A request to add RP as a status choice.

[CaptV]

Given that we are more or less embracing the idea of megaserver with the latest update and the idea of unifying everyone into pve or pvp, I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

[branmakmuffin]

Given that we are more or less embracing the idea of megaserver with the latest update and the idea of unifying everyone into pve or pvp, I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

Or they could add a "flagged for RP" option like some games have, which is just a visual cue.

[Cedia]

Or they could add a "flagged for RP" option like some games have, which is just a visual cue.

 

PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASE!!!!!!

 

We've only been asking for this since beta.

 

That and chat bubbles...

Edited April 6, 2016 by Cedia

[klashis]

i second this.

[NakodaTheJedi]

Given that we are more or less embracing the idea of megaserver with the latest update and the idea of unifying everyone into pve or pvp, I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

 

or just have two servers? lol

[JediBoadicea]

Although my first and most passionate vote would be to keep some servers as an RP designation, in the event that is fading away I would definitely want a RP status/phase choice. Ideally I'd love to see both: servers with a RP designation and a RP status choice.

 

This is because I know for a fact that many people who don't even RP choose RP servers because it is generally true environment/culture on RP servers is somewhat different. Or put another way: many people choose RP servers because they are looking for a more mature and even-keel and generally chill environment.

 

And for RPers, of course, a RP server comes with the promise that you will find other RPers.

[erisvult]

As it stands now, potential new roleplayers have no way of knowing where the RP crowd is. If they can't find roleplay forums telling them what the RP servers were, then it's pure luck what they pick in the server list and whether they happen to pick the RP server(s) depending on if they're EU or NA.

 

We don't just roleplay in small groups of friends, Bioware, we have server roleplaying communities. If people can't find those communities, chances are they may just give up on roleplaying altogether. We have to stick together and that's going to be really difficult if new players don't know where they're going.

 

Custom chat channels aren't an acceptable "solution". If server designations are gone forever, RP instances are the minimum we'd need to help people actually find roleplay - at least then a new player can change instances and stand a chance of other RPers being there.

[Hiro_Wildfire]

One or the other are needed at the least, either an RP instance or the server's that were previously nominated as RP server's being visibly pointed out as such in the server listings.

 

Both would be ideal and might make the game even more of an attraction for Star wars involved Roleplayers.

[JennyCharmers]

Or they could add a "flagged for RP" option like some games have, which is just a visual cue.

 

Regardless of what they do with designations, I really would like this implemented.

[Ilthorin]

Chiming my support here too.

 

This game had four server designations: PVP, PVE, RP, RP-PVP. With the new "Focus" system, you - BioWare - have essentially decided to remove the RP and RP-PVP designations. This decision - in the long run - will have several very specific effects that have been observed in every mmorpg ever:

 

 

1. People that want to Roleplay will spread to more servers, without a visible clue on "preferred" Servers, thus thinning out the community further and reducing the number of people to play with. Something a pvp or pve player won't have an issue with - thanks to their Focus!
   
2. RP Servers have - traditionally - carried certain 'rulesets' on behavior and naming. Even if never enforced, this is not even implied anymore.
   
3. As time passes and the PVP / PVE community spreads - much like the roleplayers will - Roleplayers will become a minority. And a minority that is often harassed by PVP or PVE players, even if some roleplayers can compete as well as any of the other two groups
   

 

Please, take this thread and posts as a reminder that Role Players are paying customers as well, and in fact probably pay a lot more in CC in order to perform simple cosmetic changes, or buying "that one suit" or the other to fit their play style.

 

There are a number of ways to handle this already suggested, from the simplest of changing a couple of label fields in the Server Names to add (RP) and (RP-PVP) on them up to creating separate RP and RP-PVP instances using your otherwise fantastic Focus System.

 

In fact, if your instancing allows cross-server communication, then by simply introducing rp and rp-pvp instances you will have given us a marvelous tool, rather than take away a convenience that only helped us congregate in one place.

 

Ignoring a target audience - no matter how niche - that has been more than loyal to your brand will only drive it away and while at the moment SWTOR may be the only Star Wars MMORPG out there, this doesn't mean that an important segment of the community can be simply ignored with impunity

[Max_Killjoy]

Return the server focus and server status to the login list.

 

Show the RP servers as RP servers, and the others as "standard".

[Cedia]

Return the server focus and server status to the login list.

 

Show the RP servers as RP servers, and the others as "standard".

 

You know what really burns me up? That this change was neither announced nor mentioned in the patch notes.

 

It's almost as if they were afraid of the backlash it would produce.

 

Way to treat your customers, EAWare.

[Calavingian]

I earnestly believe that the RP community requires some way of being able to identify themselves to one another -especially in the case of new players who may be unaware of which servers contain an RP community. I know that I would certainly be discouraged from maintaining a subscription to the game if, as a new player, I were to log on to a server that it is entirely lacking an established RP community such as those found on the Progenitor or Ebon Hawke servers.

[DesertusRatticus]

Return the server focus and server status to the login list.

 

Show the RP servers as RP servers, and the others as "standard".

Yes, please.

