People On The Fence: What Would It Take To Keep You

[Tippor]

This post is a discussion for people who are seriously considering dropping their sub for KotET. I've seen it said, both here and on other forums, that a lot of people are considering leaving due to <insert issue here>. My question is, what would you need to see in 2018 to return if you choose to leave? Or, if you are going to stick it out, what do you need to see in 2018 SWTOR to be retained?

 

This may have been discussed previously, if so, pardon my lack of search function. I'm just curious what others want to see in 2018 since we basically know what we're getting this time around.

 

For me, it's pretty easy. I have a lot of pipe dreams for this game. I've posted them elsewhere in other threads, returning to class stories, etc. But, realistically as far as I'm concerned, I will need to see my companions back. Preferably, all of them. But, barring that, the LIs specifically. I play the game for the story only and replay value, I'm too old to raid (eyesight is bad and I won't put other players through it).

 

Curious what others would need to see in 2018 to come back or stay...

[TheRandomno]

What about 2017?

[KnightOfTython]

Raiders and challenges are not welcome in casual games and 5.0 confirmed this again. Enough said.

[LyraineAlei]

I'm wavering, personally. Like it's keeping me for now, but these would solidify me away from wavering to certainty.

 

Companions on a timeline of release. I don't have to know how they return, just that in X Month, Companion A returns.

 

I'm still working to "grind" out Oricon, CZ, GSI, Section X rep zones reputations, but it would be nice if we had more dailies and weeklies. Denova was a great planet that could have become one, or the Swamps of Zakuul as we help the locals build themselves into a militia (even if it does nothing story-wise, it's something to do), or the Zakuul city doing things to improve the Alliance's rep among the civilians (or not, sabotage stuff, help people, stuff).

 

Give signs that something more than just "story" is really being added to the game as new stuff, not just revamping things. After I do the story, I want to still do stuff (again, Denova was a wasted world that could have been used as a lanching zone for stuff as well).

 

A little more communication from BW that isn't just the sales pitch given on Twitter and FB, but on the forums. I hate how the forums seem like the last place BW posts things to.

 

And KotFE was a story that was truly, to me, more of a Jedi Knight continuation story as opposed to a full expansion for all of the classes. I hope KotET and beyond will do better with the balance of having stories that still make sense, force user or not.

[Tippor]

What about 2017?

 

Well, I'm counting 2017 for KotET. 2018 for whatever comes after it.

[Tippor]

I'm wavering, personally. Like it's keeping me for now, but these would solidify me away from wavering to certainty.

 

Companions on a timeline of release. I don't have to know how they return, just that in X Month, Companion A returns.

 

I'm still working to "grind" out Oricon, CZ, GSI, Section X rep zones reputations, but it would be nice if we had more dailies and weeklies. Denova was a great planet that could have become one, or the Swamps of Zakuul as we help the locals build themselves into a militia (even if it does nothing story-wise, it's something to do), or the Zakuul city doing things to improve the Alliance's rep among the civilians (or not, sabotage stuff, help people, stuff).

 

Give signs that something more than just "story" is really being added to the game as new stuff, not just revamping things. After I do the story, I want to still do stuff (again, Denova was a wasted world that could have been used as a lanching zone for stuff as well).

 

A little more communication from BW that isn't just the sales pitch given on Twitter and FB, but on the forums. I hate how the forums seem like the last place BW posts things to.

 

And KotFE was a story that was truly, to me, more of a Jedi Knight continuation story as opposed to a full expansion for all of the classes. I hope KotET and beyond will do better with the balance of having stories that still make sense, force user or not.

 

I bolded the part that has really stuck in my craw about KotFE, as well. The story just doesn't fit all of the classes. Why would Valkorian want anything to do with a trooper, or an imperial agent? What do they have that he wants? They have no connection to the force. It was a weird, shoehorn style approach to an expansion plot. I would hope they don't repeat this in the future, as well. Not that it wasn't well written, just wasn't well written for non force users, I agree.

 

I also agree on the dailies and weeklies.

[LyraineAlei]

I bolded the part that has really stuck in my craw about KotFE, as well. The story just doesn't fit all of the classes. Why would Valkorian want anything to do with a trooper, or an imperial agent? What do they have that he wants? They have no connection to the force. It was a weird, shoehorn style approach to an expansion plot. I would hope they don't repeat this in the future, as well. Not that it wasn't well written, just wasn't well written for non force users, I agree.

 

I also agree on the dailies and weeklies.

 

There was a thought in my head that I posted some time back that Valky decided that trying to directly control a Force User is too much work when he could take a non-Force User and use him/her. But the story as it is is all "Yer Actually a Force-User All Along" instead of leaving it ambiguous enough for players to decide if they want their characters to be FUs or not. But one story-fits-all is cheaper, I guess that branching further out.

[TheRandomno]

Well, I'm counting 2017 for KotET. 2018 for whatever comes after it.

 

They've confirmed there will be no monthly chapters this time, so 2017 isn't "booked up" at the moment.

[Tippor]

They've confirmed there will be no monthly chapters this time, so 2017 isn't "booked up" at the moment.

