Ideas for a Virtual-World dimension for SWTOR

[Spectus]

PREFACE: I think we can all agree that SWTOR got off to a thunderous start, with millions sampling the game. Yet now, many are questioning whether the game has "legs." In other words, will it KEEP its subscriber base? For my part, I see abundant reason for concern. Within my circle of awareness, player populations are down -- not just by a percentage, but down by a significant majority. For example, where once my guild boasted a couple of pages' worth of online members at any time, and while it grew to the point that our leaders decided to spin off a second guild, these days the main guild generally sees maybe 10-12 guildies online during peak gameplay periods. Planetary populations are 'waaay down, as are populations on Carrick Station.

 

Opinions abound on why this is the case, from frustrations with buggy gameplay to abysmal frame rates on PvP-centric planets such as Ilum. However, while each of these have their adverse impacts, I think the deepest issue is a fundamental design decision: BioWare's executive decision to rely seemingly entirely on Story to drive their game's success.

 

I think we are seeing the limits of that decision manifesting itself in terms of in-game population. And so, in an effort to persuade BioWare to broaden the gameplay, I submit the following set of ideas that I think would help move SWTOR towards the direction of feeling more like a 'virtual-world environment' and less like a linear game....

 

Ideas for a Virtual Star Wars Universe

 

1. Better PvP

 

- Open-World

Open-world PvP got off on a bad note initially, with griefers exploiting the opportunity to seal off spawn sites and transport destinations with a handful of Sorcerors and AoE'ers, who would continually bombard these static sites so heavily that anyone who ported in would die instantly. This was recognized as un-fun.

 

But I think the recent Rakghoul Plague event opened the devs' eyes to some possibilities, and to the potential popularity of open-world PvP events. Events that bring players out and away from spawn sites for their PvP seem to be a winner. As long as the numbers don't grow to the point that hundreds of characters are on-screen at the same spot at once, bringing Client software to its knees trying to render them all, that is.

 

- Warzones

Here's where the HERO Engine seems to be running into some trouble. It seems that an inherent limit is being reached that keeps large-group warzones from being feasible. Hopefully, this issue will be resolved one of these days. SWTOR needs an Alterac-Valley-size warzone, with 40-vs-40 fights that last for days, and players able to shuffle in and out as time allows. Not sure what the issue is with the engine: overly-ambitious particle effects? Too-detailed character models and terrain? An inefficient engine?

 

2. More Toys

 

A. Pazaak

It would seem like a no-brainer to fabricate an in-game interface window for pazaak matches, that can be activated by two players clicking on a pazaak table in a cantina or guild hall or wherever. I can envision all sorts of emergent activity: player-created tournaments, player-created web pages for rankings for their server, etc.

 

B. Organic Mounts

To this day, I still miss my mount-trained kaadu from SWG. I also miss my flying mounts from WoW. I think BioWare missed a golden opportunity by implementing a "Sprint" feature at level-14, rather than some sort of organic mount. It would have added a great deal of fun to the landscape of Taris, or to Dromund Kaas on the Imperial side, to be able to navigate the undergrowth astride a lore-appropriate steed. And for Hoth, it's sad that they didn't hold to the established lore, and consider the climate too cold for conventional transports. And the varied ecosystems of each planet seems like a great excuse for planet-specific mounts. And let's be honest: who wouldn't want their own thranta?

 

The benefit of organic mounts is that they can be another in-game collectible item. And collectible items are a Very Good Thing in any MMO.

 

C. Planetside housing -- IN CITIES

All those big buildings in places like Castle Organa on Alderaan or Anchorhead on Tatooine? Yeah -- just what are they there for, besides decoration?

 

Why not put them to good use, and turn some into rentable apartments for players? I mean, who WOULDN'T want to live in Anchorhead or in Organa City on Alderaan, or a posh apartment in Coruscant or Corellia? Maybe adapt the technology for quest portals or starport entry portals, and create a multifloor elevator inside the portal, with multiple rentable apartments per floor to give the locations a neighborly feel while not bogging down the general-game environment...

 

I think it would convert these often-barren midlevel cities into hubs of player activity. Especially if the following idea is implemented:

 

D. Flexible item placement inside houses

One of the big things that made housing in SWG so popular, and housing in LOTRO so lame in my opinion, was the two games' different treatment of housing interiors.

