Discussion Topic: Discussion Topics!

[Nireesh]

Here are my suggestions for discussion topics (more ideas of future content really):

 

Ranked PVP - how to get people to play it

GSF PVE - what would this look like?

Strongholds - what else can we do with SH's

Guilds - how can they be enhanced?

What mini-games or type of events could be added?

Conquests - how to get people more involved with conquests?

[Eshvara]

Reposted as I posted in the wrong thread.

 

I see some people suggesting going back and forth with devs on topics, while that sounds good, the amount of people that will be posting at them would be too much to reply too. You can't really have a proper back and forth discussion with 20 people. Replying​ to all of the issues, people reply back and Devs do the same. It may work with one or two people, but not all of them. People will feel ignored again, or feel like they're not addressing the right or important questions.

 

We only have Keith replying in the way he does. While Musco is here too, he doesn't really go into it like Keith does, which is understandable as it isn't his job.

We need more Devs! Charles could handle the story area, but given the last thread, I can't blame him if he doesn't want to with the way people replied.

 

Keith can remain as he is

People who manage balancing could be answering those questions

Same thing for PvE, PvP, and so on.

I don't know if they have the "time" for this. But I think it's important that some time will be made. Ghost crawler still responds to people asking about WoW in detail and he doesn't even work there any more.

 

TLDR; Devs in their own area of expertise could handle questions related to that area

Edited July 15, 2017 by Eshvara

[Vhaegrant]

I'd like to see a more open discussion on the internal metrics you gather on how people play the game.

Percentages are fine as I know publishers tend to get a bit cagey when it comes to definitive numbers. It was refreshing to see the openness with which the devs recently discussed how they go about balancing classes and what numbers they focus on, not sure why that clarity wasn't there in the early years.

I just feel people see their own play style as the most important and then think the majority of gamers play that way and want to see the same content. If they don't have the numbers to hand they have nothing else to base their discussion on.

 

While we're talking about open discussions, and I hope SWTOR has a long and healthy future ahead of it, but can the community be involved in the discussion about what happens when the license ends. Will the servers just be switched off, hope the players took plenty of screen shots. Would Disney be able to maintain some sort of legacy servers. By my calculations we're a little over halfway and I'd like to think there's still some potential to have the game running when the license is up for renewal.

Edited July 15, 2017 by Vhaegrant

[Vilexia]

What are some plans for the next expansion to be more like a traditional MMO?

 

I read Keith’s producer letter, and I really appreciate the vigor behind it, but having read through this thread, I think I and a lot of other players would like more definitive answers. I enjoyed the last two expansions’ stories, and Bioware is truly talented with writing stories that always move me That said, something really bothered me when I was playing the last two expansions: why was the play button added and open world exploration dropped? SWTOR is a MMO, not a visual novel, which is the vibe of the last two expansions. I really think it was a mistake for the long-term health of the game.

 

I would like an open discussion about what more traditional MMO aspects will be added to SWTOR. New planets we can explore with side quests, dailys, flashpoints and raids. All of these areas need new content and features, along with adjustments to current content to make them more appealing to players. Flashpoints should have more incentives for doing them. I also think raids should have progression within each tier. If all the raids are the “same” difficulty at each tier, all of the raids will not be played. As a subscriber since launch, I would like more detailed reassurance that this game will be treated like an MMO as it moves forward.

 

What are some clothing items that can be added to SWTOR to give it that cosmic Star Wars feel?

 

First, I want to say that there are some outfits in SWTOR that I just love. Like Vaylin’s first outfit was so beautiful, with dark nail polish that my characters (and many other players) crave still to this day! I think the talent of the graphic artists at Bioware is amazing. Something I have noticed though in the last couple of packs is that almost all the outfits cover the character head to toe!! I used to generally buy one hypercrate when new packs came out but, honestly, I haven’t had any interest for months due to this unrealistic direction the clothing in the packs have taken. Bioware is big on diversity, and I think clothing should be no exception. There should be beautiful, ugly, pretty, scary, cool, sexy, cute, handsome, and frigid outfits. Not every character in the whole Star Wars universe would be completely covered! Rey shows her shoulders off in her cool outfit

 

Also, far too often the fashion has very similar pieces; for example, many of the outfits have a long sleeve shirt with a t-shirt over it. I would like just a long sleeve shirt sometimes. There should be more variety as your player base is very diverse!! I would also like a wedding dress ala Padme Amidala. I know other players have very particular Jedi and Sith robes they want! Yes, the fashion in SWTOR has moved on from the Shredder shoulder pads I had to wear as a corruption Sorcerer back in the day but I think it could move even more forward! Most importantly, there needs to be diversity in cut of the clothing. Could a discussion take place where we as a player base get more insight into the what Devs plans are to expand the fashion of Star Wars so that it feels truer to the IP?

