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Swoop Rally PTS Feedback


DanielSteed

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Hello everyone!

 

Earlier today we updated the PTS with a new build and with that came some changes to the Swoop Rally event. As more changes are brought to PTS, we'll be sure to keep this thread updated. Below you can find the first batch of changes:

 

Tatooine Sandstorm Trap:

  • Decreased length of trap effect
  • Decreased magnitude of slow
  • Added more defined area of effect visual on ground

 

Bikes:

  • Increased base movement speed
  • Moved Dismount ability further from others on the action bar
  • Updated Dismount description to warn that it resets the mission
  • Decreased speed while braking further

 

Blatant Beks:

  • Decreased cooldown for Toss Explosives
  • Lowered "Explode Targets" objective count requirements
  • Moved some explosion and firework platform targets to increase visibility

 

Pit Screamers:

  • Lowered cooldown of Flair ability

 

Let us know how these changes feel and keep the feedback coming!

 

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Still doesnt feel fast enough. It needs to be so fast youre are really bound to make mistakes and are at the edge of your seat to evade traps/run into a wall like the KOTOR swoop races. If you can just put it to the absolute limits of what the engine can handle please do it.

 

It's fun but the gimmick of it just falls off really quickly when there is no real challenge. No holy poodoo Im going so fast I cant screw up now!

 

Maybe add speed boosts like original KOTOR swoops where you gain more and more speed so you eventually go so fast it feels like you almost cant handle the swoop?

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Let us know how these changes feel and keep the feedback coming!

I love the new models for the Bikes, especially the Bek's. Any chance of them being a reward for the event or even going into cartel market? As for the changes most of them are positive, the bek's track definitely is better now though I still have issues targeting sometimes, it maybe be just because it is PTS but sometimes I click to throw the explosive on the barrels but the barrels won't explode.

 

Other bug that I've ran into is that sometimes I get fall damage while doing the major jumps and one of the Razor's major jumps actually sky-rocketed me into the sky to the point where I actually died as well as an issue with the Pit Screamer's Swoop Bike turning my character blue.

 

Though I am more satisfied with the current speed, it is definitely better than the previous one, I do echo the sentiment of wanting them to be even faster. However with that being said if you cannot make them faster due to engine limitations, be that what what they are, I'd be fine with the current speed but I certainly would hope it is possible to go even faster. Though again, current speed is preferable than a broken fast experience.

Edited by FlameYOL
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I love the new models for the Bikes, especially the Bek's. Any chance of them being a reward for the event or even going into cartel market?

Supported, although the Horizon's Razor bikes seemed to be still using the Meirm Moth model including colour scheme. The Beks' bike is just amazing. (I'd guess they'll be available from the rep vendors eventually, but who knows...)

As for the changes most of them are positive, the bek's track definitely is better now though I still have issues targeting sometimes, it maybe be just because it is PTS but sometimes I click to throw the explosive on the barrels but the barrels won't explode.

Confirmed. I had several throws that didn't blow up the explosives even on direct hits.

Other bug that I've ran into is that sometimes I get fall damage while doing the major jumps and one of the Razor's major jumps actually sky-rocketed me into the sky to the point where I actually died as

Falling damage confirmed, although I didn't get thrown far enough to die.

Confirmed for all three tracks.

 

Some things of my own:

* It's still more glitchy than I'd like for live, although that might be in part caused by transatlantic ping (upper 80s) rather than France=>Ireland ping (mid 20s), and possibly also because it's PTS.

* The cooldowns on the quick travel buttons are still shared by all the missions to race on ==> that planet, which effectively obstructs running all the races for one gang then all the races for another gang, etc. Yes, of course, I can do all the Dantooine races then all the Onderon ones etc., but doing them by gang feels more natural to me.

* The brakes button doesn't seem to "latch" properly - the "active" blob doesn't light up, but the brakes are on.

 

Positives:

* Increased speed. Like.

* New bike mesh for the Beks, and the Screamers' bike skins being different on the different planets.

* Space around the "Dismount" button. Could use that for the brakes button as well.

