Acquisition Changes: Next PTS Patch

[DavidAtkinson]

So how do you expect to remove RNG without just handing players gear?

 

 

 

Is SWTOR your first MMO?

 

 

 

Do you think running Hammer Station over and over again is what Bioware wants for the players?

 

I'm 100% sure that Hammer Station is what we are going to farm over and over again because it's the fastest FP....

[Templock]

Why should it matter which FP FlameYol runs?

 

There is one - I repeat one - FP that has dedicated drops, and that is the new Corellia FP.

 

Your ignorant trolling of FlameYoL shows you have no idea what you are talking about. His (or her, sorry Flame, I don't know nor need to know your gender) point (obviously lost on Templock) was about how there is still RNG for the Mod vendor.

 

It's really not that complicated.

 

Wow someone's mad today.

 

I'm 100% sure that Hammer Station is what we are going to farm over and over again because it's the fastest FP....

 

This is my point (obviously lost on Jdast). If your only focus is to get gear and get it as fast as possible, you're obviously going to be constantly disappointed to not get that gear. This game is meant to be experienced, not farmed. If you want to farm, go play WoW.

Edited October 5, 2019 by Templock

[JainiaDral]

So how do you expect to remove RNG without just handing players gear?

 

Is SWTOR your first MMO?

 

I'm assuming you're asking me both of these questions. So I'll put it bluntly. I have played many MMOs, and this is the first time I've ever received a limited end game currency on a toon fresh out of the starter zone. I only remember getting 80 fragments, but there might have been more. That's 50-60 flashpoints an avid beginner might do before getting to level 75. They'll be hitting the max before they finish SOR or FEET. Except they can't spend them. And they'll probably start getting those really bloody annoying warning messages at 4000 frags every time they do something that tells them they're hitting the limit. Then they'll hit the limit, and the rest of their unspendable currency will go to waste.

 

So I'd like a Bioware answer to the question: since you can't use the currency before level 75, why do you receive it? And, since you can't see stats on level 75 equipment before you hit max, what are you supposed to do with it? Storing garbage for 55 levels seems like a total waste.

 

Another question: what happens to those RenXP packs before you hit level 75? Are the Ren levels quietly accruing as you level, or are those packs totally wasted?

 

And, on to another item that I received that made no sense: a level 11 materials pack off of Ironhand. You can't open the backpack. You don't even get an error message that you're under level, which is why I'm assuming I couldn't open it at level 17.

Edited October 5, 2019 by JainiaDral
checked tech frag quantities

[DavidAtkinson]

Wow someone's mad today.

 

 

 

This is my point (obviously lost on Jdast). If your only focus is to get gear and get it as fast as possible, you're obviously going to be constantly disappointed to not get that gear. This game is meant to be experienced, not farmed. If you want to farm, go play WoW.

 

I think you still don't get it..

 

I don't give a flying duck about FP's or PVE in this game, bro.. My only goal is the gear since I 90% only PVP.. If Hammer Station is a fast way of dropping things that's what people are going to farm to death because it's fast. All will pick the fastest ways to BIS whether that implies farming some PVE content or not.

 

Gearing will be a 10 times worse than Ossus was and we want to be done with it as quickly as possible.... After the mains are geared to bis it will be much easier for the alts(I hope) Lucky me.. I only play one class/spec.. due time constraints .

 

As for second point:

 

What exactly do you expect to experience in this game ? Most players have done the content hundreds of times.... There is absolutely nothing to experience anymore. And in case you mean the new story, please... That will done in 1, 2 days. Just hoping it will be better than Ossus which was totally spacebar worthy yawn.... Rep vs Imp..again ? Gee, how exciting..

Edited October 5, 2019 by DavidAtkinson

[Templock]

I think you still don't get it..

 

I don't give a flying duck about FP's or PVE in this game, bro.. My only goal is the gear since I 90% only PVP.. If Hammer Station is a fast way of dropping things that's what people are going to farm to death because it's fast. All will pick the fastest ways to BIS whether that implies farming some PVE content or not.

 

Gearing will be a 10 times worse than Ossus was and we want to be done with it as quickly as possible.... After the mains are geared to bis it will be much easier for the alts(I hope) Lucky me.. I only play one class/spec.. due time constraints .

