How to improve Group Finder

[Strive-US]

I don't know if this is a problem on other servers, but I have extreme difficulty getting a group in the group finder (even though I play a highly desired role like a tank or healer). Cross server group matching seems to be the most common solution, but I don't know how economically or technically feasible that is for SWTOR at the moment.

 

Barring that solution, instead of having standardized daily rewards, can we have variable daily rewards that will increase the value of content that has low participation rates? For example, if no one is queuing for story flashpoints then increase the badge payout there and reduce it for tactical flashpoints. Perhaps other incentives would work as well, such as double credit gain, higher loot drop rates, or special achievements. Maybe someone gets a unique stronghold decoration or pet for completing all flashpoints 5 times.

 

Another idea would be to have level scaling for story mode flashpoints much like they do for tactical ones. That way you increase the pool of eligible participants. For higher level players, maybe the equipment drops (since they would likely be inferior to current gear) can be exchanged for badges or drives instead.

[branmakmuffin]

Make it like DDO's.

[Muljo_Stpho]

IAnother idea would be to have level scaling for story mode flashpoints much like they do for tactical ones. That way you increase the pool of eligible participants. For higher level players, maybe the equipment drops (since they would likely be inferior to current gear) can be exchanged for badges or drives instead.

 

I've been saying something like this as well. Take all of the story mode and tactical flashpoints and fit them to the same standards.

 

* Each would still have a minimum level requirement for it to be available in group finder, but no maximum level requirement. Once it becomes available in group finder it is always available in group finder.

 

* A scaling system would be in place so that all enemy stats are scaled for a group at the level cap (automatically rescales when cap is raised). However this scaling will assume that all in the group are only wearing gear with an item rating appropriate for the flashpoint's original intended level. (So Black Talon / Esseles are scaled for 60s wearing level 10 gear, Hammer Station is scaled for 60s wearing level 17 gear, etc.)

 

* Bolster is applied to raise all in the group up to the level cap, with gear bolstered for the minimum item rating for that flashpoint (same as what the flashpoint is scaled for).

 

* Terminals similar to Makeb's GSI bolster stations could be added, and these could grant specialized bonuses to help with each of the three roles (each character may only have one terminal's buff active at a time). The story / tactical queue would no longer require 1 healer, 2 dps, and 1 tank under any circumstances. That requirement would be seen exclusively in hard mode (and higher) content. These terminals would help the group enforce their roles or fill in for missing roles. (Tank bolster increases threat and defense. DPS bolster increases damage. Straightforward enough for those, really. Heal bolster would be a bit trickier though. Aside from just boosting heals, it would also (I think) reduce damage dealt by a lot but generate group-wide heals every time you attack something (allowing non-healers some way to kind of fill in as a healer))

 

* Heal stations could be added to boss fight arenas as well.

 

I'd suggest some amount of scaling and bolster treatment for hard modes as well, but of course there would be no heal stations and no role bolster terminals. Obviously the hard modes would also maintain the traditional group requirements.

 

With those ideas, all story modes would effectively become tacticals and everybody from the minimum levels for each flashpoint up to the level cap would be in the same queue together for them. Everybody from 50 to the level cap would be in the same hard mode queue as well. (Obviously only 60+ have the HM60 options as active choices and only 55+ have the HM55 options as active choices.)

[draxuxus]

I third this motion. it works very well or, even have the ability to summon a droid like you can in the Tython/Korrabon/Maan/etc. (excuse my spelling please) solo missions that will fill the space and can perform the role necessary. The leader will have control of the droid and will be able to direct the attack (tank) or set stance (heal/DPS). It won't be able to fully take place of a human person but the AI of the droid during the Solo mission during those FP's didn't seem too clunky imo.

 

what say you?

[Benets]

All games have cross server queue. They do not make it cos' they do not want. My guess is they want to claim their game's different from the others, so they'll not implement it. But different do not mean better. It's a simple solution that fix a lot of problems at once.

 

And put daily rewards, it already have and other games, like WOW, have rewards to less played roles at the moment too.

 

They simply do not want. This game needs cross server and merge.

 

It's getting less players over and over, on statistics, almos all servers with light to almosnt none population all the time.

They give discount on transfers cos' they want US to fix this problem. They should stop being stubborn and dumb and merge servers and put cross server queue.

 

They are guessing that with the expantion those server will be full again. Even if they're right, in the meanwhile the actual players are F****d.

[Strive-US]

I've been saying something like this as well. Take all of the story mode and tactical flashpoints and fit them to the same standards.

 

...

 

With those ideas, all story modes would effectively become tacticals and everybody from the minimum levels for each flashpoint up to the level cap would be in the same queue together for them. Everybody from 50 to the level cap would be in the same hard mode queue as well. (Obviously only 60+ have the HM60 options as active choices and only 55+ have the HM55 options as active choices.)

 

I really like these ideas! I think it makes complete sense to convert story mode FPs into tactical ones, with the exception of heroic level content.

 

We've already seen that removing level restrictions, defined party roles, and potentially obsolete gear drops radically increase player participation in group content. Extending these features to other instances will provide new opportunities and incentives for people to queue up for something other than Kuat Drive Yard.

 

Further, I like the idea of recycling the older instances into this mix. I always considered it a bit of a waste that an instance might be played at low levels, but once you played it once or out grew it you never visited it again. And if you were a new player entering a game in a mature phase, you might find it hard to find enough low level players to group with. So usually you end up skipping the instance and never get the chance to experience it unless you decide to go back later on your own and solo it (of which there is little incentive to do because there's no experience or equipment gains).

 

Scaling instances for level would allow all the FPs, even the older ones, to enter the group finder mix and provide a lot more variety for players, especially for those who missed a FP the first time around.