SWTOR Summer Roadmap

[Andryah]

I can't really see how this can be true.

I guess PvP / Ops oriented players, still do the story content at least once to see how it plays out, while story/solo players don't necessarily play PvP or Ops.

 

Anyways, i'm a pure solo-story player, i can't play multiplayer content because of the awfull lags... Even solo content is awfull sometimes because of that.

So there's absolutely nothing for me untill september at best from what we can read on this roadmap, that's a bit sad. I'll play as much as i can until my sub end, after that, i'll probably do something else untill the nex story content is available

 

It is not surprising to see a "pure solo-story player" not being able to see beyond their own personal bias. Sad, but not surprising.

 

Open your mind, beyond simply what you personally do or do not do in an MMO.

 

Honestly I believe the majority of players who do PvP..do so as only one part of their total content play in SWTOR. Of course there are a minority of players who only PvP.. but this roadmap update is not really focused on them.. but rather on expanding the options for PvP across the player base. An instanced PvP zone in the forum of personal Strongholds that players can configure and control who plays in them is brilliant as it gives the players the tools to resolve a number of long standing issues with PvP in general.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Andryah

[silenthc]

Let's be fair Andryah, people are always going to have a personal bias and will be disappointed if something they enjoy doesn't receive attention in an update they might have been looking forward to. That's a pretty natural reaction and I think it is alright to mention disappointment (when it is expressed in a civil manner..). I wouldn't call it sad. The people who can't look past what else in the game outside of their own little sphere (or in other words, incapable of rationale) is in need of attention is only a small minority I think. The problem is that small minority also bemoans and cries wolf the loudest, throwing around excess power words. That's the sad part.

 

For my own reasons I have yet to do anything beyond solo content. Would I have liked to see more padding to the story in the coming period? Sure, but I can't say I have any issue with PvP getting a, as I understand it, well-needed polishing. Who knows, it might even encourage me to try it out some time after its release.

Edited May 19, 2018 by silenthc

[casirabit]

I can't really see how this can be true.

I guess PvP / Ops oriented players, still do the story content at least once to see how it plays out, while story/solo players don't necessarily play PvP or Ops.

 

Anyways, i'm a pure solo-story player, i can't play multiplayer content because of the awfull lags... Even solo content is awfull sometimes because of that.

So there's absolutely nothing for me untill september at best from what we can read on this roadmap, that's a bit sad. I'll play as much as i can until my sub end, after that, i'll probably do something else untill the nex story content is available

 

I am not a fan of pvp (I have done it on two occasions to get a companion, one the droid and then the dark/light event companion) but I know there are people that like to pvp. I am looking forward to the Rishi stronghold because I love to decorate and we are getting one for our guild and will make 1 room into a dueling arena for those like my boyfriend that like to duel. I may even attempt due to the fact I will be playing with people who I trust and don't downgrade me for not being a good duelist. There has been nothing for pvp players for quite awhile now and this is long overdue.

[Andryah]

Let's be fair Andryah, people are always going to have a personal bias and will be disappointed if something they enjoy doesn't receive attention in an update they might have been looking forward to. That's a pretty natural reaction and I think it is alright to mention disappointment (when it is expressed in a civil manner..). I wouldn't call it sad.

 

True.. but see the thing is... MMOs are diverse interest groups... and to refuse to embrace and understand when some content will actually help and serve some segments of said interests groups is very closed minded. This time around.. it is the pro-story group attacking and complaining.... and when story drops.. then it becomes pro-PvP or pro-Ops that go on the attack. This sort of ongoing mindless and self centered approach to MMO critique just creates more and more divisiveness in the player community. This outcome IS sad. There is simply too much usVSthem negativity going on.

 

I don't really get into PvP for example.. but I understand the importance of continuing to address it in this MMO, and I applaud the studios willingness to actually innovate with this new Stronghold rather than just "mail-in" a bone to the PvPers. Same goes for opening up WZs to a cross faction rule set. Doing so takes nothing away from any other interest group. I support the moves planned in this roadmap, even if they do not directly benefit me personally.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Andryah

[TrixxieTriss]

Much of this. ^

 

While I consider storytelling the 'core' of SWTOR as a game, it isn't everything either. Will it suck for someone like myself that I have nothing to look forward to until Septemberish? Yeah, it will but if we compare the amount of content released for Story over the past 2-3'ish years versus the amount of content for PvE/PvP, it feels right that the focus shifts for now. Mind you, I'm talking about the amount of content, not the quality or the pace of release.

 

Ideally, Bioware could cater to all niches and players of the game per release but we've already seen that's just not feasible. Which is unfortunate especially since these current release methods are just creating constant divide and nastiness among players.

