PvP interview with Musco

[limenutpen]

Exactly my thought too. But whatever.

 

They never tread backwards they only clear a path forward with dull machetes, even when it's through a solid concrete jungle.

 

The mistakes they did in the past, from Ilum, to removal of 8 vs 8 in PvP are criminal. They give us one New mode and remove another, and it's been like that since launch or 1.2 i.e Ilum removal.

 

Sometimes I wonder if they know what an MMO is about or what they are doing. Those two aspects where the two most things that build PvP community in SWTOR.

 

When they removed Ilum, my then server RP-PVP EU Lord Calypho lost half of its players base in a week. In a month I would say about 75%.

The removal of Ranked WZs 8 vs 8 had a similar result in larger time frame and IMO was also a guild destroyer over time.

 

I will challenge them to do an event of creating a weekly 8 vs 8 WZ bash to see how many PvPers will come back for that week to play to see the damage they did with the removal of 8 vs 8.

 

They can also check when they did the new PvE Ilum event subs exploded like never in a year span. May be they got a short term result only when they server merged in June of the first six months and launched the Ranked WZs in the same month.

[foxmob]

They give us one New mode and remove another, and it's been like that since launch or 1.2 i.e Ilum removal.

 

ilum was never going to work. the engine cannot handle that many players in the same place being as active as one needs to be in pvp. but replacing ilum with a big fat nothing is a legit gripe. or, rather, with a small scale, slightly better version of outlaw's den that only occurs in 3-month intervals or w/e the gree events used to respawn at...that was a horrible replacement. the idea was ok. but you replaced an always there, incentivized OWPVP area with a rarely there incentivized (small) grp OWPVP area.

 

getting rid of 8v8 ranked and popping solo ranked w/o trinity comps were killers, imo. just bad moves.

Edited May 24, 2016 by foxmob

[Savej]

The problem with incentivizing world pvp, especially when you allow players to join both factions on the same server, is that players will get organized and trade. If you ever want to make OW "worth it" then that's the first thing you have to stop, imo (there are ways to do that but they would take long posts to explain and they wouldn't be casual friendly). Edited May 24, 2016 by Savej

[Jadescythe]

The problem with incentivizing world pvp, especially when you allow players to join both factions on the same server, is that players will get organized and trade. If you ever want to make OW "worth it" then that's the first thing you have to stop, imo (there are ways to do that but they would take long posts to explain and they wouldn't be casual friendly).

 

There are other ways to solve the problem. You could just force players to declare a faction to support. Just don't PvP flag a player's characters on the faction they are not "supporting". Still allows you to complete other activities, see the story, etc. without the issue of kill or objective trading. Or if you would have designated OW areas, you could prevent them from accessing these areas on the other faction or treat all of their characters as part of the same faction regardless of class in those areas (your pubs would flag as imps while there for example).

 

But you don't have the faction balance, population, or, most importantly, the game engine to support open world PvP. It would cater to so few players in the game it wouldn't be worth the dev time even if it were possible.

[Darthanimus]

Some may wonder why we did not just increase the healing capabilities of the other healing disciplines in the game to match that of the Corruption Sorcerer. In this instance, we could not do that because all of the combat math for the game (both PvE and PvP) is balanced around the current healing capabilities of the other healing disciplines. So if we were to increase the healing capabilities of the other healing disciplines to match the healing capabilities of the Corruption Sorcerer, then healing would be more effective than intended, which would cause problems in both PvE and PvP

ok so make it less about hps numbers and more about prevention and reduction of hp loss, I want to see mando and merc healers made playable. If any of you doubt that merc and mando heals are god awful look at the ranked world ratings. Bioware I am disappointed again by your lack of concern with pvp balance. There is one other solution to the hideous lack of balance in pvp, and that is to make sorcs 3rd best healer, operatives 2nd and mercs best healer in game. That way you keep the questionable game math happy and mix the game up a bit too. The status quo is causing stagnation

[BowtieJones]

Given their reticence to talk about future plans, I have some questions that have been popping around on the forums for a while.

 

Given the state of tank stats and how they function (or not) in pvp, what is the development team's idea on the proper way to min max all tank specs?

 

What is the ratio or rating difference of sorc/sage healers to dps on the ranked leader boards?

 

What is the ratio of pt/van tanks to dps in ranked?

 

What is the official dev team explanation on voidstar tie breakers?

 

While playing on dev shards, do the devs refer to the voidstar doors as east and west, or left and right?

