Galactic Command Gearing Roadmap - Coming This Week

[MeNaCe-NZ]

The problem isn't that they announced that they are announcing changes, it's that the changes are NOT what their paying customers want to pay for. That is causing them to have fewer paying customers which means a smaller budget, less employees, less development which will mean fewer paying customers, etc. Over time that only goes one place. They've just accelerated the cycle dramatically with 5.x.

 

And as to what we mean by RNG, all they have to do is look at almost 4 months of posts to figure it out if they somehow missed it. RNG is now being used as an abbreviation for the term "Galactic Command, Command crate with a random, small chance to drop some piece of decent gear with a further random, small chance that it might be a useful piece of gear." BW is well aware of the fact that we are complaining about the entire RNG based system, we don't need to beat them over the head with that bit in every post.

 

I've no problem with anything you've said there - what I took issue with mostly in this thread were the "wow you're fixing it later we may as well not play now" crowd.

 

That implies the fixes ARE good enough because they would play later but it's just not soon enough and how dare Eric announce them so far ahead of schedule.

[ScottishDrunk]

Constructive criticism and feedback is important but we need to make sure it's in a manner that can't leave any room for confusion.

 

If anyone at BIOWARE is confused by the feedback, then I hope they have someone monitoring them to stop them sticking their face in a fan at any point during the day.

 

It's abundantly clear that they want this system and the players don't

It's abundantly clear they won't drop it, and instead make tweaks

It's abundantly clear they are not listening, or deliberately ignoring,their players when they make the aforementioned tweaks despite saying "we hear ya"

 

Right now I'd simply appreciate some honesty

See if you can't move back to the old model because EA say so.. tell us

See if there is a budget constraint holding you back from doing so.. tell us

See if there are any other reasons you aware pushing this so hard, in the face of what your player base has been telling you for months now, tell us

 

But tell us the truth, not the PR friendly answer

You've got an intelligent player base, 99% of whom can see right through any fluff they are given.

 

So level with us

Tell us exactly why you are so reluctant to scrap it

Tell us why, despite all the negative feedback, you still insist on trying to make it work when no one wants it

 

Just be honest, it'll help

 

People are more responsive when they know where they stand

[MeNaCe-NZ]

If anyone at BIOWARE is confused by the feedback, then I hope they have someone monitoring them to stop them sticking their face in a fan at any point during the day.

 

It's abundantly clear that they want this system and the players don't

It's abundantly clear they won't drop it, and instead make tweaks

It's abundantly clear they are not listening, or deliberately ignoring,their players when they make the aforementioned tweaks despite saying "we hear ya"

 

Right now I'd simply appreciate some honesty

See if you can't move back to the old model because EA say so.. tell us

See if there is a budget constraint holding you back from doing so.. tell us

See if there are any other reasons you aware pushing this so hard, in the face of what your player base has been telling you for months now, tell us

 

But tell us the truth, not the PR friendly answer

You've got an intelligent player base, 99% of whom can see right through any fluff they are given.

 

So level with us

Tell us exactly why you are so reluctant to scrap it

Tell us why, despite all the negative feedback, you still insist on trying to make it work when no one wants it

 

Just be honest, it'll help

 

People are more responsive when they know where they stand

 

Hey I'm happy having this system over the other system if they tweaked in a manner that made it more user friendly and less tome consuming to get gear.

 

The old system was far from perfect and GC in it's concept isn't bad at all ( everyone can get gear ) but that's about as far as it goes, it's implementation is and remains to be awful.

 

They just need to give up this idea on that they can force a grind and people will do it...

 

What am I saying ... half the issue is that people ARE doing it. "I hate this system! I'm rank 250 and it sucks!". They are going to go off metrics before they go off forum complaints.

 

If it turns out adding new content boost numbers as they want and people are still doing GC regardless of complaints then don't expect GC to change in any great fashion.

They'll assume us whingers gotta whinge and it was just new content they needed to add so keep trying to redo 5.2 style stuff more regularly.

 

And if they did add content like that regularly how many people would actually quit over GC? The only people it actually effects content wise are HM+ raiders and PVP players who feel like they are getting shafted by over bolster players. I doubt somehow they make up a massive amount of the game.

