Knockerz Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 It also depends when you log in. At peak times on my server has increased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkDajin Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 A large problem is due to the seperation of lvl 50 and 55 content. Where WZs/FPs used to pop faster due to high pop, none of the F2P are going to queue for the lvl 55 content Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andryah Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) I would wager a bet that yes. Going to a new MMO that you don't know, the safest best is DPS. Most of my characters are Tanks/Healers. I never respond in fleet. I will queue with a DPS from my guild in an instant but I feel no desire to form a pre-made group to help a DPS i don't know. While pugging is similar, I have no issues kicking a bad DPS in a pug. I wouldnt (if I could) kick a bad DPS i grouped with. Based on my obseravations, I would agree with this assessment. As for tanks/healers queing for random pugs.... why would they...if they have an active list of friends and guild mates that they know to play the game with? These two factors combine to make for longer queue times these days IMO. It's not population drop, it's a change in player preferences. So PUGs suffer.... comes with the territory as far as I am concerned. Make friends and/or joing a good active guild. Adapt. Edited June 3, 2013 by Andryah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilora Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Based on my obseravations, I would agree with this assessment. As for tanks/healers queing for random pugs.... why would they...if they have an active list of friends and guild mates that they know to play the game with? These two factors combine to make for longer queue times these days IMO. It's not population drop, it's a change in player preferences. So PUGs suffer.... comes with the territory as far as I am concerned. Make friends and/or joing a good active guild. Adapt. Yeah, in the majority of games I've played -- tanks and healers are always harder to find than DPS. I've always played a healer, and been in high demand. Since I don't enjoy doing 5+ FPs every day, especially the same 4 over and over again, I only go with guildies to help them shorten the queue time. In our guild, we even purposely split up "groups" of us raiders/officers, so each DPS can be paired with at least a tank or healer. I'm even leveling a tank solely to help others in the guild with FPs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSchuyler Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 it also could be people are tired of the game, sorry. Running the sames Ops, FP's every day gets old. Please don't tell me to roll another alt, no thanks. Have you considered leaving the game altogether, then? I'm saying this in all seriousness. This is not a "Get out if you don't like it" rant at all. You have my utmost respect for persevering, I've just noticed this sentiment a lot and don't quite understand it. In general terms, i.e.: I'm not picking on you personally, a "Jaded Player" is not so fun to have around because they become very impatient to rush ahead. So you encounter the "Press the spacebar!" kind of behavior. It's not that I don't understand being frustrated by the game. My pet peeve is when I have to kill a bunch of Bad Guys on the way in to an objective, then achieve the objective, and half the time I have to re-kill the exact same re-spawned Bad Guys on the way out! That seems inefficient to me and I have chalked it up to another incident of somewhat poor game design, but still: I feel the edges of boredom creeping in when that happens. And I also know that some of you level SO FAST that it is just about impossible to keep up with you and also impossible for you to maintain enthusiasm for a game you have conquered so quickly. It's just that from my perspective as someone who plods along slowly, this game is not my new best friend. When the time comes that I am bored with it, I will drop it in a heartbeat. Now if only I could transfer my credits and coins to the next game.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuixupu Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 There will always be people that just want to play a particular game, realize they're bored with the content, and all they want is more content. There's a difference between being bored with a game altogether, and just being burned out on the content that is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatology Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Have you considered leaving the game altogether, then? I'm saying this in all seriousness. This is not a "Get out if you don't like it" rant at all. You have my utmost respect for persevering, I've just noticed this sentiment a lot and don't quite understand it. In general terms, i.e.: I'm not picking on you personally, a "Jaded Player" is not so fun to have around because they become very impatient to rush ahead. So you encounter the "Press the spacebar!" kind of behavior. It's not that I don't understand being frustrated by the game. My pet peeve is when I have to kill a bunch of Bad Guys on the way in to an objective, then achieve the objective, and half the time I have to re-kill the exact same re-spawned Bad Guys on the way out! That seems inefficient to me and I have chalked it up to another incident of somewhat poor game design, but still: I feel the edges of boredom creeping in when that happens. And I also know that some of you level SO FAST that it is just about impossible to keep up with you and also impossible for you to maintain enthusiasm for a game you have conquered so quickly. It's just that from my perspective as someone who plods along slowly, this game is not my new best friend. When the time comes that I am bored with it, I will drop it in a heartbeat. Now if only I could transfer my credits and coins to the next game.... Stop asking people to leave, some of us only pay our sub to come here and complain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuixupu Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Stop asking people to leave He didn't do that, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatology Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 The combat system and overall game is great. Having EA/bioware cater to CMbabies and jaded SWG sandboxers is not great. Yes, populations are on the decline again. Why? Likely all the recent terribad marketing choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatology Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 He didn't do that, really. He's done it in multiple threads and one of his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSchuyler Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 He's done it in multiple threads and one of his own. Yup, and that one was removed for a T&C violation. I have yet to get a satisfactory