Story content in the new expansion

[Chaoskyx]

*Removed because I can't bring myself to stop playing. Laugh it up.* Edited December 22, 2012 by Chaoskyx

[ReordaN]

This is the beginning of the End I think. They have decided to abandon the best thing about the game, maybe the only truly good thing about the game. Every review and every comment about SWTOR has praised the class story content. Even the harshest critic that sets out to slam the game with as much hate as possible usually starts out with "the class stories are great, but..." So that's the one part that Bioware decides to toss out.

 

Nobody has ever said warzones are the best thing in the game, but we will get more warzones.

Nobody has ever said operations are the best thing in the game, but we will get more operations.

Nobody has ever said anything positive at all about space missions, but we will get more space missions.

Every single person who has ever commented about SWTOR from the biggest fan to the most enraged hater has said the class stories are great, so EA/Bioware are ditching class stories.

 

Incredible. I can only assume EA/Bioware are trying to bring SWTOR to its end as quickly as possible.

nuff said! I hope BW reads it.

I've been here for quite a long time now ( as you can see in my profile). I've seen how this game was developing, the beta, the crazy pre-order waves and waiting for an hour to log into the game. I had a lot of fun playing this game from the moment i logged it. It's a sad thing that good ppl left the team, the dicision to let ppl play for free and many other things that were done and was not THAT necessary but still provided as some kind of an awesome achievement. I know you can't tell us everything (make a surpsise, huh? like the speeder ), but you have to give us at least some information on our feedback.

sad panda.

 

"GeorgZoeller: Star Wars: The Old Republic is the spritual successor to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, also made by BioWare, and not any other game." So no class stories again huh ? ok

Edited December 19, 2012 by ReordaN

[ConradLionhart]

It feels like the 4th pillar is so hard to create. I feel very discouraged because I always thought story would be easier to add than operations. But turns out it is harder. Why?

[Timarick]

Hi everyone - I asked Jeff Hickman for some clarification for you on whether Makeb will feature an extension of class stories. Here's the info:

 

"The intent for Rise of the Hutt Cartel is to continue your character's story, but envisioned as part of the ongoing struggle of the Empire vs. the Republic. There are lots of great moments for you to enjoy, and it will be shared as two clear storylines. No class specific storylines are included, though I know you guys are going to love what RotHC has to offer."

 

We hope this helps clarify!

 

Oh it clears everything up, but you've just pissed off every single possible person already commenting and wanting your heads on pikes in the oh, I don't know, now a baker's dozen posts of more un-subbers based on your, shall we say, complete and utter disregard for what people want?

 

Oh I understand the layoffs causing delays. I may not agree at all with your nickel and diming methods of every possible game piece of the Cartel Market for preferred status players like my girlfriend while I'm subbed in. But now you've pretty much just single-handedly undid exactly what you guys were trying to sell when you launched this game:

 

YOUR OWN PERSONAL STAR WARS SAGA.

 

Not "RANDOM BLAND JEDI KNIGHT IN A BIGGER WAR."

 

Do you see what I'm saying? Oh wait, nvm, that would imply your management having the capacity to read.

[Galvatron]

Oh it clears everything up, but you've just pissed off every single possible person already commenting and wanting your heads on pikes in the oh, I don't know, now a baker's dozen posts of more un-subbers based on your, shall we say, complete and utter disregard for what people want?

 

Oh I understand the layoffs causing delays. I may not agree at all with your nickel and diming methods of every possible game piece of the Cartel Market for preferred status players like my girlfriend while I'm subbed in. But now you've pretty much just single-handedly undid exactly what you guys were trying to sell when you launched this game:

 

YOUR OWN PERSONAL STAR WARS SAGA.

 

Not "RANDOM BLAND JEDI KNIGHT IN A BIGGER WAR."

 

Do you see what I'm saying? Oh wait, nvm, that would imply your management having the capacity to read.

