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

[Damask_Rose]

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.

 

People with only 1 or 2 characters won't miss them, anyone with more will. I don't care how 'epic' the story is, multiple play-throughs get stale. If the next expansion doesn't have class content, the game won't continue to hold my interest once my alts all finish ch. 3.

[CelCawdro]

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.

 

Precisely. If this is to be the only venue for the story's progression from here on out, classes need to be treated as coming from the unique origins that they do. This isn't WoW where everyone is an amoral mercenary who will perform any task for anyone for any conflicting reason (ie. Shamans spreading plagues, Death Knight picking flowers, etc.).

 

SW:TOR was great because it respected our character's unique role and place in this timeline's history. If that is lost, if those frameworks are abandonned, SW:TOR loses what once defined it. If we wind up picking up the Makeb quest from the same random NPC or, Yoda forbid, a bounty box... I don't even want to think about it.

[chuixupu]

Yeah, that's how I feel as well. I'm ok with them focusing less on completely separate stories, as that isn't really conducive to an MMO in the long run. But, they got me to actually care about NPCs specific to my class, and I'll be rather sad if I never see them again! I think they can still offer some smaller scale class quests to mix in with the overreaching conflict, at the very least. It needs to feel like proper transition from my personal story. So I guess I'll just have to wait and see how Makeb plays out. :/

[spectreclees]

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

 

Good post that gets across my point.

[Blacklynx]

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

 

I understand where you coming from, however that road will make swtor just another "run of the mill" mmo, By that i mean that the story gets simply generic as you reach endgame (just like any other mmo with some story to it)and gets stale, doesn't matter how well done it is.

 

The class story's in swtor is what made the game have a good rate of replayability, without getting too bored., for alts, simply because you had story specific to a class where your decisions did something. Merging all storys in one big event will only punish players like me who like making alts too see all the story.

 

I love(d?) this game because i could level up an alt knowing that i had something different to experience all the way to endgame (and in my opinion class story should have been more that 20% of the overall story). If i'm getting bored now when i still have 3 classes to max, because i'm tired of repeating the same planet and side quests, how do you think i'll feel if the story just gets generic? I'll be bored to death leveling any alt on the same side, and that makes me leave swtor, as simply as that.

[CelCawdro]

I understand where you coming from, however that road will make swtor just another "run of the mill" mmo, By that i mean that the story gets simply generic as you reach endgame (just like any other mmo with some story to it)and gets stale, doesn't matter how well done it is.

 

The class story's in swtor is what made the game have a good rate of replayability, without getting too bored., for alts, simply because you had story specific to a class where your decisions did something. Merging all storys in one big event will only punish players like me who like making alts too see all the story.

 

I love(d?) this game because i could level up an alt knowing that i had something different to experience all the way to endgame (and in my opinion class story should have been more that 20% of the overall story). If i'm getting bored now when i still have 3 classes to max, because i'm tired of repeating the same planet and side quests, how do you think i'll feel if the story just gets generic? I'll be bored to death leveling any alt on the same side, and that makes me leave swtor, as simply as that.

 

Pretty much hit the nail on the head. The very reason I loved the story of SW:TOR was that it was so "fragmented. There was no one-size-fits-all story; if you paid close enough attention, you could still divine what was going on behind the scenes, but every class approached it differently and dealt with only those issues that pertained to their particular role. They were not a part of the "do anything for anyone for any reason" storytelling promoted elsewhere (ie. Shamans spreading plagues and Death Knights picking flowers because, hey, it's experience, right?).

 

That is what set SW:TOR apart. Unfortunately, they seem to be focused, still on netting the playerbase of a game that people are already playing.

[Urael]

That is what set SW:TOR apart. Unfortunately, they seem to be focused, still on netting the playerbase of a game that people are already playing.

 

Which is ironic given how much potential this game "had". Face it SWTOR is "just another theme park" now and a poorly done one at that.

[translucentwolf]

Which is ironic given how much potential this game "had". Face it SWTOR is "just another theme park" now and a poorly done one at that.

 

Still here, after multiple re-sets.

 

You're a sub. You always will be. Search your feelings, Urael, you know it to be true.

[Urael]

Still here, after multiple re-sets.

 

You're a sub. You always will be. Search your feelings, Urael, you know it to be true.

 

You are free to think what you wish. But, no.

[translucentwolf]

You are free to think what you wish. But, no.

 

You're here, posting. Not of playing *anything else*.

 

Your own actions speak for themselves.

 

/Urael

[tanerb]

Is this really a surprise? One thing Bioware really can not do is "closure" on storylines. From Dragon Age to Mass Effect every "modern" great game they did had that flaw. Man, even Neverwinter nights had that issue (Aribeth anyone?)

[JymmyMorison]

well there goes the only thing thing about this game which made it somewhat stand out from the rest

[Urael]

well there goes the only thing about this game which made it somewhat stand out from the rest

 

^This. Indeed.

[turjake]

Is this really a surprise? One thing Bioware really can not do is "closure" on storylines. From Dragon Age to Mass Effect every "modern" great game they did had that flaw. Man, even Neverwinter nights had that issue (Aribeth anyone?)

 

When they did try to have a closure in mass effect, Shepard's story, about 400 trillion fans cried out. I doubt they will try that trick again

[Sprgmr]

We all realize that have very little money coming in (compared what they were given for development), and we're pretty sure they've also had their workforce slashed.

Right?

