A short comparison - travel time

[mdob]

Sure, but shouldn't you have the option of walking the long unnecessary distance to your guided ambush?

 

That's what I like to call, "player involvement."

 

Sure, I'm all for player choice.

[Zataos]

For the love of god, just make quick travel possible between planets after you unlock them, instantly, the majority of the player base is EXTREMELY happy and the game feels "bigger" as it opens up more planets that are "reasonable" to visit.

[rjkishida]

I might not mind all the zone changes if they DIDN'T TAKE SO LONG or CRASH MY COMPUTER.

 

I can see some logic in moving through areas and theoretically that adds to immersion.

 

Fact is with all the zone changes and annoying routes for movement, players spend more time moving from point A to point B than actually doing anything. Booring.

[DarthTHC]

I always thought the "instant portal to everywhere" was a bit unfortunate for that other game because they made a big expansive world that no one ever got to see, since all they did was sit around in cities and get teleported to places.

 

Yah, the "instant portal to anywhere" thing just won't work in a Star Wars universe.

 

I mean, it would have to be an "instant shuttle to anywhere" for it to make sense...

 

(BTW I agree with the OP. There is nothing fun or entertaining about the time-sink that is travel in this game.)

[TUXs]

We just need a shuttle on Fleet that lists all Dailies/Flashpoints/Operations and upon clicking it you choose the Daily/Flashpoint/Operation you want it and it takes you and your party straight to the starting door.

 

We do. I once believed that travel and some forced down time was a good thing, but Bioware has taken it to an entirely new level.

[Underverce]

I tend to agree that the travel in this game is ridiculous. Rather than immersion we got a time sink. I got to Alderaan yesterday on my shadow and timed almost a 3 minute run through the damn palace to get upstairs to talk to one guy. This routine is repeated about 500 times on every planet. Ludicrous amounts of running through enormous buildings or fighting through endless tunnels filled with mobs. Enemies are packed so tightly everywhere you go that exploration isn't worth the time. Not to mention there isn't anything to find if you do try to explore. Other than walls and mountains, anyway.

 

The sad part is even with the very obvious time consuming techniques that have been implemented you can still casually reach 50 in about 2 weeks. Way too fast to be hitting endgame. So why do we have these enormous, empty buildings we are forced to run through without anything interactive inside them, yet our worlds are tiny and on rails?

 

I think we all know the answer to that question.

[Codek]

I know! they should include random enemy encounters to entertain you while you run between places! Just like every other RPG that's made.

[cyberglum]

I agree that travel time is painful.

Perhaps the class hangar portals should show a cut scene of you getting on your ship, sitting in your pilot seat and taking off, and the reverse could be done when landing at a planet? That would at least cut down on some of the annoyance without bypassing your ship.

 

Probably the most constructive post in the thread. If we have to live with these transitions at least make them partially entertaining. No one wants to sit for up to a minute watching a load bar fill-up.

 

Heck, even randomly different load screens would be better than the single one for each local. Strange thing is this transitioning harks all the way back to Neverwinter Nights (and even further for Bioware) and in that game you could have random load screens. And that was back in 2003.

[NoaFlux]

You can't just "snap your finger" and warp anywhere you want. It doesn't matter what game it is, unless it takes place in the year 10,000 A.D.....Than it might make sense.

 

 

It's all about balancing these two things;

Experiencing the worlds, and space of the SWTOR universe (which means walking or riding)

 

and

 

Traveling quickly so you can enjoy the accual gaming.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

Now that I think about it....vehicle riding does these things....maybe just make it faster?

Edited May 16, 2012 by NoaFlux

[DarthTHC]

You can't just "snap your finger" and warp anywhere you want. It doesn't matter what game it is, unless it takes place in the year 10,000 A.D.....Than it might make sense.

 

 

Like I said it's all about balancing two thing;

Experiencing the worlds, and space of the SWTOR universe (which means walking or riding)

 

and

 

Traveling quickly so you can enjoy the accual gaming.

 

It takes place "A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."

 

But judging by your post, you would like interplanetary travel to take real-world days or longer, just to stay true to Star Wars "physics"? (Which aren't anything like real physics - hyperspace, lightsabers, etc.)

[NoaFlux]

lol.

 

ok maybe your right as far as the real world thing, but it's deeper than that....

 

it's about artwork, beauty---which makes the game feel real. via the graphics.

 

if you dont look around and experience whats there than the developers almost wasted all their time,

and those awesome graphics cards are a waste.

 

why don't we just play cow clickers on our cell phones?

 

I stick to my opinion about balance, it's not just about the LIFE LIKE WORLD part (and experiencing the art) it's about BOTH speed and experience.

