An open letter to our players

[AndoEyrune]

I'd love it if you could point out anything in the last couple of years that they failed to deliver on.

 

No 12 month gap between operations

[Azreail]

Thank you Ben; for taking the time but also taking a realistic approach to keeping us informed.

 

This is a nicely balanced letter that gives us reasons to be optimistic whilst not glossing over the fact that there have been problems. Personally I find myself more trusting of this than previous "It's all fine lalalalala" type dev posts, yet there is hope in there too. I agree that this latest chapter is really starting to fulfil some of the potential of KotFE and I am looking forward to more. It is also reasssuring to know that all the companies involved still consider SWTOR to be a valued entity worth supporting.

[Gyronamics]

*dangles carrot*

 

Keep subbing guys, the vague promises have been made.

[Dewlmenow]

Ben, You need to understand that this post basically reads as a pat on the back. For yourself.

 

We don't need to read how much you love the game. We need to address the elephant in the room which is that there has been absolute *********** silence about group content since George's post last, what, June? July? Ben - this is an MMO. This communication is meaningless.

 

You don't go 14 months - then have a BW employee flat out say there would never be that long of a wait again - then follow it up with a longer period of time and not even have the courtesy to mention it.

 

What have you just said? Stay tuned?

 

For what? More solo content? Wait - you're going to put in 7 new Star Fortresses? HK-inspired industrial cleaning solvent? Oh, I know. You're going to announce the release of the Eternal Championship. For the third time.

 

Operations. What's the deal. That's all we need to hear from you. there is literally nothing else of value you can add with a post like this. If you have new Operations in the works, let us know.

 

It's ok if you don't know when. It's ok if you don't know much else.

 

Are they coming. Someday. Ever.

 

That's all the info I am looking for, and it's become beyond a running joke with EVERY player I play with, on multiple servers and in multiple guilds.

 

Focus on story all you want. But this isn't focus. This is total abandonment of one of the core pillars this game was built upon. The fact that these streams are swarmed in chat asking for some info on Operations and you guys ignore the question is beyond frustrating for many of us that have been playing this game for the last 4+ years.

 

Soon is not what any of us want to hear. You're asking for trust - it's hard to give that freely when the decision making by your team over the last year WRT Operations content is looked at in totality.

 

You've removed any semblance of logical player development/growth by neutering the value of Flashpoints where players learned roles and the core group gameplay principles. Now, at level 50, I can queue into a SM Operation, get bolstered and have a complete set of raid gear before I can even equip it.

 

You've taken away the need for proportional risk/reward with the creation of the HHM system. What used to require a HM Revan kill is now obtainable from SoA.

 

SoA.

 

Look at the tuning of Torque. Master Blaster. Cora. Objectively - they make zero sense. I won't even discuss tacticals.

 

And there's that whole part where you guys won't even say the word Operation. It's so unimportant to you guys, no one there even thought to check a single instance when you guys released the update that broke telegraphs. In what universe does that bug make it to live unless you don't even have people check a single Operation to see what's broke.

 

I feel like Billy Crystal's wife in Princess Bride. I'm following you around yelling "Operations! Operations! Operations!" while you cover your ears, screaming "Stop saying that name!".

 

Ben, give us a crumb. Are new Operations part of the plan for the next 12 months of this game? We shouldn't have to wait until Soon for that answer. I think those of us that still choose to pay for this game despite your treatment of group content recently have waited plenty already.

 

Pretty much this.

[TX_Angel]

Why does this remind me of a general manager giving a vote of confidence to the head coach 3 days before they fire him?

 

All the doom and gloom threads in the forum about game dying and this is the one that makes me believe it is.

 

^ Quoted for truth... that is why I ended my long reply with "time to unsub".

 

If the writing wasn't on the wall before, this put it there. If anyone bothers to actually read what was written, it was a lot of words that said very little, yet said everything that actually needed to be said.

[squirrelballz]

If you people are that selfish as to think that your needs for something brand new overshadow the single most inclusive change to the endgame this game has ever seen you are COMPLETELY DELUSIONAL.

 

You, sir, do not belong on ANY authority position related to this game.

 

Step down as a mod of Reddit. Get out of the community.

