Discussion Topic: Game Update 5.4 and the Next Roadmap

[Glzmo]

Could the guild stronghold limit of 1 Guild Stronghold + Flaghsip please finally be lifted so each guild can get multiple guild strongholds?

 

Does it only matter what the highest rated mod in the item is or do you calculate some sort of average per item from all mods inside?

As for the gear check for the new flashpoint, how are augments factored in? Augments can make gear with lower ratings as good as higher rating ones that don't have augments.

 

Since augments have a smaller rating than 242 (and there are people that use lower level augments than the ones available), I hope having an augment in the gear won't drag your "average gear rating" down either. Hopefully you've considered that.

 

Will premade groups still be able to use the group finder to enter the flashpoint even if one of the members doesn't have average 242 gear?

 

In general, I'm not the biggest fan of this change, as it will limit the ability to play such a flashpoint to a small number of people that have access to 242 and higher gear which is still way too hard to get due to stupid RNG.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Glzmo

[WayOfTheWarriorx]

I absolutely, wholeheartedly disagree with the restriction on Master Mode GF to 242 gear. There isn't a flashpoint or operation in this game that can't be cleared in entry level (230) gear by a really skilled player. The gear checks in this game have been nonexistent forever. It has and always will be about skill and practice. So I don't get why this system is being applied. Gear DOES NOT equal skill.

 

In addition, this is then getting limited to people who have done a serious amount of Hard and Nightmare raiding, which has become such a small fraction of the player base. Even smaller are the people who have a mix of gear that averages 242. That means you need a full hardmode set or some mix of nightmare quality gear. Even if it was just moved down to 236, you'd significantly widen the amount of people able to queue.

 

And how is gonna work for group finder? Are people who want to do MM's but don't have the gear rating gonna be ineligible for the GF daily?

 

I get you wanna fix the range of quality you can get in a GF queue, but this is not the way.

 

Ps. Umbara will be a great stronghold, but please take the suggestions for improving the Manaan stronghold under advisement and implement a few

 

Yeah that's totally unnesscary, 242 for MMs is not necessary,, they can easily be done with worser rated gear?

 

Just another way of forcing people into the gear grind and command tier system perhaps is the reason for this one could speculate.

[MarhaCz]

Lightning needs to get fixed firsth. That chain lightning glitch has been here for too much long time. How about fixing that? And forcing people to be in certain gear to do FP is very nice way how to make shure noone is going to do it . Also that buffs for madness were enough? Yeah you fixed its force issues, but its still incredible crap. When i see your lists, iam afraid that instead of pushing classes up to others, you will push all down to be all exactly ******.

[WayOfTheWarriorx]

When i see your lists, iam afraid that instead of pushing classes up to others, you will push all down to be all exactly ******.

 

I'm pretty sure that's the plan. They're just gonna rip every spec apart in some fashion, I don't see this ending well. I have the strong feeling that 'class balance' may we worse when it's done than it was when it was needed.

[everclearisalive]

 

3. Any new event(s) in store? Good idea putting new goodies on the casino-event (love the decorations...) but something new would be nice

 

5. Will there be a "big" expansion (6.0) in the end of the year? Or after you released all bosses of the operation.

 

6. Can you give some inormation on the numbers of players that actually play the game (subscribers, f2p's)?

 

@ T3-M4

 

These three Q's stood out for me.

Q3 - I think it's do-able for an event every quarter or 6 a year. I like the neverwinter online "siege of neverwinter"

event. http://www.arcgames.com/en/games/neverwinter/news/detail/7006233-siege-of-neverwinter-event-now-live

I think it fits so well with the MMO group content, it's a "drop-in when you want" thing so you can get 20-30 solo players (or groupmates) all joining up to take down what is an event "world boss". It's repeatable every 20-30mins etc. Solo players are'nt tied in to a half-hour/hour op/flashpoint etc, and makes it good.

 

PVP could have an event on tattoine etc where they get to go nuts in a free-for-all "last man standing battle". have like 40 pvp'ers duke it out. it'd make planets viable again rather than instanced areas. I'm not a PvP'er but i could see that being a fun blast. Have a story like Jabba the Hutt want's a PvP gladiator yadda-yadda-yadda.

 

Q5 - I'd happilly pay $20 for a Shadow of Revan type expansion. I can't see how that wouldn't pay for itself?

 

Q6 - I really can't see that happening. It's not good to be compared to rivals games, better or worse. If they are struggling it'd be game-killer to admit it. If it's doing well, other games would start looking over... it's just bad business to release that.

