Update on Roadmap

[Ottoattack]

Hey all,

 

There were skeptics among you regarding my ability to deliver the Roadmap in May - I'm sitting here in disbelief having to acknowledge you just might be right!

 

I realize we have all-day tomorrow, too, but I didn't want to wait until the very last day to provide an update. The Roadmap is nearly there! I'm still making a number of adjustments based on internal reviews and working diligently to get them included and signed off.

 

My goal now is to get it out this week, so until it's ready to go I'll commit to providing you with a daily update through Friday. To be honest, I definitely underestimated the amount of time this was going to take.

 

Humbly, Keith

 

I cannot help but laugh. Unless you planning to tell us what you are going to produce week by week putting a roadmap together should not take more than 1 hour time. heck, I can tell you what I will be doing work wise in the next six month in 5 minutes.

 

So is it that you do not know or you know it is crap and trying to sugar coat it? If it takes this long to just provide 1 written page for what is coming, how long will it take for content to arrive? Man, if you consider how many posts you guys did regarding the roadmap you could written the roadmap over a couple of times.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Ottoattack

[dscount]

Yeah I agree...and the other poster is not correct in his claim this game is P2W... YOu can buy CXP boosters or aqcuire them in game...Not P2W.

 

Actually, I get the P2W theme. Sure you can buy in game Booster, but it's only 2 hours long. Hell I sit on fleet for 30-45 min nightly trying to get a simple SM Group Finder run. (Wish people would use the built in feature more).

 

Doing CXP Grind is complete and utter CRAP. If you want to make those levels move faster then you need to use some boosters (Don't have to, but it decreases your time dramatically). I refuse to spend real money to buy those packs, but I did have a bunch of Coins so I spent some. BIG difference in leveling, but again I would not spend the real cash if I hadn't a stock pile. Soooo... It's basically P2W and pretty sad they went down that path.

 

Grouping for anything from FP's, RAIDS, PVP and GSF grind fest and people have short fuse. Because everyone has limited time it's seriously cut throat (more than in previous days). Love the idea of CXP, but hate the implementation and the volume of content you must complete. Glad someone was "let go" or promoted to dog crap handler over "RNG is Exciting" model.

[Soljin]

Actually, I get the P2W theme. Sure you can buy in game Booster, but it's only 2 hours long. Hell I sit on fleet for 30-45 min nightly trying to get a simple SM Group Finder run. (Wish people would use the built in feature more).

 

Doing CXP Grind is complete and utter CRAP. If you want to make those levels move faster then you need to use some boosters (Don't have to, but it decreases your time dramatically). I refuse to spend real money to buy those packs, but I did have a bunch of Coins so I spent some. BIG difference in leveling, but again I would not spend the real cash if I hadn't a stock pile. Soooo... It's basically P2W and pretty sad they went down that path.

 

Grouping for anything from FP's, RAIDS, PVP and GSF grind fest and people have short fuse. Because everyone has limited time it's seriously cut throat (more than in previous days). Love the idea of CXP, but hate the implementation and the volume of content you must complete. Glad someone was "let go" or promoted to dog crap handler over "RNG is Exciting" model.

 

Well I don't see it as P2W. I agree with everything else in your post. CXP boosters are a pain for players anyway you look at it because they are mandatory just because they exist, no one wants to gimp their progress...

 

The entire world is starting to realize that limiting stress is a high priority..It increases productivity, increases moral and the general environment, well lets just say it makes people happy to have less stress....Not Bioware! They actually created a stress builder in CXP boosts. Everyone is running around watching the countdown on their CXP boost timer...

 

This is now a game where people are laying out their grind efficiency plans for CXP gains to people who complain about the grind....Seriously?

Edited May 31, 2017 by Soljin

[Aael]

Here is the thing, I'm disappointed that the road map could not be delivered in the time frame originally discussed. However, I am quite impressed by the fact that he would come into a forum of subscribers, veterans and newbies a like and tell us that he doesn't have it ready yet.

 

I'm hoping for big hopes, but I digress....