 

We don't want you here anymore.

 

1. They are not in a position of authority related to the game they are just a reddit mod feel free to relax and breathe.

 

2. Who are you to tell anyone what to do?

 

3. Alot of people don't want you here either "DMCA" don't you have censorship notices to hand out?

 

4. I'd suggest suppressing that superiority and god complex it won't get you far in life.

Edited April 19, 2016 by squirrelballz

[Mornyr]

...

 

You've removed any semblance of logical player development/growth by neutering the value of Flashpoints where players learned roles and the core group gameplay principles. Now, at level 50, I can queue into a SM Operation, get bolstered and have a complete set of raid gear before I can even equip it.

 

You've taken away the need for proportional risk/reward with the creation of the HHM system. What used to require a HM Revan kill is now obtainable from Soa.

 

Soa.

 

Look at the tuning of Torque. Master Blaster. Cora. Objectively - they make zero sense. I won't even discuss tacticals.

 

And there's that whole part where you guys won't even say the word Operation. It's so unimportant to you guys, no one there even thought to check a single instance when you guys released the update that broke telegraphs. In what universe does that bug make it to live unless you don't even have people check a single Operation to see what's broke.

 

I feel like Billy Crystal's wife in Princess Bride. I'm following you around yelling "Operations! Operations! Operations!" while you cover your ears, screaming "Stop saying that name!".

 

...

 

Here, have a cookie from me. For a lot of what you said, but mostly for the Princess Bride reference!

[Volthammer]

I'm another who wants to thank you for taking the time out to respond to the player base, Ben. I've done a lot of hootin' and hollerin' about PvP WZ queues being messed up, I freely admit, but, personally, your response is very much appreciated. I'm simultaneously astonished and not surprised that some folks still lash out even when one of you tries to communicate.

[AndoEyrune]

 

Find something else to do besides cry like a child.

 

Says the little kid blindly defending the game and belittling those who have problems with it

[Ramalina]

Thanks for the communication. It's appreciated, at least by some of us.

[TX_Angel]

You don't go 14 months - then have a BW employee flat out say there would never be that long of a wait again - then follow it up with a longer period of time and not even have the courtesy to mention it.

 

What have you just said? Stay tuned?

 

For what? More solo content? Wait - you're going to put in 7 new Star Fortresses? HK-inspired industrial cleaning solvent? Oh, I know. You're going to announce the release of the Eternal Championship. For the third time.

 

Operations. What's the deal. That's all we need to hear from you. there is literally nothing else of value you can add with a post like this. If you have new Operations in the works, let us know.

 

It's ok if you don't know when. It's ok if you don't know much else.

 

Are they coming. Someday. Ever.

 

Allow me to help you out...

 

No, they aren't, ever...

 

I said when KotFE launched that we had 50/50 odds of never seeing another ops. Today I'd put that at 90%. There is ALWAYS a chance... but not really much of one now...

[HuaRya]

An update like this at this time is especially good. You guys seem story focused and that is fine but please take note that some servers aren't experiencing the full scope of content due to lower population numbers. Should we all move to Harbinger or will there be another round of server consolidation which seems logical with the removal of RP and PVP.

 

I'm drawing my information from:

 

http://www.torstatus.net/shards/us/stats

[tummiswtor]

Thanks for post.

 

Fix old problems, and dont promise 1 chapter per month. Annouce updates/chapters in future expansions when You're 100% its ok and tested.

[TX_Angel]

*dangles carrot*

 

Keep subbing guys, the vague promises have been made.

 

^ And.... we have a winner!

 

Ken is either a clueless dev who doesn't know he is inside the rabbit hole, or an evil marketer selling rainbows and fairies... there is no other possible explanation...

[TX_Angel]

I'm another who wants to thank you for taking the time out to respond to the player base, Ben. I've done a lot of hootin' and hollerin' about PvP WZ queues being messed up, I freely admit, but, personally, your response is very much appreciated. I'm simultaneously astonished and not surprised that some folks still lash out even when one of you tries to communicate.

 

Why would you be astonished? What did Ben say? What action plan is being put into place to change direction?

 

Or was it a bunch of marketing speak that said nothing at all?

 

Marketers love people like you.

