Quick thoughts on BioWare's direction with this game.

[Rayla_Felana]

This is a post I left in another thread and realised this is exactly what I think of how the game is going.

 

I love this game, but I'm really getting the thought and especially with Blomberg(?)'s recent interview, that story is way at the back and group content, the weakest point of the game where it can't compete with other titles in the genre, is being put at the fore-front, as long as BioWare dismisses story as third-rate priority and puts group content on the fore-front, this game is going to keep nose-diving, because as hard as they may try, they are trying to appeal to an audience they never won over and can't win from games like Guild Wars 2, their OP-PVP will always trash anything BiOWare can put out, yet they seem insistent on trying to attract this crowd in a futile attempt to win them over, whilst ignoring the one playerbase they can easily hold onto and grow, the crowd that aren't die-hard MMOers, but RPG fans, Star Wars fans, BioWare fans, the story crowd.

[Lazzer]

I totally agree, the story is the best part of the game, yet it's what they are giving away for free.

[Valkirus]

Good points. I agree. But I allready got off the TOR train at the last stop. Because I donot like where it is headed. But once they give me a free ticket, I may get back on it and see where it is and going to next.

[dalekjs]

I agree. Gameplay wise, they will never be able to compete with GW2. The biggest problem, I think, is that the stories themselves are nowhere near the quality of previous BW games. I'm a big fan of Kotor and Kotor 2, so the Kotor 3 aspect of the game, the Jedi Knight story, is one that I was really anticipating, but it was dreadful. Everything I loved about Revan and the Exile, Kreia, all of that wonder was mauled.

 

Really, other than the Agent and maybe the Sith Warrior stories, the rest of them are really generic by the books BioWare.

[Trenter]

I sort of agree, if that's where it's headed. I think a good balance between features is the way to go, but for me personally the story and the RPG portions in a multiplayer environment are by far the most important features of TOR, and if they're being held back too far then... Well it'll be a lot less appealing.

[Pcolapat]

I agree somewhat, but I feel the story could be less linear. There is not enough tradgedy in the stories for fear of upsetting players. For instance, say you have Mako out and are continuing your story and all of a sudden the main villian justs kills her. Then your bounty hunter begins his revenge quest. He could pick up a new companion along the way to replace mako. That would never happen in this game because there would always be someone who says, "You killed Mako? I hate you bioware!" Whatever. The whole point to a tragedy is to get you to fall in love with a character and then kill them off. Bioware just doesn't have the guts to do that, so I can't really say that the stories are all that great. Too safe and predictable. Edited August 21, 2012 by Pcolapat

[Dilv]

I agree. I really enjoy the individual story that was put into this game at launch. My favorite part of the game involves not only the story lines in each class, but also the details put into the interaction with companions. I am still hopeful that we will get much more of this, but worried that it will become less individualized. They say that they are still committed to the story but I wonder if the trends will be to more and more content that is generic in nature. Such as adding a companion that everyone shares with similar interactions.

 

Personally I want more story with all of my characters but especially my JK. I want each current companion to be expanded and more new dialogue as well as more day-to-day interaction that reflects the status of our relationship with them. For example, my character is married to Kira, but after one last cut scene about the future and a few letters, you would never know it.

[svandy]

I think the way to do it is now that everyone has completed their "personal story," so to speak they should start releasing a "group story," where it no longer is class specific. Everyone does it together and there are multiple steps that require a group, like LOTRO does. I think in the long run it would be great, ESPECIALLY if they don't increase the level cap. Anytime you want to make an alt, make a new class and the entire leveling experience is new for you, but once he is capped you can start doing all the "new stuff" with everyone.

 

The solo story thing, whatever you want to call it, currently in place could be a great mechanic if balanced properly. One complaint I see a lot of, especially around Rift, is that the leveling experience for alts never changes - not a problem with SWTOR. Now they just need to find ways to encourage people to play together!

[Goretzu]

This is a post I left in another thread and realised this is exactly what I think of how the game is going.

 

I love this game, but I'm really getting the thought and especially with Blomberg(?)'s recent interview, that story is way at the back and group content, the weakest point of the game where it can't compete with other titles in the genre, is being put at the fore-front, as long as BioWare dismisses story as third-rate priority and puts group content on the fore-front, this game is going to keep nose-diving, because as hard as they may try, they are trying to appeal to an audience they never won over and can't win from games like Guild Wars 2, their OP-PVP will always trash anything BiOWare can put out, yet they seem insistent on trying to attract this crowd in a futile attempt to win them over, whilst ignoring the one playerbase they can easily hold onto and grow, the crowd that aren't die-hard MMOers, but RPG fans, Star Wars fans, BioWare fans, the story crowd.

