Bad feeling about lack of "Expansion" news

[BrianDavion]

Exactly. To call this content update an expansion in my eyes would require that all in the above post mention. New level 55 FPs and WZs new daily areas, new crafting recipes, new Operations, new skills, new gear. One planetary storyline does not an expansion make. Until more information is released regarding what will be contained with the final "expansion" I will continue to call it what it is. Downloadable Content Update.

 

I'm pretty sure we're going to see new flashpoints and ops, and I'm pretty surer we'll see a new crafting tier. they've not announced anything but I can't see them raiseing the level cap without doing it. just because they've not said "DO THIS RAID" doesn't mean it's not gonna be deployed.

[jgelling]

This game has been mismanged start to finish . i wish the original pre release forums were still here so we could necro some community concerns. But that said there are really good aspects of the game that are invetive and original i still like tha gme it just holds very little end game longevity

I wouldn't say there's any innovation, but WoW and other MMOs seem convinced that leveling is something awful that needs to be rushed through as quickly as possible to get to the real game.

 

But they never really had a good plan about how they could possibly update all these fully voice-acted personal stories and keep them fresh.

 

Players come to SWTOR to play out a story about being a Jedi hero or Sith arch-villain, and then leave when the story ends.

 

Details are murky but this expansion seems to have 1 planetary storyline which not only won't continue player stories, but will have even less replay value then the 8 playable stories that came before. And since even Bioware isn't promising that it's at all comparable to a real expansion, it's hard not to be skeptical.

[Tordos]

Perhaps the 5 levels will be just that... 5 more levels. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that this means new and better gear, the next tier etc. but this isn't necessarily the case. We may very well see new 'looking' gear with a level 55 requirement but similar if not identical stats to current BIS gear. Would they really force people to buy the expansion if it meant the difference between having access to the best gear? Think about it.

 

If I were to wager a guess, I would say most of the new (and better) stuff will not be released when RotHC goes live, they will stagger the content giving us the planet and new level cap first, introduce some new dailies later on (as well as sgr, cosmetics, other silly things), then add the new abilities/skill tree points, then an op/wz or two, and when things settle down (expansion sales decline) they will introduce an 'Access Makeb' unlock in the cartel market along with the next tier so it is available to all, effectively screwing over everyone who initially bought it with money instead of the coins they may have already had at the time. I totally expect something shady like this coming from them but hopefully I will be proved wrong. Am I being pessimistic? Sure. Could the release be disastrous amidst misinformation and broken expectations? Maybe. Would it be to both parties benefit if they gave the community more (meaningful) information before the end of February? IMO, yes, definitely.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Tordos

[DarthSylar]

Couple of things worth mentioing

-new level 55 gear will not be BIS. The Devs have said it BH/Campaign and Dread Guard will still be used. Just my opinion, the best gear given out (not including new HMs or OPs) may be better than Columi, but that's it. Dread Guard is equal to level 63, Campaign/BH is equal to level 61, Rakata is equal to 58, Columi is equal to 56 and Tionesse is equal to 51. So at best the purple SM gear may be equal to Columi or even fall just short. There's really no need to increase the stats of the level 55 gear beyond that considering how many casual players have BH, due to how many coms you can get in a week w/o doing a single operation.

-I'd be shocked and very dissappointed if this expansion only included 5 new levels and 1 planet of faction stories. I think at minimum, this expansion will include a new and larger operation. I'm not a hardcore raider, but I know the raiders want an operation with more than 5 bosses, maybe as many as 10. If Bioware decides to stay with 5 boss operations, then 2 is a possibility. I'd also expect a few flashpoints tuned to level 55. HMs for Hmmer Station, Athiss, Mandalorian Raiders, Cademinu, Colocoid War Games and Red Reeper tuned to level 55 would be ideal.

-I can do w/o crafting. Nothing we make should be BIS, and as long as we can RE new raid items to learn those schematics, the I would be fine.

-Companion stories likely will not be expanded this go around and not untill class stories are continued.

-Likely 2 warzones as well. I don't pvp, so that's definately an after thought for me

 

and fwiw, w/o this expansion you will be left behind. You can likely still do TFB HM and EC HM/NiM, but you will likely have a hard to finding a group unless your guild is running it.

Edited February 3, 2013 by DarthSylar

[odonoghuet]

Why should they be telling us anything? If they were advertising it more someone would be ************ that they are over hyping it to sell more preorders before release.

 

I am not expecting a level increase till 2.0, which in an ideal world would be close to 18 weeks after 1.7, so June mid or late.

