Update on Roadmap

[Spyderwoman]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

Glad to hear its ready, cant wait to hear what is planned!

[EzioMessi]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

I only resubbed a month and a half back, and this improved communication is the main thing keeping me subbed. I've been around on/off since patch 2.0 and this is honestly the highest frequency of dev posts I've seen.

 

Keep up the good work, and I can't wait to see the plans for the source of all my procrastination!

[DarthDymond]

Maybe we need to figure in his 3 week unannounced vacation?

Good to see the "How dare someone take a few days off to spend time with family when it will delay a press release concerning the video game I play!" line of thought is still kicking around. Now with added exaggeration of how much time off for good measure.

Edited May 26, 2017 by DarthDymond

[stoopicus]

Good to see the "How dare someone take a few days off to spend time with family when it will delay a press release concerning the video game I play!" line of thought is still kicking around. Now with added exaggeration of how much time off for good measure.

 

Yeah, that whole topic was getting kind of absurd and apparently is still swirling around the bowl on its way down, for some. And I mean, even if it *was* so, so what? Why should he announce his vacation plans to us?

[HKtheindomitable]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

Thank you for the updates Kieth. They are very much appreciated. Please don't let angry people discourage you from keeping us updated so much.

[HKtheindomitable]

Yeah, that whole topic was getting kind of absurd and apparently is still swirling around the bowl on its way down, for some. And I mean, even if it *was* so, so what? Why should he announce his vacation plans to us?

 

Mockery: *in raging kid voice* BECAUSE I PAY FOR THEIR JOBS BY SUBSCRIBING AND BUYING THEIR CARTEL MARKET CRAP!!!

 

Query: Is it wrong that this is what comes to mind when I read rage posts about devs?

[WorldSmasher]

I took nearly a year off from playing. You know... I needed a break. It was the best thing I ever did!! Although BW wouldn't like for too many people to do that..., at least not all at once....

 

When I came back to play, I expected to pay my one month sub and play for a few weeks and then quit again..., but I'm having fun playing!

 

Coming back with a refreshed attitude towards the game, was all good and all, until I started visiting the forums again. You know what I realized?

 

I realized that reading the toxic hate mongering of the bitter forum goers is bad for my health.... You guys have been playing this game for YEARS, and you have nothing but HATE to spew onto the developers. You complain that they don't communicate enough, and when they do, you jump on them like piranha....

 

You guys gotta realize that if you hate the game that much, and you stick with it this long, that it is like a long and unhealthy relationship.... At some point you have to realize that it's time to break up.

 

Also, consider this. If you've been playing this game for this long, and you're having fun, then why are you so full of bitter? Why not give praise to balance out the hate you heap on the devs and the public relations guys?

 

To be honest, I don't understand you guys. BW is a business. They are owned by shareholders. They got to turn a profit. If they don't they got to make cost cuts. BW has to balance the wants and needs of the players against their requirement to give the shareholders a dividend....

 

Why? I don't know all of that. That's business, and I don't care about business. I just care that I have fun playing. And that's what you should care about too.

 

Why? Because this is a game. This is not real life.

 

Now I'm rambling. I'll end it hear.

[LtGeneralGezlin]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

The forums will take ANYTHING out of context. After a while you just kind of have to roll your eyes and move on...

[OneHit]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

 

Once again I'm miffed by the devs making "cute" comments. I'm sorry Kieth did someone offend you for exaggerating your leave? How about the 2 1/2 years you guys took off from releasing anything worth playing. After your dev lied to us and told us we would never wait that long for ops again. In that time i paid $450 in sub fees and didn'tget one iota of interesting end game content. How much money in subscriptions did you lose this year? You guys have time for cute comments? Wow!

[EzioMessi]

How about the 2 1/2 years you guys took off from releasing anything worth playing.!

 

They released KotFE, decided it was profitable enough to release KotET. So clearly enough people thought it was worth playing. Be careful when you say they should only release content "worth playing". For all you know, the larger playerbase may have decided that your favourite content is not worth playing.

 

If you didn't like the Ops dry spell, vote with your wallet instead of dropping $450 into the game. That's what I've done every time I have run out of content to have fun with in this game,

[AscendingSky]

Once again I'm miffed by the devs making "cute" comments. I'm sorry Kieth did someone offend you for exaggerating your leave? How about the 2 1/2 years you guys took off from releasing anything worth playing. After your dev lied to us and told us we would never wait that long for ops again. In that time i paid $450 in sub fees and didn'tget one iota of interesting end game content. How much money in subscriptions did you lose this year? You guys have time for cute comments? Wow!

