Allow Masterwork Data Crystals to be Legacy and retool the rotating Masterwork Weekly

[Hellhog]

I have a long explanation of all the issues with the current gearing system that I personally would like to see tweaked but I'm going to attempt to keep it short and simple.

 

For one, as with the same issue with Unassembled Components in the past, Masterwork Data Crystals really need to be a Legacy currency. The limit of 4 a week (and that's if you have Unassembled Components to begin with) makes gearing up for NiM Gods an extremely slow and unrewarding process and kills alting to an extent. The monotony of the ways to gear up is already rough enough but it's made worse when the process is also extremely slow. I'm not looking for an easy hand out. I'm not looking for it to be super fast. But I am hoping for a system that is a little better for alting and makes the current Ossus Weekly more rewarding regardless of a set bonus piece or not dropping.

 

 

The second thing I wanted to bring up is the rotating Masterwork Weekly and some improvements that it needs. I do wish there were more options for obtaining Masterworks in general to allow for less redundant playing of the game but one thing at a time.

 

PvP: This is probably most people's favorite one because it is quite quick to do, the main thing though is it should require the player to actually finish the match. Probably not something most would like as it will make the mission take longer, but it is certainly, imo, and oversight.

 

MM FPs: This is by far the longest one and somewhat confusing, it can easily take 1-2+ hours depending on what FPs you do (most prefer to bang their head against Hammer Station... ooof)... the group you get if you use group finder... and not to mention... the Priority Terminal Weekly actually requires 3x FPs while this requires 4x. To even remotely bring it in line with other content, I really think it should require only 1x MM FPs... or at most 2x.

 

GSF: Setting aside the fact it couldn't even be done, I'm mostly okay with this. It's just GSF has nothing to do with gear in general. I understand the goal is to push people to play this content... but if I'm gearing for NiM Gods, I feel like it should require doing related content.

 

GF Ops: Actually my issue with this one is that it is limited to Activity Finder only. Why not make it complete an Operation instead? If I'm doing a NiM Operation... it seems rather silly that completing that gives me no credit toward this mission... especially if it is the same Operation that Group Finder actively has. The requirement honestly should be complete an operation of any difficulty and not limit it to Story Mode through Group Finder. To kind of push the narrative further, I'm a NiM Raider, I don't enjoy doing SM or even HM at all. The fact I have to go out of my way of enjoying NiM Operations to play SM just to gear for NiM Gods to me personally at least, seems absurd. It's selfish I know, but that's more in line of what it was like to gear in the past. At least if it was any difficulty mode, all parties come out happy.

[FerkWork]

I second this very well thought-out list of suggestions to the current system. /signed Edited January 24, 2019 by FerkWork

[Maxitrac]

I have a long explanation of all the issues with the current gearing system that I personally would like to see tweaked but I'm going to attempt to keep it short and simple.

 

For one, as with the same issue with Unassembled Components in the past, Masterwork Data Crystals really need to be a Legacy currency. The limit of 4 a week (and that's if you have Unassembled Components to begin with) makes gearing up for NiM Gods an extremely slow and unrewarding process and kills alting to an extent. The monotony of the ways to gear up is already rough enough but it's made worse when the process is also extremely slow. I'm not looking for an easy hand out. I'm not looking for it to be super fast. But I am hoping for a system that is a little better for alting and makes the current Ossus Weekly more rewarding regardless of a set bonus piece or not dropping.

 

 

The second thing I wanted to bring up is the rotating Masterwork Weekly and some improvements that it needs. I do wish there were more options for obtaining Masterworks in general to allow for less redundant playing of the game but one thing at a time.

 

PvP: This is probably most people's favorite one because it is quite quick to do, the main thing though is it should require the player to actually finish the match. Probably not something most would like as it will make the mission take longer, but it is certainly, imo, and oversight.

