Update on Roadmap

[stoopicus]

BW: "Hey, you know that thing we were doing before? We're not doing it anymore."

Player: "Oh man, I really liked that thing - I'm not sure that I want to keep playing if they're not going to be doing that thing. But I guess I need to wait an arbitrary amount of time before I say so... because... reasons."

 

Whether "that thing" is more Operations or monthly story updates, if you know not having it is a deal-breaker, then it makes sense to give that feedback once you have a reason to believe they're not going to be supplying it anymore.

 

It's morning here and the coffee is still kicking in but I can't for the life of me figure out what constructive point you've been trying to make in the last three or so posts of yours. Is there one?

 

(I assume there is, I'm just not seeing it

Edited June 1, 2017 by stoopicus

[KeithKanneg]

Thank you, Keith, so much for keeping us informed so we weren't left wondering what or when. That in itself makes a huge difference. As for what you delivered, :jawa_smile: I am very happy with the road map, and I really needed the booster to wake me up this evening, and to keep me going this year. Thank you!

(Not that he'll see this.)

I see it!

[TechTheHic]

Well; my son wanted this account activated to play the story; which he then said was awful so it can go inactive again. And since its still going to be RNG gearing, mine will stay inactive.

 

I'll check in 4 months from now. Or rather probably more like 5 or 6 months in reality vs SWTOR time.

[DarthDymond]

It's morning here and the coffee is still kicking in but I can't for the life of me figure out what constructive point you've been trying to make in the last three or so posts of yours. Is there one?

My point is that if a player doesn't like the direction it looks like BW is taking the game (for example, perhaps because s/he doesn't like how long we now have to wait between "story" updates), then s/he should freely give that feedback to BW.

 

Others are saying that such people should "quit complaining" - apparently until some arbitrary amount of time has passed - because raiders went a long time without BW responding to their complaints. I disagree with that attempt to silence such feedback.

Edited June 1, 2017 by DarthDymond

[stoopicus]

My point is that if a player doesn't like the direction it looks like BW is taking the game (for example, perhaps because s/he doesn't like how long we now have to wait between "story" updates), then s/he should freely give that feedback to BW.

 

Others are saying that such people should "quit complaining" - apparently until some arbitrary amount of time has passed - because raiders went a long time without BW responding to their complaints. I disagree with that attempt to silence such feedback.

 

Ahh, got it. Thanks. I misread your first reply to AscendingSky as basically "if you don't like it, leave!" when, you know, he's basically getting what he wanted.

 

Yeah, people should feel free to voice up if they feel they are not getting what they want - just don't be surprised when others of us are kind of astounded by some of the complaints

[Ciarayn]

BW: "Hey, you know that thing we were doing before? We're not doing it anymore."

Player: "Oh man, I really liked that thing - I'm not sure that I want to keep playing if they're not going to be doing that thing. But I guess I need to wait an arbitrary amount of time before I say so... because... reasons."

 

Whether "that thing" is more Operations or monthly story updates, if you know not having it is a deal-breaker, then it makes sense to give that feedback once you have a reason to believe they're not going to be supplying it anymore.

This exactly. I didn't see any story content on the road map (although that could be me misreading), and so I am adding some feedback to the threads. (I am not against flashpoints, but they don't usually count as story content for me.)

[DarthDymond]

Yeah, people should feel free to voice up if they feel they are not getting what they want - just don't be surprised when others of us are kind of astounded by some of the complaints

Agreed. I am all in favor of people offering competing (or even directly contrary) arguments to someone's feedback - I just don't think they should try to silence that feedback in the first instance.

 

I support both Player A saying "What this game really needs is more space-on-rails! BW should focus on releasing more of those missions" and Player B saying "BW should never spend another penny on that horrible space-on-rails junk! Instead they should put their focus on more Operations" - I just don't support Player B telling Player A to sit down and shut up.