[Nkya]

I like the idea of content avaiable for those caring of their characters enough to gear them, but 242 is too hight as a limit:

- It's a grind, based on RNG, we can get 242 from commander level 180, but it's rare to have all slots covered at level 300. Since it's average, we have to get higher gear for each gear not covered which isn't possible before level 300.

- Some servers are dying, adding elists restriction to content will make things even worst for their players.

 

What about you change the limit to 236? the armoring is avaiable from story more operations and 240 gear can be crafted more easily than 246 one?

[Jerba]

*snip*

I think it depends on the server, on my server (T3-M4) group content is actively sought.

 

From my understanding, the reason that there are so many solo players in SWTOR now is purely because of KotFE/KotET. During the previous expansions (2.0/3.0), there were mostly MMO players.

BioWare wanted to cash in on the new Star Wars movies, abandoned the MMO aspects and instead focused on mass-market story aspects. However, we now know that this was the wrong decision: Story players do not stick around. Unlike MMO content, story is not repeatable and is consumed much quicker. There is no reason for a story player to stay subscribed after the first month, all the story remains available to play for free.

 

I have certainly spoken with a few returning players over the last few months, they all quit during post-3.0/4.0 when BioWare started abandoning the MMO content, and are returning now because of new group content. Many others have left the game for good because of how BioWare treated/ignored the MMO players, and it will take more than 1-2 ops bosses for them to return.

The problem is that the player base is now too spread out for BioWare's resources, and that is purely their own fault. There was no need to add so many types of content that all need maintenance, and now they can no longer produce enough content to satisfy everyone.

Right now, I am doubtful that the game can last long. The new operation is too hard in VM, the Iokath daily area is not very popular, the Manaan stronghold was heavily criticized and now we get another stronghold, far too soon. The devs refuse to remove the grind from 248 gear. I really love this game but if it continues like this, I don't see how the game can recover.

Edited July 22, 2017 by Jerba

[Zhedzaban]

Welcome to the forums Keith, where you release information and 98% of the comments are negative whining.

 

I imagine this can be very dispiriting, but please know an overwhelming majority of your players appreciate the work and the constant updates.

 

Very surprised another stronghold is being released so soon, this is great

[VirtualMorrigan]

Keith,

Once again you have left Lightning Sorcs off the list. You know they need help with DPS output.. everyone has been telling you for 6 months... both PVE guys and PVPers have been pointing out why they need help... but last patch you not only ignored their dps output, you went and nerfed their healing and defences so now they are both rubbish in dps output and being able to stay alive.

 

"PLEASE FIX LIGHTNING SORC"

 

It's things like this that have finally made me unsubscribe after 5 years on continuous subscription. It runs out next month and I will be sorry to leave. But you guys just do not get how badly you have ruined the game with 5.x... while you take one step forward to fixing it... you take two steps back...

 

Anyway.. I hope you read the feed back I wrote when I unsubbed.. you've got access to my details.

When your most loyal subscribers keep unsubbing you need to pay attention as to why. I'm not sure how much longer the game will survive if your long term loyal player base keeps leaving. It's not like the population is increasing and seems to get smaller with everyone of these patches.

 

That's where we disagree. They absolutely DO get how badly they screw over some of their paying customers. They just don't give a damn because, again, they are following a vision of how this game has to be and just KNOW better than the players what players enjoy. So you damn well will shut up and enjoy the changes already.

 

I'm sick of this, to the point that I have given up playing a sorc healer in group content, and that I am no longer interested in strongholds or pretty armour/items, which I have collected quite religiously until now. There is no reason to grind gear (which I hated anyway) if there is no point in doing group content with a nerfed-to-**** character. I am not switching to another class and resume grinding there, just to have that nerfed to **** the next round and start anew. I'm amazed at the people who actually do this, tbh. Each patch adds some half-assed eyecandy and ****s up existing content even more. Great job, really. Great job.

[blackphantome]

Welcome to the forums Keith, where you release information and 98% of the comments are negative whining.

 

I imagine this can be very dispiriting, but please know an overwhelming majority of your players appreciate the work and the constant updates.

 

Very surprised another stronghold is being released so soon, this is great

 

Thanks, this is a great comment!

[frosttj]

Season 9 duration be shorter pleaaaaase. 9 months is waaaay too long. Especially if we're just reskinning stuff for rewards. How long does that really take?

