Conquest Exploit Farming - Battle of Ilum (Is it an exploit? Or just boring farming?)

[Ocho-Quatro]

So, basically a patch was made to satisfy a dev's friend....

 

I wish I was a dev's friend! I've never actually spoken to any of them, in person, on the podcast, nor via email. The most communication I've ever had with BW staff, is with Customer Service tickets.

 

Just FYI.

[JustTrio]

Then don't do it. Why do MMO players do things they hate just for little digital stuff? All you are going to do is burn yourself out. Play for fun. Grow your guild if you are falling behind.

 

What part of "get a respectable amount of conquest points to support my alts" did you not understand? I've accepted that we may not get any guild conquest rewards after this week, but I'd still like to get more personal rewards (the fun that I am doing this for) and that doesn't looks like it will be happening with these once-per-legacy limits. I've put a fair amount of time into doing legitimate BoI runs, but today I'm finding out that a good chunk of my characters probably won't be able to do all of the Balmorra heroics because they didn't doing the bonus series. More time wasted doing something I didn't want to do in the first place. As for growing the guild, that hard cap of 500 pretty much precludes that.

 

Soloing the heroics on a level 32-36 planet isn't easy? Killing level 32 bugs on a 55 isn't easy? Without bonuses PvE can get 6K+ in a day. That's 12 Warzones. If you have that much time on your hands then craft for the rest. Hell you don't have to be logged on to do that.

 

The system isn't intended for grinding yourself silly. It is supposed to create incentives to do different things.

 

Tie the WZ points to the PvP Dailies them. PvE folks will still whine because they will feel 'forced' to PvP. No one has to do anything they don't want to do. Play for fun and stop chasing the carrot.

 

Driving all over Balmorra is not hard, it certainly isn't fun, but the rewards are pretty much useless and the credits are a joke. And, no, I can't get 6k a day without going back and unlocking a bunch of low level garbage missions. So, there is even less incentive to do these because they are spread out and more of a drag than doing BoI/FE where I could at least get some decorations that I like. Meanwhile, the PVP crowd doesn't have to do *anything* different. Great incentive.

 

Big part of the issue with the change is that its legacy wide for the one time limitations. This harshly hurts long term players

 

Absolutely. All the push for multiple characters with Legacy bonuses and then this. I don't have 30 hours a day to PVP or run around a mid-level planet trying to feed and care for my alts. If I could have at least been able to do one of the Ilum FPs on each character each day (HM, with bonus boss for more deco chances), that would have been doable and it would have let me hit the personal goal across multiple characters without running to a planet that has nothing to do with Ilum . . .

[TUXs]

So, basically a patch was made to satisfy a dev's friend, whose guild was losing conquest because they didn't start using the exploit until they were behind with a smaller guild beating them? Totally legit and non-sketchy, right? Maybe, my guild should start a podcast too to get some pull on changes that I'd like to see placed in the game.

 

Also, if you're complaining against the PVE repeatable infinite points, then why wasn't anything done against the PvP repeatable infinite points? This patch has nerfed any small guilds from having any chance in conquest. Thanks a lot, BW.

 

All speculation aside, this patch was NECESSARY! The points were astronomical!!! It's obvious the intent wasn't to have guilds with 8+ million points after 2 freaking days!!!!

 

Reducing the points awarded would have been the correct solution, not removing their repeatability.

[TUXs]

I wish I was a dev's friend! I've never actually spoken to any of them, in person, on the podcast, nor via email. The most communication I've ever had with BW staff, is with Customer Service tickets.

 

Just FYI.

 

Hand written letters? Via translators? ESP? Smoke signals? Hand gestures? We can leave no rock unturned...as long as you don't specifically SAY it, we must assume you have used it!

[Ocho-Quatro]

Hand written letters? Via translators? ESP? Smoke signals? Hand gestures? We can leave no rock unturned...as long as you don't specifically SAY it, we must assume you have used it!

 

You caught me.

 

We've been pen-pals since pre-launch using Morse Code.

[Brewski]

Hand written letters? Via translators? ESP? Smoke signals? Hand gestures? We can leave no rock unturned...as long as you don't specifically SAY it, we must assume you have used it!

 

Ooh, ooh! Don't forget the "two cans and a long string" possibility. It's not that far from New Jersey to Austin...

[TUXs]

You caught me.

 

We've been pen-pals since pre-launch using Morse Code.

