The "forgetting" of low-level content ...

[AlrikFassbauer]

Hello, everyone,

 

what I notice in SWTOR, but already knew from another MMORPG, is that in-game content gets tailores exclusively for highest-level characters. For the veteran players, never for low-level players.

 

I noticed that by catering the high-content "locusts", low-level content gets easily "forgotten", and as a result existing bugs in low-level content can persist even for years. Because no-one is actually interested in Lowbies. And their content.

 

As another result, this catering for high-level content players also supports Eliticism - players grow into believing that THEY are the "créme de la créme" and that EVERYTHING should be made FOR THEM - and that exclusively !

 

As a side-result, scorn and cynism grows against Lowbies. Because, if one is at the top, why bother with all those below you ? Plus, people begin to argue against anything that is - in their eyes "dumbing down" any game to make it more feasible for low-level characters and for new players, too.

 

Personally, I don't like that. I still want my low-level characters to have fun, and as I still consider myself to be an absolute Newbie (I'm playing since last November), I would like to have something "the big boys" don't have.

 

Which leads me to the question :

 

Why are there no Events for low-level characters ? Why only exclusively for high-level characters ? Why is so much done for them ?

 

And, of course, people will say : "Of course they HAVE to do something for the Veterans, because THEY are the ones who pay !"

 

Personally, I believe that this is an aggressive illusion. I rather believe that the entry of *new* players keeps a game alife - and *especially* if the game is so good that the *new* players stay and pay so much for the MMO that it doesn't need to be closed !

 

It's a matter of the so-called "vocal minority" (look at the web site called "TV Tropes" for that, it has several very interestting articles). The Veterans are often the "vocal minority", which is trying to give to everyone else the impression that *they* are the Elite of the game that that the game should be better catering them, or the'll quit and then everything will crumble to dust. Like some sort of blackmail.

 

The Newbies and the middle-tier mass are the "Silent Sheep", in so far that they are content with the content (pun intended ), and because of that, they are silent.

 

But still - why not make some Lowbie-Events ?

 

This would make even Veterans into making new lowest-level Characters - which could become a learning session, for example for those who believe that "there is no challenge anymore".

 

 

In short : I don't want Events to be highest-level exclusives; instead, I want something for veryone, and especially for the far-too-often "forgotten" Lowbies !

 

Alrik

[-Sirus-]

The rakghoul event was perfectly accessible to lowbies. Was out of town the whole week of the nar shadaa event, but assume at least part of it was accessible considering nar shadaa is a leveling planet.

[TUXs]

You have more low level content in SWTOR than in any other imaginable game.

 

Players spend maybe 6 week going from 1-50...I've spent the last year at 50. Level cap is where the product needs to progress.

[Felli]

Seriously? It takes about 2 weeks to level up in this game from 1 to 50. It isn't elitism, its just reality.

[DarthTHC]

It feels like OP is saying, "I want to drop out of high school and be paid millions of dollars a year."

 

The leveling content is fine. I've done it plenty of times. Tedious, sure, but there are options to mix it up too.

 

Endgame is where most players spend the most time. It should get the most attention.

[AlixMV]

The previous two in-game events (rakghoul plague, Chevin) were both accessible to leveling players. It's just been a long, long time since those ran. :/

[Darka]

Maybe its just me

But always thought there was more then enough pre 50 content.

The Events have had a wide range

 

If anything they need more post 50 content added.

[Arutar]

Still not sure if the OP is serious

 

As someone has already said: It has nothing to do with elitism, its just a simple fact that the majority of players have a lvl 50 char. It´s really not that hard to get to lvl 50, anyway.

 

It is also a fact that lvl 50s have nothing to do except doing the same content over and over again (dailys, daily wz and FPs/OPS) - unlike lower level players, which have plenty of quests and a class story to follow.

 

An exclusive low level event would be simply a waste of design ressources.

[Nevaehh]

I cant say that I agree with most of everything you say but I do agree with you that there should be more low level content added. I don't agree with you about the high level elitism thing I have 50's myself but I also have a host of lowbs. Everyone starts off as a lowb sometime. I will say this with the events I do agree that there either should be lowb events along with more content story lines or when they hold an event as with what they do when you pvp or go into a pvp zone a lowb character should get the 50 level buff so for the purposes of participating in the event.