 

I actually like this approach!! Hopefully I said hopefully this allows them to do bigger better stories we can share with friends with better arcs. Better to have 2 awesome story lines than 8 just ok ones.

[Timarick]

I actually like this approach!! Hopefully I said hopefully this allows them to do bigger better stories we can share with friends with better arcs. Better to have 2 awesome story lines than 8 just ok ones.

 

Then you're one of the chosen few. And oh guess what, they'll read yours because you like it! That'll make them INSTANTLY go:

 

"Well Galvatron likes it. Screw the rest of you guys! We're going to keep churning out spam in a can!"

 

Not the most novel approach, and it's a great way to alienate even your most loyal customers, such as myself, who try to get everyone around them to play the game so he doesn't have to be the only one.

 

In case you weren't reading just the titles of the threads on this subject, not to mention the dozen pages in this thread alone, people want to continue THEIR story. Not A story they have to repeat 10 times til they are reduced to tears and sleep. They don't MIND these stories, provided they are COUPLED with THEIR story on top of it. Give them a reason to come back.

 

Only reason I PERSONALLY still play today is because I have taken it upon myself to write MY OWN story with my friends in the universe! Only thing left plus my obsession with Star Wars that keeps me going. But we only make x amount of dollars a month and we really can't keep spending money on something if it doesn't give us what we are looking for. A line in the sand has been drawn, BioWare and EA.

[ReordaN]

I actually like this approach!! Hopefully I said hopefully this allows them to do bigger better stories we can share with friends with better arcs. Better to have 2 awesome story lines than 8 just ok ones.

Well, I assume you know that class stories were written by pro writers right?. And it will be just a planet quest. Can you recall any planet quests story?

They were ok but certanly incomparable to the class stories, imo.

[Galvatron]

No actually it allows them to do bigger badder stories for everyone. You actually need to sit down and think of the cost involved in doing 8 different character quest lines.. making all 8 interesting and good and having them voiced over ect... Takes a lot of time and resources and really isn't cost effective. So we end up with just ok class quest maybe just maybe 1 or 2 class quest line are the cool ones.

 

It's easy to say what you want and ask for it but unless it's cost effective, and doesn't spread your writers to thin why do it.

[KyaniteD]

Agreed.

 

Without spoilers...Im not sure any of my 50's need much more in their class stories. My Sorceror for instance feels like his class story arc is finished. Not sure what would be added to it at this point that would be able to Start--> Complete in 5 levels, and not just feel tacked on.

 

My main is a smuggler and I love playing her. I'd love to see Risha's story expanded and it would not feel tacked on in the least, to the contrary, the way it was left off felt rather abrupt. Plotting to bring her closer to her goal would be quite fun and could be done on any planet or space station.

 

We also got Port Nowhere which is not even accessible anymore but would make a nice dwelling place to look up every now and then to pick up quests (i.e. class specific dailies/weeklies), get some gear etc.

[Goretzu]

I would have much rather hickman say that BW has plans for continuing all of the storylines... but i will take ommision as a statement of neglect for what I consider to be the most important aspect of this game... BW storytelling specific to the character being role played

 

They've already said Makeb will not have class story (and now they have clarified it will be 1 story per faction) and that at this moment they have nothing coming with class story (i.e. 1 for each class) nor for the foreseeable future.

 

People certainly want it, but it's just not happening any time soon, if ever.

[ConradLionhart]

No actually it allows them to do bigger badder stories for everyone. You actually need to sit down and think of the cost involved in doing 8 different character quest lines.. making all 8 interesting and good and having them voiced over ect... Takes a lot of time and resources and really isn't cost effective. So we end up with just ok class quest maybe just maybe 1 or 2 class quest line are the cool ones.

 

It's easy to say what you want and ask for it but unless it's cost effective, and doesn't spread your writers to thin why do it.

 

Agreed totally. I feel the 8 separate class stories was a mistake, because you have to play through all 8 characters in order to see the content.

