Hard Mode Class Storyline

[GFreeGamer]

So, one of the few things that is rarely contended is the fact that SWTOR's class storylines are pretty good. I'm suggesting the addition of Hard Mode Class Storylines.

 

How it would work:

- On completion of Act 3, the player is given the option to begin HM Class Quests from Act 1, which would include encounters that would be scaled for level 50. Act 1 Quests would be fine for fresh 50s. Act 2 and Act 3 quests require a decent amount of gear. The final battle could even have added mechanics.

 

-The Quest Giver who leads us on our quest to pick an Advanced Class will need to be rewritten or skipped entirely.

 

-If the quest occurs outside of an instance, the player will receive a PvE debuff that remains for as long as the player remains on that planet. If they leave the planet, the quest is counted as failed, and automatically resets to the point where they are just about to accept it so they can receive the debuff again.

 

-If a companion that has not been introduced in the storyline is used, then there are no affection gains.

 

-If the quest requires the use of a specific companion, I'd recommend that you provide a guest companion that would be equipped with scaled gear. This is because most players don't keep all their companions geared for endgame until they've been grinding for quite awhile.

 

-Alignment is not affected by the HM Class Quests since this is the time most players want to experiment with the other side of the coin.

 

-Quest rewards would include Credit Boxes, PvE Comms or PvP Comms as options. Act 1 Quests could give Daily Comms or WZ comms for instance. Act 2 Quests could give Daily + a small amount of Col or WZ + a small amount of Ranked comms. Finally Act 3 could give a fairly reasonable amount of either.

 

Benefits:

-By awarding comms, you give players a comparatively less stressful way of getting a few pieces of end game gear that doesn't involve getting rolled in WZs till they have decent gear or begging their way into HM FPs to hopefully roll for the last gear piece if it's for their class. Alternatively, Inheritance gear can be quest rewards to encourage rolling alts to use them.

 

-You already have all the content, all that's left is to rebalance the numbers and work out a solution for quests that require us to take a particular companion.

 

-We'd get to feel bad *** fighting from the beginning with our full skill set.

 

-You have another avenue to get us to invest our time, you know you want it.

Edited October 6, 2012 by GFreeGamer

[JPLaro]

Good idea, but I would suggest that you have 2 instance on planets instead of debuff

 

That way you dont mix the 50s with low levels.

 

It could ruin the game if 50s are with low levels!

[CthulhuRyleh]

I really like your idea! Although it's execution is really hard to pull off and make everyone happy. I am mainly speaking about the companions. It would suck to have geared out a companion and use that companion but never gain any affection with them whatsoever just because they were not part of the story. I don't have a real solution just realize that it's a hard hurdle to over pass. I see your solution as a guest companion although I am not too keen on it, I have my companions and I either love them or hate them but I want to have them!

Anyways great idea would love to see it implemented.

Edit: Just thought of the lack of alignment gain with your outline. I see the need to want know how things would go with the opposite direction but it kinda seems like it's going against the way the game works. Getting both devalues both.

Edited October 6, 2012 by CthulhuRyleh

[Alec_Fortescue]

I'd defo pay to get that as a DLC, too. Being able to do your class story with prepared gear for various acts can add loads to the immersion. For example, wearing something simple for the act 1, and then switching up for the powerful armor for the act 3, that represents the fact you're a powerful Sith lord. AND there are no boring, repetitive and distracting planet story arcs! I don't think it would be hard to pull off. For starters they can just add a "reset" button for the class quest. Usable only on the startng planet of yours (you lose starship). After you click you lose companions (make sure to "undress them") and AC and simply have to walk into the very first instance you began with. I'd love that. However if I was to undress my companions i'd need an additional cargo slot! Edited October 6, 2012 by Alec_Fortescue

[GFreeGamer]

Good idea, but I would suggest that you have 2 instance on planets instead of debuff

 

That way you dont mix the 50s with low levels.

 

It could ruin the game if 50s are with low levels!

 

I thought about that but in PvP servers, those who wanna gank probably already do so. It's debatable how this should be solved... I have really no idea cos I can see the merits and downsides of various solutions.