[IoNonSoEVero]

I think it depends on the server, on my server (T3-M4) group content is actively sought.

 

From my understanding, the reason that there are so many solo players in SWTOR now is purely because of KotFE/KotET. During the previous expansions (2.0/3.0), there were mostly MMO players.

BioWare wanted to cash in on the new Star Wars movies, abandoned the MMO aspects and instead focused on mass-market story aspects. However, we now know that this was the wrong decision: Story players do not stick around. Unlike MMO content, story is not repeatable and is consumed much quicker. There is no reason for a story player to stay subscribed after the first month, all the story remains available to play for free.\.

 

I would disagree with this. There are two very different populations playing SWTOR: the MMO contingent who want to raid with groups, and the players who are here for story and RP. Some people in both groups stay; some leave. The popularity of things like strongholds, finding datacrons, and image modifications would speak to solos/RPs/PvEs sticking around- and you need to play a lot of the heroics/flashpoints in order to successfully do the story and buy those strongholds, etc.

 

And even though people like to trumpet the 'multiple' in MMO and think it means "must play in large groups," there are a lot of different ways to engage in an MMO. A lot of solo players enjoy the gameplay/world of SWTOR, spend lots in subscriptions and Cartel Coin purchases, without feeling the need to run with a pack. They're players, too. And yes, they stick around and replay the KOTFE/KOTET chapters, run the solo heroics/etc. and want more.

 

Finding a way to satisfy them both is a challenge, to be sure, since they want two entirely different things, and they often like to cut each other down. Up until this year IMHO SWTOR has done a good job, more or less, balancing the Ops and PvP contingents with those who prefer PvE and story.

 

I do subscribe, my main character is endgame, and as far as I am concerned, I don't care how many Ops or PvP warzones there are. I'm not going to do them. I care about story, and characters, and something that's going to engage me beyond blowing up stuff and killing bosses. You can do that in any game. I'd even be willing to pay for extra story chapters above and beyond what is offered as part of the regular story.

Edited July 22, 2017 by IoNonSoEVero

[LordAppius]

Stuff that i would ask since 5.4 is bound to arrive in 4 weeks, if we can take Keith's word that it won't be delayed as Iokath was (i'm expecting a delay already):

 

- images of Umbara would be neat;

 

- pictures of the Umbara stronghold, And please make the decoration hooks a little better than what you did with Manaan....

 

- images of the season 8 rewards. After 9 months one would expect that you could have afforded us some iamges or even a teaser, we aren't asking much these days

 

- PLEASE, PLEASE make Umbara a daily area, we want places were we can go. Iokath is basically deserted...

 

- returning companions this is a must. We want our companions, we were promissed they would return, and so far they have not returned, at least the ones we want. I would like to receive an honest answer from you keith, do you intend to give us Khem Vall and Jaesae Back ? Also some information on Lord Scourge as well as nadia, Kira and Ashara would be nice. The same goes for the remaining companions.

 

Sadly i'm not expecting a reply, but trying doesn't hurt

Edited July 22, 2017 by LordAppius

[cairax]

242 to use master fp groupfinder seems a bit high, 230 should be plenty imo.

[PhantomWarlock]

We’re adding a new average rating identifier on your character window which will be based on the items you have ‘equipped’.

 

Is this identifier going to take set bonus into consideration? I would personally prefer players with 236/242 gear and a full set bonus over players with 246 without any setbonus.

Edited July 22, 2017 by PhantomWarlock

[naganje]

In addition, I very strongly recommend against the game trying to determine my avg "gear rating" cuz the weight of gear is not equal. Someone with MH and OH 248 and 240 gear has better stats than someone in 242 gear across the board by at least 3-4%. Relics too have much better weight than all other non-weapon gear. 230 armoring with set bonus are way more important 246 without set bonus. I could go on and on. This is a formula for disaster.

 

Couldn't agree more. If the average gear rating is based on an unweighted average calculation it will do more harm than good.

 

My fear is that this will lead to more hostility in SWTOR. In WoW, where AIL has been used for a long time, players frequently have to include their AIL when responding to LFGs. It is too early to tell what impact this will have in SWTOR.

 

I'm afraid that's exactly what's going to happen for HM and MM content since there's no bolster in them. Groups forming for HM and NiM operations will probably start asking players to provide both links to achievements for completing them and average gear rating.

 

But I do know that most (or all?) MM flashpoints are beatable without 242 gear. I always like to run MM flashpoints outside of raids and carry new players through them. I fear this will no longer be possible post-5.4; there will be even fewer players queueing for them.

