State of the Game #3

[Elendius]

Finally. I can change my character's looks. It'd be cool if this at least comes with some new options too (new hairstyles, maybe even a face type that looks young for the thin male body type, instead of an unhealthy thin face? In any case, here's to hoping it's not overpriced.

[KennethHoover]

Thnx.

[didid]

No everyone that is against using cartel coins to change appearance are in the right so I have to use real money or wait so many months to obtain the amount I need to just change my hairdo that isn't right what so ever

[Iceslasher]

I am happy with the response :). IT has gotten busier and <3 the game since launch. Will keep playing story lines are awsome.

[Wellixl]

it's a good start let's hope they keep content coming after the "expansion"

[skarvika]

Even if the game still isn't "near perfect" yet, I'd still like to thank Jeff for being positive about the situation. The thing is with many players is that if they want a feature added or improved on, they need it NOW!! They won't take into account that there is a team of people that need to completely dismantle and reassemble a part of the game in order for these features to be implemented. The team needs to discuss what to do; after that, how they should go about doing it. Then there's a whole process with devs, coders, designers, etc and all their work needs to be approved before being finalized. Then the team has to work on patching that over into the game. It's a long process, and it's good to know that the team is aware of what players would like to see. It shows promise that we may get some of these things.

Remember...patience, young padawan.

[pellesar]

Jeff Hickman has inspired me since he worked on Dark Age of Camelot in 2001. He always expresses himself personal to his player group and he is a fantastic producer.

 

All I can say is that I can see the game going in great places with him and everyone he works with on-board. Being gone for a few months I can already tell that the game is in good hands.

[Sneakycheeks]

YES!! Finally we are getting a barbershop feature! I can't wait!! My main character's face has been bugging me ever since I created him...can't wait to get to change it!

[Fallaner]

From the beginning I have loved this game. A lot of people had a huge problem when they got to level 50 and then really had nothing left to do. I for one just started a new character and fell back in love each time. I know the MMO goal is to get the best gear and see all of the game's content but I can't help but stay hooked on the storyline of each class. I will eventually become frustrated like most other MMO lovers when I finally start wanting to progress into the endgame content and I would absolutely LOVE if you guys at EA/BIOWARE were able to introduce a better UI. I like the fact that you want everything to be in game and don't want others introducing add-ons into the game but at least do more yourselves. Like a specific bar add-on where I don't have only 2 bars at the bottom with huge buttons with a bunch more on the sides that will just become a cluster of mess. Even with the retro UI it's still pretty crappy. Also I'm sure people would also love it if you introduced damage meters and threat meters. I see numbers flash on my screen when I'm damaging something but how well am I doing compared to how well I should be doing? That's a major mechanic other MMO's (namely WoW) have had for a long time and it's almost like a necessity now a days. I'll never stop playing WoW simply because I've played it for so long but I love taking breaks from it and I would like to see this game make it more comfortable to play. Thank you for the update and I am excited to see where this game keeps going. Also I don't think I'd mind if I had to use cartel coins for character cosmetic changes. As long as it wasn't too expensive. The hood toggle idea is really neat. Keep up with progression!

[DarkLiccioso]

Hey everyone,

 

Please discuss Jeff Hickman's State of the Game #3 in this thread.

 

Hello,

 

Are you going to also allow sex and name change? I didn't see it mentioned in the update.

 

Thanks.

[Pandemoniac]

As I've said in other threads, I think the barber shop would be much better as a simple vendor. Charging Cartel Coins really just seems ridiculous to me. I also sincerely hope that the shop will be an actual shop with NEW customization options and not just a ticket back to the character creation screen. Have more haircuts, tattoos, and color dyes please.

 

As great as a barber shop is though, I would really like more details on what exactly "quality of life" updates consist of. I personally am hoping for at least a little more sandbox (though I've just about given up on that hope). Give us the tools to build our own experience instead of offering take it or leave it collectibles on the Cartel Market.

[timmyshwagg]

The problems with free to play is that people who don't subscribe think they have a right to get on the forums and tell the developers what the developers should and should not make free. Not that the subscribers do either, but its comical when free players have a sense of entitlement based upon what? -Time they spent having fun? lol

 

On a lighter note I am glad to see the population increase and really love flying by FTPs on my speeder. That alone is worth the sub fee. Though I am happy to give the developers like Hickman my sub fees because I enjoy the game. Even if there was no Cartel market and everything was completely free, I would send them money every month just to tip them for supplying me with hours of entertainment.