 

Are the devs pleased with the way arsenal decoy works in pvp, and why?

 

Are the devs satisfied with merc/mando hold the line performance?

 

What technology is missing in the dev team toolbox that makes cross server impossible?

 

Does the newly added option to legacy transfer to different regions have any implications for cross server?

 

Now that the proving grounds has been out for a while, and seeing the generally enthusiastic response from the community in regards to cross faction, is the dev team currently looking at expanding to the other wz in a more favorable light?

 

What would a developer list of pros and cons look like in regards to a ranked season that included solo queue 8v8 warzones as well as the standard arena fare?

 

What is the dev idea of a "dream team" team composition for team ranked, and why?

 

What is the hardest class and spec to play? What is the easiest?

 

Why do ranked matches not give out comms as well as tokens?

 

Why is stealth and combat stealth unusable in proving grounds while carrying a mod?

 

Why is barrier useable while carrying a mod?

 

Why does barrier not drop a mod?

 

Is it a bug, or intended that leap, storm, holo, shadow stride, etc aren't use able in Hutt ball to get to the final area?

 

Are the devs satisfied with merc/mando dps off healing?

 

This next one is future stuff, but whatever: Are there plans to make high end companion gifts purchasable with wz comms, so pvp crafters can have a full stable of good compaions, or do the devs feel the conversion rate for common crystals is sufficient?

 

Are there plans for pvp companion's that aren't locked behind doing the pve story for the 25th time?

 

What is the dev team list of pros and cons in regards to simple role matchmaking in regs?

 

Roll: Snipers: mm gets entrench, virulence gets a dropped aoe, engineering gets cluster bombs.

-Operatives: concealment gets immunity, lethality gets insta cast free heal. Healer gets nothing.

-Why does the dev team feel healing spec doesn't need or want a spec specific proc to their roll, when every other agent (and smuggler) spec does?

 

I could and probably should go on, but if even half of those are answered, I'd be a happy boy.

 

Respect

 

Bowtiejones

 

[foxmob]

Given their reticence to talk about future plans, I have some questions that have been popping around on the forums for a while.

 

While playing on dev shards, do the devs refer to the voidstar doors as east and west, or left and right?

 

you know...most of these are harmless, interesting questions. but I actually lol'd at ^this one. too funny.

 

and yes, I'm, curious about their answer.

[BowtieJones]

Yeah man. Gotta be silly sometimes.

[TrixxieTriss]

Hello. I'm Snave, you may remember me from being the Operative Class Rep and such movies as 12 years a Snave, Snaveheart and Snaves on a plane.

 

You may also remember that about a year ago I held a PvP focused 1v1 interview with Eric Musco which many have deemed the best interview since Frost vs Nixon (apologies to all the people who have to google that).

 

Musco has agreed to a second interview so I can try and put across some common questions from the PvP community. If you didn't see the last one it can be found here -

 

Last week I sent my questions over to him so he can gather information on the topics and I'm still waiting for his response with a specific time and date but I just wanted to let the PvP community know that it's happening and the topics we'll be discussing.

 

In no particular order the main topics will be:

 

Class Balance

Matchmaking

"Better Than Cross Server"

PvP Community

 

I've already sent over a preliminary list of questions so I don't have a huge amount of wiggle room in topics but I just thought it was important to let you all know that this is going to happen and that I will be pushing for answers. I was going to list all the questions but that kinda defeats the point of an interview.

 

If you have any comments please feel free to leave them here or email me directly at snave@torcommunity.com

 

The whole thing will be livestreamed on my channel - http://www.hitbox.tv/Snave and hopefully it'll be as well received as the last one.

 

Any updates on when this might happen?

[snave]

Any updates on when this might happen?

 

Questions are all fine, just waiting on a final date and expect something this week hopefully.

[Miston]

Any updates on when this might happen?

 

They are working out which ones to say a flat out "No" to, and which ones to put on the "wall of crazy" (lol). Gotta make it look like they actually thought about the question before telling us to F'off. lol

[toomsuba]

okay I'm not really sure what they've said about 8v8 except no *** u, but here's what I think you need to get across to Musco:

many of the 4s players have left the game

they are not going to come back, they are bored of fours

The only way to get them back: 8v8 ranked-->something that's "new" and exciting.

 

sooooo

Bioware wants to make money, keeping the pvpers happy and subbed does make them a (small) amount of money.

