What Direction We as a Community Want for SWTOR

[Tieru]

Star Wars: the Old Republic - Opinionated State of the Galaxy

By Tieru/Acrimon of Begeren Colony

 

 

Please Note: The format of this post is meant to be more of an "open letter" to SWTOR and the Bioware team. Opinions are expressed and should be treated as such. Comments should tend to fall under the 'suggestions' category in the forums.

 

With the conclusion of Knights of the Fallen Empire this last month, I have heard my fair share of outcries from various communities within the SWTOR community at large. As an example: having tuned in for the August Producer's Live Stream, there were many in the Twitch chat who cried for new and more operations. This may primarily have been due to the hint dropped during the July Producer's Live Stream where they were in the early stages of development for such operation and raid content. From a hardcore PVE perspective, it makes sense. Raiders and Progression Raiding do offer sustained subscription and higher server population. SWTOR releasing new, fun and challenging content draws an important sector of the MMORPG community, and I applaud the fact that SWTOR has recommitted and realized this.

 

In the PVP community, we are always hungry for new ways to dominate each other. Be it a new map for a current game mode, or new game modes entirely, or great ranked rewards to show off and have fun with. The demands are simple ones from PVPers, "Give me a battlefield and I will play." "Promise me adequate rewards, and I will earn them." Essentially, all Bioware need do is follow the old saying "Build it and they will come".

 

I have always been impressed with the RPers and how they can have fun out of thin error. RPers don't need much other than fun and expressive emotes and places to explore and run RP operations. I feel the greater RP community at large don't cry out for 'new raids' or 'new pvp maps' and are mostly satiated with good story telling in an interesting and repercussive campaign. Which leads me to our new expansion.

 

 

As we speak, the bioware team is hard at work creating the new story line and fun content for Knights of the Eternal Throne. My only concern is, "Sure, you are telling your story, and it is pretty good from my opinion, but what about developing content that the community wants?"

 

As we know, in an MMORPG, story is only half of it. There is still an 'MMO' part that should be given just as much priority. Raids and PVP are important too Bioware. When we finish the monthly chapter with a character, we might go to another character and play it out, but what then? PVP and Raiding are what we do in between, for at least 90% of the story down time. At least one new Warzone map a year could be enough to satiate the PVP community (in addition to ranked seasons and already existing content of course), two new raids an expansion could bring back hardcore raiding guilds and increase server population and competition. And a story that makes players feel they are in full control of their characters by making choices that actually matter will allow RPers to fall all that more in love with the beautiful game you have created.

 

SWTOR was great 5 years ago. Empire fought Republic, and players eagerly progressed through mountains of content. 2 additional expansions gave us hope for a greater future of our gameplay experience with SWTOR. With this last expansion, Bioware explored a lucrative business model and new ways of developing content, that in the end, left some curious as to what the future of SWTOR might be. Will we continue with this "Sub for Chapters" model? Will choices end up actually mattering like other Bioware titles? Will more MMO content be created to reinvigorate a seemingly bored community? Only time will tell. And I hope that Bioware will keep these things in mind when they prioritize their development of a great game.

[TUXs]

Good post! I hope we see repeatable group content, better story, new emotes and new PvP maps in 2017!

[Aowin]

I preferred KOTFE over RotHC and SoR personally. Ironically enough, the "MMO" part of SWTOR has always been its weakest aspect. The raiding is mediocre. The PvP is mediocre. The repeatables are beyond horrendous. Flashpoints had some potential with BioWare Storytelling, but BioWare only did that truly with a handful of its earliest fps.

 

The best part of endgame for SWTOR was Ilum World PvP and that was removed after the first month of release. I'd rather BioWare sticks to what its good at: BioWare storytelling.

 

Please, BioWare. Continue what you are currently doing. I'm very much looking forward to KOTET and I have not been this invested in SWTOR since launch. Thanks for your hard work.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Aowin

[DarthDymond]

Please, BioWare. Continue what you are currently doing. I'm very much looking forward to KOTET and I have not been this invested in SWTOR since launch. Thanks for your hard work.

