Shroud of memory

[ThomasStarWars]

Release shroud of memory again on the cartel market, for the equal cost it took for those who spent 6 or so months subbed to get it.

 

but keep cosmetics and shinies exclusive only.

[Ardrossan]

Why not? Or maybe add it to the cartel market for the equivalent price that it cost subscribers those six months.

 

hahaha no.

 

I like how many people in this thread [the ones who already have it, natch] are saying 'it's nothing, you aren't missing anything!' but are simultaneously adamant that it shouldn't be re-released. Those people are funny, but the 'compromise' people like above are even more lulzy.

 

Back in October 2017 BW had a special - they released Hutt Cartel and SoR to people for free, as a code. The expansions and the accompanying levels, up to 60. There was no hooks, no special requirements, you could get it as a f2p, or pref, you just had to be aware of it. I believe it was intended to connect to United Forces / Server merge. It was only for a short time, so I'm sure people missed out, but what the forum really missed out on was a chance to moan about how unfair it was that BW released for free something that THEY had to pay for, even though they paid for it years ago and BW doesn't owe them anything.

 

I assume they'll do the same thing with this. Or yeah, maybe they'll put something into the CM. But whether it's a code they quietly release or a CM direct sale purchase, one thing I can guarantee you is that it won't cost the equivalent of whatever you paid for it, because you paid for early access, not to keep it at that price for all time. It's not unfair, it's common business logic that stuff depreciates, even virtual stuff.

[BRKMSN]

Now you get here into the speculations. It would be a way for the BW to earn the money from them again and if they would be offered on the cartel market it would flow on the constant basis. Yet there are many people still which want them, the amount of the threads poping how they should be obtainable again and comments from the people which would like that are proving that.

 

Yeah. I am speculating a bit. To further that point, I'll offer this speculation:

 

At this point in the game (over 6 years after launch), they main people supporting this game are the loyal subscribing Star Wars fans. Due to slower development and less new content (along with other changes designed around grinding old content / making new characters), this game has lost some appeal to the general mmorpg fans. So if they feel a good portion of their consistent revenue is from those that have been here the whole time (and they have those statistics, believe me), why would you risk offending them by appearing to renege on your word after rewarding them for their loyalty. Loyalty usually requires both sides.

[Ardrossan]

Yet there are many people still which want them, the amount of the threads poping how they should be obtainable again and comments from the people which would like that are proving that.

 

Actually, I don't want it. I mean, I'm all for criticizing the players obsessed with their epeen exclusivity, but I don't want the shiny thing myself. I hated the macrobinoculars quests and I hate HK-55. The VA is the victim of his own success and had steadily been overacting more and more on each of the new incarnations of HK-47; HK-51 was pretty hammy, but I actually cheered when HK-55 got blown up.

 

As another poster pointed out, this doesn't actually end the storyline because the storyline was already ended, just as Revan's story was already ended but they still resurrected him as a cash cow. BW is intent on ruining all the player-favorites of the original KOTOR by shoving more and more obnoxious versions in our face.

[juliushorst]

why would you risk offending them by appearing to renege on your word after rewarding them for their loyalty. Loyalty usually requires both sides.

 

I joined the game March 2016 (after reading some article about what 4.0 brought to the table - I kind of liked this stuff) and haven't missed a single day of subscription ever since. All 2017, with no subscription rewards and little content released - much darker times for the game than 2016, with monthly chapters, monthly rewards and big chunk of story by the end of the year.

Missed the chapter by two months. Don't I deserve some pat in the back from BW?

As another poster pointed out, this doesn't actually end the storyline because the storyline was already ended, just as Revan's story was already ended but they still resurrected him as a cash cow. BW is intent on ruining all the player-favorites of the original KOTOR by shoving more and more obnoxious versions in our face.

 

Last time I've seen my buddy Shroud he praised me for foiling his plan and said he looks forward to sparing with me again.

