Companion Change Feedback

[Vyko]

Its a matter of damned now or damned later actually. Some people got used to the OP companions and as much as before the nerf used words like compromise, their ideas were "give me my way, the effect on the game plan itself is irrelevant".

 

The flip side is that even before the nerf I spoke with players PISSED by the nerf who said "yeah this is fun now but it's going to get old fast because it's so easy. I am probably going to let my sub lapse before Christmas and I will probably just resub in May to binge play the chapters."

 

Either way the lose players and thus lose money. It's simply a matter of when it happens.

 

The lesson to take away from this whole debacle? TEST!!!!!!! If they would have launched the companions in their post nerf condition we would not have this drama. We would have people complain about the grind but when have players NOT done this in an MMO. Some people would have left also sure, but it all would have been the standard forum emo...not this bad soap opera we ended up with.

I agree completely with your last point. Not PTR/PTS testing and just dropping a big patch like that to production was... silly, to be charitable.

 

To address your first paragraph, as someone that was tempted back by emails promising "A return to BioWare storytelling! Reduced grind and more enjoyable leveling!" - I logged into 4.0 and got exactly what I was promised. A story driven, easy-on-the-grind MMO-lite that was in my favorite fictional universe.

 

Then the patch hits and it's back to what drove me away at launch. A move away from objective-based quick missions and back to slogging for my life through every little fight.

 

Not what I came back for. And to do that after a couple weeks of REALLY enjoying myself and handing them money again feels a bit like a kick in the junk.

[geschmonz]

No. Would much prefer them back in less OP form atleast.

I was fine with this nerf, but I'm fine with a little buff too. Emphasis on little.

 

The biggest thing about a upcoming fix would be to allow people to complete the star fortress destruction quest chain.

 

The next thing is to buff companions to be usefull again. They nerfed them by 75%. I think they should buff them by 50% and we are at a level thats great for everyone.

 

Without using metrics. Its just my guess how it would feel right again from my point of view.

Edited November 21, 2015 by geschmonz

[TFBWYAG]

I didn't say anything about challenge. The heroics are still not very challenging. The only thing now is, it's possible to die if you go afk. There's a point where the game becomes easy, which we are already at, and then there's a point where it's completely impossible to die, which was 4.0

 

Oh, sorry I didn't read it right. I was thinking in terms of those who want it challenging.

 

But I also can't attest to the going AFK and your companion will cover you, cause I've always been one to find a safe corner to stand in if I'm going AFK for a few, so I never tested that theory out

[Blurch]

• Your level - 65
  
• Roughly Average Item Rating - most items 208, three of 216 and one item 220 (tank gear)
  
• Discipline Jedi guardian (I swap between Vigilance and Defense for different situations)
  
• Companion - SCORPIO, Senya, Lana, Theron (except SF)
  
• Companion role - heal
  
• Companion Influence level - 18-20
  
• Which Mission or Star Fortress are you playing (Solo Mode? Heroic Mode?) - SF Heroic Solo mode
  
• Your personal experience while playing this content
   
  

 

Before the companion nerf I managed to complete SF Heroic alone, but I didn't get One and Only. Maybe, I got some buff by mistake or whatever the reason was.

After the nerf I couldn't complete it. I am stuck on the fight with the last group of mobs on Exarch before the final fight. The challenging call doesn't taunt all the mobs in the room and my healer companion gets aggro and stops healing me. My character dies every time. I used Heroic Moment and Unity, adsorb adrenals and medpacks, nothing helps.

 

Star Fortress Solo mode is doable without problems, but takes longer time to complete.

Heroic 2+ missions are doable, but take significantly longer time than before.

 

To get the One and Only you need to do it with the SF week. If you do 1 H2 it counts as 2 and do it three times. Even though the Achievement says 1. I know I sent in tickets and got the usual use the helpcenter that no longer is up.....

[Vyko]

That is odd. I was fairly certain that class quests were synced to whatever level you currently were at, such that you'd receive credits and experience relevant to that level (in most cases it seems like you'll hit max planet level for a large portion of the quests). In this range, I wonder though, do you have two class quest forks? One for Alderaan and one for Tatooine?

I ran into this too. My Trooper was staying caught up with class quests with no other side-quests/heroics (as was advertised) until the patch. Now suddenly I return to Hoth and my class quests have jumped to 38 while I'm 36. I can't even begin to complete them with the companions the way they're behaving - somewhere between incompetent and apathetic. If Jorgen stands there calmly and watches me die again I'm going to flush him out an airlock.

[tmwfte]

To get the One and Only you need to do it with the SF week. If you do 1 H2 it counts as 2 and do it three times. Even though the Achievement says 1. I know I sent in tickets and got the usual use the helpcenter that no longer is up.....