Pretty much this. If BW can put together a new Op or a couple new FPs as part of KotET, the way they had TEC and the new WZs in KotFE, I'm all in favor of that. But more than anything what I want to see is the continuation of this experiment where episodic Story updates, instead of max-level, repeatable group content, are used as the proverbial 'main event' for driving subscriptions.

 

There will always be MMOs that have raiding or PVP as their main draws, but I like that SWTOR is expanding the MMO paradigm to include ongoing story content as another viable focus. (Again, not to say that there shouldn't be any other stuff added at all - even a raiding focused game should throw in an occasional new Daily Area or PVP arena, and SWTOR should periodically add some new group stuff, too.)

[Aowin]

...

 

I agree with this entirely. As I said, SWTOR is very mediocre when it comes to the MMO aspect of the game. If I wanted raiding, I could go to WoW, Wildstar, Rift, etc. If I wanted PvP, I could go to ESO, Darkfall Online, EVE, etc. There are plenty of other MMOs that are far better at MMO content than SWTOR.

 

What SWTOR does best is its storytelling, and KOTFE was a huge step in the right direction for what SWTOR should be. I'm glad BioWare is continuing this strategy with KOTET and I hope this is something BioWare will continue to do with future expansions.

 

I haven't had my subscription active this long since launch and that's because of this new expansion model. I didn't care to stick around for RotHC or SoR because nothing about the game was compelling enough to stick around. Not to say there shouldn't be some new wzs, fps, and ops on occasion, but that's not what makes SWTOR stand out.

 

This is coming from an MMO vet who was a top progression raider and a top PvPer.

[Theradonh]

I agree with this entirely. As I said, SWTOR is very mediocre when it comes to the MMO aspect of the game. If I wanted raiding, I could go to WoW, Wildstar, Rift, etc. If I wanted PvP, I could go to ESO, Darkfall Online, EVE, etc. There are plenty of other MMOs that are far better at MMO content than SWTOR.

 

What SWTOR does best is its storytelling, and KOTFE was a huge step in the right direction for what SWTOR should be. I'm glad BioWare is continuing this strategy with KOTET and I hope this is something BioWare will continue to do with future expansions.

 

I haven't had my subscription active this long since launch and that's because of this new expansion model. I didn't care to stick around for RotHC or SoR because nothing about the game was compelling enough to stick around. Not to say there shouldn't be some new wzs, fps, and ops on occasion, but that's not what makes SWTOR stand out.

 

This is coming from an MMO vet who was a top progression raider and a top PvPer.

 

Couldn't agree more. The reason why I play swtor is a Star Wars story. I wouldn't pay for more raiding, PvP etc. because WoW (& other mmos) do everything way better it's the star wars story that keep me playing swtor... but they need to increase the quality of the story (choices matter, different storys for imp/rep (or even classes would be a dream)) etc etc.

 

And of course : The story content is too less.. 30-45 min story / month is not enough too keep some1 playing.

So they need : more story content or other content like raiding etc as a bonus.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Theradonh

[Aowin]

...

 

I agree with this. I'd like to see more substance in the story content and for chapters to extent a bit longer, if not just more chapters entirely. That really is what BioWare should be investing most of its budget into as it's the one thing SWTOR can truly say only it does in the MMO genre. If BioWare can get the storytelling quality on par with KotOR 1, KotOR 2, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, I'll be very happy.

[GythralSWTOR]

I agree with this. I'd like to see more substance in the story content and for chapters to extent a bit longer, if not just more chapters entirely. That really is what BioWare should be investing most of its budget into as it's the one thing SWTOR can truly say only it does in the MMO genre. If BioWare can get the storytelling quality on par with KotOR 1, KotOR 2, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, I'll be very happy.

 

Very much this, all the rest is just icing and often done better elsewhere

[AlienEyeTX]

All I really want is more story, more PvP maps, and customizable companions.

[DarthSpuds]

IWhat SWTOR does best is its storytelling, and KOTFE was a huge step in the right direction .

 

SWTOR "best at storytelling" and then cite KotFE as an example.