 

I am expecting that in house at Bioware with the game being named to shareholders as a big earner for EA they have been expanding the workforce. This means a settling time on getting everyone working together, and is exacerbated by Makeb being the big draw card for getting returning players, part of the creation workforce (seperate to the maintenance workforce) has to be alocated to it, while others must be kept for creating and betaing 1.7, 1.8 1.9. Dividing the experianced with new workers slows everying further.

 

EA may even be pushing this to be more content to get more players in since TOR is no longer an embarrassment to them, leaving the developers and spokesmen in the dark on what exactly will be added between now and release, limiting firther what they should advertise. Or knowing EA they are going to advertise big rather than make content and so another multi million dollar video is in the works that will be nice but also tell us nothing of the content.

 

I am not expecting new ops or flashpoints, because this is where we should be seeing the nightmare modes with new mechanics for EV and KP, and probably NiM Flashpoint versions to bolster elder game choice for Group finder. A new warzone would be nice but could as easily be in 2.1

 

And finally not that one can keep secrets in an internet world but if they did have a secret draw card, it is way too early to be advertising it with rival companies able to copy and release similar first.

 

I see the deveopers are fairly quiet on the forums and minimal advertising for a big upcoming release that is months away, not the end of the world.

[SweKaiser]

Its simple really. They have more important things to think about. Cartel Market and what crap they can fool people to buy on it. Thats what all their resources and money goes into, nothing else. Wake up people.

[Stoofa]

Its simple really. They have more important things to think about. Cartel Market and what crap they can fool people to buy on it. Thats what all their resources and money goes into, nothing else. Wake up people.

 

*Yawn*

Still posting the same thing over and over I see.

[sharpenedstick]

*Yawn*

Still posting the same thing over and over I see.

 

That doesn't make him wrong.

[Khayleth]

what exactly would you expect them to tell us?

 

we can proably assume new raids and flashpoints.

 

and really thats about all I expect. a new planet, 5 new levels, some new end game.

 

new gear that proably will be ripped into better looking armor from waaay earlier in the game.

 

I've no problem paying 10 bucks for it. but let's be honest here..

 

I agree with what will be there but my thoughts drift to this old video.

 

 

A brief preview of the raid hinting at boss encounters using in-game footage with a bit of the lore behind it. Give us some hints at the new raids and content, what we'll be fighting along with some hints as to WHY we'll be fighting it. The story is held as incredibly important, so the reasons why we go to the various places matter a great deal to me.

[-IceHawk-]

Considering that Bioware has already begun to take people's money for this content I would argue that the "cannot promote due to over-hyping" excuse no longer applies.

 

Bioware has taken, and is asking for more, player money for Makeb.

 

Ergo, it is time to give us more information about it.

 

Unlike many I do not blindly purchase items simply because a brand or developer name is attached to it.

 

However, as it is likely Makeb will seriously alter End Game balance through potential new gear, abilities, skills, and perhaps crafting it is going to be a required purchase for anyone in a Guild and with plans to continue playing competitively.

[odonoghuet]

Considering that Bioware has already begun to take people's money for this content I would argue that the "cannot promote due to over-hyping" excuse no longer applies.

 

Bioware has taken, and is asking for more, player money for Makeb.

 

Ergo, it is time to give us more information about it.

 

In my experiance with months before release they can only over saturate advertising at this time. They have to date only advertised Makeb to the player base through thier own website and game client, which is aimed to players who are either subscribers already giving money or F2P players who might bite at the half off cost.

 

If you aren't buying because you want what it basically represents, you can keep your money till the main advertising push. It litterailly makes no difference to Bioware because how much money allocated to it isn't based on the presales, it is budgeted off the sales predictions made months ago and adjusted slightly off new data of which presales is just one factor. Even the cash they get off revenue from presales is not rolled into project budgets yet, these are big companies not living off hand to mouth.

[Arkerus]

In my experiance with months before release they can only over saturate advertising at this time. They have to date only advertised Makeb to the player base through thier own website and game client, which is aimed to players who are either subscribers already giving money or F2P players who might bite at the half off cost.

 

If you aren't buying because you want what it basically represents, you can keep your money till the main advertising push. It litterailly makes no difference to Bioware because how much money allocated to it isn't based on the presales, it is budgeted off the sales predictions made months ago and adjusted slightly off new data of which presales is just one factor. Even the cash they get off revenue from presales is not rolled into project budgets yet, these are big companies not living off hand to mouth.

 

At least someone in here understands how the real world works. Bioware doesn't care that you "Internet heroes" aren't buying it right now. They have a decent sales prediction. The only thing coming in here declaring "that you will stand your ground until you see more details" gets you is...um....is....um....