 

Not the most... conclusive of conclusions For HK, I couldn't care less - it's the other star of the show that I'd love to meet again.

Edited March 18, 2018 by juliushorst

[CrazyCT]

How the potential new players and the people which just started the game recently turned their back to it ?

 

Can you come up with a way to reward new players that won't also reward the players who have cheated Bioware out of money and shouldn't be getting rewarded?

 

So you say how the lack of the funding is the main reason for which we now have the content draught and I agree with this, but yet you on the other hand are opposed because of your feeling of entitlement that existing assets on which the studio did spend the development resources on ( yeah resources from which some were gained even from the people which didn't got for various reasons those companions but which paid the subscription and financed the game before in some way ) would be used by the studio for earning more money from which some of it could be later spent for the further support of this game, that's just illogical and contradictable to me sorry.

 

It's not "contradictable". We paid for 9 months of subscriptions to get this. That's $135 of subscriptions to get this chapter. (As some people have pointed out, you get more for your subscription, but since you still got the story if you didn't subscribe, the only real benefit to subscribing at that time was this chapter). So, to get this chapter it's only fair that people pay the same amount? You think there's going to be enough people paying that for a single 10 minute chapter that has no replayability to fund further content for this game? Not to mention covering the loss of the subscriptions of anyone who likes these rewards, but is tired of the lack of content. If they see that you can still get the rewards later on, they'll more than likely unsubscribe until new content comes along, and then cry for the rewards for staying subscribed at the same time.

 

About the possibility and the percentage of the people unsubscribing you are now making just assumption, I believe how mainly a lot of the players here are subscribing to this game because they like it and for its overall content and not just for the reason to get some show off item. In fact I think opposite of what you say, that if some of those specific companions would be earnable again how that would draw more players to the game and since they are so well known and favored by the gamers how they make an excellent asset for the promotions for this game.

 

Just like you are making assumptions that enough people will be willing to pay to make this worth anyone's time, or that people won't unsubscribe when these rewards are given away to everyone who not only didn't deserve them, but spat in the face of Bioware when they were originally offered, if the people would just stay and help pay the bills.

 

You assume the people will continue to pay for a game, or even come back to the game, with no new content, just because they can get a carbon copy companion with a respray?

 

To hell with the game, and the company trying to keep it going, at least you will have cheated your way to getting what you want.

[Keta]

Why not? Or maybe add it to the cartel market for the equivalent price that it cost subscribers those six months.

 

6 x $15 USD = 90.

if you base it upon the 6 month rate ($13.99) will be $78 USD.

 

$99 USD nets you 14,500 cartel coins.

 

On any other mmo that $99.00 would be more than the costs of their digital deluxe expansion.

 

Not even close to being worth that price

[ThomasStarWars]

6 x $15 USD = 90.

if you base it upon the 6 month rate ($13.99) will be $78 USD.

 

$99 USD nets you 14,500 cartel coins.

 

On any other mmo that $99.00 would be more than the costs of their digital deluxe expansion.

 

Not even close to being worth that price

 

The next best thing would be making it a base part of KOTFE.

[Keta]

The next best thing would be making it a base part of KOTFE.

 

I honestly don't care what they do with this 10 -20 minute HK-55 jaunt. If they sold it for the 9 month cost (135 USD more or less) I'd laugh if anyone actually bought it. If they gave it away to all subscribers I'd not care in the slightest as it's not worth replaying ever imo. Hell give Z00m away for free and I wouldn't mind.

 

Honestly, we're well into year 2 of no or limited content release of any sort and so we're all going to argue about trivial content? Our concern should be directed elsewhere.

 

As for me, my subscription ends sometime after 5.9 releases, it won't be renewed absent a serious recommittment by EA/BW to the game. Any story content that comes out after June that might interest me, I'll watch on YouTube.