Edited May 16, 2012 by NoaFlux

[DarthTHC]

lol.

 

ok maybe your right as far as the real world thing, but it's deeper than that....

 

it's about artwork, beauty---which makes the game feel real. via the graphics.

 

if you dont look around and experience whats there than the developers almost wasted all their time,

and those awesome graphics cards are a waste.

 

why don't we just play cow clickers on our cell phones?

 

I stick to my opinion about balance, it's not just about the LIFE LIKE WORLD part (and experiencing the art) it's about BOTH speed and experience.

 

 

The first time I took a shuttle from the fleet space station to one of the outlying ships was absolutely breathtaking. I flipped right back around and did it the other way to look at the stuff I missed the first trip.

 

By the 50th time I took the same shuttle, I just wanted the flight to be over.

 

Balance is in the ability to choose whether to take the scenic route or just get there. It's not about making X trip Y minutes long.

[xandax]

You guys are spoiled.

 

 

Can't fancy your precious pixel legs to walk a bit?

 

The point. You're missing it.

[jgelling]

You can't just "snap your finger" and warp anywhere you want. It doesn't matter what game it is, unless it takes place in the year 10,000 A.D.....Than it might make sense.

 

Well, the game is supposed to tell a story. In a good story, there aren't very many useless scenes where nothing much happens and we spend 30 pages watching the hero climb out of bed, brush his teeth, use the toilet, go downstairs, find the cereal, find a bowl, pour the cereal, find the milk...

 

It's a story, not a Rebecca Black song

 

In the spirit of storytelling, travel times can be condensed. I'd be delighted if shuttle cool-down was reduced from 30 minutes to 10, 15, or even 20 minutes. It's only taking you places you've already explored then, so it's not like you're missing out on anything.

[rbkrbk]

I tend to agree that the travel in this game is ridiculous. Rather than immersion we got a time sink.

 

This guy gets it.

[Kragorogark]

There is nothing immersive about chained loading screens. There is nothing immersive about entering an indoor location and finding yet again a long zig-zag map. There is nothing immersive about ping-pong quest givers. (Why do I need to head back to you to tell ya the job is done when I have a communicator?) There is nothing immersive about finally getting your speeder only to find later level planet size has scaled up to further increase travel time.

 

The vast amount of TRANSPARENT time sinks in this game is seriously disappointing.

I am all for time sinks - when they are FUN and well hidden. But time sinks in this game are so boring and obvious. They are obnoxious in their transparency. They insult your intelligence. Why is it so hard to make time sinks fun?

 

End rant.

[rbkrbk]

Probably the most constructive post in the thread. If we have to live with these transitions at least make them partially entertaining. No one wants to sit for up to a minute watching a load bar fill-up.

 

Heck, even randomly different load screens would be better than the single one for each local. Strange thing is this transitioning harks all the way back to Neverwinter Nights (and even further for Bioware) and in that game you could have random load screens. And that was back in 2003.

 

I think they should include mini-games for loading screens. Nothing that would consume so many resources that the min-game itself needs a massive amount of time to load, but really anything that is light on resources. Perhaps a Pazaak table for a quick game. Maybe a quick blaster/targeting game. A quick, 30 second swoop/pod race. A meditation mini-game where you lift rocks or something, I don't know.

 

Heck, even rip-off one of those little mini-games from Luminosity that claim to increase your memory/cognitive functions, and put a Star Wars skin on it. I don't care, just SOMETHING!

[Husofanten]

Why dont they just let us beam to the surface...

 

Oh wait, that was the other "Star ..."

[jgelling]

I think they should include mini-games for loading screens.

 

I can't think of anything that would be more an admission of fail in the Hero game engine than that.

 

We all have supercomputers compared to comps from 5 or 10 years ago and being forced to play PacMan on long loading screens would be pretty funny. Not that it's a bad idea, it's just kind of silly to think about it.

Edited May 16, 2012 by jgelling

[zerosaint]

If they're going to keep with Star Wars lore, matter transporters don't exist, if I'm not mistaken. This ain't Star Trek, after all. We use shuttles and speeders to get around, here.

 

If they can eliminate or minimize the loading screens, I think that will go a LONG way to alleviating these issues.

 

But if they DO end up adding some kind of quick option, maybe there's some way to add in a Legacy feature where you can get a "Shuttle To Anywhere" ability that has a cooldown on it or something, with the cooldown reducible by further unlocks...

 

As a funny aside, here's a brief blip from StarDestroyer.net on transporter technology, and why the Empire would never use such blasphemous methods.