Here's what I don't understand. They got rid of 8v8 to get us to do arenas, yes I understand

But shouldn't we have a say in what we do? Like give us the option, arena or 8v8 (I'm saying keep them both).

Right now, the only way to do 4s is to go on fleet and spam/whisper queue for fours. So it's not like there's enough participation where you can just q and know you'll get a pop.

So with 8v8 it would be the same-->spam/whisper q 8v8. If there aren't enough people interested, see if people are down for fours.

I just don't understand Bioware's stupidity. it would make them money and keep the players happy.

 

so pls see if you can get this into musco's thick skull, that is if you can pull him away from overwatch lmao

 

anyway, thanks for doing this!

[snave]

Update, date, all confirmed.

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=884673

[Fabzeros]

okay I'm not really sure what they've said about 8v8 except no *** u, but here's what I think you need to get across to Musco:

many of the 4s players have left the game

they are not going to come back, they are bored of fours

The only way to get them back: 8v8 ranked-->something that's "new" and exciting.

 

sooooo

Bioware wants to make money, keeping the pvpers happy and subbed does make them a (small) amount of money.

Here's what I don't understand. They got rid of 8v8 to get us to do arenas, yes I understand

But shouldn't we have a say in what we do? Like give us the option, arena or 8v8 (I'm saying keep them both).

Right now, the only way to do 4s is to go on fleet and spam/whisper queue for fours. So it's not like there's enough participation where you can just q and know you'll get a pop.

So with 8v8 it would be the same-->spam/whisper q 8v8. If there aren't enough people interested, see if people are down for fours.

I just don't understand Bioware's stupidity. it would make them money and keep the players happy.

 

so pls see if you can get this into musco's thick skull, that is if you can pull him away from overwatch lmao

 

anyway, thanks for doing this!

 

Um... 4's is all some people do. I leave every 8 v 8 objectives match because whether we win or not depends entirely on my operative dps and I don't feel like carrying that hard... My friends and I simply duel when 4's aren't popping. It would be bad for bioware's business when they see every causal pvp'er quit because (gasp!) they're actually bad at pvp in general and not just arenas! This game's objectives are extremely simple. The team with the superior dps (or just more sorc heals) wins every time. With ranked-level players, the importance of dps and heals will become even more evident.

 

Personally I'd hate to lose all the baddies I three-shot in civil war and novare coast.

[Hirchart]

Good to see you'll address the problems with (not) banning the hackers. That being said, will you also ask Musco when your wintrading guildies will get a ban, Snave? I am pretty sure you agree that needs some attention as well :rolleyes::rolleyes: Edited June 6, 2016 by Hirchart

[snave]

Good to see you'll address the problems with (not) banning the hackers. That being said, will you also ask Musco when your wintrading guildies will get a ban, Snave? I am pretty sure you agree that needs some attention as well :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Win trading, queue manipulation, hacking are all being covered in some way shape or form. I wont be calling out any players by name regardless as naming / shaming is against forums rules and I'm assuming the same will apply, it's also not BW policy to discuss individual account so I doubt I'd get an answer even if I did.

 

I know your post is just meant to be some passive aggressive (pun intended) comment but I'm pretty sure I've already stated that all those points are being raised. This thread isn't that long if you want to go back and familiarise yourself with the points that have already been put forward.

 

To make it a bit easier for you

[Icykill_]

Looks like the other thread isn't visible in the forums now. So I'm reposting in this one, sorry if it's a double post

 

This will apparently get fixed tomorrow but FYI the interview IS ON THE 15TH. IT'S A WEDNESDAY.

 

Hi Snave, I know the questions, etc, have been negotiated already, but this issue didn't start to be a major problem till a few weeks ago and is even worse this week.

Can you please ask Eric about the mass exodus of pvpers in the last few months and what they might be doing to stem the flow or bring them back. (I'm on Harbinger, supposedly the most populated server in the NA)

I know there are those who say it's not so bad, but in the last 3 weeks I have seen pop times in my time zones, prime time, drop fron 1-5 mins, to 30mins - 3hours. Of course this isn't American prime time, it's APAC and I realise that our prime time is rather late for a lot of NA players.

Except that I belong to a NA guild, 3 months ago the PVP in my time zone was nearly instant pops. Most of the players were NA people too. I played with multiple people from heaps of guilds. All these people have stopped playing.

Even at the crosser over Timezone border at what could still be called a reasonable hour in NA, there is a huge drop in actual player numbers. This is on a weekend as well, not even during the week, which is even worse.

