Disabling Double XP: A Working Toggle

[TravelersWay]

Because plowing through trash MOBs to get to the actual cutscene story that still plays out normally even if you're 54 levels above it is the best part of the game?

What possible reason could people not want double xp for?

 

I am not a "Raider." I am also not a "PvPer." Interior Decorator is not really an interesting occupation for me. Don't really care all that much about crafting (thank Goodness that this game has a minimal and unnecessary crafting system). I don't care about gear grind so long as I can customize my characters to my preferred cosmetic look (and the leveling drops and CM stuff pretty much take care of that).

 

Sure, once I finally hit max level on a toon, I'll try out the Operations as I am a completionist, but I don't anticipate doing Ops any more than the occasional PvP match I pop into on rare occasion. I enjoy the PvE space missions, but since the changes to the rewards way back when, it's not really something worth doing more than once a day unless I want to lose a bunch of credits via the travel costs.

 

So for me (and many of my friends who play the game), the leveling experience is the game for us. Personally speaking, SWTOR has the best leveling experience of any MMO I have played. It's the reason why I have two subbed accounts and nearly as many alts as I have in Guild Wars 1 (over 20 there and I have yet to finish the expansion pack on one character there, which was released in 2007). My playstyle and enjoyment of the game comes from being within a reasonable level for the content I am participating in. Double XP prevents my ability to remain in that realm and still do all the content for each character.

 

It's that simple. There's nothing extreme or unusual about it - it's actually playing the game normally! Double XP is the exception to the rule, and not how leveling is intended to be played (otherwise why not simply make Double XP the "normal" XP gain from the get go?). Any other suggestions made to "bypass" the results of the Double XP gain is unacceptable because that would mean playing the game in an abnormal manner. I shouldn't have to go to extremes to play abnormally in an attempt to play the game as it normally is meant to be played.

Edited June 3, 2014 by TravelersWay

[RogueWookiee]

City of Heroes/Villains did. You actually had the ability to toggle XP gain completely on or off at any time you wanted. However, in that game with the enhancement/invention system it actually made sense, because there were recipes that only dropped/were rewarded for TFs if the actual PC was in the level range. So you'd have farmers that literally got to a particular range for the drop they wanted then farmed recipes with that character in that level range endlessly.

 

That said, whenever I hear people complaining about double XP I think about all the easy fixes: play level capped characters, unclench your sphincter and skip some of the world quests you've played probably a dozen times before already, try RP or PvP or space or OPs or something outside your comfort zone (who knows? you might actually like it), spend some time getting datacrons or achievements or otherwise exploring stuff IG you wouldn't typically do, better yet, explore the magic, mysterious land many of Clan Pasty know only by the terrifying name "outside", put in some extra hours at work getting overtime, or doing some extra chores for your parents so they'll give you more in your allowance, cry to offline friends about how TOR is wrecking your fun by making the level grind shorter, if you don't have any real friends, cry to online friends in PMs, emails, tweets or FB posts about the big meanies at BW making you get double XP against your will, spend a weekend being a good Samaritan helping out lowbies (or just people legitimately asking for help in chat)... most of all though, quit whining because maybe 1/2 dozen weekends out of the entire year you have to change your playstyle just a little.

 

All that took, like, 5 minutes off the top of my head, too. Guess we've made it easier to whine than actually think. It's really no wonder we live in a world where governments have to actually waste time, effort and resources putting laws into effect that many of us would just consider common sense.

[TravelersWay]

All that took, like, 5 minutes off the top of my head, too. Guess we've made it easier to whine than actually think. It's really no wonder we live in a world where governments have to actually waste time, effort and resources putting laws into effect that many of us would just consider common sense.

 

Ah yes, well done for that five minute span. It actually may come in handy for each and every QQer on the forum - including yourself when you find something you don't like being added to the game (or something you do like removed), and you want to let BioWare know that your experience is lessened because of it. It's too bad that you didn't post that before they started working on Strongholds - I could have used that for each and every person who complained that there was no player housing in the game. However, I think it will come in handy for each and every person who wants Pazaak and other such nonsense in the game, or who want traditional Jedi Robes, or who want free form PvE space, or a better crafting system, or more PvP maps and options, or more Operations, etc. etc. etc.

 

In the end, it doesn't really matter what you think of it. However it does show what kind of person you and the others like you are. Because, you see, many of us who dislike the forced Double XP, we fully support having the system in game for those players that do (even though we don't understand how anyone enjoys such a thing), and more so we fully support a system that allows players to get such benefits whenever they would like to have it - instead of just some random weekends throughout the year when many people may not be able to take advantage of it. But then again, it really is nothing new to have a segment of society who actually take other peoples needs and desires into consideration even though they themselves may not understand such needs and desires. Yes, we... I mean they are the better human beings among us.

