The datacron system is awful and needs to be redesigned from the ground up.

[Metachlorine]

I didn't read anything but the title to this thread, so i don't know if this was mentioned or not. i am fine with everything about the datacrons, except that I want to be able to continually improve my matrix cube (quests etc.) so I can always wear it and not have it become irrelevant as new game content is intoduced.

[Txangki]

The jumping is bad. A lot of the jumping involved seems to be spaced so that it's just the right distance for a standard jump, but the characters have a habit of just dropping down if they're standing too close to the edge or if there's a slight bevel on the surface they're jumping off.

 

After I discovered you could do a forward 'hop' from standing by pressing forward (w) *just* after pressing the jump key, a lot of them became easier; but jumping still feels fiddly.

[nettenchi]

How about making datacrons bound to legacy? This way you only really need to scrounge around on a treasure hunt once per server for a certain datacron.

[BraaxusKun]

I think they are done right. Encourage exploration and many require you problem solve to figure out how to get to them.

 

swtor planets arent sandbox

[Clodde]

How about making datacrons bound to legacy? This way you only really need to scrounge around on a treasure hunt once per server for a certain datacron.

 

I came to this thread to say the same... /sign

 

eplanation: I am encouraged to explore, why should I do it twice if I found it alrady?

[Tyrogenic]

I came to this thread to say the same... /sign

 

eplanation: I am encouraged to explore, why should I do it twice if I found it alrady?

 

I agree with the agreeing

[Xavon_Wrentaile]

I agree that the platforming aspects are bad, at best. Keyboard and mouse are not designed for this like a control pad. And internet latency makes it even tougher. And many of the jumps require near perfect precision. I've spent literally hours trying to reach some of these things, watching other players with less time or patience give up. And still never reached most of them.

 

I don't mind exploring the map. In fact I love it. The three datacrons on Tython got me excited about the system, and had me exploring maps. Until I started finding them and realized the combination of the engine, the control medium, and the variability of my network connection meant that I could never get to most of them.

[Stenrik]

I like the system as is.

I don't want everything spoonfed to me. Datacrons are a good icebreaker for makng new friends, too. If I see someone around and there's one close, then "hey, do you want me to show you something cool?" It's nice because we can be on different quests but it's still something to do together, instantly, on the spot.

 

I do think they should make the collision system more precise though. Sliding off of pipes is not fun.

[LeonBraun]

The system is fine the way it is now.

[Evgen]

I think it's fine because:

 

a) you will find one and figure out what it is.

b) its a kind of mini game

c) why have an in game system to find information when there already is the Internet?

d) sharing information like this is what builds a community

e) they aren't that far off the path from your class quests

f) they can be maddening to get, but after i get it, it feels great

g) if you want to be realistic, who would leave one there after they found it?

[Diyavati]

Put the datacrons in 1 box at level 1 so that when I open it, the color coded in easy to read titles for each stat, explode out of the box like care bear tummy power symbols.

I also don't want you guys to make it too easy, so have an elite 2 foot tree stump guard it so I can jump on the branches and defeat the elite by /wave.

 

 

On a serious note. I do enjoy the thrill of looking for them (with a guide I must confess), the frustration of jumping, falling, etc (I am not that coordinated and the Tatt balloon took me 2 hours 1 time and yes, I have also killed an innocent mouse over it), the joy of finally getting the darned thing with enough hard work and perseverance and the fun of it all makes me still look for the cursed shining objects.

 

Up to 12 now and currently stuck somewhere.

[MasterJediClam]

I agree that the datacron system is HORRIBLE.

 

I don't care that they are not introduced. That is fine with me, they are bonuses that you find and are like a treasure hunt. Great.

 

But, 99% of the game requires NO jumping. And that is a good thing, because SWTOR has the worst jumping system I have ever come across in any game. The majority of the time you can't even do a running jump. Also all jumps lag so much that they are ineffective. And you can't control how high or far you want to jump really. So why is it that you have to be a MASTER jumper to reach most of the datacrons? I can't tell you how many times I have fallen from an odd pipe or piece of garbage, even though I was standing right on it... and then at other points your character is able to be a titerope walker.

 

And if you are lucky enough to find a datacron, you get what, a 2 -4 point stat boost? WOW... that is a hell of a lot of trouble to go through just to get a stat bonus that is eclipsed by pretty much every mod or armor upgrade available to you at any time. When it takes me hours to jump up some pips to get +2 willpower, and then I get a glove that immediately grants me +12 willpower just because I killed some regular enemy.. that is lame.

