Interview with Alex Modny and Eric Musco on Bad Feeling Podcast

[detora]

Didn't you make Stronghold Labes BoP to stop players from moving warzone comms to other characters via legacy bank? And now you're adding a Warzone Comm Legacy Lockbox?

 

Logic?! Anywhere?!

 

They're giving the pvp community want they want.

[KalElc]

Didn't you make Stronghold Labes BoP to stop players from moving warzone comms to other characters via legacy bank? And now you're adding a Warzone Comm Legacy Lockbox?

 

Logic?! Anywhere?!

 

It was a bug originaly and not intended as they stated, They want to do it in a proper way for us to transfer the comms after "high Demands" from players

Edited May 28, 2015 by KalElc
change some text

[Lanzend]

Woah! All of these ideas/changes are spot on. I like the idea of aoes not interrupting caps. just forces people to positon better and tab tgt. However I think this should only apply when a single player is capping. if multiple players are capping then aoe should interrupt cap. /2cents

[MaximusRex]

Reading through, and while I'm not certain that the no AOE to interrupt cap thing is a great idea, I find it interesting that the primary argument of those staunchly opposed to it is they they would no longer be able to be OP against a larger group of people when it comes to preventing a cap. This makes me think more and more that it would probably lead to better overall gameplay.

[mhobin]

Enjoyed the podcast, both guys are entertaining and they have a new weekly listener in me! Great job by Musco getting the fan sites involved when releasing new content. They should be doing this more often, as it really keeps your fanbase engaged.

 

I am a little disappointed in not having any questions about server population, but I would guess that it got shot down by BW.

 

Hopefully, the idea about AOE not stopping caps gets the same treatment that resetting stun breakers upon death did on the PST. It would break regs. Hopefully people will test it, see that it is not the best idea and it will be off the 3.3 patch notes.

 

Lets leave this on a positive note and state again that this is a great way to break the news of new content!

 

Cheers,

Hobi

[Kakisback]

I would enjoy playing for a patch or two with the "aoe dmg doesn't stop caps" change (just to mix it up), but not sure that it would be a genuinely good change. The intention of reducing stalemates is noble of course, but doubt that this is the best way to go about that. Also, 3:1 ranked to reg comm conversion when 3.3 hits please, don't screw over the people that could have been saving reg comms but have instead been converting to ranked at 3:1. Edited May 28, 2015 by Kakisback

[TUXs]

I'm curious about this AOE thing...

 

As a Commando, if I target a guy capping a node and throw a sticky grenade (delay on detonation when I'm low on health), will that attack still stop a cap on the player I adhered it to?

 

It's a direct attack against a single target...so it should. I understand the splash damage not stopping other players from capping, but I want to make sure my direct attack, that happens to have an AOE effect, will still stop a single player.

[Cinerous]

Good question Cinerous. It is a balancing act because we want to encourage players into Group Ranked but we strive to design systems where a player doesn't feel he has to do a X activity over Y activity to get to the same result. So we don't want to make the 'grind' in grouped rank so much easier that solo queue is seen as the 'lesser' option. We are looking at options for encouraging Group Ranked (and would love to hear your feedback and ideas) but have no set designs at this time.

 

Thanks for the quick response Alex, sorry I didn't see it until now, but is there any way I can contact you more directly than simply posting on the forums? Be it Skype or email or something where we can more easily get a good dialogue going between us with thoughts and ideas for the betterment of pvp? I play team ranked all across the American servers and feel like I am pretty in touch with "the pvper mentality".

 

EDIT: Feel free to message me on forum account as well if that works better for you.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Cinerous

[KalElc]

I would like to say Thanks to Bad Feeling Podcast for making this great interview, well made and informative. Also a good marketing as most of us got teased for a week , and thanks Alex and Eric for willing to get interviewed and give us some insight.

 

Anyway the Changes are great I have to say, much better then i expected really. I would like to see more boldness and increase the Nerfs and Buffs or more frequently changes to Class in PvP for me, The strongest Meta should not rain supreme for more than 4 to 6 month of domination aka 2 Ranked season in my opinion.

