Developer Update – Terror from Beyond

[ElitehunterDS]

back to the question of when..

[Vandicus]

back to the question of when..

 

Hey everyone, just to be clear on what was said during the presentation - Terror from Beyond, a new Operation, is on its way next month, and we have more content updates coming after it, including the new Warzone and Space Combat Missions. We have lots of exciting new content coming!

 

There you go. Very possible they could delay it since its not on PTS yet.

[Tatile]

There you go. Very possible they could delay it since its not on PTS yet.

 

End of September/beginning of October is possible, depending on how much testing is required on the PTS.

[alifaraaz]

My money's on Kephess too. Not seen that leak in detail but it kind of confirms it I guess. I'm just going of the cinematic at the end of the Explosive Conflict quest, where it shows Kephess still alive with the Dread Masters.

And it would make sense he'd be pissed off, we been kicking his *** since late April

 

And yeah can't wait for it to hit PTS and really have a look at it. I'll be honest though, the puzzle boss sounds the most intriguing. Didn't love the Anicent Pylons but Fabricator and Vorgath I find extremely fun.

Also I guess when it hits PTS is usually the best indication of when it'll go live, usually approx. 1 months after. Its usually like 3-6 weeks, but I'm going for the lower end based on the staggered content releases giving testers more concentrated time on the Operation.

 

Cant wait! But trying not to hype myself up too much, or ill just disappoint myself

[Ansalem]

HK47 and revan back together again?

Btw I thought SWTOR was staying away from the 16 or 8 people banging on one giant boss mob theme of mmos? I enjoyed the last 2 encounters in EC immensely because it keeps you on your toes through the gauntlets. I wish they would have more encounters like colonel vorgath and kephess instead of going to go beat on giant squid monster cthululu.

[alifaraaz]

HK47 and revan back together again?

Btw I thought SWTOR was staying away from the 16 or 8 people banging on one giant boss mob theme of mmos? I enjoyed the last 2 encounters in EC immensely because it keeps you on your toes through the gauntlets. I wish they would have more encounters like colonel vorgath and kephess instead of going to go beat on giant squid monster cthululu.

 

Maybe they realised that boss fights that involve several bosses (to make it less beating on one boss) is harder that it seems. Kephess is great in that sense, you fight soldiers, and then rail shot droids and then the big guy himself. Vorgath too, you got the droids and turrets.

 

Personally I have no complaint with beating on one boss. But they could make more fights like say Kael'thas where there's 4 mini bosses or something. Having each tank take 2 each. Could make for some very interesting mechanics too, switching/cycling the bosses to deal with certain mechanics and debuffs etc. But I'm just spitballing here

[BurnedRemains]

Okay well if you are taking anything from Torhead then you are doing it wrong. For example, according to their site, 1.3 was supposed to come with HK, Dread Masters daily area on Bel, an new FP, and Terror From Beyond. 1.4; A new Hutt planet with Dailies and another Operation. 1.5 is supposed to come with a new operation, a new planet and dailies, and a new FP.

 

1.3 had none of that. Looks like 1.4 will have none of it as well. Looks to me like adding new planets is going to get milked for money in the cash shop and to subscribers. If this happens, I'm nopin the **** out of this game.

[ancksunamur]

Nice post, but this is really nothing of a surprise. The original video came out at E3, and that was at least 3 months ago. In fact we have seen anything in in 5 months. Now when the server merges (or whatever you have decided to call them) happened, I was very excited. The game seemed to have new life, but then you did nothing for the rest of the summer, and lets face it, 1.4 won't be released until the end of September. And the HK droid that you debuted over a month ago, will wait for a minimum of the beginning of F2P. Even 1.2 only had 4 bosses, making a total of 14 bosses for end game.

Face it EA is its own worst enemy. If you were smart you would of countered GW2 with a minimum of RWZ season 1, and counter MoP with even more content. You can't even put out a flash point in a timely fashion. In the same amount of time "that other game" had 6 patches including the PvP area Gurubashi, Maraudon, Cloak and Helm graphic toggle, Dire Maul, Lord Kazzak world boss, a PVP honor system, some class quests, 2 battle grounds, darkmoon faire, and BWL. Now you can argue this game launched with some of those in mind. But when you look at the frequency they released content, compared to the frequency SWTOR is releasing its just not in comparison. Four months ago I could see the argument.

Now I love this game, but its harder and harder to log in and knock out a EC HM, do some rated BG's and perhaps some dailies (that ones a joke I haven't done dailies since June). I was excited on the very first announcement of this game, and would of waited another year if I had too. No joke your lucky this has a Star Wars IP, or you would of been long dead before even release. I loved Bioware's store telling, KoToR 1 and 2 are some the best games I've played and sadly still play them. But EA can't buy a company without destroying its main title. Westwood's Command & Conquer was destroyed by EA, like they didn't even care about it. Mystic's Warhammer, dead with in weeks after launch.