 

This will prevent Master FP from poping at all. Cut all under level 70, and cut off who knows how many level 70 characters from the group finder, and we will have to play OPS/PvP to play FP, because 242 does not grow on trees. Master FP group finder is as dead as it is now, and you will just kill it even more.

 

It's definitely possible to clear all MM flashpoints without full 242 gear. Many of them can be cleared with Tier 1 or possibly even lower gear, so the 242 minimum gear rating shouldn't apply to them. However, I would expect that introduction of a universal 242 minimum gear requirement would result in people who do not meet it forming groups before queuing as a way of getting around it. However, that undermines the very purpose of having MM flashpoints in GF.

 

It will also prevent undergeared people queing for master fps. Do you really think it's fun to spend time on a flashpoint only to realize on the second and third boss that thanks to the undergeared group member the fp can't be finished?

 

Based on my own experience doing MM flashpoints via gf, with the exception of Blood Hunt, Lost Island and maybe the droid boss on Korriban, the reason behind failing to clear a boss is people not knowing their classes or what to do well enough rather than their gear.

[Quraswren]

Hey everyone,

SNIP.....

 

 

We are making changes to daily and weekly mission rewards for PvP with the intent of substantially improving Unassembled Component gain for players who complete both Ranked and Unranked missions.

 

 

Back to the Roadmap update for a moment as I’d like to provide some guidelines about the feedback. Be concise and specific. Think how it will affect other players, fairness, progression, impact, to help us truly understand and weigh your thoughts against the entire plan/direction.

 

Keep in mind, our goal for this year was to put us on a track of providing new and challenging multi-player content, while addressing all the gameplay systems in SWTOR. It does mean spreading content out over the year, but I still believe having access to content sooner is more desirable than having to wait a year to get it all at once.

 

 

Boost unassembled components in PVP is great. Now put them somewhere else as well other than PVP only. Everyone deserves a chance to upgrade gear. Not just PVP'er. Given PVP and PVE is a love hate relationship and vastly different views land on both sides. Get unassembled components to both sides for upgrading gear and fix PVP gearing time.

 

It will allow players to get into PVP and feel they have a chance by getting upgrades without smashing into the highly gear PVPer over and over and losing interest. Allow some PVE unassembled components. Add them to FP and get more gamers in there as well as get more into PVP by having the gear they need to be competitive.

 

Progression wont be harmed because it would still take weeks to get unassembled components ether way if done singularly and should someone want to do it all, they deserve the reward and faster progression.

 

The impact on the game is more gamers get the option to upgrade gear, get gear for PVP sooner and gamers become a bit more content in gear not only in PVP but PVE as well. I've never run across a gamer that quit because they had gear. It's because gearing is to convoluted or they feel forced to PVP and some PVE as well as the content and story is bad. The gearing part can be solved a bit easier by spreading out unassembled components a bit by having them in PVP and PVE areas. Get more people doing more content

[cyrusramsey]

I like the idea of content avaiable for those caring of their characters enough to gear them, but 242 is too hight as a limit:

- It's a grind, based on RNG, we can get 242 from commander level 180, but it's rare to have all slots covered at level 300. Since it's average, we have to get higher gear for each gear not covered which isn't possible before level 300.

- Some servers are dying, adding elists restriction to content will make things even worst for their players.

 

What about you change the limit to 236? the armoring is avaiable from story more operations and 240 gear can be crafted more easily than 246 one?

 

How about just no!?

 

Unless they also add 236 as a direct vendor purchase, you're requiring someone to play ops, pvp or focus on crafting to be able to play a flashpoint.

 

I've had to wait half a year before I could play the game how I wanted because I wouldn't rely solely on bolster in groups with randoms. Do you know how many characters I've successfully completed MM FPs with since 5.2.2?

 

46.

 

Do you know how many of those have an average rating of 236 or higher?

 

Well.. one now, that I focused on to get the legacy unlock.

 

You can carry your own weight with just bolster, and even in unaugmented 230s you can carry randoms if you know how to play.

 

Finally I got the opportunity to get my entire lineup ready for MM FPs because of that command token vendor.

 

This is the result of me pugging. There's one boss I've not been able to take in a pug. If I get bloodhunt when on a dps in 230s and people start moaning about that first boss being impossible, I'm the player that tells them not to worry, all they need to be concerned with is staying out of bad and doing what damage they can.