 

As for second point:

 

What exactly do you expect to experience in this game ? Most players have done the content hundreds of times.... There is absolutely nothing to experience anymore. And in case you mean the new story, please... That will done in 1, 2 days. Just hoping it will be better than Ossus which was totally spacebar worthy yawn.... Rep vs Imp..again ? Gee, how exciting..

 

You're proving my point perfectly. You treat this game as a chore and complain when that chore becomes tedious.

 

Just chill out man.

Edited October 5, 2019 by Templock

[Jdast]

Wow someone's mad today.

 

This is my point (obviously lost on Jdast). If your only focus is to get gear and get it as fast as possible, you're obviously going to be constantly disappointed to not get that gear. This game is meant to be experienced, not farmed. If you want to farm, go play WoW.

 

Complete rubbish. In no way did I say I want to get gear "as fast as possible." You inserted those words into my analysis - mistakenly.

 

You have no place telling me how this game is to be experienced. I am quite capable of deciding that for myself. For me, I enjoy a consistent gearing process that allows me to conquer increasingly difficult content. As noted above, we will all blow through the story content very, very quickly. That's not unique to SWTOR. That means I derive enjoyment from doing the same content but at a higher difficulty level. That means, after learning the mechanics, I will need better gear. I literally have no idea what you mean when you tell people just to chill and enjoy the game. How I enjoy the game is up to me. How you enjoy the game is up to you. Imagine a galaxy far, far away where people have different views of what they enjoy.

 

Some of us are simply saying we want a consistent way to "experience" that content like we had before. It's really not that complicated.

 

Forums are for feedback. I'm not mad. I'll adapt (up to a point) and then go play different games. Presumably BW wants us to keep playing the game since that means they still get paychecks -- hence the reason for the PTS and the raison d'etre for this thread.

 

Dasty

Edited October 5, 2019 by Jdast

[TrixxieTriss]

Complete rubbish. In no way did I say I want to get gear "as fast as possible." You inserted those words into my analysis - mistakenly.

 

You have no place telling me how this game is to be experienced. I am quite capable of deciding that for myself. For me, I enjoy a consistent gearing process that allows me to conquer increasingly difficult content. As noted above, we will all blow through the story content very, very quickly. That's not unique to SWTOR. That means I derive enjoyment from doing the same content but at a higher difficulty level. That means, after learning the mechanics, I will need better gear. I literally have no idea what you mean when you tell people just to chill and enjoy the game. How I enjoy the game is up to me. How you enjoy the game is up to you. Imagine a galaxy far, far away where people have different views of what they enjoy.

 

Some of us are simply saying we want a consistent way to "experience" that content like we had before. It's really not that complicated.

 

Forums are for feedback. I'm not mad. I'll adapt (up to a point) and then go play different games. Presumably BW wants us to keep playing the game since that means they still get paychecks -- hence the reason for the PTS and the raison d'etre for this thread.

 

Dasty

 

Not sure I’ve every seen you go that hard before. Welcome to the club 🍸

[OlBuzzard]

Complete rubbish. In no way did I say I want to get gear "as fast as possible." You inserted those words into my analysis - mistakenly.

 

You have no place telling me how this game is to be experienced. I am quite capable of deciding that for myself. For me, I enjoy a consistent gearing process that allows me to conquer increasingly difficult content. As noted above, we will all blow through the story content very, very quickly. That's not unique to SWTOR. That means I derive enjoyment from doing the same content but at a higher difficulty level. That means, after learning the mechanics, I will need better gear. I literally have no idea what you mean when you tell people just to chill and enjoy the game. How I enjoy the game is up to me. How you enjoy the game is up to you. Imagine a galaxy far, far away where people have different views of what they enjoy.

 

Some of us are simply saying we want a consistent way to "experience" that content like we had before. It's really not that complicated.

 

Forums are for feedback. I'm not mad. I'll adapt (up to a point) and then go play different games. Presumably BW wants us to keep playing the game since that means they still get paychecks -- hence the reason for the PTS and the raison d'etre for this thread.

 

Dasty

 

Preach it Bro !!