 

BUSTED!!! Now...ask your best friend Dev to reinstate the repeatable missions, just reduce the points awarded like a normal Dev would do

[JunnKhan]

I wish I was a dev's friend! I've never actually spoken to any of them, in person, on the podcast, nor via email. The most communication I've ever had with BW staff, is with Customer Service tickets.

 

Just FYI.

 

Oh, really? Anyone who does any digging will find otherwise: http://www.torocast.com/3887/torocast-5-year-anniversary-swtor-giveaway/

[TUXs]

Ooh, ooh! Don't forget the "two cans and a long string" possibility. It's not that far from New Jersey to Austin...

He didn't deny it so it must be true!!! Good catch Brewski!!! I shall celebrate your cunning this weekend by drinking beverages sharing your namesake!

[Ocho-Quatro]

Oh, really? Anyone who does any digging will find otherwise: http://www.torocast.com/3887/torocast-5-year-anniversary-swtor-giveaway/

 

I am Apostrophe. I am not SammMoney, nor any of the actual people who RUN the podcast.

 

TOROCast's original hosts were Samm and Eric Musco. I came along well after both of them had moved on. I've never met Musco, never spoken to him, he has no affiliation with the show, nor does any other dev/staff member. We are an officially recognized FANSITE. That is all.

 

So much misinformation out there....

[Ocho-Quatro]

BUSTED!!! Now...ask your best friend Dev to reinstate the repeatable missions, just reduce the points awarded like a normal Dev would do

 

I DO have a pretty good friend who works close enough to BioWare Austin to hit their building with a rock from his office. I'll admit... I send him emails with correspondence to the developers, and he prints them and folds them into paper airplanes and hurls them in the direction of BioWare's building.

[zolldozer]

Welcome to the Galactic PVP conquest. If you don't PVP might as well quit trying now.

[TUXs]

Welcome to the Galactic PVP conquest. If you don't PVP might as well quit trying now.

NO PvPers will catch up to the PvEers this week. This week was ALL about PvE.

[Ocho-Quatro]

Apostrophe & The BioWare/SWTOR Staff

[MillionsKNives]

I'm not sure its safe to say that nobody knew it wasn't supposed to be repeatable.

 

I was actually surprised when I discovered it was repeatable because the tooltip for the conquest objective has a tooltip that indicates you have done the objective 0/1 times when you view it. The problem seems to be that the 0/1 counter doesn't get updated to 1/1 after you've done it the first time each day.

 

I wouldn't call anyone who used this a cheater though. Yes, it is an exploit, but it's an equal opportunity exploit at least that everyone could use, and there wasn't any effort to conceal the exploit or prevent others from using it. I think most people just assumed it was a tooltip error, if they even noticed that at all, since other objectives were repeatable. And there were several threads I've seen that openly shared that these objectives were repeatable.

 

All of the repeatable quests show like that. This is nothing new nor specific to the so-called "bugged" quests.

 

NO PvPers will catch up to the PvEers this week. This week was ALL about PvE.

 

Too bad they ruined that and made it another PVP event.

 

(I know you don't support the changes as they are)

[Brewski]

He didn't deny it so it must be true!!! Good catch Brewski!!! I shall celebrate your cunning this weekend by drinking beverages sharing your namesake!

Excellent idea! Note that consuming those beverages also makes reading the forums hear more enjoyable as well! (Although I would not recommend NM raiding, and you should stay well clear of the GTN, while doing so.)

[Ocho-Quatro]

Excellent idea! Note that consuming those beverages also makes reading the forums hear more enjoyable as well! (Although I would not recommend NM raiding, and you should stay well clear of the GTN, while doing so.)

 

Best sorc healer I've ever raided with, absolutely useless sober. Drunk off his butt? Best damned healer I've ever seen. #truth

 

(There's a reason Kolto Tanks look like kegs...)

[CaliOrion]

Oh good, I didn't want to be able to participate in conquest events anyway.

[JunnKhan]

I am Apostrophe. I am not SammMoney, nor any of the actual people who RUN the podcast.

 

TOROCast's original hosts were Samm and Eric Musco. I came along well after both of them had moved on. I've never met Musco, never spoken to him, he has no affiliation with the show, nor does any other dev/staff member. We are an officially recognized FANSITE. That is all.

 

So much misinformation out there....

Whatever lie helps you sleep at night. At the end of the day, this patch came conveniently the day after the post on TOROCast, which was (as you pointed out) originally co-hosted by Musco.

 

NO PvPers will catch up to the PvEers this week. This week was ALL about PvE.

That is what makes this patch all the more controversial; after all, they didn't nerf the PvPers last week for conquest.

