10 Years of GSF soon. Does Broadsword have any plans there?

[DakhathKilrathi]

I suspect I do know the answer to this, and I know it's probably too late to do anything if it's not already planned, but it can't hurt to ask. Galactic Starfighter was added to the game in December of 2013. 

Since Broadsword took over, we've seen not a single peep about the game mode. In fact, the last developer interaction with the GSF community was this debacle of a thread just before the handoff was announced officially. Needless to say that was a bit of a sour note, but in general as a community we understand that we are not by any means near the top of the list when it comes to priority. But we are also a dedicated community in general, and it's nice to feel like we haven't been totally forgotten. 

So that's my question. Does Broadsword know that GSF still exists and will we see so much as a mention of ten years of space pvp? (And watch the first two minutes of that video if not the rest of it; no one takes the time to do that for something they don't care about.) Personally I'm not even looking for updates or content. Just a reassurance that you know we're still here. But even a celebratory item on the anniversary vendor this year would be nice. 

[Lord_Malganus]

BS has not done anything yet and won't until after 7.4  is released.

[Toraak]

If nothing else, they should reintroduce the old Starfighter packs. I'd hope GSF community would get that at the very least for our 10th year anniversary.

 

I'd love to get something more, but somehow I doubt it.

[Lord_Janosch]

Thanks DakhathKilrathi. I also hope for something for GSF. Maybe they could reconsider to give GSF a weekly goal in PVP-Seasons.

[Lord_Malganus]

Crafting, PvP and GSF are completely being ignored by the devs. 

I have to wonder what will be next on their ignore list?

Edited October 20, 2023 by Lord_Malganus

[sharpenedstick]

8 hours ago, Lord_Malganus said:

Crafting, PvP and GSF are completely being ignored by the devs. 

I have to wonder what will be next on their ignore list?

Don't forget stronghold decorating. No word on why CM sets are coming out inconsistently sized. No acknowledgement regarding expanding the x/y axis. Is it even possible?

We just don't know.

[Firelieutenant]

I hope so. Gsf needs some love

[Lord_Malganus]

On 10/20/2023 at 10:35 PM, Firelieutenant said:

I hope so. Gsf needs some love

I agree.

So many things have been ignored and allowed to lag behind. Even maintenance mode is only wishful thinking.

[DakhathKilrathi]

The tone of this thread is a bit more negative than I was hoping for. It's obvious that the devs are putting time and effort into the game; a lot of things they are changing are not things you do if you want to shelve the game or stick it in maintenance mode. You don't spend that kind of money if that's the plan. 

I'm just hoping that GSF wasn't entirely forgotten. 

On 10/19/2023 at 5:09 PM, Toraak said:

If nothing else, they should reintroduce the old Starfighter packs. I'd hope GSF community would get that at the very least for our 10th year anniversary.

I would prefer if the approach taken isn't cartel coin/real money based, but if that's all we can get I'd still take it. It would still be better than nothing. 

[TrixxieTriss]

What would make GSF more attractive & engaging enough for me to play? Adding proper flight stick/joystick/pedal/HOTAS support. Without that, it’s just not fun for me. It’s one of the biggest reasons I don’t play it.

[DakhathKilrathi]

3 minutes ago, TrixxieTriss said:

What would make GSF more attractive & engaging enough for me to play? Adding proper flight stick/joystick/pedal/HOTAS support. Without that, it’s just not fun for me. It’s one of the biggest reasons I don’t play it.

I know I've linked this to you before, but Verain's quite comprehensive post on the matter remains relevant. You can have controller support right now if you want that, though. Anything beyond that is both way out of scope for a space arcade shooter minigame and impossible to balance in a way that people without it aren't at a disadvantage. Lots of cost to add it, and it's likely to result in even fewer people playing if there's the perception that you have to have expensive peripherals just to play. It's not that kind of game. 

I would prefer to stick to asking for things that make sense in a space PVP arcade shooter minigame. 

[Nee-Elder]

1 hour ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

The tone of this thread is a bit more negative than I was hoping for.

uh sorry but what do you expect when "they" even haven't  touched GSF since ohhh around 2017 ?

1 hour ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

I'm just hoping that GSF wasn't entirely forgotten.

It already has been though.