 

That's true, they did. So, then what would you need to see in the next expansion? Ignoring the 2018 part.

[Drenovade]

I need to see unobtainable content become available again. I'm talking about recruiting Nico Okarr as a companion, the HK-55 Bonus Chapter, and old cartel packs that don't show up on the CM anymore.

 

The idea of limited-time rewards should be that those players gets it for free(or a reduced cost), and at least give others the option of buying it from the CM rather than making it totally unavailable. There's not much point in special snowflakes if no one plays the game to appreciate them.

 

Keeping these kinds of important story-driven recruiting missions, story-relevant companions, and even a bonus chapter unobtainable just punishes new players and returning players because they weren't in a position to subscribe at a certain time. Especially the completionists who want to experience every bit of the game's content going for 100% completion.

 

Seriously, if this kind of content was made available again, I'd stick around much longer and invest more into the game. But as it stands, I know I can't get certain companions, do certain missions, and obtain certain gear so it just feels...meh.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Drenovade

[JainiaDral]

1) Clear, complete, and honest communication about the changes coming in 5.0.

 

2) Real information about how best to prepare for 5.0.

 

3) A reliable timetable for when we'll be getting our original companions back.

 

4) Ensuring that trying to gear even a single toon for future expansions isn't going to bore me to tears and overshadow the enjoyable parts of the game.

Edited October 25, 2016 by JainiaDral

[Belstaff]

I need to see unobtainable content become available again. I'm talking about recruiting Nico Okarr as a companion, the HK-55 Bonus Chapter, and old cartel packs that don't show up on the CM anymore..

 

I agree on the old cartel packs as those were purchases and not a reward for being subscribed at a certain time (or for a certain duration). As for the extra companions that those lucky enough to be subscribed got (I am not one of them) then I cannot agree - this was a one-off and despite the fact that I was not in the game at that time I support it being a one-off.

[SithKoriandr]

There was a thought in my head that I posted some time back that Valky decided that trying to directly control a Force User is too much work when he could take a non-Force User and use him/her. But the story as it is is all "Yer Actually a Force-User All Along" instead of leaving it ambiguous enough for players to decide if they want their characters to be FUs or not. But one story-fits-all is cheaper, I guess that branching further out.

 

If they actually came out in the story and said the non force users where now force users, the story would be so much better. However, they'd need to have the other classes actually start gaining some force abilities too

[TX_Angel]

This post is a discussion for people who are seriously considering dropping their sub for KotET. I've seen it said, both here and on other forums, that a lot of people are considering leaving due to <insert issue here>. My question is, what would you need to see in 2018 to return if you choose to leave? Or, if you are going to stick it out, what do you need to see in 2018 SWTOR to be retained?

 

2018? That is more than a year away...

 

It won't happen, the discussion is pointless, the content development team is gone, they would have to rebuild it from scratch and they clearly aren't going to do that. Even if they started tomorrow, it really would be a year before we saw new content, and that is just too long.

 

The game has passed the point of no return, if they had not started on new content at the start of this year and have something to launch next month, it is now too late.

[TX_Angel]

Well, I'm counting 2017 for KotET. 2018 for whatever comes after it.

 

^ That isn't remotely enough... To anyone who has been here for more than a year or two, it isn't enough...

 

Now sure, for brand new people, there is tons to do, except... finding someone to do them with will be interesting...

 

The game will soldier on in MX mode for awhile, but I believe we've seen the last of the big content this game will ever see...

[Eshvara]

Other than PvP and story, I honestly don't really care.

 

I don't like fp's or ops, group content in general except PvP. I don't think it's worth subbing just for PvP Though. A new expansion with a good story will get me back.

 

I understand that most players want the complete opposite! That said, I do think their decisions are poorly made.

[TX_Angel]

Other than PvP and story, I honestly don't really care.

 

I don't like fp's or ops, group content in general except PvP. I don't think it's worth subbing just for PvP Though. A new expansion with a good story will get me back.

 

I understand that most players want the complete opposite! That said, I do think their decisions are poorly made.

 

The old story was great, the new story is lame and stupid...

 

What blows my mind is that they never thought to sell story content on the CM... Make the sub simply about faster credit and XP gains, put all the content in the CM...

 

If they sold WZ maps, FP, OPs, and class story chapters in the CM, they'd make millions, I'd probably buy every one of them.

[SithKoriandr]

After KotET, if no new story content and no companion return, I'm more than likely to leave again.

[Tessie]

I need to see unobtainable content become available again. I'm talking about recruiting Nico Okarr as a companion, the HK-55 Bonus Chapter, and old cartel packs that don't show up on the CM anymore.

 

The idea of limited-time rewards should be that those players gets it for free(or a reduced cost), and at least give others the option of buying it from the CM rather than making it totally unavailable. There's not much point in special snowflakes if no one plays the game to appreciate them.

 

Keeping these kinds of important story-driven recruiting missions, story-relevant companions, and even a bonus chapter unobtainable just punishes new players and returning players because they weren't in a position to subscribe at a certain time. Especially the completionists who want to experience every bit of the game's content going for 100% completion.