 

The #1 issue with this game isn't GC it's lack of content so that's where they are focusing and if numbers rebound from that focus they won't care too much about GC other than to wish Eric ... "Good luck out there".

[stoopicus]

Sorry I misread it to "I hope they do shut the game down" basically, my apologies.

 

no harm no foul

[GalacticKegger]

Put guaranteed loot back for all bosses for the relevant difficulty of the Op.

Frame this.

[GalacticKegger]

Those who are now arguing for the current CXP/Comannd Crate system are now saying Updates 3.*, 4.* were too easy to gear.

I doubt many of them were actually here to run operations when they were first released. My guess is that most are the 4.0 single player Force Awakens recruits Bioware brought in to replace the long time MMO veterans they ditched. Edited February 2, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[MeNaCe-NZ]

Again ITT: Causals casualsplaining. Lol 285 combined GC levels and killed multiple NiM bosses already

 

Sweet then you're almost already geared. Whatcha complaining about?

 

again in 5.0.

 

So you've done it before? Well guess you're not missing out much then eh?

 

Gearing system is garbage.

 

Yup but it's slowly getting better. They aren't going back to 3.0 or 4.0 gearing unfortunately so people really need to deal with this or move on. Or maybe they will - win/win.

 

Previous tier Chievios in sig and vids documented on twitch.

 

No one really cares.

 

Sry but try reach harder. Link me your cheivios and vids next time you want to talk about raiding

 

Or you will make edgey posts again?

 

But for real, Casuals need to stick to talking about how to dress up Satele what's her nuts

 

Nice job "pretending" you don't know her name.

 

and complaining Story Mode Chapters are too hard

 

Can't say I've seen this one but keep making stuff up - it's cool right.

 

not topics they have no knowledge of because killing relevant content is hard. /yawn

 

If you don't know who Satelle Shan is does that mean you should stop talking about this game in general?

 

Again if you don't raid actual challenging bosses don't comment on raiding or raid gearing.

 

Again, or what?

 

Naughty list you go

 

Uh oh.

 

/tryharder

/clearcontent

#bancasualsplaining

 

Although my guild is glad to sell content that those people can't clear for a good price.

 

This discussion is over. You're dismissed.

 

I like your edginess, the /'s and hashtag stuff really put it over the top ... 9/10 from me.

 

Although I don't think I'm edgey either so am I allowed to talk about your edginess if I'm not as edgey?

[FerkWork]

Frame this.

 

Plaque it and send to BW.

[gabigool]

Yup but it's slowly getting better. They aren't going back to 3.0 or 4.0 gearing unfortunately so people really need to deal with this or move on. Or maybe they will - win/win.

 

At the end of the day, while you're making your point clearly, you don't seem to be giving anyone else's opinion the same credence.

 

I fall squarely into the camp of "slowly getting better" = becoming a different level of suck. IMO, it still sucks, and the direction they are going - "tuning" and "monitoring" - will not get them to "good". It will keep them in suck.

 

I do not want "better". I want "good". As do many others here.

 

Why you somehow feel that's a less valued point of view than your own - I guess I don't get that.

[MeNaCe-NZ]

At the end of the day, while you're making your point clearly, you don't seem to be giving anyone else's opinion the same credence.

 

I fall squarely into the camp of "slowly getting better" = becoming a different level of suck. IMO, it still sucks, and the direction they are going - "tuning" and "monitoring" - will not get them to "good". It will keep them in suck.

 

I do not want "better". I want "good". As do many others here.

 

Why you somehow feel that's a less valued point of view than your own - I guess I don't get that.

 

Well you posted an opinion and justified it with "I want good". So why do I personally value it less? You haven't bothered to answer the "how". How should they do it? What are your ideas to improve it? Maybe you've answered this before, maybe not but I feel if you and others can go on and on about it needing to be "good" or "better" or whatever it can't be hard to continue to repeat your ideas can it?

 

If of course if you have no ideas then yes I won't value your opinion over my own or those that have decided to at least be constrcutive with their negativity or worse "Youz no Nim Raid! Your opinion is crap! Lulz!" as some seem to imply ... well one.

 

Also if it's so suck why are you still around? Why you've put up some fair arguments in the past I believe you've been fairly negative towards this game to a point of it "sucking" for some time now. Why are you still around? You clearly like a lot about the game if you are still here yet you tend to focus on this negative all the time.

