The New Galaxy Map

[IanArgent]

Congrats for understanding ZIT.

 

I'm not talking about traveling time. I'm talking about having a reason to be in the ship. Aka, stuff happening there.

For it to feel like home. This is Star Wars. Spaceships.

 

There never was much reason to be in the personal starship, once strongholds came out. There were only ever two reasons to be in it - because you have a mission that requires "Travel to $LOCATION$ using your personal statship," and "your companion wants to talk to you on the ship."

 

Given that I can't add Legacy Hold storage, or put the mailbox and hold and GTN conveniently next to one another, or put in other utility decos, the ship is inferior to the stronghold for non-transport purposes.

[BenduKundalini]

There never was much reason to be in the personal starship, once strongholds came out. There were only ever two reasons to be in it - because you have a mission that requires "Travel to $LOCATION$ using your personal statship," and "your companion wants to talk to you on the ship."

 

Given that I can't add Legacy Hold storage, or put the mailbox and hold and GTN conveniently next to one another, or put in other utility decos, the ship is inferior to the stronghold for non-transport purposes.

 

You're right on that account.

 

Still, this game misses THIS

 

One way or another, it should be addressed.

Edited April 7, 2017 by BenduKundalini

[Tsillah]

These are some nice changes. So yeah, this is definitely a positive thing.

[IanArgent]

You're right on that account.

 

Still, this game misses THIS

 

One way or another, it should be addressed.

 

I would love to be able to edit my ship in the Stronghold interface, myself, and would probably use it a lot more if I could. But I suspect there's good reasons for not being able to do that.

[casirabit]

I would love to be able to edit my ship in the Stronghold interface, myself, and would probably use it a lot more if I could. But I suspect there's good reasons for not being able to do that.

 

When strongholds first came out someone asked about the ships and the reason they gave is the cutscenes from your class missions prevent the ships from being customized.

[Codedrago]

I would love to be able to edit my ship in the Stronghold interface, myself, and would probably use it a lot more if I could. But I suspect there's good reasons for not being able to do that.

 

One word, cutscenes.

[IanArgent]

When strongholds first came out someone asked about the ships and the reason they gave is the cutscenes from your class missions prevent the ships from being customized.

 

That was my first thought as well, yeah.

[lightningseven]

uhhhh it would have been NICE TO KNOW THIS YESTERDAY, BEFORE i spent Cartel Coins on the "personal space ship" quick travel perk - did i just waste cartel coins on that, if now EVERYONE can do it?

 

or does this just make that same perk more accessible via the new galaxy map and i did not waste my coins after all??

 

le sigh

 

 

Hey folks,

 

Coming with Game Update 5.2 is a new quality of life feature, a revamped Galaxy Map. Aside from just being improved aesthetically, it also provides new functionality. We really wanted to improve players’ ability to travel around the galaxy, let’s talk about what is new with the Galaxy Map:

• You must have a personal ship to use the Galaxy Map. Make sure you’ve completed the early part of your Class Mission!
  
• You can access the Galaxy Map from anywhere by simply pressing the icon on your mini-map, navigate to it through the top UI, or use the shortcut key (Shift+M by default).
  
• Takes advantage of Legacy Perks:
  
  • If you’ve acquired the Quick Travel perk, you can travel directly to your personal ship from the Galaxy Map.
    
  • If you have a Priority Transport/Planetary perks, you will have a zero credit cost to travel to that location from the Galaxy Map.
    
  • The Priority Transport perks function the same, but they no longer have a cooldown. Allowing you to travel quickly to different locations.

  [*]You can now use Quick Travel while located inside ship hangers.

 

As you can see these changes should allow you to travel easily around the Galaxy and can save you the walk to your ship. Let us know if you have any questions about the functionality of the updated Galaxy Map. Tune in to our stream today where we will be showing it off.

 

-eric

[Adric_the_Red]

So it's a new (visual) interface like Galactic Command?

I suspect it's the same interface, but you can simply bring it up from anywhere, instead of having to board your ship, walk to the "bridge" and click the terminal there, to bring it up.

