Encrypted Datacube: Story content in the cartel market?

[jamesvasquez]

Yeah, I've been trying her out with my lowbie Assassin - she's very impressive.

 

Sweet! Been running her with my lowbie jugg. Her custom skins are nice too. All starkly different from each other.

[curtkram]

And they all mean very little in the end, the crystals are equal to the in-game ones at the high levels and companions can't be used in Ops.

You might as well start complaining about XP boosts and such too, since they'll let people level faster than you.

The companion is also completely obtainable through in game means.

 

that's fine. you can attach whatever relevance and importance you want.

 

but affecting gameplay is affecting gameplay. if it's important to bioware that the cartel market doesn't affect gameplay, then it shouldn't affect gameplay. there isn't a scale of how much. that would be a different statement, like we don't want to affect gameplay at level 50 and above, or we don't want to affect a lot of gameplay.

 

exp. boosts affect how fast you level. they can be purchased in the cartel market. they can also be a reward for finish class chapters, or something like that.

[Callaron]

that's fine. you can attach whatever relevance and importance you want.

 

but affecting gameplay is affecting gameplay. if it's important to bioware that the cartel market doesn't affect gameplay, then it shouldn't affect gameplay. there isn't a scale of how much. that would be a different statement, like we don't want to affect gameplay at level 50 and above, or we don't want to affect a lot of gameplay.

 

exp. boosts affect how fast you level. they can be purchased in the cartel market. they can also be a reward for finish class chapters, or something like that.

 

Considering you're the one flailing your arms and ranting each time Bioware does something that requires paying for, I think you might be the one that needs to think about what you place relevance and importance on.

I've seen you throw fits about the paid server transfers, the companions and now the crystals too.

All things the vast majority of people seem perfectly fine with.

I didn't the read most of this thread, but I imagine there was quite a bit of flailing from you on this orginal topic as well.

 

Sweet! Been running her with my lowbie jugg. Her custom skins are nice too. All starkly different from each other.

 

Yeah, I'll definitely be grabbing some from the GTN - just need to decide which ones.

Edited August 9, 2013 by Callaron

[jamesvasquez]

Considering you're the one flailing your arms and ranting each time Bioware does something that requires paying for, I think you might be the one that needs to think about what you place relevance and importance on.

I've seen you throw fits about the paid server transfers, the companions and now the crystals too.

All things the vast majority of people seem perfectly fine with.

I didn't the read most of this thread, but I imagine there was quite a bit of flailing from you on this orginal topic as well.

 

 

 

Yeah, I'll definitely be grabbing some from the GTN - just need to decide which ones.

 

To be fair, a lot of the arm flailing about this issue was done by me. I was also the one who necroed it after it had been dead for a month or so because I discovered that you gain xp from turning in all the datacube missions, which I felt, strengthened my stance that it should not be in the cartel market. Obviously, there are disagreements on that stance. it's just not something i was particularly pleased about.

[Callaron]

To be fair, a lot of the arm flailing about this issue was done by me. I was also the one who necroed it after it had been dead for a month or so because I discovered that you gain xp from turning in all the datacube missions, which I felt, strengthened my stance that it should not be in the cartel market. Obviously, there are disagreements on that stance. it's just not something i was particularly pleased about.

 

I have mixed feelings about this topic myself actually.

Though mine are more about the randomness (and limited availability) rather than it being "paid story content" - after all Makeb, and pretty much every other MMO expansion is "paid story content".

Games themselves fall into that category.

[jamesvasquez]

I have mixed feelings about this topic myself actually.

Though mine are more about the randomness (and limited availability) rather than it being "paid story content" - after all Makeb, and pretty much every other MMO expansion is "paid story content".

Games themselves fall into that category.

 

I don't have a problem with paying for expansions, and in fact, preordered RotHC, but for a small set of missions that provide xp and story content, it seems a little underhanded. I buy hypercrates every month or so, so I was bound to get all the datacubes, but I still didn't like what they were.

[Thylbanus]

referring to story content as story content is not extreme exaggeration. it's content, it has story. maybe you think it's not a lot of story, or not incredibly significant story, but there is still a story. "extreme" exaggeration as applied to hyperbole is typically extreme enough to be obvious. such as "that weighs a ton" when it only weighs a few pounds. your defense of the use of the word 'hyperbole' in an incorrect situation does not do credit to your educators.