 

Maybe that's just my perception of you ... but that must have come from somewhere.

 

I myself find I personally have been overly negative in recent times and felt it was warranted but in light of recent changes increased communication I can see a hopeful light at the end of the tunnel ( I really couldn't before ) so whilst what we know is by no means perfect it's looking better than what we have and I can only but focus in on trying to keep pushing constructive ideas towards Eric as he posts in the hopes they get passed on and maybe they run with something that will take us to "good".

Edited February 2, 2017 by MeNaCe-NZ

[Kurj]

I fall squarely into the camp of "slowly getting better" = becoming a different level of suck. IMO, it still sucks, and the direction they are going - "tuning" and "monitoring" - will not get them to "good". It will keep them in suck.

 

I do not want "better". I want "good". As do many others here.

 

So much this. I'm avoiding GC until they get this sorted out by working on crafting and alts, but that's not what I like best about this game. I hope they get this fixed quickly. A lot of the concrete suggestions in this thread and others are well thought-out and feasible, so it's puzzling to me that they don't take action more promptly.

[casirabit]

Eric, I have a suggestion on Command Gearing Changes. Most of the complaints are that people are not getting the gear they need but they are getting repeat gear what if:

 

(1) If you get a gear you already have you can exchange it for something else of comparable value:

 

I.E. Chest, can be exchange for leggings or head piece

Gloves can be exchanged for bracers or belt.

 

Then if a person has all that gear, have something like this:

 

(1) You have all your 228 and you need 230 or what is next you get another pieces of 228, that you don't need you take it to a vendor and exchange it with some command tokens and get the next piece you need.

 

Just an idea and might make it simpler for people.

 

I know the reason for command crates is to help people get gear no matter what they do instead of just people that do raids get the gear.

 

For raiders:

 

Maybe make the components they need drop from each boss and they can even use the exchange vendor as well.

 

For those of us with a lot of alts: What if you do like you did with the reputation for Section X, Yavin, that they all work toward the Command Rank instead of each doing it separate. If you do this, then when you adjust it you would give all the characters the highest command rank, I.E. If one is Rank 12 and one is Rank 14 and the other is Rank 7 , then all of them would be Rank 14. Since all get access to the command tokens then this could work but you may have to work on the tokens to increase it or work something else out for command tokens.

 

Just some ideas

[GalacticKegger]

I do not want "better". I want "good". As do many others here.

Some of us simply want the game to return to its glorious MMO roots (pre-4.0, preferably pre-3.0). Tomorrow's update will be a big day in the world of SWTOR. Regardless of what Ben, Charles or Eric think the responses that matter will be extremely digital. There won't be a lot of gray especially with regard to Galactic Command. Their new Operations program will live or die by what they commit to in the update where we will find out just how serious Bioware is about supporting large group end game the way their target audience wants them to.

 

Prediction #1: We're stuck with Galactic Command.

Prediction #2: The ultimate silence will be both deafening and permanent as a result.

 

I hope to hell I am dead wrong about both.

Edited February 2, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[FerkWork]

Some of us simply want the game to return to its glorious MMO roots (pre-4.0, preferably pre-3.0). Tomorrow's update will be a big day in the world of SWTOR. Regardless of what Ben, Charles or Eric think the responses that matter will be extremely digital. There won't be a lot of gray especially with regard to Galactic Command. Their new Operations program will live or die by what they commit to in the update where we will find out just how serious Bioware is about supporting large group end game the way their target audience wants them to.

 

Prediction #1: We're stuck with Galactic Command.

Prediction #2: The ultimate silence will be both deafening and permanent as a result.

 

I hope to hell I am dead wrong about both.

 

Pretty much although they did say there will be guarenteed loot on all the new bosses.

[FerkWork]

Some of us simply want the game to return to its glorious MMO roots (pre-4.0, preferably pre-3.0). Tomorrow's update will be a big day in the world of SWTOR. Regardless of what Ben, Charles or Eric think the responses that matter will be extremely digital. There won't be a lot of gray especially with regard to Galactic Command. Their new Operations program will live or die by what they commit to in the update where we will find out just how serious Bioware is about supporting large group end game the way their target audience wants them to.

 

Prediction #1: We're stuck with Galactic Command.