[ThomasStarWars]

I honestly don't care what they do with this 10 -20 minute HK-55 jaunt. If they sold it for the 9 month cost (135 USD more or less) I'd laugh if anyone actually bought it. If they gave it away to all subscribers I'd not care in the slightest as it's not worth replaying ever imo. Hell give Z00m away for free and I wouldn't mind.

 

Honestly, we're well into year 2 of no or limited content release of any sort and so we're all going to argue about trivial content? Our concern should be directed elsewhere.

 

As for me, my subscription ends sometime after 5.9 releases, it won't be renewed absent a serious recommittment by EA/BW to the game. Any story content that comes out after June that might interest me, I'll watch on YouTube.

 

There is no big thing to keep much long time players around sadly.

[Lunablade]

Can you come up with a way to reward new players that won't also reward the players who have cheated Bioware out of money and shouldn't be getting rewarded?

 

You are just now placing all the people which subbed to this game at one point and contributed to its development at certain point into one group which according to you turned its back to the game on the purpose and you keep blaming them all because of that. What if someone was a loyal subscriber but it did for example ended up sick in the hospital and couldn't play the game at the time when subbing for the HK was required because of it or if someone got into a financial struggle in life and had problems with paying the bills at certain point but now for that player the situation changed and those are things which realistically do happen, should those people be punished and never get the chance to obtain him again even if they would like to ?

 

Just like you are making assumptions that enough people will be willing to pay to make this worth anyone's time, or that people won't unsubscribe when these rewards are given away to everyone who not only didn't deserve them, but spat in the face of Bioware when they were originally offered, if the people would just stay and help pay the bills.

 

You assume the people will continue to pay for a game, or even come back to the game, with no new content, just because they can get a carbon copy companion with a respray?

 

To hell with the game, and the company trying to keep it going, at least you will have cheated your way to getting what you want.

 

I'm not assuming anything, for one I think how considering the situation in which this game currently is in from the financial standpoint that it would be good for it to earn as much money as it can to be able to get better revenue in the long run which would lead to its budget increase which would be used later on to support it further with the content.

Also there is nothing which would make me think how the most people sub for this game to get some special show off items and not because they like it and its overall content and how because of that they wish to support it.

 

I guess how you missed what I said earlier in the thread that I'm not against having some of the items which were obtainable before becoming obtainable again under the same conditions, but its not us who will decide will they become obtainable or not and under what conditions but BW, and the studio should know at this point what would be the best way to earn as much money as it can from them.

 

And nowhere I said how making those companions alone obtainable again would keep people subscribed to the game continuously on the long run or pull the people which left to the game again without the proper support when it comes to the other content in this game.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Lunablade

[Jozandra]

This is simply not true. The alliance alert "Arma Rasa" allows you to obtain HK-55 as a companion beyond the story. It is also a prerequisite for playing the chapter. Depending on decisions you make during the chapter you can wind up with another companion, but it has absolutely no bearing on whether or not you get HK-55.

 

Absolutely wrong. You can only get HK-55 if you were subscribed way back when the promo was going on for that. If you do not believe me, then try doing a search of the internet to find where it says different.

[Jozandra]

let these people get the same reward would be utterly foolish, and would actively encourage more people to unsubcribe in content droughts, knowing that any gifts that Bioware give out can easily be obtained from a forum thread saying "it's unfair that I didn't give you money for it then, I demand that you give me it now for a much lower price."

 

Rewarding people for not paying money into a game? That's not a business practice that would work well.

 

Wow! You really are whiny about the mere idea of losing what amounts to nothing more than an imaginary prestige status.

 

I was not subscribed at the time because I did not have a pc that met minimum requirements to play the game, but am now able to play it AND am subscribed, so your suggestion that I'd be paying a much lower price misses the mark entirely as I'd in fact be paying more.

 

Maybe that could be a requirements that the company would agree to. In order to buy that particular "perk", you'd have to be a subscriber. Then at least you couldn't whine about people paying less than you for something you've had for years.