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Not being able to force choke/lightning those bosses I had to talk to in the opening quest was a let down as my dark sith hated all of them and they needed to be shown who is really the boss :p

 

I tried all of the swoop contests/tracks and my feedback is that for the sheer hilarity of me getting lost during the Onderon track & ending up going round one bit five times before I realised I should have gone into the cave, crashing into wild life and getting half eaten, this is a winner! I couldn't stop laughing :D For the most part I had no idea what was happening. Once I got used to the tracks, overall this is a fun event (it reminds me of the panda races in wow I used to do but this is more fun), however racing alone against the track and timer is okay but when there are others on the same track, getting the quest objectives was annoying & I had to make 2 or more attempts to complete the course because other (better racers) got to them first.

 

One thing I'd like is for the reward tokens to go into my currency inventory rather than stack up in my main inventory and it would be nice to find out what I'll be able to buy. Are the devs able to give some feedback on the rewards that will be available or is there a list somewhere?

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It's an interesting approach,

Still

 

Why ?

 

Kotor's Swoop race was good , simple yes but good. I do believe the game should have a "PVP" version where you can Try hard some other races more like Kotor ones. With times etc...Create a leaderboard or something.

Just ideas.

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I think the speeders are way too slow and the other activities like firework, explosion etc are distracting. It feels like you're moving around the map with lvl 15 in-game mount. It doesn't feel like a race at all.

 

Overall disappointed and I was expecting more. Perhaps the devs should think about making GSF mode but for swoop racing? Call it Galactic Swoop Racing: GSR

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MUCH IMPROVED. I like the new speed much better.

 

New feedback --

 

Tatooine:

* Stop the Seeker Droid text from popping up during the race.

* The large debuff glowing circles aren't very good looking. They're easier to see, but they're not thematic like mines or spike gates.

 

Dantooine:

* Farmers are still walking across the track.

* Space the mines out in a few places. It's rough to get blown up by one mine to land on another and get blown up to land...

 

Onderon

* Don't make me start out hip-deep in water when I use mission transport.

* Race course is still confusing. Add more holo-arrows on walls, especially at the hard right turn after the big jump (really, that needs changing, not just arrows), and right before the finish line.

 

Everywhere:

* When I mount the speeder to begin racing, point me in the right direction, regardless of which way I was facing when I clicked it.

* Make the speed boost pads boost the speed at least 20% more.

* Allow the turbo/speed boosts to mitigate the slowdown caused by hitting a mine.

 

Suggestions

* Release all the racing assets (mines, speed boosts, rings, personnel, etc) as decorations.

* Add some custom racing music that plays while racing. This will make it really feel fresh. I loved all the music in Need For Speed. This event could benefit from high energy music.

* Put up a leaderboard that shows the best race times of the day with the player's name for each race type.

* Announce the race times/scores when someone finishes a race, at least in the same group.

* Allow groups to sync start and race each other.

 

BUGS

* The orbs don't always get counted. Sometimes I collect as many as 5 (they make the little pick-up noises each time) before it registers 3 and allows the extra boost. This happened on all 3 worlds.

Edited by Xina_LA
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Love the changes! Speed feels much better, the trap effect changes are good too, I hated being slowed down for so long. It still doesn’t feel like the old kotor swoop races but it’s still pretty good. I agree a timer would be cool with a leaderboard for the day of fastest times. I’m not sure if that could be done but at the same time, all war zones end at the same time so synchronized times shouldn’t be too hard to achieve. Even if it just reports your time that would be cool.
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Liking the changes so far, definitely a big improvement. Really glad you changed up the quickbar and moved the dismount button. A couple ideas and issues:

 

- The speed is pretty good now, especially the Razor, and I like all the speed boosts but I wouldn't mind all the bikes going a little faster to really make it feel like an exhilarating race

- I like all 3 of the courses, Onderon is a little confusing but the others are solid. I like that there are red enemies nearby that you can run into. I also like that you can walk onto the track and possibly be in danger (would be cool to take damage from being hit by a bike lol)

- I definitely second any ideas about having leaderboards, etc. I'd like to see an competitive aspect and race against others (or at least people in your group - maybe you can, haven't tried)

 

Issues

- At least on the Razor bike the brake icon doesn't light up to show it's engaged. Maybe because I hit the brake before the race started? Was very confused why the bike was going so slow!

