Ongoing Story (immersion) Efforts -- HK-51.

[Lecto]

Dear Bioware/ EA / Devs,

I want to start off by saying that I REALLY REALLY like SWTOR, and have been a loyal sub since Launch. But, I do have some concerns that I was wondering if you could touch on.....along with some tips. A lot of this isn't original; moreover, some of these ideas have been posted previously in official MOD threads.

 

I liked RoTHC, but it really wasn't worth any more than the 10 bucks I payed for it. The reason why is that I didn't feel that my personal character played all that big of a role; moreover, his story was the same as any other character -- no individual class quests. What really bothered me is that in the opening Cut scene my entire crew was their along side me as we plotted our course for Mekeb....all except for one character -- HK-51. Why is this? I unlocked him and he is part of my crew, couldn't you have at least had him standing in a corner somewhere?

 

My concern is that he will be ignored in future story aspects just as he is now, which saddens me deeply. I have very fond memories of questing with the original HK-47 back in in SWTOR 1 & 2 & I think this character could play a very humorous and memorable role in my quest going forward. Assuming more story content is introduced please include HK & the rest of my crew. By far, the coolest scene I have seen in all of SWTOR is when the entirety of Havoc Squad took on an imperial super weapon at the same time IN THE SAME MISSION. This is the kind of immersion that makes us giddy and makes the story feel real.

 

Thank you for your time,

~Lecto

 

PS: Do you guys really look at these threads? And have you seen any of the threads below? If so, are you working on any of these ideas? There is some really good content in there......

 

Top 3 ideas that the community would like

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=524858

Feedback, future planets (MOD thread)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=441841

 

SWTOR fantasies (MOD THREAD)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=391956

[Lecto]

PROCLAMATION: I still think this is a good idea....& I would still like a response if possible.

 

PS: I'm not the only one who loved HK Star Wars Week: Top moments with HK

Edited May 1, 2013 by Lecto
additional info

[Akomo]

Any effort to do this Bioware? You've tried to cater to PvPers but hey cant win them all right? Tying all these extra characters into the storyline will be great.I mean for those of us who stuck around through thick and thin.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Any effort to do this Bioware? You've tried to cater to PvPers but hey cant win them all right? Tying all these extra characters into the storyline will be great.I mean for those of us who stuck around through thick and thin.

 

HK and now Treek aren't in the storylines because they are optional companions that the player may not own, so the cutscene cannot feature them. It's solely just a little sacrifice in the name of fairness. Treek and HK are still nice companions, I'm sure.

[TACeMossie]

Add this to the list of problems with HK51:

 

 

Not usable in the final Jedi Knight mission, Doomsday, despite fitting the requirements that T7 fills.

Spoilers inside

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=669393

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Add this to the list of problems with HK51:

 

 

Not usable in the final Jedi Knight mission, Doomsday, despite fitting the requirements that T7 fills.

Spoilers inside

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=669393

 

To be fair, HK didn't actually exist at launch.

[TACeMossie]

To be fair, HK didn't actually exist at launch.

 

But they also banned C2-N2. I mean sure he's a non-combat model, but he fits the criteria for being used in doomsday. And the next update could easily just allow all droid companions instead of just T7 for that mission...

[Lecto]

HK and now Treek aren't in the storylines because they are optional companions that the player may not own, so the cutscene cannot feature them. It's solely just a little sacrifice in the name of fairness. Treek and HK are still nice companions, I'm sure.

 

BS, bioware could fix this if they wanted...they could code different cut scenes for different combinations of optional characters. Just like in Mass Effect or the Tell Tell games Walking Dead game. It's been done, it can be done again.

[Callaron]

BS, bioware could fix this if they wanted...they could code different cut scenes for different combinations of optional characters. Just like in Mass Effect or the Tell Tell games Walking Dead game. It's been done, it can be done again.

 

They have fixed in this in their own way.

Going forward not a single companion will ever talk again during cutscenes, if Makeb is any indication of future content at least.

Not exactly something that makes me happy but... I can see why they are doing it.... =/

[Lecto]

They have fixed in this in their own way.

Going forward not a single companion will ever talk again during cutscenes, if Makeb is any indication of future content at least.

Not exactly something that makes me happy but... I can see why they are doing it.... =/

 

Your outlook is very depressing good sir....you aren't being serious are you? That is a terrible way of fixing the issue.....

[Callaron]

Your outlook is very depressing good sir....you aren't being serious are you? That is a terrible way of fixing the issue.....

 

I wish I weren't being serious.

I take it you went through Makeb with HK and not one of the original companions?

The only thing the original ones do now is occasionally say something when you pass a certain spot - similar to what HK does on several of the planets.

Very, very rarely they even chirp up inside a story mission when you reach a trigger location (like the giant spaceship in the Republic's version of Makeb).

[Darth_Moonshadow]

But they also banned C2-N2. I mean sure he's a non-combat model, but he fits the criteria for being used in doomsday. And the next update could easily just allow all droid companions instead of just T7 for that mission...

