Do any beta players still play? Have I overstayed my welcome?

[JabbaWabbA]

i played beta

[Ansultares]

Sorry long post, I had a lot to say about a game I once loved.

 

I'm not closed beta, but I've been here since launch. It's a shame they still don't do "proper" closed beta testing. I'm sure if they did we wouldn't have the quality issues we have or the problems with balance on both PVP and PVE.

 

Over time there have been some cool things added, but each time it is to a detriment to other parts of the game. I've don't all 8 stories, I have 23 toons on one server and multiple ones on others.

 

I'm not a big operations or flash point fan anymore. I used to do them in the 6 months after launch, but then I lost interest and became a PVP addict. So a lot of this will be from a PVP point of view.

 

It took years and years for them to fianally add more PVP content, while adding lots more operations. Basically they neglected the PVP part of the game, but really looked after those operations players. This alienated any PVP players and it started the whole us vs them culture between the different player base. But not only did they neglect new PVP content, they also neglected PVP character balance. This has continued to this day and could have easily been fixed int the early days of swtor by splitting the class balances so that one set was PVE balanced and the other PVP.

We also had this huge preseason for season one ranked PVP, which at the time was 8v8. While this format wasn't successful, a lot of it was due to trying to form an 8 man group because there was no solo queue like we now have for 4s (arena). Even arena 4 man queues aren't successful, people can't even be bothered to form 4s as a group. While arena addressed "part" of the PVP communities desire to just have pure combat, it's completely neglected the more advanced objective PVP players who loves the strategy and tactics of objective pvp while also engaging in combat. Sure we have reg PVP objectives, but this really should be a casual or training ground for new or casual players. But anyone more advanced, who enjoys objective pvp and doesn't like arena, is forced to play regs. This is completely unfair to all people who are playing regs. First the new players are forced to play people who can easily global them, This also goes for the more casual players who just want to jump into PVP and have some fun and win some matches. It's also unfair on the better players because we have no real competition unless a good player happens to be on the other team, so it gets boring and stale.

I feel 8 man ranked was a missed opportunity. When the Devs introduced 4v4 they recognised that team queues can shut out those casual ranked players, so they added a solo rank queue. This was never tried with 8v8 objective pvp. They should never have completely removed 8s, but should have added a solo queue or the ability to queue in a ranked version or reg queue, ie have smaller Premades in ranked 8s.

I know there is controversy in the PVP community if this would work now if they introduced it because of the dwindling PVP population. Which is why I say it was a missed opportunity. I personally feel they should still try a solo/small premade queue for 8v8 ranked. It would help eliminate or at least ease this FOTM 4 man issue we have. Each class in objectives has a role to play, I think this is how the Devs intended class balance to work. People playing the class strengths to win objective pvp and not have one big death match would see that their classes are more balanced than they think.

It would also take the stress off the new reg players and stop the anger and rage that the more advanced players can have in regs because of the frustration of absolute noobism on the part of these new players.

 

Don't get me started on the Starfigher fail. I had friends lined up to actually come and play the game who had never played as they weren't MMO fans, but we're old Xwing and Tie Figher Fans from years ago. The biggest mistake of that whole launch was never including joystick support for those flight sim players like myself. I was so annoyed at the Devs that I stopped playing that part of the game shortly after it was launched. I think this was the biggest blunder and missed opportunity of the whole game.

 

There have been many other missed opportunities for PVP in this game. I could stay here writing pages and pages. But let's just sum it by saying the PVP part of this game could have been as awesome as the rest and it was neglected, the Devs seem to have never listened to our ideas or concerns the way they do in other parts of the game.

 

I do love the new story, it injected some new content, but once again it wasn't a smooth transition and the ease at which you can fly through the content is ridiculous, I can't even get 2 abilities off before I kill a bunch of mobs. This doesn't allow people to understand the class abilities for either PVE operations or PVP. Also removing companion specialisation for the old companions was a big mistake. The old story is now as easy as the new. Sure they had room to make it slightly easier, but it's so easy to lvl that it's boring.

I watched this small documentary today about the Devs. http://www.swtorstrategies.com/2016/05/star-wars-the-old-republic-the-bioware-story-documentary.html

One point that really caught my attention was that when they developed the original story and combat they wanted to give the new player the Star Wars combat experience straight away, but making it easy enough for new/lower skill players so you didn't need to grind 20 creatures over and over, but make it challenging enough for more advanced MMO players, basically a balanced combat experience. While this starting point is still a little like this, if not easier than before, the rest is too easy once you get companions, especially as you can choose wether said companion will be a tank, dps or healer.