[Vithalor]

As an FYI, All of the Galactic Reputation is SHARED across ALL your characters, just like Legacy experience, no matter what their level.

 

What this means is.... I can take my lvl 50 Jedi Sentinel out and do, say, all the dailies for the Gree Enclave and eventually quest until that character is MAXED out in reputation with the Gree Enclave.

Then I can log onto my level 12 Imperial Sniper and BAM!, he will ALSO have maxed out reputation with the Gree Enclave.

 

Now... all I have to do is take him to Ilum, take a simple flight path out to the Gree Vendor, and buy the epic looking sniper rifle they have for him.

 

And there you have it, low level characters benefiting from a high level event.

[Kapono]

An exclusive low level event would be simply a waste of design ressources.

 

Agreed. Which is why they should have turn-in type quests for tradegoods, so that lower level characters can participate to some degree. High level characters can do the turn ins, as well as the 50-only content, and newcomers to the game can still do some things as well.

 

Suggestion: let us turn in Investigation researched materials. There are around 35 pages of Investigation items up at the auction - this would be a good use for them.

[well]

Seriously? It takes about 2 weeks to level up in this game from 1 to 50. It isn't elitism, its just reality.

Your reality maybe.Some folks can't put in time or maybe interest in doing the whole nine yards PVE style.My friend owns a small business just can put in maybe 2 hrs a night,So it took time for him to get his first 50.

[theborch]

Aren't the 8 Class stories and more than a dozen planets the low level content? I reject the OP's complaint completely.

[AlienEyeTX]

Seriously? It takes about 2 weeks to level up in this game from 1 to 50. It isn't elitism, its just reality.

 

To be fair, not everyone has that much time to devote every day. It took me about 7 months to level to 50. It would have been nice to have a break from the grind of leveling during that time.

[AlienEyeTX]

Aren't the 8 Class stories and more than a dozen planets the low level content? I reject the OP's complaint completely.

 

They could still do some lowbie events from time to time. It might even inspire some people to keep playing, in hopes of more events after leveling up. For others, it may be incentive to start a couple of alts.

[theborch]

They could still do some lowbie events from time to time. It might even inspire some people to keep playing, in hopes of more events after leveling up. For others, it may be incentive to start a couple of alts.

 

I can sort of get what your saying, I just don't agree. The 1-50 is a grind but it's still a different planet or different area of a planet every few levels. Once you hit 50 you are doing the exact same thing everyday or every few days over and over again. That is the real grind. The in game events are much more needed to break up the monotony of being level 50. These event should also encourage you to get to the levels highest enough to run the events. I know I rushed one of my alts to 30 just to run the last gree event. It gave me motivation to level up as quickly.

Edited February 12, 2013 by theborch

[Icebergy]

Because leveling up is all the low level content that low level players need.

[AlienEyeTX]

I can sort of get what your saying, I just don't agree. The 1-50 is a grind but it's still a different planet or different area of a planet every few levels. Once you hit 50 you are doing the exact same thing everyday or every few days over and over again. That is the real grind. The in game events are much more needed to break up the monotony of being level 50. These event should also encourage you to get to the levels highest enough to run the events. I know I rushed one of my alts to 30 just to run the last gree event. It gave me motivation to level up as quickly.

 

I get what you're saying. I just don't think there is any harm in offering expanded content to players of all levels.

[theborch]

I get what you're saying. I just don't think there is any harm in offering expanded content to players of all levels.

 

Your expanded content is moving on to the next planet. If you've already gone through all the planets then that means you have a level 50, so go do the event.

[psandak]

AlrikFassbauer,

 

Others have said that the previous events in this game were accessible by non-capped characters.

 

Furthermore, I have played in several MMOs where low-level content was added and/or changed over the years.

 

I hate to bring it up due to some of the hate that I will stir up but WoW is a perfect example (and I played it the longest so I know it well):

- with each expansion comes new classes and/or races and new areas to level in.

- In the Cataclysm expansion most of the world was redone meaning that even existing leveling content was changed

- the multitude of events in that game (there is one or more for just about every USA holiday) are geared towards bringing everyone back to existing content and all levels can participate.

