Let's chat, burnout vs. obsession, casual player style.....

[LordArtemis]

Ok, I'd just like to chat a bit about something I've been chewing on lately...game content and why I find myself taking long breaks at this point.

 

I'm subbed right now, and I'm NOT bored. There is still plenty to do, plenty of stories I haven't played out yet. But I find myself in a weird place at the moment. I have one 50, I do a few hard modes here and there (they are ok, but nothing too enticing here), advance my story a bit every few days and generally waste credits on junk I don't need. Quest dialog is starting to melt together it seems. I find myself spacebaring even NEW quest dialog.

 

I also spend far too much time browsing the GTN trying to find the right look, and horde way too many armor drops. I'm frozen with my other characters because I'm one of those that loves the story but hates the grind....the lower my level and gear, the more it's a chore. It's hard to find the sweet spot...so they sit instead. I rarely break 300k in credits, my gear is pretty low par with BIS and junk mods mixed in.

 

I'm specced wrong. I have power mods installed on a healer instead of crit. Pretty dense, I know.

 

I don't belong to a guild. Mainly because I am an idiot, far too casual of a player, and that means I really get a rash from turning a game into a job. Guild play tends to turn into exactly that.

 

I've had the same really REALLY weird problem in other games I play as well. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I probably should get the point....

 

 

I daydream about what could cause me to become obsessed with this game. A customizable interior for my ship.

 

I run around my ship and look at every nook and cranny. I run around the world and think to myself "that would be awesome as a piece of furniture or decoration to put in my ship!!!".

 

I see the paintings, the special chairs, different computer displays/terminals, various items here and there. It reminds me how much I miss my Sorosuub Luxury Yacht.

 

And then it hits me...I must have spent somewhere around 3 months of solid gameplay time decorating that beast. Not to mention all the time I spent questing, shopping, searching for the items to put inside the ship. Why did I do this? Maybe it was my way of staking my claim in the game, carving out a small piece of myself in this game world...making it feel more like I was a resident instead of a spectator.

 

At any rate, I really wish we could do the same thing here. Make our ships our actual home instead of just a static taxi ride.

 

I just wonder if anyone else feels this way.

Edited December 17, 2012 by LordArtemis

[Lovethebeard]

Ok, I'd just like to chat a bit about something I've been chewing on lately...game content and why I find myself taking long breaks at this point.

 

I'm subbed right now, and I'm not bored. There is still plenty to do, plenty of stories I haven't played out yet. But I find myself in a weird place at the moment. I have one 50, I do a few hard modes here and there (they are ok, but nothing too enticing here), advance my story a bit every few days and generally waste credits on junk I don't need. Quest dialog is starting to melt together it seems. I find myself spacebaring even NEW quest dialog.

 

I also spend far too much time browsing the GTN trying to find the right look, and horde way too many armor drops. I'm frozen with my other characters because I'm one of those that loves the story but hates the grind....the lower my level and gear, the more it's a chore. It's hard to find the sweet spot...so they sit instead.

 

I've had the same really REALLY weird problem in other games I play as well. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I probably should get the point....

 

 

I daydream about what could cause me to become obsessed with this game. A customizable interior for my ship.

 

I run around my ship and look at every nook and cranny. I run around the world and think to myself "that would be awesome as a piece of furniture or decoration to put in my ship!!!".

 

I see the paintings, the special chairs, different computer displays/terminals, various items here and there. It reminds me how much I miss my Sorosuub Luxury Yacht.

 

And then it hits me...I must have spent somewhere around 3 months of solid gameplay time decorating that beast. Not to mention all the time I spent questing, shopping, searching for the items to put inside the ship. Why did I do this? Maybe it was my way of staking my claim in the game, carving out a small piece of myself in this game world...making it feel more like I was a resident instead of a spectator.

 

At any rate, I really wish we could do the same thing here. Make our ships our actual home instead of just a static taxi ride.

 

I just wonder if anyone else feels this way.

 

Nice post! But i am in love with this game, and find nothing borning (except dailies). The ship idea is great and i wish they would add it

[lafr]

Maybe this is not the game for you. Customizing your ship and toons are not the main reason to be here and you will be bored in one day.

 

Seven lvl.50 here, hardmodes and operations all the time and I don't think this is a job.