 

 

 

 

I really like your idea! Although it's execution is really hard to pull off and make everyone happy. I am mainly speaking about the companions. It would suck to have geared out a companion and use that companion but never gain any affection with them whatsoever just because they were not part of the story. I don't have a real solution just realize that it's a hard hurdle to over pass. I see your solution as a guest companion although I am not too keen on it, I have my companions and I either love them or hate them but I want to have them!

Anyways great idea would love to see it implemented.

Edit: Just thought of the lack of alignment gain with your outline. I see the need to want know how things would go with the opposite direction but it kinda seems like it's going against the way the game works. Getting both devalues both.

 

In all honesty, making everyone happy will always be difficult but I think it's a relatively simple solution to keep new people from leaving and encourage older players to pick up alts they haven't geared whilst waiting for new content. I understand where you're coming from with the companion issue,

 

I totally agree we should be able to use our comps for most of the quests but some of the story is just written for a specific companion in mind and it would be quite odd imo if those requirements weren't in place. The lack of alignment gain is debatable, definitely.

 

Perhaps the wheel could be doubled up, since at the moment, choices only come out of one side. One side would be choices that actually affect alignment, and the other would just be the dialogue option with alignment modifying? I admit, I'm fine with anything regarding this.

 

 

 

 

I'd defo pay to get that as a DLC, too. Being able to do your class story with prepared gear for various acts can add loads to the immersion. For example, wearing something simple for the act 1, and then switching up for the powerful armor for the act 3, that represents the fact you're a powerful Sith lord. AND there are no boring, repetitive and distracting planet story arcs! I don't think it would be hard to pull off. For starters they can just add a "reset" button for the class quest. Usable only on the startng planet of yours (you lose starship). After you click you lose companions (make sure to "undress them") and AC and simply have to walk into the very first instance you began with. I'd love that. However if I was to undress my companions i'd need an additional cargo slot!

 

 

 

This is just my personal preference, but I can't see many players being happy about losing their ship and comps, and basically their ability to fully utilize other aspects of end game content. Perhaps Bonus orange gear looks could be given so we'd look appropriate to the stage in our storyline though, that'd be nice.

Edited October 7, 2012 by GFreeGamer

[Ardim]

There's been suggestions for Story Replays before. I suggested both a normal mode and a Hard mode , though obviously mine differs from yours.

 

As the entire class story is pretty lengthy, for Hard Mode, I suggested the reward be like a few BH comms at the VERY end of the story (So end of Act 3). Enemies in the story areas are scaled to 50, etc. etc.

 

Normal mode basically allows you to go through everything again without the enemies being 50 (So, the Act 1 bosses for example would be level 30). It's for people who either want to explore the story again without too much combat, don't have time to kill so many enemies, etc. etc. Normal mode does not have a reward.

 

That's the gist of it anyways. I'm sure I can go into greater detail... If I could just motivate myself

[Mithros]

So, one of the few things that is rarely contended is the fact that SWTOR's class storylines are pretty good. I'm suggesting the addition of Hard Mode Class Storylines.

 

How it would work:

- On completion of Act 3, the player is given the option to begin HM Class Quests from Act 1, which would include encounters that would be scaled for level 50. Act 1 Quests would be fine for fresh 50s. Act 2 and Act 3 quests require a decent amount of gear. The final battle could even have added mechanics.

Yeah, okay, basic stuff. Whatever.

 

-The Quest Giver who leads us on our quest to pick an Advanced Class will need to be rewritten or skipped entirely.

I'm not remembering a class mission to talk to the AC trainers. Nothing needs to be done here. You were able to get the mission at level 10. If you did it, you did it.

If you managed to level to 50 without choosing an AC, then the option would still be there for you.

 

-If the quest occurs outside of an instance, the player will receive a PvE debuff that remains for as long as the player remains on that planet. If they leave the planet, the quest is counted as failed, and automatically resets to the point where they are just about to accept it so they can receive the debuff again.

I would hate to be working through a mission, and then get to the front of a queue and fail everything as a result of leaving.

 

Why not just put a shuttle on every planet to ferry characters to the 'heroic area' that is identical to the normal area in every way, only level 50?