 

Cite the Agent Storyline, Sith Warrior, heck even the Jedi Consular if you must.

 

But KotFE!

 

ROFLCOPTER

 

All The Best

[Lunafox]

For myself personally, I'm interested in more story chapters, and would like new strongholds. That's my focus, that's what I enjoy and would like to see. It's nice to see a game where story is the main focus, and I hope they continue to do that and improve and develop the way stories are done.

 

That's not to say that others shouldn't get the kind of content they like, I hope they can manage to do that too, but for me, story is where it's at, always has, always will be.

[ATAMIANM]

For me, it would be story that culminates in ops that are repeatable, much like SoR and the Dread Masters. I don't need a story as long or as repetitive as KoTFE, maybe half the length with ops afterwards.

[Nempo]

Honestly? OPs can stay dead and buried forever IMO. Raid mentality usually ends up destroying games and forcing all kinds of balances upon everyone else, destroying classes in the process.

 

However, new FPs seriously need to happen. Hell follow the path of the Torch FP and you can create wings that can only be done one at a time. Picking one path locks you out of the others till next week. It slows raid/FP progression and you can extend the FP like a spider web from there after the first round of bosses is made.

[SerraShar]

I personally rather they stop Lying and Misleading the community . It's dishonest and give a very negative ''We don't care'' from the Dev of this game .

 

And I mean the lying ''Sub today and face your destiny in an awesome Final Showdown against Arcann'' .

 

''Play today and embarque on an adventure where your choices matters ! Decide Today!''

 

Here a tip : Peoples will be more ''Tolerant'' toward Honest peoples then those who keep using a Lawyer speech , vague and say nothing beside ''We have tons of awesome stuff coming , stay Tuned'' .

 

It really all come off as bait , and nobody like that .

 

And before the nay sayer get over here , just remember : We talking about experimented peoples . Not some Noob Bioware that was just born . And there isn't another Star Wars outta there or peoples would have sailed there already and wouldn't waste time here complaining . Also exusing such a thing? it's enabling .

 

So yeah bottom line . Tell peoples the Truth . Instead of we are doing Stuff and we will make stuff somewhere in the futur (wich could be a hundred years from now) . And stop with the Misleading . And don't tell me Koth choice matter . Arcann is supposed to be the final Boss of that damn chapter , not Koth .

 

P.S: where are my so promised years ago gay romance ?

[LyraineAlei]

SWTOR "best at storytelling" and then cite KotFE as an example.

 

Cite the Agent Storyline, Sith Warrior, heck even the Jedi Consular if you must.

 

But KotFE!

 

ROFLCOPTER

 

All The Best

Class stories were the best, but if anyone were really expecting the resources SWTOR gets to develop stuff with to be enough for a lot of class stories, I'm laughing at them. I was personally hoping KotFE would be more like RotHC with a faction-y type of story that still followed the same trail or something.

 

RotHC and SoR were also good stories *ducks under complaints about Revan*. KotFE's story problem is that it was so focused on a story to suit Jedi or Sith characters that the other four classes were poorly shoehorned in (Ziost even calls out BW on it with "Why me? I'm just a Agent/BountyHunter/Smuggler/Trooper, what makes me a threat to the Emperor?" dialogue option where Lana proceeded to poorly handwave it all off with "Because your force of will is so strong" or something. SoR, and RotHC were better stories than KotFE because any class could believably be on those stories, even as SoR had us go from "a Hero of the Republic/Empire" to "The Hero."

 

I personally subscribe because I don't want to choose what characters I want to keep playing should I unsub, but I mostly play through the base game content more.

 

A lot of story people are happy with just a little story to be our "motivation" to be doing XYZ. I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe if the Alliance could have more stuff to do with PvP than just the one companion faction side (maybe PvP for Alliance Base Upgrades, and also FP/OPs for Alliance Base Upgrades, for example), and Gravestone Stronghold-style decorating along with a less Make-A-Trooper-Into-A-Jedi-Or-Something storyline where we were still "The Hero" but not quite "The Force-Chosen One."

