The Death of the Class Story - Chapter 4: Rise of the Hutt Cartel

[SeanC]

I would have to say them not moving forward with the class story in the near future is a pretty good indication on how bad of the shape this game was in or still in. Hell the class story aspect was the "Main" Feature of this game before it was launched, but now they plan on focusing a wider story.

[Jamus_Divinus]

They were quite clear with their intent, going forward.Not a lot of room for interpretation. Class stories, as we know them, are gone. Generalized content is the only thing in the cards.

 

Figured as much when I first saw the data-mined entry 'Chapter 4: Rise of the Hutt Cartel' back last autumn iirc. Was mad as hell about it back then. It's a pity.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Jamus_Divinus

[Xenith]

Edit: To anyone who took and "wait and see" approach, well, here is the result. Death confirmed.

[/color]

 

As seen here. (Edit: And confirmed here.) Yes, it's datamined. No, it isn't completely concrete. But it's a good indication of the direction of the game. And it is being indicated that class stories are done for - there will be continuation, but nothing more in-depth than the generalized story you can find in WoW or any other MMO out there.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this is the item that unlocks Makeb.

 

And yes, this is speculation. But given answers like this... ...it isn't baseless.

 

That's because they promise stuff then take it away. OR, they add it in, something great, like the barber shop, and screw it all up by make it only available through cartel coins and adding monotonous crap to it like having to spend more money to get a certain barbershop feature. Or like when they say "raising the lvl cap, you get new abilities!" Wrong. You get a new ability (singular) depending on your AC. This "explansion" better be worth a resub or this game is done for me. Unless they bring in some ****** player housing in the future.

 

They said with the new Cartel Store and the F2P option it allowed them to be really "over achieving" with this "explansion". From what I've seen so far, it's lack luster.

[Blacklynx]

One more lousy decision by whoever decides things for swtor. Story is the ONLY thing swtor has going for it, everything else is either subpar or nonexistent. Class story was the only thing keeping me going through another alt since i'm sick of seeing the same story in the same planets in the same order. If this is their direction going forward (or backwards as i believe this decision is) then this game just lost it's appeal.

 

I'll probably do what others said before, i'll buy 30 days when an expansion, or a dlc that's worth it, pops so i'll play it and leave before i get too bored. If they take a year to get one planet out i'll probably save a heck of alot of time for good games.

[Ravager]

I don't have many qualms with The Old Republic. I love this game. I've also defended BioWare's focus on story for this game since its announcement. I don't have a problem with the combat, the operations, the crafting, what have you--I even have no issue with the Cartel Market, as I saw it as an additional way for the game that I enjoy and play frequently to get funding. I simply enjoy the story and the universe this game gives me and the ability to share that experience with others.

 

However, I must express how deeply disappointed I am in the decision to scrap class stories. As far as I am concerned, BioWare, this is turning your back on a promise you made pre-launch and post-launch. Class stories were apparently written, that much we knew all the way back to when the game was released.

 

Is it the resources needed that is an issue? Not enough work-power? I would like a straight-forward answer on this that isn't a renewed focus on "content you can play with your friends." The vanilla game already has content you can play with your friends while also giving each class unique content to the individual player that gives us more power to affect the universe than we can in the general faction stories. It's impossible for faction stories to show the effects of long-term decisions because they are designed for more than just one player; there's too many dialogue variables to make it really be a story tailored to your character or their decisions. They're fine as long as the players have their own story, but you're getting rid of it!

 

BioWare, remember that this is a story-driven MMO first and foremost--it's why we all play in the first place. The Cartel Market and our continued support is in the hopes that we get more of the game that we enjoy already. We want expansions like Makeb, but those of us in this thread expect what you promised us a long time ago. I would love for you guys to expand this game's feature, gameplay mechanics, and so on in the way you are with Makeb, but I ask for you to consider creating post-Makeb class stories.

 

EDIT: I suggest to the posters here that we keep this thread alive so that BioWare can see how much we care about this topic.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Ravager

[chuixupu]

I'll still remain obstinately hopeful that we'll get some class story update in the future. I'm aware that everything they have said indicates they're not interested in working on them now and focusing on a main story line, for reasons that I can understand. However, in most cases in entertainment when a story is brought to a close, that only means they'll just make a sequel some day. Obviously our characters aren't dead and they're still part of a continuing story, so it's not "the end". If the game remains profitable enough and there is actually a lot of demand to make additions to the class stories, they can still do that, no matter what they say they're doing now.

[skygon]

"If" this is true, I agree with you. The ONLY strength of SWTOR was "The Story". Story becoming "genericized" won't really "feel" that epic anymore. Without continuations to the "personal story" things will feel incomplete. I know from the IA Story perspective, I have many questions that I would like to see resolved.

 

So you want BW to spend another 200 mill or more to make more VO for each of the 8 classes or ,like me, you want that money on better tech and content for the game (AKA more WZ, Space Secret Proyect, new Planets Etc etc etc).

[Fantazm]

They're gone, finished, history.