Edited June 3, 2014 by TravelersWay

[Rankyn]

many of us who dislike the forced Double XP,

If by "many" you mean "twelve" then yes.

[TravelersWay]

If by "many" you mean "twelve" then yes.

 

Actually, counting the people I know and play with on a regular basis - that number is over 100 just for me.

 

EDIT: I should also mention that I am a member of a couple of large multi-game guilds, and many of the people I know from those guilds don't like the concept of Double XP in any game, so that number I could anectodely present be in the 1000's.

Edited June 4, 2014 by TravelersWay

[Superman_AZ]

City of Heroes/Villains did. You actually had the ability to toggle XP gain completely on or off at any time you wanted.

 

Most games have a full toggle. Allowing you to kill XP gain in order to lock yourself into your current level. WoW users do it when twinking for PvP. We're talking about a 1/2 toggle. Or even a slide bar. Something where you could adjust the amount of XP you gain.

[Alphasgimaone]

It's that simple. There's nothing extreme or unusual about it - it's actually playing the game normally! Double XP is the exception to the rule, and not how leveling is intended to be played (otherwise why not simply make Double XP the "normal" XP gain from the get go?). Any other suggestions made to "bypass" the results of the Double XP gain is unacceptable because that would mean playing the game in an abnormal manner. I shouldn't have to go to extremes to play abnormally in an attempt to play the game as it normally is meant to be played.

It's an exception that lasts for three-four days and occurs a handful of times a year.

 

There've been, what, 16 total days of 2XP in the last year? That's 4% of the time.

 

For Bioware/EA to dedicated time/money/resources to develop and test a feature that a very small percentage of players would use a very small percentage of the total Server time would be utterly ludicrous.

[TravelersWay]

It's an exception that lasts for three-four days and occurs a handful of times a year.

 

There've been, what, 16 total days of 2XP in the last year? That's 4% of the time.

 

For Bioware/EA to dedicated time/money/resources to develop and test a feature that a very small percentage of players would use a very small percentage of the total Server time would be utterly ludicrous.

 

Which is exactly why it is the exception to the rule. Quite frankly, something like this would not require extensive use of time/money/resources - it is like any of QoL feature that has been asked for in the last two years. What % of people care about SGRA - yet it was finally included. Again, what about all the other things a small portion of the player base want - Pazaak, swoop racing, mini-games, gambling machines, "traditional" jedi robes, hood toggle, Legacy unlocks for Datacrons, Codex clean-up, adjustments to the collections interface, etc. Only BioWare is the judge of what is and is not worth their development time.

Edited June 4, 2014 by TravelersWay

[OddballEasyEight]

Which is exactly why it is the exception to the rule. Quite frankly, something like this would not require extensive use of time/money/resources - it is like any of QoL feature that has been asked for in the last two years. What % of people care about SGRA - yet it was finally included. Again, what about all the other things a small portion of the player base want - Pazaak, swoop racing, mini-games, gambling machines, "traditional" jedi robes, hood toggle, Legacy unlocks for Datacrons, Codex clean-up, adjustments to the collections interface, etc. Only BioWare is the judge of what is and is not worth their development time.

 

From the number of posts on the subject, alot more people care about SGRA than those who complain about double xp.

And how would you know that it doesn't require extensive use of time/money/resources?

 

Judging by the number of people (individual posters, not threads or posts) complaining about this, the "I don't like double xp" group might very well be the smallest minority group on the entire forum. And if they are not listening to the larger groups like pazaak, swoop-racing, "traditional" jedi robes and hood toggle, why would they listen to this group?

[Superman_AZ]

From the number of posts on the subject, alot more people care about SGRA than those who complain about double xp.

And how would you know that it doesn't require extensive use of time/money/resources?

 

Judging by the number of people (individual posters, not threads or posts) complaining about this, the "I don't like double xp" group might very well be the smallest minority group on the entire forum. And if they are not listening to the larger groups like pazaak, swoop-racing, "traditional" jedi robes and hood toggle, why would they listen to this group?

 

I have to agree. This vocal group is smaller than Alec_Baldwin and his quest for the hoodless robe.

[TravelersWay]

From the number of posts on the subject, alot more people care about SGRA than those who complain about double xp.

Anecdotal examples that in the end cannot be confirmation or denial of the popularity/unpopularity of a subject.