 

they introduce things into the cartel market that impact gameplay. the cartel market in it's current form is not limited to things that only effect how you look. a companion that can heal and tank at level 10, or a +41 crystal at level 10, can actually make a difference in how fast you can kill an npc, and it effects the level of content you're able to survive. eric may say that they don't introduce things that effect gameplay, but that doesn't change the fact that they do introduce things into the cartel market that effect gameplay.

 

Incorrect. What it's saying is that any story content isn't gameplay impacting. Not that particular instance of story content. Which is something I completely disagree with. Any type of story content or lore IS gameplay impacting, especially if you're playing the game for.... the story and the lore.

 

One of the reasons why I use Trymbo's rants and random NPC conversations as an example. If someone really wants to argue that the silly ramblings of the generic NPCs is story content, I say it's a pretty weak stance. And as I've pointed out before, the novels, comics, and short stories about the story are not included either, but they are much more relevant to the story than the Shroud's ramblings, which, by the way, are as insightful and important as Trymbo's. The story as to WHY (Which is revealed in the novel "Deceived") Malgus

betrays the Empire and declares himself Emperor

,is relevant story content, not the narcissistic rants of the Shroud.

 

This All-or-Nothing stance is frankly, ridiculous. It doesn't work in the real world, it should work here. Again, I'm glad that I noted that they stated that they didn't have any plans at the time to do any datacubes. Since that leaves open the fact they said, "...at this time" and datacubes, there will still be other avenues, which I would totally support. I loved the datacube idea, from delivery to finish. Not so much the content, but the idea. I thought it was great.

 

I don't have a problem with paying for expansions, and in fact, preordered RotHC, but for a small set of missions that provide xp and story content, it seems a little underhanded. I buy hypercrates every month or so, so I was bound to get all the datacubes, but I still didn't like what they were.

 

So this makes you a hypocrite then. You paid for story content and then was pissed off that they charged for story content.

 

Yes, I think it is time to apply your All-or-Nothing stance to this.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Thylbanus

[Andryah]

How is this hyperbole when that's what Eric said... IN THIS THREAD?

 

LOL.. poor Eric. He gets railed when he mis-speaks (which we all know he does from time to time), UNLESS what he mis-speaks serves an agenda to prosecute the game.... in which case he is your hero.

 

Did you upack and use the datacubes? Or are you performing faux indignation? What's inside? A Mission, a turn-in mission to be precise, which has no bearing or contribution whatsoever to a characters storyline progression.

 

There is no story there, as we know it in this game (ie: interactive aspects of class_story or story that progresses your character in some meaningful way). These were simply some cutscene fragments of no value whatsoever, regardless of what Eric said. If any of you actually think/believe that those cutscenes = story.... then you have incredibly low standards as to what defines story in this MMO.

 

Cutscenes?.. yes. Story?.... no.. not even close. Cutscenes can be storyline.. but just because something is a cutscene does not make it storyline. Eric simply misspoke IMO when he responded (as he has been known to do..as anyone who is a regular in the fourm knows). Let's be honest... and objective.. what they did here was experiment with adding missions_in_a_box in the CM as random drops. And as with most missions that are frangments (not in any way connected to a charcters storyline progression)... they are delivered through a cutscene. Fragments of cutscene in this game are synonymous with random NPC dialog in other MMOs when you turn in a quest.

 

Were they experimenting with inserting cutscenes via a different method into the game? Absolutely. To what end in this case... if you did all 8.. you got a limited availability armor set you could add to your collections. Did the cutscenes in any way integrate with your character and their progression through the game? NO.... so to call them storyline is hyperbole.

 

Fact: they are experimenting with all kinds of game content insertion through the CM. So what. All this "a bridge too far" nonsense is simply people being bent that class specific stories were not exteneded in RoTHC... and they need something to beat on.. so the datacubes are low hanging fruit for those that hate the CM to rage on about.

 

TL;DR: NOT ALL cutscenes in this MMO = storyline.

 

Now, IF you want to complain about a Turn-in Mission being random dropped in Cartel Packs.. at least you would be standing on ground worthy of some discussion.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Andryah

[Callaron]

I don't have a problem with paying for expansions, and in fact, preordered RotHC, but for a small set of missions that provide xp and story content, it seems a little underhanded. I buy hypercrates every month or so, so I was bound to get all the datacubes, but I still didn't like what they were.

 

I didn't mind it terribly, I just snatched all of mine off the GTN, and now I have a few sitting in my Cargo bay for when the time comes that this pack is out of commission.

But it was a pretty silly implementation, and I'm glad that they won't be doing it again.