 

-If a companion that has not been introduced in the storyline is used, then there are no affection gains.

Shouldn't be that difficult to remove the companion affection gain restrictions.

 

Companions, in general, though, are going to be a little weird here. The more they can re-write these missions to ignore the companion introductions, the better.

 

-If the quest requires the use of a specific companion, I'd recommend that you provide a guest companion that would be equipped with scaled gear. This is because most players don't keep all their companions geared for endgame until they've been grinding for quite awhile.

You can gear them up. If you know that you will need them, then all the more reason to get to work on it.

This is really no different than other missions that require specific companions on the first run-through, but now you know in advance who will be needed.

 

-Alignment is not affected by the HM Class Quests since this is the time most players want to experiment with the other side of the coin.

No picking and choosing which rewards you want to get.

If you do something that would reward light or dark points then you should get the light or dark points, just as you get the credits, legacy XP, affection, gear, etc.

 

Nothing is stopping you from killing this guy or saving that one, or treating someone poorly or well. It's not like a few points from one side or the other will kill you.

Besides, many players won't have their light/dark meters pegged one way or the other. Those players should be able to get the appropriate rewards.

 

-Quest rewards would include Credit Boxes, PvE Comms or PvP Comms as options. Act 1 Quests could give Daily Comms or WZ comms for instance. Act 2 Quests could give Daily + a small amount of Col or WZ + a small amount of Ranked comms. Finally Act 3 could give a fairly reasonable amount of either.

 

Benefits:

-By awarding comms, you give players a comparatively less stressful way of getting a few pieces of end game gear that doesn't involve getting rolled in WZs till they have decent gear or begging their way into HM FPs to hopefully roll for the last gear piece if it's for their class. Alternatively, Inheritance gear can be quest rewards to encourage rolling alts to use them.

PvP comms are out of place here.

Yeah, you say that it provides a 'less stressful way' to gear up, but it doesn't do anything to demonstrate that you have either the skill or the patience to perform in a level 50 PvP environment. It just becomes the 'easy way' to get PvP gear.

 

PvP rewards are for people that PvP. PvE rewards are for people that PvE.

This is PvE, and the rewards should be PvE oriented.

 

-You already have all the content, all that's left is to rebalance the numbers and work out a solution for quests that require us to take a particular companion.

 

-We'd get to feel bad *** fighting from the beginning with our full skill set.

 

-You have another avenue to get us to invest our time, you know you want it.

 

The biggest issue is suspension of disbelief.

 

Yeah, I know... How many times will that same ambassador be riding that same ship when when it is attacked by Imperials?

 

But this is the central stuff to your character. If they can not re-write some of that stuff, you can end up in some weird situations.

 

 

A BH accompanied by Gault hunting down Tyresius Lokai on Tattooine, or running around Hoth with Blizz at his side while periodically checking in with Blizz, being held in a cage in the Imperial base for examples from one class.

 

A trooper running around with Tanno Vic on Balmorra while trying to recruit Tanno Vic to the team and working with him via holocommunicator is an easy example from another

 

 

I get it as a concept.

I get it as something that could be done.

 

But with all of the work that I think that it would take to make it work right, I am not really sold on it as something that should be done.

At least not at this point in time with some of the other stuff going on in the game.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Mithros

[GFreeGamer]

How it would work:

I'm not remembering a class mission to talk to the AC trainers. Nothing needs to be done here. You were able to get the mission at level 10. If you did it, you did it.

If you managed to level to 50 without choosing an AC, then the option would still be there for you.

 

There is. They'll make some reference about your boss/Master/whatever telling them to train you and then they'll lead you to go to your AC class trainer. You could choose not to take it, but it's obviously tagged to the class storyline point. Just putting that there to remind them to remove that tag or else we'd have fantastic glitches where people were both ACs or AC swapped.

 

I would hate to be working through a mission, and then get to the front of a queue and fail everything as a result of leaving.

 

Why not just put a shuttle on every planet to ferry characters to the 'heroic area' that is identical to the normal area in every way, only level 50?

