Galactic Starfighter Development, Introduction: Part I

[JarekCyphus]

Pretty much this.

 

However, I am glad there is something new coming now. I just hope this "PvP only" will turn to a PvE part as well.

 

I agree. It's kind of underwhelming to have called this the "Super Secret Space Project" for nearly two years running, only to vastly under-deliver on a huge, secretive promise to the community that's sunk a mass of money into an overall over-promised and under-delivered mmorpg. Don't get me wrong, SWTOR in itself is a great story and a great leveling experience, but the broader scope of the game and the endgame is very much beneath the expectations of games and gamers that came before it.

 

I get that this game is now free to play and there are undoubtedly budget issues, but I think that should have been considered regarding the SSSP PRIOR to going F2P.

 

...and while I'll likely stay subbed to try out or even test Galactic Starfighter, this half-baked and over-hyped "free" (at least) expansion just makes me anticipate Star Citizen that much more.

Edited October 19, 2013 by JarekCyphus

[JonnyMadDog]

It's cool they're letting the general, unknowing, crowd know what's coming, and even give some tidbits of info as to why and how this came about to all.

 

Many though, mself included, would still like what Galaxys had, in terms of: Open space P V E AND P V P, and somewhat what Battlefront and Galaxys has with landing on and launchign from stations and bases in space, and are willing to pay much attention and, thus, money to and for it. The devs know this...

 

Therefore, to offer, what is essentially w-zones in space, with different maps periodically implemented, such as with ground w-zones, at first, and only, signals several things...

 

They probably wanted to add everything space at launch, but with the rushed push to meet the launch time, it was nixed to be polished for a later, and greater, implementation, this, ey think, was made clear, when someon said the on-rails system was and is, only a placeholder for more space modes.

 

So with the financial blow they took sometime later, fantastic content had to be put on hold for more on content already in and pertaining to the main endeavor to get from 1 to 50 then 55 and nightly ops grps, and implemented the C-M to help sustain them, which is has. However the question is, how much has it?

With the addition of P V P-ONLY space content, space w-zones, it means either their recollection from the market wasn't great enough to add more atm, but enough to put something in to get some more buyers to pay for the next space content push, and will take it one feature at a time, or that they've received more than enough money from the C-M and returning subs, and hope a taster will still add to that amount that's more than enough as a bonus, and added space w-zones first and only as it's easier to do one thing at a time, and it's the simplest feature of space content they could add, so why not first?

 

Ey believed they have nearly enough money to cover adding ALL the space features requested, but since many are so different then what content this already has, and said cotnent may not easily be transcribed into the engine this uses, as those other gams had different engines, it'll take time to implement and backup money to have just in case. Plus, if they fail at space content, adding only one feature in, is better to fail at, then failing at all the features they crammed in.

 

It's a smart buisness and creative decision to stagger the launch of space content, it ensures everyone doesn't get bored of it, as soon, at least, (think, how would one think of a new thing several mnths after it's added if that thing was several things, and they tried em all, compared to one who's tried all those things one by one, one after another, with a burst at the end?). Either way, whether they have enough, nearly enough, or more then anough money and workers for new content and systems, (The Force knows the talent, ideas, and desire for such are there), it takes time, but good things come to those who wait, and patience is a virtue of several builds, even all, depending how one utilizes their chr . Nearly all, if not all, these requested features will be implemented in due time, but for now, even though there are some not keen on P V P, lez just relish in the fact, something is better then nothing, and hit that road when there (who says those who are skilled at ground P V P, or not, will be, or won't be, in space P V P as well?)

 

Lez just hope also that this means the C-M could be scaled back a bit, and more things can be obtainable through in-gam content, then having to be so reliant on the C-M, it isn't p2w, it is cosmetic, and ey am fine with money-shops if they are cosmetic-only, however, the system already in-place IS a tad too reliant on the C-M, and the credits are rly in the resale of items from it. If dailis could dish out mroe credit,s more peopl would do em, for now, they're too many in number, take too much time, and do not yield enough credits to make them worth the time spent away from ops to do them. Those are mey only complaints about the C-M, if done right, markets are fine, if done wrong, they're detrimental to the community and gam itself thusly. Right now the C-M walks a fine fine in-between helpful, and detrimental, slightly on the helpful side just, but still would prefer it to be farther away from the line then it is (Plz take out the public servr titles from collections, such as the strike team ones, that are no longer, and barely were to very few who even went for them, and get rid of achievements, ey hoped they wouldn't have evr have added them, smart buisness decision, both, but achievs ensures ey continue to have a heavy back-log and other thigns crumble around mself, which has already happened enough the way it is w/ the some of the abuse ey and and others, get, but ey digress) am cool w/ collections, just anything unobtainable needs to be taken out, even if one has some of the now-unobtainable items, and not everything is even collection-able, nor are some items retractable from it...it's very uneven atm). This should happen if evrything goes according to plan.