 

BTW.. I must tell you that appreciate your part of the forums. Your insistence for you know … "actual facts" has been most appreciative !!

 

OH … before I forget … that "ignore" feature for the forums... works great !! I tend to stay out of trouble for telling things like they are that way !

 

Thanks Bud !

 

[Jdast]

/ignore

 

If you think me asking to return to 5.6 (Nov. 2017)... well, nevuhmind.

Edited October 5, 2019 by Jdast

[Flying-Brian]

Players, doesn't matter if they are pvp or pve, will grind whatever will get them to iLevel 306 the fastest. Playing the new story content will not be that route.

 

After that, they will grind out whatever content will get the the most amount of tech fragments in the least amount of time, so they can min/max the toon they want for end game content.

 

At some point along those paths, BW will nerf the rewards of said content, and new ways to grind will be found.

 

Also don't forget the inevitable exploit that will be there when 6.0 goes live, and will again destroy the economy more, or flood the market with dupped items, or be some type of tech fragement exploit.

[Sambril]

I have been running some story mode fps (Esseles, Taral V) as shadow tank. For the most part boss drops have been correct for my class/spec, though I did get a shield with accuracy. Trash can drop any old junk and I did get some low rating green dps items - deconstuct or vendor fodder.

[OlBuzzard]

/ignore

 

If you think me asking to return to 5.6 (Nov. 2017)... well, nevuhmind.

 

[/ignore ] is correct. IMO bait is being flashed !

 

They know that you and a couple others have the facts straight ! While I'm not personally adapt to the technobabble …

 

I know when something is afoot !

[olagatonjedi]

Players, doesn't matter if they are pvp or pve, will grind whatever will get them to iLevel 306 the fastest. Playing the new story content will not be that route.

 

After that, they will grind out whatever content will get the the most amount of tech fragments in the least amount of time, so they can min/max the toon they want for end game content.

 

At some point along those paths, BW will nerf the rewards of said content, and new ways to grind will be found.

 

Also don't forget the inevitable exploit that will be there when 6.0 goes live, and will again destroy the economy more, or flood the market with dupped items, or be some type of tech fragement exploit.

I anticipate maybe 5% of players going about the fastest route to 306. The majority will continue to play the game they enjoy, which is why BW feels very little nees to completely accommodate the minority complaining to remove RNG.

[TrixxieTriss]

/ignore

 

If you think me asking to return to 5.6 (Nov. 2017)... well, nevuhmind.

 

+1

 

While we don’t always agree, the respect is there

[TrixxieTriss]

 

Also don't forget the inevitable exploit that will be there when 6.0 goes live, and will again destroy the economy more, or flood the market with dupped items, or be some type of tech fragement exploit.

 

They know about the tech frag exploit. It’s only there to help us test. It will be removed before it goes live.

[Templock]

+1

 

While we don’t always agree, the respect is there

 

Not always, just almost always.

[Balameb]

You don't have to say it. Everyone here already knows that you'd prefer to skip an entire game's worth of content, that developers work hard to create, to get to your ego boosting elite content. It's plainly implied in any complaint about not getting gear fast enough. "We hate playing this game. Give us our gear so we don't have to play it."

I should not even comment because it does not involve me, but this really made me LOL.

You have no clue.

Not long ago i had an argument with Dasty about the RNG in Ossus weekly box. I was agaisnt the RNG because it is frustating to repeat Ossus over and over only to get the same crappy useless relic. Dasty did not care because disintegrating granted 175 UCs and that he did not mind doing it on a several toons every week. Differences of opinion aside, is just one example that shows your claims over Dasty or other players are just ludicrous.

 

Looks like I win again.

To win "AGAIN", you need to win a first time before. Since i haven't see you winning a single time, makes no sense.

/ignore

Dasty wins, He does not need to read your post any more.

[TrixxieTriss]

I should not even comment because it does not involve me, but this really made me LOL.

You have no clue.

Not long ago i had an argument with Dasty about the RNG in Ossus weekly box. I was agaisnt the RNG because it is frustating to repeat Ossus over and over only to get the same crappy useless relic. Dasty did not care because disintegrating granted 175 UCs and that he did not mind doing it on a several toons every week. Differences of opinion aside, is just one example that shows your claims over Dasty or other players are just ludicrous.