One of the things I enjoyed about the pre 2.0 expansion was that you need to do planet side, non class missions to lvl. Now I am way above planet cap lvl before I even get to a planet and only need to do class to progress. All that old content is a waste now. All that time and effort to create the Star Wars experince they originally wanted is hardly used or is needed.

My biggest criticism about 4.0 is its too easy, even for new players. Most of the community has said so. I like the story even though it doesn't seem as smooth or polished as the early stories.

And my biggest criticism of the Developers is that they don't listen to the community enough, if at all on what we would like. They give us what they "think" we should have. Two way Communication and customer service in this game is some of the worst I have ever seen. I love Star Wars, I've never met a bigger fan in my mixed social groups. I've been addicted to this game since launch because it's Star Wars. The game has now gone down hill from what it was, an MMO. The story aspect should have been an add on and enhancement to an already fairly successful MMO game. Unfortunately it is now destroying the rest of the original game. Too many reasources are going into the story and the rest of the game features have all become a sideshow. I'm basically over this game now. Most of the PVP community has now left, all of the exceptional players left a while ago. im sure they would come back if there was proper attention given to PVP, but that is never likely to happen.

 

The biggest disaster at the moment for the game is the diminished population across half abandoned servers. With the old MMO and PVP players leaving because this is basically a solo story game now, the best thing Bioware could do would be to merge servers. One for the East Coast so they don't lose the rest of the APAC players and one for the West coast so they don't lose players there that sometimes play from Europe and obviously a European server.

I've lost a lot of in game friends over the years. Starting with the closure or all APAC servers and merging us with the US ones. Our ping went from 17-40ms to 180-300ms. My whole guild of 100 people quit. Sure there were 2 dead servers and that needed to be merged with Dalbora, our highly populated APAC server, which was more populated than what Harbinger currently is and those other dead servers would easily have been more populated than the current dead servers in the game. Bioware basically lost most of the APAC regions players when they didn't give us one big super APAC server. It's just another example of them not listening.

Seeing as they felt the need to merge more populated servers than we have now due to low populations, it is nonsensical not to merge servers now.

 

Anyway, I'm probably going to stop playing. What drew me to this game is now ruined. I've only hung around for so long because it's Star Wars and there were no viable games to move to. There are now lots on the horizon or just being released. :(

That wall of text crushed me.

[Tsillah]

Most people can't do something all the time for years. I've been around since open beta and I have taken a couple of breaks of a couple of months each to be able to come back with a fresh look on things. It's healthy to do that I think.

 

It's the law of diminishing returns and you need to reset things from time to time.

[JediQuaker]

I started playing shortly after launch for about a year, and then I took a break to play GW2. Then I came back to SWTOR. (I played GW1 before SWTOR for many years, but GW2 just didn't grab me.) (There was some WoW in there as well.)

 

Alas, after several years and 14 characters, I've started to run out of things that I want to do, except for the new chapters.

Edited May 15, 2016 by JediQuaker

[GrizzlesMcKenzie]

http://i.imgur.com/qiTanIt.jpg

[AelixVII]

Beta player here. Still enjoy the game but I put that down to the many breaks I've taken, sometimes months at a time. I'd be burned out by now otherwise.

[PorsaLindahl]

I'm a closed beta player and I've been playing swtor for a long time. I've completed everything I can think of and completed all the operations, stories for each class, all pvp gear, and new content including beating the new arena my first try (although I did die and it was challenging and fun compared to the rest of the insanely easy game. I find myself logging in every other day but not really doing anything but chatting, have I overstayed my welcome, have I become bored? Is there anyone else that feels the same as me? Long timers that have found there isn't anything to do anymore or nothing you want to do.

 

I feel the arena was a good start, and if they added more challenges to the game I would love to hang around. I also love story but I haven't been satisfied with paying 15 bucks for 15-30 mins of new content a month. I love star wars, I love kotor, and I envy the new players just now getting into this game.. I have words for you new folks, ENJOY IT, take your time, there is a lot of content to get through and a lot of good times to be had! I'm starting to think, maybe this game isn't for the veterans anymore and thats okay ;(

 

I've been around since closed beta (June 2011). I've taken some time off - unsubbed (about 6 months right after the first server mergers), but other than that I've been subbed. Lately I haven't logged on that often (once or twice a week), but my sub is still active.