 

Why don't we start with blocking incorrect roles? Make someone only able to queue for a role they're not specced as if they have the field respec unlock? That would solve more incidents that a gear check.

 

 

Also.. since he didn't quite say that they wanted to implement that 242-limit on all MM FPs, but were considering "[doing] something similar", I'd like to already shoot down the idea to have a variable item rating requirement per FP, depending on its difficulty.

 

Will never be able to carry bads while in my 230-236 mixed sets through the hard FPs anymore when they'll unequip one of their 242+ pieces to drop below the limit so they'll only get an easy one.

 

Bah.. just so tired of having to argue and fight in order to be allowed to play my favorite activity.

[kamukotak]

*snip*

I am one of those returning players and I play on T3-M4. Obviously, I can't speak for all the other servers but on this server, the only group content that is actively sought is PVP in premade groups to maximize efficiency. When it comes to PVE though, you can consider yourself lucky if someone is searching for EV & KP HM. Occasionally someone will ask for the daily group finder op but that's it. Random Nim Raids are completely extinct. But that's actually no surprise since gearing up in PVP is so much easier and far more effective. Even within guilds, hardly anyone wants to run a random hard mode operation because that's only needed to gear up alts with 242 gear. Afterward, it's PVP to upgrade to 248. The only thing that works really well is queuing up for veteran flashpoints.

[slukslaksla]

when it comes to HM fp changes i supose its to prevent leeches.. like 140 geared "just hit 70" or even better just hit 50, characters. that knows nothing. i have done mm FPs in rating 56 gear etc just fine cus me and my team knows our sht. otherwise i think 242 is to high as i do not have a raid team atm (although i am more than capible my sleep issues dont alow strict schedules, its complicated) so most my gear is from the every now and then pug raid. wich is fine but eh slow.

 

mm fp is one of the best ways to get gear/cxp so i just hope you dont take away the dayly missions etc as entering manualy can do that if i recall correctly. (if not then no problem ) i dont mind asking my guild for tank etc and go manual as long as i get the same amount of rewards/dayles as doing through gf.

 

with this said i do have a couple ok geared chars one beeing 240+ but im that guy who loves to swap ALOT so hopefully for us that are not leeching nubs this change will only bee for the better, not worse.

 

 

i am also wanting to say im wondering about this Stronghold i HOPE i can get it with CC as i like doing that. (dont want to grind too mouch) plz dont make it reputation locked etc lol. (im sure we will get answers for this soon though and meh i trust BW)

 

3rd i am a bit sad to see that you are still not buffing sorcs (dps) yet. if this is the roadmap for the next 90 days... well i dunno if i can go 90 days with sorc beeing as bad as it is now.. (last nerf to bubble and self heal was not a good sign btw) so yeh im wondering when you are doing this utility stuff that you keep talking about

[tephlon]

a player will need to have an average gear rating of 242 to use Group Finder. We won’t prevent pre-made groups from going in directly, but this will prevent under-geared players from slowing down your group. We’re adding a new average rating identifier on your character window which will be based on the items you have ‘equipped’.

How about taking a note from Dark Souls' matchmaking and just redesign the system so that people of similar average gear level will be matched together? Could work for PvP as well.

[Romeugues]

I think hell will freeze first, they adding new level of graphics or so they say i wonder how much more that is gona push the engine to that point where it has heart attack the been adds graphics more then then been address this issue with engine.

 

I would kill for proper Multicore support and or for most graphical rendering to be offload to the GPU, instead majortiy of depending on the CPU and 1 exe to run the game

 

The majority of the game is not rendered on the CPU, if it was essentially using a software renderer with a few things being done on the GPU the FPS would be *much* lower.

Certain graphic options are CPU dependent, i.e Shadows and name plates, that does not mean the game is primarily rendered on the CPU.

It uses 2 CPU cores btw and 2 exes, I think the 2nd one is used to get around the memory limit of 32 bit applications.

[Eshvara]

How about taking a note from Dark Souls' matchmaking and just redesign the system so that people of similar average gear level will be matched together? Could work for PvP as well.

 

I don't think there are enough people in the queues to make this work.

[Beyrahl]

Legacy components?

Hello..

[Tharandil]

[*]Companion Customization – Senya Tirall can now have her weapons and armor customized. Also, Lana, Koth, and Senya’s hairstyles are available for purchase to customize your character.

 

 

Keith

 

Will Senya be able to wield her lightsaber pike?