Galactic Command Gearing Roadmap - Coming This Week

[Drewbee]

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

 

I can't believe I just read that last line ... Level an alt to 70!?!?!?!

[Wayshuba]

Eric,

 

I don't know how many of these threads you read but I left a post about Developer MMO attitudes and lessons learned from Noaki Yoshida, the man responsible for taking the bomb MMO FFXIV and turning it into the success that is FFXIV:ARR in another thread.

 

That being said, one of the comments he made in lessons learned was: "It is supposed to be fun. If it isn't fun, your doing it wrong."

 

Not only is the GC System NOT FUN (word of advice, do not say anymore on the livestreams that the crate RNG is exciting, you guys are just angering people further by doing that - no one finds it even remotely cute or funny), it is actually the opposite and causing a lot of PAYING customers to be completely frustrated with you guys. So, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, it is to late to keep me or my guild (and yes, the GC system is 100% responsible for that), we are moving on, however, you seriously need to wake up and realize two things:

 

1.) This is a GAME. People play games to have fun.

2.) The GC System, 5.0/5.1 and the changes proposed for 5.2 ARE NOT FUN. In fact, what fun there was in the game has been sucked out of it by this system.

 

4.0 gearing was fun. People didn't have a problem with it. Only you guys might have had a problem. You were warned that if this went live it would have a massive effect on sub losses. Considering how much you guys are suddenly communicating with the player base, it is obvious that this is indeed the case.

 

Wish you all the best of luck. You are definitely going to need it.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Wayshuba

[McHondy]

Our goal at launch was 60 minutes per crate. Right now we are seeing times both below and above that goal with an average time per crate being little higher than our target, but not much. It is one of the data points we looked at to plan for our new target. Which if you are math savvy, our new goal is you will get crates twice as fast as before (or more).

 

For reference, people doing aggressive CXP farming are already doing so at a rate quite a bit faster than every 60 minutes. Our new targets are that someone will get a crate every 30 minutes, without a boost.

 

-eric

 

Now remove all crates gained below rank 30, and see what the results are A big difference for rank 32 that is 3010 CXP for next rank and rank 250 that is 4830 CXP. A rank 250 need around 60% more CXP to gain a rank.

 

Getting a crate a hour at high ranks you need to farm something, no way to do that doing regular activities. And for the aggressive farmers stop penalizing all for what they do, if its unwanted find a way to stop that not do blanket changes.

[GalacticKegger]

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

____________________________________________________

 

Our goal at launch was 60 minutes per crate. Right now we are seeing times both below and above that goal with an average time per crate being little higher than our target, but not much. It is one of the data points we looked at to plan for our new target. Which if you are math savvy, our new goal is you will get crates twice as fast as before (or more).

 

For reference, people doing aggressive CXP farming are already doing so at a rate quite a bit faster than every 60 minutes. Our new targets are that someone will get a crate every 30 minutes, without a boost.

 

-eric

We understand your time is precious so thank you for spending some of it with us. While your taking the time to come out here and mingle with your customers is commendable, the fact that you are ignoring what we are saying is not.

 

We come back to you and tell you that we don't want crates. That we don't want unassembled parts. That we don't want unassembled tokens. That we don't want Galactic Command ... and your move is to discuss changes to what we don't want and justifying grind time per crate?

 

Eric,

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

The uproar you're hearing isn't because the system needs work. It's because your players want no part of it.

 

You good folks are finally figuring out what we have been trying to tell you since last fall ... the system will not handle an MMO end game. Galactic Command is a single player tablet RPG achievement system you are trying to adapt because grind is a cheap replacement for content. There is a reason you can't get it right ... it's a square peg in a round hole. You had the perfect peg for that hole before KotFE and removed it, which ended up killing off an entire player base. It's time to get it right.

 

What we REALLY want

We want our pre-4.0 end game back. We want increasing content difficulty progression. We want the fight mechanics to be intricate, complicated and taxing ... not the scorecard that keeps track of it.

 

When we drop a boss we want the boss to drop a WHOLE piece of gear or a whole token that can be redeemed for a WHOLE piece of gear, plus a legacy-bound comm everyone can save up to buy additional gear with. Just like they used to. We don't want a CHANCE for real gear, a token or comms ... we want the damn drops. If we have to keep running a Op to get the piece we need ... sweet. This is supposed to be a MMO for crying out loud.