 

God forbid Keith have a sense of humor about all the nastygrams being aimed his way on the forums here, right?? I mean, how dare he be a human being with feelings and family and *gasp!* opinions of his own!? Everyone knows he should just live and breathe this game 24/7 (so he can cater to every whim of all the entitled children who constantly insult him, naturally) and never crack so much as a smile while doing so!!

 

/massivesarcasmquotes

Edited May 26, 2017 by AscendingSky

[VegasTheLost]

God forbid Keith have a sense of humor about all the nastygrams being aimed his way on the forums here, right?? I mean, how dare he be a human being with feelings and family and *gasp!* opinions of his own!? Everyone knows he should just live and breathe this game 24/7 (so he can cater to every whim of all the entitled children who constantly insult him, naturally) and never crack so much as a smile while doing so!!

 

/massivesarcasmquotes

 

Sarcasm as much you want to, it won't hide the fact that 6 months after a major expansion we still don't have a roadmap for the next 90-120 days or whatever Keith mentioned. I mean we have no clue about what will happen after the latest installment of the story/chapters. God forbid class balance and stuff that needs to be taken care of. I might be naive here expecting that a company as huge as BW and an IP as huge as SW has some clue where they want to head after they drop an expansion. Not specifics, just general.

 

What do we know? We will have 1 new flashpoint, 1 new operation boss, we will have a basic ship for GSF and we can customize Theron Shan. After 6 months. This is the problem.

[t-darko]

Sarcasm as much you want to, it won't hide the fact that 6 months after a major expansion we still don't have a roadmap for the next 90-120 days or whatever Keith mentioned. I mean we have no clue about what will happen after the latest installment of the story/chapters. God forbid class balance and stuff that needs to be taken care of. I might be naive here expecting that a company as huge as BW and an IP as huge as SW has some clue where they want to head after they drop an expansion. Not specifics, just general.

 

What do we know? We will have 1 new flashpoint, 1 new operation boss, we will have a basic ship for GSF and we can customize Theron Shan. After 6 months. This is the problem.

 

*Grabbing some popcorns*

[stoopicus]

Oh FFS.

 

Look. I want to see the roadmap back to a decent gearing system away from Galactic Crapshoot as much as the next guy. No one is going to look at my post history and credibly accuse me of being a White Knight.

 

But seriously, lighten up.

 

He said it would be by the end of the month.

He said it was done and going through review.

He has been updating the forums with progress.

 

Now, you can ignore that and spend your time bikeshedding the crap out of his relative humor (or lack of it) if you want, but in that case, the problem here is you, not him.

 

But I don't think that's what you're really doing. I think you're actually just trying to get across how frustrated you are by the current state of the game. I totally agree, there's stuff that needs to be urgently addressed. And that's an important point for you to be able to make. Flinging poop about the sense of humor of the producer when he is actually attempting to communicate with the forums (unlike his predecessor) is just a very bad way to make that point.

Edited May 26, 2017 by stoopicus

[DarthDymond]

Once again I'm miffed by the devs making "cute" comments. [. . .] You guys have time for cute comments? Wow!

Wow, indeed. Updates or no updates, good content or bad, we are still talking about a video game here. If someone making "cute" comments is enough to get you "miffed" in this context, then - issues with the game itself aside - you might want to think about taking a step back and reassessing a few things.

[Aael]

I've been playing this game off and on since inception. I was in the beta and to this day I sub, I have NEVER canceled my subscription and I have purchased countless items in the cartel market. I do not say this to insert any dominance over anyone else or to say my opinion matters more, I say this to show my love for this game.

 

Do I always stick around, no I get extremely bored with some of the mechanics this game has to offer. I think that it is really sad that there are several issues that need to be addressed in this game for it to actually thrive and move out of the darkness many of the veteran players and new players share in regards to the future of SWTOR.

 

I genuinely hope that Keith can pull this wonderful game concept with it's memorable class stories into the light. I have many suggestions, but most of the suggestions I have revolve around issues that have plagued the communities for years, but the key focal point being long wait times for PvP and PvE group content, cross-realm queuing (I understand they said it would be difficult, but this is a MUST for the game to move forward positively.) and class balance (I understand that balancing in MMOs is an extremely hard method to handle, but the classes are mirrored.) One of the bigger issues I have noticed about SWTOR is their HORRID F2P model and EVERYONE knows it. I truly believe the F2P model needs to be revamped, re-discussed and republished for the game to continue to grow.

 

I will continue to invest in this game with hopes that the developers, both EA and Bioware, understand the payload this game (with its IP) has the potential to make if they choose to listen to their player base.