Edited June 1, 2017 by DarthDymond

[AscendingSky]

My point is that if a player doesn't like the direction it looks like BW is taking the game (for example, perhaps because s/he doesn't like how long we now have to wait between "story" updates), then s/he should freely give that feedback to BW.

 

Others are saying that such people should "quit complaining" - apparently until some arbitrary amount of time has passed - because raiders went a long time without BW responding to their complaints. I disagree with that attempt to silence such feedback.

 

I'm not saying they have to wait an arbitrary amount of time. I'm saying people are overreacting to a few months of wait time. Saying you want to cry because of a three months wait, after two straight expansions of nothing but story focus? That's rather over the top. And that many of those same people kept pooh-poohing on raiders when they pointed out how long it had been since we had any ops. I find it hypocritical, that's all.

 

I never said other people weren't allowed to complain. Despite the lies you're spreading, I never told someone to sit down and shut up. I'm just expressing my opinion about their complaints and voicing some of my own, which according to you should be okay...

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[AscendingSky]

This exactly. I didn't see any story content on the road map (although that could be me misreading), and so I am adding some feedback to the threads. (I am not against flashpoints, but they don't usually count as story content for me.)

 

Direct quote from the roadmap: "The story will continue in a new Flashpoint: Crisis on Umbara."

 

As far as "flashpoints don't count as story content", allow me to point you to the entire Prelude arc leading up to Shadow of Revan, which consisted of four different flashpoints, with staggered release dates a few months apart, with connecting cutscenes in between. Does that entire plot arc not count as story content somehow to you because flashpoints were involved? Really?

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[DarthDymond]

Despite the lies you're spreading, I never told someone to sit down and shut up.

Sorry, but I read this:

And now it's our turn for more focus and love. So now YOU can wait

as having a pretty clear "sit down and shut up" sentiment.

 

Again, I have no problem with you bringing up that raiders have been long-neglected, so focusing on them now is probably a good thing for overall health of the game - I just don't care for the implication that because raiders were neglected before, that means someone who is concerned about being neglected under the game's current direction should have to "wait" before they have any business speaking up.

Edited June 1, 2017 by DarthDymond

[Ciarayn]

Direct quote from the roadmap: "The story will continue in a new Flashpoint: Crisis on Umbara."

 

As far as "flashpoints don't count as story content", allow me to point you to the entire Prelude arc leading up to Shadow of Revan, which consisted of four different flashpoints, with staggered release dates a few months apart, with connecting cutscenes in between. Does that entire plot arc not count as story content somehow to you because flashpoints were involved? Really?

Revan's story ended in KOTOR.

 

For me story content is class quests, planet quests, or chapters. Other content, including ops, can have story elements, but they are not what I am referring to with my requests.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Ciarayn

[Sorrai]

I wanted to offer Keith and his crew my sincerest gratitude for all the work they have been doing to provide us this outline for what lies ahead. I see many great things in store and am especially happy to see some movement on GSF. It may be small, but it is the most our beleaguered community of pilots have gotten in over 3 years!

 

There are plenty of things to be excited and enthusiastic about, but where I really want to express my appreciation is Keith's new policy on communication. I can't express enough how truly important and vital this is for the health and morale of our community! Having a game producer who understands what it means to maintain communication with the players fills me with a lot of optimism and enthusiasm. I am very pleased so far with what I am seeing out of Keith's leadership.

 

Please continue the good work. Your posts have been a welcome and refreshing change for SWTOR and I hope it continues. Reaching out to us, keeping us informed and responding to our feedback speaks volumes about your quality and dedication for this game so many of us enjoy.

 

Thank you!

[Kitty-Chan]

So I'm just going to put this there and shuffle along.

 

I really, really want to be excited for the future of this game. I have subscribed off and on numerous times when I see something that draws me back into playing again. I really liked the story of KOTFE and KOTET and am still looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

 

However.