 

Seriously, if this kind of content was made available again, I'd stick around much longer and invest more into the game. But as it stands, I know I can't get certain companions, do certain missions, and obtain certain gear so it just feels...meh.

 

So how much would you be willing to pay for those items in the cartel market? Are you willing to pay as much, or more, than the people who stayed subscribed for all those months? Is it really worth it to you to pay over $100 to get access to a 1 hour chapter? Or are you also wanting it substantially discounted from what everyone else had to pay?

[SithKoriandr]

So how much would you be willing to pay for those items in the cartel market? Are you willing to pay as much, or more, than the people who stayed subscribed for all those months? Is it really worth it to you to pay over $100 to get access to a 1 hour chapter? Or are you also wanting it substantially discounted from what everyone else had to pay?

 

^This

 

People payed for the exclusive content. Content they said would not be available any other way. To make it available some other way, basically means they were lied to.

[LunaticFringer]

Well, for starters... they'd have to just halt most of what they have planned for 5.0 and the patch they're rolling out this morning. IE freezing WZ commendations with almost no warning (we should've been given weeks of prep for this).

 

I think it is a moot point as to what would get people to stay though; they're going to do what they want to do and they are not listening to their vets save for the ones that are A-ok with what they do. Essentially, the target audience feels like it is becoming anyone that won't argue with whatever changes they're making. Just play it and like it and shut up. It feels like that is what they want from their playerbase.

 

They don't want raiders, prog teams, people that like the gear set-up now. They want people that'll just go with the DvL grind. And, hey, if they want fewer people around... they'll get it. Key point... hey... guess what? Raiders liked knowing what boss to get x piece of gear from and the challenge of doing it... not... ooo boy... we're getting 2-3 bags this run that *might* have something I can use in it.

 

When I say "They"... I don't mean the Devs... I mean whomever is in charge of making decisions. This, to me, still feels like NGE scale sweeping changes. That needs to stop. That'd be what it'd take to keep the people that are thinking about leaving if they haven't cancelled sub already.

 

I've already shared my critique though. Use a F2P system like STO's (just one example), leave most of what we have the hell alone, and just move some Cartel Items to those Command boxes... and everything will at least settle down. Push it live and that's pretty much it.

 

Doesn't take a whole lot of research to see that we already had RNG gear bags in this game before and surprise... not many liked it. Which is why we eventually wound up with the gearing system we have now. This is some backtracking design that feels like the current Dev team isn't aware of the game's mechanical history.

 

Again, about the only thing I'm ok with is doing away with pvp gear. That is something I hope works out well because I never liked that since I first saw it in WoW. Before that, in things like SWG... we only ever had one piece of gear and it was neat.

 

As my rant comes to a close though I'd say what it may take to keep some people may actually be what Final Fantasy had to do. Just give players a warning and shut it down for a year, if that is what it takes, for a relaunch. And we better have most of our stuff waiting for us.

 

BoL passes... stealth removal of passes... I get they want Subs... but they've got to stop. That's how some people even get a guild member to play with them and they're pretty much killing that.

 

I apologize, OP, as I went a lil off the rails there... but I just don't see them keeping a chunk of the community after 5.0 hits.

[Kazanth]

Nothing they do could keep me subscribed. Finishing the class stories is the only reason I'm here, once they're done I'll probably come back for a month every expansion and then leave again.

[Eshvara]

The old story was great, the new story is lame and stupid...

 

What blows my mind is that they never thought to sell story content on the CM... Make the sub simply about faster credit and XP gains, put all the content in the CM...

 

If they sold WZ maps, FP, OPs, and class story chapters in the CM, they'd make millions, I'd probably buy every one of them.

 

Some of the old stories were great, in my personal opinion, only about 2, maybe 3. The rest were average.

I do really like kotfe and am looking forward to Kotet. If the story is similar or better than kotfe/kotet I'll sub again when it comes out, until then not so much.

 

There certainly isn't anything that would keep me subbed for a full year or even half. The monthly dlc would have maybe done that for me, but now that's gone I don't see the point.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Eshvara

[Tessie]

Expansions: A return to expansions that are more like Makeb or SoR than the KotFE/KotET chapters.

 

No more skytroopers: I don't want to have to keep killing wave-after-wave-after-wave of skytroopers as filler between cut scenes. The first time playing through the new chapters was really enjoyable. It just doesn't hold up when playing again on an alt. Making the chapters repeatable holds no interest for me, as I already do them too often when leveling alts.

 

Explorable Maps: I don't want linear stories on maps that loop back over themselves repeatedly. I want to have a sense that I'm in control of when and where I go, and which companions I do it with. The new chapters have taken away that sense of awe at the exploration of a planet.

 

Stop Gating Content: I don't want new events or features that gate their rewards behind unrelated content. I especially am tired of content that is gated behind a different playstyle than the content itself.

 

Options for Dailies: I enjoy daily areas like Black Hole and Belsavis. Adding new repeatable content (not the chapters) that allows for diversity in how we choose to spend our daily grind time would be nice.

[americanaussie]

No more skytroopers. I second that. Can we have a skytrooper big bonfire party?