BW can't avoid developing ACTUAL cross-faction gameplay/social mechanics after Iokath

[Pietrastor]

Obvious 5.2 spoilers.

 

I'm all for 'gameplay' needs/reality sometimes taking precedence over story and immersion. However, post-Iokath state-of-the-gameplay setup is simply ridiculous, contradictionary, completly unfitting etc, I'm sorry. This is past the point where we can maintain suspension of disbelief and just roll with "but gameplay" excuse as before.

 

It was already bad enough that no cross-faction guilds, or guild-alliances, chat zones or custom channels were added with 4.0 that placed us in a third separate faction. Heck, it's bad that none of these features were present since launch in a social game that's suppoused to rely on ease of communication and interaction between the players, without having to rely on any 3rd party software.

 

But the fact that the game still operates essentially as it did on launch day 5,5 years ago after KOTFE/KOTET and now War on Iokath is crossing the line where the gameplay is completly disconnected with what is going on in the story. I simply LOLed when I read Theron's email on my Imp who allied with the Republic how I can't go to Rep Fleet but Imp Fleet is still open for me. I mean seriously, there are cringey excuses and there's cooking up pure nonsense to justify lack of proper gameplay mechanics developed along the story.

 

Won't even bother talking about pure-gameplay reasons to implement cross faction mechanics such as PVP pop frequencies and stuff. I thought it was obvious after 1st cross-faction Warzone but apparently the devs already forgot about it.

 

Cross-faction guilds or guild alliances, cross-faction chat zones (Odessen, Iokath, Zakuul etc) or custom channels to be able to actually call out for players we want to group with for cross-faction content, cross-faction Ops, Uprisings, Flashpoints, expanded cross-faction group finder tools etc. are all needed yesterday in the game. Communication and player interaction suffers due to lack of them, gameplay suffers, the story suffers havily due to disconnected gameplay etc.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Pietrastor

[xordevoreaux]

Sorry but I must disagree with the title "BW can't avoid developing "

 

Unless you've been totally blind to what's been posted on the forums for the past few years, or absolutely new,

BW can avoid to program whatever it wants, for however long it wants, with a contract that doesn't end until 2023.

[Pietrastor]

That's obiously not what I meant, I meant that they can't just keep adding whatever they can come up with in the story without corresponding gameplay mechanics and thinking it will somehow magically remain cohesive. Post-Iokath faction gameplay structure is completly disjointed with the story setup. As professional designers/devs, they have to see it. They would never release SWTOR back in 2011 with Imp/Rep story factions accompanied by gameplay faction structure that would place us in say, Hutt 3rd faction because it would make no sense and wouldn't fit with the story setup in any form.

 

I say either they actually develop cross-faction gameplay & social mechanics or stop adding cross-faction, or singular/allied faction story hooks that are never reflected in the actual gameplay.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Pietrastor

[Gelious]

That's obiously not what I meant, I meant that they can't just keep adding whatever they can come up with in the story without corresponding gameplay mechanics and thinking it will somehow magically remain cohesive. Post-Iokath faction gameplay structure is completly disjointed with the story setup. As professional designers/devs, they have to see it. .

Oh, they see it. They just don't give a damn. All they are interested is making maximum money (hello, Cartel Market!) with minimum efforts (hi, one-size-fits-all-storyline that we had since SOR)

 

So yes, expect all the story-related gameplay be restricted to the actual chapters/daily areas/whatever have you.

[Urantia]

Something needs to give because the Jedi Knight I chose to represent the Imperial faction on Iokath {or any future crossovers I do} would think it swell if I could actually communicate with 100% of the players that are also representing the Empire on Iokath.

[RagnarAugustus]

I thought that SoR and KOTFE were the perfect time to introduce cross faction raiding since we were building a cross faction force to fight Revan and later to take down the Eternal Empire. I also think it could only help SWTOR, on Harbinger my Imp toons rarely have a probablem finding a raid on off-raid nights, however my Pub toons rarely if even pop for raids as a healer. Cross faction raiding would allow Pub guys to actually raid (or do anything GF related) more often which I'm a fan of.

[Pietrastor]

I thought that SoR and KOTFE were the perfect time to introduce cross faction raiding since we were building a cross faction force to fight Revan and later to take down the Eternal Empire. I also think it could only help SWTOR, on Harbinger my Imp toons rarely have a probablem finding a raid on off-raid nights, however my Pub toons rarely if even pop for raids as a healer. Cross faction raiding would allow Pub guys to actually raid (or do anything GF related) more often which I'm a fan of.

SOR was definitely a good moment but if not then, it absolutely SHOULD'VE been done in 4.0

 

The fact that it's not in after what happens not only in KOTFE and KOTET but in War on Iokath chapter too is just beyond explaining.

 

And yes, you can get Odessen WZ pop in middle of night because it only requires 16 people on both sides to queue. Having cross-faction Ops, GSF etc. would help all other queues too

Edited May 2, 2017 by Pietrastor