[TaitWatson]

Hey everyone,

 

I know many of you have questions about the change made to the Flashpoint Conquest Objectives with the release of 2.9c. I wanted to get some clarification, so I spoke with Lead Designer Jesse Sky:

 

“Conquest Events are intended to provide a set of rotating objectives that incentivize a variety of activities from week to week, including both PvP and PvE – but not necessarily a strict balance between the two. Some events will lean more heavily toward specific activities, and others will be more generalized. The intention is to provide a set of high point value, non-repeatable Objectives that focus on some specific, thematic goals – such as completing certain Flashpoints – while giving highly-repeatable activities such as Warzones and Crafting a broader meaning in the war.

 

As this is a new system, we’re still working out how to create the right balance for the Objectives. The purpose is to create a sense of change and opportunity each week, so that the galaxy’s conflicts feel diverse and interesting. If you favor specific types of activities, you will probably want to gravitate towards invading worlds where those activities receive Invasion Bonuses in order to maximize your Conquest Point gain. Generally speaking, however, players who enjoy a variety of activities should get the most out of the system.

 

All of that said, we will be revisiting the way Warzone Objectives work in 2.10 to put more emphasis on wins and, over time, we may raise the value of other activities (such as Flashpoints) to ensure that things remain competitive and interesting. We are committed to tweaking the system until it better accomplishes its goals.”

[TUXs]

Too bad they ruined that and made it another PVP event.

 

(I know you don't support the changes as they are)

The PvEers DID ruin it for themselves. 8 million points in 2 days...you bet they did. I don't blame them for taking advantage of it, but anyone who thought this event was meant to burn the hell out of players is nuts.

 

I'm all for them being repeatable...but at far fewer points.

Excellent idea! Note that consuming those beverages also makes reading the forums hear more enjoyable as well! (Although I would not recommend NM raiding, and you should stay well clear of the GTN, while doing so.)

The GTN comment is the best cross thread segue this year lol! Well done!

[Ocho-Quatro]

Hey everyone,

 

I know many of you have questions about the change made to the Flashpoint Conquest Objectives with the release of 2.9c. I wanted to get some clarification, so I spoke with Lead Designer Jesse Sky:

 

“Conquest Events are intended to provide a set of rotating objectives that incentivize a variety of activities from week to week, including both PvP and PvE – but not necessarily a strict balance between the two. Some events will lean more heavily toward specific activities, and others will be more generalized. The intention is to provide a set of high point value, non-repeatable Objectives that focus on some specific, thematic goals – such as completing certain Flashpoints – while giving highly-repeatable activities such as Warzones and Crafting a broader meaning in the war.

 

As this is a new system, we’re still working out how to create the right balance for the Objectives. The purpose is to create a sense of change and opportunity each week, so that the galaxy’s conflicts feel diverse and interesting. If you favor specific types of activities, you will probably want to gravitate towards invading worlds where those activities receive Invasion Bonuses in order to maximize your Conquest Point gain. Generally speaking, however, players who enjoy a variety of activities should get the most out of the system.

 

All of that said, we will be revisiting the way Warzone Objectives work in 2.10 to put more emphasis on wins and, over time, we may raise the value of other activities (such as Flashpoints) to ensure that things remain competitive and interesting. We are committed to tweaking the system until it better accomplishes its goals.”

 

You're all welcome. One of my long-distance paper airplanes must have made it to the devs in Austin, who were all in the bridal party at my wedding. /end sarcasm

 

In all honesty, thanks for the response Tait, and I am sure the community is excited to see what sort of balancing the minds at BioWare come up with for future conquest events.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Ocho-Quatro

[Jerba]

Hey everyone,

 

I know many of you have questions about the change made to the Flashpoint Conquest Objectives with the release of 2.9c. I wanted to get some clarification, so I spoke with Lead Designer Jesse Sky: [...]

Thanks for going back and getting us a response! This helps a lot in understanding how conquest is supposed to work. I'm looking forward to 2.10 and how conquest will turn out in the long term, I hope you really will be able to improve the system as you plan to.

[Khevar]

We are committed to tweaking the system until it better accomplishes its goals.”

Yay!

 

This is exactly what I was trying to say last night in one of the complaint threads. The balancing is an ongoing process.

[mjvasko]

I've not backread, and don't intend to, but I'm going to ask the obvious question here:

 

If you're changing the rules in the middle of the game, why aren't you resetting the points? You've deprived us of a good chance to catch up. Isn't that the only fair way to do it? You're basically shooting everyone who is miles behind in the foot.

 

I'd be asking if my guild were ahead, behind, or not even playing.