 

Anyway, perhaps we can try and just be a little more supportive of each other instead of blaming and resenting one another. We may have different play styles but we all play the same game too.

 

Well said Jenny

[TrixxieTriss]

While the PvP focus is much better there is nothing in that roadmap that addresses the lack of participation in lowbie and mid PvP there needs to be more incentives to get people to que.

 

ATM there is no reason to do lowbie and Mid for anyone that isn't interested in PvP. Players can get more experience, more and better gear, simply by doing the heroics over spending an hour to two waiting on Lowbie or mid pop.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

Keith, this is something you need to read and pay attention too

[silenthc]

True.. but see the thing is... MMOs are diverse interest groups... and to refuse to embrace and understand when some content will actually help and serve some segments of said interests groups is very closed minded. This time around.. it is the pro-story group attacking and complaining.... and when story drops.. then it becomes pro-PvP or pro-Ops that go on the attack. This sort of ongoing mindless and self centered approach to MMO critique just creates more and more divisiveness in the player community. This outcome IS sad. There is simply too much usVSthem negativity going on.

 

Completely agreed, but I can't ever see this changing sadly. The average person just can't help themselves when something they feel strongly about is "threatened". That mentality you speak of goes far beyond pro-story/pro-pvp or MMO's or gaming.

 

It'd be a surprising day indeed the moment I find a community, be it online or in real life that is in complete harmony.

Edited May 19, 2018 by silenthc

[Andryah]

Completely agreed, but I can't ever see this changing sadly. The average person just can't help themselves when something they feel strongly about is "threatened". That mentality you speak of goes far beyond pro-story/pro-pvp or MMO's or gaming.

 

It'd be a surprising day indeed the moment I find a community, be it online or in real life that is in complete harmony.

 

hehe.. so we agree then on sadness?

 

And yes... I agree the behavior is actually pretty pervasive in society these days... as is the "it's never my fault" syndrome when people find themselves in largely self-induced challenges in life. We appear to be devolving in society back to tribal caveman behaviors. I could blame it on "the younger generation" but that would be misplaced because it is way beyond any one generational or cultural segment in society. Personally, I generally push back on the rhetoric... because silence simply encourage more of it in my view. And if people think I am blunt in forum discussion... you should see me when faced with someone in real life wearing their backsides as a hat and plying this kind of approach in real life.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Andryah

[Goreshaga]

It is not surprising to see a "pure solo-story player" not being able to see beyond their own personal bias. Sad, but not surprising.

 

Open your mind, beyond simply what you personally do or do not do in an MMO.

Well, i tried when it was necessary for an event, did not enjoy it one bit.

Sorry but when you die a pityfull death every 2 min because you can't do anything and get kicked out of the server the rest of the time, there's nothing to enjoy.

 

Good that PvP gets some love, but it'd be better if PvP, Ops and story-players could have a bit of everything at the same time rather than having to take turns to get some content that would please them.

[Mirandel]

If story/solo players were really what was keeping the game alive all by themselves, then the server populations wouldn't have all taken a nosedive after the brief boost when KotFE first came out. EA wouldn't have had to merge servers to deal with record low populations. And EA wouldn't have switched gears from catering to story/solo players (as they did for two straight years) to first PvE and now PvP centric players.

 

Also, calling PvP players "trash" is immature and unnecessary. I don't even like PvP, I don't find it fun at all, but even I am glad they're getting a little attention at last. Everything doesn't have to cater to you and your play style. Other people's play styles are just as valid as yours. Grow up.

 

Actually, during that "brief boost" (that lasted for a year, btw) they said SWTOR was more profitable than ever. Then they dropped the format of every month update, made stories shorter and seldom-er (not to mention more and more directionless, to say it politely), ignored all promises about companions return, started to meddling with other solo-activities - and killed the interest of the story/solo players. And got that "node dive" you are talking about.

 

Just saying.

[Talon_strikes]

I'm curious what good it would do for them to publicize what they are working on regarding cheats/exploiters/hackers/etc. If they publicize it the cheaters will have extra time to prepare for how to cheat in new ways for the next season. They'll know what to avoid going forward.

 

I think this (and anything else they are doing behind the scenes while polishing up the banhammer) are one of the few things that are probably best kept behind the scenes. Haven't they punished cheaters in the past by letting them think they would get the rewards and then take them away all at once at the end when they have the full range of data to go through? I like that punishment very much--what a colossal waste of time the cheaters experienced when the rug gets pulled from under them at the end when they thought they were so "cleverly" "getting away" with their cheating ways.

