What Does BW Intend To Do With The Alliance Specialist System and Crate Rewards?

[arunav]

Can a developer at least let us know if there is an expected increase in the influence cap past 20, and if crate contents are going to change in KotET?

 

At the moment, many players complete heroics every week and accumulate alliance crates. Among the people I know well, it's a common question as to whether or not we should continue turning these in or save them.

 

A second concern is will the legacy-bound shells change once KotET begins?

 

There is plenty of other gear from the game that could be made legacy-bound and added in, both past endgame tiers (Revanite and Centurion are two commonly requested ones) and variations on regular gear still available in some form (for example, hood-down versions of armor sets commonly seen on quest-givers and throughout the game in cutscenes that are unavailable to players). I'm sure a lot of folks would also appreciate having access to armor sets with large shoulder pads or other "visual progression" indicators from the launch era, now obsolete, removed.

 

Sure, you could make "Classic" CM packs with this gear, but you might also simply put it in the actual game.

 

The Alliance Specialist system is currently useful for getting some older endgame sets, plenty of crystals as you go through the various ranks, and companion gifts. Now that 4.0 is coming to a close, I think a lot of us are wondering what else it will be used for, and, as mentioned above, what we should do with accumulated crates.

 

While I'm certainly not expecting or demanding any answer, many of us would appreciate knowing some of BW's plans for this system.

Edited August 31, 2016 by arunav

[DreadtechSavant]

Guess we won't know for a while, However if you have already reached level 20 with the specialist's then best just keep them in case. If the cap does not increase then you can hand them in later. I really don't see the issue here at all. To me this is just an attempt to get info early.

 

Are SWTOR fans the only fans in the universe that have zero patients? lol, sometimes it seems like it.

 

 

I guess as you did say not expecting an answer, maybe I am being a bit hard. I think a better use of this thread would have been a general list of questions to the BW team concerning the next xpac. At least BW will know what players are asking, so when they can give info out they will at least have a list.

Edited August 31, 2016 by DreadtechSavant

[SFDebris]

Are SWTOR fans the only fans in the universe that have zero patients? lol, sometimes it seems like it.

 

I have zero patients, which makes my correspondence degree from the Virgin Islands School of Dentistry and Fish Husbandry seem a real waste.

[lightSaberAddiCt]

Think the word he was shooting for is patience Edited August 31, 2016 by lightSaberAddiCt

[LyraineAlei]

Toss 'em into your legacy bank for alts that may or may not be going through KotFE, or keep cashing the crates in for the armor sets if you're still missing stuff (or so I would assume, I haven't maxed the specialists yet so I don't know if they stop accepting crates).

 

It would be nice if having the Specialists at higher levels did do something though.

[DreadtechSavant]

Think the word he was shooting for is patience

 

OK, so English is not my first language. Yes was meant to put patience. lol

[annabethchase]

I really don't see the issue here at all. To me this is just an attempt to get info early.

 

Are SWTOR fans the only fans in the universe that have zero patients? lol, sometimes it seems like it.

 

Actually it is now 11:36 on August 31st. So starting in 30 minutes we are literally paying a sub for nothing that's been announced. What are we getting in September for our current months sub? Note, the HK chapter was for subbing all year through August, not September.

 

Something like the alliance specialists could absolutely come into play right now. No reason to wait for the next expansion to make use of something that was a feature in this one. Literally, it's like a stronghold that decorates itself. It's visually neat, but has no current function.

[LyraineAlei]

Actually it is now 11:36 on August 31st. So starting in 30 minutes we are literally paying a sub for nothing that's been announced. What are we getting in September for our current months sub? Note, the HK chapter was for subbing all year through August, not September.

 

Something like the alliance specialists could absolutely come into play right now. No reason to wait for the next expansion to make use of something that was a feature in this one. Literally, it's like a stronghold that decorates itself. It's visually neat, but has no current function.