[Max_Killjoy]

^ And.... we have a winner!

 

Ken is either a clueless dev who doesn't know he is inside the rabbit hole, or an evil marketer selling rainbows and fairies... there is no other possible explanation...

 

 

No offense, TX, but if you're going to tell people that they need to "read what was really said", it kinda undercuts your point if you can't even get the guy's name right...

[TX_Angel]

No offense, TX, but if you're going to tell people that they need to "read what was really said", it kinda undercuts your point if you can't even get the guy's name right...

 

Ken, Ben, whatever... I blocked it from my memory to shield myself from the marketing lies!

 

His post was long and meaningless, it said nothing at all besides "keep paying us, we'll do something, maybe, soon, one day, you'll see".

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Ken, Ben, whatever... I blocked it from my memory to shield myself from the marketing lies!

 

His post was long and meaningless, it said nothing at all besides "keep paying us, we'll do something, maybe, soon, one day, you'll see".

 

 

So you think that the VA and MoCap they've been working on isn't actually happening, and is an elaborate lie? Or what?

[Lil_Fusion]

"keep paying us, we'll do something, maybe, soon, one day, you'll see".

 

You forgot the ™ ahaha.

[ariasfel]

The game wouldn't be in this condition if you guys had spent less time on your post-KOTFE release victory lap telling all of us how much we love what you've done with the place.

[Volthammer]

Why would you be astonished? What did Ben say? What action plan is being put into place to change direction?

 

Or was it a bunch of marketing speak that said nothing at all?

 

Marketers love people like you.

 

Oh believe me, my fellow Texan, I can gripe it up with the best of'em. Some communication is better than nothing. Honestly, if they hadn't begun trying to fix the War Zone queues I'd be gone after my sub runs out in July. I just don't see the point or benefit in lashing out at these folks with anything beyond a reasonably expressed complaint.

[JennyFlynn]

^ And.... we have a winner!

 

Ken is either a clueless dev who doesn't know he is inside the rabbit hole, or an evil marketer selling rainbows and fairies... there is no other possible explanation...

 

I think Ben's actually the director, not some random dev.

 

And it's not his post that's keeping me subbed, nor is it reason for me to unsub. I appreciate his words, I appreciate the effort he made reaching out to us today but regardless of what he says and doesn't say.. I'm enjoying the game. KotFE isn't perfect but I do enjoy playing it, I do look forward to new Chapters and Season 2 so I'm going to remain subbed. His carrot has nothing to do with it.

[TX_Angel]

So you think that the VA and MoCap they've been working on isn't actually happening, and is an elaborate lie? Or what?

 

All development does not have to stop for the game to be in MX mode...

 

The only new content that he actually confirmed was a second season of story chapters. The rest was a bunch of hope and prayers.

 

EC counts as "new content", I guess, but is it enough to be interesting? The new war zone make counts, but again, too little, too late. A new WZ map every other year does not a vibrate game make.

 

If you like the game, by all means, enjoy it. No one else has to follow me out the door if they don't want to. The game will survive or it won't.

[doctorabc]

Hi Ben

 

Thanks for the open letter

 

I understand that bioware will have a new blur trailer at e3 but i think the dev team needs to say what happening before then. Im a story player so im happy with the content released so far but i also understand that other people feel like they've been left in the cold when this expansion came out in regards to operations,etc.

 

It would go along way to say the next expansion is planned to have this and we will update you more when the time comes.

[TX_Angel]

Oh believe me, my fellow Texan, I can gripe it up with the best of'em. Some communication is better than nothing. Honestly, if they hadn't begun trying to fix the War Zone queues I'd be gone after my sub runs out in July. I just don't see the point or benefit in lashing out at these folks with anything beyond a reasonably expressed complaint.

 

Sometimes communication is not good... I just deleted my payment information from my account... this post is what prompted me to do it... First time in 4 years that has happened...

 

The lashing out is deserved when such blatant marketing speak is tossed out. For such a long post, what did he really say? They are working on season 2 of chapter solo content and other stuff they can't talk about is in development, which could be anything, including another recruitment mission for another companion.

 

I'm simply sad that such potential has been lost by a company unable to plan for the future and do Star Wars justice.