[Toweleeeie]

Putting ship items like this on the CM would be a *********** gold mine though...

[AnAnonymousGuy]

I'm specced wrong. I have power mods installed on a healer instead of crit. Pretty dense, I know.

 

Uhh...what?

[Grayseven]

I'm a casual player in a casual guild. Last night our 8 man group of casuals completed TFB SM with only minor timing issues on the Kephess fight (really looking forward to the HM version of that fight) that resulted in a few wipes and only a couple of wipes on the Terror at the end.

 

It IS possible to play and enjoy end game content without being a frothing at the mouth, die-hard player. We will never be the first to defeat a boss on HM or NiM but we will eventually do it. We don't mind if we drop 30k Cr on repairs, we don't raise a fuss when our healer playing from work on his laptop has to step away for ten minutes to do his job, it's no big deal if someone has to call it a night because their kid has the flu and needs attention.

 

The people you game with are the most important aspect of your enjoyment. If you find the right people, everything else comes in time.

[LordArtemis]

Uhh...what?

 

...do you not understand what I mean, or are you surprised?

[LordArtemis]

Maybe this is not the game for you.

 

That sounds more hopeful than insightful.

 

Customizing your ship and toons are not the main reason to be here and you will be bored in one day.

 

Your making a pretty broad statement insinuating that what I suggest does not belong in this game, which of course you couldn't do since it is likely you do nott make those kind of decisions for Bioware. But that's ok...maybe you were just making another broad statement.

 

Oh, and I'm not bored. That's a repeat by the way....from the first few lines of my OP.

 

Seven lvl.50 here, hardmodes and operations all the time and I don't think this is a job.

 

This is a rather odd statement. I think you were trying to make a point here, but I'm not sure what it is.

Edited December 17, 2012 by LordArtemis

[mokkh]

...do you not understand what I mean, or are you surprised?

 

He said that because the current conventional wisdom is that power mods>crit mods for healers; i.e. you'd be dense not to use them.

[LordArtemis]

I'm a casual player in a casual guild. Last night our 8 man group of casuals completed TFB SM with only minor timing issues on the Kephess fight (really looking forward to the HM version of that fight) that resulted in a few wipes and only a couple of wipes on the Terror at the end.

 

It IS possible to play and enjoy end game content without being a frothing at the mouth, die-hard player. We will never be the first to defeat a boss on HM or NiM but we will eventually do it. We don't mind if we drop 30k Cr on repairs, we don't raise a fuss when our healer playing from work on his laptop has to step away for ten minutes to do his job, it's no big deal if someone has to call it a night because their kid has the flu and needs attention.

 

The people you game with are the most important aspect of your enjoyment. If you find the right people, everything else comes in time.

 

Would be nice to belong to a guild like that.

[LordArtemis]

He said that because the current conventional wisdom is that power mods>crit mods for healers; i.e. you'd be dense not to use them.

 

....you mean I should be using power mods instead of crit?

 

If that's that case, that's what I get for listening to advice on the forums lol. I was soundly trounced for indicating I have power mods installed in my Sorc healer. Was told everyone knows you use crit, not power.

 

Just from use it seemed to me I got better overall performance by using power instead.

Edited December 17, 2012 by LordArtemis

[A_nonymous]

I'm a casual player in a casual guild. Last night our 8 man group of casuals completed TFB SM with only minor timing issues on the Kephess fight (really looking forward to the HM version of that fight) that resulted in a few wipes and only a couple of wipes on the Terror at the end.

 

It IS possible to play and enjoy end game content without being a frothing at the mouth, die-hard player. We will never be the first to defeat a boss on HM or NiM but we will eventually do it. We don't mind if we drop 30k Cr on repairs, we don't raise a fuss when our healer playing from work on his laptop has to step away for ten minutes to do his job, it's no big deal if someone has to call it a night because their kid has the flu and needs attention.

 

The people you game with are the most important aspect of your enjoyment. If you find the right people, everything else comes in time.

 

I dunno if I can agree with that at all. I've a lvl 42 trooper commando as my highest toon and I'm more of a casual player like the OP. I would have a higher level, but I keep rolling new toons to try things out. I am not in a guild, but if I'm in an area doing a mission and someone invites me I'll usually sign up. I'll answer the odd LFG call now and then as well.