 

 

To win "AGAIN", you need to win a first time before. Since i haven't see you winning a single time, makes no sense.

 

Dasty wins, He does not need to read your post any more.

 

+1 for you too...

Edited October 6, 2019 by TrixxieTriss

[TrigPt]

I ran 10+ vet mode flashpoints on the latest PTS phase 3 build and not a single set piece or tactical item dropped from the last boss. All runs were in a group of 4. Edited October 6, 2019 by TrigPt

[Eloi_BG]

So did a few FPs yesterday. Drops seem kinda weird when you have like 248/252 gear, it takes a while before getting the jump to 270, which I find weird. IMO everyone should get 270 drops at least, they shouldn't have to progress thought 5.0 gear levels before getting 6.0 gear.

[dipstik]

the non moddable gear is basically useless for anyone working on a set bonus... might as well have a button to automatically deconstruct nonmodded gear.

[TerraStomper]

Gear acquisition feed back. PTS 3.

99.99% fixed the drops for specs. ie, no more tank gear for dps. ( my wife got an generator for her Merc )

 

There is a lot of stuff dropping too.

 

BUT, horizontal gearing isn’t fixed or happening. 9 out of 10 drops are 2 or more lvls below your ilvl. They are completely useless to someone with higher gear.

 

Hardly even getting anything the same ilvl as me (306). I specifically wore gold 306 ilvl gear tonight, the non mod’able kind to see if horizontal gearing was fixed.

I didn’t get one set piece are mod’able piece except a light sabre with an accuracy enhancement

 

You can see all the items I picked up tonight while in 306 gear.

https://imgur.com/gallery/uSVoHmB

 

First 2 lines are all 302 gear

The next 4 lines are all 304 gear.

The last line is all the 306 gear that dropped (besides the 284 focus?)

Not one thing was a horizontal drop.

 

Eric, you guys mostly fixed the tank stuff dropping. So well done and thanks. But the horizontal gearing needs lots more work to make that a viable way to gear.

 

I had a similar experience this weekend. I'm at 306. One 300 and 302 lethal mod left. Everything else is 306 and mostly non-BiS. Upgrades this weekend replaced one R-series Versatile Armoring 80 with a BiS version that has a nice legendary amplifier roll as well as one R-Series Adept Enhancement 80 with a garbage amplifier replaced with a BiS Adept Enhancement 80 with a mediocre amplifier. I can't complain.

 

Those two lethal mods continue to be stubborn. Lethal mods did drop, but they were all worse, having lower item level or lower stats. Given the nature of RNG, replacing these could take a long while.

 

It only gets worse the closer we get to best in slot -- that is the nature of RNG. Its at this point that being able acquire specific gear pieces and mods becomes important. In prior releases of the game we could earn (however difficult) or buy (however expensive) what we wanted without further hassle. For other than sets and tacticals, that isn't happening in 6.0.

Edited October 6, 2019 by TerraStomper

[olagatonjedi]

Practical application:

 

So i was running a bunch of fps on PTS today on a 270 geared toon. After a few fps, i noticed i was like 2 slots under the next gear rating (say 12 items at 272, 2 at 270). Before i queued for my next fp run, i chose to use the random vendor to upgrade the 2 270 slots to 272, for a very inexpensive amount of tech frags. Upon entering my next FP, i was now set to receive gear above 272. Had i entered the next FP without using the random vendor, my drops wouldve been 272s, with a 1/14 chance it wouldve actually helped me upgrade each of those 2 slots. It wouldve wasted a run. The random vendor serves a purpose, and this illustrates what that is, at least in the ileveling process.

 

In addition, there were a few times i noticed my only discrepancy from the next ilvl tier was from a single mod or enhancement or barrel/hilt/armor, so i spent frags only on those less expensive upgrades to move up a tier.

 

If i didnt have enough tech frags to completely put myself over the current ilvl tier, i wouldve waited and ran the FP and re-assess my status afterwards.

