The ONE THING that's wrong.

[river]

i have 20 days left and i have no desire to log in. as of now the game is not what i think is worth my time and or money . i had way too high of hopes for this production. it is not a good mmo

[Valkirus]

So what your saying is that due to the fact that SWTOR is only 6 months old and have 1.3 Million that compared to WOW that has 10 Million and been out for "ten years" that means that WOW is far superior to SWTOR.

 

KIDS!!!!

 

In some ways...yes. There is a lot more "open worldness" to WoW than it is in TOR. Basically the only time you get fatigue is if you try to swim across the oceans. Otherwise..you are free to go wherever at any level actually. On the old continents that is. I remember my first adventure doing the death runs to Iron Forge from Menethil Harbor as a level 10 Nightelf. The zones feel more real too...with lots and lots of animals roaming around...fighting each other..etc. Weather effects also. Sun sets....nightimes... Full moons...Sun rises, etc etc. The worlds in TOR feel stagnant in comparison.

[tloops]

the reason why there is no open world aspect to SWTOR at the moment is that its closed off to allow the dev's room to add content.

Once SWTOR has had the same time as WOW has now you will see how awesome this game is as for now its only just learning to walk.

 

this game wont make it that far,im sorry to say

[Plumz]

It's not about time, It's about a game designed as a MMO without lots of aspects of mmo, it's about devs sticking to "their" idea of what they want us to do instead of allowing us some room to create communities. Good/bad/ignorant/helping but something that is alife.

 

I think the game is beyond saving (success wise - it will be around for a bit for sure), not because of bugs/glitches/lack of options. Because of lack of things to do after you are done with the story driven part. And because the story driven part puts focus on the story - and not on interactions with other players. Fail design. This is a great game but as many have said it before - it is not a mmo...

[SajmanPeetee]

Rift launched with a fully functional LFG tool and free automated transfers that took 15 seconds. Trion is smaller than Bioware with less resources, and had a shorter development period.

 

At some point it just hits you that Bioware just aint very good at this MMO thing and that's not something that will improve in time.

[Skidrowbro]

Rift launched with a fully functional LFG tool and free automated transfers.

 

False. Rift launched with nothing then lost most of their playebase after adding in the LFG tool 4 or 5 months later

[Trevuar]

i have 20 days left and i have no desire to log in. as of now the game is not what i think is worth my time and or money . i had way too high of hopes for this production. it is not a good mmo

 

^^^ This

 

 

I have 78 days left. Read the link in my signature for more details.

[Ragnellrok]

Here is the problem with the whole 'open world' idea for TOR... You fly a spaceship in between PLANETS AND SPACE STATIONS... the only way you could truly make it open world would be to animate the autoflying sequences (the shuttles that take you specifically from one planet to another or back to the fleet) and add in a whole bit where you fly the ship MANUALLY in between planets, add some extra landing area's in which you could change where you end up on the planet, with those other landing zones having higher level baddies/quests or separate side quests... which is a huge undertaking.

With TOR as it is currently you can't really make it open world without altering the core storylines for all the characters to make it so they can, or have to, check other planets for alternatives. Instead of heading to let's say ;Taris for objective A for ~15-20 you could have the choice to go to another planet for objective B for ~15-20 with about the same amount of urgency.

 

Unlike WoW, TOR has the issue of spaceflight in between all of it's zones, which exists because all of TOR's zones are separate planets, which is completely unlike WoW which all of the zones are connected to some other zone, the only exceptions being inter-continental travel, but those have different zones with zones whose levels are equal to those on the other continent (minus Northrend of course). TOR doesn't have that option in the first 50 levels so far because the planets for one faction or the other are in a different order due to storyline, which translates to higher or lower level baddies/quests on a single planet depending on which faction you are using as the standard; this also means that when an expansion comes forth to get an OPEN WORLD experience you would have to either add it on for 50+ with optional storyline possibilities and such, OR BW would have to rewrite the first 3 chapters in addition to any 50+ chapters to include options of which planets to go to, what spaceports to land in, which goals to follow, what the consequences of doing that is/are, how that effects the last class-quest, how that effects what companions are available, or how certain companions treat you or act... You would also have to add in more maps than just the existing mega-map for each planet, mobility in between those newer map sections in addition to the mega-map... which of course would pave the way for a mini-shuttle, or free-flying speeder for the higher-level people. maybe make it so you can fly the ship freely in and out of space combat, as well as making it directly able to orbit a planet in order to find a spaceport to allow it to land....

 

So in short making TOR open world would essentially mean taking all the great selling points of WoW, and all the selling points of EVE online, and cramming them into TOR without ruining the existing storyline or game-play mechanics that a lot of people are looking forward to or already enjoy in a genuine manner.

[Drooge]

Well I dunno about 1 thing.