 

Just my 2 cents....

Edited May 26, 2017 by Aael

[BlackSilverRoar]

Hopefully, Keith get this game to where it needs to be. 5.0 should've been a wake up call with a "Mass Exodus" of players quiting this game. 5.0 on is a major disappointment, especially with the new gearing system. Excluding the new chapters, 5.0 on sucks... big time. Can things get much worse from here? Time will tell. Edited May 26, 2017 by Willjb

[RaiderMid]

Hopefully, Keith get this game to where it needs to be. 5.0 should've been a wake up call with a "Mass Exodus" of players quiting this game. 5.0 on is a major disappointment, especially with the new gearing system. Excluding the new chapters, 5.0 on sucks... big time. Can things get much worse from here? Time will tell.

 

Of course it could get worse, they could (and eventually will) shut down. GC is only an issue if you are into endgame or just want max numbers. If you play for story, then it's pretty much a non issue.

[DarthSpuds]

Yes, that's the plan. It's completed and going through the normal review processes. Also, not sure how spending a few days with my Dad translated to 3 weeks of unannounced vacation, but after reading some of the comments, that's starting to sound like an awesome idea.

 

---Keith

 

This may be me setting myself up for a fall - I hope not.

 

I resubbed the day I learned you had replaced the previous Lead Producer, and after reading your Producer's Letter.

 

I am fully prepared to accept that things may not happen as quickly as I, and maybe even you, would like.

 

What I will say is the new style of communication from yourself and Eric have led me (hopefully not naively) to believe that a sea-change is coming, it may take time, but it is heading for shore as we speak. I am genuinely looking forward to the Road Map, perhaps for the first time in 3+ years.

 

I do get the sense however that this first 6-12 months for you as LP will be as much about putting out fires created by the previous LP as it will be about you "getting stuff done".

 

Right now I am enjoying SWTOR as much as I have enjoyed any MMORPG is 3 or 4 years, and I am prepared to give you and your teams time to deliver on what I feel is heading our way.

 

The one thing I would caution against, something I think Bioware (and Turbine with LOTRO) have been guilty of in the past, is taking players' love of and commitment to the game universe for granted.

 

I genuinely think that KOTFE and KOTET did that to quite a significant degree - it felt like Bioware thought that throwing any sci-fi at us would be good enough as long as you stamped a Star Wars name and logo on it. To me and many, many others neither KOTFE nor KOTET "feel" that much like Star Wars. They feel like "Valkorian Family Saga". Please, please change that, if you can.

 

All The Best

[Jamtas]

This may be me setting myself up for a fall - I hope not.

 

I resubbed the day I learned you had replaced the previous Lead Producer, and after reading your Producer's Letter.

 

I am fully prepared to accept that things may not happen as quickly as I, and maybe even you, would like.

 

What I will say is the new style of communication from yourself and Eric have led me (hopefully not naively) to believe that a sea-change is coming, it may take time, but it is heading for shore as we speak. I am genuinely looking forward to the Road Map, perhaps for the first time in 3+ years.

 

I do get the sense however that this first 6-12 months for you as LP will be as much about putting out fires created by the previous LP as it will be about you "getting stuff done".

 

Right now I am enjoying SWTOR as much as I have enjoyed any MMORPG is 3 or 4 years, and I am prepared to give you and your teams time to deliver on what I feel is heading our way.

 

The one thing I would caution against, something I think Bioware (and Turbine with LOTRO) have been guilty of in the past, is taking players' love of and commitment to the game universe for granted.

 

I genuinely think that KOTFE and KOTET did that to quite a significant degree - it felt like Bioware thought that throwing any sci-fi at us would be good enough as long as you stamped a Star Wars name and logo on it. To me and many, many others neither KOTFE nor KOTET "feel" that much like Star Wars. They feel like "Valkorian Family Saga". Please, please change that, if you can.

 

All The Best

 

I second this post. I had been a beta/continuous sub for 5 years. 5.0 finally pushed me to unsub in January. I too came back with the LP change. My new sub has one day left and I'm going to allow it to continue for another month to see the roadmap and what is in store. Really hoping to see a good road map for the year.

[ImmortalLowlife]

Once again I'm miffed by the devs making "cute" comments. I'm sorry Kieth did someone offend you for exaggerating your leave? How about the 2 1/2 years you guys took off from releasing anything worth playing. After your dev lied to us and told us we would never wait that long for ops again. In that time i paid $450 in sub fees and didn'tget one iota of interesting end game content. How much money in subscriptions did you lose this year? You guys have time for cute comments? Wow!