 

It feels like Bioware or whoever else is in charge is repeating the same mistakes that happened when this game initially launched. The leveling, stories and beginning of endgame content were great. Then it just...stopped. There was nothing to do. Repetition of daily events became a normal past time. It eventually caused to SWTOR to see a significant loss of players, which I'm not sure it has ever recovered from.

 

To be fair, there has been improvement over the years. More ops with stories of their own were launched, other events and activities were started that gave more variety to the game. Now though, it feels like we're back at the stalemate that plagued this game in the first place.

 

That's not to say I think this will cause the game to fully die out, but I'm finding it difficult to be excited on what seems to be history repeating itself. I am excited for the change in leadership and the honesty that has come with it. I only hope that this will steer the game in a direction that will see a rise in players again.

[AscendingSky]

Sorry, but I read this:

 

as having a pretty clear "sit down and shut up" sentiment.

 

Again, I have no problem with you bringing up that raiders have been long-neglected, so focusing on them now is probably a good thing for overall health of the game - I just don't care for the implication that because raiders were neglected before, that means someone who is concerned about being neglected under the game's current direction should have to "wait" before they have any business speaking up.

 

That isn't what I meant. What I'm saying is that we had to wait for our turn to get content focus, and now it's their turn to wait--though even then not really because there are STILL story updates coming out, just not on a monthly schedule, so they're not even CLOSE to being neglected--because now the devs are taking a break from all story all the time and are focusing on group content this year. Not that they have to wait to complain--they can complain all they want, that's their choice. But in all fairness I do think they should understand (even if they're not happy about waiting) that other players have just as much right to getting the content THEY want as the story-centric players do. If it was okay in the story-centric players' eyes that raiders had to wait for years to get new content, I'd think they could manage to wait a few mere months to get more of their favored content.

 

Also, if they want to complain on a public forum, they have to accept that other people are going to point out the flaws in their arguments and/or the amount of entitlement they're exuding with said complaints. They can make all kinds of noise about how somehow they're feeling deprived of story after two straight expansions of pretty much nothing else but story, that's fine. I'm just going to let them know I find such complaints rather laughable in context.

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[OneHit]

SWTOR offers more story than any MMO iv'e played. So i don't understand what the story players are complaining about. I'm not saying you don't deserve story, But it shouldn't be the main focus of a MMORPG. Swtor is not an RPG. Focusing on the RPG aspect has depleted populations. Keep pushing for it and we wont have a game left.

 

Consider this. Last time you guys had a major complaint about gearing we got RNG. Giving gear to people who don't need it while taking away gear from people who actually need it. You guys complained about companions. Now we have 50 generic companions, and the ones we care about are still lost in space.

 

We will never get vanilla SWTOR back. We wont get the open worlds. We wont get the voice acting. We wont get the story arcs back. We won't get side quests back. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the only thing they have a chance of doing well at this point is OPS, PvP, GSF, and Flashpoints.

 

If you are looking for more amazing cut scenes then i recommend a movie. If this game doesn't have enough story then try a book. Any other course of delivering this content to you is jeopardizing the game by diverting its limited resources to content that isn't repeatable.

 

 

 

That being said this road map is a joke! For reals Kieth its a joke, A very un funny Joke. Whats the point in more communication if you keep telling us the same thing over an over again. Talk to the previous Devs and you will see that the next course of Acton is less communication. Then blaming the community for being toxic.

 

What new stuff did we learn from the road map. Potential new GSF, Possibly a new battleground. Or just a new map for arena miss named as "New PvP." Cause you guys are still lying about releasing "2 new PvP's." I think i need to highlight this fact since you keep pushing that. THE DEVS ARE LIARS!

