100 new Galactic Command levels and exciting new gear rewards, on the way!

[RobertFKennedyUS]

Did I miss a meme that stated that toons MUST be geared within a week and that anything less than BIS gear is garbage?

 

Why would you reply to someone and argue against a "meme" that you don't even know exists, instead of arguing directly against what that person said? Did this person in any way say he supports such a meme or are you just using the strawman debate tactic?

[TUXs]

Why would you reply to someone and argue against a "meme" that you don't even know exists, instead of arguing directly against what that person said? Did this person in any way say he supports such a meme or are you just using the strawman debate tactic?

Don't bother. He's not here to debate anything, just attack others.

[stoopicus]

I'm just going to sit back, shut up, let all of you happy folks grind your way to 300, and when 5.2 drops and you still have crap for RNGear, with another 100 CXP levels added and the 350% boost removed, well then we can circle back and discuss the merits of this system.

[GalacticKegger]

Everyone was spoiled by the loot pinata that was 4.0.

The people who are the most pissed at Command Ranks, and Command Crates, and Command XP thought 4.0 and its introducing us to the crate game with Alliance Crates was a joke too. I wish people would forget about 4.0 and look back at the expansions that preceded it for clarity in this debacle.

 

The only reason we have Galactic Command is because BWA wants us grinding our way through an eminently convoluted spreadsheet instead of fresh and playable tiered-difficulty content they are either too cheap - or lack the resources - to produce any longer. We play Galactic Command now (not the game) where advancement (it can't really be called progression any more) is one-size-fits-all promiscuous, and reward is gated behind a one-size-fits-all Star Cluster loot lottery system. When a MMO's end-game population is forced to min-max an XP system instead of character vs. content, and rely on pure luck rather than skill to get anywhere, you know it's all wrong.

 

Buffing CXP won't do anything but bring the pain at faster intervals. Adding 100 more Command Levels won't do anything but prolong the pain even further. Increasing the frequency of usable loot appearing in Command Crates won't do anything but remind veteran players who know better how badly their game has been jacked up since 4.0 dropped.

 

Bioware needs to either reboot to pre-Ben or give our SWTOR MMO to a developer who (a) knows what they are doing, and (b) genuinely acts upon what their player base is asking for. Because this whole system is Facebook and tablet RPG trash that never should have seen the light of day.

Edited February 27, 2017 by GalacticKegger

[Ryenke]

This is true, but keep in mind 5.x made gearing your alts easier in other ways to make up for it (for PvE anyway). You can craft and pass down mods/gear from your main with much more relative ease to that of 4.x.

 

In what universe? Not the one I play in. My main 240ish has 4 pieces of set gear 230, 1 piece of set gear 234 and 0 pieces of 240/242 set gear. Can't craft 240 (because I've had 0 purple 240 drops to RE), the couple of 240/242 pieces I've seen can't be legacy shifted (relic/ear).

 

Sure I can gear my alts in 230. That is the 208 equivalent. But I could easily get all my alts into 216+ in 4.x - much easier and less costly in 4x.

 

PVE is EASIER to gear alts in 5.x, you say? you are certifiable.

[Eli_Porter]

I'm just going to sit back, shut up, let all of you happy folks grind your way to 300, and when 5.2 drops and you still have crap for RNGear, with another 100 CXP levels added and the 350% boost removed, well then we can circle back and discuss the merits of this system.

 

I'm curious. You play a lot of PvP, what's your gear/command rank like?

[stoopicus]

My own luck has actually been pretty good. My main is in T2 and is actually fine; I've been lucky with her CXP drops recently. She'll have a full set (partially T1, partially T2) by the time I hit T3. I also have bought my way above cap in other slots with 240s.

 

But I recognize that I have been exceptionally lucky; I had a couple runs of good luck, but I also had large stretches with nada. Like 45+ levels of it. And so I totally sympathize with the people posting about not having much luck by 300, and I don't think it will be all that uncommon. My alts have had crap for luck (though are all down in T1).

[Andryah]

You guys are hilarious.

 

What difference does it actually make if they raise the cap on number of levels or not? Seriously, what is with the obsession some of you have over this?