 

I think no matter what they do/say/publicize, it will never, ever fully solve the cheating problems that all games have. The only thing they can do (just like the way the criminal justice system works) is punish the offenders effectively enough that they hopefully do not want to do it again (or they go away, at least) and it will send a clear message to any future cheaters (like when they announce what they smashed with the banhammer AFTER the smashing is done).

 

I'm not saying they're doing a super bang-up job on stopping cheating as they could but it's a lose-lose situation for them to bother commenting on it any further than Keith just did in the Roadmap (we're aware of the cheaters and working on it). As long as we know they're not ignoring it I feel better about it.

They don't need to publicize exactly how they're dealing with the cheaters and exploits, but they certainly need to speak up about it in other ways because people in the PvP forum are honestly tired of rating brackets being overbloated by and top 3s being locked behind cheaters and exploits. No one can legitimately climb in rating anymore.

 

They always say something along the lines of "Oh don't worry about it, we're going to deal with them" but they almost never do, and if they do then they do so but very minimally. Like, there's still a huge account-selling ring going on concerning top 3 rewards. They could've essentially shutdown that black market years ago but their apathy and mismanagement toward cheaters and exploits has it thriving to this day.

 

So not only do they need to finally start communicating with the PvP forum users about this, they need to get a little more specific on certain aspects (such as name shaming) in order to ease our minds because, as it stands currently, the cheaters have nothing to lose and everything to gain as it's been since the dawn of ranked.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Talon_strikes

[Talon_strikes]

On another note, please do NOT make x-faction optional. You guys have enough exploits going on as it is in ranked - we don't need to encourage it further.

[DarthSpuds]

There are some changes that look good, but the glaring omission is any talk of class balance. When it comes to PvP, that is the most pressing issue you have

 

They spent most of the last 18 months balancing/nerfing things to assuage the PvP whine-fest!

 

All that happened is the guys that got nerfed are now complaining, and the guys that got an effective buff have stopped complaining.

 

And if they spent another 5 years on class balance that would still happen.

 

The losing guy ALWAYS has something to whine about.

 

NO!

 

Stop balancing classes for what amount to roughly the 20% of the playerbase that whines the most.

 

All The Best

[DarthSpuds]

The only thing you have taken from all these pages is about a Stronghold? Which lets face it are hardly the most amazing things in the world where you are restricted by hooks. Go look at what SWG's did or Elder Scrolls Online and see what can be achieved when you can put an item on a table. As for the chairs you mention for people to sit in. Can you actually sit in them?

 

OK I absolutely love Housing in ESO. But it still has issues.

 

I am a Sub (so get the double item limit) but because, as you say, you can put things on tables, books on shelves etc EVERYTHING counts towards that item limit level.

 

My main House has 1 room fully decorated, 2 rooms half decorated, and the outside half decorated. Leaving 4 rooms empty, 2 rooms half empty, and the outside half empty. And I had to be very creative to even get that far before hitting the Item Limit.

 

Sure you can sit on the chairs, but they end up in empty rooms.

 

All The Best

[DarthSpuds]

If story/solo players were really what was keeping the game alive all by themselves, then the server populations wouldn't have all taken a nosedive after the brief boost when KotFE first came out.

 

Well maybe that happened because the story wasn't even up to Creative Writing 101 standards, was full of glaring plot holes so big you could pilot a fleet of death stars through them, made absolutely NO SENSE AT ALL for non Force users, failed miserably to deliver on the "choices that matter" mantra, removed the Player Character as the focus of that story, removed ALL agency from the Player Character and made it an incompetent, moronic, pawn in the Keeping Up With The Valkorions soap-opera absolutely no one ever had asked for.

 

Just a guess.

 

All The Best

Edited May 20, 2018 by DarthSpuds

[DarthSpuds]

Improving PvP can and will improve overall game experience for most players.

 

No, it won't.

 

Even if Star Wars' PvP take up is double the industry average it'll still won't improve things for "most players".

 

I am not against the PvP improvements, I am against deliberately misleading hyperbole to justify them though.

 

I don't PvP - ever.

I am already at my SH cap.

 

Explain how improving PvP improves my game experience one bit.

 

All The Best

[Rheshalea]

While the PvP focus is much better there is nothing in that roadmap that addresses the lack of participation in lowbie and mid PvP there needs to be more incentives to get people to que.

 

ATM there is no reason to do lowbie and Mid for anyone that isn't interested in PvP. Players can get more experience, more and better gear, simply by doing the heroics over spending an hour to two waiting on Lowbie or mid pop.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

I'm someone who doesn't PvP often. If and when I do, it's on a max level character.

There's a few reasons for this, and none of them have anything to do with not having enough incentives for lowbie/midlevel PvP.