 

Personally....I enjoyed the game more during those 2 1/2yrs than I have since launch. Why you ask? Because I wasn't interested in all the OP's and endgame stuff they focused on for the first 3yrs.

 

Let THAT sink in..... They spent years focusing on content for group/endgame players while us solo players pleaded on the forums for more content that can be done solo. And we were greeted on the forums with "this is a MMO, go play a single player game" trolls in EVERY thread.

 

Now that the focus seems to be on "group" again, I've only logged on and actually played maybe 3 times since the war for Iocath released. But I'm not on here every day crying and moaning. Berating the devs for having a sense of humor,

And threatening to drop my sub and quit because they're focusing on content "I" don't particularly enjoy. I've been playing other games until they release content I enjoy, or get the urge to level through the 1-70 stories again.

 

*drops mic and plays mass effect 2

[Khevar]

Personally....I enjoyed the game more during those 2 1/2yrs than I have since launch. Why you ask? Because I wasn't interested in all the OP's and endgame stuff they focused on for the first 3yrs.

 

Let THAT sink in..... They spent years focusing on content for group/endgame players while us solo players pleaded on the forums for more content that can be done solo.

You're pretending that when the devs were producing operations, that they were ignoring solo activities.

 

How about:

 

RotHC on Makeb

Shadow of Revan on Rishii and Yavin

Heroic Space Missions

Black Hole

Section X

Czerka

Oricon

Seeker / Macrobinocular

Strongholds

Ziost

And probably a number of other things I'm forgetting.

 

Many of the people in my old guild had ZERO interest in operations and very little interest in small group content (e.g. flashpoints). Despite this fact, they had tons of stuff to do.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Khevar

[EzioMessi]

You're pretending that when the devs were producing operations, that they were ignoring solo activities.

 

How about:

 

RotHC on Makeb

Shadow of Revan on Rishii and Yavin

Heroic Space Missions

Black Hole

Section X

Czerka

Oricon

Seeker / Macrobinocular

Strongholds

Ziost

And probably a number of other things I'm forgetting.

 

Many of the people in my old guild had ZERO interest in operations and very little interest in small group content (e.g. flashpoints). Despite this fact, they had tons of stuff to do.

 

Okay firstly, Daily areas don't count, they hardly have any substance for the solo player, they're literally just credit grinds. Oricon was great but a lot of solo players dislike it because its conclusion is gated behind an app. What do strongholds even have to do with players who want solo story content?

 

The rest, I agree, Bioware did a decent job giving solo storyline content and expansions while focusing on Ops. Imo they blindly followed the metrics that told them that solo players are more profitable, and decided to eschew group play entirely without KotFE and KotET, and I'm hoping the Machine Gods Op is a sign of things changing.

[OneHit]

Personally....I enjoyed the game more during those 2 1/2yrs than I have since launch. Why you ask? Because I wasn't interested in all the OP's and endgame stuff they focused on for the first 3yrs.

 

Let THAT sink in..... They spent years focusing on content for group/endgame players while us solo players pleaded on the forums for more content that can be done solo. And we were greeted on the forums with "this is a MMO, go play a single player game" trolls in EVERY thread.

 

Now that the focus seems to be on "group" again, I've only logged on and actually played maybe 3 times since the war for Iocath released. But I'm not on here every day crying and moaning. Berating the devs for having a sense of humor,

And threatening to drop my sub and quit because they're focusing on content "I" don't particularly enjoy. I've been playing other games until they release content I enjoy, or get the urge to level through the 1-70 stories again.

 

*drops mic and plays mass effect 2

 

And that's fine dude. I'm glad you enjoyed it. They lost a mil in sub fees. let that sink in

[Khevar]

Okay firstly, Daily areas don't count, they hardly have any substance for the solo player, they're literally just credit grinds. Oricon was great but a lot of solo players dislike it because its conclusion is gated behind an app. What do strongholds even have to do with players who want solo story content?

If we're talking purely about "solo content with substance", from my perspective KotFE and KotET were somewhat decent but really lacking in replay value.

 

Particularly KotFE.

 

Right about the time Chapter 10 had been released, I brought a second alt through the story, and it really lost it's appeal. I had no desire to keep running it on more characters.

 

I actually had more fun starting fresh on a brand new server and re-running all 8 vanilla class quests from scratch, with no legacy help, etc. This was even before the "re run all old content event". I did this all on my own before that.

 

The reason I listed out all of that other stuff (in addition to RotHC and SoR) is because during the 2.x-3.x days, I had more reasons to keep logging in than I did during the 4.x-5.x days, even if you take group content out of the mix.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Khevar