 

We don't want to see this:

https://i1.wp.com/www.xamxamsays.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GalacticCommandOverview_854x480.jpg

 

We want to see this:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/10282827503_99fe92c140_o.jpg

 

Relegate Galactic Command as the BIS achievement system for the new solo track end game (as it only has to be balanced for a single player) and bring back real end game progression with real loot tables for large group end game like we had before 4.0. PLEASE. Twisting our feedback to fit your downsizing agenda then telling us it's what we're asking for is gosh darn infuriating.

Edited January 31, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[gabigool]

____________________________________________________

 

 

We understand your time is precious so thank you for spending some of it with us. While your taking the time to come out here and mingle with your customers is commendable, the fact that you are ignoring what we are saying is not.

 

We come back to you and tell you that we don't want crates. That we don't want unassembled parts. That we don't want unassembled tokens. That we don't want Galactic Command ... and your move is to discuss changes to what we don't want and justifying grind time per crate?

 

Eric,

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

The uproar you're hearing isn't because the system needs work. It's because your players want no part of it.

 

You good folks are finally figuring out what we have been trying to tell you since last fall ... the system will not handle an MMO end game. Galactic Command is a single player tablet RPG achievement system you are trying to adapt because grind is a cheap replacement for content. There is a reason you can't get it right ... it's a square peg in a round hole. You had the perfect peg for that hole before KotFE and removed it, which ended up killing off an entire player base. It's time to get it right.

 

What we REALLY want

We want our pre-4.0 end game back. We want increasing content difficulty progression. We want the fight mechanics to be intricate, complicated and taxing ... not the scorecard that keeps track of it.

 

When we drop a boss we want the boss to drop a WHOLE piece of gear or a whole token that can be redeemed for a WHOLE piece of gear, plus a legacy-bound comm everyone can save up to buy additional gear with. Just like they used to. We don't want a CHANCE for real gear, a token or comms ... we want the damn drops. If we have to keep running a Op to get the piece we need ... sweet. This is supposed to be a MMO for crying out loud.

 

We don't want to see this:

https://i1.wp.com/www.xamxamsays.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GalacticCommandOverview_854x480.jpg

 

We want to see this:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/10282827503_99fe92c140_o.jpg

 

Relegate Galactic Command as the BIS achievement system for the new solo track end game (as it only has to be balanced for a single player) and bring back real end game progression with real loot tables for large group end game like we had before 4.0. PLEASE. Twisting our feedback to fit your downsizing agenda then telling us it's what we're asking for is gosh darn infuriating.

 

If I could ask the studio to read just one post and take a moment to truly stop and think - this would be the one.

 

This is exactly how I, and everyone I know, feels.

[Costello]

Our goal at launch was 60 minutes per crate. Right now we are seeing times both below and above that goal with an average time per crate being little higher than our target, but not much. It is one of the data points we looked at to plan for our new target. Which if you are math savvy, our new goal is you will get crates twice as fast as before (or more).

 

For reference, people doing aggressive CXP farming are already doing so at a rate quite a bit faster than every 60 minutes. Our new targets are that someone will get a crate every 30 minutes, without a boost.

 

-eric

 

I'm not seeing this in game.

 

Sure if you only count from the moment some starts a galactic command mission to when they finish it (whatever it is) then maybe just maybe one an hour. But the wait time on uprisings only to have to decline cause its 4 mdps which will make it impossible or preloading heroics and dailies so you just have one to complete to take advantage of your side winning light v Dark. But really an hour of story content and i'll probably be at 40% or so.

 

Realistically time spend and the number of crates obtained is far far lower, hell it could take 30 mins to get through the heroics on hoth and that isn't half way to next level.

 

However the metrics aside, what is being done to make it so people that participated in this god awful grind for the last few months aren't going to have have been conned by doing double or triple the grind they would have if they had unsubbed and waited for this patch. Or is your advise for everyone to quit and come back in a year cause chances are the grind will be even further reduced and only an idiot would bother to grind out at the moment.

[RswanBing]

____________________________________________________

We understand your time is precious so thank you for spending some of it with us. While your taking the time to come out here and mingle with your customers is commendable, the fact that you are ignoring what we are saying is not.