Edited March 22, 2013 by timmyshwagg

[ubermouth]

hairdos

are you kidding me

how about something of substance that doesn't appeal to baseness?

perhaps gearless content to focus on what matters, skills and tactics.

they won't do that, because so many people would leave. because people don't even know there is another world of gameplay beyond the cartel, materialistic glitz, and sound-bite chat mentality. because so many people get here what they could get from that penguin game where you buy stuff and get to chat with other people. which they are entitled to.

 

but wouldn't that be sweet if they left, or if we could sort them out of the game through a revamped preference system wouldnt it be sweet if you had an option to shut out all the goobs (myself included) for a little while so you could get down to the business of finesse and tactic?

Edited March 22, 2013 by ubermouth

[CelCawdro]

hairdos

are you kidding me

how about something of substance that doesn't appeal to baseness?

perhaps gearless content to focus on what matters, skills and tactics.

they won't do that, because so many people would leave. because people don't even know there is another world of gameplay beyond the cartel, materialistic glitz, and sound-bite chat mentality. because so many people get here what they could get from that penguin game where you buy stuff and get to chat with other people. which they are entitled to.

 

but wouldn't that be sweet if they left, or if we could sort them out of the game through a revamped preference system wouldnt it be sweet if you had an option to shut out all the goobs (myself included) for a little while so you could get down to the business of finesse and tactic?

 

I was instantly reminded of these two with your post. That being said, it has been my experience that SW:TOR isn't really focusing on the hardcore market solely (as they did earlier on post-release) because that obviously didn't work out. I've never had so many problems with player retention in my longish history as a guild leader than I did with SW:TOR. People were simply quitting the game faster than I could find replacements. Granted, it's stabilized for now, but a lot of the damage is done. The drive of many to engage with that type of content is gone because of that initial perception.

[lineinfantry]

Tell me why you'd need to change your character's look like 50 times in a month. I don't see a problem in CC because you get monthly grants. Stick with what look you want after you get to change it.

 

padme had changed her hair style billion times in every scene during the story, so did obi-wan. why should i not change my appearence in time? i'm not talking about converting my human char into twilek via plastic surgery everyday. adding new jewelry or scars, shaving beard, growing moustache etc is my point. minor changes should be done with in-game credits for subscribers, not precious coins.

[RikHar]

Why do you care if someone buys something instead of earning it? It's their game, not yours., You don't dictate how others play or earn in their game. If you want to take to time to earn it, go ahead. But don't get all elitist and think only YOUR way of doing things matters. Mentalities like that are what ruins gaming.

 

 

I think it's mentalities like yours that continue to encourage BioWare to continue selling just about everything for real cash instead of including some of this stuff in the game.

[Polymerize]

What about dem Character Transfers?

[danpen]

There's some good stuff coming out soon can not wait. To see what this stuff will be like.

[Grimlic]

Not one mention of PvP.

[therealGLAD]

I don't want to be called a loyalist or anything. I liked this game right from the start (EA didn't give a beta key to me, being in the sub continent I think no one here got it). May be because I love Star Wars or may be because I have played all Bioware games so many times.

I have seen agitated people in the forums and in other part of the web, most of them were right to be upset. I didn't like the game going F2P, but wanted to live with it. I have been a subscriber since launch. Hopefully I will continue to be one. That is big commitment specially when I just play during weekends and may be just 8 hours a week.

I did enjoy last week's Double XP. So I believe this is going in the right direction. However, EA/Bioware should realize that with games like GW2 Tera Online, they have to work really hard to continue this. I will be here till they shut the server down or charge me more than 15 bucks a month.

 

me too, please give the game at least another 3 years of life (by life I mean actual updates and expansions, stuff like new classes, and extended class stories)

[Costello]

I really hope that despite the some what rose coloured view of the game the development team appreciate that things aren't great. On the whole the Cartel market has been seen as a nickel and dime way of getting money out of the community with very little seen to be put back in. The new expansion has been meet with a lot of hope, though once again charged for something that may or may not turn out to be worth the price added. But which does not advance class or companion story which I think most people would have liked yet does advance the level cap though its unclear how BW will keep up with the end game content demand of such a move. Replaying the flash points that weren't selected for level 50 HM and Scum and Villainy along with a new harder mode TFB may not cut it.