That being said, I hope it didn't turn them off completely of the idea of story content through the CM - I, for one wouldn't mind seeing some DLC/mission packs in addition to what we're getting with the patches.

That's actually how a lot of other MMO's do it, in DDO for example all the new quests need to be unlocked through the store - same deal with The Secret World.

 

SWTOR's devs made it pretty clear when they went F2P that the "base" game, as it was then is pretty much what you can expect to get for free - something which TSW devs also did, except that the latter also promised that each time story content came out it would be within your monthly points budget (if you are a subscriber at least) and that they expect you to use your points to acquire that content then if you want it. (similar to how a classic subscription would give you access to all new content)

Bioware did the same thing with the Cathar, they told the players that they could easily get them for "free" if they reserved some points for it, yet a bunch of people threw a giant fit about having to use their points on an unlock instead of on packs or some other things.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Callaron

[Thylbanus]

TL;DR: NOT ALL cutscenes in this MMO = storyline.

 

Given your signature, I don't want to say I agree with this, but I agree with this.

[Andryah]

I, for one wouldn't mind seeing some DLC/mission packs in addition to what we're getting with the patches.

That's actually how a lot of other MMO's do it, in DDO for example all the new quests need to be unlocked through the store - same deal with The Secret World.

 

Red meat for the anti-CM crowd IMO.

 

But you are correct... other successful freemium games deliver added for-pay content via their CM. I'm kind of surprised SWTOR has not done so yet.

 

I'm thinking that it might be because they want actual incremental revenue for such content. Cartel coins defeats this to a good degree because we have a half million subs floating with several hundred million in coins at any given time.

 

Or it could just be they have not gotten around to it yet.. and it's coming. We keep seeing new features and capabilities in the CM every patch.. so... could be it's coming "soon".

Edited August 10, 2013 by Andryah

[Callaron]

Red meat for the anti-CM crowd IMO.

 

But you are correct... other successful freemium games deliver added for-pay content via their CM. I'm kind of surprised SWTOR has not done so yet.

 

I'm thinking that it might be because they want actual incremental revenue for such content. Cartel coins defeats this to a good degree because we have a half million subs floating with several hundred million in coins at any given time.

 

Or it could just be they have not gotten around to it yet.. and it's coming. We keep seeing new features and capabilities in the CM every patch.. so... could be it's coming "soon".

 

Red meat for sure, the hate thread would go from 1 to 60* real fast.

The free coins aren't that bad IMO though, I mean, on DDO you can actually farm them if you've got enough of a drone mindset to do the same thing over and over again (reroll an alt, finish the start zone and a few extra quests until you have a 100 "Favor" and reroll, rinse repeat for measly amounts of points) - the free authenticator points can hardly compete with in-game farming - and both of the games I used as examples also give their subs a monthly points grant.

 

Maybe if they made the DLCs untradeable it would work better.

You might be right though, maybe we'll see some announcement "soon".

 

 

* pages!

Edited August 10, 2013 by Callaron

[jamesvasquez]

LOL.. poor Eric. He gets railed when he mis-speaks (which we all know he does from time to time), UNLESS what he mis-speaks serves an agenda to prosecute the game.... in which case he is your hero.

 

Did you upack and use the datacubes? Or are you performing faux indignation? What's inside? A Mission, a turn-in mission to be precise, which has no bearing or contribution whatsoever to a characters storyline progression.

 

There is no story there, as we know it in this game (ie: interactive aspects of class_story or story that progresses your character in some meaningful way). These were simply some cutscene fragments of no value whatsoever, regardless of what Eric said. If any of you actually think/believe that those cutscenes = story.... then you have incredibly low standards as to what defines story in this MMO.

 

Cutscenes?.. yes. Story?.... no.. not even close. Cutscenes can be storyline.. but just because something is a cutscene does not make it storyline. Eric simply misspoke IMO when he responded (as he has been known to do..as anyone who is a regular in the fourm knows). Let's be honest... and objective.. what they did here was experiment with adding missions_in_a_box in the CM as random drops. And as with most missions that are frangments (not in any way connected to a charcters storyline progression)... they are delivered through a cutscene. Fragments of cutscene in this game are synonymous with random NPC dialog in other MMOs when you turn in a quest.

 

Were they experimenting with inserting cutscenes via a different method into the game? Absolutely. To what end in this case... if you did all 8.. you got a limited availability armor set you could add to your collections. Did the cutscenes in any way integrate with your character and their progression through the game? NO.... so to call them storyline is hyperbole.