 

Thanks for writing and for reading!

Edited October 19, 2013 by JonnyMadDog
Add something.

[SirMannii]

Could be fun, but what about more time spending at the "ground" PvP? Season 1 will be coming but what about trying to fix In-Game leaderboard and some sort of team register where players can apply for the season and then play it with the same friends. Guild ranking could also be cool. Space PvP could be awesome. I'm just saying...

[aeterno]

Maybe BW could put that bit they "decided against" up on kick-starter.

[Buxaroo]

It's not perfect but it's a great start. I had stopped playing back in 2012 but the news of this release has brought me back as a subscriber

 

Hopefully as they develop the space system, more will be added but as a first start I think this will do well

 

Yeah, I am in the same boat. I stopped playing back in Oct of 2012. But when I first heard of this update, and that I needed to be subbed by Nov 1st, I subbed straight away. Now I am playing again, and getting the hang of the game, some pretty good changes since then, some things have stayed the same. But the promise of real space combat is what has gotten me back. I said at the beginning when the game first came out that on-rails was the worst possible decision for space combat, it reeked of 90's consolitus. But free movement, the way SWG had? Sign me up. I know it might not be as freedom-based as SWG, but I will take what I can.

 

Well, at least until Star Citizen is released

[LordArtemis]

It is interesting to see that they set this aside for a year, then resumed work in august of last year.

 

It is also interesting to me to see how the focus evolved, and the paths they considered. I wonder if a BF2 experience, one that holds all the cards....PVE, PVP, space combat, combat between capital ships (fixed) with objectives (stations) on the vessels to conquer on foot, which leads to the next point...on foot combat as well.

 

I could understand leaving out the PVE, perhaps for now, but I question the wisdom of leaving out capital ship combat, especially since that could have led to the development of guild ships, and on foot combat on those ships, which I think could have led to a better PVP system overall.

 

Some opportunities lost there IMO, but perhaps not forever.

 

Also, the wisdom of not including a cockpit view or clear joystick option is odd to me, if that is the case.

 

Overall, however, I feel this feature is going to have much wider appeal than current PVP, and will welcome more casual players into the fold....especially if it remains reasonably even through the leveling process with respect to challenge against other players.

 

In other words, upgrading gives you an edge, not a hammer.

[aeterno]

GS is gonna have the same issue that SWTOR had from the get go.

 

SWG fans are gonna rip it to shreds for not being that game. It's always going to be known more for what it lacks than what it offers.

[Nee-Elder]

GS is gonna have the same issue that SWTOR had from the get go.

 

SWG fans are gonna rip it to shreds for not being that game. It's always going to be known more for what it lacks than what it offers.

 

That's because "what it lacks" is far superior than "what it offers" .

 

Put simply, it appears to be an over-simplified 'arcade' game, instead of a complex/dynamic *Flight Sim* .

 

Of course, if this level of 'Space Combat' had been in from the beginning at-Launch (or at least a few months after launch) , then perhaps things would have turned out better for SWTOR (and all those many "massive" Space-concepts mentioned in the first paragraph could be in by now) .

 

But it wasn't, and so now it all reads to most people as: Too Little, Too Late.

 

Yes, this 'space expansion' does still look to be worth trying out for a few days...but, like the overall game itself, will it ultimately be enough to hold players' attention (and subscriptions) for the long-term?

 

I'm sure BioWare is asking the very same question. I only hope EA's answer isn't: "More CARTEL Market-in-Space!"

[Atlanis]

No doubt there are budget issues. I creatively read this Developer Blog entry as being almost like a hostage trying to secretly communicate when being forced to read demands for his own ransom. The coded message being "This is what we want to do, but this is all we're budgeted for right now. Help us out, give us support, and we can squeeze more in later."

 

An intelligent man he is indeed. If I am not wrong, I lately had some talk with my StarTrekOnline Guild about desubscribing and going to SwTor due to having good Groundcontent and (seemingly) good Space Content which would derank StarTrekOnline (Lack of good GroundContent). Some of us already played SwTor as the Main MMO and I am pretty sure those who haven´t will come if that Content turns aus as those Dataminers speculate.