[Andryah]

I was surprised how positively many here reacted when Keith introduced himself. Only because he actually wrote something. I thought everyone realised by now that the decision-makers who are responsible for everything that happened and happens are not the same people who have to try cover up the damage in form of yellow posts. Eric is just the messenger, I think most agree on that, for example. I consider Keith a scapegoat who was chosen because of his community skills (although I would be happy if I am wrong about this and to be honest, I have zero background info about it.)

 

The fish stinks from the head. And the head is outside of BW. If you read between his lines, I have the impression that Keith already lost his positive naiveté which he still had a month ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he is shocked how complicated simple things can become, if you need approval by a stinking head.

 

^^ Indeed.

 

Anyone who has ever been involved in the drafting of a roadmap in a corporation knows it's not a document assembled casually and by one person. It is in fact more a negotiation document between all parties inside a company that have a business or technical role and interest in the end product. There are contributors that are customer facing, like Keith and Eric, but there are also many contributors internally. Why? Because at the end of the day, the contributors have to sign up and commit to the roadmap and what it results in.

 

That said... clearly there was no internal roadmap. If there was, they could easily go through a review and edit cycle to pare out those aspects of the roadmap that they need to keep confidential and then do a simple review and release. The fact that it takes two months+ to produce a roadmap for customer consumption pretty well demonstrates this in my view. Which means there is little hope that they will actually make the roadmap a living document between players and studio.

 

Most players.... clueless about anything to do with building, maintaining, and driving to a roadmap.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Andryah

[Andryah]

Every Roadmap we've got so far was a joke, I dont really understand why u guys are waiting for few vague paragraphs.

 

We were running blind for past 5 months. They bakcstabbed us with CXP grind and it took them 6 months to admit that players were right, the system got improved but still most of us dont want it, its basically pay to win system and this is just stupid because we already pay them. Monthly. The last solid updates were 2.8 and 3.0, Ben killed game after that I doubt Keith can get it back on track.

 

The fact that they cant produce one page of whats coming next is just sad..... But its understandable, after all the only content they delivered to us in last 30 months is 5 minute fight on platform.....

 

Setting aside all your hyperbolic vitriol.... this part I agree with. Prior "roadmaps" were not really roadmaps in my view. They were publicity documents, with a short lifecycle of relevance.

 

It remains to be seen if this time they are presenting something more tangible and persistent or not. We will know when they release it, not before.

[masterceil]

That said... clearly there was no internal roadmap. If there was, they could easily go through a review and edit cycle to pare out those aspects of the roadmap that they need to keep confidential and then do a simply review and release. The fact that it takes two months+ to produce a roadmap for customer consumption pretty well demonstrates this in my view. Which means there is little hope that they will actually make the roadmap a living document between players and studio.

 

Agreed. With the expulsion of Irving and the introduction of a new Lead Producer, the studio may have "wiped the slate clean", so to speak, as regards their future plans. It could be that they literally put most production on hold with the exception of Gods of the Machine and pending pieces of the Iokath story and started charting a new course for the game in the coming months. The roadmap will likely show the end of the operation, the end of the Zakuul/Odessen/Iokath storyline, and the beginning of a whole new direction for the game.

 

Well, one can hope

[Czajja]

*snip*

 

 

Quick question: Not that I like GC, but I don't understand how it's a pay to win system, unless you mean subscribing? You literally don't need to buy anything from the CM to do GC.

 

U can buy boost from CM.

[casirabit]

U can buy boost from CM.

 

Yea you can but it is not needed. I have yet to buy any boosts from the CM and I am doing fine. My sage dps already has her set bonus and my sawbones is only short 2 of the set.

[Czajja]

Yea you can but it is not needed. I have yet to buy any boosts from the CM and I am doing fine. My sage dps already has her set bonus and my sawbones is only short 2 of the set.

 

It's not about what is needed. Its about what is available.

 

And sage dps, really, u are persistent:cool:

Edited May 31, 2017 by Czajja

[Screaming_Ziva]

U can buy boost from CM.