[Kyrra_T]

Absolutely wrong. You can only get HK-55 if you were subscribed way back when the promo was going on for that. If you do not believe me, then try doing a search of the internet to find where it says different.

 

I have HK55. I know what I did. I have been continuously subscribed since 6 months after the game launched. I'm not a founder so I don't have the goodies they got. I'm perfectly okay with that. I came in a bit after they did.

 

Reading comprehension would have allowed you to realize that being subscribed GAVE you the alert, Arma Rasa where you got HK55 back from the dead. You have to do that alert to open Shroud of Memory.

 

I have no problem with Bioware adding a purchase option for the alert and bonus chapter though, those are not the same as the founder goodies. But don't rant saying you cannot finish KOTFE without the bonus chapter, because you CAN.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Kyrra_T

[Jozandra]

So you're in favor of making the founder title and previous seasons' pvp rewards available to all players?

 

Pretty sure everyone can agree that the Founder title is, by the very nature of the definition of the word, an exclusive title reserved for those that were able to help launch the game.

[PiiTarr]

Absolutely wrong. You can only get HK-55 if you were subscribed way back when the promo was going on for that. If you do not believe me, then try doing a search of the internet to find where it says different.

 

Here you go:

https://vulkk.com/2016/02/23/swtor-hk-55-recruitment-mission-guide-fallen-empire-chapter-x/

http://dulfy.net/2016/02/10/swtor-hk-55-and-blizz-alliance-recruitment-guide/

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/HK-55 - scroll down towards the bottom and you will find where it says:

In the mission "Arma Rasa", players reunite with a reconstructed HK-55. Throughout the mission, HK illustrates a number of scenarios with potential targets, in which the players can authorize or forbid HK from eliminating certain people.

[PiiTarr]

Pretty sure everyone can agree that the Founder title is, by the very nature of the definition of the word, an exclusive title reserved for those that were able to help launch the game.

 

That was my thought, but the logic used by the person to whom my question was posed would have allowed for the founder title to be made available again as well, so I wanted clarification and I got it.

[Jozandra]

I don't think paying $20.00 for a story that required subs to be sub for 9 months is right. If you want that then they need to either (1) have that reward again for that length of time 9 months but in doing that they will need to add something else for those of us that have it or (2) pay a price that equals being sub for 9 month which is $135.00.

 

The same principle can be applied to those companions that were sub rewards but as far as the companion for the dark and light event, no, it should require a person to do exactly what we had to do to get Master Ranos, do all the stuff we had to, she should not be brought on the cartel market.

 

As far as Darth Hexid the same requirements should be for her as well, 3 pvp matches or 3 group flashpoints. Allowing those two companions to be brought on the cartel market is wrong, due to the fact those two required actual activities in the game and those activities should be required for those companions.

 

And then you need to make all rewards (whether it is pvp or something else) available to everyone since some are saying rewards been here for years and everyone should have access to them. That principle should apply to all rewards not just specific ones that you decide are important. What is important to you is not always important to some else.

 

I know people who would like the pvp rewards but they accepted the fact unless they pvp they can't get them but you are changing the rules, for the companion rewards so the rules should apply for all of rewards, not just the companions or what you decide you want.

 

That's rather insightful. Except, as someone who doesn't pvp and therefore did not get those pvp rewards, I would not expect those specific rewards to be given any other way than by pvp. Nor have I heard anyone else make that suggestion.

 

You right about Darth Hexid and other companions, though. They did require meeting certain activities before those characters were rewarded, so even if a person were to pay a few bucks(not 20 as you suggest) to gain access, they should still need to perform those same activities before becoming unlocked for the character. Then as with other Cartel Market companion, there could be the added requirement of paying for an account-wide unlock, which makes it distinctly different from those who got the account unlock for free.

[Jozandra]

I quoted your argument in its entirety. Nowhere did you say "in my opinion."