 

Not much. If you want to keep playing TOR they know you will buy it. If you don't want 5 more levels then by all means please try a new game. No one is blaming anyone for leaving. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter but please stop with the ridiculous demands and "me first, tell me" attitudes.

[ElyonRand]

They told us in London that Makeb was 'scarily close'. 'Close enough that [they] shouldn't really be [in London]'. Obviously that's not an actual estimation of time, but I suspect that is so if there is a problem, they can hold it off for a little longer. My personal estimation is 6 weeks, but that's me just guessing.

[AshenK]

At least someone in here understands how the real world works. Bioware doesn't care that you "Internet heroes" aren't buying it right now. They have a decent sales prediction. The only thing coming in here declaring "that you will stand your ground until you see more details" gets you is...um....is....um....

 

Not much. If you want to keep playing TOR they know you will buy it. If you don't want 5 more levels then by all means please try a new game. No one is blaming anyone for leaving. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter but please stop with the ridiculous demands and "me first, tell me" attitudes.

Yes I will stand my ground until I see more details and hear what my money is getting me. That is my job as a customer! Let me ask ya this, lets say I go into McDonalds and get a Big Mac do I know what's on it? Well there's a nice picture of it, also the person working behind the counter will tell me whats on it.

 

Now lets say there is a mystery meal at McDonalds. You buy and they give you just a box, you have no idea what's inside it. They can't tell you what's in the box other then the normal lines of you'll like it, or it's so cool! Do you think anyone will get the mystery meal? No.

 

But that's what BioWare is offering us, a mystery meal. They want us to put our money down on something that has what? Three screenshots? Oh wait it has 5 more levels yay! Still are they showing anything cool? How about a new Speeder or two? How about some new cool looking Armor? How about some flashy new weapons or the like? Nope nothing. I don't know about you but I'm not buying the mystery expansion.

[Zylaro]

2.25 gig download for the PTS last week. So something big is coming there soon.

[BanthaRaider]

Couple of things worth mentioing

-new level 55 gear will not be BIS. The Devs have said it BH/Campaign and Dread Guard will still be used. Just my opinion, the best gear given out (not including new HMs or OPs) may be better than Columi, but that's it. Dread Guard is equal to level 63, Campaign/BH is equal to level 61, Rakata is equal to 58, Columi is equal to 56 and Tionesse is equal to 51. So at best the purple SM gear may be equal to Columi or even fall just short. There's really no need to increase the stats of the level 55 gear beyond that considering how many casual players have BH, due to how many coms you can get in a week w/o doing a single operation.

-I'd be shocked and very dissappointed if this expansion only included 5 new levels and 1 planet of faction stories. I think at minimum, this expansion will include a new and larger operation. I'm not a hardcore raider, but I know the raiders want an operation with more than 5 bosses, maybe as many as 10. If Bioware decides to stay with 5 boss operations, then 2 is a possibility. I'd also expect a few flashpoints tuned to level 55. HMs for Hmmer Station, Athiss, Mandalorian Raiders, Cademinu, Colocoid War Games and Red Reeper tuned to level 55 would be ideal.

-I can do w/o crafting. Nothing we make should be BIS, and as long as we can RE new raid items to learn those schematics, the I would be fine.

-Companion stories likely will not be expanded this go around and not untill class stories are continued.

-Likely 2 warzones as well. I don't pvp, so that's definately an after thought for me

 

and fwiw, w/o this expansion you will be left behind. You can likely still do TFB HM and EC HM/NiM, but you will likely have a hard to finding a group unless your guild is running it.

 

F2p have "limited" Access to HM, Ops and WZs.

Now a F2p player gets himself this "Content Patch" for 20$?

He logs in and should noticed.. uh ya.. i payed for this stuff but have no access to it.. nice.

Wich means with the release of Makeb, they CANT add Ops, WZ or new HM as long F2P got themself

the "update"

More like 6-12 weeks later as casual Patch.

 

Looking at 1.7 Ideas i expect to see:

Reputation Grind

New Style Gear (mostyle Cartel Stuff, maybe Social lvl 11 Huttgear)

New Daily Area for Reputation and BH comms

[ElyonRand]

Yes I will stand my ground until I see more details and hear what my money is getting me. That is my job as a customer! Let me ask ya this, lets say I go into McDonalds and get a Big Mac do I know what's on it? Well there's a nice picture of it, also the person working behind the counter will tell me whats on it.

 

Now lets say there is a mystery meal at McDonalds. You buy and they give you just a box, you have no idea what's inside it. They can't tell you what's in the box other then the normal lines of you'll like it, or it's so cool! Do you think anyone will get the mystery meal? No.