 

Talk of content every 6 or 8 weeks is great but more often than not the content hasn't been exactly mind blowing, heroic rail shooter space missions or addition of a reputation system that pretty much ignored any previous work towards the rep and has people replaying dailies or weeklies that were already in the game. Not really new content, and when we do get new content like Section X its lacking in Story or Dialogue or anything but read some text kill 10 of this or collect 20 of that and you are done.

 

As for the feel of the game, the recent Gree event feels like a cross between Tron and Star Trek, with alien space ships exploring new worlds and running round what could be considered a computer program, I'm unsure exactly what happens when you use the transporter pad. But as for the Star Wars Universe (star wars being one of the big reasons people have for playing the game) it seems some what lacking. At least compared to the wonderful feel of the trailers, might be an idea for everyone in the development team to watch them and then look at the content we have had for the last year. The extent of the Stars is a very basic rail shooter and as for the Wars its more of a fight clubbing PvP grind or fighting a joint enemy such as rakghouls or dread masters or Hutts or Imprisoned ones more than any real war. What has happened to the Galactic Civil War?

 

Perhaps it was mistakes before anyone now involved came on board? Why the use of the Hero engine, at the time it was said to allow low end machines to play the game but it seems the engine and the cartoonish graphics still don't allow chat bubbles or mass PvP and most people complain of Lag and problems even in fairly low PoP areas. Why the Horribly limited Customisation and Species choice? At the time the species at least was because we couldn't relate to them with the Story, maybe a stupid reason but at least a reason. Only story appears more or less gone, I am sure a Human can read a text terminal as well as a Trandoshian, Wookie or Gran could. And the lack of Customisation I think was cause players didn't care what they look like and just jump in, makes all the requests for a barber shop seem a little strange. Maybe a misread on what players wanted? Speaking of Story the complete lack of consequences for choices makes Dragon Age 2 look like choice mattered. Why go to the trouble of having story and voice overs, what is the point of listening to it and picking responses when it makes no difference what so ever I may as well space through and pick whichever option gives me the most affection. And why the WoW clone button mashing combat? While more dynamic systems are harder to implement and harder to work out and the button mashing is simpler to get to grips with but it becomes tedious and makes combat more of a chore than entertaining.

 

And then there is the time it takes for anything to be produced, E3 last June promised Makeb and Cathar by the end of last year. But that's just the most obvious, people have been asking for a hood toggle or new species or capital ships or guild improvement or the ability to sit in chairs or end game content or any number of things since launch and yet the tools to add these things seem to be inadequate to the job. I remember in the pre-launch hype talk of how the hero engine would speed things up etc etc but that doesn't seem to be the case, it seems to have ground any meaningful additions to the ground. I can't even imagine ever seeing the development team adding additional class story, 8 unique story lines. Hell we have to pay between 10 and 20 bucks for a new planet and 2 new story lines. Talk of accounts and cartel market and how great things have been going don't appear to have made much of an impact on the game, the cartel market is nickel and diming the play base, the new planet which should have been free is being charged for and after a year there has been no progression of class story or open world PvP or mini games or any number of things requested. If this is things going well I would hate to see what it will be like when things are going less well after Elder Scrolls Online or whatever the MMO after that is released that draws players away.

[Jonoku]

I just want them to be aware..............

 

Server Transfers/Legacy Transfer(Overwrite) > Everything else.

[awesomepossam]

I believe the Gree event was a success. and would like to see it brought back at a later date. as well as rakgoul event and others. New game content added to these events would be nice too

[TW-Cool]

This post seemed kinda light on the info. The barbershop/plastic surgery idea will be a good update. I dont think it all should cost cartel coins though. Some features should be changeable with credits such as hair change or make-up or tattoos. It makes things seem more realistic. In real life it would cost more money to change your facial features though (nose job) or change your body type (**** job), so I can see those kinda changes being a cartel purchase if you need to make more money.

 

I would like to see new styles and body types added in with the update as well. Or if it was at all possible... a height and wieght change instead of the static 4 body types.

[Tempestdusk]

Bioware, rehashing old content is NOT new content. We want NEW flashpoints, not remade old ones. We want NEW operations, not a new difficulty of an old ops. Having a new hair style has its place and time, take some of that cartel market money and hire someone to see to that later. The rest of you please get back to actually giving us what we want -- NEW CONTENT!!