 

Read more from StarDestroyer.net here. GREAT site, especially for hybrid Star Wars / Star Trek fans.

http://www.stardestroyer.net/Empire/Tech/Special/Special1.html

 

Lore? This game takes SW lore and takes a massive dump all over it. They could put in clockwork flying rainbow death ponies and it wouldn't phase me at this point.

[hulkweazel]

Even ignoring the portals in WoW for a moment, it's still incredibly easy to get from place to place. Find wind rider, click destination. Enjoy scenic route. More than that, there actually IS a scenic route.

 

Going through airlocks and loading screens is just a chore that adds nothing to the game.

[thewatcheruatu]

There's such a simple solution to this problem. Just have the Black Hole be a destination on your galaxy map. Just give it one of those little miscellaneous icons right next to the planet.

 

Honestly, travel time is one of the major reasons I pretty much never do the Belsavis dailies, and it's a reason I rarely do Corellia. I pretty much just keep my character parked on Ilum because it's all I can stomach.

[Deewe]

This is meant to compare one aspect of swtor to that other game and suggest that the issue of "getting around" be looked at. I submit the following as just one example of my meaning. I will try to be as accurate as possible, but am sorry for errors.

 

I have my level 50 SI next to the GTN kiosk in fleet and want to do the Correllia dailies. I also have my level 85 Lock standing by the AH in SW and want to do the TB dailies.

 

Other Game -

 

1. Summon mount.
   
2. Short flight to portal.
   
3. Click on portal
   
4. and after a quick loading screen, I am standing by the quest givers
   
5. ---> Done.
   

 

Swtor -

1. Summon speeder.
   
2. Short run to SI hanger.
   
3. Click on SI hanger
   
4. (short load).
   
5. Speeder run though hanger to ship (short run).
   
6. Click on ship door (loading screen) and then am in ship.
   
7. Short run through ship to star map.
   
8. Click on map,
   
9. click on region,
   
10. click on planet,
    
11. click on travel.
    
12. Short grapic ensues.
    
13. Run back through ship to door and
    
14. click on door.
    
15. Very long loading screen after space bar click through graphic.
    
16. Summon speeder
    
17. and short trip through SI hanger.
    
18. Click on elevator button,
    
19. (Edited) Click on destination button
    
20. short load.
    
21. Ride through space port to entrance.
    
22. Short ride to Shuttle to Black Hole.
    
23. Click on shuttle door,
    
24. short loading screen.
    
25. Run into Imp headquarters.
    
26. Click on elevator,
    
27. (Edited) Click on destination button
    
28. short load.
    
29. Short run down ramp to mission terminal
    
30. ---> Done.
    

Edited the OP

[Urael]

This is meant to compare one aspect of swtor to that other game and suggest that the issue of "getting around" be looked at. I submit the following as just one example of my meaning. I will try to be as accurate as possible, but am sorry for errors.

 

I have my level 50 SI next to the GTN kiosk in fleet and want to do the Correllia dailies. I also have my level 85 Lock standing by the AH in SW and want to do the TB dailies.

 

Other Game -

 

Summon mount. Short flight to portal. Click on portal and after a quick loading screen, I am standing by the quest givers ---> Done.

 

Swtor - Summon speeder. Short run to SI hanger. Click on SI hanger (short load). Speeder run though hanger to ship (short run). Click on ship door (loading screen) and then am in ship. Short run through ship to star map. Click on map, click on region, click on planet, click on travel. Short grapic ensues. Run back through ship to door and click on door. Very long loading screen after space bar click through graphic. Summon speeder and short trip through SI hanger. Click on elevator button, short load. Ride through space port to entrance. Short ride to Shuttle to Black Hole. Click on shuttle door, short loading screen. Run into Imp headquarters. Click on elevator, short load. Short run down ramp to mission terminal ---> Done. I note that this set of dailies (if I am remembering correctly) does not have an Orbital Station that you must make your way through as I remember do the other two daily planets.

 

-------------

 

I respectfully would submit that something should be done about the effort to get around in the game.

 

BW's Reply: Hey at least you don't have to run through the rather large empty starports anymore?

 

[thewatcheruatu]

In the spirit of storytelling, travel times can be condensed. I'd be delighted if shuttle cool-down was reduced from 30 minutes to 10, 15, or even 20 minutes. It's only taking you places you've already explored then, so it's not like you're missing out on anything.

 

I don't want to get involved in a discussion about the quick travel cooldown, but I do agree that we should have a few additional shortcuts in the interest of story. George Lucas would just give us a wipe cut from our ships to the Black Hole. That's what I want.