 

And how would you know that it doesn't require extensive use of time/money/resources?

Personal experience in game development as well as the clear examples we have in the game already of how XP is handled, and the myriad of examples from other games (you know, those "MMO standards" people love to throw around when there is a QoL feature they want implemented in the game - kinda like GF, X-Server Qing, Customizable UI, etc). Ultimately, this would fall into the realm of the UI team as a QoL feature.

 

Judging by the number of people (individual posters, not threads or posts) complaining about this, the "I don't like double xp" group might very well be the smallest minority group on the entire forum. And if they are not listening to the larger groups like pazaak, swoop-racing, "traditional" jedi robes and hood toggle, why would they listen to this group?

Again, anecdotal examples. As a business man, I understand the need of making unpopular decisions, as well as the benefits of making changes in a business that may not have rampant benefits to the majority of consumers, but nevertheless offer tangible and intangible benefits for the future of the business.

[Superman_AZ]

Easy fix would be to make a poll, attach it to an email, and blast it out like the announcement for the arrival of Cartel Coins each month. Then, people who WANT to participate can respond, BW will know how many out of how many actually responded, and from that group, who agreed with adding what as new features. So, until that unbiased, non-forum based poll is sent to every player in the game, or at least the subs, there is no way of gauging what players do, or do not want.

[Smuglebunny]

Vocal minority, an example.

 

This will never happen.

 

^ I say this in every thread that pops up about a 2x xp toggle.

 

This will not ever occur. Ever. There will never be a toggle.

[Warrgames]

Easy fix would be to make a poll, attach it to an email, and blast it out like the announcement for the arrival of Cartel Coins each month. Then, people who WANT to participate can respond, BW will know how many out of how many actually responded, and from that group, who agreed with adding what as new features. So, until that unbiased, non-forum based poll is sent to every player in the game, or at least the subs, there is no way of gauging what players do, or do not want.

 

I doubt many people even read those emails. Attach a poll to the launcher and the only way you can click play after answering 1 poll question a week.

Would you like hood toggle:

1) Yes

2) No

3) I don't care

[Jeweledleah]

the solution I would implement is rather then toggle - mail everyone a temporary buff during double xp weekend. a consumable that has an expiration date - lets say 72 hours for both duration and expiration. so... you have to use it within 72 hours of that original mail and it only lasts 72 hours. thus - they can still keep it relatively rare, and people who do NOT want double xp? could just discard the consumable buff instead of using it and play at a normal rate.

[Superman_AZ]

I doubt many people even read those emails. Attach a poll to the launcher and the only way you can click play after answering 1 poll question a week.

Would you like hood toggle:

1) Yes

2) No

3) I don't care

 

That would work too. Except most people glaze right over the launcher to click the PLAY button. You'd have to grey out Play until they answer the poll.

[Warrgames]

That would work too. Except most people glaze right over the launcher to click the PLAY button. You'd have to grey out Play until they answer the poll.

 

I talked about you could only click play after you submit your poll answer. You made me think of something 1000s of post in CS/General forums about how launcher wouldn't let them click play if they did this.

[Reno_Tarshil]

I talked about you could only click play after you submit your poll answer. You made me think of something 1000s of post in CS/General forums about how launcher wouldn't let them click play if they did this.

 

Followed by "Oh my god, I wasn't able to play cause I didn't know! Fail111!!!!1"

[Drayvis]

Personally, I am never in favor of such a thing, just because it sounds silly. It's like hearing there was double cash back, but you don't want the double, just the single cash back rate. Will never understand it. That said, I've been checking out other games who offer a similar Double XP gain, and their fans asking for some sort of toggle to reduce it back to regular xp just for them.

 

After looking at 12 different games, I've seen ALL of them have a Double XP offer of some sort, but no real toggle to "disable" the double XP. It makes me curious if such a toggle is even possible, or, worth the time and resources to develop. I get it, some folks want to turn off the XP boost during certain events and not over level the zones, while others are just beating down the doors for the next weekend to arrive.

 

In the 2 years this game has been running, and the multiple years of other similar games, has anyone ever seen an option to throttle back XP gain? I know you can turn it off entirely, and lock your XP where it stands, but has anyone ever seen an XP throttle in another MMO that worked the way the requested toggle might? By reducing the XP gained during those special event weekends? Has there ever actually been a gold response about this feature?

 

City of Heroes had it late on. And even a toggle to disable xp completely. Some people just feel they outlevel the story too fast and want to experience it all while it's still a challenge.