Prediction #2: The ultimate silence will be both deafening and permanent as a result.

 

I hope to hell I am dead wrong about both.

 

Pretty much although they did say there will be guarenteed loot on all the new bosses. Hopefully that is still true and we can remove ourselves from this nightmare. Let the casuals keep there and learn not to meddle in ours. Simple win.

[GalacticKegger]

Pretty much although they did say there will be guarenteed loot on all the new bosses.

Is that limited to the new Ops? Or will that include all the gateway content like recycled HMs & Ops and the new heroic area, as well as Uprisings? Leaving guaranteed loot drops specific to the new Operations bosses as a carrot to engage them would be as tacky as putting Command Crates in the Cartel Market. Edited February 2, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[stoopicus]

Is that limited to the new Ops? Or will that include all the gateway content like recycled HMs & Ops and the new heroic area, as well as Uprisings? Leaving guaranteed loot drops specific to the new Operations bosses as a carrot to engage them would be as tacky as putting Command Crates in the Cartel Market.

 

Yeah, if there is not clear commitment to improving PvP gearing as well, there's going to be a sea of salt. Most of us totally DGAS about ops and if gearing improvement is limited to PvE, well, lol.

[Wayshuba]

On my teams, the first four pieces of any set piece went to DPS. Next two went to heals. Next two went to tanks. Nothing random about it.

 

From the point of view of the team, it didn't matter which DPS. Team DPS went up. Team heals went up. etc.

 

Now - it's like, who PvP'ed the most on Saturday and got lucky with RNG.

 

To add further, when a new member joined with regular raiders who were already geared for HM/NiM but they weren't, we would frequently run two SM/HM raids with the new member (or needed alt role of a veteran member) in tow and let them get ALL the drops. Two or three raids later, they were able to join the veteran team at the level of raiding we normally did. None of the changes done or the proposed changes fix that at all, yet it is an important part of being able to maintain regular raiding schedules.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Wayshuba

[DarthWoad]

• Greatly increase the rate at which you earn Command Crates. Our goal is that you earn one Crate every 30 minutes, or less (on average).
  
• Looking at improvements we can make to Unassembled Components and Unassembled Pieces.
  
• Make gearing more alt-friendly.
  

 

1. Revert back to the old system

2. Problem solved

 

Make gearing more alt friendly? The best way would be to change it to the old system. Because right now it's just a grind fest and nobody wants that.

 

I'm still amazed people are BW thought this galactic command was a great idea in the first place

[Wayshuba]

Some of us simply want the game to return to its glorious MMO roots (pre-4.0, preferably pre-3.0). Tomorrow's update will be a big day in the world of SWTOR. Regardless of what Ben, Charles or Eric think the responses that matter will be extremely digital. There won't be a lot of gray especially with regard to Galactic Command. Their new Operations program will live or die by what they commit to in the update where we will find out just how serious Bioware is about supporting large group end game the way their target audience wants them to.

 

Prediction #1: We're stuck with Galactic Command.

Prediction #2: The ultimate silence will be both deafening and permanent as a result.

 

I hope to hell I am dead wrong about both.

 

Prediction #3: The rumors of BW releasing a "loot shooter" to compete with Destiny and The Division are true. As part of that, when they launch the loot shooter they are shutting down SWTOR. So, they are using SWTOR as a test bed for the RNG system they wish to implement in the "loot shooter".

 

I know that is SWAG, but it does make the most sense for why they are so adamant about forcing this square peg in a round hole.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Wayshuba

[stoopicus]

Old Republic themed loot shooter you say? Hmm...

[gabigool]

Well you posted an opinion and justified it with "I want good". So why do I personally value it less? You haven't bothered to answer the "how". How should they do it? What are your ideas to improve it?

 

My entire point is that there is no sufficient improvement possible. I think I've been as clear as can be on this.

 

There are too many inequities between the playstyles of Operations players and PvP players to make CXP-based gear acquisition fair.

 

The two activities cannot be scaled in a way that is equitable.

 

"Improving it" has gotten us an additional layer of RNG within the instances, an additional currency, the need to check a light/dark thermometer every hour (soon to be every 30 minutes!) and additional vendors. What's next? Another gold icon on my screen? CXP gain for wipes?

 

When you have to spend more time rolling out fixes than the initial release - isn't that indicative of a problem?