[Rion_Starkiller]

Hey folks,

 

For this weeks discussion topic, we want to talk about... discussion topics! What I mean by that is, what are the things you want us to have a discussion about in the future. For context, here are some of our previous topics:

 

Galactic Starfighter

Bolster Changes for PvP

Master Mode Ops Drops

 

When you make a recommendation, I would ask that you be as specific as possible. We try to have the topics be guided so that there is focus to the feedback. Ex: "What new game mode would you like to see in a Warzone" is better than "what would you like to see added for PvP."

 

Give us your thoughts on future topics!

 

-eric

 

Please, could you fix some old engine bugs (appearance previewer, for example) and add new group content instead (like Iokath, but more Yavin-esque)...? Not sure if that's a fair comparison, but that is my immediate thought.

Edited July 16, 2017 by Rion_Starkiller

[IoNonSoEVero]

^^^This, especially the vanilla companions.

 

Yes yes yes! Please discuss how we can have more time with our companions/LIs. It would be awesome to have a fun side quest with one's romanced companion, a vacation/wedding/somesuch.

[Eshvara]

Also for Keith as people are sending him a lot of PM's and he's trying to answer as many as he can, it kind of seems to take away from public communication. Ever since you said you were going to try harder replying in private, there has been a drop of you replying on the forums.

I'm not trying to suggest you shouldn't answer any, but we like seeing you post here like you did before.

 

I know know he's made some post, but they're not really like the issues he was addressing before. They seem a bit more casual. But maybe that's just me, and others don't really feel like this at all.

[IntegrationArch]

Or you could just fix some old engine bugs and add new group content instead...?

 

This!

[rsimmonsthanatos]

Incentive for (Limited) Open World PVP

Creating some kind of incentive for "open world" PVP, with the goal of: (1) fun; and (2) allowing people to complete the planetary achievements. Ever since the PVP/PVE instance change, there is zero PVP happening outside of Warzones.

 

I'm not a huge PVP'er, and I don't want to always be worried about getting ganked, but having absolutely zero PVP on planets means I can't get complete the PVP achievement for those planets, which means I can't get 100% completion on the planet, which disincentivizes me from trying to complete ANY of the planetary achievements. Encouraging "open world" PVP would allow people to finish the planetary achievements and would seem to be a way to leverage existing original content.

 

Could you create a special "This Weekend Only" XP/CXP bonus tied to PVP on a particular planet as a way to encourage people to do a little bit of PvP on a particular planet so the number of people in a PvP instance increases during that period? For example, kill 50 players in PVP on Tatooine this week and get [insert number] XP/CXP?

 

Or could it be tied to Conquest as additional way to earn conquest points (e.g., killing 50/100 players in PVP on [planet name] earns 1000/2000 Conquest points?

 

I'd really like to complete the planetary achievements, but unless something changes there's simply no way to do that at this point, as there is never anybody in a PVP instance.

[JakRoanin]

More Areas of customization

 

More Options for and Extended Crafting

 

Improved Quality of Existing Strongholds (Why is there a limit on hook usage?

 

Improved Companion Stories

[JediTahiri]

I love Galactic Starfighter. But it would be nice to actually be able to play it. I am tired of sitting in 40 min queue times just to get a match. it's going to make me just give up on the game. The population is obviously declining. You can't even get a group for things. Just merge the servers already. the servers are NEVER above "standard" population if at all.

The ones against mergers are obviously solo players and why should they matter when it comes to wanting to be able to do group content. Low populated servers SUCK. This is a MMO. it sure doesn't feel like it though

[DarthSpuds]

Hey folks,

 

For this weeks discussion topic, we want to talk about... discussion topics! What I mean by that is, what are the things you want us to have a discussion about in the future.

 

-eric

 

I'd like for us to actually have a conversation.

 

I'd like you (Bioware) to understand that starting a thread with a yellow post and then NOT addressing any of the concerns raised is NOT having a conversation. It is paying, very poor, lip service to idea of customer relations communications.

 

All The Best

[IntegrationArch]

I'd like for us to actually have a conversation.

 

I'd like you (Bioware) to understand that starting a thread with a yellow post and then NOT addressing any of the concerns raised is NOT having a conversation. It is paying, very poor, lip service to idea of customer relations communications.