[Whailor]

How about also writing in that article something like:

 

"One thing must be noted - this space flight feature has nothing to do with our game's story. It is in no way tied to the story line and will not be used in any story telling capacity. It is only used in Player-versus-Player gameplay which leaves a huge part of our paying customers hanging dry, since they do not care or partake in that gameplay and thus get no use out of it. Current Player-versus-Environment setting is old even for the 80's but it's something what the PvE players have to put up with. Star Wars - where the actual "wars" among the "stars" doesn't really happen story wise".

 

Be honest when you announce some feature, it is pretty much lying to the customers when you first claim adding a feature and later they find out that it's just for a small niche and has nothing to do with actual gameplay or story, at all.

 

And just to add - ignoring PvE players when 2014 is around the corner is not smart, seeing how 2 major next generation MMO titles are coming out in 2014: Everquest Next and The Elder Scrolls Online (and even one very strong "runner up" MMO - Wildstar). Making a major gameplay feature change for only one specific group while totally ignoring the rest is like asking for trouble, and you can be certain that the trouble will come if PvE players and their wishes are ignored.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Whailor

[aeterno]

The toy cleared the pram and is now in orbit.

[Starhammer]

I'd like to join the crowd and share my disappointment in comparing how amazing this game, and this update could have been against what we're forced to settle for. Your graphics are pretty and all, but having to choke down all the marketing hype you throw at us along with the otherwise mediocre offering is really unappetizing.

 

PvP? Seriously? I have no use for your "Gank-n-Spank" leaderboards. What on Earth compelled you guys to think PvP-ONLY was a good idea? That's right up there with "Starships on rails."

[CorePhantom]

I can only agree with what have already been said by others before me...

 

PvP only??? what the F! guys O.o

 

Despite the lag of variety in courses, I'm a huge Space Mission addict and I've been dying to get some star-fighter missions, so when the first unofficial rumor appeared of such a feature, I was absolutely beside myself with joy, only to then have my hopes destroyed by the news that it would only be a feature reserved for the (in comparison) minority group of players, i.e. PvPeeps... -.-

 

I also don't get why focus have been placed on an all new feature, when there's still so much to be done to perfect the existing content, which still have several things that need to be fixed and improved >.<

[Massilviu]

TAKE YOUR BATTLE TO SPACE! - yeah right!

Space missions of this game are way to hard, useless and unused, and you bring space pvp to "revive" the space aspect of the game. Really? I haven't done one in ages.

And what about other players? the ones that really, really hate pvp, like my wife.

What about them?

[EpothosII]

While I can appreciate the cool factor of this whole thing, I certainly am in the same crowd as those feeling disappointment. I love PvP, but an expansion that focuses only on PvP content is a pretty weird, and honestly, bad decision.

 

That whole letter they were mentioning some awesome ideas they had on the drawing board, and at the end they snatched it all away when they announced their focus on PvP. I just am so confused about the logic here. I think I'd honestly feel better had they not even mentioned those other ideas.

 

I'm hoping they can maybe find a way to use this new system to at least revamp the old space missions eventually.

[Xezr]

Are other things promised/hinted at the guild summit like chat bubbles also coming soon?

 

This.

[Drox]

SWG was not fun. Let it go buddy.

 

SWG space combat was awesome, just because you couldn't handle it doesn't mean others didn't have fun. Personally I have yet to see a space game that has come close to the dogfighter feel of SWG, which is pretty sad.

 

 

On Topic, this being PVP only is really disappointing.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Drox

[Scriffle]

How about also writing in that article something like:

 

"One thing must be noted - this space flight feature has nothing to do with our game's story. It is in no way tied to the story line and will not be used in any story telling capacity. It is only used in Player-versus-Player gameplay which leaves a huge part of our paying customers hanging dry, since they do not care or partake in that gameplay and thus get no use out of it. Current Player-versus-Environment setting is old even for the 80's but it's something what the PvE players have to put up with. Star Wars - where the actual "wars" among the "stars" doesn't really happen story wise".

 

Be honest when you announce some feature, it is pretty much lying to the customers when you first claim adding a feature and later they find out that it's just for a small niche and has nothing to do with actual gameplay or story, at all.

 

And just to add - ignoring PvE players when 2014 is around the corner is not smart, seeing how 2 major next generation MMO titles are coming out in 2014: Everquest Next and The Elder Scrolls Online (and even one very strong "runner up" MMO - Wildstar). Making a major gameplay feature change for only one specific group while totally ignoring the rest is like asking for trouble, and you can be certain that the trouble will come if PvE players and their wishes are ignored.