 

If it is because you are bent that they still have not fixed GC.... the concern is legitimate over fixing it, but additional levels in no way affects this one way or the other.

 

If it is because you are fixated on GC as some form of mandatory horizontal level grind, your angst is misplaced. There is no requirement to actually grind GC levels and still effectively play the game. So maybe step back just a bit and take a fresh look at what you are doing. If you feel compelled to grind GC, and are bent over them rasing the level cap... that clearly indicates that you are fixated on the carrot hunt and completionist approach to game play. If so fine.. but embrace it rather then gnash at it at every opportunity.

 

If it is because you perceive it to be yet another barrier to your gaining gear... LMAO. They may add a new tier of gear from 301-400, but as already noted.. there are other ways to chase that gear without grinding GC as you have a two different token vendor approaches already available to you.

 

If it is because you feel you will be somehow frozen out of a new tier of gear because you have to get through 300 levels to begin gaining said new tier.... then once again..... there are token vendor approaches available to mitigate this as some form of forced grind.

 

I totally get the frustrations over the current state of the GC system... but additional levels added to it in no way impact this one way or the other. Some of you are just using this as the newest chew-toy to chomp on to express your anger or frustration. Does that really server you well?

Edited February 27, 2017 by Andryah

[Eli_Porter]

In what universe? Not the one I play in. My main 240ish has 4 pieces of set gear 230, 1 piece of set gear 234 and 0 pieces of 240/242 set gear. Can't craft 240 (because I've had 0 purple 240 drops to RE), the couple of 240/242 pieces I've seen can't be legacy shifted (relic/ear).

 

Sure I can gear my alts in 230. That is the 208 equivalent. But I could easily get all my alts into 216+ in 4.x - much easier and less costly in 4x.

 

PVE is EASIER to gear alts in 5.x, you say? you are certifiable.

 

230 is not the 208 equivalent, at least until 5.2 hits. Numerically it's equivalent to 212, and for drop-pools it's equivalent to 216.

 

Secondly, what you said only applies to set armorings. Every other piece of gear and mod is easily available through crafting/gtn/legacy shell transfer without the hassle of RNG, and set armorings will become easier to get tomorrow from PvP.

[jedcjedcjedc]

And zero cc to transfer to another game, which is also what people do.

Problem is, Swtor has some of the best pvp out there right now especially if you like to play support or tank. WoW is inundated with bots and tanks don't really serve a purpose (this is the first game I've seen incorporating something like the guard/protection abilities, though I've heard another game did, I think it was Camalot?). I played the original guild wars games and expansions pretty extensively when they were out, but GW2 just doesn't do it justice. I liked building my own ability combinations and other things like that, but now half your bar is determined by whatever skills happen to be attached to the weapon. It also tries to draw on the claim it "breaks away" from the trinity, which is great and all..... if I didn't enjoy playing mainly healers. The pvp isn't too great either. Wildstar is.... well, it's wildstar. BDO is a whole bunch of pve and then gearing before you can even enter pvp from what I've read into it, and B&S is all 1v1 and it's more of just stringing combos then actual combat like in any of the other games.

 

I get tired of running WZ's after a time, and look to see what else is out there to refresh on and find.... nothing.

Good think ME:Andromeda is coming out soon

[Andryah]

Secondly, what you said only applies to set armorings. Every other piece of gear and mod is easily available through crafting/gtn/legacy shell transfer without the hassle of RNG, and set armorings will become easier to get tomorrow from PvP.

 

I'm actually surprised there is not more rage and angst over the poor quality of some of the set bonus for some classes, making them of marginal value (which if you are going to have set bonus, is not the way they should be deployed). But nope.. everyone appears to be focused on the perceived mandatory grind-train.

[twentyzent]

YAAAWN!

Grind Wars makes me tired.

[DisIzMe]

Everyone was spoiled by the loot pinata that was 4.0.

 

How about simply returning to gearing in 3.0?

Bad decisions that gave birth to EVKPing are not an excuse for even worse decisions that gave birth to galactic grind.