 

Oooooh, I wanna decorate my Odessan base now. Got notihing else to add

[Mowermanx]

I think I have done too many heroics.

[Transcendent]

Literally, it's like a stronghold that decorates itself. It's visually neat, but has no current function.

 

Aside from convenient heroic terminals, PvP terminals (terminals galore!), Star Fortress entrance (hey the decos sell well), Rank 6 gift vendor, GTN, mailbox, personal and guild cargo bays, Crystal Vendors, rest area, no credit seller spam in chat (yet).

 

The only thing it is missing really is a Legacy Cargo Bay.

 

Nice views as well.

[Rolodome]

I think I have done too many heroics.

Vendor: Care to take a look at our ordinanc- Oh my god, what are you carrying?!?

 

*Corso comes into view with crates stacked up haphazardly on his shoulders*

 

Corso: Captain, are you sure it's necessary to carry these around?

 

Captain: Shut up, Corso.

 

*Corso greatly disapproves*

 

Corso: It's just, when you mentioned an inventory expansion, I didn't think this was what you had in mind.

 

Captain: Inventory expansion? They're only taking up three slots.

 

Corso: Yeah, well they weigh the size of three planets.

 

Captain: Corso, my friend, by the time you're done carrying those, you're going to be so buff- Hold, on, you've got one trying to fall there. You're going to be so- Whoa. Steady, Corso.

 

Corso: Oh no, Captain. I think they're coming down.

 

*crates fall like rain, scattering everywhere*

 

*a Roche Ice Cat falls out of a crate, crushing the Vendor*

 

Captain: Ohhhh... my. Eheh. Oops. That was a Vendor... wasn't it."

 

*+100 DS points*

 

Corso: I told you this was a bad idea, Captain.

 

Captain: I wanted to be Heroic, Corso. I wanted to be Heroic.

 

Corso: By repeating the same actions week after week?

 

Captain: That's what real heroes do, Corso. That's what real heroes do.

 

Corso: And do they kill Vendors as well?

 

Captain: That was an accident.

 

Corso: At least it wasn't a woman.

 

Captain: Corso, you'll be a scumbag yet.

 

Corso: So do we just leave or...

 

Captain: I'm considering keeping the Roche Ice Cat.

 

*+200 DS points*

 

Corso: Captain.

 

Captain: Yes?

 

Corso: Your darkness is showing.

 

Captain: Let me just toggle that off. Better now?

 

Corso: You could pass for a Jedi.

 

Captain: Who says I'm not? Maybe I've got force connections I just haven't talked about.

 

Corso: I knew a Jedi once. She was a beautiful woman, who deserved-

 

Captain: Shut up, Corso.

[SteveTheCynic]

It would be nice if having the Specialists at higher levels did do something though.

There are cosmetic things in the War Room phase on Odessen (listen to the various people complaining about things in the corridors). As they level up, the datapad in the commander's room near Hylo Visz gives self-completing quests that give you data crystals. If you are bothering with the Star Fortress missions, there are benefits to having the specialists at level 10+.

 

But that's it as far as I know.

[Mowermanx]

Vendor: Care to take a look at our ordinanc- Oh my god, what are you carrying?!?

 

*Corso comes into view with crates stacked up haphazardly on his shoulders*

 

Very good, I got a good laugh, reading that hearing Corso's voice.

[Erevan_Kindelar]

I think I have done too many heroics.

 

Until you need 8 cargo hold slots for the crates because you have reached 9999 in each stack, nope

(I'm about half way there at the moment)

[Tekyr]

Corso: So do we just leave or...

Captain: I'm considering keeping the Roche Ice Cat.

*+200 DS points*

Corso: Captain.

Captain: Yes?

Corso: Your darkness is showing.

Captain: Let me just toggle that off. Better now?

Corso: You could pass for a Jedi.