 

Actually, C2 has zero experience with working Imperial tech. Remember when you first met him that his job experience is solely comfort and servitude. Plus, canonically, T7 helped the Hero of Tython stop the Emperor.

 

BS, bioware could fix this if they wanted...they could code different cut scenes for different combinations of optional characters. Just like in Mass Effect or the Tell Tell games Walking Dead game. It's been done, it can be done again.

 

They could, but that could cause even worse bugs to manifest. HK could lose his head, Treek ends up with googly eyes, the game could attempt to play two cutscenes at once and cause some serious damage. Best to leave it be. It's not really that big a deal and honestly, what can HK or Treek really do? They never existed at launch and you manage to save the galaxy just fine without them. Now maybe when Chapter 5 rolls around, they could get a nice spotlight, but for now, they're just fine not taking part.

 

Plus, ask yourself this: Would an HK unit REALLY want to help save a galaxy of meatbags on his own accord? I don't think so.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Darth_Moonshadow

[Lecto]

They could, but that could cause even worse bugs to manifest. HK could lose his head, Treek ends up with googly eyes, the game could attempt to play two cutscenes at once and cause some serious damage. Best to leave it be. It's not really that big a deal and honestly, what can HK or Treek really do? They never existed at launch and you manage to save the galaxy just fine without them. Now maybe when Chapter 5 rolls around, they could get a nice spotlight, but for now, they're just fine not taking part.

 

Plus, ask yourself this: Would an HK unit REALLY want to help save a galaxy of meatbags on his own accord? I don't think so.

 

I get your points, & they are valid. The thing is, there are people now who will be using both Treek & HK though their own original stories, & they will have have helped saved the galaxy -- by choice or not. Tell you what, my HK does what he's told or he gets turned off!! I did not use HK on Makeb simply because he was not geared at the time; however, I would have at least liked to have seen him in the bridge of my ship before we took off for Makeb with everyone else; likewise, in the future I would like to see Treek.

 

Why are you letting Bioware & EA off so easy? I pay these guys 13 bucks a month to give me this content, & as far as I'm concerned the sky is the limit. I realize that with every new addition to the game there will be bugs, but that does not mean I do not want new content because of it! This can all be done....I'm not saying that HK & Treek need to be worked into the 1-50, but it would be nice if they were included in content going forward. In my opinion, EA is a terrible company....and if we do not stay on their tails they will walk all over us in an attempt to make the biggest profit they can with the least amount of work possible -- be vigilant.

 

PS: Treek & HK can to plenty...they have backgrounds & personalities just like the rest of my crew.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

I get your points, & they are valid. The thing is, there are people now who will be using both Treek & HK though their own original stories, & they will have have helped saved the galaxy -- by choice or not. Tell you what, my HK does what he's told or he gets turned off!! I did not use HK on Makeb simply because he was not geared at the time; however, I would have at least liked to have seen him in the bridge of my ship before we took off for Makeb with everyone else; likewise, in the future I would like to see Treek.

 

Why are you letting Bioware & EA off so easy? I pay these guys 13 bucks a month to give me this content, & as far as I'm concerned the sky is the limit. I realize that with every new addition to the game there will be bugs, but that does not mean I do not want new content because of it! This can all be done....I'm not saying that HK & Treek need to be worked into the 1-50, but it would be nice if they were included in content going forward. In my opinion, EA is a terrible company....and if we do not stay on their tails they will walk all over us in an attempt to make the biggest profit they can with the least amount of work possible -- be vigilant.

 

PS: Treek & HK can to plenty...they have backgrounds & personalities just like the rest of my crew.

 

I'm not letting EA get off easy. On the contrary, I slam them for preying on the innoent sports fans when they release the same Madden game twice a year with only minor roster changes and made buzz words for basic features like "Hit stick" and "Ultra Realistic Audibles".

 

But I do know the problems that MMOs get when you try to change something, and I'd rather be able to play the game now without Treek and HK in a few cutscenes than see them in cutscenes looking like a Salvador Dali painting. Plus you don't pay $13 a month for content. You only pay to access the servers. Nothing more. It's up to Bioware to decide what content they will make, not you.

 

This Us vs. Them mentality? That's not healthy, for both the player and the game. We're supposed to be working together to build a better virtual gamescape of fun, and when we're both clawing at each other over what we think we are entitled to, then both sides lose. The Industry is already taking heavy fire for the violence in gaming by the media. Let's not make it an attack from within as well. An Indie developer already quit the gaming industry because of player vitriol. We keep this up and there won't be a gaming industry anymore.

[Callaron]

An Indie developer already quit the gaming industry because of player vitriol. We keep this up and there won't be a gaming industry anymore.

 

Which one was that? If you don't mind me asking.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Which one was that? If you don't mind me asking.

 

That dude behind the game Fez, Phil Fish.

[Callaron]

That dude behind the game Fez, Phil Fish.