 

I do Story content to level characters. Either I focus purely on Class story or I do the planetary arcs too. I level up so quickly that by the time I get to pick up (if I remember that it exists) the Introduction to PvP quest, I outlevel the gear. I'm also already completely into the story, and eager to get on with saving the Imp/Reps collective hides. I don't want to queue up for PvP that would just interrupt my story.

 

Plus, since I'm not all that into PvP to begin with, I'm not going to do WZs without getting CXP for it. Especially not since the Introduction-quest gives a whole lot of it. I'd much rather wait for a Double CXP event and get max rewards for doing something I'm not all that fond of to start with.

 

So it's not the lack of incentives that keep me from doing lowbie/mid PvP. It's the lack of interest, and unfortunately I don't think there's much anyone can do about that.

[Akevv]

This "roadmap" is about as devoid of commitment as possible. I don;t see why folks are excited about what essentially amounts to rearrangement of stuff already in game? Is the bar really that low now? Kinda sad.

[Paziqi]

I'm someone who doesn't PvP often. If and when I do, it's on a max level character.

There's a few reasons for this, and none of them have anything to do with not having enough incentives for lowbie/midlevel PvP.

 

I do Story content to level characters. Either I focus purely on Class story or I do the planetary arcs too. I level up so quickly that by the time I get to pick up (if I remember that it exists) the Introduction to PvP quest, I outlevel the gear. I'm also already completely into the story, and eager to get on with saving the Imp/Reps collective hides. I don't want to queue up for PvP that would just interrupt my story.

 

Plus, since I'm not all that into PvP to begin with, I'm not going to do WZs without getting CXP for it. Especially not since the Introduction-quest gives a whole lot of it. I'd much rather wait for a Double CXP event and get max rewards for doing something I'm not all that fond of to start with.

 

So it's not the lack of incentives that keep me from doing lowbie/mid PvP. It's the lack of interest, and unfortunately I don't think there's much anyone can do about that.

 

^This entirely.

 

I really think the PvP crowd needs to take a step back and consider what they are trying to accomplish here. You want players in your matches, but you want players who are going to be interested in the same things you are. Add incentives, sure, but limit them to the first 5 or so matches, as a way to attract new players, that maybe haven't tried PvP before. Or come up with something that is only useful for players during PvP, and fiddle around with the amount to get people into the brackets you need them in. But if you keep putting generic incentives in your matches, you are going to continue to get people, like me, who are really only there for those incentives. And that is not going to give you a good gaming experience.

[ThomasStarWars]

This "roadmap" is about as devoid of commitment as possible. I don;t see why folks are excited about what essentially amounts to rearrangement of stuff already in game? Is the bar really that low now? Kinda sad.

 

The biggest piece everyone is excited for is the stronghold. A PvP stronghold that has been asked for years.

[DefenderTwo]

Will future strongholds be linked to parts of the game? Umbara for instance was obtained through flashpoints, Rishi through PvP. Will we see a stronghold in the future unlocked by Operations or GSF?

[Damask_Rose]

While the PvP focus is much better there is nothing in that roadmap that addresses the lack of participation in lowbie and mid PvP there needs to be more incentives to get people to que.

 

ATM there is no reason to do lowbie and Mid for anyone that isn't interested in PvP. Players can get more experience, more and better gear, simply by doing the heroics over spending an hour to two waiting on Lowbie or mid pop.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

For me, personally, giving me the choice of maps will get me into lowby pvp again. (I might get around to getting Pierce & M1-4X too!) I pretty much quit pvping when arenas were forced on us. I am now extremely rusty and I don't know the new maps at all. I'd rather knock the dust off and learn the new maps in the lowby brackets than at lvl 70. And I really, really want the title for the "Feats of Strength" achievement!

[VanderII]

For me choise map is a mistake because some maps will became ghost places. I remember the old Conan mmo where there were a lot of pvp maps but people played only in one same pvp map.

I predict the same story here.

[casirabit]

Will future strongholds be linked to parts of the game? Umbara for instance was obtained through flashpoints, Rishi through PvP. Will we see a stronghold in the future unlocked by Operations or GSF?

 

Except per Keith's response, you don't have to pvp to purchase Rishi. It can be brought like the rest of them.

 

 

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=9600772#edit9600772

[AlienEyeTX]

The biggest piece everyone is excited for is the stronghold. A PvP stronghold that has been asked for years.

 

I seriously doubt that "everyone" or even most people are particularly excited about this. I'm not saying that it won't have it's audience or that it is not worth them spending the resources on... I just doubt that most people want to PvP in a stronghold or even care if we get the option for yet another stronghold.