 

I do not care that GC exists for players that do not primarily PvP or run Operations. I'm glad if it's good for them. And sure, keep "monitoring" "tuning" and tweaking". Bolt on whatever is needed to further render this system unrecognizable from its initial state if it helps those players.

 

But it should have nothing to do with how to obtain gear in Operations and nothing to do with how to obtain gear via PvP because it is not a system that can ever serve both functions equitably. I have seen no "improvement" suggested that changes this, nor do I expect to.

[AscendingSky]

My entire point is that there is no sufficient improvement possible. I think I've been as clear as can be on this.

 

There are too many inequities between the playstyles of Operations players and PvP players to make CXP-based gear acquisition fair.

 

The two activities cannot be scaled in a way that is equitable.

 

"Improving it" has gotten us an additional layer of RNG within the instances, an additional currency, the need to check a light/dark thermometer every hour (soon to be every 30 minutes!) and additional vendors. What's next? Another gold icon on my screen? CXP gain for wipes?

 

When you have to spend more time rolling out fixes than the initial release - isn't that indicative of a problem?

 

I do not care that GC exists for players that do not primarily PvP or run Operations. I'm glad if it's good for them. And sure, keep "monitoring" "tuning" and tweaking". Bolt on whatever is needed to further render this system unrecognizable from its initial state if it helps those players.

 

But it should have nothing to do with how to obtain gear in Operations and nothing to do with how to obtain gear via PvP because it is not a system that can ever serve both functions equitably. I have seen no "improvement" suggested that changes this, nor do I expect to.

 

Well said, and exactly how I feel about it. As I've said in other threads on this forum, I think a system like Galactic Command would work great as a supplemental gearing source: a way for casuals and solo players to get gear that would normally be unavailable to them, and a way for more regular/hardcore/whatever players to get some occasional extra frosting on top of their regular earnings from PvP and ops. It's the fact that GC and its terrible RNG is the core of the gearing system now that's the problem.

Edited February 2, 2017 by AscendingSky

[snave]

These are pretty gosh darn valid concerns .

 

It is fair to say that if someone solely cares about gearing their character, they would consider waiting for these changes to go in place before playing. That is why we had a few goals in making my post yesterday:

1. We are being open that changes are coming.
   
2. We are going to provide details on what is changing, and when, so that you know what to expect.
   
3. We want to start rolling these changes out ASAP. I said the changes will start in the next few weeks, but the goal is the first changes will happen very soon (likely next week).
   

If someone really wants to wait for changes to take affect before playing, that's ok! However, I think there is other fun to be had without just gearing their 70 (level an alt to 70 in prep for the changes, finish up legendary status, etc).

 

-eric

 

Cheers for the response Eric, you're sweet like Muscovado!

 

Seeing as I semi have your attention there are a couple of points I'd like to raise that aren't just pure moaning and salt.

 

An issue I'm having right now is that it feels although I'm being punished because I'm over rank 90 in CXP.

 

I didn't get many 230 pieces of gear and now In order to upgrade my gear with unassembled components, I can only upgrade the legendary 236 to 242. This means that in order to upgrade any 234 or 240 items that I have I need to buy the 230 part then upgrade it to 236 then to 242. So for me to upgrade my 240 gear I have to downgrade twice and play about 500 million games to get the components needed to afford it.

 

Could you look into making the 234 sets upgradable to 236 and the 240 to 242 so we don't have to take two steps backwards to take one forward?

 

With the CXP system have you considered adding in a "pity timer" so players know they're guaranteed to get an item that's epic or above every 10 / 15 / 20 (or whatever number you want) CXP levels gained? I just went from rank 198 to 224 without getting any items and even though I was sweating with excitement from the thrill of the hunt it was somewhat disheartening to continually have RNGesus hate me.

 

Thanks.

[merovejec]

I have to downgrade twice and play about 500 million games to get the components needed to afford it.

 

What people don't realize is that 5.1 should bring a method to get a specific piece of gear, once you reach rank 300 and you don't have full 242 you can use the amassed components to buy your missing pieces.

 

Bioware made sure this system cannot be used as an alternative gearing method, which they did well. So i dont get this complains about "not getting enough components, etc" It was not meant for you go grind 500 million PVP matches to buy a full set of 242 gear.