 

I laughed so hard. Reread the whole thing 3 times and still kept laughing. The whole dialogue is brilliant on so many levels. You should stop whatever it is you are doing for a living and apply for a job as writer at BW, seriously.

[DarthSpuds]

Vendor: Care to take a look at our ordinanc- Oh my god, what are you carrying?!?

 

*Corso comes into view with crates stacked up haphazardly on his shoulders*

 

Corso: Captain, are you sure it's necessary to carry these around?

 

Captain: Shut up, Corso....

.

 

You just made my day.

Best LOL moment I have had in weeks.

Even now the rest of the house is wondering what I am laughing about.

They wouldn't understand.

 

All The Best

[Deewe]

Vendor: Care to take a look at our ordinanc- Oh my god, what are you carrying?!?

 

*Corso comes into view with crates stacked up haphazardly on his shoulders*

 

Corso: Captain, are you sure it's necessary to carry these around?

 

Captain: Shut up, Corso.

 

*Corso greatly disapproves*

 

Corso: It's just, when you mentioned an inventory expansion, I didn't think this was what you had in mind.

 

Captain: Inventory expansion? They're only taking up three slots.

 

Corso: Yeah, well they weigh the size of three planets.

 

Captain: Corso, my friend, by the time you're done carrying those, you're going to be so buff- Hold, on, you've got one trying to fall there. You're going to be so- Whoa. Steady, Corso.

 

Corso: Oh no, Captain. I think they're coming down.

 

*crates fall like rain, scattering everywhere*

 

*a Roche Ice Cat falls out of a crate, crushing the Vendor*

 

Captain: Ohhhh... my. Eheh. Oops. That was a Vendor... wasn't it."

 

*+100 DS points*

 

Corso: I told you this was a bad idea, Captain.

 

Captain: I wanted to be Heroic, Corso. I wanted to be Heroic.

 

Corso: By repeating the same actions week after week?

 

Captain: That's what real heroes do, Corso. That's what real heroes do.

 

Corso: And do they kill Vendors as well?

 

Captain: That was an accident.

 

Corso: At least it wasn't a woman.

 

Captain: Corso, you'll be a scumbag yet.

 

Corso: So do we just leave or...

 

Captain: I'm considering keeping the Roche Ice Cat.

 

*+200 DS points*

 

Corso: Captain.

 

Captain: Yes?

 

Corso: Your darkness is showing.

 

Captain: Let me just toggle that off. Better now?

 

Corso: You could pass for a Jedi.

 

Captain: Who says I'm not? Maybe I've got force connections I just haven't talked about.

 

Corso: I knew a Jedi once. She was a beautiful woman, who deserved-

 

Captain: Shut up, Corso.

Enjoyed this so much!

 

Thanks

[lightSaberAddiCt]

Actually it is now 11:36 on August 31st. So starting in 30 minutes we are literally paying a sub for nothing that's been announced. What are we getting in September for our current months sub? Note, the HK chapter was for subbing all year through August, not September.

 

Something like the alliance specialists could absolutely come into play right now. No reason to wait for the next expansion to make use of something that was a feature in this one. Literally, it's like a stronghold that decorates itself. It's visually neat, but has no current function.

 

This is the problem with their chapter per month model. People expect something every month to "justify" their sub. You are getting full access to the game, unlimited credits, full access to warzones, operations and everything else granted for a subscriber.

[rklontz]

If you are at level 20 with the commanders save them for either alts or the next expac

[Andryah]

They have made it clear that they will not reveal new info until October.

 

So this thread is simply for "amateur navel gazing", target practice on the devs, or the ever popular forum PvP matches at this point.

[DarthSpuds]

They have made it clear that they will not reveal new info until October.

 

Well they need to do something before that.

 

We were told we would get an update on Subscriber Rewards.

 

With new content ending in August and not returning until possibly November they need to be letting us know what we'll be getting for staying subscribed in the interim period.

 

And in any company that actually gave a damn about its customers that info would have been released no later than the release date of the last new content.