 

I suppose we'll find out for sure in a couple hours or so.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Adric_the_Red

[lightningseven]

One word, cutscenes.

 

That really is NOT a valid reason because there can be "safe spots" inside ships where it is known where all the NPCs end up standing in all of the various cut scenes - they can then BE SURE to make a wide clear area around those spaces and NO HOOKS for ship customization could be placed there.

 

In short: its just another stupid bad excuse for LAZY devs wanting to do other things instead, like making money on Cartel Market :-\

[Andryah]

When strongholds first came out someone asked about the ships and the reason they gave is the cutscenes from your class missions prevent the ships from being customized.

 

Yep.

 

And that answer totally makes sense too.

 

People can call it short sighted that they did not think far enough ahead to make ships somehow customizable and still not interfere with story cutscenes.... but .. many years in now... it is what it is.

 

Them putting effort into strongholds rather then massively reworking the mechanics around player ships was in my view the right choice by the studio.

[IanArgent]

That really is NOT a valid reason because there can be "safe spots" inside ships where it is known where all the NPCs end up standing in all of the various cut scenes - they can then BE SURE to make a wide clear area around those spaces and NO HOOKS for ship customization could be placed there.

 

In short: its just another stupid bad excuse for LAZY devs wanting to do other things instead, like making money on Cartel Market :-\

 

Not the NPC pathing, the backgrounds and camera angles. I'd be unsurprised to be told large chunks of the videos are pre-rendered.

[kodrac]

That really is NOT a valid reason because there can be "safe spots" inside ships where it is known where all the NPCs end up standing in all of the various cut scenes - they can then BE SURE to make a wide clear area around those spaces and NO HOOKS for ship customization could be placed there.

 

In short: its just another stupid bad excuse for LAZY devs wanting to do other things instead, like making money on Cartel Market :-\

 

You'd never be able to move Gault's beds in the BH ship, for example. Or the Inquisitor's bed. Vette's computer terminal. I think the Agent and his Halle Berry companion (she's been gone so long I forgot her name) sit in the bed too. I"m sure there's others I can't think of atm where the characters interact with the preset items in the room of the conversation.

 

So next time, before you accuse someone of being lazy, do some research please.

[LtGeneralGezlin]

So, with the updated Galaxy Map, have you guys gone and redo the old planetary arrivals so they match with the updated arrivals post Galactic Stronghold Expansion?

[BenKatarn]

So, with the updated Galaxy Map, have you guys gone and redo the old planetary arrivals so they match with the updated arrivals post Galactic Stronghold Expansion?

 

I'm pretty sure it'll be just loading screens, like when you go to a planet via the heroic mission transport. You want an arrival cutscene, you fly your ship to the planet like it's supposed to happen.

[Cuiwe]

Not the NPC pathing, the backgrounds and camera angles. I'd be unsurprised to be told large chunks of the videos are pre-rendered.

 

I actually think they are. Because you see higher quality of textures and what not in them as opposed to in game. I remember seeing a picture comparison that perfectly showed this, but I can't find it anymore(I don't know even where to look).

 

Or they use instances for cutscenes. Either way, this is easy to see because when you're talking to someone on a crowded planet(say, DK), you won't see anyone else talking to the same quest giver. Maybe they use the mix of pre-rendered and instances. Hm.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Cuiwe

[BenduKundalini]

This has been discussed before, but I noticed cutscenes are NOT static.

 

Uninstanced cutscenes just as Creeping Hunger on Korriban - the one where you have to feed "special" meat to Seh Run - I see other players entering the room as I chat with overseer Prithor all. the. time.

 

Also the intro cutscene for strongholds on a new char/ first time on stronghold is updated with whatever deco you put in there, even if it stands in the way.

[Terrimando]

This looks great. thank you for this enhancement.

[heythereqt]

This has been discussed before, but I noticed cutscenes are NOT static.

 

Uninstanced cutscenes just as Creeping Hunger on Korriban - the one where you have to feed "special" meat to Seh Run - I see other players entering the room as I chat with overseer Prithor all. the. time.