 

I personally would like / wish for improvement in way to encourage people to play Team Rank something that does not stick out to much from solo rank but something, that's why i would had wish for a different type of rewards like maybe for example different color on the Rewards u get like Items / Mount but same design and stuff.

 

Will you guys consider update the site and probably put in more insight of PvP? Like what’s the requirement for each Platform - (Probably the same for PvE as well) would be great for people that are new and looking for information as the official site should be the first place for them to look for, or is this encourage to us in the community to take the responsibility inform does poor souls ? U don't know how many Tanks I encounter that queued and don't even know how and when to guard people past these years hehe.

[Psychopyro]

One clarification that I'd like to make is that AoE DAMAGE abilities will no longer interrupt a capture, AoE CC will still interrupt however. Your points are still valid but we encourage everyone who is suspect of this change to play in on PTS when it comes up with 3.3. Like we said in the podcast, if this is change has a negative impact on gameplay we will make adjustments but from our internal playtests this has been a positive change. We are looking forward to your feedback and sharing of experiences with this and all the other changes coming!

Look here's the problem.

 

It now makes any snare break, removal, or immunity a MUST take for optional skills. Egress will be a MUST HAVE for any shadow for instance, where as a sage can still hit from 30m, so it's not a must have for them which means they have more options.

 

A balance (sorry I still refuse to call it what it is now) spec shadow only has 4 single target skills that will break a channel (ok 5 if you get the proc, but still if I am trying to stop a cap, not gonna bleed them). All of them require 4m. Sure we still have the AOE kickback, but with the changes to resolve, since in most cases the CC will probably be a full resolve bar, it won't stop the channel.

 

There is also the uneven timers in defense vs cap in VS. IIRC (sorry PvP has me so pissed I don't do it now) placing a bomb is 8 seconds, but removal is 3 (if this has changed, forgive me, but this is how it was the last time I did one). This is going to make getting to the core almost impossible because as long as you have 3 people at the node, there will be no stopping the removal.

 

Then there is ACW, the node will be able to be used as a shield. You're not gonna even be able to stop a zerg cap. Or worse you'll have an opposing member on each side of the node just trading it on and off because they are shielded.

 

AH way favors a ranged class guarding it. I c an sit back 30m and just ping a non windup skill at each person just tab targeting between them. As for orb caps, well it's gonna be the same as trying to stop a disarm on VS.

 

Denova... oh where to start... This is a multi person channel. It screams AOE to stop it. And with the ability to hide inside, everyone will stack on each other and good luck targeting anyone who is channeling.

 

Look I'm all for fixing issues. Personally I think caps should be equal to influence, not pressing on an objective. Then the whole point would be PvP (i.e. killing other players) like GSF objectives are. You PvP to kill other players, not click the campfire to sing Kumbaya and make smores...

 

Sorry but you are making this more Care Bear online with PvP changes like this.

[AlexModny]

One thing I didnt see mentioned in the notes (I havent had a chance to watch the podcast) was the ranked enhancements/mods for min/maxing. Obviously ranked comms will be gone, but will the price on these drop or will the unranked comms portion of the price become the "new price" per mod/enhancement or will the price be reworked?

 

Thanks

 

The prices for those items are staying the same amount but will cost Warzone Comms instead of Ranked Comms.

 

Edit: Clarification here.

Edited May 28, 2015 by TaitWatson

[Sudo]

Look here's the problem.*snip*

 

Denova... oh where to start... This is a multi person channel. It screams AOE to stop it. And with the ability to hide inside, everyone will stack on each other and good luck targeting anyone who is channeling.

 

Look I'm all for fixing issues. Personally I think caps should be equal to influence, not pressing on an objective. Then the whole point would be PvP (i.e. killing other players) like GSF objectives are. You PvP to kill other players, not click the campfire to sing Kumbaya and make smores...

 

Sorry but you are making this more Care Bear online with PvP changes like this.

 

On all accounts you're wrong, it will require different abilities and thinking to do the caps, but man stacking up just screams 8 sec AOE mez, then your team can spread out and cap.

 

Sorry, for every example you listed, there are perfect ways to prevent them be it with direct damage, or knock backs, mezes, stuns, but it will actually require you to not just tunnel dps or tunnel heal, which results in rewarding those who pay better attention to the objectives = more strategic play.