 

Making it so that all story can be experienced from one class is better.

 

However, purely for selfish reasons, the Jedi Knight should still have the best, canon storyline.

Edited December 19, 2012 by ConradLionhart

[KyaniteD]

Well, I assume you know that class stories were written by pro writers right?. And it will be just a planet quest. Can you recall any planet quests story?

They were ok but certanly incomparable to the class stories, imo.

 

I agree. We love the class stories because they're bigger arcs with recurring characters, linked quests and the occasional surprise. The only planet story I remember being somewhat like that is the Imperial Balmorra story.

[Timarick]

No actually it allows them to do bigger badder stories for everyone. You actually need to sit down and think of the cost involved in doing 8 different character quest lines.. making all 8 interesting and good and having them voiced over ect... Takes a lot of time and resources and really isn't cost effective. So we end up with just ok class quest maybe just maybe 1 or 2 class quest line are the cool ones.

 

It's easy to say what you want and ask for it but unless it's cost effective, and doesn't spread your writers to thin why do it.

 

Let me see here... Oh here we are:

 

"The most expensive MMO ever made.." yep, establishes right out of the gate cost effective measures never stopped them before.

 

"Free Players pretty much need to buy everything to the point it's just easier to subscribe." Seen that.

 

"Cartel purchases are going pretty well." - quoted from last live stream cast, that's fine.

 

And when you're EA or LucasArts, and given their previous track record, do you seriously think monetary issues have stopped them from turning out profit? Especially with the layoffs allowing them to SAVE more money? Even if it delays content and triples the workload?

 

Note also, writers don't get paid as much as you believe, and the most expensive piece is actually the animation, not the voice actors.

 

So you want to start an argument over a game that has spared no expense to TRY (and admittedly to the point it breaks my heart FAILED TO) compete with World of Troglodites - - I mean Warcraft? No. I didn't think so either....

[POPsi]

I'm very disappointed, though I expected this. I was hooked to the class stories, but not the planetary quest lines, they didn't really have any weight. I'll probably still keep playing, but it's not a 10$ I'll be happy to spend. Most likely I'll just SB the conversation after a quick read-through of the text. And I seriously doubt we will see any new class chapters after this turn of events, which is really sad. It really does demonstrate how much they want to just milk everyone, and that there is a serious lack of commitment towards this game from EA in terms of resources. What next? The Ilum revamp will be the same as the life day event? New cartel boxes that you can buy only if you go to Ilum

[AshlaBoga]

I'm very disappointed, though I expected this. I was hooked to the class stories, but not the planetary quest lines, they didn't really have any weight. I'll probably still keep playing, but it's not a 10$ I'll be happy to spend. Most likely I'll just SB the conversation after a quick read-through of the text. And I seriously doubt we will see any new class chapters after this turn of events, which is really sad. It really does demonstrate how much they want to just milk everyone, and that there is a serious lack of commitment towards this game from EA in terms of resources. What next? The Ilum revamp will be the same as the life day event? New cartel boxes that you can buy only if you go to Ilum

 

I dunno I thought the Tatooine "Thing that Czerka Found," Voss Trials and some of the Corellia missions were decent. Honestly the quality of non-Class missions seemed to drop after Act 1, but maybe it was just burnout on my part.

 

Some of the Class Missions however were a huge letdown, Bounty Hunter @ Balmorrra, Inquisitor @ Act 2, Knight @ Taris...

 

Though more often than not, Class Missions are really fun.

[_Darkstar]

The best we are going to get is "Yes expanded class stories are in the pipeline" because anything less than that would lead to lost subs very quickly.

 

However even if we did get that it wouldn't fill me with confidence because in MMO's the pipeline can be very long indeed and they really like being vague here, releasing a new expansion with almost no information and then slapping a pre-order deadline on it? I assume we are going to be given every bit of information before Jan 7 so we can make an informed decision? Or is this just a way to milk the fanboys before most people objectively decide it isn't even worth the $10?