 

And let's not pretend the HK chapter counts as "new content" because that isn't available to all players, heck its not even available to all current subscribers.

 

All The Best

[Andryah]

Well they need to do something before that.

 

You want them to.. but they do not need to. They will share when they are ready, not when players demand.

 

EVERY MMO studio provides some form of filler content to tide players over at the end of one expac and prior to the next one. Last year it was 12X. Clearly, this year in the lead up to the next expac.... the filler is the DvL event.

 

And I know a lot of players thumb their noses at the DvL event... but IMO it makes a nice change of pace leading up to 5.0. A lot of veterans have not run the old story arcs or planets for some time now, much less the older expac content.... so even though they complain... it is kind of a refreshing diversion when they actually stop complaining and actually participate. Of course any player that ran prior content to tedious ad nauseam levels would not feel this way... but that's not every player.

Edited September 1, 2016 by Andryah

[DarthSpuds]

You want them to.. but they do not need to. They will share when they are ready, not when players demand.

 

EVERY MMO studio provides some form of filler content to tide players over at the end of one expac and prior to the next one. Last year it was 12X. Clearly, this year in the lead up to the next expac.... the filler is the DvL event.

 

And I know a lot of players thumb their noses at the DvL event... but IMO it makes a nice change of pace leading up to 5.0. A lot of veterans have not run the old story arcs or planets for some time now, much less the older expac content.... so even though they complain... it is kind of a refreshing diversion when they actually stop complaining and actually participate. Of course any player that ran prior content to tedious ad nauseam levels would not feel this way... but that's not every player.

 

The DvL can't really be classed as an "event" and it's barely "filler".

 

People are thumbing their noses at it because they see through the PR spin and see it for what it is - nothing of substance, based on content that was old 3 years ago.

 

People complain because it is not in the least diverting, it is frustrating and boring, and it was old content 3 years ago.

 

Try and dress it up all you like, but content that was old 3 years ago is still old now, no matter what new reward they have invented for doing it.

 

All The Best

[LyraineAlei]

The DvL can't really be classed as an "event" and it's barely "filler".

 

People are thumbing their noses at it because they see through the PR spin and see it for what it is - nothing of substance, based on content that was old 3 years ago.

 

People complain because it is not in the least diverting, it is frustrating and boring, and it was old content 3 years ago.

 

Try and dress it up all you like, but content that was old 3 years ago is still old now, no matter what new reward they have invented for doing it.

 

All The Best

 

Better than the 12x EXP event, IMO, where 12x EXP only applied to Class story, so the metrics were skewed to show how players were playing story more than other stuff. 12x EXP event didn't even have a reward for finishing all of the classes in it. That was old content from years before that as well. *shrug* At least DvL rewards you for doing the hamster wheel.

[Andryah]

Better than the 12x EXP event, IMO, where 12x EXP only applied to Class story, so the metrics were skewed to show how players were playing story more than other stuff. 12x EXP event didn't even have a reward for finishing all of the classes in it. That was old content from years before that as well. *shrug* At least DvL rewards you for doing the hamster wheel.

 

^^ accurate assessment, IMO.

 

Filler, in between expacs... is.... FILLER. Something for players to do while waiting for the expac to drop. As filler goes, IMO, The DvL is one of the better ones in that it offers incentives to run old content under the new progression pace of 4.0 and gives players a chance to gain super rare CM items, achievements, titles, unique gear, etc.

 

12X was not all bad though.. as it gave an accelerated pathway for players to complete all 8 primary class story arcs (something that some players had done prior, but many had not).

 

Now.. if I was to make a suggestion for "busy work content play" in the month prior to the expac release... I would suggest they run all older events simultaneously (if that's even doable) so players can binge on their favorite events prior to 5.0 releasing. But since we already have a large event running... maybe they save this for next years summer/fall doldrums.

Edited September 1, 2016 by Andryah