Let me get this straight...

[DarthDymond]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

Glad to hear that - to date I've definitely been looking at KotET as a step backwards from KotFE (though still in the running for my second-favorite expansion), but if they follow through on this sentiment then it might take some of the sting out of losing the monthly chapter updates.

[Jerba]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

Alright, looking forward to Thursday's stream then.

[AlienEyeTX]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

I'm cautiously optimistic. We'll see if my sub gets re-activated. If the announcement is anything like the past few months, though... just can't do it.

[Cybrias]

Wow Eric all I can say is I'm really impressed. You have come out of hiding from the year of 2016 and actually address some of these tough threads. Keep it up I like it:rak_03:

[LudhaninRolgge]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

I don't want to sound alarmist or rude, but I really think you're doing too little too late. One op won't cut it, there needs to be more and a lot of support for said group content in the following patches. My subscription has run out and I don't plan to renew it anytime soon unless you made some serious commitment (not only SoonTM) and maybe a small part of the population you chased away will come back.

But as I said, op are not all, you need to take a serious look at class balance and seperate PvE and PvP balance otherwise you won't ever achieve anything close to balanced.

 

On another note, am I the only one still remembering this ?

 

• Gear with set bonuses are still reserved for Operations. Those are unique to that content and will remain as such.
  

[Talon_strikes]

2 - We definitely never said that. Although it is true that we are refocusing in on group and MMO content, that doesn't mean there is no more story coming.

Will the studio's focus be more than just Uprisings though? Because to be frank, there's a HUGE disdain for Uprisings from the vets right now. What the MMO vets really want more of is more Flashpoints, Operations, Warzones, Arenas, etc. Will this be the new focus this year? I hope you can be specific here. TYIA!

Edited January 23, 2017 by Talon_strikes

[Mubrak]

Well they said they were going to make a group content based focus for this year ( be that all year or first part of it ... tune in to the stream to find out ) so I wouldn't count on there being new story until late this year if we get another "expansion" ( though group content can have story of course ).

 

Confirmed! No content in 2017! OMG #SWTORISDYING (scnr)

Edited January 23, 2017 by Mubrak

[DemianThorne]

I'm very exciting with the announcement of announcement on Thursday's stream and with the RNG release.

[RudbekAlliance]

If this stream goes the way they usually do:

 

• focused on returning companions in a meaningful way, no timetable
  
• 8 man group content being worked on, more information in March or April
  
• subscriber perks/rewards
  
• bioware storytelling
  

 

If there's not details and a date for an operation on the next stream, even one months down the line, using that word was a gigantic mistake.

[Costello]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

Thank you for answering my previous question, even if you can't go into Specifics, if Charles can say Yes Jaesa is still on the table that would be great or say the plan is to bring back x, y and Z this year so we know who we can look forward to. Saying we want to bring them all back, I believe it but I what I want and what is possible are sadly different things.

 

On to my next question, will any 'story' content also be available solo? The change of focus has encouraged a different style of play, which is a good thing, a play your way approach, if you want to be a dps you can, you don't have to play a healer cause thats what your group need. Likewise if your comfortable in a more casual style and not about meeting dps checks you can play a lightning sorc or melee dps. And its nice to be able to see all the content and story via this method. So while we mention the dread masters and it was a good story and nice for it to close out after defeating them and get some dialogue, the current setup would make it so certain classes and roles are more preferable in Ops so may stop some people from seeing how the story ends.

Edited January 23, 2017 by Costello

[MeNaCe-NZ]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

Believe it when I see it but I will say if you were to be putting out an expansion similar to Oricon ( Yes expansion, it had more content than all of 5.0 ) I believe it would be the first step in "healing" the rift developing between community and dev house.

People want balanced content so if you can do a balanced cycle like 2.0 - wow that would be awesome even if somewhat reduced.

 

Suffice to say I personally don't believe it will happen but we'll see - a lot of peoples sub money will ride on this stream I'm sure.

[Talon_strikes]

Yes you need story for an Ops but it's ancillary. Raids are all about the mechanics. Oricon demonstrated that gating story behind raids is bad. KotFE demonstrated that gating repeatable content (EC and SF) behind story is bad. Neither should gate the other.

 

The minimal story needed for an ops should be thematically related to whatever the current story theme is but shouldn't gate anything. The Shadow of Revan expansion sorta got this right. Ziost (the world boss and boss-in-a-box) not so much although that can be worked around.

On a semi-related note the video game Halo 4 had a multiplayer that was gated behind its lore, thus leaving out playable Elites. That game was universally criticized for doing so, and one of the main reasons the game tanked in less than a year. No game's multiplayer should EVER be gated behind lore. It's a downright awful development design.

[Sargrith]

They need to add real MMO content and honest completely replace this broken gearing system. 5,0 brought nothing by solo player content and broke every aspect of the game all at once with rng.

[Psychopyro]

Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

Please never EVER do this again... Ending a SOLO quest line with a REQUIRED raid was one of the stupidest ideas you guys have ever had.