The boosts are not required and you can also get the boosts in-game with Command Tokens without spending $$$. It is not P2W.

[DarthSpuds]

The roadmap will likely show the end of the operation, the end of the Zakuul/Odessen/Iokath storyline, and the beginning of a whole new direction for the game.

 

Well, one can hope

 

I hope so because the Zakuul, Oddessen, Iokath stuff has already been strung out too long. It wasn't really well enough written to run to a second season, much less a third.

 

However, if as you said earlier in your post this is a "wipe the slate clean" process let's at least go out in a blaze of glory.

 

As long as it is handled appropriately, in terms of story and gameplay, I have no objection to losing the following:

Oddessen - plus Alliance.

Zakuul Throne - plus Eternal Alliance or whatever it is called.

The Gravestone.

Any and all of the NEW NPC's introduced via KotFE/KotET/Iokath.

 

I'd like to keep Lana and Theron, they worked well in the Revan story arc, and could be put to good use again with thier respective faction hierarchies. And I think it wholly inappropriate to permanently remove Class Story Companions unless they were removed via a deliberate act by the player.

 

Such a "reset" would be an appropriate mechanism for a return to Empire vs Republic antagonism, and faction based (ideally class based) story lines. And could easily be used as a vehicle to return still missing companions.

 

Maybe if we (as the Outlander) fail bad enough at something the only people left who will trust us is those who knew us before we were the Outlander.

 

But as you say, we can but hope.

 

All The Best

[Screaming_Ziva]

And then they very conveniently place command boosts on the Cartel Market. This is why some people call it pay to win. Because you can literally pay your way through the command xp tiers, and therefore your grind is gonna drop higher tier gear faster than another's player's would.

P2W would be if they put full 246 set bonus gear in the CM. Buying a boost that makes the game less grindy is not P2W.

[RiVaN_]

Not going to lie - I was really expecting a delay for "EA Sign-off" on this road map.

 

I swear your marketing people have no balls. They need to publish a LOT more information if you have any chance of turning this game around.

 

Your First sentence, that is exactly what he is saying. He has to get his letter approved by the powers that be, the first drafts weren't so now he has to make changes and tweaks.

 

There isn't a chance to turn this game around anymore, that opportunity passed them as soon as Ben Irving decided that there would be no new Ops with KotFE and KotET. An MMO cannot survive this long with out sizable chunks of multiplayer PvE content produced on a regular basis. SWTOR is going to limp along until Visceral launches the next big Star Wars Multiplayer game.

[Andryah]

There isn't a chance to turn this game around anymore, that opportunity passed them as soon as Ben Irving decided that there would be no new Ops with KotFE and KotET.

 

I seriously doubt that Ben decided anything on his own. That is not in the power and scope of Producer. Which is precisely why Keith will suffer under the knife from the players.... just like every other producer in the history of this game.

 

A producer implements what a studio decides to fund and implement. A creative director is the person who most clearly drives creative and content direction, but they do not do it alone, nor do they do it in the absence of approvals and funding from the senior management team at Bioware, and in turn at EA. Development is, and always will be, a team effort.... and subject to business and funding constraints applied by senior management.

 

An MMO cannot survive this long with out sizable chunks of multiplayer PvE content produced on a regular basis. SWTOR is going to limp along until Visceral launches the next big Star Wars Multiplayer game.

 

Opinion, presented as fact.

 

In the modern era of MMOs... more players play solo then group more of the time. It did not used to be this way, but as time goes on and player tastes evolve... studio production evolves as well. Many players prefer to solo more content now days as it works better around a persons busy schedules and relaxation choices... YET they also want the broader social aspects of an MMO as a framework to play within. You know.. things like a player economy, guilds, player organized events, etc. etc.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Andryah

[Soljin]

 

Opinion, presented as fact.

 

In the modern era of MMOs... more players play solo then group more of the time. It did not used to be this way, but as time goes on and player tastes evolve... studio production evolves as well. Many players prefer to solo more content now days as it works better around a persons busy schedules and relaxation choices... YET they also want the broader social aspects of an MMO as a framework to play within. You know.. things like a player economy, guilds, player organized events, etc. etc.

