Return to verbal dialogue. No more Kotor style.

[Bailiatus]

When i first decided to buy SWTOR, one of the biggest reasons was the fact it was fully voiced. It was something other MMO's did not come close to, and it provided a whole other level of immersion into the story and the char your playing. When people asked me why they should play SWTOR that was the first thing i told them.

Therefore i was extremely happy when Bioware announced they would return to "cinematic storytelling" ahead of the launch of Kofte. I thought Finally! No more SoR datapad missions. And the first chapters of Kofte was great. Great voiceacting, great story. But then i got to chapter nine. Oh the horror. It was like the game had regressed into some 2002 abonomination. The Kotor-style storytelling is terrible. Yes it worked in kotor - because that was what kotor was built up around MORE THEN 10 YEARS AGO. In SWTOR it just feel so disjointed from the rest of the game, and i am extremely disappointed every single time i complete one of those godawful alerts from the Odessen base.

 

Therefore i BEG you. Rally behind me, and lets put an end to this terrible idea before it strikes root into the brains of the designers! MORE VERBAL DIALOGUE - NO MORE KOTOR.

[CrazyCT]

There still is verbal dialogue - the only "old style" is when talking to the people when turning in crates, or when doing recruitment missions. The story quests all still have dialogue in them.

[Bailiatus]

There still is verbal dialogue - the only "old style" is when talking to the people when turning in crates, or when doing recruitment missions. The story quests all still have dialogue in them.

 

Yes. That i also wrote. As i wrote it was the quests introduced with chapter nine, the recruitment quests, alerts and so on. And imo they are just bad, cheap and feel disjointed from the game.

[MadDutchman]

Yes. That i also wrote. As i wrote it was the quests introduced with chapter nine, the recruitment quests, alerts and so on. And imo they are just bad, cheap and feel disjointed from the game.

 

It's that, or not have those missions at all.

 

VA are expensive, and you need to do 16 of them for every single convo, plus the NPC VA(s)

 

Would having fully voiced stuff be awesome? absolutely. Realistic on a game this old? not so much.

 

SWTOR still holds the record for most expensive MMO (at ~200 million USD), and a lot of that was because of the extraordinary amount of voice work. Simply put, the ROI just isn't there anymore for what amounts to side missions.

[Bailiatus]

It's that, or not have those missions at all.

 

VA are expensive, and you need to do 16 of them for every single convo, plus the NPC VA(s)

 

Would having fully voiced stuff be awesome? absolutely. Realistic on a game this old? not so much.

 

SWTOR still holds the record for most expensive MMO (at ~200 million USD), and a lot of that was because of the extraordinary amount of voice work. Simply put, the ROI just isn't there anymore for what amounts to side missions.

 

Actually... its more like 48, as there also is the French/German versions..

 

And yes i am completely aware of the cost of VA. However i would in a heartbeat choose ½ of those quests for removal for in instead having the other half fully voice acted.

 

Cutting down on the one thing that makes you stand out is rarely a wise buisness decision.

[Damask_Rose]

I agree. I'd rather have fewer recruitment missions and have them done well, than have the half done ones we ended up with. Our companions deserved better than being treated like a "kill 10 rats" side mission.

[CrazyCT]

I agree. I'd rather have fewer recruitment missions and have them done well, than have the half done ones we ended up with. Our companions deserved better than being treated like a "kill 10 rats" side mission.

 

We can't really have fewer recruitment missions. We still have a lot of the original companions to get back, and if you leave any of them out there will be an outcry - just look at the messages with regards to getting the new dashade instead of Khem Val (Bioware had to come on and state that his "story wasn't finished" yet).

 

The problem here, again, is that Bioware spoiled us with the original game, and now people expect that impossibly high standard to remain for ever. Eight fully voiced stories was a massive luxury, and it was good. But maintaining that for ever would obviously cost too much. I think this is a good compromise, and still a lot more than you get in any other MMO.

[Jedi_riches]

We can't really have fewer recruitment missions. We still have a lot of the original companions to get back, and if you leave any of them out there will be an outcry - just look at the messages with regards to getting the new dashade instead of Khem Val (Bioware had to come on and state that his "story wasn't finished" yet).

 

The problem here, again, is that Bioware spoiled us with the original game, and now people expect that impossibly high standard to remain for ever. Eight fully voiced stories was a massive luxury, and it was good. But maintaining that for ever would obviously cost too much. I think this is a good compromise, and still a lot more than you get in any other MMO.