 

It doesn't even require any work, unlike new operations and such.

And it would make a lot of people happy.

[HuaRya]

Agreed 100%

 

Ebon Hawk (RP PVE) is the second most populated server in front of Shadowlands (PVE) and Jedi Covenant (PVE). People went to Ebon Hawk knowing full well they would be in a hybrid culture of RP. Over the years I've noticed people attempting to RP at Fleet on Shadowlands/Harbinger/JC were openly mocked. It's a disservice to the second highest population in the game to simply remove their identity. They are the only ones trying to Sandbox SWTOR in RPG fashion. They should be properly addressed and not fragmented into the collective.

Edited April 7, 2016 by HuaRya
spelling

[Uruare]

It'll fall to we rpers to tighten things up and make sure prospectives know where the now unofficial RP servers are.

 

Game devs don't give a crap about us. They wouldn't turn their heads to spare us a bad day let alone actually, actively do something to improve our QoL when they've blatantly disregarded it in their present change in the first place.

 

I suggest making it easily findable on Internet searches which the now unofficial RP servers are.

 

Waiting for Bioware to to help isn't something I'd advise holding one's breath for.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Uruare

[JediBoadicea]

Just wanted to add, for anyone who wished to support the suggestions/requests in this thread, that we also have a thread going in the Suggestions Forum In the event that the devs aren't brave enough to dive into the fast-moving and ever-changing river that is the General Discussions forum, it couldn't hurt for us to post our support in both locations.

[Enneth_Korr]

I strongly agree with this concern! As a Subscriber and longtime member of Begerencolony.org, an RP Representative to the Begerencommunityhq.enjin.com Server Summits seeing to grow all play areas of Begeren Colony, and founding leader of an RP Guild with 250-350 members I know how important server environment and means of finding RPers can be to our playstyle! As others have pointed out, our players often invest large sums into decorations, character customizations and other options, and are a vital part of our game!

[Kaedusz]

Given that we are more or less embracing the idea of megaserver with the latest update and the idea of unifying everyone into pve or pvp, I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

 

RP would be bad and redundant and it would only further divide a dwindling population. Real RPers should have PvP turned on by default cus it is out of character to not be able to kill or be attacked by opposite faction members. I don't care how much someone hates PvP, that's the truth.

 

So it's a yes for the RP-PvP idea.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Kaedusz

[vuedange]

Return the server focus and server status to the login list.

 

Show the RP servers as RP servers, and the others as "standard".

 

Agreed! Why on earth did you ever take away the RP designation for established RP servers with established RP communities? Just because you added PVP and PVE designations, the RP server designation disappears? Someone's lacking in logic on this!

[JennyCharmers]

I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

 

As of 4.3, If you're out doing rp and want to fight right now, you can either dual which we have always been able to do, or now we can also pop over to the pvp instance.

What we don't know, is if this mucking about with naming and the instancing are a precursor to a super server, and if so, a lot of suggestions may well be pointless.

What we do know is either way, an RP-PVP designation is pretty well redundant with this new system.

I hope these "rp tools" Mr Musco mentioned in the stream are forthcoming in a reasonable timeframe.

 

And if on the slim possibility Mr Musco is reading this, a question..

What would you say to a new player that joined say, The Red Eclipse or Harbinger servers and asked to join an RP guild and couldn't find one, and his question to you was, why couldn't I find one?

I know this sounds a little like a rhetorical question, well it would to anyone that RP's in SWTOR, but I really would like to know how that fits in with what was said in the feed.

All the tools in the world won't help if the player is not in the right spot to start with and with the designations removed from the server select screen, how are they to know?

[Glzmo]

Given that we are more or less embracing the idea of megaserver with the latest update and the idea of unifying everyone into pve or pvp, I suggest why not simply add RP and RP-PVP as part of the megaserver choice, simply let people right click what instance they want to be in at the time.

This would actually be great, as we'd have instances full of roleplayers. The way it is now is bad, no more marked RP servers, which means RP communities spread even more, and no RP instances.

[Cedia]

And if on the slim possibility Mr Musco is reading this, a question..

What would you say to a new player that joined say, The Red Eclipse or Harbinger servers and asked to join an RP guild and couldn't find one, and his question to you was, why couldn't I find one?

I know this sounds a little like a rhetorical question, well it would to anyone that RP's in SWTOR, but I really would like to know how that fits in with what was said in the feed.

All the tools in the world won't help if the player is not in the right spot to start with and with the designations removed from the server select screen, how are they to know?

 

They'd try to sell the player as many server change tokens as they possibly could until the player chanced upon an RP server.

[NakodaTheJedi]

I just don't understand this thread. Just go role play you don't need your own server or something that labels you as a role player. Just do it go have fun. If someone gives you crap there is this handy ignore feature.

[Max_Killjoy]

I just don't understand this thread. Just go role play you don't need your own server or something that labels you as a role player. Just do it go have fun. If someone gives you crap there is this handy ignore feature.

 

In my experience across games, the "RP" status does somewhat change the atmosphere of a server and how people are treated for RPing in places that others might overhear.