Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ - Road Map 2017

[Noerra]

I hope the last part of the roadmap is just badly worded and story doesn't continue IN the flashpoint. I would prefer if there would be open world story quests (hell even a chapter would do if open world is not possible) and flashpoint as extra (like for example Star Fortresses were).

 

Flashpoints feel hollow way to offer a story. Solo version is just a very short chapter with less cutscenes and no possibility to do it in smaller parts/keep a break and continue next day. In groupmode people don't usually even want to watch cutscenes and get very unpatient if someone stays watching them. I would also guess you cannot put any meaningfull choices or companions returning in group flashpoints without making some people frustrated of seeing cutscenes of "wrong choices" (thinking of Malavai Quin choice on Iokath and how that kind of thing would go in group conversation.. heh).

 

Good story doesn't have only some action, bosses and resolution of the events on the end - it also has old companions returning, LI relationships developing further and in general fun conversations with your crew and companions. It is hard to see all that in a flashpoint. If you are now focusing on OPS and don't have resources to do story properly it is ok - OPS people have been waiting their turn long enough. But I would rather wait a bit longer for a proper story piece than get "story in a flashpoint".

[rednhax]

As much as I appreciate the road map and the attention being made to neglected areas of the game, I wish more attention and efforts was put towards story and companion relationships.

 

I was especially disappointed with my trooper's very short reunion with Elara Dorne after such a long wait. In fact, I would love it if more missions that provided interaction with my my various companions were produced, they don't have to be big part of the overall story, either, could be just a side story like, let's go do a milk run.

 

As great and diversified as the story is for each class before level 50, it is very disappointing to have to wait months on end for more story content that offers very little replay value between classes and most often very little substance when it comes to companion interaction.

 

That being said, you can count on my support and return whenever new story elements are released, but I am afraid I cannot justify my sub on months when no story content is released, as the story is my main draw to this game.

[Dewlmenow]

You can still get gear off non-final bosses in NiM. BiS Armorings for your class are hard to get lucky with, but 246 mods and enhancements are still an upgrade over the 242's you get in HM. And yes you sometimes get screwed with 244 drops, but some characters can still use those if you've got tons of alts.

 

Maybe we'll get the rest of the 248's in the following operation. I personally prefer it over having them release a new tier of gear when the next operation arrives.

 

There's no reason to get random gear that is either equal or inferior to crafted gear in the hardest content in the game.

[Icykill_]

As part of your planned QoL coming in few months, please, please double the amount of bank tabs available to us for our ever growing inventories, or at least add all legacy armors/weapons to collections, cause there is literally 3-4 full banks+ worth currently in the game right now! Think of those poor databases hamsters!

 

And please add a currency bank to our legacy cargo holds, similar to how guild banks work.

[AscendingSky]

As much as I appreciate the road map and the attention being made to neglected areas of the game, I wish more attention and efforts was put towards story and companion relationships.

 

I was especially disappointed with my trooper's very short reunion with Elara Dorne after such a long wait. In fact, I would love it if more missions that provided interaction with my my various companions were produced, they don't have to be big part of the overall story, either, could be just a side story like, let's go do a milk run.

 

As great and diversified as the story is for each class before level 50, it is very disappointing to have to wait months on end for more story content that offers very little replay value between classes and most often very little substance when it comes to companion interaction.

 

That being said, you can count on my support and return whenever new story elements are released, but I am afraid I cannot justify my sub on months when no story content is released, as the story is my main draw to this game.

 

I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at your post. We just came off two straight years and two sequential expansions of NOTHING BUT attention to story and bringing in a couple dozen companions, and you're already complaining that not enough attention and effort are being paid to those two things just because the devs are taking a couple months break from them? Are you serious? XD

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[Mdgshorty]

Keith,

 

Thank you for the roadmap. I really do like the idea of our companions being able to get influence from sending them out. Its something that should have been in the game a long time ago.

 

I like that we will be able to get tier 1 gear with command tokens. I do suggest to you to increase the command token cap as I do feel that it is a bit on the low side. I know there are people do not like the GC. It should have always been another way to earn gear, but not the primary way. Please look into opening it up to preferred status players and bring back passes to the game. Maybe even find a way to offer a way for players to earn game time in game like other games have done.

 

I hate to say this but there are some servers that the population is not that good anymore. Please look into either merging or come up with some sort of cross server tech so that there is more people to play with.