 

All of these factors drew in new players over the years.

 

That being said, it is FAR easier to add content to the "end" of an MMO than recreate stuff in the middle, which is why it took Blizzard six years and three expansions to make it happen. What would you have BioWare do? Rewrite and recreate all the 1-50 content every year? That is wholly unrealistic.

 

And in all candor, if you looked at all accounts across all servers, I would bet that an overwhelming majority have at least one character at the level cap. New players or not, they have a character (or more than one) waiting for something to do.

[AlienEyeTX]

Your expanded content is moving on to the next planet. If you've already gone through all the planets then that means you have a level 50, so go do the event.

 

You may go to different planets, but aren't they all really the same? Class story is the only thing worth paying attention to. All of the planet quests just sort of blend together. Why not offer something special once in a while to the casual players? You know, we pay subs, too.

[theborch]

You may go to different planets, but aren't they all really the same? Class story is the only thing worth paying attention to. All of the planet quests just sort of blend together. Why not offer something special once in a while to the casual players? You know, we pay subs, too.

 

These event mission are nothing different then planetary missions just in a different place. Every mission in the game is either go here and kill ## [Fill in the blank], go collect ## [Fill in the blank] or deactivate/hack/destroy ## [Fill in the blanks]. The only reason to do the event is unique rewards. These rewards, this time, are for players have have worked there way through the entire class story and still play the game. Your [under 50 rewards] are awaiting you on the next planet, mission terminal, etc. Since you have no level 50 everything you get to is new and unique because you haven't done it yet. They have already said this is a recurring event so just miss it this time and when it comes back around maybe you'll be at 50, or close, and can take advantage of it.

Edited February 12, 2013 by theborch

[AlienEyeTX]

These event mission are nothing different then planetary missions just in a different place. Every mission in the game is either go here and kill ## [Fill in the blank], go collect ## [Fill in the blank] or deactivate/hack/destroy ## [Fill in the blanks]. The only reason to do the event is unique rewards. These rewards, this time, are for players have have worked there way through the entire class story and still play the game. Your [under 50 rewards] are awaiting you on the next planet, mission terminal, etc. Since you have no level 50 everything you get to is new and unique because you haven't done it yet. They have already said this is a recurring event so just miss it this time and when it comes back around maybe you'll be at 50, or close, and can take advantage of it.

 

You're missing the point. It makes players feel like a part of the larger universe. Until 50, it almost feels like you're the only person in the galaxy. Events would just make the world feel more dynamic. Why not give a taste of that to lower level players? That's not taking anything away from end-game players, so what's the problem?

 

Like plenty of other players, I have characters at all ranges of levels now, so no big deal to me. This would be a big help to new players, though, in giving a taste of things to come.

[DarthOvertone]

There is no "forgetting" low-level content. Some of you peeps are just slow and are missing the fact that BW clearly is incentivizing players to level to 45 (not 50) that have not already done so. There are a multitude of Boosts and such in the Cartel Market to assist you toward this end.

 

Keep in mind that category XP Boosts have been modified and can now be used simultaneously with other boosts, per the Patch Notes. Given this change alone, there is really no mystery that the level 45 requirement was a marketing choice, and not just one made to placate/reward peeps already at endgame:

 

Players are now able to use more than one Category-specific Experience Boost simultaneously. Ex: A player may have both a Warzone and Space Experience Boost active at the same time. However, General Experience Boosts may not be combined with Category-specific Experience Boosts.

[MillionsKNives]

You're missing the point. It makes players feel like a part of the larger universe. Until 50, it almost feels like you're the only person in the galaxy. Events would just make the world feel more dynamic. Why not give a taste of that to lower level players? That's not taking anything away from end-game players, so what's the problem?

 

Like plenty of other players, I have characters at all ranges of levels now, so no big deal to me. This would be a big help to new players, though, in giving a taste of things to come.

 

True, but their previous events have all been such that as long as you meet the level requirement for the planet you can attend. First was Tatooine, which meant anyone who was at Tatooine could attend. The next was Nar Shaddaa, again allowing low level players to go. This time it happens to be on Ilum, which requires you to be around level 45 to go.

 

So clearly they've put events that allowed lower levels in the past, that doesn't mean they have to every time or that they never will again.