 

Fact: they are experimenting with all kinds of game content insertion through the CM. So what. All this "a bridge too far" nonsense is simply people being bent that class specific stories were not exteneded in RoTHC... and they need something to beat on.. so the datacubes are low hanging fruit for those that hate the CM to rage on about.

 

TL;DR: NOT ALL cutscenes in this MMO = storyline.

 

Now, IF you want to complain about a Turn-in Mission being random dropped in Cartel Packs.. at least you would be standing on ground worthy of some discussion.

 

The thing is, he corrects himself whenever it's a misquote. Considering that he has not come in here to say that it's a misquote, that should make it pretty clear that it's not. Is it a significant amount of story content? No. But it is story content. You can dispute that, but since Eric, himself, said so, I'm gonna have to just go with you're wrong. I never said all cutscenes were story content. But these 8 cutscenes are all about the Shroud's story. How can that not be story content?

[jamesvasquez]

One of the reasons why I use Trymbo's rants and random NPC conversations as an example. If someone really wants to argue that the silly ramblings of the generic NPCs is story content, I say it's a pretty weak stance. And as I've pointed out before, the novels, comics, and short stories about the story are not included either, but they are much more relevant to the story than the Shroud's ramblings, which, by the way, are as insightful and important as Trymbo's. The story as to WHY (Which is revealed in the novel "Deceived") Malgus

betrays the Empire and declares himself Emperor

,is relevant story content, not the narcissistic rants of the Shroud.

 

This All-or-Nothing stance is frankly, ridiculous. It doesn't work in the real world, it should work here. Again, I'm glad that I noted that they stated that they didn't have any plans at the time to do any datacubes. Since that leaves open the fact they said, "...at this time" and datacubes, there will still be other avenues, which I would totally support. I loved the datacube idea, from delivery to finish. Not so much the content, but the idea. I thought it was great.

 

 

 

So this makes you a hypocrite then. You paid for story content and then was pissed off that they charged for story content.

 

Yes, I think it is time to apply your All-or-Nothing stance to this.

 

How does that make me a hypocrite? I'm a realist. I know that expansion packs come out for MMOs and I can fully expect to pay for them. I don't mind. I do mind buying gambling packs and crossing my fingers for a set of missions. Honestly, I would have liked it better if they had been implemented the way Andryah suggested, as not taking up the rare slot, but rather the mats slot or companion gift slot, or their own slot altogether for these packs. At least in those cases, it wouldn't be such an exorbent amount of money for 8 backstory missions.

[jamesvasquez]

I didn't mind it terribly, I just snatched all of mine off the GTN, and now I have a few sitting in my Cargo bay for when the time comes that this pack is out of commission.

But it was a pretty silly implementation, and I'm glad that they won't be doing it again.

That being said, I hope it didn't turn them off completely of the idea of story content through the CM - I, for one wouldn't mind seeing some DLC/mission packs in addition to what we're getting with the patches.

That's actually how a lot of other MMO's do it, in DDO for example all the new quests need to be unlocked through the store - same deal with The Secret World.

 

SWTOR's devs made it pretty clear when they went F2P that the "base" game, as it was then is pretty much what you can expect to get for free - something which TSW devs also did, except that the latter also promised that each time story content came out it would be within your monthly points budget (if you are a subscriber at least) and that they expect you to use your points to acquire that content then if you want it. (similar to how a classic subscription would give you access to all new content)

Bioware did the same thing with the Cathar, they told the players that they could easily get them for "free" if they reserved some points for it, yet a bunch of people threw a giant fit about having to use their points on an unlock instead of on packs or some other things.

 

Honestly, this I would be ok with. I don't like them in the gambling packs, but if there were pure DLC packs, I think that would be great. At least then I wouldn't necessarily be paying 60 bucks to get turn-in missions.

[Kajuratus]

On the bright side, since you made me go back and look at the exact quote, rather than your edited viewpoint friendly version. I did note that the statement was that there were no further plans. As they have frequently noted, plans change, and I hope they do in this case.

 

Hmm, you gotta remember what happened with the Phantom/Spymaster fiasco and then their stance on the Revan armour set. Yes, I know you'll probably say this is a totally different situation, but unless there is an army on the forums screaming for story content to be obtainable through the Cartel Market, I doubt the likelihood of them changing their minds on this, or else risk another thread like this happening again.