 

There are some players (and I know you are one of them) that plays on multiple server. Please look into maybe adding a crafters bank that is account wide to where you can actually keep only crafting mats and components in. Give us more account wide options please

Edited June 1, 2017 by Mdgshorty

[Darkside]

And please add a currency bank to our legacy cargo holds, similar to how guild banks work.

 

That would indeed be an awesome addition!

[stoopicus]

I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at your post. We just came off two straight years and two sequential expansions of NOTHING BUT attention to story and bringing in a couple dozen companions, and you're already complaining that not enough attention and effort are being paid to those two things just because the devs are taking a couple months break from them? Are you serious? XD

 

Yeah - honestly I am not getting the "BUT THE STORY!" complaints. The last thing this game needs is more exclusive focus on story, and I say that as someone who only PvEs solo.

 

Endgame group content is on life support and needs immediate care.

[Ciarayn]

I hope the last part of the roadmap is just badly worded and story doesn't continue IN the flashpoint. I would prefer if there would be open world story quests (hell even a chapter would do if open world is not possible) and flashpoint as extra (like for example Star Fortresses were).

 

Flashpoints feel hollow way to offer a story. Solo version is just a very short chapter with less cutscenes and no possibility to do it in smaller parts/keep a break and continue next day. In groupmode people don't usually even want to watch cutscenes and get very unpatient if someone stays watching them. I would also guess you cannot put any meaningfull choices or companions returning in group flashpoints without making some people frustrated of seeing cutscenes of "wrong choices" (thinking of Malavai Quin choice on Iokath and how that kind of thing would go in group conversation.. heh).

 

Good story doesn't have only some action, bosses and resolution of the events on the end - it also has old companions returning, LI relationships developing further and in general fun conversations with your crew and companions. It is hard to see all that in a flashpoint.

Yes, I agree with this. Please have open world story quests or chapters with flashpoints as extras.

[AlCiao]

Thanks for the roadmap, Keith! While I did read the note a while back sayiing you do not have plans to introduce a Tier 5 any time "soon", does the lack of such a mention in the roadmap mean that there will be no Tier 5 in the coming quarter? I'd assume so, but you've been vague on a few details with the second and third month, so I'm not sure...

[jimmorrisson]

What about PVP access for preferred players?

 

Bring them back please, the queues are getting slow and they put money in the game too, at least bring back the passes.

 

I would also support return of PVP and Operations access for non-subscribers.

[Quraswren]

WOW.

 

Thats a very short road map and a lot of information we already knew so thats a bit disappointing.

 

Thanks for the small tidbits of new information though. At this point, even the smallest new information for the players left is good I guess.

 

Maybe in that next quarter map, hit us with a map that is a bit longer in scope and has a bit more new information to it.

 

This one gets a "C" rating.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Quraswren

[mike_carton]

also Keith quick question confused to what this means

 

"in addition, we’ll review and adjust which companions you received through Alliance Alerts"

 

this can mean a few things, if you can clarify that would be great , but again great roadmap

 

I read it as "we'll remove some companions you got through alliance alerts, based on the character class." Possibly because they'll appear in the story.

[Icykill_]

These are certainly not priority ideas, but they would be some nice QoL improvements

 

Search and sort options at the character front login screen. It would be a nice QoL for people with lots of Alts who want to search by class, levels and factions... plus a possible option to search for crafters, guilds, race, force alignment, etc, etc.. probably too many for all those.. but the first 3 would be nice

 

An in game option to see who your crafters are and other basic info would be nice. It could use the family tree by showing more detail for each, ie Alt one., Jugg Alt : spec - rage : crafting - cybertech, gathering 1, gathering 2 : credits - 1 mil.

The family tree isn't used for anything. I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't even know it was there. Those things could be linked to each avatar to provide some basic info for each Alt.

 

A legacy credit bank for your legacy cargo hold

 

Being able to stack the same armor, crystals, dyes, mods, etc, items in your legacy cargo hold. The same as you can stack mats.

 

More legacy cargo hold tabs or bigger cargo hold tabs like the guild bank ones.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Icykill_

[stoopicus]

I would also support return of PVP and Operations access for non-subscribers.

 

Yeah this seems like a really good idea.

[rednhax]

I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at your post. We just came off two straight years and two sequential expansions of NOTHING BUT attention to story and bringing in a couple dozen companions, and you're already complaining that not enough attention and effort are being paid to those two things just because the devs are taking a couple months break from them? Are you serious? XD

 

Wasn't the last expansion released December 2nd? Didn't 5 months just go by this year with just one story content release? With a story planned for release in August, that makes two story related patches in 8 months!

