Honest opinion- do you think the game is in trouble?

[Nyla]

I would agree. But with 600+ developers working on this game, they could/should have done a better job pleasing EVERYONE!

 

Well, I don't think it's possible. You can't please the hardcore raiders and the ones playing 3h/week that want best gear after a month. You can't please PvP'ers that want death penalty, player loot, ... and the ones that can't stand being ganked. You can't please the crafters that want a complete player driven economy and the ones that aren't interested in crafting and want BiS coming from end-game PvE....

 

I could go on for a while, but the thing is there's many dichotomies (??) in the players "community". Trying to attract everyone leads to compromises in designs which leads to everyone not being really happy with what they got and so everyone leaving.

[Gomuningen]

I read that, and that is part of the reason for my concern. Does F2p necessarily mean the game is a failure though?

 

It does mean a problem when the original design of the game was based on a subscription service. It shows that BW/EA is not making enough profit to support the game as a subscription. Thus coming up with ways to change their business model and turn a profit. If F2P does happen, I sense their will be another round of cuts in their staff. Obviously they need to start making money again before they can begin adding new content. I sense we will get thin content updates until that day happens.

 

I really do hope they can turn this game around, its Star Wars for gods sake. So much potential with the IP, but bad game designs just killed this game. If this game does die, I hope another more experienced developer can step up to the plate and do justice to the Star Wars IP.

[Shingara]

No. It does lack content. It lacks 50 content and unique leveling content. There are only maybe 3 "class" missions per planet, yet 30+ missions...that means only 10% of the content is "new" per class. There's NO unique space missions. NO unique FPs, Heroics, Ops or WZs. I'd argue that less than 8% of the XP gained is unique per class.

 

I understand what you're saying about 'hardcore' players, but they are still a portion of the base that every successful game needs.

 

1.3 adds no content.

 

So let me get this right, you want UNIQUE content for every class, on every planet and to not cross with another class's quest in any way, you also want a UNIQUE leveling experience for each time you level. show me any game that has this. Every space mission is unique with a harder version of them apart from the top level space missions. Every flashpoint is UNIQUE with all having heroic versions of them, Operations are UNIQUE with hard setting of them and one setting a story mode so people can see that content. We have 4 warzones with a 5th coming with one very UNIQUE which is huttball. We have world boss's spread about on all planets for all levels to take on, we have live events like the ragy infection.

 

Also why does everything have tobe UNIQUE for you, even with running same missions when on the same faction the emotional choices between light and dark can make the game feel different with different cutscenes based on the choice you make within those missions. Show me any game that lives upto your ideals of what this game should have now.

 

As for the hardcores being a portion of the playerbase, yes they are but only focusing on them ends with a game like wow where its a gearscore race and must have achiev to even pug and all the fun sucked out of it.

 

And 1.3 may not have content but it adds features that make content 1000000 times better, more accessable and in the case of ranked pvp way more competative for the pvpers who love that stuff and i would even say they class ranked as content within its own right.

 

So what you have is unreal expectations of a game that has just come out, and dont throw but it was in development for 5 years, wow was in for 6 and has had niegh on 8-9 years to add to it, other games that have been out longer have had development time and live time to add to it. Thinking this would have everything in on day one is a fairytale.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Shingara

[paltrysum]

With GW2 and Pandaria coming out soon you have to think yes, it's in trouble. I'm enjoying the heck out of SWTOR right now, though, so I really don't think about it.

[TUXs]

So let me get this right, you want UNIQUE content for every class, on every planet and to not cross with another class's quest in any way, you also want a UNIQUE leveling experience for each time you level. show me any game that has this. Every space mission is unique with a harder version of them apart from the top level space missions. Every flashpoint is UNIQUE with all having heroic versions of them, Operations are UNIQUE with hard setting of them and one setting a story mode so people can see that content. We have 4 warzones with a 5th coming with one very UNIQUE which is huttball.

 

Also why does everything have tobe UNIQUE for you, even with running same missions when on the same faction the emotional choices between light and dark can make the game feel different with different cutscenes based on the choice you make within those missions. Show me any game that lives upto your ideals of what this game should have now.

 

As for the hardcores being a portion of the playerbase, yes they are but only focusing on them ends with a game like wow where its a gearscore race and must have achiev to even pug and all the fun sucked out of it.

 

And 1.3 may not have content but it adds features that make content 1000000 times better, more accessable and in the case of ranked pvp way more competative for the pvpers who love that stuff and i would even say they class ranked as content within its own right.