[Vember]

I'm just going to sit back, shut up, let all of you happy folks grind your way to 300, and when 5.2 drops and you still have crap for RNGear, with another 100 CXP levels added and the 350% boost removed, well then we can circle back and discuss the merits of this system.

 

It has its merits, but the loot tables definitely need adjusting. I don't see how anyone could disagree that getting crap crate after crate is frustrating.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Vember

[Andryah]

Bioware needs to either reboot to pre-Ben or give our SWTOR MMO to a developer who (a) knows what they are doing, and (b) genuinely acts upon what their player base is asking for. Because this whole system is Facebook and tablet RPG trash and never should have seen the light of day.

 

GC.. you appear to be getting more and more bitter every day. What purpose is this serving you? [That is a sincere question.]

 

I deplore the GC system as they implemented it, but rather then let it define my game enjoyment.... I, like my guild mates, and others who play the game have simply chosen to disregard it and pursue gearing a different way. I'm certainly not going to let one poor system drive me to bitterness and hate about a game I enjoy for many other reasons. Treating GC as simply the occasional bonus prize to open, which may have something useful... really does take the bite out of it's imperfections for anyone willing to actually take a different approach to it.

 

In some ways, the boost the poor implementation of GC has given to crafting is a welcome and refreshing shift. It's nice to see crafting return as a fundamental contributor to end game once again... after it was largely neutered by the easy gearing gravy train of some past expansions in SWTOR. That does NOT excuse the poor implementation of GC in any way... but it is worthy of noting and embracing.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Andryah

[Ryenke]

230 is not the 208 equivalent, at least until 5.2 hits. Numerically it's equivalent to 212, and for drop-pools it's equivalent to 216.

 

Secondly, what you said only applies to set armorings. Every other piece of gear and mod is easily available through crafting/gtn/legacy shell transfer without the hassle of RNG, and set armorings will become easier to get tomorrow from PvP.

 

Your original post said PVE was easier to gear alts in 5.x compared to 4.x, (FYI,I don't pvp).

 

That is crazy. My alts used to pick up coms like crazy and were geared without even the need for legacy shells. They had comm ear & implants, and com mods (enhancements usually dropped from Fp's, I admit) and if lucky some set armoring's, otherwise com armorings. Easy peasy.

 

Now, blue enhancements are really the only things worth passing along, and I've only just (at level 240 ish) filled out my main with 240 enhancements. So now, I could (if I were going to resub, which I'm not) pass on some blue armorings and enhancements, but 3 months in in 4.x, I would have already had my alts headed into purple com stuff.

 

I barely have one toon (my main) in 240 enhancements and that toon has 1 240 blue armorning, 1 220 set bonus from previous expansion armoring, and 0 240 mods. That toon has had 50ish tier 3 crates opened. And it is easier to gear alts? I can't even gear up a main in 5.x

 

How can I easily craft 240 mods and enhancements? 50 boxes in I haven't seen one purple drop that has a mod or enhancement to RE. You are just full of crap.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Ryenke

[Andryah]

It has its merits, but the loot tables definitely need adjusting. I don't see how anyone could disagree that getting crap crate after crate is frustrating.

 

Loot table itemization and percentages is definitely one of the key things they did poorly with GC right out the gate. And so far, no signs of them recognizing and addressing this.

 

Then again, loot table itemization and tuning has always been something done poorly by this studio in my view.. and I really do not understand it. It's nothing even remotely close to rocket science to build effective loot tables. {I guess it does show them to be consistent on some things though, even if badly so }

 

They can solve a lot of this easily by simply putting in a "trade" vendor in lieu of forcing players to disintegrate duplicates or non-useful gear items. That would immediately resolve the anger over repeat drops of items if they would simply put in a vendor where you could trade an item for another item of same tier and set grouping of gear. Got 3 belts in a row... trade two in for a different piece in the same tier and set.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Andryah

[Edyn]

Ever consider they are doing this because a lot of people are trying to rush to get to 300? Why not just take your time and do what you like and not worry about your command rank. My main is command rank 24 because unlike a lot of people I play all my characters and don't worry about their rank. Most of them are already in purple 228 since I can make them and some of them are in a few pieces of 230 since I have the schematics for them.