 

But that's what BioWare is offering us, a mystery meal. They want us to put our money down on something that has what? Three screenshots? Oh wait it has 5 more levels yay! Still are they showing anything cool? How about a new Speeder or two? How about some new cool looking Armor? How about some flashy new weapons or the like? Nope nothing. I don't know about you but I'm not buying the mystery expansion.

 

In contrast, would you buy a book if the back of the book had the entire plot on the back? No.

 

And anyway, what do you mean you'll stand your ground? Going on and on about how you won't buy until you hear more won't necessarily bring more information. If you don't want to buy without more information, that's your decision, but you can't complain if you miss release because of that. You can't have both. You can either have faith, or wait.

 

And before you go on and say 'why should I have faith? Bioware always lets the players down', no it doesn't. Otherwise we, including you, would have all left a long time ago. And let's face it, you're subscribing, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so you are giving Bioware money for something.

 

You are getting a whole planet, a new chapter with plot and fully voiced (which is a massive feat btw), players are getting early stages of same gender relationships, which has also been a massive deal since launch. Yeah, we don't know if we're getting some new armour, speeders or weapons, but that other stuff is way better than that. We get those things all the time.

[Stradlin]

So it's just the price tag that's causing the issue? Because the large content is still part of the product isn't it?

 

Huge content patch a small expansion makes

- Yoda

 

Based on how incredibly lame the Makeb hype page remains, it is ultimately a question of

"Is new planet without class storylines something you'd like to pay 10 bux for?"

I found answering this question very easy.

[Stradlin]

After two rounds of pre order baiting, the feature list still looks like this:

 

• Completely artifical lvl cap to force everyone to buy it
  
• Kill mobs that belong to Hutt Caretel!
  
• Pre order and you get holo statues!!
  
• More info has been coming soon for 3 months wee!
  

 

It takes respectable, admirable amount of will to get exited about this.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Stradlin

[Goretzu]

In contrast, would you buy a book if the back of the book had the entire plot on the back? No.

 

 

Indeed, no one would expect them to tell you the Makeb plot.

 

However everything else should be plainly laid out before pre-order IMO.

 

I do think it probably is though, it's just that Makeb is an adventure pack, not an expansion (in the traditional MMO sense) and there isn't going to BE very much too it.

[ElyonRand]

Indeed, no one would expect them to tell you the Makeb plot.

 

However everything else should be plainly laid out before pre-order IMO.

 

I do think it probably is though, it's just that Makeb is an adventure pack, not an expansion (in the traditional MMO sense) and there isn't going to BE very much too it.

 

Wow, and I thought I hated surprises.

[O_JohnnyBravo_O]

This is really simple.

 

If you don't know if you should buy it or not, don't buy it.

 

Wait for it to be released, then you'll get user/gaming reviews, then you can choose to purchase it or not.

 

I pre-ordered as soon as it was announced.

[SweKaiser]

*Yawn*

Still posting the same thing over and over I see.

 

Still posting pointless and utterly useless posts i see?

 

If you cant handle the truth, then dont sit on this forum beeing a jerk.

[Vigilanis]

Well I think any further announcements they have regarding the content of RoTHC will be reserved for those important two to three weeks before launch where they can make the special announcements about the full content. Probably in a countdown type format where they can generate and build hype in the community with a few surprises, and make the release a big event.

 

Basic business acumen really to do that, so the fact that they haven't said anything else about it yet?....

 

A) They are probably still finishing it and finalising the programming, ironing out all the bugs (hopefully)

B) They will want to save the 'best for last' and make all the other details part of the launch event one would hope.

[SelinaK]

What I don't get is, why in a time when every company is trying to get all the money they can, that they make an expansion about the most unloved, unappealing, uninteresting race in the game... It's bizarre. You'd think they would have realised by now that when people think "star wars", it's not "the adventures of the evil space t****" that gave it appeal o_O

 

It reminds me of how in City of Villains every new patch started becoming about saving the world in some way and so people just stopped playing it and it eventually got to the point where pretty much all anyone heard was "City of Heroes" because that was the only people left playing. It's like at EA/Bioware they are saying imperial players can't have them fight the empire, "so lets have some nastier baddies", because everyone knows that Empire players really want is to play republic characters with different names. o_O

 

It's like they gave some "True Star Wars Fan" boy control of what to make an expansion about, it's something that has no appeal whatsoever to most people, I know when I did the Hutta missions I pressed Space a hell of a lot through the "booga booga jumba jumba" crap and just wanted the big fat t****s off from my screen!

 

I like dark storylines, but hutts aren't dark, they're cartoonish stereotypical laughably evil. We need more Kaliyos.

Edited February 4, 2013 by SelinaK