 

I have 1 level 50 and that was at launch, I had a 6 month break and levelling my 2nd 50 I still feel it is the same, apart from the CLASS STORY which is the only thing keeping me going. My 3rd character will be done through flashpoints or not at all.

 

What I can see though is class stories hitting later on and us having to buy the expansion to see them, probably without a discount, AND having to pay for the story expansion pack as well (IE: They are 55-60 content, but you can't play that until you did the 50-55 stuff).

 

This game really needs to stop catering to the endgamers and the PvPers who are just the loudest whiners and realise they have a loyal fanbase of star wars fans and other more casual players who would not go anywhere unless forced that they should be catering to.

[Goretzu]

Agreed totally. I feel the 8 separate class stories was a mistake, because you have to play through all 8 characters in order to see the content.

 

Making it so that all story can be experienced from one class is better.

 

However, purely for selfish reasons, the Jedi Knight should still have the best, canon storyline.

 

 

I'm not sure it allows them to create better stuff, it certainly allows them to create cheaper and faster stuff, however the BIG downside is levelling as it now means that ALL characters will level through EXACTLY the same stuff (per side at least) in Makeb.

[Grammarye]

I feel we ought to be making our voices heard loud and clear that we do want class stories to continue, otherwise we're going to get sidelined, again, in favour of people who just want the gear treadmill (and curiously, they also complain the moment that gear treadmill gets extended).

 

The personal touch of the class stories is what has made TOR interesting for me. If EA decide to kill them off in favour of an easy per-planet story for everyone, then there's just not much that going that makes TOR the unique game it was. I'm tired of yet more silent mission boxes or generic Huttese in place of what was supposed to be the major selling point of the game.

 

Ironically, high quality continued voice & story content was the primary justification for subscriptions when EA were asked, and even that now is being watered down.

[spectreclees]

Sure but that doesn´t make it fun. The game will be empty and meaningless. Besides Bioware made it clear that every story of each class was going to be different, unique and they were going to keep it like that as a long term thing so we wouldn´t have to find any other game to fullfill our needs of excitement, now they are bailing on that so of course players get pist off because this repetative formula is just depressive and boring and I was hoping for once, especially since Bioware had made such an amazing version of the Star Wars Universe, that they could atleast keep it alive. I´m sorry but I find it sad that you are willing to waste your time leveling alot of alts up to lvl cap for absolutely nothing because I think most people would play it once have fun then look for something new and since Bioware can´t provide that of course it´s going to be loss for them.

 

That is pure speculation. This is a small expansion and judging the games life on one expansion doesn't seem fair. Who is to say the next major expansion releases some more on your class story? You don't know it without a doubt. Neither do I. Saying the game will not continue the class story because they are focusing on the Republic vs Empire story is silly. When WoW decided to stop having a major villain for an expansion (Pandaria) and decided to focus on the war brewing in Azeroth. 10 Million people were on board apparently, because people still play it. (Though I was burned out of WoW by then. My Journey was over in Azeroth.)

 

So to say that Bioware going this direction will mean doom for the rest of the game is pure speculation on everyone's part. If you want to unsub because of it. You are welcome to however.

Edited December 19, 2012 by spectreclees

[Zenarka]

I'm 100% sure that posted this last month and did a live interview where the lead dev said class stories were too expensive to continue, but if the game picks back up and continues to be successful they could return in the future.

 

I don't have a problem with that, spend the money you do have on improving and doing what you can.

 

However bioware shot themselves in the foot with the voice acting. The player characters should of had all generic responses, like sports games to have the voice actions record thousands of generic responses. And just have every other va none generic. So they only have to bring in a few actors for new content instead of bringing in all 8 voice actor back along with garza, satele Shan ect every time which cost money. Bioware should of talked to the ea sports studio.

[EATtheDEAD]

I don't really understand why Bioware thinks that we want to play an expansion that is all about fat *** smelly hutt's....