 

His time is no more precious than yours or mine, he's actually doing his job, and he's paid for it, you don't have to thank him for that.

 

Or I may be a little ignorant about his job, communicating and answering the community isn't his main goal ? Does he have other responsabilities ? (No irony, real question )

[Wayshuba]

____________________________________________________

 

 

We understand your time is precious so thank you for spending some of it with us. While your taking the time to come out here and mingle with your customers is commendable, the fact that you are ignoring what we are saying is not.

 

We come back to you and tell you that we don't want crates. That we don't want unassembled parts. That we don't want unassembled tokens. That we don't want Galactic Command ... and your move is to discuss changes to what we don't want and justifying grind time per crate?

 

Eric,

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

The uproar you're hearing isn't because the system needs work. It's because your players want no part of it.

 

You good folks are finally figuring out what we have been trying to tell you since last fall ... the system will not handle an MMO end game. Galactic Command is a single player tablet RPG achievement system you are trying to adapt because grind is a cheap replacement for content. There is a reason you can't get it right ... it's a square peg in a round hole. You had the perfect peg for that hole before KotFE and removed it, which ended up killing off an entire player base. It's time to get it right.

 

What we REALLY want

We want our pre-4.0 end game back. We want increasing content difficulty progression. We want the fight mechanics to be intricate, complicated and taxing ... not the scorecard that keeps track of it.

 

When we drop a boss we want the boss to drop a WHOLE piece of gear or a whole token that can be redeemed for a WHOLE piece of gear, plus a legacy-bound comm everyone can save up to buy additional gear with. Just like they used to. We don't want a CHANCE for real gear, a token or comms ... we want the damn drops. If we have to keep running a Op to get the piece we need ... sweet. This is supposed to be a MMO for crying out loud.

 

We don't want to see this:

https://i1.wp.com/www.xamxamsays.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GalacticCommandOverview_854x480.jpg

 

We want to see this:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/10282827503_99fe92c140_o.jpg

 

Relegate Galactic Command as the BIS achievement system for the new solo track end game (as it only has to be balanced for a single player) and bring back real end game progression with real loot tables for large group end game like we had before 4.0. PLEASE. Twisting our feedback to fit your downsizing agenda then telling us it's what we're asking for is gosh darn infuriating.

 

Great post. Just two above it I mentioned how it was too late to keep me or my guild as subs because we just don't see them getting what you said in this post. There are determined to go forward with this no matter how many subs it bleeds. That being said, if on Friday they said that the system was a mistake and the pre-4.0 system was going to be back in within two or three weeks, we may in fact change our minds (actually, I know we would change them).

 

However, we know that is not what is going to happen. Someone either has their marching orders or just plain too much pride to admit what a disaster this is so I am not betting on anything like this and before Feb. is out, or entire guild will have moved on.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Wayshuba

[ScottishDrunk]

____________________________________________________

 

 

We understand your time is precious so thank you for spending some of it with us. While your taking the time to come out here and mingle with your customers is commendable, the fact that you are ignoring what we are saying is not.

 

We come back to you and tell you that we don't want crates. That we don't want unassembled parts. That we don't want unassembled tokens. That we don't want Galactic Command ... and your move is to discuss changes to what we don't want and justifying grind time per crate?

 

Eric,

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

The uproar you're hearing isn't because the system needs work. It's because your players want no part of it.

 

You good folks are finally figuring out what we have been trying to tell you since last fall ... the system will not handle an MMO end game. Galactic Command is a single player tablet RPG achievement system you are trying to adapt because grind is a cheap replacement for content. There is a reason you can't get it right ... it's a square peg in a round hole. You had the perfect peg for that hole before KotFE and removed it, which ended up killing off an entire player base. It's time to get it right.

 

What we REALLY want

We want our pre-4.0 end game back. We want increasing content difficulty progression. We want the fight mechanics to be intricate, complicated and taxing ... not the scorecard that keeps track of it.

 

When we drop a boss we want the boss to drop a WHOLE piece of gear or a whole token that can be redeemed for a WHOLE piece of gear, plus a legacy-bound comm everyone can save up to buy additional gear with. Just like they used to. We don't want a CHANCE for real gear, a token or comms ... we want the damn drops. If we have to keep running a Op to get the piece we need ... sweet. This is supposed to be a MMO for crying out loud.