- When the race first starts it seems like there is a tiny bit of lag before your bike starts going and it feels clunky, would like a smoother start.

- Onderon course has a couple confusing parts; would really like more arrows to show the way, especially at the end to point you around the curve and maybe get rid of the hole in the walls that puts you back at the beginning so you can miss the exit and basically have to do the whole course again

- Also in Onderon I hate that the spike traps completely stop you, it makes the race kinda clunky. I don't think anything should stop you completely, but rather they should just slow you- would make the race more fluid.

- At least on PTS, Tatooine takes FOREVER to load now, like 3-4x the normal time. I know it's a huge planet and maybe that's just how it is, but it's pretty significant. The other two planets load in the same amount of time as usual.

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Hello Devs!

 

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to post feedback on the new swoop event. I just finished doing the full circuit for all three teams on all 3 planets and I would like to share with you my suggestions and overall impressions.

 

 

1) New, signature racer designs for each team.

I think it would be a great idea to design new, exclusive mounts specific to each team and then make these mounts purchasable as a reputation reward. It would add extra incentive and satisfaction for players to earn these exclusive, team-specific swoop bike mounts. It would also be nice to see them with appropriate paint jobs including flashy racing trim, vibrant colors and sponsor decals. I haven't recognized the Blatant Bek design before, so that may be new, but I know the mounts for the other teams are old designs so I think it would be a good opportunity to add some unique new designs that are specific to this event. One suggestion would be to design new speeder mounts influenced by the original KoTOR swoop bike mount. Again, these could have many paint job variations from something sleek and polished to a battered old jalopy.

 

2) Larger, more visible Course Timer.

 

The Course Timer should be made larger and more visible rather than remain tucked away in the mission tracker bar. Since this event is all about constant movement, it's difficult to read the objectives while in progress, especially if there are other missions already cluttering up the mission tracker. Maybe a new Swoop Race panel needs to be added to the Interface Editor or something. I just want a way to make my course timer and mission objectives easier to see while in progress.

 

3) Visible Track Borders

 

Adding more distinct, consistent track borders to the courses would achieve a couple of important things. Primarily, it would help players stay on course by adding some better definition to the track and assist in reading the terrain. Secondly, I think this would also increase the overall visual appeal to the courses and give it a more distinct race track aesthetic. These track borders could emulate something we might see in contemporary racing tracks, such as a black and white stripe pattern. The border could also be illuminated rails or ground lighting with a chasing light sequence that move in the direction the player is supposed to go, which might look cool.

 

4) Voice-Over Announcers

 

Similar to what we hear in PVP Huttball or Eternal Championship, I think it would add more fun and energy to hear an announcer's banter over a P.A. system whenever a player achieves a big jump or other noteworthy stunt along the course.

5) Better Visual Distinction for Objectives

 

Spectator stands, fireworks platforms, and explosive piles could benefit from more distinctive coloring to more easily recognize them on the course. Spectator stands can be easy to miss, while the fireworks and explosives look visually similar. Perhaps identifying these objectives may be part of the challenge, but to me it just bogs down the flow.

6) Improved Speeder Sound Design

 

I'm a big fan of Ben Burtt and the legendary sound design he achieved on Star Wars. Sound design is often the unsung hero of film, television and gaming, but its role is crucial in helping create a sense of authenticity and excitement. I feel the sound design for this event is a bit lackluster and could be improved by choosing more exciting and dynamic sounds. The default speeder engine does little to evoke any sense of speed, power or exhilaration. It sounds more like a family sedan that is just cruising to the supermarket. Changing the default speeder sound to something with more sonic intensity would help bolster the sensation of a high-speed swoop race. Additionally, the Speed Boost ability, and the Speed Boost pads on the track should also be assigned more exciting, high-speed sound effects.