 

 

So i have a great idea to improve the game. Try getting ahead and stop LYING . Your expansions are patches. your patches are updates. I recommend hiring a whole other team. <-----Not a joke. Hire a second team. Start working on a real expansion now. Like a real one. With new OPS, Flashpoints, a new GSF with maybe some new ships, A new REAL PvP which would coincidentally come with a new map. New OPEN worlds with side quests and story arcs that will eventually lead into new daily areas that can be released in a true patch. A TRUE patch. They usually come with new events, dailies, additional flash points, new OPS bosses, and class balancing.

 

STOP playing catch up!!! Charge us 60 bucks for it. People will pay if its worth it. People who have abandoned the game will hear that an actual expansion with a price tag is coming and will pay the 60 just to see.

 

If you build it they will come?

[Viper_Driver]

I see it!

 

Hi Keith,

 

Not to disparage your predecessors, but the changes that you are bringing are what this game needs. I love very much enjoyed the expansion and companion stories, but without the group content and being able to listen to your player base the game will slowly die. Thanks for righting the ship! Very much looking forward to this year.

 

PS Huge kudos to FINALLY allowing Lana and Co. to be customized!

Edited June 1, 2017 by Viper_Driver

[Grindera]

First of all, I am really glad that Keith took the role he did.

Communication is much better now, I start to feel that the Devs are looking at feedback and are trying to react as much as they can.

The roadmap is also a good start to sail the ship into the right direction. Not saying that this will take the game out of the storm completely, but at least it will leave the eye of the storm for some nicer waters.

 

One can only hope for more content, but the lack of resources really take it's toll on this.

I welcome the new additions, the QoL improvements and the small things. Of course, faster Operations output would be even better, but this is something to start with.

Really interested how the GSF changes will turn out (looking at you Gunship Fortresses) and what will be coming with Class Balances.

 

From another point, there are a few things I really miss:

- new species

- new player character customizations or simply adding the ones already exist to other species (hairstyles, tattoos and so on for every species)

- addressing the decoration issue discussed here on the forums

- utility loadouts (hope this will be a part of QoL improvements too)

 

I know a new class will not like to happen, but there could be some solutions to bridge the gap, like starting from lvl 50-60-65, with the story starting from KOTFE / KOTET.

 

As a whole, I am happy that Keith took over, it feels like he really takes care of the game's fate - even with the supposed skeleton crew generating new content.

Wish EA would give the game a chance and invest or put back some money into it so developing and creation could be on a larger scale.

Unfortunately, we all know EA well enough.

[AscendingSky]

Revan's story ended in KOTOR.

 

For me story content is class quests, planet quests, or chapters. Other content, including ops, can have story elements, but they are not what I am referring to with my requests.

 

So you're drawing completely arbitrary and illogical lines in the sand, ignoring not only the Prelude Arc but the four other Revan flashpoints (2 on Rep side, 2 on Imp side), the two Rakghoul storyline flashpoints, the two Ilum flashpoints contained within the planetary story arc, the two SoR flashpoints that are part of that expansion story, etc., just to give yourself some flimsy justification solely in your own head for entitled self-centered whining about how somehow you're not getting more story content when you actually ARE getting more story content as explicitly outlined in the roadmap. Gotcha. I'll stop responding to you then since you're not interested in making rational arguments and ignore all evidence that disproves your claims. Ta ta!

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[inCelesphere]

I see it!

 

He saw it!!

[OneHit]

He saw it!!

 

These forums need a like function

[TyonYlle]

These forums need a like function

 

Or a heart function, basically the same thing but I think it would be cuter.

[TUXs]

Yeah - this is scary, mate;) but, it's alright . . .

And Keith;

*X-files theme playing*

Hey...I'm not THAT bad

[IanArgent]

Hey...I'm not THAT bad

 

Hey, we may disagree a lot, but you're not a bad man. Just wrong sometimes

[TUXs]

Hey, we may disagree a lot, but you're not a bad man. Just wrong sometimes

I would love to agree with you Ian, but then we'd both be mistaken

[IanArgent]

I would love to agree with you Ian, but then we'd both be mistaken

 

Wouldn't be the first time for me to be mistaken