 

All The Best

 

So True.

[DarthSpuds]

Reposted as I posted in the wrong thread.

 

I see some people suggesting going back and forth with devs on topics, while that sounds good, the amount of people that will be posting at them would be too much to reply too. You can't really have a proper back and forth discussion with 20 people.

 

So.

 

It works like this, I've done it on another forum years back.

 

Bioware starts a thread discussing X.

Rules are simple:

1) Any post not discussing X will be deleted.

2) 5 days out Bioware will Lock the thread to collate current valid questions, formulate appropriate responses, and post them up.

3) Thread re-opens for discussion of Bioware responses to X (and not to X itself).

4) Possibly repeat above process, if needed, otherwise lock the thread after another 5 days.

 

Create a Sticky Thread with all such discussions linked in one place. This permits all players to see what topics have been discussed, and what Bioware responses were. If for example Bioware says "nope Z is just not going to happen, its not within the technical scope of the current software" then we know there's no point discussing it further.

 

The single biggest reason the Forums are full of the same old rinse-repeat topics is because there is no "single resource point" for us to reference.

 

All The Best

Edited July 16, 2017 by DarthSpuds

[IntegrationArch]

So.

 

It works like this, I've done it on another forum years back.

 

Bioware starts a thread discussing X.

Rules are simple:

1) Any post not discussing X will be deleted.

2) 5 days out Bioware will Lock the thread to collate current valid questions, formulate appropriate responses, and post them up.

3) Thread re-opens for discussion of Bioware responses to X (and not to X itself).

4) Possibly repeat above process, if needed, otherwise lock the thread after another 5 days.

 

Create a Sticky Thread with all such discussions linked in one place. This permits all players to see what topics have been discussed, and what Bioware responses were. If for example Bioware says "nope Z is just not going to happen, its not within the technical scope of the current software" then we know there's no point discussing it further.

 

The single biggest reason the Forums are full of the same old rinse-repeat topics is because there is no "single resource point" for us to reference.

 

All The Best

 

SWTOR'S no longer staffed now except for low maintenance bare bones. . In the past BW could behave like that. I don't expet them to address most of the subscribers questions about big picture and platform upgrades, nor when we would see a SWTOR stable DX12 game client.

 

But let us know when the MEGASERVER is coming please, or not. more no news is bad news.

Edited July 16, 2017 by IntegrationArch

[DarthSpuds]

And to prove my point just 2 Staff posts in this thread in 4 days.

 

Since Eric started this thread there have been a grand total of 21 posts by Staff.

14 of them relating to either the East Coast Servers being kaput (oh, yet again) or Conquest Rewards not being awarded correctly.

Leaving just 7 posts that aren't "emergency response" posts.

And 2 of those were dealing with other "game issues"/

Leaving just 5 posts that can in any way be considered "conversational".

 

Bioware don't want conversation, they want the appearance of conversation so they can say "look we are talking to you - honest".

 

All The Best

Edited July 17, 2017 by DarthSpuds

[DarthSpuds]

Another day passes, and more proof of the points I made is provided by Bioware's continuing abject, and appalling, lack of participation in this thread.

 

All The Best

[Eshvara]

I guess this was it then? 🤔

 

O welp!

[aerockyul]

Hey folks,

 

For this weeks discussion topic, we want to talk about... discussion topics! What I mean by that is, what are the things you want us to have a discussion about in the future. For context, here are some of our previous topics:

 

Galactic Starfighter

Bolster Changes for PvP

Master Mode Ops Drops

 

When you make a recommendation, I would ask that you be as specific as possible. We try to have the topics be guided so that there is focus to the feedback. Ex: "What new game mode would you like to see in a Warzone" is better than "what would you like to see added for PvP."

 

Give us your thoughts on future topics!

 

-eric

 

You guys gotta stop conflating everything that a gold-post says as an iron-clad promise (that was never stated) to do something. The thread is about future discussion threads, not answering every idea that is posted in this one. They probably tabulated responses in here and will have an internal discussion about which topic to lead the next discussion thread with, and there will likely be more back and forth there.

 

Ever since the increased communication from Keith and Eric and others, this forum has become a rl example of the children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. The near-constant pushback to "open" communication is not a good way to ensure future communication and makes it increasingly not worth the effort.