answer. If people want to stay when they're bored, that's great. I'm not yelling at them to leave, already; I'm asking why they don't. That's NOT "telling them to leave," and if you think so, I suggest you are reading into my statements what you want to hear, and not understanding what I said. Now, as was just brought up, wanting new content is not the same as being bored with the game. Point taken and it's a good one, but begs the question. What new content? I believe people will continue to be disappointed if they expect significant new content to arrive via monthly or bi-monthly game patches. ANYTHING that comes from that direction is going to be relatively minor because there is simply not time in an 8-week cycle to do much more. The BIGGEST "new content" we've had recently is the Hutt Cartel, which presented five levels that have been, well, perhaps not universally, but often condemned as being too little. And that cost $10 bucks. From those two issues you can conclude that significant "new content," i.e.: Content that will satisfy those waiting around for it proclaiming their boredom about leveling "yet another" toon through the same content they've done "a gadzillion times," is not going to happen any time soon, and when it does, it's going to cost bucks, even though "they promised!" otherwise. For myself, at least today, I would be willing to pay another $50 for another 50 levels and another ten planets, and storylines for the characters. It would be totally worth it to me and would likely keep me in the game. But I'm thinking this is going to take at least an entire year for that to happen. I believe it is unrealistic to think otherwise, If you want to spend close to $200 to be bored for another year with no guarantees at all that there will even be sufficient new content to not bore you, then I'm sure BW will happily keep your subscription going for you. If I were in that situation, I would unsub for a year, keep tabs on it, and wait for something substantial to happen while I went elsewhere. But if someone wants to remain bored for a year just to complain about it (which was your first suggestion above), then who am I to even suggest you be deprived of that pleasure? Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hizoka Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 you're telling me all the new players out there are dps? you can barely find a healer /tank by calling out on the fleet. its because good tanks and healers do not waste their time in pugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roalmo Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I think it is now Summer time. Kids are out of school, people are taking vacations, and even more are spending more time outside in the yard or by the pool. Even though games are fun, they are seldom a substitute for a real life. I find most games tend to decline during the summer months and then increase again in the fall. I myself have cut back from the 15 hours a week I had been playing to just 4 or 5 when I am actually inside in the evening hours and there is nothing on the TV. I wouldn't read too much into it. this is so funny, have seen this post in several MMO's now... the next post in August is: the kids are back in school--- so of course the pop is down... and then in Nov/Dec... the peeps are celebrating the holidays with their families etc.. so OF COURSE the pop is down January comes and... the kids are back in school after the holidays.. so OF COURSE the pop is down... Give the "seasons" argument a long deserved rest.. it has never worked and will never work.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistols Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 this is so funny, have seen this post in several MMO's now... the next post in August is: the kids are back in school--- so of course the pop is down... and then in Nov/Dec... the peeps are celebrating the holidays with their families etc.. so OF COURSE the pop is down January comes and... the kids are back in school after the holidays.. so OF COURSE the pop is down... Give the "seasons" argument a long deserved rest.. it has never worked and will never work.... Epic post, and sooo true, lol. On topic, I know a lot of PvP'ers are bored with less than desirable content (or lack of it), with a continued broken bolster system going on 2 months, and just a general feeling the Producers don't know what players even want. Yeah, the population has been declining...sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zsavooz Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Have you considered leaving the game altogether, then? I'm saying this in all seriousness. This is not a "Get out if you don't like it" rant at all. You have my utmost respect for persevering, I've just noticed this sentiment a lot and don't quite understand it. In general terms, i.e.: I'm not picking on you personally, a "Jaded Player" is not so fun to have around because they become very impatient to rush ahead. So you encounter the "Press the spacebar!" kind of behavior. It's not that I don't understand being frustrated by the game. My pet peeve is when I have to kill a bunch of Bad Guys on the way in to an objective, then achieve the objective, and half the time I have to re-kill the exact same re-spawned Bad Guys on the way out! That seems inefficient to me and I have chalked it up to another incident of somewhat poor game design, but still: I feel the edges of boredom creeping in when that happens. And I also know that some of you level SO FAST that it is just about impossible to keep up with you and also impossible for you to maintain enthusiasm for a game you have conquered so quickly. It's just that from my perspective as someone who plods along slowly, this game is not my new best friend. When the time comes that I am bored with it, I will drop it in a heartbeat. Now if only I could transfer my credits and coins to the next game.... I appreciate not calling me out on this. I have unsubscribed , still have a few weeks left. I did love the game, once, just not anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TUXs Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 this is so funny, have seen this post in several MMO's now... the next post in August is: the kids are back in school--- so of course the pop is down... and then in Nov/Dec... the peeps are celebrating the holidays with their families etc.. so OF COURSE the pop is down January comes and... the kids are back in school after the holidays.. so OF COURSE the pop is down... Give the "seasons" argument a long deserved rest.. it has never worked and will never work.... Well said. I was thinking the exact same thing...we hear this for EVERY decline...always an excuse...always a valid reason. School being out should be a reason more people PLAY, not less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superman_AZ Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 this is so funny, have seen this post in several MMO's