 

 

they need to take all platforming out of this game because the mechanics are terrible. And also increase the boosts you get from finding the datacrons

[Ascertes]

Datacron system is fine as is. However I would reccomend making at least one on the start planets a little easier to spot. Ord Mantell: Never found one just playing. Same went for Tython and Hutta. Korriban though, HA! If you can't at least notice one of the shiny boxes we have a problem.

 

But overall, it's fine as is. it's a Distraction and Diversion, which is by all measure a good thing

[NoxiousAlby]

Actually I thought the daycron system was brilliant the first time round, but by the time you get to your 3rd or 4th character you cant be bothered with it.

 

If anything it needs to be designed that you only need to seek them out once or another alternative (and the one I would have gone for) was to hide them in the flashpoints.

[Dayshadow]

It is designed to give a reward to explorer types.

 

If you enjoy that sort of thing, then kudos! If you don't, then don't worry about them. Do what's fun for you.

 

/problemsolved

 

I looked them all up on a website after realizes they weren't all placed somewhere visible, but but not obviously attainable. Explore my ***. I've figured out the jumping mechanics in this game so none of them are difficult for me to get to. What I liked originally was that you'd see them and have to figure out how to get them. That was the fun, but of course that isn;t the case with most of them.

 

I later found out that more than half of them are not ever visible unless you know exactly where to go. Many are up passages hidden in plain sight that an "explorer" would overlook because you can't even tell an passage exists by looking at it. You'd never find them unless that were your sole purpose. But who is honestly going to run against every surface of every inch of every planet just in case?

[Tatania]

Completely agree!!!! my friend was playing on a slower computer, and because of how slow his computer is, he is COMPLETELY unable to do all of the acrobatics needed to obtains datacrons, which puts him at a MAJOR stat disadvantage!

 

The system really does need to be changed

[Guru_Clef]

I think that a demand for a "redesign from the ground up" is taking things a bit far. As already said by many, the datacrons are meant to reward exploration of the world, so making them part of quests would be somewhat non-fitting for the purpose. There is however a marked difference between exploring and precision platforming. I enjoy the former, and can endure the latter, but only if it's required to perform in moderation. Otherwise it tends to frustrate me, and from what I've read here, so far, I'm not the only player who feels that way. Some here mentioned as possible solution to allow Force jumps, jetpack use or whatever kind of climbing aid one might provide for the soldier, smuggler and agent as a jumping tool, which would take the frustrating edge of some of these Super Mario style mini adventures without reducing the exploration aspect.

 

Something else that frustrates me in some areas is that I get visual on the location of a datacron (not all that difficult with the glowing beacon thingy, I know), but when I try to figure out a way to the blasted cube, I fail for the most part. Now some of you might say "look up a guide in the internet" or "it's easy with a bit of patience, you just suck" or whatever, but A) having to look up out-of-game sources to succeed at exploring an area of the game goes against the spirit of exploration IMHO (and is more like being spoonfed ingame successes, like some here have complained about) and B) while I may indeed suck at figuring out very obscure paths on my own, I'd be more eager to spend time on doing so, if the terrain map had the details required (like obscure cave entrances and the like) to assist at plotting probable routes to try out.

 

Then the OP suggested relocating datacrons to more sensible locations (like ancient ruins etc). I believe this idea has merit as an attempt at adding more realism to the matter (or whatever you want to call it) - but it also stands in contrast to the datacrons' intended purpose as a reward for exploration (unless you put your ruins and stuff into all those out of the way places where the datacrons are, and then I'm sure lots of people will complain about ruins and stuff being in places that make no sense - which merely proves that it is impossible to please everyone). So why not leave the datacrons where they are, and instead introduce actual holocrons to find via the idea of following up on overheard rumours from NPCs and by searching out ancient ruins or breaking into the vaults of some crime lord or wealthy collector (maybe allow this info to be found as a reward for a high level crew-task at archeology or treasure hunting or even hacking).

[DPCummerbund]

I don't even mind having to look at outside sources, because at least that's something my computer is capable of doing.

 

On the other hand, as others have said, I'm no good at platforming, which makes it extremely annoying or downright impossible to get to most of the datacrons. It's not a skill one uses or develops during the game, so there's no way I'm EVER going to make all 27 jumps in a row to get them. I kind of like the idea that they're hidden - this game needs more exploring, so every once in a while I explore a passage just to see what's there. But I simply can't do the jumps. There's a difference between "not interested" vs. "time consuming" vs "have to search the internet" and can't. So yeah, I wish they'd change this - or make fewer of them platforming.