Please Don't do it again - Dark & Light event - PLEASE DON'T!

[Sobekeus]

I like the event. So there.

[Rolodome]

Having read through this train wreck, three insights:

 

• Time Value of Effort
  
• Old Players vs. New Players
  
• Return on investment
  

 

The main complaint most people seem to have is that they have done everything (or most everything) that the event tracks already on another character and should therefore get the rewards.

 

I'm not sure how the logic on that works. Being able to complete the listed tasks over the course of FOUR YEARS is not anywhere near as impressive as being able to do it in a few months. And the bulk of the rewards aside from the packs are geared more towards new players and non-65 characters anyway.

 

However, even if that point is set aside, the real truth of the matter is the time value you have already invested in your existing toons is just that -- already invested.

 

This is, once again, the sort of thing you see in customer retention theory. It's why people get upset when companies roll out special benefits only available to 'new customers'. It sends the message that you do not value older existing accounts. That is certainly not the intent, but that is the message people take away from it.

 

There is no way for an event like this to not trigger that reaction.

 

The second issue, the conflict between old and new, is even more divisive. For a player new to SWTOR the event is valuable. To one who is not new, the event is insulting. Unfortunately, new players will tend to evaluate games based on what the majority of the playerbase says and does in the game. Some new players will look at this and wonder if SWTOR will treat them poorly a year or so down the line, others will simply dislike the negativity.

 

The final issue, return on investment, is the one that triggers the most reaction. I'm not sure how difficult it is to rig up the DvL packs or come up with a handful of armors and one of the ugliest mounts I've ever seen, but the bulk of the event required very little investment or new coding.

 

As such, any CC purchases made (XP boosts, new characters, people subbing to get bonus XP) is pretty much pure profit. And yet the benefits do not accrue to those most likely to spend -- older players.

 

How do we fix this?

 

I think this event is, to be realistic, not going to be altered or changed. However, it would certainly behoove Bioware to figure out a way to have an event that :

 

1) provides benefits to people who have subbed/played a long period of time.

2) does not require expenditure of CC to be successful

3) Will not infuriate the playerbase

 

Of course, that is much easier said that done.

 

Many people feel criticism of the event is unjustified -- I say it depends on where you stand. I never actually bothered with the Smuggler storyline before (Corso irritated me) so this has given me a chance to actually take advantage of some of the benefits. But I am not the usual case.

Well said.

[DayneDrak]

Hi Bioware & EA,

 

Are you guys trying to tank the game? That is the only reason why you would force existing, invested, Subbed players to get 8 more slots to do this event.

 

You can do the entire event with one slot, though you're better off with 2 if you want all the boxes on one specific toon.

 

You don't need 8.

Edited July 9, 2016 by DayneDrak

[DayneDrak]

If you think this is just about one person, your totally wrong. Its about spending hundreds of hours putting a team together and then, again (just like in the first year of SWTOR) people making really poor decisions at Bioware/EA. Then not having the resolve or being adult enough to admit they made a mistake. Then fix them. This event is a mistake, short sighted and an insult to veteran players.

 

*shrug* I'm a veteran player. I'm not insulted. Most of my guild members aren't either, they've embraced the event wholeheartedly, and we're not a small guild by any means. We pretty much win whatever conquest planet we invade by the end of the first day. We're always up against the guild cap and constantly have to prune.

 

In a large way, this has actually brought alot of folks together, as it created a bridge between the newer players and the vet players, as the vets now have incentive to do old content and bring the newer guys along to help them out.

 

You speak of being an adult, but you're failing to act like one. Your response is neither measured, nor level headed. You're acting more like my 10 year old after he's heard the word no, or being told he needs to scoop the litter box.

 

You speak of experience running teams over multiple games. You should be able to realize that the likely alternative to not doing this event was... nothing. Just the same old stuff until the next expansion is ready. If you would honestly prefer to just do the same old crap as always over the next few months instead of this event... you still have that option.

