The Incompetence of Bioware is Astounding.

[TheSeventhJedi]

Well, I admit that I have been wondering whether I should carry on subbing - I did the 4.0 stuff twice, and have been levelling all my other alts outside of the new content (couldn't cope with the repetition! - I know that many can, more power to 'em, but it's not for me).

 

So I've gone back to running ops etc - but therein lies a problem....

Our guild (and, having talked to some other players that I know, at least 3 other guilds to my personal knowledge) is losing members so fast that it's starting to become difficult to run an operation at all. The last 3 operations that we ran had PUGS in them - one of them had only 4 guild members in it. Prior to 4.0, we had to make sure that we were logged in and ready to go, if we were to get a place on a 16 man - now we're having problems filling 8 man ops. The characters are still in our guild - they just don't log on any more.

 

I know this sort of thing happens in every MMO - people stop logging on for any number of reasons, whether real world problems or game related. What I'm worried about is the speed of the drop off this time. I know that there are new players coming in - I've grouped with them (god help me - they haven't got a clue, bless 'em). But the "old lags" in the game seem to be disappearing at an alarming rate.

 

It may be that EA has decided to pretty much drop the traditional MMO player in favour of the Star Wars fan base generated by the new films. I hope not - I really enjoyed this game!

 

I'm there with you man. It's getting harder and harder to justify the sub, especially when BW manages new and astounding stupidity with every choice at every turn. If they could do anything in the next patch to make it less grind-y or more alt friendly (or both,) I could wait around to see if choices actually do matter. As it stands, I think the only choice that matters is that "cancel sub" button.

[Skaara]

Well after trying to really stick it with this game and the announcement of multiple events cancelled I am just going to see the writing on the wall. I just cancelled my account and uninstalled the game. I even tried to play tonight and lasted about 5 minutes of disgust and just logged back out. I wouldn't even play this for free. Oh well, at least I have 9 days left to annoy some fan boys. Edited December 23, 2015 by Skaara

[ryoutou]

Epic soup sandwich. The most popular IP in the modern era, and they leave a skeleton crew in the release week of Episode VII.

 

I mean, I worked today. I bet a whole bunch of other people here did too.

 

Christmas Eve? Sure. Christmas Day? Of course.

 

But the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd? When the most successful movie of all time releases the week before using the IP of the game you are developing?

 

Just absurd.

[Karkais]

After seeing the Bounty week is broken, and they don't even care to fix it I'm done trying to defend this Bioware team. Frustrating.

 

Wait what, bounty week is ALSO broken, in addition to rakghoul event??

[Draqsko]

Wait what, bounty week is ALSO broken, in addition to rakghoul event??

 

From the looks of it, the event shell code is broken and therefore any recurring event will probably be broken. Only life day and double XP aren't broken but they probably don't use that segment of code either since they really aren't recurring like Rak, Gree, BH are.

[Swedguy]

I'm shocked that a post with 20+k views and over 100 replies is still ignored http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=843854 GG Bioware, g *********** g Edited January 3, 2016 by Swedguy

[ryniloym]

Well after trying to really stick it with this game and the announcement of multiple events cancelled I am just going to see the writing on the wall. I just cancelled my account and uninstalled the game. I even tried to play tonight and lasted about 5 minutes of disgust and just logged back out. I wouldn't even play this for free. Oh well, at least I have 9 days left to annoy some fan boys.

 

day 10.

 

you won't be missed! nyah nyah!

[Cedia]

I'm shocked that a post with 20+k views and over 100 replies is still ignored http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=843854 GG Bioware, g *********** g

 

In their defense, I don't want just anyone messing around with this bug.

 

I remain hopeful that it will be addressed when the main team comes back from vacation.

[Colow_Leper]

I'm shocked that a post with 20+k views and over 100 replies is still ignored http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=843854 GG Bioware, g *********** g

 

I'm not surprised at all - from what has been said, they gave everyone the holiday period off (which, I guess they needed to - after cutting the development team to the bone, they must have just about killed them getting 4.0 out).

 

I reckon that there's about 3 people left - just enough to look after the servers - I don't think that there's anyone left to look at the forums.

[CrazyCT]

In their defense, I don't want just anyone messing around with this bug.

 

I remain hopeful that it will be addressed when the main team comes back from vacation.

 

The first post regarding this bug is from October (coming up on 11 weeks ago). How long will you keep on hoping?