 

Because that would actually take time that people would complain about. You'd create a new area, that would need to be placed somewhere in the map, have the shuttle, etc etc etc. The debuff is a simpler solution but yours is valid too, ust more time consuming.

 

Shouldn't be that difficult to remove the companion affection gain restrictions.

 

Companions, in general, though, are going to be a little weird here. The more they can re-write these missions to ignore the companion introductions, the better.

 

I can't see that happening cos many companions are written so closely as to being apart of the storyline and your actions cause them to be stranded/impressed/crazy enough to join you.

 

You can gear them up. If you know that you will need them, then all the more reason to get to work on it.

This is really no different than other missions that require specific companions on the first run-through, but now you know in advance who will be needed.

 

Again, I'm fine with that, but imagine you specced DPS and your first comp is DPS, a heroic/HM version of your storyline might actually be quite tough to do for you or too easy for those who have a DPS +Tank/Healer

 

No picking and choosing which rewards you want to get.

If you do something that would reward light or dark points then you should get the light or dark points, just as you get the credits, legacy XP, affection, gear, etc.

 

Nothing is stopping you from killing this guy or saving that one, or treating someone poorly or well. It's not like a few points from one side or the other will kill you.

Besides, many players won't have their light/dark meters pegged one way or the other. Those players should be able to get the appropriate rewards.

 

I have no real contention either way. Though I can see people having problems with it. Won't argue it.

 

PvP comms are out of place here.

Yeah, you say that it provides a 'less stressful way' to gear up, but it doesn't do anything to demonstrate that you have either the skill or the patience to perform in a level 50 PvP environment. It just becomes the 'easy way' to get PvP gear.

 

PvP rewards are for people that PvP. PvE rewards are for people that PvE.

This is PvE, and the rewards should be PvE oriented.

 

That would make sense except players already get a fresh set of Recruit Mk 2 gear on hitting 50. They didn't prove their skill either way, and the reasoning for them getting the free gear is so they at least have a chance to gear up so they won't be rolled irregardless of skill. Same principle here. I'd recommend that the HM storyline only gives rewards once, that way this doesn't become an easy way to grind gear and becomes more of a one shot gear giveaway for a little more time, identical to the principle behind giving out Recruit gear.

 

The biggest issue is suspension of disbelief.

 

Yeah, I know... How many times will that same ambassador be riding that same ship when when it is attacked by Imperials?

 

But this is the central stuff to your character. If they can not re-write some of that stuff, you can end up in some weird situations.

 

 

A BH accompanied by Gault hunting down Tyresius Lokai on Tattooine, or running around Hoth with Blizz at his side while periodically checking in with Blizz, being held in a cage in the Imperial base for examples from one class.

 

A trooper running around with Tanno Vic on Balmorra while trying to recruit Tanno Vic to the team and working with him via holocommunicator is an easy example from another

 

 

Yeah except I can play a Consular first and kill a particular character, then roll an Imp and find said character alive simply cos my Imp supposedly meets her before the actions of of Consular. Also, we can create a new character and relive the event again, so it's hard for me to really see where suspension of disbelief comes in.

 

I get it as a concept.

I get it as something that could be done.

 

But with all of the work that I think that it would take to make it work right, I am not really sold on it as something that should be done.

At least not at this point in time with some of the other stuff going on in the game.

 

Well I think it's a comparatively easy way to give us content. Sure, bug fixes are great. More end game content (WZs/FPs/Ops/Worlds) are great. However, this is simple, my suggestions would mostly require some number adjusting, as opposed to designing, programming, and bug testing worlds/FPs/Ops/WZs. Of course, it's debatable whether it's something that SHOULD be done, but that's why I'm putting it here. I'm still voting for it, but you made some fair arguments

Edited October 7, 2012 by GFreeGamer

[Mithros]

Because that would actually take time that people would complain about. You'd create a new area, that would need to be placed somewhere in the map, have the shuttle, etc etc etc. The debuff is a simpler solution but yours is valid too, ust more time consuming.

 

The hypothetical shuttle that I am proposing here wouldn't take you to a new area.

It would take you to a load screen where the game would load the heroic instance of the planet that you were on.

 

There aren't any new maps or any of that other stuff here.