 

Bah humbug. And I'm a story player, a dying breed since I qualify as a "hardcore" story player.

 

PvP only needs a new map twice a year to keep them happy, I think. The Oddessan map would have been great for SoR with a Yavin theme, and then when KotFE was released, the Odessan map could have been released. Throw in an Alliance arena for a Friendly Republic vs Imperial Arena match. A Hutta Huttball map. Korriban Empire vs. Republic map set for during Prelude to SoR.

 

I can understand OPs being a bit more to create, but I would imagine going through the old Ops and FPs and fixing bugs would keep that crowd happy. Throw in a loot table for more decos to drop as well, for example. Why not a statue of Kephess *assumes there isn't one at this time, but she could be wrong*?

[Tieru]

Class stories were the best, but if anyone were really expecting the resources SWTOR gets to develop stuff with to be enough for a lot of class stories, I'm laughing at them. I was personally hoping KotFE would be more like RotHC with a faction-y type of story that still followed the same trail or something.

 

RotHC and SoR were also good stories *ducks under complaints about Revan*. KotFE's story problem is that it was so focused on a story to suit Jedi or Sith characters that the other four classes were poorly shoehorned in (Ziost even calls out BW on it with "Why me? I'm just a Agent/BountyHunter/Smuggler/Trooper, what makes me a threat to the Emperor?" dialogue option where Lana proceeded to poorly handwave it all off with "Because your force of will is so strong" or something. SoR, and RotHC were better stories than KotFE because any class could believably be on those stories, even as SoR had us go from "a Hero of the Republic/Empire" to "The Hero."

 

I do understand the complications of resources, but I do feel that they could reprioritize. I love raids, but I love Flashpoints more, don't get me wrong. FPs are far easier to organize and run, and can be fun PVE content in and of themselves. I just think a little content can satiate a crowd.

 

I completely agree with the SoR "ducks under complaints about Revan", I loved the story even though I think it was a cop out. I am not asking that they recreate their storyline, or make class specific storylines again (even though that would make me happier than anything I have before stated), but I do think they could put some more thought and get some more community input (even though I firmly believe in creating your own 'work of art' without trying to please everyone).

 

There is a lot more 'force user' focus in KotFE then is probably prudent. I am just hoping that they amend some mistakes with a few SUBTLE (not so heavy handed as Ziost) course corrections with KotET. I hope they listen to what everyone has to say in the community and make an appropriate decision. Because I really do like this game, and wish the best direction from the devs and producers.

[gabigool]

Well written, OP. It does seem the ice is thawing a bit from the studio and they have begun to understand the necessity of having a healthy endgame to keep players engaged. IMO "story" can't be as much of a focus as a trademark. There is no studio on earth that has the capacity to deliver enough pure story to keep players engaged on its own.

 

Ironically enough, the "MMO" part of SWTOR has always been its weakest aspect. The raiding is mediocre

 

This is ridiculous.

 

Both Operations and PvP in this game are incredible. They are simply not supported properly, and have not been since launch. The vast majority of PvE/PvP focused players that have left have done so reluctantly. There is zero doubt in my mind that this game could very easily sustain large communities on both sectors.

 

I won't get into the PvP side of things. There are people far more capable of describing it. The interview with Musco a few weeks back nailed most of it.

 

There is certainly much to be done on the PvE side - specifically in creating a logical bridge over the chasm between KotFE-esque content and the more difficult content. However, as in the past, guilds can and will cover up a lot of the structural weaknesses of the current endgame environment. The dearth of content has destroyed your endgame guild community. Its return can bring it back. Content cadence has to change. I think BW is still just beginning to understand how much value to the game - literally, value - guilds provide.

 

And no, I'm not talking about the "hardcore" maniacs people on these forums like to dream up that are 99% fairy tale. I'm talking about the groups that get together twice a week for a couple hours to have some fun and tackle some challenges.

 

Players that have spent time raiding in this game generally enjoy it. Moreso than elsewhere. I've watched players stick around for months - now over a year - after they've come to the conclusion that raiding is "dead" in this game solely out of hope something might change. Raiding in this game is fun. the group size is perfect. The combat is fun. The encounters have been unique and challenging.