 

I find with group play it's a complete crap shoot and tends to go from one side of the spectrum to the other. I get in one group where no one has any clue what's going on and they just attack mobs rather than actually try to achieve objectives. On the other end is the hardcore player who knows the mission by heart 'cuz they've done it a bajillion times so they run through it leaving me completely and totally lost. If we get wiped then I get blamed as I'm clearly the clueless one who has specced completely wrong. Someone commented the other day that my armor was only 3000 and should be twice that at level 42 apparently. So I tend to play alone more often than not. I can do my casual thing, no one yells at me and everyone is happy. Or at least I am and that's what is most important right?

 

I don't think player housing would make things any better. I stopped playing DCUO (where I'm still a sub) because I just burned out on the game. They're releasing a DLC pack next year that adds player housing which makes a lot of sense in that game (Batcave anyone?). Will it draw me back into the game? Not likely.

[Vinjar]

You should try Rift. They have that Dimensions thing which is kinda like player housing. You get to decorate and such.

[Myraax]

I'm a casual player in a casual guild. Last night our 8 man group of casuals completed TFB SM with only minor timing issues on the Kephess fight (really looking forward to the HM version of that fight) that resulted in a few wipes and only a couple of wipes on the Terror at the end.

 

It IS possible to play and enjoy end game content without being a frothing at the mouth, die-hard player. We will never be the first to defeat a boss on HM or NiM but we will eventually do it. We don't mind if we drop 30k Cr on repairs, we don't raise a fuss when our healer playing from work on his laptop has to step away for ten minutes to do his job, it's no big deal if someone has to call it a night because their kid has the flu and needs attention.

 

The people you game with are the most important aspect of your enjoyment. If you find the right people, everything else comes in time.

 

Don't suppose you're in an Empire Guild on Red Eclipse? As a casual gamer who started out much more of a Star Wars fan than MMO, i've grown to love playing this game but the couple of casual guilds that I have been part of tend to have nobody online whenever I am (and i'm on most nights of the week). It seems there is a fine line between a casual guild, and a guild with any kind of structure. I'm sure they are out there, but I am yet to find one.

[atduncan]

You sound like a really awful gamer

[kamed]

If you like decorating stuff, you might as well play another game that excels in that like Sims 3 or something. I usually take breaks in between my mmo gaming, because seriously now, doing the same thing over and over will eventually burn you out. This is usually true in everything and not just in gaming. Which is probably why people get days off or vacations from work, if they didn't they could be burnt out faster.

[A_nonymous]

....you mean I should be using power mods instead of crit?

 

If that's that case, that's what I get for listening to advice on the forums lol. I was soundly trounced for indicating I have power mods installed in my Sorc healer. Was told everyone knows you use crit, not power.

 

Just from use it seemed to me I got better overall performance by using power instead.

 

I'm of the opinion that crits are better myself. But being another casual player like you I'm probably dead wrong.

[Morolac]

It's different for everyone I suppose.

 

I used to be in a raiding guild till I took a break, now I've come back the guild has disappeared (as well as the server it was originally on) and I have no intention to going back to raiding. It's not fun for ME.

 

Now that I've returned I fell into the grinding trap (doing dailies/FPs to get comms and credits), but I hope I've gotten past that.

 

I enjoy the storylines, so my intent is to level up 16 chars (2 of each class, male/female, DS/LS). This will probably take a frakkin' amount of time anyhow, so no need for me to do FPs/Dailies/OPs unless I really want to (and am prepared to get verbaly whipped by my groupmates because I do not have experience).

 

And I will be taking breaks (I hope!). When it's not fun to play it's time to stop. I've ruined other games for myself by pushing myself beyond this point till it got so that I just hated the game (Raiding often contributes to this for me. It's too much like a "job" for me to really enjoy it).

 

 

As for SWG...

Oh boy do I miss my houses/yacht/ships. And I miss the Trader gameplay

I was a crafter in Ultima Online and again in Star Wars Galaxies. Really hard to imagine any new MMO having a pure non-combat trader class (or entertainer class for that matter too).

[LordArtemis]

You sound like a really awful gamer

 

Yep. That's the point I was making.