 

I have probably 6 characters STUCK on this part of the quest because I don't raid with those specific characters. There are other people in the same condition. You can also see where this is a bad idea with the Marcobinoculars and to a lesser extent (cause some classes can solo it) the Seeker Droid quest.. Also on that note, how soon before you fix these 2 quest lines so people can actually get them finished.

[RagnarAugustus]

If you've completely written the game/devs off, though, then why bother posting? It's one thing to give feedback if you believe it might make a positive impact - I wholeheartedly support people doing that - but if you honestly think that it's a lost cause, then I don't get what the point is.

 

Again this isn't a "love it or leave it" or "how dare you say anything bad about this game" issue. I think negative, constructive feedback is important if you're trying to influence a positive change. But once you've decided that the game in general is junk or that there's no point in listening to what the devs have to say... well, again, why come to their forums at that point?

 

He may have written off the devs based on their past performance, but the poster probably honestly loves the game and thinks his feedback may help show the devs that recent decisions that negatively impacted the game should be fixed or rescinded. I'd rather have passionate fans who love the game leaving actual feedback, even if critical, than having a forum of white knights suckling at Bioware's teat telling them "great job!" as they get their 22nd green bracer set from a Galactic Command crate.

[Talon_strikes]

He may have written off the devs based on their past performance, but the poster probably honestly loves the game and thinks his feedback may help show the devs that recent decisions that negatively impacted the game should be fixed or rescinded. I'd rather have passionate fans who love the game leaving actual feedback, even if critical, than having a forum of white knights suckling at Bioware's teat telling them "great job!" as they get their 22nd green bracer set from a Galactic Command crate.

I wish I could heart this post. I identify with it so much.

[Lionflash]

I'd rather have passionate fans who love the game leaving actual feedback, even if critical, than having a forum of white knights suckling at Bioware's teat telling them "great job!" as they get their 22nd green bracer set from a Galactic Command crate.

 

fortunately / unfortunately, this forum is neither.

[Hebruixe]

Eric,

 

You guys have said a lot of things that have never seen the light of day. Your team's reputation is more about what you guys have abandoned than what you have accomplished. Guess what? Until there's something more than Soon™ we. don't. believe. you.

 

Sadly this is true.

[cashtwomuchos]

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

DUDE! No way! It's really time to throw salt now, sorry you have to take it Eric, but i am also not sorry.

 

Yes Bioware is about storytelling and having companions and how you build relationships with them, not only in SWTOR but also in Mass Effect, Dragon Age and so on. But in no possible way has SWTOR the last few years come close to SWTOR as it has been.

 

I have played this game starting in the beta. It was GREAT. Going from level 1 to 50 with having all of these different stories, sidequests even being mandatory and they were great too. They had their own storylines. I cared about my companions, i had to make choices about who to take with me because their abilities were different, i needed influence on different ones, it mattered! Flashpoints were great, also woven into story. Raids were introduced, built on story and they felt great. Difficulties were introduced and it was all awesome.

Hell, even planets like Oricon, Makeb, Yavin, they all felt great within the story and enough to do to keep people satisfied for a long time. Ofcourse SWTOR has hit the "not much to do now" a couple of times before. But that is with every MMORPG, that is why there are expanions after a while. So no problem there.

 

But Eric! Things changed drastically. Perhaps we can even go back to the point where people weren't allowed to pick their own utilities in a skill tree anymore, but they were bound to those tiny boxes that they are now. Or when 4.0 hit and there was no increase in raid level difficulty. Or when KP and EV NiM were removed, because they had no extra mechanics so why bother to have them anyway? Or when everything was so damn simplified because people "would not understand it otherwise" ----> removing stances, removing abilities, removing different sorts of gear/stats, binding gear to a class, simplifying flashpoints, simplifying SM OPS, create the "general companion" spec, introduce reflect for too many specs (REALLY!?) and so on and on and on.

 

So many things that mattered in the early days of SWTOR are just a selling point now that is not being fullfilled. You talk about story and companions? Companions do not matter, they are all exactly the same but with different skins and voices. Story has dumbed down to one general story for each and every single class. Choices do not matter at all, just replay your chapter and experience different choices. A choice matters when you CANNOT turn back. The decision has been made and you will never see the other choice unless you create another soon to be hero. New planets starting @ KOTFE have no stories. They are empty shells with nothing to do but run through them because the chapters say so. The story chapters are good, absolutely! But compare them to SWTOR as it was up until 3.0 and it is nothing.

 

An MMORPG is meant to dig deep. To understand. It's difficult, it takes time and you get rewarded for it because you understand it all. You can make different choices, a lot of choices. Gearing is to be understood. People can finetune with different stats, to create their own unique meta if they want to. That is gone Eric.

 

The game has been oversimplified to get in the average retard who loves to play a singleplayer game and is willing to pay a monthly subscription for it. Well guess what, just turn down the damn servers, create SWTOR offline and give it a chat function so they can chat with others. Or don't, whatever.