 

Anyone who says otherwise has not spoken to many people who've focused on those aspects of this game. Period.

 

Operations have lacked only one thing - support. Bugs are allowed to linger for months. That's insanity. PvE class balancing has always been an afterthought, and when it is done it's done with an atomic warhead. Abilities aren't nerfed, they're obliterated. Exploits remain in place for months. Years, in some cases. And the tuning of bosses, at all tiers of difficulty, has been.... haphazard. And more often then not, the fixes turn out worse than the original problem.

 

An engaged group of CMs, effective dialogue, and prompt, tested reactions would improve the experience of endgame players by 100%. This isn't building a video game. This is basic, fundamental running a business.

 

Stop with this HHM nonsense. The gear should not be the goal. For most endgame players, it is not. It is the experience. The camaraderie. The challenge. The kill. The gear is a byproduct. Gear just happens.

 

As a studio, you should not want to foster the mindset of gear = better. Because it's flat wrong. If you truly care about your players doing more damage you should create an environment where they can learn how to. If you're simply trying to give them easy rewards, there are other rewards you should be able to think of.

 

Stop with this "normalization" of Operations. It doesn't work. It reduces the amount of content people have, except for nightmare raiders. There is nothing for groups to work on anymore. People have killed what they can kill. Walls exist. Overleveling opened a whole new tier of content to people.

 

The fact people new to the game have not done old content at level is not a problem you should have concerned yourself with. Because it wasn't a problem. Not having current content - that was a problem.

 

Stop with this "Hardmare" structure. The playerbase for such a structure simply does not exist in this game. If you want a vibrant endgame community - who, by the way, make you a heck of a lot of money - you need to bring back NM mode and stop trolling 80% of your playerbase by putting NM bosses in HM content. And your story mode makes no sense as it currently exists. If you want LFR (and I think you need it), do it. It seems like a lot of work to do it properly but when you don't render it obsolete with HHM or normalization people will play it for years.

 

Those are fairly obvious things I believe most raiding teams/guilds that have left would agree with. Those are things I believe most players who bought, subscribed to and play this game primarily to raid would agree with.

 

Spend less time trying to reinvent the wheel. Spend more time making sure things work properly. The raiding itself is fantastic, and could thrive if you just acted like it was important.

[Andryah]

The only thing they need to do differently, IMO, is to make FPs and 8 Man (small OPs) a priority to rollout along with the monthly story lines. If they are going to continue with monthly chapters, that's fine... but next season release an FP each month that is integral with the story and then toss in an 8 Man Op every 3-4 months. [Personally, given the number of people who want to run PuG OPs.... I don't see the need for much in the way of 16man or Hard Mode OPs.]

 

Of course even this will not be enough for some and so some people will hate on them no matter what they do I suspect.

 

Note: I object to threads that use the word "We" when pressing the studio on any point regarding content. It's simply not broadly applicable since most players regularly disagree with each other over content every day of the week in the forum.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Andryah

[ATAMIANM]

To each his or her own. I haven't played a flashpoint in years and prefer casual to HM ops. I enjoyed the stories when leveling but, If the game heads in a direction that is all PVE with mind-numbing ease and long cutscenes (like KotFE) I will be done. And I am by no means an elite raider. I am average at best. I like a mix of PVE and ops.

 

Honestly? OPs can stay dead and buried forever IMO. Raid mentality usually ends up destroying games and forcing all kinds of balances upon everyone else, destroying classes in the process.

 

However, new FPs seriously need to happen. Hell follow the path of the Torch FP and you can create wings that can only be done one at a time. Picking one path locks you out of the others till next week. It slows raid/FP progression and you can extend the FP like a spider web from there after the first round of bosses is made.

[AlienEyeTX]

The only thing they need to do differently, IMO, is to make FPs and 8 Man (small OPs) a priority to rollout along with the monthly story lines. If they are going to continue with monthly chapters, that's fine... but next season release an FP each month that is integral with the story and then toss in an 8 Man Op every 3-4 months. [Personally, given the number of people who want to run PuG OPs.... I don't see the need for much in the way of 16man or Hard Mode OPs.]

