Einobi Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Fp queue is horrendously long for classes like dps. How about the ability to start an fp with just 2 players who will used their companions to make up a party of 4 (most if not all classes have a tank/heal/dps companion so forming the right combi group is not a prob). For group of 2 players + 2 companions, the difficulties will be correspondingly scale down. While the fp is in progress, other players can join in and to make a fuller group. What this means is faster queue time with just the requirement of initial 2 players and with the scaling of difficulties, the player can still enjoy the same standard of 'difficulties' as required in the fp. This will also more focus our attention in taking gearing of our companion more seriously. This will put companion in a more core position in terms of game play impact (like they are doing it for GSF). Companion is something that differentiate swtor from many mmo (don't start the discussion that swtor copied ideas from other mmo in terms of companion.) especially wow, at least at current moment till they intro companion in their upcoming expansion. To make companion even more valuable and useful, let us use them in wz. So a current group of 8 players group wz will have 8 players + 8 companions which will make the wz more dynamic. The experience of pvp with your companions is uniquely intriguing. I had this experience when I was jumped upon by a player from other faction in open pvp (on pvp server). He is about my level in the same levelling zone so its not a one-shot quick fight. It lasted for a while. The fight is intriguing because while I was stunned, I can see my companion fighting his companion, stunning his companion and then go on to fight him. I go like 'wow, thanks mate. You are indeed my trustworthy companion.' From that, I value and take care of my companions a lot. Can't live without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfoughtforever Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 "Heroic 2" flashpoints would be great. Saying the queues are long is an understatement. Sometimes they literally never pop. I was in the queue for five hours the other day before I finally had to log. Heroic 4s need to be tuned down as well, so people can actually do them. Right now they aren't worth the time it takes to gather a group and run them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einobi Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) Something along the line of heroic2 kind of difficulties scaling. If there are 2 players + 2 companions, the fp difficulties will auto scale to [FP Heroic 2++]. If and when a new player joined to form a 3 players + 1 companion group, it auto scale up to [FP Heroic 3+] so on and so forth. At full group of 4 players, it will be at [FP Heroic 4] difficulties. I was even thinking of [FP Heroic 1+++] where we can enter a fp solo but with 3 of our personal companions. That would allow for solo fp play. But this does not exclude other player from joining into the group if and when they q. So, it is not entirely solo play to the exclusion of what a mmo is trying to foster - that is group play. The entire purpose is to cut down the downtime from sitting in q. Edited December 21, 2013 by Einobi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyMcGee Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morfius Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) As long as they don't provide same rewards as original ones - I am OK to have role neutral solo and H2 versions. Take CZ ones for example - H2 versions give blue 66s, HM ones - 69s Edited December 21, 2013 by morfius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theUndead Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Yes I'm fine with flashpoints, but not PvP or Ops. Those should remain strictly group content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GalacticKegger Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) Personally, I think FPs are scaled perfectly for 2 player + companions. My wife & I have 55s that are currently doing 50 hardmodes with companions, which I find to be the most challenging aspect of this game. We got them there by leveling them (and their companions) through level-appropriate H4s and FPs. There may be cases where we have to attain a couple more levels for lowbies, or beef up our companions' gear, to complete them. But by and large they are doable level-appropriately with solid gameplay; just really need to learn how to manage 2 characters at once and stay on top of the gear. We get both our toons and companions into custom gear as soon as we can, and use our cybertech and artifice characters to keep their armoring, mods & enhancements up to date. The one FP exception would be Collicoid War Games because it takes more than 2 players to advance through the maze. But that has nothing to do with difficulty ... just need 3 players to click stuff simultaneously. Now, maybe scaling difficulty for solo players might be an idea. But that's only if completing FPs for usable drops is the primary consideration. Personally I would love to see 8-player SM ops playable with 4 players + companions as they are now - without nerfing. I think that challenge would absolutely rock and would allow players not fortunate enough to be in a raiding guild the opportunity to experience the content. Beyond that ... no. True end game HM and NiM operations should remain the property of full player groups. We won't play any other MMO now longer than revisiting them for posterity because of the value that companions bring to our progression through the advanced levels of this game. Edited December 21, 2013 by GalacticKegger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morfius Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Without changes companions will not survive in most endgame encounters... already tried some 55 HMs ... there is at least 1 boss that kill companions for sure if you don't stop your activities to micro manage them. FPs - DAO stile companion tactics may do the trick (attack priority, get out of aoe, healing priorities & so on). OPs - not going to work at all without heavy nerf of bosses (tactics). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GalacticKegger Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) Without changes companions will not survive in most endgame encounters... already tried some 55 HMs ... there is at least 1 boss that kill companions for sure if you don't stop your activities to micro manage them. FPs - DAO stile companion tactics may do the trick (attack priority, get out of aoe, healing priorities & so on). OPs - not going to work at all without heavy nerf of bosses (tactics).Ya ... the hardest part of microing companions is deciding whether moving them out of "the stuff" takes priority over player character interrupts, cc, aggros or heals. That's the challenge imho. Knowing the fights helps immensely (i.e. many a wipe night to learn them). But as you pointed out there may be some fight mechanics that simply require humint or uber gear to beat. Would like to test that out personally. Edited December 21, 2013 by GalacticKegger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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