 

I am going to enjoy playing like I have before and when I get to the rank, I get there but not going to stop playing the way I like to and ignoring the rest of my characters.

 

Maybe its me.

 

Regardless of people's reasons for rushing to 300 (my main is only around CL 30ish, as I don't grind CXP) I have good credits on the notion that they absolutely did not rush to 300 in order to wait with bated breath for the CL cap to increase to 400, just so that they could grind again in order to compete in (PvP) and complete (PvE) that same existing content again. (This is assuming the new gear rewards are a higher item level.) I'm really surprised the level cap wasn't raised to 80 along with it so that Ops guys would be impacted just as much as dedicated PvPers.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Edyn

[Andryah]

Your original post said PVE was easier to gear alts in 5.x compared to 4.x, (FYI,I don't pvp).

 

That is crazy. My alts used to pick up coms like crazy and were geared without even the need for legacy shells. They had comm ear & implants, and com mods (enhancements usually dropped from Fp's, I admit) and if lucky some set armoring's, otherwise com armorings. Easy peasy.

 

It is in fact easier and faster to reasonably gear in 5.x vs 4.x... IF you avail yourself of all available channels for gear.

 

For example: rather then grinding for crystals in 4.x, you simply go the crafted gear approach in 5.x. It is faster and effectively at parity with crystal vendor gear (if you normalize for the differences in cap level itemization between 4.x and 5.x). You can easily do this by crafting yourself, or subcontracting with crafters, or buying directly off the GTN if you prefer credits over time spent. In fact, so many people are back into crafting for 5.x, that it is driving prices of finished gear down faster then any prior expansion because there is a lot of competition in the economy. 240s are cheaper already on the GTNs then their equivalents in 4.x ever were.

 

Is it different? Yes. Are the results different? Yes.. in that you can craft gear much faster then you could ever farm crystals.

 

Now... top tier set bonus gear, which previously only came from OPs for PvE purposes was easier in 4.x for sure. But these were NEVER available to you by grinding for crystals (which is the context you chose here). Then again.. I think most would agree they made it too easy in 4.x and that 3.x is probably a better reference point to compare with.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Andryah

[Quraswren]

SNIP...

I totally get the frustrations over the current state of the GC system... but additional levels added to it in no way impact this one way or the other. Some of you are just using this as the newest chew-toy to chomp on to express your anger or frustration. Does that really server you well?

 

It's clear you are a bit delusional on GC and how frustrated gamer are with it.

 

Meaning, any change to GC that isn't making it better for what gamers have a problem with (or removing it outright) is a negative and a waste of time. Complaints about the grind and the RNG gear and how the GC system is setup is very valid. It's a a garbage system so when you see a company like bw add more garbage to the very thing gamers have been complaining about, it's no wonder the complaints come flooding back in as gamers wonder, how could bw be so stupid to add more grind to the grind they already have problems with.

 

You don't spend time adding more crap to the crap your customers have already told you they have a problem with no matter how you spin it.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Quraswren

[Eli_Porter]

Your original post said PVE was easier to gear alts in 5.x compared to 4.x, (FYI,I don't pvp).

 

That is crazy. My alts used to pick up coms like crazy and were geared without even the need for legacy shells. They had comm ear & implants, and com mods (enhancements usually dropped from Fp's, I admit) and if lucky some set armoring's, otherwise com armorings. Easy peasy.

 

Now, blue enhancements are really the only things worth passing along, and I've only just (at level 240 ish) filled out my main with 240 enhancements. So now, I could (if I were going to resub, which I'm not) pass on some blue armorings and enhancements, but 3 months in in 4.x, I would have already had my alts headed into purple com stuff.

 

I barely have one toon (my main) in 240 enhancements and that toon has 1 240 blue armorning, 1 220 set bonus from previous expansion armoring, and 0 240 mods. That toon has had 50ish tier 3 crates opened. And it is easier to gear alts? I can't even gear up a main in 5.x

 

How can I easily craft 240 mods and enhancements? 50 boxes in I haven't seen one purple drop that has a mod or enhancement to RE. You are just full of crap.