 

Wow. Just wow. Did you really think Lunablade was expressing an opinion in pointing out your statement was just an opinion? Sorry to say, but your stating an opinion as if it were a fact did not turn it into a fact.

 

Though you are entitled to you own opinion, please do not assert them as facts in an effort to silence those with differing opinions.

[PiiTarr]

Wow. Just wow. Did you really think Lunablade was expressing an opinion in pointing out your statement was just an opinion? Sorry to say, but your stating an opinion as if it were a fact did not turn it into a fact.

 

Though you are entitled to you own opinion, please do not assert them as facts in an effort to silence those with differing opinions.

 

Where am I making an effort to silence anyone?

[BRKMSN]

I joined the game March 2016 (after reading some article about what 4.0 brought to the table - I kind of liked this stuff) and haven't missed a single day of subscription ever since. All 2017, with no subscription rewards and little content released - much darker times for the game than 2016, with monthly chapters, monthly rewards and big chunk of story by the end of the year.

Missed the chapter by two months. Don't I deserve some pat in the back from BW?

Sure. They said they plan to continue to offer subscriber rewards moving forward. Be sure to be subbed when needed.

 

BTW, I have also been subscribed that whole time you were subscribed and received all the same things you did during that time.

[Sarova]

And I will repeat here what I have said in countless threads before -

 

This was a reward for the people staying subscribed for 9 months when a large chunk of players boasted about how you didn't need to stay subbed and would still get the same content.

 

The people who have this chapter paid to keep the game afloat, while others turned their backs on it, happy to save their money because this chapter wasn't worth subbing for. It is directly due to that lack of funding that we have had a content drought. To now let these people get the same reward would be utterly foolish, and would actively encourage more people to unsubcribe in content droughts, knowing that any gifts that Bioware give out can easily be obtained from a forum thread saying "it's unfair that I didn't give you money for it then, I demand that you give me it now for a much lower price."

 

Rewarding people for not paying money into a game? That's not a business practice that would work well.

Thank you! (Did you drop mic after typing)? I hope the devs read this as bringing back certain rewards to appease people who wouldn't/couldn't meet the criteria at the time is likely to lose them the customers that did.

[IanArgent]

Eventually, everyone leaves the game. I'd be fascinated to know what SWTOR's account "halflife" is, but at some point, there will be more new players who want the shiny thing than there are old players who care.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again; in a subscription model, new players are worth more than veterans, because veterans are closer to the end of their days. I mean, the game needs veterans to show the new players the ropes, but the long-time old salts? Not so much.

[BRKMSN]

Eventually, everyone leaves the game. I'd be fascinated to know what SWTOR's account "halflife" is, but at some point, there will be more new players who want the shiny thing than there are old players who care.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again; in a subscription model, new players are worth more than veterans, because veterans are closer to the end of their days. I mean, the game needs veterans to show the new players the ropes, but the long-time old salts? Not so much.

SWTOR has all that information and they make their decisions based on that information.

 

I can't say what you've done, but I preordered the game and have been subbed the whole time. So put me down as an "old player" that has supported the game loyally. I'm still here.

[denavin]

And I will repeat here what I have said in countless threads before -

 

This was a reward for the people staying subscribed for 9 months when a large chunk of players boasted about how you didn't need to stay subbed and would still get the same content.

 

The people who have this chapter paid to keep the game afloat, while others turned their backs on it, happy to save their money because this chapter wasn't worth subbing for. It is directly due to that lack of funding that we have had a content drought. To now let these people get the same reward would be utterly foolish, and would actively encourage more people to unsubcribe in content droughts, knowing that any gifts that Bioware give out can easily be obtained from a forum thread saying "it's unfair that I didn't give you money for it then, I demand that you give me it now for a much lower price."

 

Rewarding people for not paying money into a game? That's not a business practice that would work well.

 

^^ This

 

Could not have said it better...

In short, you missed out PERIOD, End of Story, FULL STOP!