 

Ah alright, not one of the ones I knew of. Thanks!

[Lecto]

I'm not letting EA get off easy. On the contrary, I slam them for preying on the innoent sports fans when they release the same Madden game twice a year with only minor roster changes and made buzz words for basic features like "Hit stick" and "Ultra Realistic Audibles".

 

But I do know the problems that MMOs get when you try to change something, and I'd rather be able to play the game now without Treek and HK in a few cutscenes than see them in cutscenes looking like a Salvador Dali painting. Plus you don't pay $13 a month for content. You only pay to access the servers. Nothing more. It's up to Bioware to decide what content they will make, not you.

 

This Us vs. Them mentality? That's not healthy, for both the player and the game. We're supposed to be working together to build a better virtual gamescape of fun, and when we're both clawing at each other over what we think we are entitled to, then both sides lose. The Industry is already taking heavy fire for the violence in gaming by the media. Let's not make it an attack from within as well. An Indie developer already quit the gaming industry because of player vitriol. We keep this up and there won't be a gaming industry anymore.

 

Well, I agree with most of you have to say....but I still think my 13 bucks a month goes for a lot more than just access to the servers, provided you can get that with F2P. If that was all it covered they wouldn't be able to pay the Devs & programers ya know.

[Darth_Moonshadow]

Well, I agree with most of you have to say....but I still think my 13 bucks a month goes for a lot more than just access to the servers, provided you can get that with F2P. If that was all it covered they wouldn't be able to pay the Devs & programers ya know.

 

That's why free games have cash shops. That free money pays for the devs and programmers.

[Lecto]

That's why free games have cash shops. That free money pays for the devs and programmers.

 

Yeah, but for SWTORs first 6-12 months there was no F2P...which means said employees were getting paid via subscriptions. All I'm saying is that I'm paying for a service, & that they are making more money than ever before because of the Cartel Market on top of the Subs. I'm not expecting all the new content forever to be out tomorrow or anything, but it would be nice if they took stuff like this into consideration for the future. For a game that is all about your "personal story"....well there hasn't been much of that since launch.

[Nempo]

Your outlook is very depressing good sir....you aren't being serious are you? That is a terrible way of fixing the issue.....

 

Quoting from his point int he conversation as...yes this is what you should expect going forward.

 

Optional companions will likely be handled as all optional content is in an MMO, inconsequential.

You MIGHT see them in the background, but they aren't part of the class story and thus will recieve no face time for it. Only the companions forced upon you will ever be showcased in future class arcs as they will be guarenteed to be there in the player's roster.

 

You also mentioned the Trooper storyline so I'll let you in on something that will show you just how far the game has veered from where it was in alpha stages (I was a tester from alpha stages through beta and right up till live). You remember Jaxo right? Guess what? She used to be a proper companion you had the option to recruit upon completion of the mission immediately after getting your ship (assuming you saved the senator as she was an LS character). Remember all those side missions with raxo? The optiional trooper quests, R&R and Catching Up, were companion missions for Jaxo.

We used to be able to kill our companions off (I do not know a single person that wouldn't kill Quinn in the SW story, and that's all I'm saying on that one) and every class also would have more than 5 companions! The Consular was slated to have 12 recruitable people...mind you recruiting one character may make a future one unrecruitable, and your decisions could lead tot he death of a companion, or you yourself could cut them down...they backed off this level of consequences however due to people complaining they killed off their companions and couldn't craft now, or killing the only healer they would ever get....etc.

 

That's the TOR I got to see in Alpha....so to see it now all castrated so players can't cut off their own noses and decisions lack serious consequences kinda...yeah the game is sad compared to where it began. So I simply assume the worste...and haven't been proven wrong yet as the game "updates".

[Lecto]

Wow....I had no clue that they watered things down so much....that's very depressing....

[Ruine]

That is very depressing, wouldn't enjoyed a much more in depth companion system. Sad to think that they got rid of it all because some people complained about killing off a character. Certainly would have added replayability value.

 

Also I never understood why the SW gets betrayed by quinn and then is like it's all cool bro. What self respecting sith would do that?

[MagikFingerz]

A necro AND a major spoiler without spoiler tags. GG WP

[Lecto]

That is very depressing, wouldn't enjoyed a much more in depth companion system. Sad to think that they got rid of it all because some people complained about killing off a character. Certainly would have added replayability value.

 

 

Also I never understood why the SW gets betrayed by quinn and then is like it's all cool bro. What self respecting sith would do that?

 

OP here, I get what you're saying, moreover, it didn't make any scene to me at all. On a side note, I'd like to point out that HK-51 & Treek got the short end of the stick in the new expansion as well. If you had them unlocked neither of them got any play in any of the cut scenes -- criminal. To the best of my knowledge, NONE of the companions got any speaking parts at all past the intro.

 

I feel like companions are a big part of your story in SWTOR, & should be handled in such a way that maintains that. I think the devs should include Treek & HK-51 in future content if you have them unlocked.