6.1.4 Conquest Feedback

[The-Kaitou-Kid]

So, some things left out of the OP that should be noted, as far as significant nerfs go:

 

Mission Completed objectives for the core/starter planets are gone for characters over level 50 and replaced by the Heroic Missions objective mentioned in the OP, which has under half the amount of points (2.1k vs 4.8k roughly with max SH bonus). In addition, the "Defeat Enemies 2" objective doesn't trigger for these planets, so that's another huge reduction on top of the existing nerf to the initial Defeat Enemies objective. Since the "rotated in" planets via Conquest targets also have Heroic Missions objectives instead of Mission Completed, I assume the Defeat Enemies 2 objectives are gone from those too.

 

This pretty much eliminates planetary (non daily area) objectives entirely for higher level players. The time taken vs the reward isn't worth it, especially considering heroics don't have any relevant rewards for max level players that can't be obtained faster elsewhere. This is what gives Bioware the reputation for nuking things from orbit when nerfing content. This right here. This is a severe overcorrection.

 

I think a more reasonable thing to do here would be to remove the new Heroic Missions objective entirely and restore the Mission Completed objective to those planets for all level brackets, and then make the normal "Heroic Mission" objective infinitely repeatable. With its current point value, I think this would be fair. It would still leave heroics nerfed, since it would take almost 5 heroics to reach the value of the original objective on top of all the other nerfs, but they wouldn't be so far nerfed that it's not worth doing them.

 

One point of curiosity for me that comes up here, because it just makes no sense: Why was Mek-Sha's "Defeat Enemies" objectives removed for level 75 characters but left in for level 70s? That's the most recent planet to be released, why would higher level players that actually have a reason to be there not get objectives for enemies defeated there? That's mind boggling to me.

 

Daily areas are in a more reasonable spot, I think. Some of the quick ones are nerfed, but the more time consuming ones are buffed accordingly. I think Yavin needs to be buffed further, frankly (it's one of the longest daily areas, Iokath notwithstanding), but I'm guessing it was balanced around missions required instead of actual time.

 

The Space Combat missions have also been reduced to 750 without bonus (from 3000), which is a bummer. Some of them aren't that difficult and don't take too long, sure, but having lesser played content like this be highlighted via Conquest was a nice touch. What else does this content have as a reward? It also sucks for the characters I've invested into ship upgrades for, since there's now no reason to ever do these missions again.

 

Overall, if it's not clear, I'm not happy with these changes. I'm glad some things are getting buffed, but the nerfs to heroic missions in particular is so heavy handed, it's kind of ridiculous. This is why people were worried about the prospect of Conquest rebalancing in the first place. It sucks to me because the changes to Conquest earlier this year revitalized my guild and actually got me more interested in the game, but with these changes I'm seeing the exact same cycle repeat of buff Conquest up, players start enjoying it, nerf it heavily to overcorrect, let it suffer for months as players complain, then repeat the cycle. If this stays as is, I see my play time going down significantly. I'm not gonna keep putting my time into something that's going to keep falling into that kind of cycle.

Edited September 23, 2020 by The-Kaitou-Kid

[UlaVii]

I made a post here with the conquest objectives from PTS for those who don't have the disk space to check it out yourselves

 

[Stradlin]

And how is giving one particular objective 100.000 points (I'm looking at you Operation completion) in any way remotely balanced?? That's double the conquest points you need to finish your goal. Just.....ugh.....smh......Where's the tylenol???

 

Currently, on live servers you can earn around 200.000 conquiest in 90 mins by doing nothing but planetary missions. If this is the point of comparsion, then earning 100.000k via an Operation looks pretty sensical for sure.

 

When comparing different playstyles and their conq hauls, "time required" is just about the only accurate way of measuring things. I think all playstyles should be in the same approximate ballpark. This hasn't been the case in months.