 

I'd like to join the crowd and share my disappointment in comparing how amazing this game, and this update could have been against what we're forced to settle for. Your graphics are pretty and all, but having to choke down all the marketing hype you throw at us along with the otherwise mediocre offering is really unappetizing.

 

PvP? Seriously? I have no use for your "Gank-n-Spank" leaderboards. What on Earth compelled you guys to think PvP-ONLY was a good idea? That's right up there with "Starships on rails."

 

I can only agree with what have already been said by others before me...

 

PvP only??? what the F! guys O.o

 

Despite the lag of variety in courses, I'm a huge Space Mission addict and I've been dying to get some star-fighter missions, so when the first unofficial rumor appeared of such a feature, I was absolutely beside myself with joy, only to then have my hopes destroyed by the news that it would only be a feature reserved for the (in comparison) minority group of players, i.e. PvPeeps... -.-

 

I also don't get why focus have been placed on an all new feature, when there's still so much to be done to perfect the existing content, which still have several things that need to be fixed and improved >.<

 

Ow please cry even more , pve carebears. Pvp'ers got almost NOTHING for a total year. In every damn patch there was an update for PVE. Even in the so called PVP patch 2.4 there were TWO Operations. Now that pvpers finally going to get some love , you all going to cry about it. LOL

Edited October 19, 2013 by Scriffle

[Jett-Rinn]

Ow please cry even more , pve carebears. Pvp'ers got almost NOTHING for a total year. In every damn patch there was an update for PVE. Even in the so called PVP patch 2.4 there were TWO Operations. Now that pvpers finally going to get some love , you all going to cry about it. LOL

 

Mr. Hawking....this isn't about the PVPers getting nothing, it about your MMO being put on a food stamps budget, try not to live up to the PVP stereotype and look at the big picture instead of just yelling care bear like an idiot okay?

 

I actually wonder that during the dev meeting someone said "We can get away with making it just PVP, the pvpers will think tha we are doing something just for them!!"

Edited October 19, 2013 by Jett-Rinn

[sandisrd]

This will be another great addition to already incredible game, thank you very much!...

[MisterBlackJack]

Thanks for the background, great read! Where did the SSSp term came from? Was it from the guild summit back in April 2012 or from something pre-launch?

 

Still holding out for capital ship though!

 

It was a quote from James Ohlen shortly before 1.2 went live. He made a statement both in a blog and a video that they were working on a "Super Secret Space Project" that he couldn't go into details about it though.

 

Edit: Courtney may be right that it was at the Guild Summit where it was first mentioned

Edited October 19, 2013 by MisterBlackJack

[MisterBlackJack]

Is there going to be any PvE content in this expansion?

 

They already said the expansion itself is only the 12 v 12 space combat. No new planets or leveling or pve aspects, IN THE EXPANSION. That doesn't rule out that pve content will be coming in 2.5 or 2.6 or even 3.0 when GS finally reaches everyone. The Major Patch Updates and the Expansion are 2 completely separate updates so keep that in mind.

[MisterBlackJack]

Are other things promised/hinted at the guild summit like chat bubbles also coming soon?

 

Dude let it go

[MisterBlackJack]

Damn. Everything he said they could have done sounded so much more awesome than the just pvp. I want guild capital ships. I want pve. pvp is great but that means it's only an expansion for one group of players.

 

Kinda like how RotHC was only for PvErs? People seem to forget that their first expansion didn't have any PvP updates minus the new gear and new brackets, while PvE players got a New Planet, A new Operation, 4 55 HM FPs, Seeker Droids and Macrobinocular Questlines and a few New World Bosses.

 

Terms of Content PvPers haven't had any major content prior to 2.4 since ancient hypergate which was almost a year ago. So I am perfectly fine with PvP players getting an expansion for themselves this time around. By the way I am PvE/RP player first and for most, I just dabble into pvp every once and a while.

Edited October 19, 2013 by MisterBlackJack

[VigDiath]

As an avid PvP'er and sometime space battles enthusiast I am looking forward to this. I think this has been missing for a long time and I love the idea of facing other players in Space Battle. I SINCERELY HOPE that this is not the only thing new we see regarding space battles. We need a complete revamp to the current system. Take it OFF THE RAILS!!

 

I do space battles in this game but just not as much as I would love to. I can't get into the whole on-the-rails space flights we have. When I think of space battles, I think of Battlefront 2 or a flight simulation game like Ace Combat. What we have now does not compare. This new expansion is the right direction but we need a revamp to the current system as well.

 

Regardless, thanks for what you're planning on doing now! I seriously will spend all my time in space pvp!