 

In SWG, you could place pretty much any object in your inventory inside your house, and it would be visible. And, you could move it around freely, rotate it, move it up and down or side to side, and position it exactly how you wished. In LOTRO, you had predetermined boxes where you could place certain objects at preset locations. And some objects could not even be placed in some locations.

 

I doubt that having in-game artwork for every piece of trash loot that shows up in our bags would be a good idea for this game, but flexible object placement inside homes is HUGE. It would foster nearly-endless player creativity. And if it's set up in instanced areas that make for manageable server loads while still retaining eacy access for players, I'd think it'd be a winner. This is why I am advocating the idea of establishing apartments inside major city-type quest hubs such as Organa City or Anchorhead or Coruscant. Could the technology that creates green doors for phased quest-dialogue areas and starport hangars and elevators be adapted for such apartment areas?

 

E. Trophies!

One of the big benefits of player houses and guild halls is the opportunity to display decorative items. Sometimes crafted, sometimes won through in-game challenges, these "trophies" are a huge way for players to show off their accomplishments. And if the devs give us the flexibility to place objects freely inside our spaces, their value is greatly enhanced.

 

The downside, of course, to free object placement in houses is that "player creativity" is often channeled into the direction of creating displays that suggest pornographic objects -- a phenomenon so common, game designer Raph Koster even coined a tongue-in-check metric term (which I won't repeat here) referencing the time it takes players to come up with a way to display objects in a pornographic fashion. But for every idiot that thinks it's the height of creativity to arrange blaster barrels in a suggestive manner, there are hundreds who pull off genuinely amazing feats in home decor.

 

I would opt for the creative opportunity.

 

F. Attackable hometowns?

Here is where player choice in home destinations can offer players choice in gameplay mode. Players who want the thrill of defending their hometown in open PvP can choose to rent an apartment in a city that's accessible by the enemy; players who prefer a quieter home life can choose a city that's NOT accessible to the enemy, such as Coruscant or Anchorhead.

 

3. Free-Flight Space Combat

I lobbied long and hard for this in SWTOR's development phase. I simply could not believe they'd give us a railshooter as "space combat." But to me, rail-bound gameplay is the antithesis of the freedom of movement that's a fundamental element of MMO gameplay itself.

 

Be that as it may, I get the hunch BIoWare has a major expansion of the space element in the works. There was a recent opinion poll posted at the request of dev James Ohlen, asking which of four ideas were most-wanted by the player base, and 3D free-flight space combat was the winner by a wide margin, over even such elements as guild-owned capital ships and vehicular combat.

 

Regardless, if BioWare took our starships off the rails, a LOT of new content suddenly becomes feasible, including guild-owned capital ships and space stations, and space PvP.

 

I'm hoping this will come soon, in the form of a major expansion pack.

[Styxx]

I have a problem with space combat... you see.. I subbed to play Star Wars on ground... this game was advertised as a ground Star Wars.

 

If I would want to play space, I am sure there are better games out there.

 

So, I cannot agree to any improvement to a minigame I have no interest in, instead of dedicating the manpower for a new content patch.

[Spectus]

I have a problem with space combat... you see.. I subbed to play Star Wars on ground... this game was advertised as a ground Star Wars.

 

If I would want to play space, I am sure there are better games out there.

 

So, I cannot agree to any improvement to a minigame I have no interest in, instead of dedicating the manpower for a new content patch.

There are people who hate PvP or raiding. Should they be allowed to veto the inclusion or improvement of such content, just because they happen to dislike it?

 

I think your statement falls into that category.

 

Be that as it may, what about my other ideas?

[Spectus]

Any thoughts, folks?

[maddhaddr]

I think that on a whole your idea's are perfect and well thought out! They answer many of my concerns as well as the concerns of my guildies who have unsubscribed from this game.

 

If bioware could do all that you have suggested I know 30-40 people who would return based on the world PvP alone. (I hate War zones and instance based PvP. LAME!!!! )

 

As for the other ideas they come from very successful MMo's and I think Bioware should be listening to their current subscribers intently!

 

If I could add one thing. Bioware needs a free trial access for people that do not have friends playing. I have friends who looked into the game and won't play because they can't access free play to experience the fun. (This was before I could invite them)

[Spectus]

...If I could add one thing. Bioware needs a free trial access for people that do not have friends playing. I have friends who looked into the game and won't play because they can't access free play to experience the fun. (This was before I could invite them)

BioWare does have a 7-day trial program for friends of subscribers...

http://www.swtor.com/info/friends?intcmp=eaint709