I understand EA doesn't really care about this game other then turning a profit, but face it your fans are caring less and less, by what your not doing. This game had the biggest chance to succeed, but its not marketed anymore minus a couple websites, nothing new has happened in months. Face it dungeon finder is not content you should of released a new FP at the same time. LI HM is done in under 20 mins in our guild. I won't take cut backs as an excuse, am Military my shop has been reduced by a third and we always have new people coming in and old coming out and the same production is whats expected. Am sorry I hope you hurry I really do, but quit posting videos and crap on stuff were not getting for months.

Edited August 30, 2012 by ancksunamur

[lexiekaboom]

When you zone out of it do you get a error message preventing you to zone back in?

 

Are all the monsters set up such that only armour mitigation maters and shadow / assassin tanks are still worthless?

 

Does every monster in the zone have a mechanic that makes melee classes much less desirable then ranged?

 

Will everything that drops be worthless due to messed up itemization which, although admitting you messed up, you refuse to fix?

 

Man, 6 months ago I would have been so happy with a new zone, but now it's just a depressing death keel which is going to be broken and worthless like all the current content

[EzoEo]

I don't know what the point is in new modded gear as by now most people are at the point of diminishing returns and new gear will put people over the point that it's not worth aquiring.

 

Bioware either need to add new stats to mods or completely rethink and redsign their itemization.

[Vandicus]

I don't know what the point is in new modded gear as by now most people are at the point of diminishing returns and new gear will put people over the point that it's not worth aquiring.

 

Bioware either need to add new stats to mods or completely rethink and redsign their itemization.

 

Well you see every time we get a new content patch the diminishing returns system is adjusted. Our last change was in 1.2.

[Khevar]

...

 

Are all the monsters set up such that only armour mitigation maters and shadow / assassin tanks are still worthless?

 

Does every monster in the zone have a mechanic that makes melee classes much less desirable then ranged?

 

...

While I agree there are many issues to address, a couple of your comments surprise me.

 

Shadow Tanks are brilliant on Firebrand (incinerate armor doesn't affect them nearly as hard as Guardian Tanks), and can solo tank NM Fabricator through all stacks of the armor debuff. We're always happy to have a shadow tank in our ops runs.

 

Also every op we run has a mix of ranged and melee and we do fine. Actually the first 4 people in our guild to defeat LR-5 did it with 2 sentinels.

[lexiekaboom]

While I agree there are many issues to address, a couple of your comments surprise me.

 

Shadow Tanks are brilliant on Firebrand (incinerate armor doesn't affect them nearly as hard as Guardian Tanks), and can solo tank NM Fabricator through all stacks of the armor debuff. We're always happy to have a shadow tank in our ops runs.

 

Also every op we run has a mix of ranged and melee and we do fine. Actually the first 4 people in our guild to defeat LR-5 did it with 2 sentinels.

 

You - "This one time a guy killed a man with a club, so I'm really surprised to see you say guns are better then clubs at killing people. Clubs kill people just fine"

 

Yes, clubs can kill people. But guns do it better and you really shouldn't be using a club unless there are no guns around.

Edited August 30, 2012 by lexiekaboom

[Costello]

Two questions spring to mind. First why are the Sith fighting their own again? So far the Battle for Ilum fighting their own, The False Emporer fighting their own, The Raghoul Flashpoints fighting their own creations and now fighting people you worked hard to bust out of prison. Its getting very old and very boring.

 

Question two, what sort of content are you adding of non campaign level 16 man groups? It looks like the end game content is running flash points to get a certain level of gear, then running hard mode flash points to get the next tier, then running opperations to get the next level gear then running the latest opperation to get the next tier and then finally running terror from Beyond flashpoint to get the final level gear. Which will then become second rate when the next flash point is released or the level cap increased 5 levels and level 50 purples are equally to level 55 blue.

 

I can't see the reason to just keep gear grinding as end game. When is the gear grind going to stop and the end game start dynamic world events or open world pvp or anything that isn't repeating flashpoints and opps till people start hating the VO and story and puzzles and mechanics all for a pointless gear grind?

[ancksunamur]

Two questions spring to mind. First why are the Sith fighting their own again? So far the Battle for Ilum fighting their own, The False Emporer fighting their own, The Raghoul Flashpoints fighting their own creations and now fighting people you worked hard to bust out of prison. Its getting very old and very boring.

 

Question two, what sort of content are you adding of non campaign level 16 man groups? It looks like the end game content is running flash points to get a certain level of gear, then running hard mode flash points to get the next tier, then running opperations to get the next level gear then running the latest opperation to get the next tier and then finally running terror from Beyond flashpoint to get the final level gear. Which will then become second rate when the next flash point is released or the level cap increased 5 levels and level 50 purples are equally to level 55 blue.

 

I can't see the reason to just keep gear grinding as end game. When is the gear grind going to stop and the end game start dynamic world events or open world pvp or anything that isn't repeating flashpoints and opps till people start hating the VO and story and puzzles and mechanics all for a pointless gear grind?