 

AOEs are lazy for preventing caps and we all know it.

 

I welcome all of the changes listed by the pod cast

[Warlord_Maliken]

ummmmm. someone @ bioware had an awakening. good lord, alas..... thank you.... ive been calling out for many of the things on this list for about 2 years lol. well done guys..

 

10/10 happy about this. not sure why it took so long but man i am reallllly relieved. big applauds.

 

[edit] Just read the bioware post:

The prices for those items are staying the same amount but will cost Warzone Comms instead of Ranked Comms.

 

ouch. you should certainly lower the cost a little. but x2 pvp xp & removing the unnecessary complexity of a dual currency is still a huge thumbs up.

 

P.S. Follow this philosophy down the rabbit hole please; simplicity done right is god like. This is what many of your developers in 2011 had no regard for unfortunately.

 

Merge warzone adrenals with warzone medpacs and make the heal 30% over the duration rather than instant. Also, i have 29 ability hotkeys on some of my characters which is a liiitle obnoxious; consider improving the synapse of classes like the marauder - where you would remove the cloak of pain defensive but merge it in to berserk. So when the marauder goes berserk, it really feels heroic: -20% damage taken for the duration (and gain +1 rage per sec for all stances, etc; exciting!).

Things like this will go a long way in gameplay value. Obliterate (minicharge) is too fun, give it to all marauders and remove force scream please, its weird on them. 2 sabers, lets see em'. Fury spec could get an upgraded version of obliterate called decimate (+5m range, breaks roots/slows; granted @ 26). See link below for more details:

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8189842#post8189842

 

Hatred assassins pbaeo lacerate should spread the dots , and death field should be for the sorceror. Lacerate wouldn't refresh the duration of dots, but only apply dots if the enemy hasn't been dotted yet.

 

There are a few paradoxical incentives when playing certain advanced classes. An example is the concealment operative in pvp, which is intuitively discouraged from initiating combat from stealth but rather to Corrosive Dart everyone in sight from a good safe distance before focusing a target. I can't stress enough how abominable this is. Its also boring and again, paradoxical. Secondly, other classes do this much better as such a gameplay preference is their primary design (madness sorceror). This is where you want to established a concentrated coolness effect b/t your classes to make them unique from one another, rather than just have different 'titles' and attack animations.

Figure something out to work around this, perhaps remove corrosive dart and merge it in to stab or something. As of now, its objectively clunky.

 

These kinds of changes would be beautiful for this game. Again, great job on the changes described in the podcast!

Edited May 29, 2015 by Warlord_Maliken

[Hellhog]

With the removal of AoE to prevent capping a node, will there be any changes to Hatred/Serenity Assassin/Shadow to allow for preventing a cap beyond 10 meters?

 

As it stands, every discipline and every class except for the above mentioned has at least one ability that they can use while on the move (without having to use a cooldown) that allows them to single target stop a cap at 30 meters range.

 

Deception/Infiltration used to be the odd discipline out until Low Slash was increased to 30 meters. But now with AoE no longer preventing caps, Hatred/Serenity's DeathField/ForceInBalance with its theoretical 18 meter range will no longer be effective. Technically popping a Recklessness/ForcePotency then using ForceLightning/TelekineticThrow gives 30 meter range, however like I said, all other classes don't need to burn a cooldown or remain stationary.

 

Is there any way CreepingTerror/SeverForce can be changed where when applying the DoT, the first tick (since this tick occurs as soon as the attack is done) can disrupt the capping of a node?

[foxmob]

The prices for those items are staying the same amount but will cost Warzone Comms instead of Ranked Comms.

sorry to sound pedantic, but that statement can be read two ways: if the price is the same, and it's currently 2k rwz comms + 800 wz comms, does that mean they will cost 6800 wz comms (which is "staying the same") or are the number of comms the same but now they're only wz comms, which would be 2800 wz comms?

[Jake_Chambers]

On all accounts you're wrong, it will require different abilities and thinking to do the caps, but man stacking up just screams 8 sec AOE mez, then your team can spread out and cap.

 

Sorry, for every example you listed, there are perfect ways to prevent them be it with direct damage, or knock backs, mezes, stuns, but it will actually require you to not just tunnel dps or tunnel heal, which results in rewarding those who pay better attention to the objectives = more strategic play.