 

 

 

Of course, as you pointed out, touring planetaries is&remains "smarter" conquest: you can micro-manage that 90 minute haul of 200k as much as you like, distributing it neatly between 4 characters. Meanwhile, only guild benefits from that 100k reward, not the person running Ops. Which isn't to be overlooked:conquest system has some huge communial undertones and basically functions as building blocks for guilds.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Stradlin

[Darev]

Toon number 3

 

5 crew skill missions

ziost weekly

ziost single mission

crew skill rank up

2x renown dings

 

52k Maybe 25 minutes

 

 

Maybe toon number 4 will see a slowdown in points.

 

 

So far, you haven't really slowed down my progress, you just directed me to play certain things instead of farming heroics.

 

on a side note...I actually LIKE farming heroics for conquest.

[casirabit]

This isn't going to keep me either.

My attention has been waning and grinding conquest to level up my guild on SF has been my primary focus for a year now I think. It just got to 91. Maybe I putz around to get it to 100 just to say it's there, but this, by no means, sparks my interest of "fun factor" and it certainly flies in the face of "play your way"

 

This is also the first time since I started playing that I will not be going to PTS because I have finally learned not to waste my time with this game.

[xordevoreaux]

Why should I even care about going to PTS. I already know what you are going to do and that you don't care about solo players.

I usually rally people to go over there, but not this time. I can see the math for myself right here.

I won't be going over to PTS either. Waste of time.

 

Thanks to a few (very few) persistent loud mouths on the forums, conquest has now been nerfed so far into the freaking ground for soloers it's not even funny.

 

Dismal. Just...dismal.

[casirabit]

I usually rally people to go over there, but not this time. I can see the math for myself right here.

I won't be going over to PTS either. Waste of time.

 

Thanks to a few (very few) persistent loud mouths on the forums, conquest has now been nerfed so far into the freaking ground for soloers it's not even funny.

 

Dismal. Just...dismal.

 

I agree. I have always gone to the PTS. This makes the first time that I haven't went to check things out.

[xordevoreaux]

I agree. I have always gone to the PTS. This makes the first time that I haven't went to check things out.

 

My first time as well, but by looking at these numbers, I've no motivation to head over there. I've better ways to spend my time.

[xordevoreaux]

Would it be possible to bribe ppl into doing GSF/PvP/FPS/etc this time aroud? Ie handing out pets or legacy titles or something.

 

Even if EA showed up at my doorstep here in Florida, with fireworks and a 50-piece marching band, and lifted the golden lid off the golden platter to present to me something sitting on that golden platter as being mine if I'd only do GSF/PvP, I would tell them and their entire crowd to get the hell of my lawn and go screw themselves, I'm not doing PvP or GSF.

 

That answer your question?

[Stradlin]

Even if EA showed up at my doorstep here in Florida, with fireworks and a 50-piece marching band, and lifted the golden lid off the golden platter to present to me something sitting on that golden platter as being mine if I'd only do GSF/PvP, I would tell them and their entire crowd to get the hell of my lawn and go screw themselves, I'm not doing PvP or GSF.

 

That answer your question?

 

Angry man in Florida refuses to play video games, more at 11!!!

 

You are sidestepping the same point I've been making though: multiplayer content is all about moving parts. (=other people) By very design, its always less straightforward to set up than single player stuff. It applies to live servers and TC alike. Which is why leaving all multiplayer content with such modest conquest was such a weird situation to have.

 

Darev's illuminating posts happening right now underline the point. Wanna test how much conquest planetary missions or other soloable stuff brings? Just go to TC and get to work. Do it at peak hour if you like. Or do it at 5 am while being the only person on the entire TC, its all the same.

 

Wanna see how TC versions of OPs, FPs, GSF or WZs tick? You better tour the forums, ask around in Discord, organize stuff between two guilds, etc etc etc. It is always an effort and it never gets to happen in some personal uncompromizing vacuum.Of course, it isn't such a stark contrast on live server..but the big picture remains the same.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Stradlin

[xordevoreaux]

Angry man in Florida refuses to play video games, more at 11!!!