now... the next post in August is: the kids are back in school--- so of course the pop is down... and then in Nov/Dec... the peeps are celebrating the holidays with their families etc.. so OF COURSE the pop is down January comes and... the kids are back in school after the holidays.. so OF COURSE the pop is down... Give the "seasons" argument a long deserved rest.. it has never worked and will never work.... I'm sure you had a good explanation yourself. I doubt you would only post to laugh at part of my summary reasoning and then move on. If you would like facts about declines, here are the facts: 1) Every MMO which shows a decline has just fed an MMO who is "on the rebound from a dip" 2) People seldom stick with Free-to-Play after they "return to the game" following the removal of the Sub. 3) Expansions and Patches tend to piss off a lot of people who are die hard about their gameplay and how removing 1 point from 1 piece of gear has just ruined their universe 4) Seasons change, and yes, can be a contributing factor, but not a main cause 5) School is out, so school kids and college kids who still play, just play less frequently now that there is no "school night curfew" and they can go get high or drunk with their friends 6) People MMO hop hoping to find one where the community in both the game and the forum is less of a cesspool than the one they just left 7) Burnout - sometimes, people grind the crap out of dailies and endgame trying to be #1 to do the content cause they think they are impressing someone other than themselves and once they are done, they go back to Minecraft or Call of Duty until the next content Patch or expansion 8) Life status changes. People who graduated high school are out shopping colleges for fall semester. People who are getting married in June (most popular month) no longer have time to play a video game. People who were bored in the winter are now welcoming a new child into the home (knocked up during cabin fever). There are probably 50 more reasons why MMOs flux up or down, but it is unlikely anyone wants to read them or really even cares. It is just a game. It will be here when they get back, and has a long way to go before it goes offline forever. People are finicky and trying to figure them out is like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. Good luck with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roalmo Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 ...... ... It is just a game. It will be here when they get back, and has a long way to go before it goes offline forever. ..... This is the only truism in your post. The "factors" are all self-regulating, one example is as many peeps get married as get divorced in the summer months, and the lonely divorced guys return to the game.. self-balancing, similar analysis could apply to all your "facts". The only real fact seems to be: the number of players seems on a slow steady downward spiral, though much faster than I thought would happen, with some non-permanent bumps up for new content/transfers, etc. I'm simply suggesting to forget the old: the sky is still rosy because of vacations/marriages/babies nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicKat Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I think that the starter planets and capital worlds are a better indication of this game's health. Those places are packed. The planets after those are not so healthy, which is indicative of a game that can't retain interest, which has been problem #1 since Day 1. The drop-off in world population is obvious and drastic after the 3rd/4th planets. Many people give up on the game at or after Taris/Balmorra because it is glaringly obvious by then that nothing ever changes in PvE except for the graphics of the mannequins you are killing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CosmicKat Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 The combat system and overall game is great. Having EA/bioware cater to CMbabies and jaded SWG sandboxers is not great. Yes, populations are on the decline again. Why? Likely all the recent terribad marketing choices. Same thing happens to every MMO that people expected to love but don't. Every time there is a new patch they flood back to see if they improved it and if they didn't, they disappear again. They aren't adding much and they aren't changing anything really, just adding new crap to buy. So those returners are not going to last more than a week or two till they realize it's same old same old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superman_AZ Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) This is the only truism in your post. The "factors" are all self-regulating, one example is as many peeps get married as get divorced in the summer months, and the lonely divorced guys return to the game.. self-balancing, similar analysis could apply to all your "facts". The only real fact seems to be: the number of players seems on a slow steady downward spiral, though much faster than I thought would happen, with some non-permanent bumps up for new content/transfers, etc. I'm simply suggesting to forget the old: the sky is still rosy because of vacations/marriages/babies nonsense. I would respectfully disagree. If only one person unsubbed for each of these reasons, it makes it a fact. I already admitted the weather was a flimsy reason and expanded further. But, since no one in this thread is happy with any answer but their own, I will back out of this conversation and leave you all to it. My realm has an extremely high pop, and I see more players than I could throw a droid at. So, the floor is yours. You are all welcome to theory-craft and pat yourselves on the back for a discussion well done. Truth is, only BWEA knows why people leave and unless they decide to be forthcoming with that information, anything we say can be dismissed as speculation. Have a nice day. Edited June 3, 2013 by Superman_AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dacob_Bell Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 One of the factors I think is contributing to population problems is lack of advertising. The only reason I knew of swtor was because I was looking something up for kotor and stumbled upon swtor. You never see any tv ads for the game and I've never noticed it on websites. Wow still advertises and still gets mention among pop culture. I think mmos are hard to maintain because MMO players demand a lot out of games and burn through content like there is no tomorrow. I'm a first time MMO player but have been a long time video gamer. For me this game is deep and extremely fun. I like the option of going solo or playing with groups and having it work together instead of being two completely different modes. I think the public sees it as just another WoW clone. I hope bioware continues to stick with it and makes the game even better. People just need to slow down a little bit with their gaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts