Why Isn't GSF Any Fun?

[MingusPho]

I know some people like it, so this isn't a troll post. To me, GSF really doesn't feel like starwars and isn't enjoyable for the following reasons:

 

1) the ship designs. They don't really seem all that exotic for SW fighters. I never get excited about calling myself a pilot of any of the ships available.

2) the hypersensitive mouse controls. I haven't looked to hard so maybe I missed it but breathing on my mouse oversteers in any directions to the point of frustration every time.

3) lack of joystick support. This isnt such a big issue but it does take away from immersion. Like many I am a huge fan of the older starfighter styled games like , Freespace and Wing Commander. GSF doesnt have that intense feel.

4) no pve. This is the biggest reason for me. PVE is a goid way to learn the ropes before jumping into pvp content especially since GSF has a bit of a learning curve if you want to be skilled at playing.

5) lack of connection to story based missions. This is true of both gsf and the class ship components of the game. It seems quite odd that none of it is connected.

 

These are just my opinions but what do you think?

 

What don't you enjoy about gsf?

 

------------------------------ EDIT------------------------------

 

I know most players have their own opinions about gsf. With that in mind, this isnt intended to be an argumentative thread based on my bullet points. I've merely listed a few of my personal gripes. However, since I realize many players do enjoy gsf, I'm curious to know why so many others don't.

Edited August 3, 2017 by MingusPho
Clarity

[IntegrationArch]

ships are 3000 years before movies

 

joystick trick

http://www.oneswitch.org.uk/2/I/JoyToKey/JoyToKey.htm

Edited August 2, 2017 by IntegrationArch

[Tsillah]

ships are 3000 years before movies

 

So is the imperial agent's personal ship.

[Eshvara]

So is the imperial agent's personal ship.

 

Best ship in the game. imo! I wish I could have it on my SI!

Edited August 2, 2017 by Eshvara

[Storm-Cutter]

There's space on Rails if you want to fly, but not have other people shoot you.

 

- It's an alternative to PvE - It's PvP in space. It's not everyone's cup of tea , granted, but then we probably all have aspects of the game we don't enjoy as much.

 

PvP doesn't have much to do with the story, - why should it? There are so many aspects of the game that breaks immersion for some people - others aren't so bothered. It's a broad church.

 

Only thing I have in GSF's defence is that It appears to be the nicest player-versus payer community in the game. - Something you don't often see in the ground game - and if you follow the guides on the sub-forum, play your role and get a few matches under your belt, the req. builds quickly and it can be a lot of fun.

[tomatosquish]

1) Ship designs are fine. I mean there are some truly ugly ships out there but they are fine (to me).

2) Again personally I like this. That being said I believe you can lower your mouse sensitivity in game...

3) I would love to use a joystick or even a gamepad instead of keyboard...

4) I have to agree with the PVE even if it is just an extended tutorial (and better). It never made sense to me why a game mode with such a learning curve just throws you to the wolves as it were.

5) eh...

 

Then to add...

 

6) Matchmaking is terrible. The only difference I see since the last change is now instead of going "Ok that guy has 4 good ships and those other 5 only have 2/3 so avoid the one guy" I have to guess who actually knows what they are doing. You still have potential to be matched against a team of guys with maxed out ships (or nearing it anyway) and on your team have a bunch of minimal at best upgrades and thanks to the lack of training ability people who don't understand the different ship abilities and even how big an impact crew selection can have.

 

 

That being said; even when I get stomped I have fun with it which is more than I can say for regular PVP...

[Sorrai]

I happen to find GSF the funnest activity to play in SWTOR. It is challenging and highly skill based and extremely underrated. The majority of people who dislike it ironically happen to be the ones who understand it the least. Unfortunately, the learning curve is extremely difficult due to the disparity between novices and veterans and the lack of any substantial tutorial. These issues have been discussed to death in the GSF forums and there are recent threads posted by the Dev team asking for specific feedback. We can only hope it will lead to some much needed improvement.

 

As for starship design, everyone has their preferences.

 

In regards to mouse sensitivity, you would benefit tremendously adjusting the sensitivity levels on your mouse. Many of us who play GSF decrease the mouse sensitivity to give us better control when we're flying. I have noticed that this crucial little piece of advice tends to get overlooked whenever a player is asking for tips on how to improve their game.

[Eshvara]

There's space on Rails if you want to fly, but not have other people shoot you.

 

I really liked this! I guess people generally didn't? It just got abandoned.😒

[merovejec]

I really liked this! I guess people generally didn't? It just got abandoned.😒

 

yeah I loved it too, grinded the reputation for the speeder and it was fun the weeks I did it. Also gave the coms and I bought the ship parts and sold on GTN for millions.

[merovejec]

I know some people like it, so this isn't a troll post. To me, GSF really doesn't feel like starwars and isn't enjoyable for the following reasons:

 

1) the ship designs. They don't really seem all that exotic for SW fighters. I never get excited about calling myself a pilot of any of the ships available.

2) the hypersensitive mouse controls. I haven't looked to hard so maybe I missed it but breathing on my mouse oversteers in any directions to the point of frustration every time.

3) lack of joystick support. This isnt such a big issue but it does take away from immersion. Like many I am a huge fan of the older starfighter styled games like , Freespace and Wing Commander. GSF doesnt have that intense feel.

4) no pve. This is the biggest reason for me. PVE is a goid way to learn the ropes before jumping into pvp content especially since GSF has a bit of a learning curve if you want to be skilled at playing.

5) lack of connection to story based missions. This is true of both gsf and the class ship components of the game. It seems quite odd that none of it is connected.

 

These are just my opinions but what do you think?

 

What don't you enjoy gsf?

 

Are you kidding me?

 

1) Flashfire = A-wing or others have similarities with X-wing or Z95 Headhunter etc, all those paintjobs you can have on the ships its simply awesome!!

 

2) its a question of settings and getting used to.

 

3) As for me I like the mouse controls.

 

4) Its on the Wishlist

 

5) I dont need a story, I just like to shoot other ships

 

In my opinion GSF is great! It brings back memories from X-Wing, TIE-FIghter, X-Wing vs TIE-Fighter, X-Wing Alliance games, which I all loved very much!

Edited August 2, 2017 by merovejec

[Eli_Porter]

I really, really enjoy GSF. The only part that doesn't feel like star wars to me is the map objectives.

[rlionherz]

didnt like GSF at the start. but the "Thrill of the hunt" ™ got me into it. i begin to like it. i think it is way more team tactic based then WZs and ppl even communicate less during a battle which makes it harder.

 

Only thing id like to be changed would be a max number of gunships per game and less spawn camping

[omaan]

I know some people like it, so this isn't a troll post. To me, GSF really doesn't feel like starwars and isn't enjoyable for the following reasons:

 

 

3) lack of joystick support. This isnt such a big issue but it does take away from immersion. Like many I am a huge fan of the older starfighter styled games like , Freespace and Wing Commander. GSF doesnt have that intense feel.

4) no pve. This is the biggest reason for me. PVE is a goid way to learn the ropes before jumping into pvp content especially since GSF has a bit of a learning curve if you want to be skilled at playing.

5) lack of connection to story based missions. This is true of both gsf and the class ship components of the game. It seems quite odd that none of it is connected.

 

These are just my opinions but what do you think?

 

What don't you enjoy gsf?

 

You cant force people to buy joystick, everyone must be equal - only keyboard and mouse

 

GSF is pvp by nature, a-priori since pve has fps, uprisings, ops, and pvp must have only warzones? Having pve GSF will unbalance pve and pvp content in pve favor, everyone will run pve GSF.

 

You mean that those who runs story missions must participate in gsf? Or make our story-content ships useable in gsf? Cant get it.

[Eshvara]

yeah I loved it too, grinded the reputation for the speeder and it was fun the weeks I did it. Also gave the coms and I bought the ship parts and sold on GTN for millions.

 

I remember I really wanted the fleet set, it costed tokens iirc? Looking back now, not sure why I wanted it so badly. But I wish they didn't abandon space on rails! I also liked hearing your companions talk during it.

Together with some nerd music I had the time of my life.

[masterceil]

For me, it's the learning curve. Someone else mentioned the disparity between veteran and novice players, and I don't like that wide a gap trying to get into something. GSF has a unique playstyle in the game - it's not like Warzones where you can learn your class by playing solo, or even parsing a dummy. When you play it at all, it's either that extremely weaksauce tutorial, or straight into the flames of hell that are gunships that one-shot you or strikes and scouts that always seem able to literally fly circles around you and take you down before you even scratch their paint.

 

I don't enjoy getting facerolled. When there's a premade running Warzones on the other side and I don't have a premade of my own to counter them, I stop queuing. In GSF, there doesn't even need to be a premade, because any one of the half dozen veteran players in a match can make your life miserable. And I'm not going to sit there and metaphorically flog myself trying to learn the game.

 

Totally agree that there should be a PvE implementation of GSF, if only to get players used to the paradigm shift from their usual SWTOR gameplay. Many people legitimately enjoy PvP, and would keep that form of GSF alive - there's a solid, dedicated community of GSF pilots, so I don't think the gamestyle is at risk. Particularly if PvP GSF would have better rewards than PvE - which it should. But to get more players interested in that part of the game, there has to be some way we can get some practice in without getting one-shot before we even know someone's got us in their sights.

[merovejec]

I remember I really wanted the fleet set, it costed tokens iirc? Looking back now, not sure why I wanted it so badly. But I wish they didn't abandon space on rails! I also liked hearing your companions talk during it.

Together with some nerd music I had the time of my life.

 

My favourite: GSF Ship paint

[TUXs]

Bombers, lack of development and players ruined GSF. The entry/learning curve is far too steep for the average new player.

[masterceil]

Bombers, lack of development and players ruined GSF. The entry/learning curve is far too steep for the average new player.

 

Bombers, eh, lack of development, probably... I don't think the players themselves have intentionally ruined it (like they have, say, Ranked PvP). GSF players usually want more to play with, and are more than willing to help newbies learn in whatever way they can. Unfortunately, the skill gap is real, and it should really be Bioware implementing a better system for training up new players.

[Thruine]

To me its the learning curve, its just overly complicated, and I do prefer the ship missions over it due to this. Everything about GSF says I will enjoy it but each time I'm just as lost as the time before. The ship missions on the other hand are straight forward. This is how it works, these are you objectives so get out there and give it a shot. GSF is here's the controls so figure them out and your objectives are over there somewhere watch out for enemies because that's really all this is about. I think its a great addition and would be a nice diversion if your bored since its a completely different playstyle but it lacks the instruction manual or something. I still have things swinging around my viewpoint that I don't know what they mean. Doesn't mean I don't keep trying but that's probably not going to last either.

[ImmortalLowlife]

...2) the hypersensitive mouse controls. I haven't looked to hard so maybe I missed it but breathing on my mouse oversteers in any directions to the point of frustration every time.

3) lack of joystick support. This isnt such a big issue but it does take away from immersion. Like many I am a huge fan of the older starfighter styled games like , Freespace and Wing Commander. GSF doesnt have that intense feel....

 

THESE are the reasons I don't play. Mainly the lack of controller/joystick support. And before the mouse/kb jollies come in with the blah, blah, blah....I honestly DON'T CARE. It's my opinion/preference... period. The chase the crosshair controls imo are GARBAGE.

 

I'd also like a PvE version with some story bits, but I'd play the PvP version with a controller if I could.

[Foambreaker]

The no PVE is bigger than people think; because of this there is no place to "lrn your class" so you basically have to lrn2play while being farmed.

 

That's fun right?

 

 

Second is gear advantage is built in, forget the little percentages in the bolster discussion, the difference in ships between someone experienced and someone new is extreme.

 

 

In the end probably one of the worst game designs ever in terms of encouraging participation.

[Jedi_riches]

Im not sure gsf was what players ever asked for in the first place, many called for none rails pve battles but what they got was space pvp instead.

 

Perhaps that's part of the reason there is little interest in it.

[TUXs]

The no PVE is bigger than people think; because of this there is no place to "lrn your class" so you basically have to lrn2play while being farmed.

 

That's fun right?

 

 

Second is gear advantage is built in, forget the little percentages in the bolster discussion, the difference in ships between someone experienced and someone new is extreme.

 

 

In the end probably one of the worst game designs ever in terms of encouraging participation.

I agree fully. GSF is a helluva lotta fun if you get good at it, or even if you're just decent at it...but the lack of any way to learn how to play is just far too impactful, and very few new players to GSF will have "fun" playing it.

 

It was designed to give vets the edge...and it does...but that impact is huge. Not only do vets have the experience, they also have the gear. The entire design limits new players from joining. Bioware has this same philosophy in WZPvP, and it's simply wrong. PvP in any form is 100% dependent on players to make it happen...in order to attract new players, there needs to be some level of fun they can have...GSF absolutely does not provide that. In ground PvP, you can sit back and follow others...that's not the case in GSF.

[Qouivandes]

as much as i wanted to enjoy GSF, i gave up on it a very long time ago. From time to time i will jump in a ship, but it takes moments before i realize why its been a while. I do. i really put forth the effort, but with limited play time i simply do not wish to spend that time in the spawn--fly--blow up--huh?--spawn--fl--blow up--wha?--spawn--blowup...forpeteblowup...sigh...blowup...thank go...blow up...but its over?!? blow up...look at the time. after one evening i told my wife i was expecting to blow up when i got into the hallway. she laughed. <evil stare>

 

once i complete the stuff i have on my todo list i may give it another go. well, you know, i will make a toon specifically to level via GSF before anything else. I'll let you know in a few months how that goes.

[MingusPho]

You cant force people to buy joystick, everyone must be equal - only keyboard and mouse

 

GSF is pvp by nature, a-priori since pve has fps, uprisings, ops, and pvp must have only warzones? Having pve GSF will unbalance pve and pvp content in pve favor, everyone will run pve GSF.

 

You mean that those who runs story missions must participate in gsf? Or make our story-content ships useable in gsf? Cant get it.

 

The idea isn't to force joysticks on anyone, merely to provide support for joysticks.

 

The pvp community still exists and having pve options for gsf wouldn't remove the draw to pvp. Many still log on just for pvp. It would simply add a new form of alternative content. As it stands now, anyone interested in a star fighter experience is forced to pvp. That is what's unbalanced.

 

So when doing the class missions we all encounter the planetary quests and heroics which are all optional. By tying gsf with story this is what I mean. A side set of quests, possibly by planet that can be accessed if you so choose while playing your class story. There are plenty of planetary quests that imply there's a space battle simultaneously happening, yet at no point are you, the hero of the battle asked to participate. Npcs will ask you for anything from taking on the empire to bringing them a lockbox full of personal momentos but they never ask you to join the space battle.