 

You're acting like you're forced into doing this event. You're not acting like a responsible adult, you're acting like a child, or like your typical teenage gamer that lacks impulse control.

 

But you go right on with that righteous crusade you've got brewing in your head, brother

[TheMilk]

In a large way, this has actually brought alot of folks together, as it created a bridge between the newer players and the vet players, as the vets now have incentive to do old content and bring the newer guys along to help them out.

 

can confirm. got a few buddies to resub for this, we've been leveling as a group for the past few days by doing pvp and flashpoints we've never done before.

 

as a veteran player ive been enjoying the event. since i roleplay it's always exciting to make a new character

[peter_plankskull]

Glad to see people enjoying the event and such, but to be fair most of the people who already are unhappy with the game already left, so you're mostly going to be finding people who are indifferent or like the event.

[Tsillah]

Well the event is sort of ok from what I've seen now. What I've also seen is that, at least for me, the legendary tier should win people the "yes I really went there" title, because honestly, a lot of it is fine but I think that especially having to do all the FP's in HM is just what made me go ...no, I'm not going there.

 

It's ok but really events are better off being something that lasts a couple of weeks at most or it should be an integral part of the game. This in between thing that lasts various months just seems odd to me.

 

And one more thing. The event asks you to do a great variety of things. People who don't like pvp for example will have to do some pvp, but ok it's 15 matches tops if you go for legendary. That is actually reasonable.

 

But what if you don't like playing certain classes or even more to the point...what if you don't like doing FP's? Well, then you're royally screwed. What I'm saying is that the presence of FP's within the event is utterly disproportionate. And that is a shame. It's particularly that, that will keep me from going for legendary. Sure, if I'd have to do 5 or even 10 FP's in HM I might've gone for it, but added on top of everything else I just feel there's too much FP in this event and the balance is off. I don't care for that personally.

 

On the other hand the eternal level is easy to achieve. In fact I only have to finish leveling my rep alt which is level 47 currently and do the final chapter 16 of this season when it comes out and I'm done. So really I will level my rep alt to 65 probably this weekend. And then I have to wait two more weeks to complete champion and eternal in one go.

 

That doesn't seem like proper planning/pacing to me. I could work towards eternal...but meh, don't care for it as mentioned, so really BW...I just don't think you really thought the timing of this through. Of course it does require everybody who wants to do this to be subbed this month. I get that.

 

Maybe next time you make a season event where each month you have an event linked to the chapter of that month where you have to do some tasks and doing that month's chapter is part of the tasks listed for such rewards. That might give people a more regular reason to be subbed and have something to work towards every month. And maybe have some overall rewards for completing the whole season and such.

 

It'd be an easy way to do monthly events, arguably without too much resource investment on your part.

[well]

Whining, me? Never. I just brave enough to voice my members Concerns.

 

How many hours have you spent trying to get people back to SWTOR? 5, 10, 50 Hours? How about hundreds of hours like me? You have nothing vested in bringing people to SWTOR. You also obviously never lead a team or cared about anyone but yourself. Or you, like me, would be voicing your members concerns. Hoping against all odds, they will learn from past mistakes.

 

Here's hoping,

 

- Kismet

 

Brave:eek::eek: What? Did you have to dodge hot drinks or avoid paper cuts to post this.:eek:

If you or guildies don't want to do another D/L don't. Pretty simple you have the choice. Why do you feel the need to take it from others. It doesn't matter one way or the other if there is another after this one to me. It is a game. I play what I enjoy and except for a few exceptions that it is it.

[Zylaro]

I thought it was a bad idea when I first heard it, now I am doing it and finding I am actually enjoying having something to do in game beyond logging in for ops every evening. Not sure how far I will get with it but I am plodding through happily at the moment having joined a guild of like minded people who also all appear to be having fun. Some of those are like me, founders with multiple alts at 65. If you stop hating it long enough to give it a go you might even find it is more fun than you thought possible.