[Thylbanus]

Hmm, you gotta remember what happened with the Phantom/Spymaster fiasco and then their stance on the Revan armour set. Yes, I know you'll probably say this is a totally different situation, but unless there is an army on the forums screaming for story content to be obtainable through the Cartel Market, I doubt the likelihood of them changing their minds on this, or else risk another thread like this happening again.

 

They will keep poking until they hit the right nerve. Which I applaud, because this complaint was one of the most ridiculous I've seen in all my years of gaming. Somehow it's ok to charge outside of the Cartel Market, but in the Cartel Market is a no-no, except that we also want the ability to spend Cartel Coins on expansion packs.

 

WHAT?!

 

If anyone has followed this from the beginning, it was a limited group who disliked the cubes "sucking up" a space in the cartel packs. Since they knew that there in a pretty weak position, they decided to get the Cartel Market Haters dander up. They spun it to sound noble, knowing full well once they got the nose for it, they would take it to the extreme. And boy did they. This was nothing more than chase armor that had 8 parts, with some BS narcissism from the Shroud. Much ado about nothing.

 

How does that make me a hypocrite? I'm a realist. I know that expansion packs come out for MMOs and I can fully expect to pay for them. I don't mind. I do mind buying gambling packs and crossing my fingers for a set of missions. Honestly, I would have liked it better if they had been implemented the way Andryah suggested, as not taking up the rare slot, but rather the mats slot or companion gift slot, or their own slot altogether for these packs. At least in those cases, it wouldn't be such an exorbent amount of money for 8 backstory missions.

 

Hypocrisy: applying criticism to others that one does not apply equally to oneself. You state that you spent money, pre-ordered even, on content. Now you claim that spending money on content is wrong because it happens in a pack. Except we constantly get content in those packs in the form of XP boosts, gear, crafting materials, etc. The cubes took up parts, just as the armor would have, except part of earning that chase armor is having to sit through the Shroud's narcissism, which was painful enough. If it weren't for the spacebar, I would say that it violated the Geneva Convention.

 

As for Andryah's suggestion, that was before the whole reveal, and I'm sure she would retract that part knowing the full process. Since these were Cartel Pack items, that also means that they were available on the GTN after a time, something that Makeb probably never will be. So if they want to release content via the Cartel Market, I support it, as long as we can also sell it on the GTN. Thereby allowing those with less money and more time the ability to enjoy the game as well.

 

See this is where the haters lose sight of how they impact others. Due to this ridiculous ruckus, people who are less fortunate will not be able to share in game content that could have been released via the Cartel Market. Just because some whiny pants felt that he got jipped because he didn't get what he wanted out of a gambling pack because some "stupid" cube took it's place. It is a common belief of gamblers that they would have won had not some other random unrelated even happened. It's why so many gamblers hate leaving "their" machine, or "their" dealer goes on break, etc., and all their silly rituals that they have to do before gambling. "Lucky" rabbits foot anyone?

 

So, if Kajuratus is right and they never release any content via the Cartel Market. That means the poor will just have suck it up and get a(n other) job in this wonderful 15.4% unemployment rate, if they want to enjoy all the game has to offer. I'm pretty tough on people, but if someone is willing to grind some BS that I don't want to and give me credits for something I can easily buy, I'll do it. It's honest work, at least. Barter system at it's finest.

 

BTW the "exorbitant" amount was $5.76. For me, it was $0, I just bought it off the GTN. So much for exorbitant. Plus, I'm still baffled that you call watching a holo, a mission. But then again, that would be admitting that it really isn't content.

 

Talk to you all later, I've got a mission to watch "The Avengers".

Edited August 12, 2013 by Thylbanus

[Karkais]

Incorrect. What it's saying is that any story content isn't gameplay impacting. Not that particular instance of story content. Which is something I completely disagree with. Any type of story content or lore IS gameplay impacting, especially if you're playing the game for.... the story and the lore.

 

Considering story content IS gameplay, we are talking about some really interesting definitions to "gameplay impacting" here. I agree that the datacubes don't really have much in them beyond one simple cutscene, but if devs are starting to use definitions that effectively say "gameplay is not gameplay" then I have no idea whats in store next..

 

Introducing expertise gear in cartel market is pretty much the only boundary devs haven't broken yet.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Karkais

[Mike_Bluesky]

Introducing expertise gear in cartel market is pretty much the only boundary devs haven't broken yet.

 

Don't give them ideas

 

Just put those datacubes in seeker's pool of possible loot and get on with this.