 

 

They can't produce enough story fast and cheaply enough to sell it on the cashshop for it to work in a F2Pcashshop model.

 

Expect to see P2W because that sells in the short-term before destroying the game.

[dalekjs]

The solo story thing, whatever you want to call it, currently in place could be a great mechanic if balanced properly. One complaint I see a lot of, especially around Rift, is that the leveling experience for alts never changes - not a problem with SWTOR. Now they just need to find ways to encourage people to play together!

 

It actually is a problem with SWTOR as well. The class stories are, what? 10% of the content? Every time you level up an alt, you're going to be playing the exact same stuff for the most part, just like Rift.

[Rayla_Felana]

 

 

They can't produce enough story fast and cheaply enough to sell it on the cashshop for it to work in a F2Pcashshop model.

 

Expect to see P2W because that sells in the short-term before destroying the game.

 

Who said anything about selling it in a cash shop? this is about the type of content BiOWare should focus on not speculation about the cash shop.

[waterboytkd]

I agree that the strength of this game is the story. That's what BW should make sure is top notch, and never let fall by the wayside. Whenever they release a new world (NOTE: something they can sell in the cash shop), it should come replete with story line for all eight classes. It doesn't even have to be a huge amount of story, but it would be nice if the story for our characters never ended. So, OP, I agree: the story is what separates this game from the other MMOs, and it should always be a primary factor for future content development.

[Travleer]

As with all MMOs that failed to meet their revenue projections. They have to stay solvent to keep it going

 

what that means for this game is no content updates, no major systems will ever be revamped (such as maps)

 

there will be very little development done to it. any "expansions" will be minimal and overpriced for what you get.

 

basically they will milk current subs for all they're worth and hope to make some new revenue with ftp cash shops and new subs from the FTP gimmick, but they have already written off this game as a loss. sad but true.

[Rayla_Felana]

As with all MMOs that failed to meet their revenue projections. They have to stay solvent to keep it going

 

what that means for this game is no content updates, no major systems will ever be revamped (such as maps)

 

there will be very little development done to it. any "expansions" will be minimal and overpriced for what you get.

 

basically they will milk current subs for all they're worth and hope to make some new revenue with ftp cash shops and new subs from the FTP gimmick, but they have already written off this game as a loss. sad but true.

 

Once again, this type of discussion is off-topic, this is NOT about F2P, cash shops or anything but, what type of content BIOWare should be focused on and what crowd they must appeal to, to stay afloat.

[Andryah]

Who said anything about selling it in a cash shop? this is about the type of content BiOWare should focus on not speculation about the cash shop.

 

He was just using your thread as his segway into what really bothers him about the cash shop. He thinks it's going to make the game P2W. I don't agree, but he is pretty well dug-in on that point.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Andryah

[Travleer]

He was just using your thread as his segway into what really bothers him about the cash shop. He thinks it's going to make the game P2W. I don't agree, but he is pretty well dug-in on that point.

 

I fail to see how my post was at all off topic

[Rayla_Felana]

I fail to see how my post was at all off topic

 

You already know why it is off-topic, want to doom n gloom about Cash-shop and lack of subs for content, go join one of the hundred threads about that, don't derail mine.

[Andryah]

So, OP, I agree: the story is what separates this game from the other MMOs, and it should always be a primary factor for future content development.

 

I agree.

 

However, interestingly enough.... a lot of players really don't appreciate the story. I don't think they are a majority, but it's hard to tell how large a minority they are. They don't want to see more story, and Bioware does have to provide a range of content types to appeal to as broad an audience as possible.

 

That said, Jeff Hickman made it clear that story is a main theme in their intended draw upon non-subs. Which if you follow that thinking logically, means they are going to continue to add story content over time to the game.

 

Of course story isn't easy content to develop. It's much more difficult then most MMOs just adding in new quest lines. So it offers distinction and for many players a level of greatness.... but it comes with price in terms of time/resources/commitment.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Andryah

[Travleer]

Once again, this type of discussion is off-topic, this is NOT about F2P, cash shops or anything but, what type of content BIOWare should be focused on and what crowd they must appeal to, to stay afloat.

 

you want to know what kind of content they should be developing. I'm telling you what their concentration will be on.