 

AOEs are lazy for preventing caps and we all know it.

 

I welcome all of the changes listed by the pod cast

 

Strats like that don't exist in most pug grps lol how many times do you see others complaining about someone else breaking a mezz? Lots, now you wanna aoe mezz, and with the dots. I mean ok, gl

[wainot-keel]

One clarification that I'd like to make is that AoE DAMAGE abilities will no longer interrupt a capture, AoE CC will still interrupt however. Your points are still valid but we encourage everyone who is suspect of this change to play in on PTS when it comes up with 3.3. Like we said in the podcast, if this is change has a negative impact on gameplay we will make adjustments but from our internal playtests this has been a positive change. We are looking forward to your feedback and sharing of experiences with this and all the other changes coming!

 

Sorry, if this has been covered befored. If an AoE ability, like Force Storm, does have a primary target, will that target get interrupted ? When playing my sorc healer I don't have many options to stop a cap, it's either Shock or Force lightning wich both have cooldowns (I don't even know if a dot like Affliction works ), or Lightning Strike, with a lame casting time....

[Psychopyro]

On all accounts you're wrong, it will require different abilities and thinking to do the caps, but man stacking up just screams 8 sec AOE mez, then your team can spread out and cap.

 

Sorry, for every example you listed, there are perfect ways to prevent them be it with direct damage, or knock backs, mezes, stuns, but it will actually require you to not just tunnel dps or tunnel heal, which results in rewarding those who pay better attention to the objectives = more strategic play.

 

AOEs are lazy for preventing caps and we all know it.

 

I welcome all of the changes listed by the pod cast

Not all classes have lots of KBs or Single target attacks that will STOP a cap. I use Balance Shadow as an example because it is what I know. 4 single target attacks that require a 4m range and 1 AOE KB that never works because most people are already at full resolve by then. This not only means my PvP attacks are now limited to 4 attacks in objective maps due to force costs and CDs, but also means my utility choices are extremely more limited then they already were. Because now I have to take Egress, Extra Resilience, Resilience with FC, +15% run speed all just so I can stop a node cap. Forget about being able to take anything else (because the two 30% DR is a must for PvP already). So that's 6 utility that I am forced into with these changes.

 

And I'm sorry you like playing click the button online, I personally prefer to actually KILL people or HEAL my team in PvP. If I wanted to play push the button all day, I'd play Farmville. Objectives based on clicking an object are fine for PvE, for PvP it should be about INFLUENCE. About who has more people and who is being more effective at PvP (i.e. killing other players).

 

I'm not saying AOE is not the lazy way to stop a cap, but for balance for instance, it is severely limiting on skills that can be used due to another unmelee friendly lazy PvP change to make balance shadow skills melee only range. Shoot I'd be happy if they just changed TK and project back to ranged. It at least provides more options. Halfhanded changes like this do nothing. Remember, JK can close with jump to melee range, shadows can't (which IIRC was the reason Project, FiB, and TK were ranged along with bleeds). I understand that the bleed spread with FiB being ranged was unbalanced and am fine with that, but moving project and TK to melee range was unnecessary to change and put that spec at a huge disadvantage because of lack of ability to close distance.

[DarthZaul]

All great changes to increase participation in regular warzones, but as Alex acknowledged a lot of people really hate hutball and they could increase participation even more by adding some way to queue with no hutball at all or just no Quesh hutball. Instead of people queuing but leaving every time hutball pops.

The AOE things sounds kinda bad and might result in Voidstars where the attackers are pretty much guaranteed to get to get to the datacore (unless there is a huge skill gap between the teams) and it will be a race where whoever gets there fastest wins every time.

Edited May 28, 2015 by DarthZaul

[BaineOs]

Question about the 2018 requirement for solo ranked, is that going to be bolstered or actual pvp gear 2018 before being bolstered?

 

If someone is using pve gear but the bolster they get would normally give them 2018 in regular ranked would they still be able to join? The pod cast isn't clear on that point.

[Neoforcer]

With the removal of AoE to prevent capping a node, will there be any changes to Hatred/Serenity Assassin/Shadow to allow for preventing a cap beyond 10 meters?