Edited January 4, 2016 by CrazyCT

[Cedia]

The first post regarding this bug is from October (coming up on 11 weeks ago). How long will you keep on hoping?

 

Granted, this should have been one of the first bugs they looked at, but there were some other bugs that were more game breaking right after KotFE released. And then the holidays came.

 

And I still can't get over how much that female smuggler art looks like Gates McFadden.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Cedia

[Swedguy]

I'm not surprised at all - from what has been said, they gave everyone the holiday period off (which, I guess they needed to - after cutting the development team to the bone, they must have just about killed them getting 4.0 out).

 

I reckon that there's about 3 people left - just enough to look after the servers - I don't think that there's anyone left to look at the forums.

The post I linked was made back in October

[TUXs]

In their defense, I don't want just anyone messing around with this bug.

 

I remain hopeful that it will be addressed when the main team comes back from vacation.

 

"main team"? The last few remaining employees you mean? The same people who are working on the CM and Chapter 10? I love the imagination of people who think there's some huge "team" of employees behind any of this game any longer. "TEAMS" of people produce more in one week than this group does in a year.

[Aeristash]

I'm cancelling my subscription today. I was giving BioWare a chance under the impression that their new focus on "episodic" content would mean they intended to actually bring out content at a reasonable pace. But the dearth of content in terms of Flashpoints, Operations, Alliance content, and even in the story they were touting as a return to form is disgusting, and the "rewards" they want to hand out in return for sticking through this months-long barren patch is frankly insulting.

 

I can safely say they've permanently lost me as a customer this time.

 

What? They said they were taking a 2 month break after the first release months before kotfe officially hit the servers. It's nobodies fault but your own that you chose to live in a bubble and remain outside the loop. Go ahead & leave, I'll gladly take your seat at the veteran table.

[LydMekk]

What? They said they were taking a 2 month break after the first release months before kotfe officially hit the servers. It's nobodies fault but your own that you chose to live in a bubble and remain outside the loop. Go ahead & leave, I'll gladly take your seat at the veteran table.

 

Veteran table?? You are user no 4 million and 32 something... You know we can see that right? You are a newbie.

I'm a veteran from beta with a very low user no from 2011 and i agree with the poster you razzed down.

[tanerb]

Veteran table?? You are user no 4 million and 32 something... You know we can see that right? You are a newbie.

I'm a veteran from beta with a very low user no from 2011 and i agree with the poster you razzed down.

 

It is amazing the distance some fanboys can go even to defend this disaster. 2 events they promised in December failed to start. they did not even bother to fix them and people still try to suppress comments.

[Legolose]

There is an easy solution if your having problems with this game ................................................ Just walk away from it and play something else ................................................. Easy isn't it Edited January 4, 2016 by Legolose

[Ghisallo]

What? They said they were taking a 2 month break after the first release months before kotfe officially hit the servers. It's nobodies fault but your own that you chose to live in a bubble and remain outside the loop. Go ahead & leave, I'll gladly take your seat at the veteran table.

 

They are salaried employees here is what a competent company does. "CRAP, we have the two events that MIGHT keeping who are here to play a game content broken. Who didn't leave town, call them in or have them log in from home I don't care but we have to get this fixed." The fact these events have been around for years, were broken, they fixed em and now they rebroke them is also a problem.

 

Also the reason they did this time off is actually emblematic of the issues they have this time around. They are HORRIBLY understaffed and basically have to work what they have double time. In order to maintain what quality employees they have left they had to give them the time off as a benefit for getting forced to work what would be double shifts hourly employee. IF they had adequate staffing we would not have half the head aches we do atm.

[tanerb]

There is an easy solution if your having problems with this game ................................................ Just walk away from it and play something else ................................................. Easy isn't it

 

There is an easy solution if you don't like some threads, just walk away and read other threads. easy isn't it?

[Skaara]

Veteran table?? You are user no 4 million and 32 something... You know we can see that right? You are a newbie.

I'm a veteran from beta with a very low user no from 2011 and i agree with the poster you razzed down.