 

Imagine if space combat was a free fly space sim that could venture into PvP areas (its not impossible, the idiots at Sony did a bang up job with SWG - JTL)

 

Competitvie open pvp. how? real freakin rewards for pvp levels, not just being able to wear better gear. The whole gear thing was a massive mistake anyhow. Valor levels should have translated to additional pvp abilities active and passive, not the same gear that everyone else has! Make people want that next valor level bad!

 

Ilum is terribad, people just don't want to be there and theres no reason now to be there. GIVE US SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING OVER IN OPEN PVP BW!!!!

[aeterno]

The one huge world feeling in TOR gets a bit lost with the way interplanetary travel is handled. It's too "rigid".

 

People may have moaned about citadel lifts in Mass Effect 1 but they were very effective in what they did - masked loading times between zones

 

It's a shame TOR makes you hop some unnecessary steps then slaps you with a loading screen. This way we get the tediousness of the ME lifts but not the actual benefits of them being there.

Edited June 3, 2012 by aeterno

[mokkh]

The game is way too small and linear. Now i know some people like it this way but think about it, if the game was as big and free as the world in WoW would you be having a better time? (After they merged servers ofc) Think about it.

 

Kind of weird that you think so, I think WoW is much smaller in comparison. In fact you could take a continent in WoW and get the same amount of space as 2-3 planets in SWTOR. The world in WOW isn't really "free" as you say, there's very little going on in the places that aren't stacked on top of each other. They also consolidated the "hubs" to increase visible cross-faction population going all the way back to Shattrath (maybe earlier but that's the one I remember). Leveling in that game was ridiculously linear, you could start out in different areas but the 50+ zones were all literal carbon copy leveling paths. The idea that somehow WoW is non-linear is entirely laughable, the game's "storyline" happened as a backdrop to quests that repeated each other with some dungeons making reappearances (yeah Naxx I'm looking at you).

 

Anyways, I deleted my WoW characters after raiding/leveling 4 toons to max (in WoW that was a real chore). I will never go back, the game is totally dead to me so recreating it here would have zero beneficial effect on my disposition towards gameplay.

[CygnusMX]

If i want to wander about landscapesand explore,I play Fall out 3, Fall out 3 New Vegas, S.T.A.L.K.E.R..

I dont want to wander Aimlessly in an MMO.

[trussasp]

yep, it FEELS tiny, and is extremely linear.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

The game is way too small and linear. Now i know some people like it this way but think about it, if the game was as big and free as the world in WoW would you be having a better time? (After they merged servers ofc) Think about it.

 

Yes, the planets feels too small and limited. I don´t like that planets are square maps with exhaustion zones.

I´d find it much better if there would be actual globes with vast areas of procedural generated landmass and open world PvP, as you travel you could enter map areas for questing which are "hand designed" like the ones we have, perhaps a little less corridor like.

 

This engine could have done that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Novae_(game_engine)

 

 

So we could also have planetery atmospheric flight and go directly into space with ships and use ultra fast ground speeders or other vehicles.

A mix of hand built areas and procedural areas would be great.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Lord_Ravenhurst

[Goretzu]

whats the point of an open world, something WOW is supposedly to have, when you get no experience and there is no mission vendors off the beaten track.

You would spend too much time wasted on exploring and gaining no experience, its linear so that the player can follow a story that is related to the class the player has chosen.

 

What's the point of a MMORPG single player game? With corridor levels that sometime make you feel like you're playing Half Life.

[Tiaa]

The game is way too small and linear.

 

Beats dead horse.

 

Proceeds to run it over with tank.

[MbaxterBeau]

I like the linear aspect because it allows people to either level with other players or alone and still have fun. Lots of not nice people on the Internet I like to avoid.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

can someone explain to me how WOW is "OPEN WORLD"? and how that its this marvelous thing that every MMO should be held up against it.

 

Since when has WOW be the pinnacle of MMO's?

 

WoW isnt´the pinnacle of MMOs. That´s just hearsay and the Lemmings croak the same misinformation over and over again, like they now do with hyping GW2, another mediaval kiddy cartoon themepark.

Theme park MMOs are just a dumbed down concept of what was once a great idea and open virtual world with infinite content.

UO, EvE, SWG are MMOs by the original concept.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Lord_Ravenhurst

[Rafaman]

So... I don't get it. What's linear about it? I went back to Alderran, no particular reason, just like the scenic views. I took a right from the space port. cruised for a bit. Found people going for the Orokeet egg trying to hop down to the nest. Watched a few die painfully as they missed their jump. Cruised a little more, and found the Dam (the scenery was outstanding). Went the other way and I found a Thranta, which was not a taxi, but was clickable. A right click later and the Thranta takes me back to its nest! And once I got there, there was a datacron waiting for me. Loved it!

 

Did the same thing on Belsavis with similar results. Of course, no datacron, but I found a cave full of Elites that is obviously hiding something. So.. I'll be back.

 

And... if there weren't some limits ie exhaustion zones, what would you suggest? A cruise to infinity?