 

It's a pity, because once they're gone, so am I. No that's not a threat, a moan, a whine or anything of the sort. It's just s statement of fact.

[chuixupu]

So you want BW to spend another 200 mill or more to make more VO for each of the 8 classes or ,like me, you want that money on better tech and content for the game (AKA more WZ, Space Secret Proyect, new Planets Etc etc etc).

 

It doesn't cost 200 million to make class stories. It costs a lot of money to spend 7 years in development with 700 paid employees building an MMO from the ground up and ready for launch.

[CosmicKat]

It doesn't cost 200 million to make class stories. It costs a lot of money to spend 7 years in development with 700 paid employees building an MMO from the ground up and ready for launch.

 

Which game is that?

 

I thought their R+D budget was $15/month for a WoW account.

[Ravager]

Interesting news from IGN--not exactly class stories, but it does seem like some individuality:

 

My companions won’t be evolving with me, however. They might occasionally make an observation about what you’re doing, and they’ll still react to the choices you make in your story, but your compadres have no new quests in the expansion. That’s really disappointing to me, because my Old Republic story was as much about me as it was the people I chose to surround myself with. I understand the logistics associated with adding new voiceover and the huge additional investment this would have required, but it’s a bit of a downer nonetheless.[...]

 

[...]But combined with the narrative choices you’re making in between, the bits of witty banter from your companions, and the new pieces of lore it introduces, I found myself enjoying it during my all-too-brief session.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Ravager

[TalkingDinosaur]

With a single story, everybody will have an equally badarse story because a small problem with the individual stories was that a few classes got left out on some really amazing stuff such as...

Killing the Voice of the Emperor and discovering the Emperor is in another galaxy and is plotting to get revenge on the known galaxy.

I imagine a lot of people would be let down if only the Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior enjoyed these stories while the other classes got left with that other guy who's only 2nd to the Emperor and then another class being left with that guy who is 3rd to the Emperor, etc.

 

Though I will definitely miss conversations with my companions.

[pauljc]

Class stories are dead. Long live the Skinner Box.

[Thaed]

Oh, so the stakes are going to be higher than

killing the Sith Emperor and stopping, like, 5 different world and/or galaxy destroying superweapons?

Well that's just dandy, what with the Jedi Knight's story being my least favourite of the bunch.

 

Bioware (or should I address EA?) your game is unique in two ways: 1) it's Star Wars. 2) Class stories. Take class stories away and you absolutely gut the game for people like me, who are only interested in those. I would happily, happily pay another $60 for another three class story chapters (in lots of $20 at a time if you're worried it would take so long).

 

I'm going to beg for what I think is the first time on these forums. Please, please, please don't scrap class stories going forward. They are literally the only reason to play this game; raids and PvP are including in the plethora of other MMO's available. Please, just rethink this.

[chuixupu]

Which game is that?

 

I thought their R+D budget was $15/month for a WoW account.

 

 

My point is that it's not just writing class stories that drove up the budget. It's everything they did creating this game from the beginning. It would NOT cost them as much money to write more class stories as it would to create this game from scratch. They created stuff, changed their minds, squabbled, threw people at the problem, for a very long time. All the systems and animations are programmed. They can create smaller scale class quest additions if they wanted to.

[Thaed]

 

My point is that it's not just writing class stories that drove up the budget. It's everything they did creating this game from the beginning. It would NOT cost them as much money to write more class stories as it would to create this game from scratch. They created stuff, changed their minds, squabbled, threw people at the problem, for a very long time. All the systems and animations are programmed. They can create smaller scale class quest additions if they wanted to.

 

****, I'll write the class stories for them if they want to save on money.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Thaed

[SithKoriandr]

This news really makes me think going the route of 2 characters, one Empire side, the other Republic side, is the only way to go, and maybe even then, the only route to go is one or the other, with one character.

 

Why would I want to work on 8 characters (going with the idea of one of each class) when it would seem to be better to work on just one, since I'd just be repeating the same quests over and over again. The class stories was what made TOR alt friendly, it certainly wasn't "Oh! Look, I can make a character who looks like this!" because it's customization isn't that great.

[Thubb]

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=615122

[mhenry]

I just wanted to post and say that I'm dissapointed by this news. I mainly play for the class stories. I hope to continue to play, but who knows if it will keep my interest now. I know this is just one opinion, but hopefully if more people felt this way they would reconsider in the future.

[KhealThar]

I'm not sure you could have much of a story for each individual class for it to be any good for 5 levels. You'd have to build and develop heroes and villains and it just wouldn't be worth the money for 5 levels imo.

 

The class stories were amazing but it's time we move on to the actual war that is unfolding before our eyes, The sith vs the empire.

 

I'm sure if they actually make the makeb story epic and the quests amazing like they said they are, you won't even miss the class stories.

[GeckoOBac]

I'm not sure you could have much of a story for each individual class for it to be any good for 5 levels. You'd have to build and develop heroes and villains and it just wouldn't be worth the money for 5 levels imo.

 

The class stories were amazing but it's time we move on to the actual war that is unfolding before our eyes, The sith vs the empire.