 

We don't want to see this:

https://i1.wp.com/www.xamxamsays.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GalacticCommandOverview_854x480.jpg

 

We want to see this:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/10282827503_99fe92c140_o.jpg

 

Relegate Galactic Command as the BIS achievement system for the new solo track end game (as it only has to be balanced for a single player) and bring back real end game progression with real loot tables for large group end game like we had before 4.0. PLEASE. Twisting our feedback to fit your downsizing agenda then telling us it's what we're asking for is gosh darn infuriating.

 

 

this is the best post on this forum right now

 

especially this bit

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

[MooseMcKenna]

3 hours of game play hitting the planetary heroics and daily stuff barley gets me one command level. At that kind of rate I am gonna be at this til mid summer(maybe longer) to hit 300 on one toon alone. This is not a good thing. The RNG is good for a few items then it tanks after that. Set each it up so each level is only 1,000 cxp each and most of us might be happy with it.

 

Set the system up so a preferred player can use tier one gear with authorization unlock

The tier two and three would require a sub to use. If the players sub expires the gear would be stripped from them and sent to them in the mail. They could either sub again or trade it in for tier one gear.

 

Bring the credits into the mix would help a lot. And still give crafters a chance to sell stuff at a decent price.

1,000,000 for a tier one gear item.

3,000,000 for a tier two gear item

6,000,000 for a tier three item

[Eli_Porter]

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

The uproar you're hearing isn't because the system needs work. It's because your players want no part of it.

 

What we REALLY want

 

 

Speak for yourself.

 

When we drop a boss we want the boss to drop a WHOLE piece of gear or a whole token that can be redeemed for a WHOLE piece of gear

So, like we have now?

plus a legacy-bound comm everyone can save up to buy additional gear with.

They can do better than that, not just legacy bound but some of it is trade-able as well. Oh and it's already in the game through crafting mats and schematics.

 

Just like they used to. We don't want a CHANCE for real gear, a token or comms ... we want the damn drops. If we have to keep running a Op to get the piece we need ... sweet. This is supposed to be a MMO for crying out loud.

 

Valid criticism for set gear, but once you get BiS on everything there won't be a "game over, you win" message. BiS is a nice thing to have but it's supposed to be a long-term goal rather than something you get over a weekend.

[Genada]

There is a great documentary on New Coke. Your entire team should sit down and watch it.

 

One day they will have a documentary on your new gearing system and it's going to play out like New Coke.

 

Your customers are not the problem. It's not that your customers do not understand how "great" the new system is. It's not they just do not get "it".

 

The problem is you. The problem is your team. The problem is failing to listen to your customers and providing what they want.

 

BRING BACK THE OLD SYSTEM.

[Sargrith]

this is the best post on this forum right now

 

especially this bit

 

WE DO NOT WANT GALACTIC COMMAND.

 

Kill it with fire if at all possible. There certainly is a WE that does not want Galactic Command punishing us for playing this game. RNG, remove it and lets get back to enjoying what we have.

[Wayshuba]

Speak for yourself.

 

Just FYI. He is probably speaking for a vast majority of the customer base. You do realize that in the five year history of this game, the only time BioWare communicates like this with a lot of frequency is when they're are bleeding subs... yes?

 

Even those okay with the system should be concerned about the massive sub losses. It will eventuality affect everyone.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Wayshuba

[Screaming_Ziva]

My bad, that's funny wording. The goal is that the average time for a crate is 30 minutes. The super-aggressive people will still be ahead of that curve.

 

-eric

Eric,

 

I appreciate all of your posts today. However, I am still concerned about this "average" time. Right now, in 30 minutes, you are lucky to get two WZ pops. Let's say I play those to completion and finish 1-1 from those. I just played 30 minutes doing what I think a very average person would do. Is finishing 1-1 in two WZs going to give me enough CXP for an entire CXP level when I am already at command rank 100+?

Edited January 31, 2017 by Screaming_Ziva

[EnniSquinnna]

You will get 3 levels from one war zone and a guaranteed 242 drop.

[Quraswren]

 

So, like we have now?

 

Hell no. We dropped 10 bosses and 8 of them gave nothing of value and no whole gear tokens at all. 8 boss in 10 and they were a huge waste of time.