 

Of course even this will not be enough for some and so some people will hate on them no matter what they do I suspect.

 

Note: I object to threads that use the word "We" when pressing the studio on any point regarding content. It's simply not broadly applicable since most players regularly disagree with each other over content every day of the week in the forum.

 

A FP each month? I doubt it. But good on you for asking. Maybe a Heroic 4 each month instead? FP once per quarter and Ops every 6 months or so?

 

And please don't make those FPs mandatory for story. That was a major flaw with SoR.

[peter_plankskull]

Pretty much this. If BW can put together a new Op or a couple new FPs as part of KotET, the way they had TEC and the new WZs in KotFE, I'm all in favor of that. But more than anything what I want to see is the continuation of this experiment where episodic Story updates, instead of max-level, repeatable group content, are used as the proverbial 'main event' for driving subscriptions.

 

There will always be MMOs that have raiding or PVP as their main draws, but I like that SWTOR is expanding the MMO paradigm to include ongoing story content as another viable focus. (Again, not to say that there shouldn't be any other stuff added at all - even a raiding focused game should throw in an occasional new Daily Area or PVP arena, and SWTOR should periodically add some new group stuff, too.)

 

If their going to do that, then they better drop the act, and admit, right now, that they have no group content. Not ..." Yeah...we... were working on it! its been 18 months... but... we have something in the works... oh... it also may be a flashpoint... also maybe a warzone...so keep waiting and paying us for something you may not even like!" Not to mention I would prefer FAR more if they actually made a RPG rather than cramming it down a MMO.

 

Having a story focused MMO has literally none of the positives of a RPG, no multiple play throughs, different endings... anything... and suffers all the drawbacks of SWTOR in vanilla. I don't expect 8 epic stories or anything, but I expect at least some basic throwbacks to the class I play, my past experiences and travels... something to show my name in the galaxy... KOTFE has.... none of that... it's in their own dimension completely separate from everything. Not to mention you get complaints, which I add are valid, that... their is literally not a single ounce of PVE group content added in. KOTFE needs to be a RPG... not a MMO.

Edited August 17, 2016 by peter_plankskull

[Lunafox]

The only thing they need to do differently, IMO, is to make FPs and 8 Man (small OPs) a priority to rollout along with the monthly story lines. If they are going to continue with monthly chapters, that's fine... but next season release an FP each month that is integral with the story and then toss in an 8 Man Op every 3-4 months. [Personally, given the number of people who want to run PuG OPs.... I don't see the need for much in the way of 16man or Hard Mode OPs.]

 

Of course even this will not be enough for some and so some people will hate on them no matter what they do I suspect.

 

Note: I object to threads that use the word "We" when pressing the studio on any point regarding content. It's simply not broadly applicable since most players regularly disagree with each other over content every day of the week in the forum.

 

If they include the FPs with the story, I do hope they will give the option of having a god bot buddy so that solo players like me can see the story, because there was a time, where people like me could only get so far and never see the ending, if the ending was the FP or the Op and that really sucked. I was never so happy in this game as when they allowed soloers like me to see everything. I was so disappointed back then, because it's like starting a book or program and never getting to see the end. So if there is a solo option, cool, I'm up for that. And of course, I don't expect the same caliber of rewards as those who group. I just want to see/experience the story to know what happened.

 

And like you, I really hate threads that start with "We" and resent that a bit here with this thread.

[Aowin]

KOTFE needs to be a RPG... not a MMO.

 

This is a silly and pointless argument to make. MMOs ten years ago were not what they are today. I remember a time when raiding was NOT an MMO staple. Nobody cried back then that raiding was "ruining" the MMO. WoW changed the MMO genre with its theme park approach and it's focus on endgame being raiding and arena PvP. Before then, most MMOs were open world sand box experiences that were player-driven with very little content being dictated by the developer. MMOs before WoW were much more self-sufficient and were actually community-based games.