 

I'm sure if they actually make the makeb story epic and the quests amazing like they said they are, you won't even miss the class stories.

 

I'm fairly sure that by the second, third time I play through them, I will SORELY miss them.

 

In fact, being able to skip most/all side quests during the beta weekends has made for the most enjoyable levelling experience yet, almost like the first time through even though it's my fifth lvl 50 char. That's because I'm mostly doing just the class and planet quest. The planet quests are also new as it's my first lvl 50 imperial, Makeb won't be "new" for long, though I guess the imp and rep stories will be different (I HOPE!)

[SithKoriandr]

I'm fairly sure that by the second, third time I play through them, I will SORELY miss them.

 

In fact, being able to skip most/all side quests during the beta weekends has made for the most enjoyable levelling experience yet, almost like the first time through even though it's my fifth lvl 50 char. That's because I'm mostly doing just the class and planet quest. The planet quests are also new as it's my first lvl 50 imperial, Makeb won't be "new" for long, though I guess the imp and rep stories will be different (I HOPE!)

 

^This. It's been great just running planet and class quests. Running Makeb 8 times however? Gaaah, hate running the regular quests more than 2 already.

[Mercurial_Harpy]

I'm not sure you could have much of a story for each individual class for it to be any good for 5 levels. You'd have to build and develop heroes and villains and it just wouldn't be worth the money for 5 levels imo.

 

This is true, and I don't think anyone is asking for single-class story worth another 50 levels. Each story had 2 or three "big bads" to vanquish in order for you to become "the best _____ in the Galaxy," and that was the 1-50 Journey. However, each story has some fairly big unresolved issues (by design of the stories THEY green-lighted), and if EA just never addresses that, it will ultimately hurt the game.

 

I'm actually fine if, within a larger Empire vs Republic conflict setting, class story issues are handled as smaller side-quests or conversations, rather than being the focus as they were for the first 50 levels. But dropping any individual thread to follow for the unique classes is a huge mistake. For example, how sh*tty will it be if:

 

Major class spoilers below; if you haven't played them all, please skip to the end.

 

 

 

• The Inquisitor never gets to sit in on even ONE council meeting, after fighting so hard to ascend to the Dark Council? Same thing for Consular?
  
• Sith Warrior never hears from the Emperor or his hand again? Same thing for JK?
  
• Agent never hears from his colleagues in Intelligence again?
  
• Trooper stays a Major forever? Are you kidding?
  

 

 

For the game to make any sense going forward without descending into some kind of WoW-where-nothing-really matters-banality, some of the above will have to be covered in some way. I absolutely get why Cel is loudly insisting that the quotes from EA indicate there will be no more class story, and I agree with him that there absolutely should be. But I still don't see EA abandoning it all together; I think even they still want the game to make money, and no further class updates at all will inevitably begin the sunsetting of the game.

 

I also think EA isn't going to directly answer this question, no matter how hard we stamp our feet. Although I really, really wish they would. I just can't imagine that they don't know how important class story is to the players, and if EA doesn't get that, then it is indeed the beginning of the end.

[Kameki]

They dont nessecarily have to make or design 8 different stories. But I play a IA and it would be nice if it was Imperial Intelligence that send me to Makeb. Then I get to kill the same baddies as everyone else and help the same locals as everyone else. Perhaps they could isolate a certain part of the entire Makeb story and make that Class unique.

 

Example (I have no idea what exactly the story is) if we are to kill The Hutt leader, every class could approach the final battle in a different way. IA through stealth, Trooper through tactical maneauver etcetc.

 

I dont really want unique stories for every class, I just want to play the new story as the class I am. That means that as a Sith Inq, the Dark Council would be my primary command.

 

I am afraid the story is too common that I will feel more like a soldier of the Imperial Military then a state-of-the-art Operative.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Kameki

[LeonBraun]

As much as I've enjoyed the class stories (and I have at least one toon of every class), the class stories have done nothing at all for the cohesion and over arching story of TOR. In fact, if anything the class stories have splintered/fractured up and really divided the over all feel of the game, making it feel really small in scope.

 

Really there is very little connecting each individual story arc to a major concept for this first "Vanilla" pack. I mean in a game like WoW, each person follows a major story arc of the expansion pack to reach a final destination where they encounter a big bad villain who has been making things tough on both sides. iilidan, The Lich King, Deathwing... Can anyone say who the main big bad villain of vanilla TOR was?

 

I took my knight from 1-50 and not once did I ever encounter Malgus. Now my knight would wonder who is this Malgus guy? He's on the cover of the TOR box and not once did my knight encounter him. At this point up to level 35, my consular has not encountered him in the Consular story either?

 

So what has been the over all bridge that has been holding all the class stories up to this point together? Well, nothing so far. My BH wants to fight in the Great Hunt; my smuggler wants his ship back; my agent is investigating hidden Imperial political agendas. Rise of the Hutt Cartel looks to possibly change all this story fragmentation, and that's a good thing over all for main story cohesion in this MMO.

 

Posted this in another thread... But it works for this one as well...