 

Opinion presented as fact to counter opinion presented as fact...

 

Please note that a Sandbox style MMO is generally not in need of regular content releases due to the nature of the design.

 

Theme park MMOs on the other hand generally do indeed suffer drastically without regular content updates of which group content are a large part of... that's just based of past precedent in this game alone...No content and the game started to bleed... All the story content was solo content...game still bleed subscriptions.

[Deewe]

I cannot help but laugh. Unless you planning to tell us what you are going to produce week by week putting a roadmap together should not take more than 1 hour time. heck, I can tell you what I will be doing work wise in the next six month in 5 minutes.

 

So is it that you do not know or you know it is crap and trying to sugar coat it? If it takes this long to just provide 1 written page for what is coming, how long will it take for content to arrive? Man, if you consider how many posts you guys did regarding the roadmap you could written the roadmap over a couple of times.

What you tend to forget is he's not the only one involved in the process so let me try to explain why it takes time to do a roadmap.

 

At first they need a full picture of the current state of the game, not only from the players perspective but also from BioWare and EA execs plus their IP holder. Contrary to what some might think it's already quite a task and you want to make sure you got it right because everything will based on those assumptions.

 

At some point they need to identify key elements they want to focus on and will dig more into them. In parallel they're starting to draw a very rough and high level direction for the game with different milestones in mind: immediate/urgent, 3 months 6 months, one year and long term.

 

At this point they're going to pre-validate internally a possible roadmap and do a touch point with some top execs to validate they are digging into the right direction.

 

Now key designers, developers, artists, writers... are being asked to sketch the identified elements and give a proper evaluation of the task at hand.

 

After that all those analysis will be gathered, reviewed and the mapping of the roadmap will really start along with the evaluation of the required budget, hires and such.

 

A couple of iteration will be done on the features and the roadmap to ensure it answers the needs and fit within the various constraints. For example it has to be reviewed by the legal department.

 

So say you have your final roadmap, you are far from being done as no only you have to sell it to BioWare and EA top execs to secure the budget and get the green light but also you have to get the pawn of approval from no less than Disney.

 

In that last part you're going to be faced with drastic and unplanned changes requested. Some of them will be easy some will be a nightmare to deal with.

 

Say you get the GO, you are not yet done as you need now to properly communicate it and fit it with whatever agenda EA/BioWare/Disney want you to align with. Rest assured preparing the communication won't be a walk in the park either.

 

Now consider all the above has to be done on top of all the already ongoing tasks keeping the game alive and finishing the features that where already in development as you can't afford to stop preparing content, putting the game on hold.

 

We just mentioned a couple of the tasks required to build a roadmap, there's indeed much much work involved so no it can't be done in a couple of hours.

[DarthSpuds]

We just mentioned a couple of the tasks required to build a roadmap, there's indeed much much work involved so no it can't be done in a couple of hours.

 

And as Andryah already mentioned they should have an internal roadmap already planned out - if they don't then it is no wonder the project seems to lack both concerted direction and coherency.

 

At the point, some weeks back, when Keith mentioned the Roadmap and said it would be done by the end of May the ONLY thing that should have been required was to decide what parts, and how much, of that Roadmap could be made public, and then tidy it up for presentation.

 

All The Best

Edited May 31, 2017 by DarthSpuds

[Deewe]

And as Andryah already mentioned they should have an internal roadmap already planned out

Rest assured they had a roadmap. A video game studio can't subsist without one and EA would never have accepted to keep sending money back to Austin without it.

 

Now consider the change of producer came from BioWare/EA top execs dissatisfied with the results of the game. So new sherif, new plan. I mean a WHOLE new plan.

 

the ONLY thing that should have been required was to decide what parts, and how much, of that Roadmap could be made public, and then tidy it up for presentation.