 

So what you have is unreal expectations of a game that has just come out, and dont throw but it was in development for 5 years, wow was in for 6 and has had niegh on 8-9 years to add to it, other games that have been out longer have had development time and live time to add to it. Thinking this would have everything in on day one is a fairytale.

I never said I wanted unique content. YOU were arguing that the game did NOT lack content, just that it lacked "access" to content. You're mistaken. Even if I were to level an alt (as YOU suggested) there would still be a lack of content because I'd repeat 90% of the content I've already done and at 50, nothing would change.

 

The game lacks CONTENT! Unique or otherwise.

[Thehatfield]

I understand that legacy names are a big deal, but isn't the easy answer if your name is taken just to use an "Alt +" character in place of one of the vowels? Does that slíght change really kill the experience for some players?

[Shingara]

I never said I wanted unique content. YOU were arguing that the game did NOT lack content, just that it lacked "access" to content. You're mistaken. Even if I were to level an alt (as YOU suggested) there would still be a lack of content because I'd repeat 90% of the content I've already done and at 50, nothing would change.

 

The game lacks CONTENT! Unique or otherwise.

 

No. It does lack content. It lacks 50 content and unique leveling content. There are only maybe 3 "class" missions per planet, yet 30+ missions...that means only 10% of the content is "new" per class. There's NO unique space missions. NO unique FPs, Heroics, Ops or WZs. I'd argue that less than 8% of the XP gained is unique per class.

 

I understand what you're saying about 'hardcore' players, but they are still a portion of the base that every successful game needs.

 

1.3 adds no content.

 

That sure looks like you said unique to me, it has fun warzones, it has a good leveling system, fun quests, flashpoints that are not very accesable whilst leveling but with 1.3 they shall be, it has good operations with 3 settings and ranked is also coming in 1.3. It has a space mini game that is fun for a vast majority of the playerbase and there is a space project in the works.

 

I care less if you level an alt, I have leveled quite a few and had alot of fun whilst doing it even if i did redo some quests i had previously done. The difference of this mmo to others is that i had different quests given to me as a BONUS because i was playing a different class.

 

1.3 will also give me additional content perks to help me to craft better, level alts when new races are introduced better and if in the future a new class comes that also, and alot of quality of life.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Shingara

[Rogoo]

Does F2p necessarily mean the game is a failure though?

 

If you designed it as a p2p game and then transition to f2p then yes, your game is a failure.

[AuckaLukaum]

No. The game is not close to being "in trouble."

[Ivalice]

Hell yes it is.

 

Bioware moves at a snails pace. They claimed to have 600+ employees working on THIS game, yet released content SLOWER and thinner than what could have been coded by 3 SOE employees.

 

They have done NOTHING to help PvP.

They added ONE new WZ in 6 months.

They added ONE new OP in 6 months.

They added TWO new FP in 6 months.

They are STILL 'tweaking' classes.

They removed ALL incentive for OWPvP in 3 months.

They haven't added ONE space mission in 6 months.

They haven't fixed the sound bug after 8 weeks.

They have consolidated populations, but done NOTHING to address the reasons those consolidations were necessary in the first place.

 

Yeah...the game is in trouble and they seem content to let it go.

 

This right here covers it all and answers the question. After a couple months of this game being live they should have started to introduce more sandbox elements in an effort to keep people busy while they worked on new ops and FPs. Especially knowing a percentage of their player base came from a sandbox game, and had people asking for similar elements in beta. (Before the haters show up, I am not saying convert the game or turn it into SWG2.0, get that out of your head. I am saying it needs elements, clearly.)

 

Ignoring that feedback and continuing to work with their heads down at a snails pace has contributed to the severity of these issues they are facing.

[vanderow]

Well now that server populations are finally stabilizing, I'd say things are looking up.

[Knockerz]

With GW2 and Pandaria coming out soon you have to think yes, it's in trouble. I'm enjoying the heck out of SWTOR right now, though, so I really don't think about it.

 

I don't think Pandaria expansion will be that great. I know a lot of players who will quit when it comes out cause for a lot of people pandaria expansion = kung fu panda expansion. I personally won't buy it cause Blizzard has stray too far from warcraft. Regardless what people say to me warcraft has always been about humans, orcs, night elves, high elves, blood elves, undead, and to lesser extent tauren. Pandaria have no place in warcraft and any expansion that doesn't revolve around those seven races isn't a warcraft game.