 

Also the intro cutscene for strongholds on a new char/ first time on stronghold is updated with whatever deco you put in there, even if it stands in the way.

 

Good point.

 

I think they could definitely add stronghold mechanics to ships without interrupting or breaking cinematic scenes. They would just need to make it so that there aren't any decoration hooks where your player or companions stand during cut scenes. Problem solved, everyon'e happy.

 

Also: new galaxy map looks solid. Looking forward to using it.

Edited April 8, 2017 by heythereqt

[berelinde]

On the whole, I'm pleased with the new galaxy map, but there are a few things I'll miss about the old one.

 

The music, especially aboard the Defender. When you open the galaxy map, Binary Sunset plays, and I'll stay on that screen for the duration just because I like the music. Come to think of it, I kinda like the map music for all the pub side ships.

 

The Aurebesh characters on the screen. Yeah, I know, the only readable part is the actual planet name because the rest is too tiny, but it adds flavor, and I'll miss it.

 

Sitting in the captain's chair and having the galaxy map open automatically. It sounds silly even to me, but it conveys the sense of travel more than clicking an icon on the minimap.

 

The transition to hyperspace and then watching the planet come into view. Thanks to the films, it's an iconic image, and I'll miss it.

 

But the convenience of finishing up on one planet and instantly transitioning to the next does have its appeal. I wonder how they're going to handle all the "Use Your Ship's Holoterminal" segments at the beginning and end of every planet's class quests. I guess I'll find out on Tuesday.

[DarthWoad]

Seems like they're improving something that nobody even asked to be improved. Now theres one less reason to travel to my ship.

 

They should give us abilities that 1 shots bosses as well to improve quality of life saves me the trouble of waiting and fighting it, very time consuming. SAD!

Edited April 8, 2017 by DarthWoad

[VanderII]

It'd be like to watch our ship landing ground when you use the map, but It'd be too much for this game.

[Tsillah]

Seems like they're improving something that nobody even asked to be improved. Now theres one less reason to travel to my ship.

 

They should give us abilities that 1 shots bosses as well to improve quality of life saves me the trouble of waiting and fighting it, very time consuming. SAD!

 

I think a lot of people want to spend as little time as possible on their ship since it's a clunky way to travel. I rarely use it these days. Perhaps you are one of those people who really wants to hang on their ship and watch the ftl light beams pass by...but I suspect you would not be in a small majority.

 

As it stands combat is quite a different thing from travel and because of the universe getting bigger and bigger I think it was rather time for a simplification in travel methods.

[Edyn]

While the ship is definitely slower than a click-to-teleport type of travel system, I actually miss it as being an essential part of the story, and basically my characters' and her Companions' home. For me, it represents the good old days of being jumped by a story NPC in a space port or orbital station and especially all of the interesting Companion conversations (and sexytime ) that took place that I wish they would continue. I'd even take decorating/customizing my ship over a new Stronghold.

 

I'm all for QoL improvements as long as they offer the option to utilize those items without their improvements, if we so choose... kind of like how I wish there was an option to keep the old items they "improved" such as Ravage, AoE telegraphs and group icons on the minimap. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Options never hurt anyone and have the potential to please everyone.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Edyn

[IanArgent]

This has been discussed before, but I noticed cutscenes are NOT static.

 

Uninstanced cutscenes just as Creeping Hunger on Korriban - the one where you have to feed "special" meat to Seh Run - I see other players entering the room as I chat with overseer Prithor all. the. time.

 

Also the intro cutscene for strongholds on a new char/ first time on stronghold is updated with whatever deco you put in there, even if it stands in the way.

 

All on-ship cutscenes are instanced; and that there are some on-planet instances that more or less exist so cutscenes in it can be instanced. I will observe that some companion cutscenes can be run in uninstanced areas, but some have to be done in instances space; IE, your ship (only guaranteed instanced space you always have access to).

 

As noted earlier, companions interact with the surrounding furniture in on-ship cut-scenes. There's a couple of scenes in the Trooper's storyline that make use of the briefing room, for example, and the furniture therein. Not to mention the stack of crates that Treek sits on in the various ships' holds.