 

They are annoying and beneath anything I do as an Imperial or a Sith. My Juggernaut kills them for fun and laughs about it on his path to power and domination. Now as the ****** level 50 Juggernaut that I am my only future path now is to go kill more Hutt's? and their little piss ant goons?

 

What in the hell is wrong with you Bioware? When in the hell do you ever see Darth Vader/Maul/Sidious give a flying **** about anything the Hutt's do EVER?

 

You guys have no clue in hell what your player base/customers want at all. Good job at being completely out of touch.

[Fantazm]

Nobody has ever said warzones are the best thing in the game, but we will get more warzones.

Nobody has ever said operations are the best thing in the game, but we will get more operations.

Nobody has ever said anything positive at all about space missions, but we will get more space missions.

Every single person who has ever commented about SWTOR from the biggest fan to the most enraged hater has said the class stories are great, so EA/Bioware are ditching class stories.

 

^ This.

 

I get kinda bored with any character at level 50, so if this is the way they're going I'll complete the class stories I've not done, probably do Makeb with a couple to see Rep and Imp sides and that'll be me done.

[Stradlin]

I don't really understand why Bioware thinks that we want to play an expansion that is all about fat *** smelly hutt's....

.

 

Dude. Believe you me, they don't think so at all. They know perfectly well people(generally speaking) want storylines that often enough run into the Sith Vs Pubbies war that is (supposedly?????) raging in Galaxy. Thing is, making 3rd faction BS that can be recycled for enjoyment of both factions with minor alterations is cost efficient. Making faction specific content on the other hand most asuredly is not.

 

So enjoy your Hutts. I'm literally willing to bet my account detals credit card iuncluded that aftrer Hutts, we get some ancient newly woken immortal space gods. Then some long gone super race that returns to galaxy wanting to desatroy us all. Then maybe space gods again. Then Hutt Cartell part II.

 

....To be fair, this is what all other wow clones(wow itself included) do as well.

No other MMO has 200-500 mils worth of EA cash pumped in them though. It would be awesome and completely unique among MMOS to get seperate raids for Republic and Sith. That, in my eyes, would spell awesome production values much more than hiring some diva VA to speak through completely irrelevant and uninteresting written-by.dev " there wont be heart left beating " bs remarks for absurd salary.

 

I hate it how they wasted all that 200 mils on incredibly boring talking heads that have hundreds of hours worth of slit wristingly unambitious dialogue to blaaaablaaaaablaaaaaaa. Imagine what sort of an MMO they could have made..if even..what, 100 millions of that 200 mils had been poured into GAME, as opposed to making dat sweet dialogue wheel spin.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Stradlin

[hillerbees]

Funnelling eight story lines down into two story lines is not an expansion its a contraction

 

Telling you that something is coming this year and it arrives next year is a lie.

 

Patching a game and making it worse is a contradiction

 

Subscribing means not having to make mico transactions is also now a lie.

 

Bioware /EA are biting down on the hand that feeds it.

 

Subbing but not as happy as I should be at this time of year and 1 year in.

 

"This is just the tip of the iceberg" - and we are on the Titanic????!!

[gibmachine]

I'm 100% sure that posted this last month and did a live interview where the lead dev said class stories were too expensive to continue, but if the game picks back up and continues to be successful they could return in the future..

Sorry buddy but either post the entire thing or give the link cause it sounds like a complete bull. They did say that story content is expensive in several interviews, yes, but it was always in the context that because of that story content will be released in bigger gaps that other features (such as pvp or raids). They didn't say once that story is simply finished because of the money it costs.

 

I'm still hoping that Makeb will deliver despite the lack of pure class storylines. Otherwise they will have to deal with a sizeable exodus and possibly another wave of layoffs knowing EA's ability to throw a random tantrum cause money isn't flowing in.

Edited December 19, 2012 by gibmachine