 

If you don't PvP you miss out on schematic rolls and VMC's, which is an issue for self-crafting mods. As a PvE-only player you'd be best served to pass down mods you don't need on your main to your alts instead, which in my experience happens often. Once your main reaches a point where it's 240 geared, which should happen at around the early 200 ranks, you can start transferring 240's to your alts as well. Take the command token boosts you get from bosses while playing your alts and use them on your main to get more 240 mods and get close to T4. You'll sometimes also get 240 gear schematics which use cheap conquest materials instead of VMC's, which are an excellent option for gearing alts.

 

I personally never RE'd a mod because I prefer using/handing them down and to get my schematics from PvP instead.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Eli_Porter

[rantboi]

How about simply returning to gearing in 3.0?

Bad decisions that gave birth to EVKPing are not an excuse for even worse decisions that gave birth to galactic grind.

 

yeah it's funny how some people seem to think the only options are this cxp grind or free gear for everyone from ev

[Andryah]

It's clear you are a bit delusional on GC and how frustrated gamer are with it.

 

Meaning, any change to GC that isn't making it better for what gamers have a problem with (or removing it outright) is a negative and a waste of time. Complaints about the grind and the RNG gear and how the GC system is setup is very valid. It's a a garbage system so when you see a company like bw add more garbage to the very thing gamers have been complaining about, it's no wonder the complaints come flooding back in as gamers wonder, how could bw be so stupid to add more grind to the grind they already have problems with.

 

You don't spend time adding more crap to the crap your customers have already told you they have a problem with no matter how you spin it.

 

Your rigid closed mind is duly noted.

 

We agree that it is a poorly implemented system. OK? Got that? Or do I need to say it multiple times?

 

But to insist it is the only way to gear in 5.x is completely wrong on your part. But hey.. you play the game the way you want to. But in doing so, and missing other opportunities to gear... don't get mad at anyone but yourself.

 

And please.. don't call me delusional just because we disagree. Why must you resort to name calling when someone disagrees with you?

Edited February 27, 2017 by Andryah

[Ryenke]

It is in fact easier and faster to reasonably gear in 5.x vs 4.x... IF you avail yourself of all available channels for gear.

 

For example: rather then grinding for crystals in 4.x, you simply go the crafted gear approach in 5.x. It is faster and effectively at parity with crystal vendor gear (if you normalize for the differences in cap level itemization between 4.x and 5.x).

 

Is it different? Yes. Are the results different? Yes.. in that you can craft gear much faster then you could ever farm crystals.

 

Now... top tier set bonus gear, which previously only came from OPs for PvE purposes was easier in 4.x for sure. But these were NEVER available to you by grinding for crystals (which is the context you chose here). Then again.. I think most would agree they made it too easy in 4.x and that 3.x is probably a better reference point to compare with.

 

Peddle your crap to someone who is dumb. PVE 'rs can't gear alts. 4.x my alts would be in a mixture of 216/220 gear right now. Most without set bonus, yes. 5.x they are all in 230 gear 3+ months later. Only now can they start to get the blue 240 enhancements passed on via legacy gear. No ear/implant relics tho, because I only get tank schematics in the crap crates.

 

5.x only play my main, can't even gear her at level and can't craft any armor/mods enhancements that I couldn't craft the first week 5.x dropped (starter gear). My alts have ZERO ZIP gear better than starter gear, and in the 5.x system my alts have ZERO ZIP chance to get better gear because 50 crates into Tier 3 on my main and I don't actually believe any purple set gear (or mh/offhand) exist. They certainly don't drop in crap crates.

[Quraswren]

Your rigid closed mind is duly noted.

 

And please.. don't call me delusional just because we disagree. Why must you always resort to name calling when someone disagrees with you?

 

You being unable to see why this has caused more frustration than needed in your agree but disagree post as they add more grind to an already disliked and hated system as if it was somehow a good thing can only be explained in the way I phrased it.

 

Don't add more garbage to the garbage your gamers already dislike. It will never help.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Quraswren