 

I don't PvP. I don't run Ops anymore because I feel they're tedious and the rewards/loot just aren't worth the time and effort.

 

Sure, I get bored sometimes. When that happens I take a break and play something else, or don't play anything and binge watch movies or tv shows. Then I'll get an itch to come back and play for a while again.

[Belegnole]

I'm a Beta player and like others have taken breaks.

[mikebevo]

Beta player been a subscriber since 30 days after launch never lapsed. I know I've overstayed my welcome when I switched from defender of game to critic. Edited May 15, 2016 by mikebevo

[ErikSun]

Closed beta and CE for me. I have not completed everything with this game as I do not do much in the way of ops. That being said, I still have fun playing. SWTOR is where I come to play with my electronic action figures and waste time doing exactly what I want. I don't see me leaving anytime soon. I think this game has taken the place of my Star Wars toys I had as a kid back in the 70s and 80s.

[Kaisernick]

closed beta player and im planning on quitting for a while at least.

the one chapter is not worth the money as i have done everything else and running alts through the exact same story isn't fun and its hard to run a non force sensitive through it as well.

i know its probably not a popular opinion but once this months subs runs out im gonna wait till a collection of chapters are out, that way a months sub will be worth it.

[ImmortalLowlife]

Played in beta, been a sub damn near since launch....subs NEVER lapsed. I'm actually having more fun at this point in the game than I have since launch. I don't play every day either...If I get to play 8-10hrs a week, it's a great week. So even after all this time, there's still stuff I haven't done.

[starbuckone]

I'm a closed beta player and I've been playing swtor for a long time. I've completed everything I can think of and completed all the operations, stories for each class, all pvp gear, and new content including beating the new arena my first try (although I did die and it was challenging and fun compared to the rest of the insanely easy game. I find myself logging in every other day but not really doing anything but chatting, have I overstayed my welcome, have I become bored? Is there anyone else that feels the same as me? Long timers that have found there isn't anything to do anymore or nothing you want to do.

 

I feel the arena was a good start, and if they added more challenges to the game I would love to hang around. I also love story but I haven't been satisfied with paying 15 bucks for 15-30 mins of new content a month. I love star wars, I love kotor, and I envy the new players just now getting into this game.. I have words for you new folks, ENJOY IT, take your time, there is a lot of content to get through and a lot of good times to be had! I'm starting to think, maybe this game isn't for the veterans anymore and thats okay ;(

 

Yes some of us still play. I took a break for a while but I am still here. I think they need to add more levels. Once you hit 65 there is no progression which kinda sucks.

Edited May 16, 2016 by starbuckone

[Daos]

I was a beta player but like many here have said I take the occasional breaks from the game. Sometimes you just have to.

[TUXs]

Closed beta. Haven't taken a day off since launch (in terms of my sub, I do have a life ).

[Jedi_riches]

Players are always welcome, at least while you still find the game even the slightest bit enjoyable. Saying that sometimes players need a break (difficult I know when you pay a subscription for a game).

 

I mean I have been here for about 4 years and my sub has only lapsed once (there was a glitch in paypal which meant my subscription could not be paid), I only play Saturday and Sundays (outside of early access of course) which means I don't tend to burn out often.

[Yermog]

Not a beta player, but I pre-ordered and started at official launch.

 

I take little breaks ALL the time.

I'm also a pre-order Founder, and I occasionally take breaks too. I love SWTOR and I never leave for too long, but sometimes I get a little burned out and I take a few months off. But I always come back to it in the end.

[McCamper]

Day One play here, just came back from a long break, before Shadow of Revan. Good to be back, enjoying playing Sorcerer again

Should I use a level 60 boost to play the newest expansion or will I miss some stuff from Revan? I currently I have no high level characters to play.

[Vhaegrant]

Didn't make it into Beta (computer at the time couldn't cope), but have been around since launch day.

 

I don't focus on PvP (only played on one character) and I don't run Operations (think I've only ever done the last half of Karragga's Palace).

 

I do have a blast running through the story lines, a bit of an altoholic.

SWTOR is my virtual toy box crammed full of all the figures I could never afford when I was growing up.