 

GW2 will only affect the pvp population and most the people who were to jump ship tot GW2 have already quit. Plus, it's not a subscription base game so a lot of players can get it and still play swtor. I will try out if reviews are good after launch for GW2. However, I won't pay for cash shop items or any other silly nickel to dim you death schemes. Probably just try it out a month or so, then quit.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Knockerz

[TUXs]

That sure looks like you said unique to me, it has fun warzones, it has a good leveling system, fun quests, flashpoints that are not very accesable whilst leveling but with 1.3 they shall be, it has good operations with 3 settings and ranked is also coming in 1.3. It has a space mini game that is fun for a vast majority of the playerbase and there is a space project in the works.

 

I care less if you level an alt, I have leveled quite a few and had alot of fun whilst doing it even if i did redo some quests i had previously done. The difference of this mmo to others is that i had different quests given to me as a BONUS because i was playing a different class.

 

1.3 will also give me additional content perks to help me to craft better, level alts when new races are introduced better and if in the future a new class comes that also, and alot of quality of life.

3 warzone maps is not variety. Flashpoints that I've done every one of multiple times and only a few are able to be done on "hard mode". If you skipped them during leveling, that's on you. I did all of them and all Heroics while I leveled. 3 operations, 2 of which can be completed in under an hour each and can only be done ONCE per f'ing week. Taking the same 3 warzone maps and calling them "ranked" doesn't add content.

 

Dude, I'm happy you're so content running the same crap over and over. Good for you man. I'm not. I'd like enough operations that I'd have to skip a couple each week, keeping them all challenging and all fresh. Enough FP's that they couldn't all be done in a night. More than 3 maps for warzones (Huttball's not a map).

 

Legacy gimmicks aren't 'content' to me either lol. You buy them and you're done. Just like the stupid flow chart wasn't content.

 

Again, good for you for finding so much fun repeating the same thing daily. I don't find the same enjoyment in doing that that you seem to though.

[Kerwynn]

So I have been posting about the extreme over population of Harbringer server a my reason for believing this will impact subscriber continuation. How did Bioware respond? They added two new servers to transfer to Harbringer.

 

So a warning for all of you thinking of transferring. As long as you have zero desire to quest out in the world and you are completely happy doing PVP or Ops only, it is a great server. If you want to do world content, make new characters and level them up, Harbringer will break your gaming heart.

[Slugamaniac]

Well, last night at 9pm EST I saw 4 NA servers at full, 4 at very heavy, 3 at heavy, and one at standard. I will admit I was taken aback (in a good way) when I hit a 10 minute que last night trying to get into the Harbinger. People in fleet seem very happy playing with others, people are finding groups, pvp ques are actually popping.

 

No, I do not think the game is in trouble. I am patient and will continue to play this game because it is STILL FUN!!! Entitled/impatient players will continues these kind of threads into the foreseeable future no matter what happens.

[Shingara]

3 warzone maps is not variety. .

 

Stopped reading there as your talking out of your rear, have no idea about the game and are making it up as you go along, Novera coast, Voidstar, Huttball, Alderaan. thats 4. Added to which i had many many years of fun just playing, AB, WSG and AV so it cant be that lacking.

[TUXs]

Stopped reading there as your talking out of your rear, have no idea about the game and are making it up as you go along, Novera coast, Voidstar, Huttball, Alderaan. thats 4. Added to which i had many many years of fun just playing, AB, WSG and AV so it cant be that lacking.

 

That's fine. We can agree to disagree. Have fun.

[Shingara]

That's fine. We can agree to disagree. Have fun.

 

No even if we disagree there are still 4 warzones in the game right now. you have no idea what your talking about. You have just basically spent a whole thread complaining about lack of content and yet you have no idea what content is even in the game.

 

And lol at the edit of you posts going (ow and hutbbal isnt a map) to funny.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Shingara

[Wolventhorne]

SWTOR is doing well, especially for its age. However, if Bioware wants this game to thrive, it needs to up its advertising. I barely encounter any memorable advertising for this IP. It is CRUCIAL that they fix it, because other companies have NO problem making sure word gets out. Star Wars is NOT self promoting anymore. If they are assuming it is, they will be sorely dissappointed.

[TUXs]

No even if we disagree there are still 4 warzones in the game right now. you have no idea what your talking about.

 

Ah! You may consider it 4, but I did actually explain in my post that I don't feel like Huttball is a map (this is why reading is important). Huttball is so slanted towards force classes that I don't feel it's worth playing. Huttball is a fine mini-game, but it should be its own mini-game, not a "warzone".