 

I respect that you try to keep selling it to the crowd, but you damn well know, as any other SWTOR veteran out there: this game is absolutely nothing like it used to be. If you want it to be like the old days, as much as i want it to be, fullfill the expectations:

 

- Story divided into the different classes;

- New class(es);

- Complexity in stats, give people something to think about and build their own meta;

- Different companions, so choosing a companion matters;

- Getting a companion should be an effort (like getting HK parts back in the day);

- Something to do on new planets: dailies, bosses, heroics, whatever you can think of;

- Get gear from different places, hell split gear into pieces that are spread out across different activities, only way to get a gearpiece is to get all the pieces for that gearpiece;

- Reimplement complex skilltrees;

- Invent new ways of mechanics (if you need examples, let me know, i got a gazillion);

- Let people actually progress instead of grind, let them use their minds instead of pressing a button without thinking (and even getting results with it, a.k.a. press 1 and let your companion do the rest);

- Hire a new employee who knows art and create good looking cosmetics: it all looks the same now (or rehashed old cosmetics);

- New complex OPS;

- New complex group content in general (IT WAS HARD TO KILL COMMANDER MOKAN!);

- New ways for PvP, could be new GSF maps or warzones, or something in the open world. For example guild vs guild with leaderboards. Hell even silly minigames are fun from time to time;

 

I'm sure there are many more ideas, some of which i have said in this large comment, some of which others have better ideas. Stop letting this be EA's cashcow. There is no "thrill of the hunt", there is currently only "boredom of the hunt". Let there be thrill! Surprise us! Make it worth the money again as it was for a long time. Good luck.

[Krazhez]

Just to set some expectations... We do have a renewed focus on MMO and group content but this in no way means that we will only deliver that content and nothing else. Different content is not mutually exclusive, in fact it is often in support of each other (Oricon/Dreadmasters, as an example).

 

We are still BioWare, story and companions will remain a cornerstone of SWTOR.

 

-eric

 

Mentioning Oricon, makes me think you guys have looked back at 2.0. I'm hoping you did. A good mmo, is a well rounded mmo. We haven't had a good well rounded expansion since 2.0. Some of it was spread out sure, but it still dropped within the cycle.

 

"Keep holdin' on"

[Polobear]

 

We are still BioWare...

 

-eric

 

Actually, that's exactly what I'm afraid of.

[Jedi_riches]

Please never EVER do this again... Ending a SOLO quest line with a REQUIRED raid was one of the stupidest ideas you guys have ever had.

 

I have probably 6 characters STUCK on this part of the quest because I don't raid with those specific characters. There are other people in the same condition. You can also see where this is a bad idea with the Marcobinoculars and to a lesser extent (cause some classes can solo it) the Seeker Droid quest.. Also on that note, how soon before you fix these 2 quest lines so people can actually get them finished.

 

Yes I agree and hope Bioware learned from this too, Oricon is a real thorn in my side because it is not a quest I will ever complete yet it is stuck in my mission terminal along with the other SOLO content.

[Ottoattack]

I thought I might take a stab at adding clarity to some of your questions.

 

1 - I made a few posts on it last week, this is the main one. Here is the short version. Starting in 5.1 you can get Unassembled Pieces from Ops which you can turn in for gear. Playing PvP will give you Unassembled Components which you can turn in for an Unassembled piece to turn in for gear. Gear turn-ins require Command Tokens which are a Legacy-wide currency you get from Command Crates.

 

2 - We definitely never said that. Although it is true that we are refocusing in on group and MMO content, that doesn't mean there is no more story coming.

 

3 - Actually quite the opposite is true. Charles himself has said that his personal goal is to ensure that all original Companions come back in a meaningful way. The question is just when/how.

 

As an added note, I would recommend tuning into our stream this Thursday as we will be talking about some of these exact topics .

 

-eric

 

1) I assume you at least took a glance at the forums you are referencing. If not, please do so and enjoy the back lash.

 

2) You did add some group content, but Uprisings are not up to par and the remaining group content is more than 2 years old. Also why are there no planets, herocis or dailies in over 2 years?! Odyessen and Zakual do not count because they offer no replay-ability.

 

3) Hmm. I just want you to go play DA Inquisition or ME, which are products ironically from BW. Then come back and talk to us about "companions." What SWTOR has been offering in the last 2-3 years does not even qualify as mediocre.

 

I appreciate you responding, but you have not added much of value. Unless you have specifications it is smoke in mirrors.

Edited January 23, 2017 by Ottoattack

[PlasmaJohn]

Yes I agree and hope Bioware learned from this too, Oricon is a real thorn in my side because it is not a quest I will ever complete yet it is stuck in my mission terminal along with the other SOLO content.

Even though I raid I'm quite happy that I've maxxed my Oricon rep since I don't want those missions cluttering up my mission log on characters I'll never take through DF and DP.

[menofhorror]

WHen was the last time Bioware Austin had a roadmap hm?