[Andryah]

If anyone has followed this from the beginning, it was a limited group who disliked the cubes "sucking up" a space in the cartel packs. Since they knew that there in a pretty weak position, they decided to get the Cartel Market Haters dander up. They spun it to sound noble, knowing full well once they got the nose for it, they would take it to the extreme. And boy did they. This was nothing more than chase armor that had 8 parts, with some BS narcissism from the Shroud. Much ado about nothing.

 

/Agree.

 

See this is where the haters lose sight of how they impact others. Due to this ridiculous ruckus, people who are less fortunate will not be able to share in game content that could have been released via the Cartel Market. Just because some whiny pants felt that he got jipped because he didn't get what he wanted out of a gambling pack because some "stupid" cube took it's place. It is a common belief of gamblers that they would have won had not some other random unrelated even happened. It's why so many gamblers hate leaving "their" machine, or "their" dealer goes on break, etc., and all their silly rituals that they have to do before gambling. "Lucky" rabbits foot anyone?

 

/Agree.

 

As for Andryah's suggestion, that was before the whole reveal, and I'm sure she would retract that part knowing the full process. Since these were Cartel Pack items, that also means that they were available on the GTN after a time, something that Makeb probably never will be. So if they want to release content via the Cartel Market, I support it, as long as we can also sell it on the GTN. Thereby allowing those with less money and more time the ability to enjoy the game as well.

 

I stand by my suggestion. Why? Because while the completion of the 8 cubes unlocks a unique armor set and could be argued as a rare reward in itself..... it was a new approach, and an approach that devalued the rare loot yield from the packs (both perception wise and in actuality by spreading it across 8 cubes in two packs).. It would cost Bioware nothing to have just added it as "frosting on top of".

 

My guess though is that it would cost something... as they would have had to do some recoding of the loot mechaincs for packs.. and did not want to bother doing so if this was a test content release. They could have just made the cubes as non-rare loot in the separate table though IMO. But.....since the players rose up and "slayed the windmill' in true Don Quixote fasion on this one.. I guess Bioware actually made the right decision though.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Andryah

[Thylbanus]

I stand by my suggestion. Why? Because while the completion of the 8 cubes unlocks a unique armor set and could be argued as a rare reward in itself..... it was a new approach, and an approach that devalued the rare loot yield from the packs (both perception wise and in actuality by spreading it across 8 cubes in two packs).. It would cost Bioware nothing to have just added it as "frosting on top of".

 

My guess though is that it would cost something... as they would have had to do some recoding of the loot mechaincs for packs.. and did not want to bother doing so if this was a test content release. They could have just made the cubes as non-rare loot in the separate table though IMO. But.....since the players rose up and "slayed the windmill' in true Don Quixote fasion on this one.. I guess Bioware actually made the right decision though.

 

Ok, I can see that. One axiom in my business is: "Perception is reality." And that would be the case, instead of receiving each piece of armor individually, "perception" would still remain, that they were jipped.

 

Lol, love the Don Quixote.

[KydoEthos]

I believe they just crossed a line that they should not have. Putting story content on the Cartel Market is just too much. Don't misunderstand me.....not because it's only 4 short cutscenes that you can watch on YouTube or anything. That really isn't much of a story anyway.

 

But do consider this. They're testing our reactions. If we let them get away with 4 cutscenes this time, what do you suppose will be in the next Cartel update? 8 cutscenes? Then 16? Then an actual quest or two? Then access to a unique area? Fight a unique Cartel boss? Where will this end? This is the start of a very dark path and we have to stop this madness before they go too far on it.

 

Multiple developers have stated numerous times that any story content that is not part an expansion pack will be free for subscribers and Cartel Market is reserved for cosmetic stuff only (items that do not affect character performance or game story). I don't care if said story content is just 4 cutscenes or a whole planet. They lied to us....again.

 

Anyone who thinks this is a minor issue, think again. It may be 4 cutscenes this time that can be bought on the GTN....but what's the guarantee that it will be 4 cutscenes again if we let them continue this trend?

 

EDIT: I watched the Q&A livestream on Monday and was somewhat reassured when they stated that they were making sure that our subscriptions remain meaningful. Apparently, they don't give a damn about it.

 

So here is my one and only real question about this and the whole issue as a whole... what IF they do add a unique cartel boss via packs? What is going to happen? More people throw a fit? Probably. What if that boss has literally NOTHING to do with ANY story? So story content is -STORY-. So a unique cartel boss that drops -gasp- cartel vanity gear would not be outside what they said.

 

Oh gods! You mean that this is something they could do and still be well within their own words? Why yes, that is exactly what I mean.