that is so offensive to you and you are so out to "prove" my personal preference of games is wrong.

 

This all boils back to my original reply to you. I find that TOR has both great VO as well as fun gameplay. Clearly my MMO experience isn't new or restricted to just one type of MMO. So instead of you desperately trying to cling this idea that only those with extensive MMO experience with your exact mindset can hold a valid opinion, try and recognize the fact that I'm entitled to enjoy this game and that it differs from yours. It might be hard for you, but at least give it a try, hm?

 

Let me define "Crap" for you.....Games that went under fast, or had failed launches.

 

I am happy you Enjoy ToR, I don't enjoy chasing carrots in space. If I enjoyed WoW's version of an MMO I would still be playing that and wouldn't of bought ToR. I, like many, bought Tor because of the trademark name, but I am disappointed in their delivery.

 

I will be back to playing mortal online, and a little bit of Rift until GW2 releases, peace.

 

ToR will look like Horizons in 6 months.

[Qaoz]

This is an insult to the integrity and maturity of those who suffer from ADHD and ADD.

 

My bad.

[GamewizX]

Let me define "Crap" for you.....Games that went under fast, or had failed launches.

 

I am happy you Enjoy ToR, I don't enjoy chasing carrots in space. If I enjoyed WoW's version of an MMO I would still be playing that and wouldn't of bought ToR. I, like many, bought Tor because of the trademark name, but I am disappointed in their delivery.

 

I will be back to playing mortal online, and a little bit of Rift until GW2 releases, peace.

 

ToR will look like Horizons in 6 months.

 

Then feel free to enjoy Mortal Online and I will continue to enjoy TOR.

[Brutus]

What hooked me in beta was the story and voice acting. I've played pretty much every day since pre-launch: I never hit space bar, and still enjoy the stories.

 

Amen to that! I even listen to the VO in the dailies about 50% of the time (sometimes I get in a hurry). I was a bit disappointed that the Corellia dailies didnt have much in the way of VO. \

 

Still love the game though!!!

[Blistrich]

Then feel free to enjoy Mortal Online and I will continue to enjoy TOR.

Mortal Online is where people who want a hardcore PvP open-world sandbox MMO with no limits go to discover that no such thing exists. Instead, you get roaming PK squads, lifeless melee fights, bad graphics, and not much to do.

[Kubernetic]

My main is a Trooper. I didn't space bar through a single thing. The story was still so generic and unmemorable that I can't even remember what happened after Act 2, and I only have 2 characters to remember. Dialogues are not cinematics, and there are no cinematics in the trooper story either. I caught up to the traitors? Talk talk talk, end dialogue and fight.

 

Seriously, please tell me what the story was for trooper so I can actually remember, or point me to a site that has a summary because I would really like to remember.

 

I couldn't bring myself to care anything about my companions either because they're totally uninteresting people with high school problems. I hate the fact that they're all troopers too. The only character that was even remotely interesting was the chick from SI that has a breakdown when you save her from the space station on that rescue mission.

 

The final attack against the Gauntlet? The final battle for Corellia? Those were epic missions, IMHO, and the cinematics made the entire thing happen. Sorry if you didn't appreciate them as I did. But I thought they were just awesome.

 

As to your other comment about your companions, I find it hard to believe that you actually played a trooper now. There wasn't one single problem I ever heard from any of my companions during the trooper story line that ever amounted to "a high school problem".

 

Love this game. Will be here for a long while.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Kubernetic

[GnatB]

Those who would spacebar through the acting they have not seen/heard yet are the same people who spacebar through text based quests that they have not seen before. In fact, I would venture to say that it is far more likely that someone would spacebar through a quest dialog they have not seen before on games with text based presentations. Thus, if the fact that people spacebar through stuff they have seen before and if a minority hitting the spacebar through everything means this was a waste, the you have to also conclude that text based presentations are a waste as well.

 

You are wrong. I spacebar through the VA after reading the text. I still do, however, read the text. Just like in pretty much every other game. (you did know you can turn on subtitles, right?) Sometimes (not often) there is actual action and not just guy standing there reading lines, and then I won't space through that either. So no, people who space bar through the VA they have not seen/heard before are NOT the same people who spacebar through text based quests that they have not seen before. Quickly reading text is far less boring than watching some guy recite lines. So, perhaps you need a new metric? people that space through after reading the text?

 

And yes, most of the scenes where one or more guys just stands there reading lines are BORING. Maybe I have ADHD or ADD. Maybe I just have taste. Maybe I've just been playing games since the early 80's and am already used to reading dialog in games, and still find it far more efficient and just as enjoyable. Whatever, I have better things to do than validate overpaid VA's.