 

You are sidestepping the same point I've been making though: multiplayer content is all about moving parts. (=other people) by very design, its always less straightforward to set up than single player stuff.

 

Then you just go ahead and do that, and I'll do what the hell I want to do in the game.

[DuchessKristania]

I fully agree that content that takes longer should have a higher point value. I do not see why they had to take points from other content though. Is there some weird vault of points that's finite? Is it impossible to give points without taking away? I feel like the answer is no, and it's decisions like this that contribute to the divide between players of different styles. Time and again the development team seems to go the route of taking from one group when they give to another. That does not need to happen. It does not encourage players to try different content. All it does is anger whichever group gets nerfed.

 

Downloading the PTS now. I haven't gone the last few times because the changes weren't relevant to how I spent my time logged in. I run a teeny guild with three active members {counting myself), all who have been hitting multiple alts on conquest and working hard to earn encryptions to open our ship. I am skeptical of the claims that this doesn't slow people down. That being said, I try to be fair-minded so I'm going to try these things out for myself.

[Jdast]

Angry man in Florida refuses to play video games, more at 11!!!

 

You are sidestepping the same point I've been making though: multiplayer content is all about moving parts. (=other people) by very design, its always less straightforward to set up than single player stuff. It applies to live servers and TC alike. Which is why leaving all multiplayer content with such modest conquest was such a weird situation to have.

 

And for the umpteenth time, that content rewards more TF and better gear.

 

For months, you have yet to come up with any answer to that.

 

FYI, I'm glad GSF is getting buffed. Frankly, I think it should be buffed more.

 

Dasty

[xordevoreaux]

That does not need to happen. It does not encourage players to try different content. All it does is anger whichever group gets nerfed.

Sure as hell doesn't encourage me, and you've just perfectly summed up exactly everything that is wrong with their thinking on this.

Edited September 23, 2020 by xordevoreaux

[Darev]

toon number 4

 

30 minutes play time

 

iokath defeat enemies 1 & 2

Harvesting 10 nodes

repuptation looted (35k points before bonuses!)

 

 

I had to go to a place that I hadn't already max'd out reputation.

I hate iokath

I rarely go there

this time I got killed by the world boss that came out of nowhere

 

 

Oh...dual logging as I do, that put my total points at over 500k

 

I only did 7 toons instead of 8

 

75k

69k

65k

63k

57k

55k

53k

 

plus whatever bonus goes between personal points and guild points to put me over the top

 

It took 2.5 hours total, but it wasn't straight through...and I was dual logged.

So 5 hours over two days for a player to do that and get 500k points toward his/her guild.

 

So...didn't really slow me down

just made me do stuff I didn't find as fun as the other stuff.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Darev

[Stradlin]

I fully agree that content that takes longer should have a higher point value. I do not see why they had to take points from other content though. .

 

Yeah it is knda strange. Itts not like EA needs to physically and literally mine conquest points from an actual real world mine and then figure out how to distirbute this rare resource to people as fairly as possible.

 

On live servers, disparity between planetary missions and multiplayer content is utterly obscene when it comes to conq. Still, there is no reason why multiplayer stuff getting some URGENTLY needed love should happen at the cost of planetaries.

 

If they considered " too much conq points!" an issue, the conq patch of last spring wouldn't have happened at all.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Stradlin

[xordevoreaux]

toon number 4

 

 

I had to go to a place that I hadn't already max'd out reputation.

I hate iokath

I rarely go there

this time I got killed by the world boss that came out of nowhere

Question, you had to go to Iokath to reach conquest? Because all the other planets were off limits to conquest or not providing enough?

[DuchessKristania]

Sure as hell doesn't encourage me, and you've just perfectly summed up exactly everything that is wrong with their thinking on this.