 

MM FPs: This is by far the longest one and somewhat confusing, it can easily take 1-2+ hours depending on what FPs you do (most prefer to bang their head against Hammer Station... ooof)... the group you get if you use group finder... and not to mention... the Priority Terminal Weekly actually requires 3x FPs while this requires 4x. To even remotely bring it in line with other content, I really think it should require only 1x MM FPs... or at most 2x.

 

GSF: Setting aside the fact it couldn't even be done, I'm mostly okay with this. It's just GSF has nothing to do with gear in general. I understand the goal is to push people to play this content... but if I'm gearing for NiM Gods, I feel like it should require doing related content.

 

GF Ops: Actually my issue with this one is that it is limited to Activity Finder only. Why not make it complete an Operation instead? If I'm doing a NiM Operation... it seems rather silly that completing that gives me no credit toward this mission... especially if it is the same Operation that Group Finder actively has. The requirement honestly should be complete an operation of any difficulty and not limit it to Story Mode through Group Finder. To kind of push the narrative further, I'm a NiM Raider, I don't enjoy doing SM or even HM at all. The fact I have to go out of my way of enjoying NiM Operations to play SM just to gear for NiM Gods to me personally at least, seems absurd. It's selfish I know, but that's more in line of what it was like to gear in the past. At least if it was any difficulty mode, all parties come out happy.

 

Please bioware, especially the last point for the groupfinder one. Atleast change that.

[BishopSMASH]

/signed

[Sorava]

/signed

[AllisonLightning]

Yes! As a healer who does HM and is getting her toes wet in NiMs, it is beyond ridiculous when I don't like healing SMs at the best of times that I can't even get credit for HMs on my healers...you gave us 'Take Them Down' as a Conquest objective, it's fairer to allow us to do harder content for the same reward. You can key it so that it's only HM/NiM that count for any Operation as opposed to SM which you can keep as GF required.

 

Also, the fact the weekly is bound to starting Ossus as well as that the 252 gear boxes aren't legacy wide I feel should be changed to be more legacy friendly.

[SmartAbyss]

Rarely does this board see such well thought out entries. Thank you for raising your voice for changes to the current system.

 

I more or less agree with the whole post. As a nim raider having to do Story Mode content I haven't done in two years is a highly unwanted feature of the new system.

 

/signed

[LD_Little_Dragon]

I don't know why it was tied to group-finder in the first place. "Complete any Operation' would have been so much simpler and user-friendly. It's also unfriendly to people who only have time to run OPs on weekends. Now they're limited by RNG to what OP they can run for credit.

 

At least with the MM Flashpoints crystal you could run any FP you wanted, and with or without a full group if you wanted to.

 

The new gear is supposed to only be needed by NiM raiders. Why restrict getting the crystals to running SM raids?

 

/signed

[PrometheanDeath]

PvP: This is probably most people's favorite one because it is quite quick to do, the main thing though is it should require the player to actually finish the match. Probably not something most would like as it will make the mission take longer, but it is certainly, imo, and oversight.

 

MM FPs: This is by far the longest one and somewhat confusing, it can easily take 1-2+ hours depending on what FPs you do (most prefer to bang their head against Hammer Station... ooof)... the group you get if you use group finder... and not to mention... the Priority Terminal Weekly actually requires 3x FPs while this requires 4x. To even remotely bring it in line with other content, I really think it should require only 1x MM FPs... or at most 2x.

 

GSF: Setting aside the fact it couldn't even be done, I'm mostly okay with this. It's just GSF has nothing to do with gear in general. I understand the goal is to push people to play this content... but if I'm gearing for NiM Gods, I feel like it should require doing related content.

 

GF Ops: Actually my issue with this one is that it is limited to Activity Finder only. Why not make it complete an Operation instead? If I'm doing a NiM Operation... it seems rather silly that completing that gives me no credit toward this mission... especially if it is the same Operation that Group Finder actively has. The requirement honestly should be complete an operation of any difficulty and not limit it to Story Mode through Group Finder. To kind of push the narrative further, I'm a NiM Raider, I don't enjoy doing SM or even HM at all. The fact I have to go out of my way of enjoying NiM Operations to play SM just to gear for NiM Gods to me personally at least, seems absurd. It's selfish I know, but that's more in line of what it was like to gear in the past. At least if it was any difficulty mode, all parties come out happy.