I guess that's where we have to disagree, it's not as simple as it looks. Again, my humble take is it was much more than just a couple of tweaks in the current roadmap.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Deewe

[KeithKanneg]

Hi all,

 

As I told you yesterday, I wanted to make sure I gave you a daily update about the Roadmap. When you get to know me better, you’ll realize how important it is to deliver on my word. Also being transparent means I’m setting myself up for an onslaught of negativity, even though the intention behind my communication is a gesture of good faith between us. I sincerely appreciate everyone who’s been very understanding, and I take to heart the less flattering comments to see how I can do better next time.

 

I saw a shirt the other day that made me laugh, “I’m a Lead Producer. Yes, I am crazy! What sane person would actually do this job?” In all seriousness, I’m totally enjoying the interactions with you, and can’t wait to initiate new discussions about what’s next with SWTOR.

 

So I am up to my 4th Command Rank 300 character and I have been putting a lot of thought into what to level next. It’s a pretty hard decision you know? I have quite a few characters and I really do want to spend time with all of them. Do I play Imperial or Republic this time? I just finished my healer so maybe my tank?

 

Oh, Roadmap status update! It’s still May – albeit the last day of May, but the Roadmap is being posted this afternoon! Huzzaah!

 

---Keith

[RaiderMid]

Well done Keith. Well done.

[masterceil]

Oh, Roadmap status update! It’s still May – albeit the last day of May, but the Roadmap is being posted this afternoon! Huzzaah!

 

---Keith

 

I knew you could do it! Looking forward to it!

 

Also, I vote for Ruffian Scoundrel, because shotgun to the face!!! But if you wanna tank, Shadows are pretty fun, too : )

[Keta]

Hi all,

 

Oh, Roadmap status update! It’s still May – albeit the last day of May, but the Roadmap is being posted this afternoon! Huzzaah!

 

---Keith

 

Thank you.

[DarthSpuds]

So I am up to my 4th Command Rank 300 character and I have been putting a lot of thought into what to level next. It’s a pretty hard decision you know? I have quite a few characters and I really do want to spend time with all of them. Do I play Imperial or Republic this time? I just finished my healer so maybe my tank?

 

---Keith

 

Erm some weeks I can play 30+ hours, some weeks it'll be less than 10, working in Live Entertainment means it is often "all or nothing" on the work front. My highest CR is 52. If I am really lucky and make my guild's Friday Night Master Mode Ops Night, I may - after 2 MM Ops - manage to pick up 2 or 3 more Command Ranks.

 

I'm loving what game time I am getting, but I just don't see any hope of getting to CR 300, and even less hope of getting lucky on RNG and having a set. How much game time do you get, to have 4 Toons at CR 300.

 

I have "newbies" in my Guild that even at level 40 are dreading getting to level 70 because of how relentlessly grindy Command Ranks are - if its putting players off playing surely it needs to change.

 

All The Best

[vadess]

Hi all,

 

As I told you yesterday, I wanted to make sure I gave you a daily update about the Roadmap. When you get to know me better, you’ll realize how important it is to deliver on my word. Also being transparent means I’m setting myself up for an onslaught of negativity, even though the intention behind my communication is a gesture of good faith between us. I sincerely appreciate everyone who’s been very understanding, and I take to heart the less flattering comments to see how I can do better next time.

 

I saw a shirt the other day that made me laugh, “I’m a Lead Producer. Yes, I am crazy! What sane person would actually do this job?” In all seriousness, I’m totally enjoying the interactions with you, and can’t wait to initiate new discussions about what’s next with SWTOR.

 

So I am up to my 4th Command Rank 300 character and I have been putting a lot of thought into what to level next. It’s a pretty hard decision you know? I have quite a few characters and I really do want to spend time with all of them. Do I play Imperial or Republic this time? I just finished my healer so maybe my tank?

 

Oh, Roadmap status update! It’s still May – albeit the last day of May, but the Roadmap is being posted this afternoon! Huzzaah!

 

---Keith

 

FOR THE EMPIRE!!! Imperial Agents are awesome...

 

And congratulations, Keith. Knew you could pull through!