 

Um...no, you don't. You just need to run one of the Heroics by yourself without either using the terminal buff at the beginning or any of the caches supplied around the Star Fortress by the specialists.

[Psychopyro]

To get the One and Only you need to do it with the SF week. If you do 1 H2 it counts as 2 and do it three times. Even though the Achievement says 1. I know I sent in tickets and got the usual use the helpcenter that no longer is up.....

 

I did not do it with the weekly... Not sure where you got this info. Most people's biggest issues has been either their companion or the reactor getting the KB...

[Kiesu]

The biggest thing about a upcoming fix would be to allow people to complete the star fortress destruction quest chain.

 

I had to help some guildies to complete heroic SF before nerf already. Its ok to have a friend with you if you cant solo it. Really. Generally people dont mind helping, no need to try and tackle everything too hard for your skill level alone, we get it. We dont expect everyone to be great at videogames.

 

I can still solo heroic SF with nerfed companions, so I dont have an issue. But asking for help is not something you should be embarrased about.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Kiesu

[Deathsightofhell]

I ran into this too. My Trooper was staying caught up with class quests with no other side-quests/heroics (as was advertised) until the patch. Now suddenly I return to Hoth and my class quests have jumped to 38 while I'm 36. I can't even begin to complete them with the companions the way they're behaving - somewhere between incompetent and apathetic. If Jorgen stands there calmly and watches me die again I'm going to flush him out an airlock.

 

if you want help and play the Shadowlands , i'll help you Add Deathsecrets , and i'll come help you with your hoth quest line

[Psicotic]

You think it's fun when your companion can kill everything while you just watch?

 

I can tell you than even with the previous OP companions i "never" let them made the job i always run my comps as healer since many year ago because all my toons are dps and i like to be the one going killing around.

 

I have fun with the 4.0 companions? Of course!!! I can kill faster, no waiting times on recovery, no worry about my companion was dieying because i was sucking killing those 2 Gold Bosses at same time, etc... you got the picture.

 

I know this sounds boring, patetic, and you gona say ppl like me need to go play Hello Kitty like someone say on the forums to another player. But you know? I dont let my companion alone, i dont usse just 2 buttons like many say, i usse full rotations, I CC, even usse my shields not because i need it, because even on safe mode i was trying to learn to play ( yes i suck im less than average player) and that was a better practice than just hit the Dummy.

 

And i wana let this clear im not attacking you, just wana try to you see than not all the ppl just let the companions made the job, im very sure than like me are many. And last i dont ask for a full back to the 4.0 I just want a companion to do the job he must do on a optimal performance.

 

About you? You really amaze me im not even able to mess my rotations with actual comps or forgot a CC because i will die, soo you been able to came here, post, back and finish the job... WOW . And im sincere not being sarcastic.

 

Be safe m8

[geschmonz]

I can still solo heroic SF with nerfed companions, so I dont have an issue. But asking for help is not something you should be embarrased about.

 

First of all, i am a solo player. Second, i dont want to need help to complete a solo quest.

 

I want to play a game on my pace, on my level of challenge, and be able to complete the quests without the need of any help from someone who thinks he is better.

Edited November 21, 2015 by geschmonz

[Ovaline]

Heroic Star Fortress isn't a solo quest :^)

[TFBWYAG]

I had to help some guildies to complete heroic SF before nerf already. Its ok to have a friend with you if you cant solo it. Really. Generally people dont mind helping, no need to try and tackle everything too hard for your skill level alone, we get it. We dont expect everyone to be great at videogames.

 

I can still solo heroic SF with nerfed companions, so I dont have an issue. But asking for help is not something you should be embarrased about.

 

Try to, just for a second, think outside your box. And I honestly don't mean that in a bad way.

 

Some of us, or maybe a lot of us, don't want to group with others, because, they rush us through, tell us to skip things, Need on every drop, green or not, and really, the list is long. We have grouped with others in the past to get things done, but we're also just saying, we enjoy more solo,,,

 

It's really not a problem

[geschmonz]

Heroic Star Fortress isn't a solo quest :^)

 

Quoting eric, h2 content is meant to be soloable. And i was able to solo it before the patch.

 

I am not anymore since the patch.

[Kiesu]

Quoting eric, h2 content is meant to be soloable. And i was able to solo it before the patch.

 

I am not anymore since the patch.

 

[*]Heroic Star Fortress – Challenge Level: High. At this point we expect players to really understand their class, their companion, and their gear. Players should have sought out gear upgrades, as well as increased their companions’ Influence level. These are meant to be challenging and difficult to do solo.

-eric

Then, you need to get better, or get help. I dont need help, but I've played for pretty long time and know what I'm doing, granted.

[Ovaline]

[*]Heroic Star Fortress – Challenge Level: High. At this point we expect players to really understand their class, their companion, and their gear. Players should have sought out gear upgrades, as well as increased their companions’ Influence level. These are meant to be challenging and difficult to do solo.