 

As I've said elsewhere: If you want to give the game a chance to get better then get as many people as you can playing and subscribing (and have them do the same). The subscriptions (thus money) can, albeit slowly, help revive the game. If you want the game to do better, don't yell at them. Help them.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Sprgmr

[ZionHalcyon]

The single biggest misstep here is that bioware fell in love with the "neverending story".

 

That's crap. Watch a long lasting sitcom for years and years and it eventually gets old and stale.

 

It would have been smarter to have the story planned out from levels 1-100 with a beginning, middle and end.

 

Then once that is complete, you tidy up around the game, side quests, and so on, and at some point you know what you do?

 

You create a whole NEW class story with different comps and different adventures 1-100 in the same war, but a different perspective. It would have kept the writing fresh.

[Seireeni]

As I've said elsewhere: If you want to give the game a chance to get better then get as many people as you can playing and subscribing (and have them do the same). The subscriptions (thus money) can, albeit slowly, help revive the game. If you want the game to do better, don't yell at them. Help them.

 

I'd love to pay to make the game better. But it seems my money is not used to make the game better, it's used to make pretty waterfalls to a new planet.

 

One story just can't suit all classes. My favourite moments in agent's class stories were when I was undercover in somewhere, and agent really is the only class that does that at all. Can you imagine something like a sith warrior doing that?

[Themanthatisi]

"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.

 

YEP!

 

I was just talking to my wife about this and her and I both feel the game will have a more limited life span for us once we do all 8 class stories. I would have been happy to pay $40 more for the story to continue, but I am sure the cost to do so was too high.

 

being players that had no MMO past, just a RPG past, will be affected by this more... Time will tell for sure.

 

If not for the class stories and this being Star Wars, I would be playing Skyrim instead and at least have "exploring" as a nice activity I wish this game had more of.

[translucentwolf]

^This. Indeed.

 

There will always be 'haters'. Bitter, "former" players, who didn't get exactly what they wanted, and are now just here to complain. Loudly. Every. Single. Day.

[Uwel]

As an RPer, I couldn't care less about story... (i even think 200m buck, just to voice acting is ridiculous /facepalm)

 

Sure it's epic and everything, but absolutely don't give you any choice.

 

I play an agent, who hate the sith scums, when i get a chance to mess with them, i take it

But I don't feel that this affect my story in the tiniest way. Sure there are "crossroads" but nothing else.

Game-wise it doesn't matter that you're ligh or dark, you turn left for LS vendor or right for DS vendor. That's all.

The [Flirt] option have more impact on the story, than any other choice (at least you score on every planet like a sailor )

[dipstik]

i kind of agree that what made this game different from many others was the concentration on story... and that is what made kotor so amazing and gave bioware the credibility it is set on squandering.

 

now that the founders have left bioware, it seems that story is no longer a pillar of the bioware ethos (pathos?) and we are left with generic storylines that make a bounty hunter have the same dialog as a member of the dark council.

 

in the defense of bioware, im sure someone over there thinks "Some class stories are finished."

THEN WHY IS THE CURRENT CHAPTER CALLED INTERLUDE?!

 

 

 

what happens on the dark council?

what happens now that the smuggler is on top of the food chain?

what happens with the emperor's throne?

 

 

 

if we are all suppose to do the exact same thing, then this becomes just another mmo. but if you make me feel like my /played was worth something (like kotor made me feel), then you offer me something that bioware was built on and should remain standing for.

[Alavastre]

I personally can see different routes BW could take to increase the story. I had a suggestion where you would combine two class quests together. So you would have your normal class quests until 50, then the single one on Makeb. After that maybe it branches out again, 2 stories for each side, 1 for force users, 1 for non force users.

 

Basically, they don't have to follow a certain model all the way through. If they go single story for the rest, then yeah, it may get dull.

[CelCawdro]

It would have been smarter to have the story planned out from levels 1-100 with a beginning, middle and end.

 

Daniel Erickson often spoke of the release game as being equivalent to A New Hope - it explored the character's origins, defined their plight and gave them a nice initial victory, albeit their plight was far from over. And apparently all the stories were mapped out much further than what we've ultimately been left with.

 

Essentially, the BioWare at release considered the class stories to be "set up," while the BioWare we have now considered them to have given "closure." It's very stark and very saddening. SW:TOR had something truly special. Unfortunately, "had" is the key word, there, since that personal sense of story has been gutted.

 

Don't get me wrong - I like the planet stories, and I'm sure that I'll love Makeb. But what made everything else so good was the framework provided by our class stories.

[Arutar]

now that the founders have left bioware, it seems that story is no longer a pillar of the bioware ethos (pathos?) and we are left with generic storylines that make a bounty hunter have the same dialog as a member of the dark council.

 

Do you have any source for this?

 

Just because you are doing the same quests overall mean you get the same dialogues.

 

Also, according so some testers, makeb has more companion interaction than the current game, which would make me happy.

[Urael]

Do you have any source for this?

 

Quote:

•Where does the development team stand with regards to individual class stories? Are these still a priority for upcoming content?

 

Great question. The way you choose to overcome your own personal villains is a crucial part of what defines your character, and once you’ve gotten closure on your personal story, you’re ready to be a key player in the larger conflicts that threaten the Empire and the Republic. Moving forward, we’re focusing on those stories – conflicts that decide the fate of the entire Galaxy and demand the attention of other living legends like yourself. You can still put your personal touch on these stories, and you’ll develop relationships just like before, but now the stakes are higher, and the experience can be shared with your friends.

 

Cel posted BWs response in this thread and others.