[amaresch]

There are guilds out there that you will fit into. Surprisingly, they don't actively recruit.. They may have a core group of players who may pursue goals, but most of the members just do their own thing; maybe joining in on something every once in a while. There are many reasons for people not being actively involved in group play. Some are like you, some cannot group up because RL always raises its head and they will have to let a group down by bailing. But, they proudly do their solo missions with the Guild Name under their character name and title, and maybe pitch in a few coins or nice items into the guild bank every now or then.

 

You'll find these guilds out there. They may be broken remnants from server mergers and unsubs. They may only be an opposing faction group to hold alts. These guilds won't bother you to much to maximize participation. The one good thing is if there are other guildmates online with you, the guild chat is a welcome relief from general chat. These guilds are a loose confederation of solo players as opposed to hardcore pursuers of raiding, PvPing, and power leveling.

 

If you ever get an urge to join a guild, look up those type. The advice will most likely be only given if you ask, but will be truthful and non-trolling. They'll be perfectly happy to let you quests as you want.

[happysister]

There are guilds out there that you will fit into. Surprisingly, they don't actively recruit.. They may have a core group of players who may pursue goals, but most of the members just do their own thing; maybe joining in on something every once in a while. There are many reasons for people not being actively involved in group play. Some are like you, some cannot group up because RL always raises its head and they will have to let a group down by bailing. But, they proudly do their solo missions with the Guild Name under their character name and title, and maybe pitch in a few coins or nice items into the guild bank every now or then.

 

You'll find these guilds out there. They may be broken remnants from server mergers and unsubs. They may only be an opposing faction group to hold alts. These guilds won't bother you to much to maximize participation. The one good thing is if there are other guildmates online with you, the guild chat is a welcome relief from general chat. These guilds are a loose confederation of solo players as opposed to hardcore pursuers of raiding, PvPing, and power leveling.

 

If you ever get an urge to join a guild, look up those type. The advice will most likely be only given if you ask, but will be truthful and non-trolling. They'll be perfectly happy to let you quests as you want.

my guild in a nutshell. though we do try and group up for HMs/Ops/leveling alts together whenever we can. which isn't very often though due to us all having work and school to deal with.

[Maviarab]

heheh LordArt...

 

You really are my favorite person round here

[mattycutts]

I do get your post,

 

firstly im a old guild leader that went casual playing couple of times a week so i too am a casual player now, the guild thing you dont have to be on at set days and times as a requirement to join alot of the guilds only the more hard core guilds normall require that.

 

our guild has a very social atmosphere and there are a regular raid group and eveyone gets chance to join in when online and we have lots of laughs from fp's to pvp and raids we do.

 

I really hope you consider finding a guild on your server because it opens up so much of this game to you in a different way when you have that personal connection to a guild.

 

I too love the storey but hate pve levelling so what i do is my storey and pvp rest of the way to 50 avoiding that grind aspect to levelling by doing something i love doing.

 

I love the idea about our space ships and hopefully they will introduce something along way. Many disagree but many also agree this game does have a good future ahead of it and i love playing this game and have done since i joined which was around 2-3 weeks after release.

 

Good luck in yout travels friend and hope you find what i find in this game

[Xatoo]

I haven't hit the burnout phase yet but maybe I have passed beyond it. I do have a healthy obsession for this game, I play it every day and have since it came out with a few exceptions where i just couldn't. I'm disabled and don't work anymore, and this game has really given me something to look forward to doing.

 

There are tons of things to, and when I find myself bored with one of the 9 level 50 characters in my legacy, I just hop on a lower level character and spend the day doing missions, and yes watching and enjoying the cut -scenes as much as possible. My goal is to have a 16 character legacy with one of every advanced class. Right now I only have 12 like most everyone else.

 

I play in a progressive raid group 2 nights a week, and sometimes more. I have to say it's a real satisfaction to work in unison with 7 other players, working a strategy, wondering what might drop from the next kill. Will it be something I can use? Maybe even an upgrade for Mako, Vette, or now HK? Thank goodness for Bloodguard Legacy gear!. And what's in the next mystery cartel pack? Do I dare say heroic space missions?! I'm getting the HEE-BEE-GEE-BEE'S thinking about all the things to do so I'm off to explore the galaxy, again, and again......

 

Those are some of the things that keep me playing, and hopefully for a long time. Obsessed, yes, casual, not really.

[LordArtemis]

heheh LordArt...

 

You really are my favorite person round here

 

hehe thanks Maviarab. I do try to keep it entertaining