 

 

Heroic Star Fortress is supposed to be soloable by people who understand their class, have decent gear, and have a high influence companion. Not by everybody who tries.

[geschmonz]

Then, you need to get better, or get help. I dont need help, but I've played for pretty long time and know what I'm doing, granted.

 

So you say i dont know what i am doing?

 

Amazing.

 

Your arrogance is your biggest weakness.

[caronome]

This is an MMO-game, no matter how much you want it to be something else, and it means it expects people to grow in it. If someone has a mindset that they just start the game and blast through it without learning and without any will to better themselves, I have no understanding for them. They think learning and adapting is BELOW them. They think they deserve to be treated like some Victorian Damsels. This attitude is worse in this game than in any I have played before, and it is because this is a sub-based game. I'm very surprised about it. You go ***** about difficulty in some f2p-game and you are laughed out from the whole server.

 

IMO, this attitude is "worse" in this game because it has a larger % of non-MMO players than other MMOs. E.g., nearly everyone who played Rift has probably also played WoW. Whereas due to KotOR and SW IP, there are a lot of people who aren't really MMO players. Which is necessary; Bioware is spending millions on licensing the IP. If all they attract are MMO players, IMO they have wasted opportunity and squandered money, IMO, a lot of the people who say "we don't need their money" were not here in 2012 or at least don't remember it.

[tmwfte]

So you say i dont know what i am doing?

 

Amazing.

 

Your arrogance is your biggest weakness.

 

And yet he seems genuinely surprised when people don't want his "help". Go figure?

[Kiesu]

Try to, just for a second, think outside your box. And I honestly don't mean that in a bad way.

 

Some of us, or maybe a lot of us, don't want to group with others, because, they rush us through, tell us to skip things, Need on every drop, green or not, and really, the list is long. We have grouped with others in the past to get things done, but we're also just saying, we enjoy more solo,,,

 

It's really not a problem

I'm sorry to hear that happens. Whenever someone asks for help I never do such things. Maybe get a friendly guild and friends to play. I concired myself friends with my guildies and generally dont refuse to help if i got time, and pass on drops.

Just give people a chance, not everyone is as terrible as you make them sound.

[geschmonz]

Heroic Star Fortress is supposed to be soloable by people who understand their class, have decent gear, and have a high influence companion. Not by everybody who tries.

 

Yes, but thats the case since the patch. Before the patch it actually even was soloable from average players like me.

 

So infact they took away endgame from the average players, which paid biowares sallary.

 

Or do you actually think, the small minority of elitsts and raiding nolifers is able to pay their million dollar AAA mmorpg?

Edited November 21, 2015 by geschmonz

[Kiesu]

So you say i dont know what i am doing?

 

Amazing.

 

Your arrogance is your biggest weakness.

 

I just rephrased what Eric's official quote said.

I guess you are calling him arrogant too then.

[Quraswren]

Hey folks,

 

First off, we want to thank all of you for your feedback about Companion balance following 4.0.2. As we go into the weekend, we wanted you to know that we have gone through this thread, the forums, Reddit, and social media to gather everyone’s perspectives. We have come out of this with quite a few action items that we are going to take, including buffs for Companions. On Monday, we are going to release a forum post highlighting our plans to address current Companion balance, along with the state of Heroic Missions and Star Fortress.

 

Thank you all once again for your feedback.

 

-eric

 

This could be a make or break point for you guys. Don't screw it up again.

[Ajalina]

Oh jolly, another patch coming soon then, eh?

 

I know most are in uproar about the content of the patch, but some of us players in a best case scenario end suffering huge down times due to the bad patcher, or even end up losing money due to it. I have sub left as I bought 2 months, but after my experience with the last patch, I am not certain I can even dare try patch again at all. It takes forever (sub time lost), and can end eating loads of allowance, and depending where you sit in this world, allowance can cost quite a bit.

 

The patcher has to be sorted and clear statements have to be made in regards to the patcher. It is not acceptable to simply point players at the forums to try find solutions themselves, and the only solution basically being to completely download the game again, and having to alter files. This is NOT acceptable, and instead I wish to hear from the company that this issue is worked on, combined with an apology to those of us who have been suffering from something faulty, a company this size should long have sorted anyway.

In any other game I have ever played, I would have been spoken to, reassured, and compensated. This game has failed to even do one of those things, which quite frankly has be baffled

Edited November 21, 2015 by Ajalina

[geschmonz]

And yet he seems genuinely surprised when people don't want his "help". Go figure?

 

His idea to give help actually only shows he thinks hes something better.

 

While i just laugh about every elitst nolifer who acts as if he was the world best player if he manages to solo h2+ star fortress with a op combo and raid gear.