 

I know, right. Truth be told we probably don't even want others at our table. It's like when I'm at the VFW trying to get my drink on and some nintendo generation POG (Yes, I'm making fun of drone operators ... sue me) comes in with their "military service" ... well, they get chased outta there really fast. Just because some scrub figured out this game exists and hopped on for a free ride while we kept it going and then actually have the nerve to actually suggest that we leave just screams so much arrogance. It will be nice when all these tourists finally go home and Bioware can go back to making this an mmo /sigh.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Skaara

[DarthDymond]

I know, right. Truth be told we probably don't even want others at our table. It's like when I'm at the VFW trying to get my drink on and some nintendo generation POG (Yes, I'm making fun of drone operators ... sue me) comes in with their "military service" ... well, they get chased outta there really fast. Just because some scrub figured out this game exists and hopped on for a free ride while we kept it going and then actually have the nerve to actually suggest that we leave just screams so much arrogance. It will be nice when all these tourists finally go home /sigh.

Poe's Law check - can't tell if parody or not.

[Aeristash]

Veteran table?? You are user no 4 million and 32 something... You know we can see that right? You are a newbie.

I'm a veteran from beta with a very low user no from 2011 and i agree with the poster you razzed down.

 

Hahahahaha! This account was created on 3/15/2012 and the old republic launched on December 20, 2011. I joined a little under 3 months after launch. The only people with more veteranship are beta testers like you. I'd say I'm more than qualified to take his seat.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Aeristash

[Cedia]

They are salaried employees here is what a competent company does. "CRAP, we have the two events that MIGHT keeping who are here to play a game content broken. Who didn't leave town, call them in or have them log in from home I don't care but we have to get this fixed." The fact these events have been around for years, were broken, they fixed em and now they rebroke them is also a problem.

 

Also the reason they did this time off is actually emblematic of the issues they have this time around. They are HORRIBLY understaffed and basically have to work what they have double time. In order to maintain what quality employees they have left they had to give them the time off as a benefit for getting forced to work what would be double shifts hourly employee. IF they had adequate staffing we would not have half the head aches we do atm.

 

It's EA. They have a history of wage slavery. http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html Yes, apparently this person won their case, but do you really think it's going to stop?

 

EDIT: Apparently not: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/18/crunched-games-industry-exploiting-workforce-ea-spouse-software

 

I am hoping that the bean counters see that this game is making money so they will put more resources into it. Either that or fire the incredibly bad project management team. We have no way of knowing who is truly at fault here.

Edited January 4, 2016 by Cedia

[Ghisallo]

It's EA. They have a history of wage slavery. http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html Yes, apparently this person won their case, but do you really think it's going to stop?

 

I am hoping that the bean counters see that this game is making money so they will put more resources into it. Either that or fire the incredibly bad project management team. We have no way of knowing who is truly at fault here.

 

And you link is precisely why I am glad to have a job that has base pay that is at least equal to a game designer BUT since I also work under a collective bargaining agreement I have overtime and comp time as well.... plus a pension in addition to my 401k but that is a different story.

[MonkMoney]

 

Edit- Ah damn it... I accidently hit post instead of preview...wall o text is big enough anyway.

 

How long have you played this game? I have been here since launch four years ago. The game has come a LONG ways since launch. So many improvements on the engine, game play, bugs. They added Star Fighter. They made old ops enjoyable to play, and have a reason to do them because of the weekly op rotation for 224 gear. They added legacy storage for transferring items between characters so much easier. They have the strongholds now so you can show off your hard earned rare decorations. They kept the game simple and fun, yet at the same time provides the difficulty desired by us hardcore PVE'rs.On the PVP side, they made it ridiculously easy to get full ranked gear, you can even transfer commendations now! They introduced a new pvp map every year since launch. The new utilities and abilities at 65 improved game balance. The new story content was so engaging and fun. They could have spiced up role of companions with a larger crafting system, but it would diminish their big cash cow... Cartel Market.

Bioware could have gone the "pay to win" model, but instead stuck to "pay to decorate and customize appearance" model. BIG A++ to Bioware for that! And you know what, it shows, last couple years SWTOR has been the 2nd largest grossing MMO in the US, and the amount of resource re-invested into the game has been immense. They only barely recouped intial investment a couple years ago, when the game was supposedly dying. TBH, I applause BioWare for turning this game around, because I enjoy playing it so much. I am seeing so many players returning to the game wearing the old Battemaster and Rakata gear!

Of course I am not ever going to be satisfied. I too have a list of improvement suggestions. But, I can only expect so much, considering BioWare is not a charity. Again, I had my doubts, but in the end I am ecstatic with the effort put forth by the development team. If you have played as long as I have, you would be too.

Content-wise, are you one of the handful of players that have completed TOS or Ravagers on NiM difficulty?

Have you beat the secret boss in TFB and S&V?

Have you completed the secret quest on Yavin?

I know how you will answer these questions.