 

So... don't follow the story line. Go explore. Go to the other factions areas and look around. Roleplay. Hunt. climb, swim, whatever. I think this idea about the game being linear is a state of mind. Make your own game.

 

Alas, this works on populated servers... and does seem problematic empty servers. Nevertheless, it seems to me the design of the story does not preclude other things you can do. But you have to go find those things, its not spoon fed to you.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Rafaman

[Nyla]

So... I don't get it. What's linear about it? I went back to Alderran, no particular reason, just like the scenic views. I took a right from the space port. cruised for a bit. Found people going for the Orokeet egg trying to hope down to the nest. Watched a few die painfully as they missed their jump. Cruised a little more, and found the Dam (the scenery was outstanding). Went the other way and I found a Thranta, which was not a taxi, but was clickable. A right click later and the Thranta takes me back to its nest! And once I got there, there was a datacron waiting for me. Loved it!

 

Did the same thing on Belsavis with similar results. Of course, no datacron, but I found a cave full of Elites that is obviously hiding something. So.. I'll be back.

 

And... if there weren't some limits ie exhaustion zones, what would you suggest? A cruise to infinity?

 

So... don't follow the story line. Go explore. Go to the other factions areas and look around. Roleplay. Hunt. climb, swim, whatever. I think this idea about the game being linear is a state of mind. Make your own game.

 

Alas, this works on populated servers... and does seem problematic empty servers. Nevertheless, it seems to me the design of the story does not preclude other things you can do. But you have to go find those things, its not spoon fed to you.

 

Agree, I think people are really strange.

BW does some hand holding for the people that need it to play (which is good for thoses).

The funny thing is people that claim they want more freedom and no hand holding follow the linear paths all the time even if nothing forces them to do so.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

So... I don't get it. What's linear about it? I went back to Alderran, no particular reason, just like the scenic views. .

 

Well there is NO particular reason to go back. So you go to Alderaan for the scenic view of eternal daylight which never changes? Or for the same critters you leveled out months ago, roaming around at the exact same spot they were six months ago? Or the same mobs standing in combat position at the same spot in all eternity?

Vegetation is not changing, players can´t build a house anywhere, you can´t "hunt" and decimate the population or fish until a lake is empty, what ever you do has absolutely no impact on the world, and it´s frozen in all eternity. Why should I go back for "scenic view"? Sorry, but that is a pretty lame reason.

 

The planets are nothing more than levels in a 2-D Jump´N Run you cleared. Been there, done that, move on. Next level.

And that´s what is called a MMO these days?

Edited June 3, 2012 by Lord_Ravenhurst

[Sparklehorse]

The 1 thing that's wrong is there's too many servers.

 

Pretty much sums it up.

 

Sandbox games are a different animal altogether. I understand SWG had a good community. I hate I missed that but the only other sandbox that exists today (with any player base to speak of) is EVE and the community in that game is horrific.

 

I can only imagine how this community would have handled a sandbox game...

 

It would not have been pretty.

[Lord_Ravenhurst]

 

I can only imagine how this community would have handled a sandbox game...

 

It would not have been pretty.

 

How many nice peacful places are in the Star Wars Universe? It´s gritty and violent, and an MMO should reflect that.

Did Luke raise his PvP flag on Tattooine?

[Rafaman]

Well there is NO particular reason to go back. So you go to Alderaan for the scenic view of eternal daylight which never changes? Or for the same critters you leveled out months ago, roaming around at the exact same spot they were six months ago? Or the same mobs standing in combat position at the same spot in all eternity?

Vegetation is not changing, players can´t build a house anywhere, you can´t "hunt" and decimate the population or fish until a lake is empty, what ever you do has absolutely no impact on the world, and it´s frozen in all eternity. Why should I go back for "scenic view"? Sorry, but that is a pretty lame reason.

 

The planets are nothing more than levels in a 2-D Jump´N Run you cleared. Been there, done that, move on. Next level.

And that´s what is called a MMO these days?

 

Lame? Lol! But you would go back for a changing weather? It is what you make it my friend. Use a little imagination and you will get more out of it. But hey, if you would rather the game do it for you then may be you are the one looking for a platformer not me.

 

One thing though... it seems that there is some debate about what an MMO is these days. I don't have a particular definition, but my guildies only interested in End Game have a very different definition than you and I.

[Goretzu]

Pretty much sums it up.

 

Sandbox games are a different animal altogether. I understand SWG had a good community. I hate I missed that but the only other sandbox that exists today (with any player base to speak of) is EVE and the community in that game is horrific.

 

I can only imagine how this community would have handled a sandbox game...

 

It would not have been pretty.

 

Again an MMORPG with the best bits of SWTOR and SWG would have been amazing, and the only thing actually likely to have WoW levels of Subs.

 

The myth of the ideal community is just that a myth, although perhaps SWGs game play was less ammoral than EvEs which may have had some effect.