 

As a reminder of what many fans love to experience, here is a YouTube link to one of Star Wars' greatest speeder bike sequences:

 

https://youtu.be/U74IATQJw_Y

 

Just listen to the SOUNDS that make that sequence so exciting and thrilling to watch. It's a masterpiece of sound design. Use this as inspiration to infuse that sonic excitement into this event.

 

7) Overall Impression

 

My overall impression is that this is a perfectly fun and welcome addition to the event line-up. That said, I must express my disappointment this idea could not be expanded into a full-fledged swoop bike racing experience that many SWTOR fans have been wanting and requesting for years. Considering the technical achievement of GSF as a distinct, unique mini-game addition, I know many of us would have been thrilled to have a speeder mount racing equivalent, especially if it allowed players to select their favorite mounts from their Collections to use as a racer. I really do hope something like this could be achieved some day. It would be a blast.

 

Thanks for reading and I hope you consider my suggestions.

Edited by Sorrai
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I love the idea of a Voice-Over Announcers as long as the dialog is somewhat randomized and not repetitive.

 

I totally agree about the track being hard to follow, mostly on Onderon.

 

But the big takeaway for me was... wait, there's a course timer?

Edited by Xina_LA
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Were the Missions fun?

Very much so. I got a little turned around sometimes, and the path wasn't always clear, but I'm sure you noted that more we played, the more we'd learn the course, so ... that's part of the challenge.

 

Were the Missions the right length (not too long, not too short)?

The length was fine ... there's only so long you can have your eyes wide open and adrenaline pumping without a break, so ... the lengths were fine.

 

Were the objectives for each Mission clear?

That could use work. Maybe a cursor pass over an NPC near the bike would allow one to read the mission objective? Trying to make sense of what one has to do as they hit the line to start is difficult.

 

Which gang's Missions did you like the most? The least?

Horizon's was best once I knew where I was going. Bek had too many things to do at once: driving, selecting which shot to take at which set of explosives, avoiding traps ... that was stressful. Not bad, but ... that was the most challenging of the three because so many things had to happen at once. On the other hand, there are such challenges flying our ships in space battles, so ... it becomes a skill that needs to be honed.

 

Did each gang's objectives make the course feel a little different?

Yep.

 

Were you able to easily stay on the course?

Stay on the course? Sure ... but sometimes if there was a glitch after being stuck, I was aimed the wrong way. For the Horizon race on Onderon, I kept going the wrong way and losing. I thought it was because I missed the time by one second, like, 10 times ... which technically it was, but I missed the time because I went the wrong way, which was never going to let me win.

 

Did you understand the bike abilities?

I learned, but at first you need to learn the course route. Someone else suggested, and I agree, that at least one practice run should be allowed so that at least one element of the race can not be new as soon as you make your first official attempt.

 

Did the speed of the bike feel good?

Horizon's speed was fine. The "boosts" weren't as effective as I'd like. I never had a Pod Racing feel. The sped could be increased, but ... maybe that could be for increase in experience levels. Win more, get more speed in later contests, could reset with each event or could become an "Ability" that you retain so that it starts off one rung below your skill so you ease into each event when it pops up again.

 

What did you enjoy the most? What did you dislike?

I liked the variety of philosophies: speed, tricks, explosions. I like that it exists. It's another way to see more of planets to which I'd really like more exposure. I look forward to the vendors and what could be offered by hanging around the areas. I did not like that the Horizon speed clock started before the countdown; didn't like that jumps could make the speeder hitch and snag you into repeating the last split second of landing, two or three times, before releasing you to continue the race; didn't like that if you dismounted mid course, you could have a devil of a time getting back to the starting area; didn't like that the goals/missions were given mere seconds before the race started with little time to process the information or strategize ...

 

Problems aside, it was fun and different ... hopefully there will be banners one can display in their strongholds or personnel who look like they are doing maintenance on vehicles so you can add them to your stronghold garage or putt-putting around your favorite vehicle. This was cool!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Were the Missions fun? >

The missions were very fun! I nice change to the norm of swtor.

 

Were the Missions the right length (not too long, not too short)? >

Missions are the right amount. The course could be a little bit longer in length but otherwise very doable.