 

Occasionally, I luck out and make a point, lol. Still waiting for PTS to download. It may not get done early enough for me to play tonight but since Wednesdays and Thursdays are my busier days they'll present a good time to test the points available in relation to time available.

 

I'll be sacrificing actual conquest points to do this, which is a touch annoying, but I feel I need to do this to be a voice for my guild members.

Edited September 23, 2020 by DuchessKristania

[xordevoreaux]

Occasionally, I luck out and make a point, lol. Still waiting for PTS to download. It may not get done early enough for me to play tonight but since Wednesdays and Thursdays are my busier days they'll pr4esent a good time to test the points available in relation to time available.

 

And what content you were forced into. Apparently you'll have fun on Iokath.

[Darev]

Question, you had to go to Iokath to reach conquest? Because all the other planets were off limits to conquest or not providing enough?

 

I was trying to choose the fastest things to do to reach the points I needed.

I went to Iokath because that was one of the few options I could do for the 35k points for reputation

 

I could have done a GSI mission, but I wasn't sure I had even started that up on test so I figured looting rep tokens from mobs on Iokath would be faster

[xordevoreaux]

I was trying to choose the fastest things to do to reach the points I needed.

I went to Iokath because that was one of the few options I could do for the 35k points for reputation

 

I could have done a GSI mission, but I wasn't sure I had even started that up on test so I figured looting rep tokens from mobs on Iokath would be faster

 

So simply your lack of rep there drove you to Iokath. Got it.

So farming rep points is the new quickie conquest method now? And can you do it on every toon or was it legacy?

Edit: Not like I have all that many planets left after 7 years to farm rep on.

Edited September 23, 2020 by xordevoreaux

[Darev]

I fully agree that content that takes longer should have a higher point value. I do not see why they had to take points from other content though. Is there some weird vault of points that's finite? Is it impossible to give points without taking away? I feel like the answer is no, and it's decisions like this that contribute to the divide between players of different styles. Time and again the development team seems to go the route of taking from one group when they give to another. That does not need to happen. It does not encourage players to try different content. All it does is anger whichever group gets nerfed.

 

Downloading the PTS now. I haven't gone the last few times because the changes weren't relevant to how I spent my time logged in. I run a teeny guild with three active members {counting myself), all who have been hitting multiple alts on conquest and working hard to earn encryptions to open our ship. I am skeptical of the claims that this doesn't slow people down. That being said, I try to be fair-minded so I'm going to try these things out for myself.

 

Well, I posted exactly what I did to reach the points on each character I played.

I did set the guild to the 20% perk/bonus

I do have the 150% stronghold bonus

 

You'll need to factor that into what you see for your points.

[Darev]

So simply your lack of rep there drove you to Iokath. Got it.

So farming rep points is the new quickie conquest method now? And can you do it on every toon or was it legacy?

Edit: Not like I have all that many planets left after 7 years to farm rep on.

 

I don't remember looking.

I would think it's a once a day, or once a week, per legacy, deal

 

I could have done a space PVE mission on account 2. I never max'd that out.

4 minutes doing the intro mission is all it would take.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Darev

[xordevoreaux]

So...didn't really slow me down

just made me do stuff I didn't find as fun as the other stuff.

Not exactly play your way, is it?

 

So for refuseniks like myself who won't do crap that I don't want to do just because higher points are dangling from it, means I will be slowed down, at least until conquest objectives reset overnight or I hold my nose and scrounge around for things to do.

 

I run SM ops with my guild Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights, so that'll take care of two or three toons, max.

The rest of the toons will be in conquest point farming hell while I look for things palatable to me to do.

Thanks. 6.1.4... now it'll be a new challenge all over again to get over yet another bad idea coming out of EA.

Edited September 23, 2020 by xordevoreaux

[Darev]

The game's been out a LONG time and I've been playing since just before day 1.

Maybe it is time to take a break and log in just enough to keep my guild.