 

I agree, there are too many companions to return to us to have fewer recruitment missions.

 

I also agree with spoiling us with the original game and I would also like to point out that Bioware would have had a massive lead up time before getting to a point to release the game. I mean at that point they had the time to write 8 unique stories, get 16 voice actors to record lines (more if you include the other languages). Once a game like this is in motion it's virtually impossible to keep up with that quality things have to go, otherwise you would have huge gaps between expansions.

[Mulroin]

I agree. I'd rather have fewer recruitment missions and have them done well, than have the half done ones we ended up with. Our companions deserved better than being treated like a "kill 10 rats" side mission.

Not only that, our old companions, we worked hard for to have good relations with, are back to lvl 10 affection????

As example, I married Mako on my republican char. When she returns its like we never been married when it comes to affection?

Same with Vette on the Imperial side.

The old companions are nerved in the new game style without any respect for the players.

 

Exactly the same goes for the conversations. I totally hate the multiple choice questions. I AM NOT AT SCHOOL.

I play a game I love also also due to the companion conversations that have totally disappeared and have been replaced with goody's you gotta handout. So instead of earning respect by talking to them you buy there affection.

Very very very cheap way of creating content. Its looks to me like brain dead programming.

 

Lets not forget they make millions out off us on a monthly base so saying it "costs" to much is BS.

There is a choice being made to maintain profit level. Nothing else.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Mulroin

[CrazyCT]

As example, I married Mako on my republican char. When she returns its like we never been married when it comes to affection?

Same with Vette on the Imperial side.

 

Think of it as added realism - go out and get married, then completely disappear for 5 years. When you come back, let me know how much affection your wife gives you.

[Thoronmir]

Think of it as added realism - go out and get married, then completely disappear for 5 years. When you come back, let me know how much affection your wife gives you.

Not my fault if she had unrealistic expectations. Especially if we met via a social "group finder" ... if she wanted stability and reciprocity of commitment, she should have married someone in her "guild". Ya roll the dice on a "PUG

marriage and ya take's yer chances.

[peter_plankskull]

Think of it as added realism - go out and get married, then completely disappear for 5 years. When you come back, let me know how much affection your wife gives you.

 

Well if you walked out without notice and never thought to have any form of communication, then I probably wouldn't be happy with my spouse either. However that's not exactly the case with this instance... instead were frozen for five years and more so than not presumed dead if the evidence says anything. Not to mention your companions were specifically their during the battle so they know exactly what happened.

[Xina_LA]

I know voice actors aren't cheap or easy to organize, but I also know that existing dialog could be reused. I noticed in Chapters 1-3 that my characters have several "signature" or favorite comments that repeat quite often, even if they don't fit 100%. I would guess that most (if not all) of the basic interactions could use existing audio recordings.

[DarthDymond]

/agreed. The "KotOR style" mission conversations are one of only two things in KOTFE I am really disappointed in (not being able to customize the appearance of the new companions is the other).

 

Obviously it's a cost-cutting measure, so if it's just not feasible from a budget perspective, it just won't happen - but the only one without verbal dialogue is the PC, and all those actors are already in the studio recording lines for the Chapter content. Going forward I hope that they leave the 'nostalgic' style behind as a failed experiment, like they apparently have with GSF.

[Mulroin]

Think of it as added realism - go out and get married, then completely disappear for 5 years. When you come back, let me know how much affection your wife gives you.

I am married for over 35y thank you. I do know what I am talking about

[Thoronmir]

Well if you walked out without notice and never thought to have any form of communication, then I probably wouldn't be happy with my spouse either. However that's not exactly the case with this instance... instead were frozen for five years and more so than not presumed dead if the evidence says anything. Not to mention your companions were specifically their during the battle so they know exactly what happened.

So, it's more like you've been in prison for five years. And you thought Vette would wait for you? I told you we should've set up Rico to take the fall, man.

[Bailiatus]

We can't really have fewer recruitment missions. We still have a lot of the original companions to get back, and if you leave any of them out there will be an outcry - just look at the messages with regards to getting the new dashade instead of Khem Val (Bioware had to come on and state that his "story wasn't finished" yet).

 

Sure we COULD have had fewer recruitment missions. Ofc we need some missions to get our old comps back. Alot of that could have been tucked together into one actually GOOD voiced mission. Tbh i would glady have skipped getting Blizz, Rabbat, Drellik, Lokin and so on my consular in exchange for some voice on the remaining missions. Was so EXTREMELY anticlimatic getting Qyzen back and it was just some riddicolous text and no verbal interaction. Im his herald of the scorekeeper for god sake, not someone he just met or saw yesterday.