 

Were the objectives for each Mission clear? >

Objective were clear and easily understood.

 

Which gang's Missions did you like the most? The least? >

The one I enjoyed the most was hosted by theTrandoshan. :tran_cool:

Second enjoyable lead by the Rodian. :rod_cool_p:

Less enjoyed the third gang. There were a few too many bonus objectives with the fireworks and bombs. It could work better with less number to gain throughout each course as it can be difficult to navigate and deploy fireworks/bombs.

 

Did each gang's objectives make the course feel a little different? >

Yes.

 

Were you able to easily stay on the course? >

There were a few times I lost my way due to how some of the ramps are laid out otherwise after a few runs they can be maneuvered.

 

Did you understand the bike abilities? >

Took a few attempt but I got there in the end.

 

Did the speed of the bike feel good? >

Speed was pretty good. Boost could be a little bit more powerful.

 

What did you enjoy the most? What did you dislike? >

Overall I enjoyed the event. The Bekser gang? and there fireworks and bombs were the only struggle I had with the overall course. That one might need a little bit more fine tuning.

Looking forward to the vendor items. I'm guessing there will be some swoops to buy with the credits earned!

Maybe some decorations or legacy bound team uniform armor sets??

 

Update: Please move dismount location for Beks swoop. During race time I've managed to click dismount by mistake many times. Left rerunning the race...

 

Thanks for keeping SWTOR fun and updated!

:ph_thank_you:

Edited by KeelStardax
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  • 2 weeks later...

Were the Missions fun?

I enjoyed them, yes. Always fun to have different events, especially ones that don't involve fighting.

 

Were the Missions the right length (not too long, not too short)?

Could have gone a little more, but I think if it was longer, the bonus would be too easy to get. Plus, since they are so short, it makes it easier to do more of them and not get burnt out.

 

Were the objectives for each Mission clear?

Objectives are clear, but how to use them isn't necessarily clear at first. Once I saw what to do, it was really simple. But for example, in the Beks race, wasn't sure when to activate fireworks or when to blow stuff up. Very simply once I realized which was what.

I did have trouble with the Pit Screamers. It's hard to tell where the flair stands are while you are racing, so I failed that once or twice.

 

Which gang's Missions did you like the most? The least?

I liked the razor course the best since it's pretty straightfoward and more of a race feel.

I did have some trouble with the Pit Screamers. I felt failing for one reason or another. First time, I couldn't tell when to do the flair. There's so much to focus on that it's a little distracting to be watching out for crowds. Then I guess I missed some major jumps. I guess I didn't realize that going on top of that builing is considered a "major jump". Maybe that can be made more clear. I just felt it was a lot to focus on in one race. Would have been better if the flair was used in a different race (like maybe the Beks course) because the hoops and jumps were enough to focus on in my opinion.

 

Did each gang's objectives make the course feel a little different?

Yes. They each have their own pros and cons and makes it interesting.

 

Were you able to easily stay on the course?

For the most part. First time I did the Beks' race, I got off course because I was so focused on blowing stuff up. But once I got the hang of it, had no problems- occasionally would veer off when using ramps, but if I pay attention, don't go of course.

Onderaan's courses seemed a little harder to stay on track. But I never went off. I just felt it wasn't as straight forward as Dantooine or Tatooine.

 

Did you understand the bike abilities?

Yes, it's pretty straight forward.

 

Did the speed of the bike feel good?

Felt a little slow, but at the same time, was nice to not feel out of control since you are sometimes multitasking. If it was a straight race, would feel boring. But because you are doing other things, it was fine and made it so you're not going off course.

 

What did you enjoy the most? What did you dislike?

Not much tutorial in it, so I felt like my first race was just making stuff up to figure out what was what. As I said, simple once you have it. But could have used some visuals or something to point out the difference between when to use the fireworks vs. explosives, and also make it clearer where the flair stands are.

 

I like the different gangs and how they each have their own personalities and objectives. Makes it interesting to try and decide who you might want to side with and impress the most. Nice to have something to do that is not strictly combat. Really shakes things up! Can't wait for it to go live!

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