 

Have you ever played a MMORPG? It's kinda the point, gear grinding, so you can gear grind again. It's what we do, in either PVE or PVP.

[ElitehunterDS]

There you go. Very possible they could delay it since its not on PTS yet.

They also said Nightmare EC was for August, see how that went.

[Maxumus]

Good catch. Now the question is how in the world did he survive? Did the dread masters somehow bring him back to life>

 

 

Yes, if you do the quest for EC when you first enter and watch the video upon completion it shows the Dread masters explaining their plan to destroy both the pubs/imps and the revival of Kephess who swears revenge on you and says next time you meet he will win.

 

[Vandicus]

Yes, if you do the quest for EC when you first enter and watch the video upon completion it shows the Dread masters explaining their plan to destroy both the pubs/imps and the revival of Kephess who swears revenge on you and says next time you meet he will win.

 

Ah, thanks for the explanation, I'll go youtube it. Despite having completed all the ops I've never run them in a group that was "seeing the sights" so to speak so I haven't seen any of the cutscenes. Only a week ago I had to ask a guildmate why we were on Denova fighting a trandoshan.

[Maxumus]

Ah, thanks for the explanation, I'll go youtube it. Despite having completed all the ops I've never run them in a group that was "seeing the sights" so to speak so I haven't seen any of the cutscenes. Only a week ago I had to ask a guildmate why we were on Denova fighting a trandoshan.

 

You can pick up the quest and after you clear reenter before the ops group disbands to turn it in. That is what most people I have run with have done.

Or if you want the cutscenes:

for Repubs

for imperials

[Sewerus]

No, there's no way he's still alive.

 

Revan comes to mind as there's the theory that he teleported away rather than dying, but I believe him not being happy to see you would be somewhat strange from Pub side.

 

If you would check wookieepedia you know that he survived and retreated somewhere

[Meglivorn]

Good update, can't wait to see this on test.

 

What loot type will drop from Terror From Beyond story mode? I have my guesses/assumptions that is based on what others have speculated (i.e., campaign gear), but I would like to hear it from a developer.

That's my question also. Guess rakata since that drops from previous story modes or black hole. But Explosive Conflict story mode also needed that.

So some clearence would be fine.

[Vandicus]

Thanks for the links Maxumus.

 

 

If you would check wookieepedia you know that he survived and retreated somewhere

 

My statement there was a joke. The line "There's no way he could possibly have survived that" or something along those lines is a cliche, to the extent that saying it is akin to "jinxing" the situation so to speak, such that whoever is supposedly dead almost invariably comes back.

[matapat]

Teaming up to fight Cthulu with special Gree technology mechanics isn't quite the same thing as gang banging Illidan.

 

Teaming up and fighting space C'thun/Yogg'Saron instead. Totally original!

[Vandicus]

Teaming up and fighting space C'thun/Yogg'Saron instead. Totally original!

 

Yep, just like all the mobs in Rakghoul Conflicts.

 

Personally though I feel that grouping up to fight a dragon/god/elder evil is much more reasonable than ganging up to fight a single person.

[Mavery]

When you zone out of it do you get a error message preventing you to zone back in?

 

Are all the monsters set up such that only armour mitigation maters and shadow / assassin tanks are still worthless?

 

Does every monster in the zone have a mechanic that makes melee classes much less desirable then ranged?

 

Will everything that drops be worthless due to messed up itemization which, although admitting you messed up, you refuse to fix?

 

Man, 6 months ago I would have been so happy with a new zone, but now it's just a depressing death keel which is going to be broken and worthless like all the current content

 

You don't understand how mitigation works, clearly.

 

I'm going to explain this very clearly: mobs have 4 types of mitigation: energy, kinetic, elemental and internal. The damage reduction number you see on your character sheet is only relevant for energy and kinetic damage. Internal and elemental damage mitigation is NOT linked to damage reduction. Fact: Shadows have the highest internal/elemental damage reduction in the game.

 

So what does this mean? Some bosses only use iternal/elemental. Some use a mix of all four. Some only use kinetic/energy. Every single attack that Stormcaller does is internal/elemental. For that boss, Shadow is the best tank -by far-. Savage Wounding is a huge source of Kephess' damage. Guess what? Internal/elemental.

 

We are not useless. You have an argument if bosses do nothing but kinetic / energy.

 

But guess what? That isn't the case.

 

I can't wait for the new Op.

 

edit: More data to prove my point:

 

In my guild's last clear of EC HM, Zorn did a total of 591,489 damage to the raid. Only 81,323 of that was kinetic. That approximately 13.74% of his damage.

 

13.74%.

 

Everything else is internal / elemental.Which the Shadow/Assassin mitigates better than VG or Guardian.

 

So how are we worthless, exactly?

Edited August 31, 2012 by Mavery