Edited October 7, 2019 by olagatonjedi

[jbuncher]

Eric,

Please, PLEASE address this. I've played a bit on the PTS, and the gearing really makes me want to cancel my sub for the following reason:

I was running on a toon that was mostly 270 (everything except for one relic). So, my character gear rating was 269. The game would *only* drop level 270 gear for me (flashpoints, vendors), and I never got the specific relic I wanted, so I never swapped it in. I finally decided to test if the remaining relic was the issue, swapped out my nice 252 relic for a pretty garbage 270 on, tried random vendor, and instantly got a lvl 272 piece.

 

This is fundamentally broken! Players that like to keep BiS gear, or particular relics, necessarily will get useless loot thrown at them over, and over, and over, and over again, never being able to move up in gear rating. This is far from "playing your way".

 

The way the possible gear levels are calculated for player drops NEEDS to be shifted. If you are within 1-2 levels of the next tier, it should ASSUME you are at that tier, since most of your gear is that (or higher) already.

 

Please, PLEASE respond. I almost never post, but this issue has me seriously doubting that I want to continue to play.

--Mop

[TrixxieTriss]

Practical application:

 

So i was running a bunch of fps on PTS today on a 270 geared toon. After a few fps, i noticed i was like 2 slots under the next gear rating (say 12 items at 272, 2 at 270). Before i queued for my next fp run, i chose to use the random vendor to upgrade the 2 270 slots to 272, for a very inexpensive amount of tech frags. Upon entering my next FP, i was now set to receive gear above 272. Had i entered the next FP without using the random vendor, my drops wouldve been 272s, with a 1/14 chance it wouldve actually helped me upgrade each of those 2 slots. It wouldve wasted a run. The random vendor serves a purpose, and this illustrates what that is, at least in the ileveling process.

 

In addition, there were a few times i noticed my only discrepancy from the next ilvl tier was from a single mod or enhancement or barrel/hilt/armor, so i spent frags only on those less expensive upgrades to move up a tier.

 

If i didnt have enough tech frags to completely put myself over the current ilvl tier, i wouldve waited and ran the FP and re-assess my status afterwards.

 

Sadly this is the case and can be the best solution. If you have mismatched pieces that don’t give you total i270, i272, i274, etc, then your next drop will likely be less or the same and not an up grade.

 

You can replicate this the same if you are just using fragments to gear (like I’d did with a bunch to understand the ilvl). If you don’t make sure all your gear is at the same or similar ilvl, then you basically get the same stuff over and over.

 

I think this is international so that you do go back to the vendor to use tech frags and not just try and grind through. The mixed approach of doing both content and vendor RNG is certainly going to be the fastest. But that also means wearing gear that maybe be worse in secondary stats than the piece they replace. That isn’t ideal and can make some classes feel really clunky to play or a bit broken. This is a problem if you are trying to clear harder content.

 

But here is the catch. Bioware probably won’t tells us at launch and have not told any of this and some people will just try and grind it out and get frustrated and angry because it won’t represent their idea of “play your way”. Basically they’ll have to find this out on their own and it can be a bit overly complicated to do so.

 

This system also starts to have issues the closer you get to 306 ilvl. From about 302, it is extremely had to get upgrades in content even if all your gear is ilvl 302 or even a bit closer to ilvl 303.

When you get to ilvl 304 - 306, it’s even worse because you are nearly always getting much lower gear than your ilvl. Which means it’s either not working or it’s by design to make you go to the vendor to use tech frags to artificially slow down your gearing.

Both scenarios aren’t good for 99.99% of people who, A. Don’t like RNG, B. Want to gear progressively through content, C. Want gear faster

 

You also have an issue when you reach ilvl 306. Musco has stated that you should be getting horizontal upgrades through out content. So once you reach all 306 ilvl gear, the only horizontal gearing is set bonus or mod’able gear.

But there’s the biggest issue, the system doesn’t do that. It keeps dropping 302 - 304 gear with the occasional 306 mod or enhancement which is useless as you’ve not had mod’able gear drop.

Now either the system is broken or made to work like this. If it’s number two, then Eric hasn’t really been forth coming with the whole truth. If it’s number one, then it needs to be fixed.

Which is the purpose of all this testing and feed back.

The more people that test and provide accurate feed back across their own multiple tests to see if all their tests average the same, the more useful the feed back is to Bioware to refine the system,