Pops might still be ok in NA prime time, I play then too, but that's because there is small dedicated group playing at that time. What happens when they start to leave too?

Last night I waited 3 hours for mid lvl PVP to pop, when it did there was 4 on our team and 6 on the other. All of us had been waiting 3 hours, why didn't the queue start putting us into arena till more people were available for 8s.

Even when I swapped to 65s after that match, I got 2 pops in 30 mins, then nothing till I eventually logged off 2 hours later.

I know Subscriptions are at there highest in years, but these are story people, what about the PVP subscribers that are leaving the game? Why not keep all subscribers and have even more people?

Also, anyone who frequents the PVP forum will have noticed the huge reduction in activity. It's nearly as much of a ghost town here.

Most of my guild have stopped playing because of the decline, I'm sure other people are leaving for the same reason, it's now become a snow ball effect.

I keep getting asked by my friends and guildies to come to WoW and Overwatch to play PVP. I am reluctant to go back to WoW as it seems child like in comparison. But I've reactivated my Blizzard account and downloaded it. I haven't restarted my subscription, but I'm close to it. If I do I will be cancelling 3 swtor subscription from my house hold.

Anyway, can you see if you can squeeze this question in, I'm sure you can see how this is now an urgent matter.

[Icykill_]

Hi Snave,

 

Can you also ask why they implimented the no leap in the Huttball end zone, but didn't nerf operative roll?

[LeglessChair]

If he could go back in time and abort dot- spread, would he?

Also, will try to watch live if you promise me ranked reward spoilers. There doesn't actually have to be reward spoilers, just promise them to me... kind of like better than cross server...

[snave]

If he could go back in time and abort dot- spread, would he?

Also, will try to watch live if you promise me ranked reward spoilers. There doesn't actually have to be reward spoilers, just promise them to me... kind of like better than cross server...

 

What if the reward for ranked was cross server....... /mindexplosion

[Patroller]

I am sure people have already said what I am about to say but here we go anyway

 

-Class Balance

-Better looking ranked rewards

-3 tiered queues for ranked based on rating (tier 3: 1349 and lower, tier 2: 1350-1599, tier 3: 1600+)

-Better looking PvP gear from vendors

-Better PvP maps

-Let us choose what warzones we want

-16v16 maps

-Team Balance (not having a team with 3 healers vs a team with no heals)

-Cross server queues

-8v8 ranked like in season 1 (the good old days)

 

I can go on but this would be a good start :o

[SlimPikinz]

Snave,

 

Great work setting this up! We need this and hopefully it'll bring about positive changes in the future for a more pleasurable PvP experience.

 

My only suggestion is to please ask Musco if BW has any intention at looking to change the single most broken ability in PvP: Phase Walk.

 

I feel like it effects the outcome of both regs and ranked too much. Sorcs have to be killed three times in ranked. Sorcs and sins can single handedly win or lose the objective in regs because of this ability. I started a thread on this ability a couple months ago. I'm sure you're aware of its uses but I have offered some suggestions. I will likely be starting another one due to a video I just saw of how ridiculously stupid this ability is.

 

Please have a read: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=876241&highlight=Phase+walk

[snave]

I am sure people have already said what I am about to say but here we go anyway

 

-Class Balance

-Better looking ranked rewards

-3 tiered queues for ranked based on rating (tier 3: 1349 and lower, tier 2: 1350-1599, tier 3: 1600+)

-Better looking PvP gear from vendors

-Better PvP maps

-Let us choose what warzones we want

-16v16 maps

-Team Balance (not having a team with 3 healers vs a team with no heals)

-Cross server queues

-8v8 ranked like in season 1 (the good old days)

 

I can go on but this would be a good start :o

 

Most of these are covered in some manner but just as a FYI - Musco has already said there will be no announcements or promises made during the interview so while I have questions relating as to why some of these issues are in the state they are in do not expect any "this will be fixed in X patch" answers.

[Teriaon]

No just expect a bunch of pr lies like we always get whenever anyone related to this game opens their mouths, nothing they say in this interview can be trusted, because it will all be what the pr people want them to say

[snave]

No just expect a bunch of pr lies like we always get whenever anyone related to this game opens their mouths, nothing they say in this interview can be trusted, because it will all be what the pr people want them to say

 

People complain about a lack of communication, someone goes out of their way to arrange more communication. People complain that the communication will be pointless before it happens. The circle of the PvP community.

 

Hakuna Matata.