 

 

Here is my only problem with this change is melee in general will have a tough time tab targeting to stop caps while the stealth class will just use tab mezz on 4 people rotating mezz while none stealth classes will have a harder time with this with being what resolve and cc is.

 

Alex my question is It has always taken skill in capping while AOE which has some affect on this and there are not a lot of matches were AOE stops a cap over good teams? The only time this becomes and issue is when you got a really bad team of pugs. So this will hurt bad pugs the most because they will not be able to stop caps like the pro's do. So how does BW expect the causal pvper to even stand a remote chance to stop big pvp guild like mine. When they can only live for a few seconds and are in the starting zone with a door lock on them?

Edited May 28, 2015 by Neoforcer

[Warlord_Maliken]

All great changes to increase participation in regular warzones, but as Alex acknowledged a lot of people really hate hutball and they could increase participation even more by adding some way to queue with no hutball at all or just no Quesh hutball..

 

ignore this. they dont know what they want/like/dislike.

huttball is your greatest warzone. do not manipulate it. people hated warsong gulch in WoW for the longest time, its still their best battleground 10 years down the line. Many people LOVEEEEE it, as with huttball. Do not do something atrocious like filtering it out for some people.

PvP @ heart is about the perpetual chaos of perception application, this applies with all maps in a unique way. Huttball is wonderful. People with neurological issues start to panic when the other team scores continuously, especially back to back and relatively quickly. This is what gives them the bad experience, not the map, but when they are losing its more stressful than say voidstar. I won't have to elaborate further, one's cognition can fill in the rest. <3

 

Alex

Currently the Item Rating 168 Mods cost 400 Warzone Comms and the Item Rating 174 Mods cost 800 Ranked and 400 Warzone. In 3.3 the 168 Mods will cost 150 Warzone Comms each. 174 Mods will cost 400 Warzone Comms each.

Beautiful! Great change!

Edited May 28, 2015 by Warlord_Maliken

[Jadescythe]

All great changes to increase participation in regular warzones, but as Alex acknowledged a lot of people really hate hutball and they could increase participation even more by adding some way to queue with no hutball at all or just no Quesh hutball. Instead of people queuing but leaving every time hutball pops.

The AOE things sounds kinda bad and might result in Voidstars where the attackers are pretty much guaranteed to get to get to the datacore (unless there is a huge skill gap between the teams) and it will be a race where whoever gets there fastest wins every time.

 

There is also a segment of the population that only likes CW or NC or VS. Queues aren't big enough to let people choose their warzone and still have fast queue times.

 

As for VS, isn't it more exciting to see who races to the datacore faster than who gets more kills at the first door? The change may make the game too offensive, but the warzones play out far too defensively in the current state imo.

[AlexModny]

sorry to sound pedantic, but that statement can be read two ways: if the price is the same, and it's currently 2k rwz comms + 800 wz comms, does that mean they will cost 6800 wz comms (which is "staying the same") or are the number of comms the same but now they're only wz comms, which would be 2800 wz comms?

 

I apologize, let me clear this up as I made a mistake about the costs in my original post.

 

Currently the Item Rating 168 Mods cost 400 Warzone Comms and the Item Rating 174 Mods cost 800 Ranked and 400 Warzone. In 3.3 the 168 Mods will cost 150 Warzone Comms each. 174 Mods will cost 400 Warzone Comms each.

Edited May 28, 2015 by TaitWatson

[phalczen]

I'm curious about this AOE thing...

 

As a Commando, if I target a guy capping a node and throw a sticky grenade (delay on detonation when I'm low on health), will that attack still stop a cap on the player I adhered it to?

 

It's a direct attack against a single target...so it should. I understand the splash damage not stopping other players from capping, but I want to make sure my direct attack, that happens to have an AOE effect, will still stop a single player.

 

Sorry, if this has been covered befored. If an AoE ability, like Force Storm, does have a primary target, will that target get interrupted ? When playing my sorc healer I don't have many options to stop a cap, it's either Shock or Force lightning wich both have cooldowns (I don't even know if a dot like Affliction works ), or Lightning Strike, with a lame casting time....

 

Both of these are great questions to which I'd love to see the answer