[Thehatfield]

So I have been posting about the extreme over population of Harbringer server a my reason for believing this will impact subscriber continuation. How did Bioware respond? They added two new servers to transfer to Harbringer.

 

So a warning for all of you thinking of transferring. As long as you have zero desire to quest out in the world and you are completely happy doing PVP or Ops only, it is a great server. If you want to do world content, make new characters and level them up, Harbringer will break your gaming heart.

 

That's odd. I rolled 4 new toons on Harbinger yesterday after I transferred my main 4 from Space Slug and didn't have any of the issues you are compaining about. This is on the Sith side, where I presume there are more people. My Republic toons are the ones I transferred, and the lowbies still in the teens were fine for leveling too.

 

If more players on the server means I don't have to labor through Taris because the trash mobs will already be dead, I look at that as a blessing!

[Darvus]

I read that, and that is part of the reason for my concern. Does F2p necessarily mean the game is a failure though?

 

In this situation, yes. It does not bode well, at all. This game going F2P is a desperation move. The other games mentioned had micro-transaction stores in place, and had data that would indicate the profitability of that model. These guys can't even get decent armor and clothing put in. What would a micro store offer? We can't get content and bug fixes in a timely and efficient manner, now, what hope do we have when it is free? I like this game. That does not change the fact that it's in serious trouble, and the Dev Team doesn't even bother to address the community to reduce concerns. Posting about closed-door presentations at E3, that revealed secret, epic, upcoming content, rings hollow to me, and sounds like the hype we got before launch. We all see how THAT turned out.

[Shingara]

In this situation, yes. It does not bode well, at all. This game going F2P is a desperation move. The other games mentioned had micro-transaction stores in place, and had data that would indicate the profitability of that model. These guys can't even get decent armor and clothing put in. What would a micro store offer? We can't get content and bug fixes in a timely and efficient manner, now, what hope do we have when it is free? I like this game. That does not change the fact that it's in serious trouble, and the Dev Team doesn't even bother to address the community to reduce concerns. Posting about closed-door presentations at E3, that revealed secret, epic, upcoming content, rings hollow to me, and sounds like the hype we got before launch. We all see how THAT turned out.

 

MM i think all those interviews show is that they sacked Stephen Reid, they dont have anyone who can talk to the press aswell as him. Its just free access eg to lvl15 in july.

[alifaraaz]

I wouldn't say its in trouble, but its not doing amazing. Having said that the MMO industry is competitive as heck, which can be troublesome since they often require time to grow but never get given the chance. And I get it, why play X that lacks such and such when Y offers them already.

 

So it could go either way. But people expecting it to suddenly become the best MMO in the world will be disappointed and the people who expect ToR to crash hard will be disappointed too. Because whatever happens it will be a slow and gradual process.

 

Personally, and I know it sounds silly and will never happen - but the game has potential, and EA need to pump more money into it, increase the workforce with competent people and give the gave the opportunity to soar. But its a risk for the business end of the day. They won't drop it suddenly because the investment has been made. And when they make their money back they won't drop it either because it would still be making money.

 

So they will like monitor it over months and months. Keeping the game alive and pumping in money if they see improvements that lead to the reward being greater than the risk.

 

I know.many don't like the game, and that's fine. But if you're enjoying it, don't buy into the whole doom and gloom stuff. These forums were much worse before, its died down a lot, since the haters probably finally left. You can come to these forums loving the game and end up feeling like you shouldn't enjoy it and that its gonna die based on some of theposts people make so yeah, don't buy into all of it, and take everything people.say with a pinch of salt.

[The_Real_Che]

The game has tons of potential but BW needs to get their act together.

 

The two big problems right now is the lack of content and server populations. There wasn't much to do outside of dailies for those of us on dead servers after reaching lvl 50. Creating a new character and lvling up to 50 again when the majority of the missions are the same is NOT new content.

 

Server transfers created a huge population boost and those of us who weren't on the few pre-transfer servers with healthy populations can now PVP, run OPs & FPs, etc. However some are now complaining that the servers are now overpopulated. We now have server queues (which are still better than the insane 1hr queues during launch) but an even bigger problem is that some people aren't able to compete regular missions since so many people are competing for the same MOBs, items and some complain about lag. Eventually a couple more servers will have to be opened to spread out the population a little. (Maybe 1 or 2 new servers of each type).

 

All the while new content is not being added for those who have already run the OPs and PVP since they came from healthy servers, have several lvl 50 characters, etc.