Edited June 1, 2017 by rednhax

[Icykill_]

I would also support return of PVP and Operations access for non-subscribers.

 

Only preferred.. not F2P.. if they want content they need to fork out some money, otherwise we are basically paying for them to play for free.

[AscendingSky]

Wasn't the last expansion released December 2nd? Didn't 5 months just go by this year with just one story content release? With a story planned for release in August, that makes two story related patches in 8 months!

 

April gave us the whole start of the War for Iokath story. Where have you been? XD That makes it less than two months since we got any story... after two straight years of focus on story... two entire expansions composed of nothing BUT story... compared to the two and a half years raiders had to wait for an ops boss. I think you'll live!

Edited June 1, 2017 by AscendingSky

[stoopicus]

Only preferred.. not F2P.. if they want content they need to fork out some money, otherwise we are basically paying for them to play for free.

 

Honestly if it increases the queue pops I don't mind. F2P is already gimped in many other ways. Opening operations and PvP to them would have a direct positive impact for subs, so I say go for it, for regs anyway.

 

Ranked would be a massive trolling lightning rod if opened to F2P. And frankly something would have to be done to counter that in regs too. But it is an idea worth exploring for sure.

Edited June 1, 2017 by stoopicus

[rednhax]

April gave us the whole start of the War for Iokath story. Where have you been? XD

 

That would be the one story patch so far, second one is August. Not saying they shouldn't be providing other types of content, just saying it would be nice if every patch had a little something for everyone.

[AscendingSky]

That would be the one story patch so far, second one is August. Not saying they shouldn't be providing other types of content, just saying it would be nice if every patch had a little something for everyone.

 

Hey, we raiders are having to wait months in between ops bosses too. So these patches ARE giving something for everyone. It's just not all story all the time like you want, and like you've been getting for the past two years. So again, still minimal sympathy here.

[Icykill_]

I'm sorry, I couldn't help but laugh at your post. We just came off two straight years and two sequential expansions of NOTHING BUT attention to story and bringing in a couple dozen companions, and you're already complaining that not enough attention and effort are being paid to those two things just because the devs are taking a couple months break from them? Are you serious? XD

 

Agreed. The rest of the game has been sadly neglected while all the focus turned to solo story mode. This is supposed to be an MMO and that requires group content.

While the story is nice, there are no options to run it as a group, so it essentially makes it a single player console type game. If I wanted to play that sort of game I would play my Xbox or play station.

So seeing as those stories neglect any MMO group like participation, it's only fair that they take a break from them to add some group content to compliment the solo player experience.

[Icykill_]

Honestly if it increases the queue pops I don't mind. F2P is already gimped in many other ways. Opening operations and PvP to them would have a direct positive impact for subs, so I say go for it, for regs anyway.

 

Ranked would be a massive trolling lightning rod if opened to F2P. And frankly something would have to be done to counter that in regs too. But it is an idea worth exploring for sure.

 

They can already bypass it with the loop hole of queuing with subs. Maybe if they paid for a one off pass to access pvp for a year I could get on board. I just don't agree that subscribers should carry their cheap arses. If I got pvp for free I would unsub tomorrow because that's all I play. That's not very fair to the subscribers and Bioware would lose more money from people like me who only pvp.

[mike_carton]

We might be reading into the roadmap material that is not present. I didn't see the following promises in it even when they were touched upon:

 

• Weapons turnings being added to collections
  
• UC becoming legacy bound
  
• CXP becoming legacy bound
  
• New GSF map
  

[Icykill_]

Wasn't the last expansion released December 2nd? Didn't 5 months just go by this year with just one story content release? With a story planned for release in August, that makes two story related patches in 8 months!

 

Solo story people got "3 years of content" and all resources went to that. Any group content was an after thought and had measly resources appointed, which made it rubbish.

Also nothing's really been fixed yet from that expansion.. all their time has been focused on trying to fix all the mistakes relating to it.. the measly group content added was terrible and had no substance.. the gearing for that group content drove people away from the game.. the only people who benefited from the current gearing system was the solo story guys and they don't need top tier gear...

 

You guys have had it good for 3 years. How about giving the MMO part of the game some content... you do know this is an MMO game.. not a console story game??

 

Once they fix all of those issues and add some quality group content, I'm all for them adding more story, especially if they make it so that groups of people can do it together so it's social and not isolated. But there also needs to be a balance between solo story content and group content and there hasn't been for years. That balance may take sometime to catch up. You need to be patient like we've been.