 

Now we see BioWare trying to change the genre again, just as WoW did a decade ago, and "MMO players" are claiming SWTOR needs to be an "MMO" and not an RPG. This is ridiculous. I welcome change and evolution in a genre that has remained stagnant and averse to trying something new for far too long. Too many MMOs are just carbon copies of WoW, and SWTOR tried to do that after BioWare realized it couldn't maintain eight class stories. This is why SWTOR has been struggling all these years because it tries to be something it is not.

 

You don't beat WoW by copying it. You beat WoW by doing something different that it can never do. That's what story is capable of for SWTOR and it's the only feature that truly sets this MMO apart from the rest. As I said, raiding, PvP, all of the traditional "endgame" in this game is mediocre and plenty of other MMOs do it far better. If BioWare wants SWTOR to remain lucrative and continue to maintain its own niche in this competitive genre, story is the only way to go.

[peter_plankskull]

This is a silly and pointless argument to make. MMOs ten years ago were not what they are today. I remember a time when raiding was NOT an MMO staple. Nobody cried back then that raiding was "ruining" the MMO. WoW changed the MMO genre with its theme park approach and it's focus on endgame being raiding and arena PvP. Before then, most MMOs were open world sand box experiences that were player-driven with very little content being dictated by the developer. MMOs before WoW were much more self-sufficient and were actually community-based games.

 

Now we see BioWare trying to change the genre again, just as WoW did a decade ago, and "MMO players" are claiming SWTOR needs to be an "MMO" and not an RPG. This is ridiculous. I welcome change and evolution in a genre that has remained stagnant and averse to trying something new for far too long. Too many MMOs are just carbon copies of WoW, and SWTOR tried to do that after BioWare realized it couldn't maintain eight class stories. This is why SWTOR has been struggling all these years because it tries to be something it is not.

 

You don't beat WoW by copying it. You beat WoW by doing something different that it can never do. That's what story is capable of for SWTOR and it's the only feature that truly sets this MMO apart from the rest. As I said, raiding, PvP, all of the traditional "endgame" in this game is mediocre and plenty of other MMOs do it far better. If BioWare wants SWTOR to remain lucrative and continue to maintain its own niche in this competitive genre, story is the only way to go.

 

I'm guessing you only read the end part of my post...

 

You don't beat WoW by copying it... well... they kind of copied like their entire combat system top to bottom. As I said before, if they want SWTOR be a RPG, tell us, right now, up front, that you don't have a operation, FP, or any group related content, not coming soon, in the future, or maybe, a yes.... or a no. Then tell us what it is, and then we will be happier. Not to mention they need like... some actual positives to having a story driven game in a MMO as at the moment, they hold nothing of importance over a RPG while trying to shoehorn the old SWTOR into it.

[DarthDymond]

The only thing they need to do differently, IMO, is to make FPs and 8 Man (small OPs) a priority to rollout along with the monthly story lines. If they are going to continue with monthly chapters, that's fine... but next season release an FP each month that is integral with the story and then toss in an 8 Man Op every 3-4 months. [Personally, given the number of people who want to run PuG OPs.... I don't see the need for much in the way of 16man or Hard Mode OPs.]

 

Of course even this will not be enough for some and so some people will hate on them no matter what they do I suspect.

 

Note: I object to threads that use the word "We" when pressing the studio on any point regarding content. It's simply not broadly applicable since most players regularly disagree with each other over content every day of the week in the forum.

Monthly story chapters plus a FP "each month" and an Op every 3-4 months? I... really do not think they have the capacity to produce that kind of output, at least nothing I've seen to date indicates to me that they do.

 

Based on the fact that they were able to produce 17 Chapters, TEC, a WZ, and an Arena and over the course of 11 months, if they went all-in on PVE Group Content as the additional content I would suspect the KotET cycle would be more likely to manage a similar number of Chapters, one or two Ops, and two, maybe three FPs. (That's if they stuck with FPs and Ops - the way they've been cagey about what type of Group Content they're working on, I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying something different instead.)

Edited August 17, 2016 by DarthDymond