 

Again, I'm fine with that, but imagine you specced DPS and your first comp is DPS, a heroic/HM version of your storyline might actually be quite tough to do for you or too easy for those who have a DPS +Tank/Healer

 

My trooper might be a tank and a healer or DPS is what I need, but they might be DPS, and a tank or healer is what I need, or they might be a healer and a tank or DPS is what I need.

 

The game can't know. So now they have to offer you a choice of three guests, each filling a different role?

 

 

I remember as a trooper that you recruit Tanno specifically because you need an explosives expert, and Yuun because of his particular skills. In this re-running of things, you would do the exact same thing.

And then not even be allowed to use him (or Yuun) when the time actually came to put their skills to use.

 

 

And it only applies in those instances where you have to use whichever companion.

 

Making them come up with three new characters, complete with new lines of dialogue (or do they speak the same lines in the same voice as your companion?) seems like it's adding work where none is really needed to me.

 

Things may be more or less difficult with a particular type of companion, but that is no different than when running through the first time.

 

That would make sense except players already get a fresh set of Recruit Mk 2 gear on hitting 50. They didn't prove their skill either way, and the reasoning for them getting the free gear is so they at least have a chance to gear up so they won't be rolled irregardless of skill. Same principle here. I'd recommend that the HM storyline only gives rewards once, that way this doesn't become an easy way to grind gear and becomes more of a one shot gear giveaway for a little more time, identical to the principle behind giving out Recruit gear.

They get their set of PvP gear to start because they need it to be even remotely relevant in the 50 PvP group.

 

But everyone gets that, and then they have to go out and work for better in the PvP environment.

 

If they were going to give PvP comms for this PvE content, why not other PvE content, too?

Maybe let me fly a space mission and trade my fleet comms for PvP comms?

 

Even if you only get to run the heroic story once, that is still a lot of story with a lot of rewards.

A person might not be able to grind to get everything, but by simply playing through it they would be able to get quite a lot.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

And when they increase the level cap (assuming that that is still int he works, even if down the road a little ways), all of this could be just so much lower level content that few players even bother with.

Edited October 7, 2012 by Mithros

[GFreeGamer]

The hypothetical shuttle that I am proposing here wouldn't take you to a new area.

It would take you to a load screen where the game would load the heroic instance of the planet that you were on.

 

There aren't any new maps or any of that other stuff here.

 

Fair enough then.

 

My trooper might be a tank and a healer or DPS is what I need, but they might be DPS, and a tank or healer is what I need, or they might be a healer and a tank or DPS is what I need.

 

The game can't know. So now they have to offer you a choice of three guests, each filling a different role?

 

Sorry, I my answer actually didn't even properly respond. The reason why I suggested providing a geared guest companion is for convenience. I suppose your way is actually simpler.

 

They get their set of PvP gear to start because they need it to be even remotely relevant in the 50 PvP group.

 

But everyone gets that, and then they have to go out and work for better in the PvP environment.

 

If they were going to give PvP comms for this PvE content, why not other PvE content, too?

Maybe let me fly a space mission and trade my fleet comms for PvP comms?

 

Even if you only get to run the heroic story once, that is still a lot of story with a lot of rewards.

A person might not be able to grind to get everything, but by simply playing through it they would be able to get quite a lot.

 

I get where you're coming from, but don't forget that ithey can plan the rewards distribution so the player would at most have 3 pieces of BM gear and be halfway to a WH main hand or something. They don't have to give it out at every quest point, just specific key quest points.

 

If your concern is seriously skill level, how about a valor level lock on the comms boxes for PvP? That way, the player still needs to do WZs, but at least they'll receive a slight amount of help at the start.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

And when they increase the level cap (assuming that that is still int he works, even if down the road a little ways), all of this could be just so much lower level content that few players even bother with.

 

That's a reasoning I don't get. You might as well say they shouldn't bother with ops right now because that'll just be lower level content. Not to mention, even if the player is geared, the HM Class Quests can be an easy source of credits or orange gear. If you provide some interesting look/orange gear for classes, I am fairly certain tplayers will trip over their heads for it. It's like TF2s hat system all over again.