 

Thats not fun. It's not entertaining and it sure isn't exciting. The content is too old for that but at least if they dropped gear the reward would be worth the time spent doing that old content.

 

At this point we do not have that except for the last boss and well that disproportionate percentage just isn't good.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Quraswren

[blinkerathome]

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).

 

Ähm, is it just me or weren't we supposed to level alts and get legendary status before?

[RswanBing]

Just FYI. He is probably speaking for a vast majority of the customer base. You do realize that in the five year history of this game, the only time BioWare communicates like this with a lot of frequency is when they're are bleeding subs... yes?

 

Even those okay with the system should be concerned about the massive sub losses. It will eventuality affect everyone.

 

True, the people complaining VS happy people makes no sense now, unless you refuse to see reality.

 

People are leaving, not only casual or players interested in one specific part of this game (raiders, pvpers...) but also highly invested players who produce content, guides... and help countless players over the years.

I would have thought this kind of player would have stay here until they shut down the lights, but they're leaving too, and with them goes all they have to offer, all the side stuff they make, things we've all used at some point (a huge majority of players at least.).

 

As said by Wayshuba, they only communicate like that when they panic. No matter some people like it or not, swtor is in crisis at the moment, even the dev's acknowledged it, not with words of course, honesty is not their philosophy, but their behaviour tells everything.

[Vember]

Just FYI. He is probably speaking for a vast majority of the customer base.

 

He's probably not. He's speaking for a vast majority of the posters in this thread, which are the same people that have been complaining non stop since December.

[Costello]

Do people really want to go back to 4.0 and replay old operations (some 5 years old) to gear up?

 

Seriously if BW went back and said, sure we made a mistake now every week one HM op will drop 240 gear the other 236 knock yourselves out. People would want to do that content?

 

People that want that style of gearing haven't moved on by now? Should they bring it back the option to possibly get one piece of 240 gear a week playing old operations would make gearing great? Cause I don't see it. I think if they went back to 4.0 gearing method the forums would be in uproar that there are no new ops and people are bored of the old ones and everyone is quitting.

 

Do people think that all the people that have quit would return to replay old operations. You can play them now and get unassembled components, so its only really a speed thing and if its fun whats the rush cause 5 year old ops are fun right.

[Forren-Midosea]

He's probably not. He's speaking for a vast majority of the posters in this thread, which are the same people that have been complaining non stop since December.

probably yes, two months ago whole fleet on tre was screaming about stupidity of this system. now people still do that but less, i guess less people play this game now because from 3 full instances on fleet we have 1.5

[Kaldron_Fell]

*dons asbestos underpants*

 

I like GC and think it can be salvaged.

 

IMHO the following needs to be done:

 

- Faster cxp levelling (apparently you are doing that now)

- Bad luck protection for set bonus items in crates

 

With these changes, I'd actually appreciate GC. Why? It makes a lot of content relevant again, which, in the absence of new content, is the next best thing. I do a lot of solo stuff and I still want to gear up properly. If only to do veteran and master mode chapters....

 

Edit: I don't understand all of this "game is dying" talk. I've not seen so many people online in a long time. I understand why everyone is frustrated with the 5.0 changes, and there's a lot of valid concerns. But this talk of everyone fleeing in droves is the opposite of what I see every day....

Edited January 31, 2017 by Kaldron_Fell

[Wayshuba]

He's probably not. He's speaking for a vast majority of the posters in this thread, which are the same people that have been complaining non stop since December.

 

I like how you chose to ignore a portion of the same post to try and twist the point. BioWare ONLY communicates this much and with frequency when they are in fact bleeding subs. Been that way since the game launched.

 

Sorry, but the evidence of how often they are communicating (specifically in regards to the GC System), shows this is indeed how the majority of players feel and that is is in fact costing them a lot of subs. If things were going fine, we instead would have recent threads asking why they never talk to us.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Wayshuba

[RswanBing]

Ähm, is it just me or weren't we supposed to level alts and get legendary status before?

 

I guess that's a solution for new and relatively new players.

 

Musco seems to forget that they run DvL event just before 5.0, so a huge part of the community already have A LOT of alts and the legendary status...

Edited January 31, 2017 by RswanBing