 

Sure its a luxury with the VA. but its a big part of what makes SWTOR into SWTOR

[eldefail]

I get that the voice actors are expensive to hire, but I feel like this should have been handled differently. Can't afford to voice the recruitment missions? Introduce fewer companions, and consider cutting the non-love-interests or primary companion. In other words, cut Zenith and other non-LI's, and reintroduce a mix of love interests and initial companions whether they can be romanced or not since they had a fully voiced story arc to begin with (khem, qyzen, etc) that didn't just "fade to black" during the mission portions.

 

The kotor style letterbox is cute and all, and I appreciate the effort that Bioware made to try to make up for the lack of voice acting, but I just feel like there had to be a better way. If the budget doesn't allow a feature I don't personally want a half-assed version of that feature. Roll that feature out a little more slowly and do it right, imo.

Edited May 9, 2016 by eldefail

[ChidoriOokami]

While I do prefer full dialogue over partial --

 

I know how that can take more time. I'd love to see new content sooner vs. wait longer for content due to voice recordings. VR's should only be necessary for companions, which so far BW/Dev's have done pretty well on!

[bncsmom]

Not only that, our old companions, we worked hard for to have good relations with, are back to lvl 10 affection????

 

Not in my experience. I had Qyzen at 30-something and when I got him back, he was at the same level of affection he was when I started KotFE.

[Cyber-Blade]

Yeah, for me it honestly takes away the emersion. We need to have dialogue throughout the alliance missions.

[tummiswtor]

Don't You know why there's kotor style dialogue?

Dubbing = $$$

[JediRelentless]

We need to have dialogue throughout the alliance missions.

We?

No. I don't.

I can totally understand why the devs chose missions like these to use the Kotor style dialogue and save on two extremely valuable resources, Time and Money.

[DirdamLaer]

When i first decided to buy SWTOR, one of the biggest reasons was the fact it was fully voiced. It was something other MMO's did not come close to, and it provided a whole other level of immersion into the story and the char your playing. When people asked me why they should play SWTOR that was the first thing i told them.

Therefore i was extremely happy when Bioware announced they would return to "cinematic storytelling" ahead of the launch of Kofte. I thought Finally! No more SoR datapad missions. And the first chapters of Kofte was great. Great voiceacting, great story. But then i got to chapter nine. Oh the horror. It was like the game had regressed into some 2002 abonomination. The Kotor-style storytelling is terrible. Yes it worked in kotor - because that was what kotor was built up around MORE THEN 10 YEARS AGO. In SWTOR it just feel so disjointed from the rest of the game, and i am extremely disappointed every single time i complete one of those godawful alerts from the Odessen base.

 

Therefore i BEG you. Rally behind me, and lets put an end to this terrible idea before it strikes root into the brains of the designers! MORE VERBAL DIALOGUE - NO MORE KOTOR.

 

I'm with the former was better, the chapters were longer and had more missions,the only thing I like about the new version it is that you know the exact answer that tell your character (after using the translator)

.....

estoy contigo la antigua era mejor, los capitulos eran mas largos y habia mas misiones, lo unico que me gusta de la nueva version es que sabes la respuesta exacta que dira tu personaje (tras usar el traductor)

[OlBuzzard]

Regardless of what style, name or other methods of characterization, tag or other title IMHO the following is a must in order to mend some fences for a VERY large percentage of those playing this game:

1. more interaction with companions.

2. fix bugs that negatively affect those interactions that are designed to "improve" player/companion relationships or other activities.

3. If SWTOR started with being able to "flirt", court, romance etc ... then this latest with KotFE dropped the ball big time and is in desperate need of mending.

4. A lot more dialogue is needed (something else besides canned rhetorical quips that are pointless). Some of the things done early on in SWTOR were good ... but like all things simply needed improvement.

5. Not all former companions should be required to return in future chapters as active companions. Frankly I know that MANY would like to see this new chapter as an opportunity to select the "best" of the "best" while simply quietly moving away from those they chose not to bring forward. This also means that each player could bring their companions forward with matching characteristics (light side or dark)

Older companions do not have to be "killed off" ... just simply inactive or not in close association with the player.

 

At any rate ... just my own $.02 worth