Edited July 18, 2017 by aerockyul
typo

[Eshvara]

You guys gotta stop conflating everything that a gold-post says as an iron-clad promise (that was never stated) to do something. The thread is about future discussion threads, not answering every idea that is posted in this one. They probably tabulated responses in here and will have an internal discussion about which topic to lead the next discussion thread with, and there will likely be more back and forth there.

 

Ever since the increased communication from Keith and Eric and others, this forum has become a rl example of the children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. The near-constant pushback to "open" communication is not a good way to ensure future communication and makes it increasingly not worth the effort.

 

That's fine and sounds reasonable enough, I can get on board with that. But it seems like that message wasn't very clear to pretty much most people in this thread including myself.

It isn't a big deal to come in and say it if that's the case, people would probably understand and calm down to a degree anyway. I don't really see why they haven't explained it in the way like you, should it behow it is.

It would help.

 

If it was said somewhere, feel free to point me to it, in case I missed it.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Eshvara

[MeNaCe-NZ]

Another day passes, and more proof of the points I made is provided by Bioware's continuing abject, and appalling, lack of participation in this thread.

 

All The Best

 

Indeed, the discussion is an illusion.

 

We have improved communication yes but there is no discussion going on, no dialogue between us and BWA.

 

Some earlier gold posts that insinuated there are or would be seem to be rather .... full of crap?

[IntegrationArch]

Indeed, the discussion is an illusion.

 

We have improved communication yes but there is no discussion going on, no dialogue between us and BWA.

 

Some earlier gold posts that insinuated there are or would be seem to be rather .... full of crap?

 

Could be yez.

[aerockyul]

That's fine and sounds reasonable enough, I can get on board with that. But it seems like that message wasn't very clear to pretty much most people in this thread including myself.

It isn't a big deal to come in and say it if that's the case, people would probably understand and calm down to a degree anyway. I don't really see why they haven't explained it in the way like you, should it behow it is.

It would help.

 

If it was said somewhere, feel free to point me to it, in case I missed it.

 

I understand losing their true meaning in the swamp of expectations we all have. My perspective is I see more open dialogue from them and see it as a net positive. I don't feel put out because Keith or Eric or company didn't quote me in a gold post, but some people see that as a lack of two-way communication. They've openly said multiple times that they're reading everything but can't respond to everything. And would we really want that? If they responded to every forum, Reddit, twit, and PM, they'd spend zero time in internal meetings going over all the things we're posting. Do we want them personally responding to every little thing or actively working on making the game better?

 

Can BW be clearer sometimes? Sure, but they might be in a position to feel they've been clear enough and don't also need additional posts of clarification if they feel they said enough in the beginning.

[IntegrationArch]

I understand losing their true meaning in the swamp of expectations we all have. My perspective is I see more open dialogue from them and see it as a net positive. I don't feel put out because Keith or Eric or company didn't quote me in a gold post, but some people see that as a lack of two-way communication. They've openly said multiple times that they're reading everything but can't respond to everything. And would we really want that? If they responded to every forum, Reddit, twit, and PM, they'd spend zero time in internal meetings going over all the things we're posting. Do we want them personally responding to every little thing or actively working on making the game better?

 

Can BW be clearer sometimes? Sure, but they might be in a position to feel they've been clear enough and don't also need additional posts of clarification if they feel they said enough in the beginning.

 

BW seems like they have an EA gag order about a SWTOR until Battlefont II is out based on a few long time SWTOR bloggers/influencers.

Edited July 19, 2017 by IntegrationArch

[DarthDymond]

I understand losing their true meaning in the swamp of expectations we all have. My perspective is I see more open dialogue from them and see it as a net positive. I don't feel put out because Keith or Eric or company didn't quote me in a gold post, but some people see that as a lack of two-way communication. They've openly said multiple times that they're reading everything but can't respond to everything. And would we really want that? If they responded to every forum, Reddit, twit, and PM, they'd spend zero time in internal meetings going over all the things we're posting. Do we want them personally responding to every little thing or actively working on making the game better?

 

Can BW be clearer sometimes? Sure, but they might be in a position to feel they've been clear enough and don't also need additional posts of clarification if they feel they said enough in the beginning.

^This sums up my thoughts on the matter perfectly as well!

 

They have said they are reviewing and considering feedback from the forums / Reddit / social media / etc. They are posting more often then they have in ages. However, some people seem to want to feel like they personally have a full-blown seat at the planning table, or else it's not enough. If the devs got into a back-and-forth 'conversation' on every topic raised, they wouldn't have time to actually develop anything for the game.

Edited July 19, 2017 by DarthDymond