 

Pretty much with everyone else including this post. /signed

Just my 2 cents on how to balance each mission though.

PvP: earn 30 medals. Simply put it's the fastest 1 match weekly that takes 0 effort. it's almost impossible to not earn 8 medals even if you lose compared to the players who earn 16+ playing objectives. With 30 medals that means to those that play till 8 and leave mid warzone will actually have to play, and the people who hard carry will get this done in 2 warzones, 3 at most.

 

MM FPs: Having the new weekly require more than the current weekly wasn't a good idea. reducing it to 3 to match or even lower to x2 as mentioned would make a lot more sense.

 

GSF: My only preference, because of GSF basically being regarded as an entirely different game than swtor, is make it "Play 3 matches" instead of win.

 

GF Ops: 100% agree that is should be complete 1 operation of any difficulty. Making NiM raiders gear for NiM GftM by doing story modes is a terrible idea. Clearing NiM anything should be rewarded more than the daily groupfinder so current teams shouldn't deviate from normal prog times to get a crystal still.

[DarkTergon]

/signed

[IMSolomonster]

/signed

[azamba]

Signed!

 

Totally agreed! Masterwork crystal should be legacy. This was one of the biggest mistakes they made with this patch and that is saying A LOT!

And the weekly for GSF is a joke. A very bad one. No one cares for that crap, at least ppl that do NiM and will actually need the gear.

[BRKMSN]

I don't know why they didn't just make the weekly "your choice of the following" rather than just rotating a single method for the week.

 

I doubt I'll work too much on this gearing style since I would imagine 6.0 will render all of it useless whenever that rolls around. I'll just get characters prepped for the next gearing grind.

[Darthanimus]

I would like to add to this thread with some of my issues with the current gearing system!

 

Its elitist; players that love mm ops, and group ranked benefit most, and have greater access to the best gear. Its a bit rude that so many players are squeezed out of obtaining BiS gear! I actually take no pleasure in ranked or mm ops, its not my thing, I like regs, and story content, with the odd ranked and ops thrown in. I am not going to tackle mm ops ever, and I will not be a hard core group ranked player, some people are different to what you expect them to be, thats just the way it is!

 

Obtaining masterwork crystals is far too slow. its not fun! I mean how can playing for months on end to get decent gear be fun and fulfilling? the rewards are meager, I know what you think, that people will play less if you make gear easier to obtain, but this isn't true, they would only be to happy to gear alts and have a more flexible play style, filling roles as and when needed! I do also think that masterwork data crystals should be legacy bound!

 

I have spoken to players that miss a currency based system (like the one we had before command crates) that allows players to gear up regardless of their in game activity preferences. Understandably people that participate in sm ops or regs would obtain gear at a slower rate, but the current system really does discriminate and lock out the average player. That is not a good practice.

 

Please fix this unfair system!

[Elessara]

I would like to add to this thread with some of my issues with the current gearing system!

 

Its elitist; players that love mm ops, and group ranked benefit most, and have greater access to the best gear. Its a bit rude that so many players are squeezed out of obtaining BiS gear! I actually take no pleasure in ranked or mm ops, its not my thing, I like regs, and story content, with the odd ranked and ops thrown in. I am not going to tackle mm ops ever, and I will not be a hard core group ranked player, some people are different to what you expect them to be, thats just the way it is!

 

Obtaining masterwork crystals is far too slow. its not fun! I mean how can playing for months on end to get decent gear be fun and fulfilling? the rewards are meager, I know what you think, that people will play less if you make gear easier to obtain, but this isn't true, they would only be to happy to gear alts and have a more flexible play style, filling roles as and when needed! I do also think that masterwork data crystals should be legacy bound!