 

trying to give you a dose of reality. they stopped caring the moment they decided to go FTP. this games development went from player fun to revenue oriented the moment that decision was made and nothing will turn the tide back ever.

[Rayla_Felana]

you want to know what kind of content they should be developing. I'm telling you what their concentration will be on.

 

trying to give you a dose of reality. they stopped caring the moment they decided to go FTP. this games development went from player fun to revenue oriented the moment that decision was made and nothing will turn the tide back ever.

 

Re-read the original post, stop trying to twist your posts into something on-topic.

[Diktat]

Once again, this type of discussion is off-topic, this is NOT about F2P, cash shops or anything but, what type of content BIOWare should be focused on and what crowd they must appeal to, to stay afloat.

You asked why they gave up on stories content, he gave you a very good reason and, probably, the only one.

 

EA is cutting loses and trying to get as much money as they can from F2P model, so they won't invest a single cent in expensive content. Period.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Diktat

[Pistols]

yet they seem insistent on trying to attract this crowd in a futile attempt to win them over, whilst ignoring the one playerbase they can easily hold onto and grow, the crowd that aren't die-hard MMOers, but RPG fans, Star Wars fans, BioWare fans, the story crowd.

 

If you think by any means those gameplay options are being ignored, compared to the utter lack of attention to the PvP aspect, I want whatever hallucinogenics you're on. A very inaccurate statement is all I can say, and to hold any other gameplay higher than another is fail. I'm a PvP fanatic, but I wouldn't want my gameplay to over-shadow anyone elses. But since release, the PvP aspect has taken a backseat in terms of development, bug fixes, and deleted content (Ilum) than most gameplay options out there. Sorry, but that part of your post is just full of ignorance.

[Lazzer]

I agree.

 

However, interestingly enough.... a lot of players really don't appreciate the story. I don't think they are a majority, but it's hard to tell how large a minority they are. They don't want to see more story, and Bioware does have to provide a range of content types to appeal to as broad an audience as possible.

 

That said, Jeff Hickman made it clear that story is a main theme in their intended draw upon non-subs. Which if you follow that thinking logically, means they are going to continue to add story content over time to the game.

 

Of course story isn't easy content to develop. It's much more difficult then most MMOs just adding in new quest lines. So it offers distinction and for many players a level of greatness.... but it comes with price in terms of time/resources/commitment.

 

To be honest this cuts back to one of my comments in an earlier thread, Bioware needs to stop trying to cater for everybody and start catering for a specific demographic.

 

I know it would make the game more of a niche game but I believe that they would have retained and could regain a lot of subs that way. There are too many MMOs out there and players are fickle, to maintain a solid base they need to provide an aspect that other MMOs don't. In this case it's story.

[Tuscad]

This is a post I left in another thread and realised this is exactly what I think of how the game is going.

 

I love this game, but I'm really getting the thought and especially with Blomberg(?)'s recent interview, that story is way at the back and group content, the weakest point of the game where it can't compete with other titles in the genre, is being put at the fore-front, as long as BioWare dismisses story as third-rate priority and puts group content on the fore-front, this game is going to keep nose-diving, because as hard as they may try, they are trying to appeal to an audience they never won over and can't win from games like Guild Wars 2, their OP-PVP will always trash anything BiOWare can put out, yet they seem insistent on trying to attract this crowd in a futile attempt to win them over, whilst ignoring the one playerbase they can easily hold onto and grow, the crowd that aren't die-hard MMOers, but RPG fans, Star Wars fans, BioWare fans, the story crowd.

 

Story is the only reason I have stuck around and rolled Alts, I don't PVP, Raid, do OPs, space combat, and I rarely do Flashpoints.

[Lazzer]

If you think by any means those gameplay options are being ignored, compared to the utter lack of attention to the PvP aspect, I want whatever hallucinogenics you're on. A very inaccurate statement is all I can say, and to hold any other gameplay higher than another is fail. I'm a PvP fanatic, but I wouldn't want my gameplay to over-shadow anyone elses. But since release, the PvP aspect has taken a backseat in terms of development, bug fixes, and deleted content (Ilum) than most gameplay options out there. Sorry, but that part of your post is just full of ignorance.

 

But this is where I disagree with you, there should be games out there that are dedicated PvP games, games that are dedicated RPG games and lots of other play styles. There should be cchoices instead generic games to please everyone.

 

TOR as a PvP wouldn't have got my custom as I wouldn't have enjoyed it, but had they created it they would have been in a better state than they are now as they could have funded a single aspect and held onto all PvP players that are Starwars fans.