 

I have spoken to players that miss a currency based system (like the one we had before command crates) that allows players to gear up regardless of their in game activity preferences. Understandably people that participate in sm ops or regs would obtain gear at a slower rate, but the current system really does discriminate and lock out the average player. That is not a good practice.

 

Please fix this unfair system!

 

While I agree with the OP's suggestions, you do realise that BiS gear is meant for the hardest content. You do not need BiS gear for anything other than MM Ops (and pvp but that's mostly because they refuse to set bolster that high). Players that do those activities have greater access to the gear because that's what those activities are balanced for. Players that don't do those activities simply don't need that level of gear and thus have lower access to it. And no, I'm not a raider or pvper; I primarily solo. I just see nothing unfair in players who actually do the activities the gear is designed for having more methods of obtaining it.

[Darthanimus]

While I agree with the OP's suggestions, you do realise that BiS gear is meant for the hardest content. You do not need BiS gear for anything other than MM Ops (and pvp but that's mostly because they refuse to set bolster that high). Players that do those activities have greater access to the gear because that's what those activities are balanced for. Players that don't do those activities simply don't need that level of gear and thus have lower access to it. And no, I'm not a raider or pvper; I primarily solo. I just see nothing unfair in players who actually do the activities the gear is designed for having more methods of obtaining it.

 

I agree with you, but, what you speak of is an idealized situation. The problem is there will always be players that use gear meant for hardest content to obtain rewards (at the expense of people in lower gear) faster. Solo ranked is not bolstered, and is not doable without BIS gear, even if we take a look at regs, the components are used to buy crystals, but a distinct advantage is given to those in BiS gear! I think the materials needed for crafting BIS gear, and the gear itself should be available to everyone. I would like to add that I think that the whole gearing process is way to slow too as it is. Slow gearing does not necessarily mean people will stop coming back and playing, as I mentioned before, people would only be too happy to gear alts and change roles. I would like to also say that I pugged a GF GftM ops recently, the ops group broke down and subsequently it was not finished, so even at sm GftM can be too hard for most people, in my opinion mm GftM and therefore BiS 258s is unavailable to the majority of players. I know some people might say join a progression guild, but, I cannot guarantee (like so many others) to be available, work and life commitments get in the way of being a serious raider, if I were so inclined!

[Batwer]

Signed!

 

Totally agreed! Masterwork crystal should be legacy. This was one of the biggest mistakes they made with this patch and that is saying A LOT!

And the weekly for GSF is a joke. A very bad one. No one cares for that crap, at least ppl that do NiM and will actually need the gear.

Signed!

[DarkTergon]

I agree with you, but, what you speak of is an idealized situation. The problem is there will always be players that use gear meant for hardest content to obtain rewards (at the expense of people in lower gear) faster. Solo ranked is not bolstered, and is not doable without BIS gear, even if we take a look at regs, the components are used to buy crystals, but a distinct advantage is given to those in BiS gear! I think the materials needed for crafting BIS gear, and the gear itself should be available to everyone. I would like to add that I think that the whole gearing process is way to slow too as it is. Slow gearing does not necessarily mean people will stop coming back and playing, as I mentioned before, people would only be too happy to gear alts and change roles. I would like to also say that I pugged a GF GftM ops recently, the ops group broke down and subsequently it was not finished, so even at sm GftM can be too hard for most people, in my opinion mm GftM and therefore BiS 258s is unavailable to the majority of players. I know some people might say join a progression guild, but, I cannot guarantee (like so many others) to be available, work and life commitments get in the way of being a serious raider, if I were so inclined!

The problem with this is, the players who do ranked, don't stay in ranked, they come back to normally pvp, which leaves the players in normal pvp at a disadvantage

[FlameYOL]

I would definitely be in favor of making Masterwork Data Crystals legacy-based, especially considering how Unassembled Components are already legacy-bound as opposed to bound-by-pickup. As for your other suggestions I think most of them are fair, however instead of taking out the objective to complete a group-finder SM I'd suggest making one for Veteran and Master mode as well, with better rewards as difficulty increases of course.

[Maxitrac]

*bump*