Perhaps  "they" will prove me wrong and answer my very basic & legimate questions i politely asked here:  https://forums.swtor.com/topic/931603-74-livestream-coming-october-18th/?do=findComment&comment=9782693 ...but  so far, total *silence* .

33 minutes ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

Anything beyond that is both way out of scope for a space arcade shooter minigame and impossible to balance in a way that people without it aren't at a disadvantage.

That ^ occurs already though, in every competitive aspect of SWTOR.   And it's got little if anything to do with peripherals.

Regardless, Utopia doesn't exist.  Not in life and certainly not in MMO video games.  There will always be certain players, with certain computer setups or ISP locations or RL impediments, etc. etc. etc. , who will unfortunately be at a "disadvantage" . ( perceived or otherwise )

In other words, the creme always rises to the Top  no matter what.  The best Pilots with mouse & keyboard  would still beat  any & all mediocre/inferior  Pilots with a joystick.

So, imho, your  logic is flawed and shouldn't be a reason/excuse for BioSword  never adding  joystick support.

SWG JTL had it and that game had tons of very happy  "disadvantaged" players of all  skill levels.  I know because i was  one of them....until  i started to practice and "git gud"  with the help of, you guessed it, the amazing  PILOT Community.  ( best community of helpful  players there is , imo )

Besides which, the losers ( as in, losing matches ) will always complain  "unfair" .  This is why smart gaming companies never cater to the lowest common denominator ( again, i'm talking video games , not personal human values ) .

33 minutes ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

and it's likely to result in even fewer people playing if there's the perception that you have to have expensive peripherals just to play.

You're speculating on the 1st part with zero data to support your claim.  And lol  "expensive" ?!  C'mon  Dak, you're really reaching now.

And again:  no one NEEDS a joystick  "just to play" .

But true PILOTS  want/wish for joystick support because...well...this is obvious to any pilots:  It feels more realistic.

Why is this such a radical thing to ask for?!   Sign of the times i guess.

smh

33 minutes ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

I would prefer to stick to asking for things that make sense in a space PVP arcade shooter minigame. 

Once again, we've gotten NOTHING since 2017.   So what difference does it really make to ask anyway?   What you think the Devs/Coders  are like choosing their decisions on whether or not  DakhathKilrathi  in a forum thread asks for  "too much" or "too little" ?

Secondly,  you make my point for me:  GSF in SWTOR  shouldn't  just merely be considered a "arcade minigame" .  ( the on-rails missions you take from your personal ship are the arcade minigame btw , just FYI )

It should---and could---be expanded.

*coughs*.... STAR Wars.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Nee-Elder
Reasons: OP has delusions of grandeur!

[DakhathKilrathi]

4 minutes ago, Nee-Elder said:

You're speculating on the 1st part with zero data to support your claim.  And lol  "expensive" ?!  C'mon  Dak, you're really reaching now.

Tell me you didn't read the thread I linked without saying you didn't read the thread I linked. The poster I was responding to specifically mentioned "proper flight stick/joystick/pedal/HOTAS support," and it seems like you might not know the difference between that and a cheap controller. The low end ones are still almost $100. So yeah, expensive. 

[Nee-Elder]

7 minutes ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

 The low end ones are still almost $100. So yeah, expensive. 

i disagree , but i guess when most players nowadays expect---nay DEMAND---practically everything for  "Free" To Play/Pay ,  a one time purchase of  "100" = "expensive"  in 2023.

( hint:  It really isn't , compartively  when you think about cost of  PC's )

Besides which,  most SWTOR gamers already have joysticks from years ago that would still work ( and already work with other games like  SW:Squadrons for example) ....But.... even if  it we agree  100 = expensive ... So what?   That shouldn't be a reason for BioSword to decide  not to code joystick support .

Anyone knows: Gaming & Software  is supposed to push/encourage  Hardware  UP & forward.  ( for continued  profit$  by the consumer, as well as continued  Tech innovations & inventions )

Not backwards.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Nee-Elder

[DakhathKilrathi]

Just now, Nee-Elder said:

That shouldn't be a reason for BioSword to decide  not to code joystick support .

There's a whole post with a bunch of reasons. I linked it. Please read it. I can't say it more plainly than that. 

[Nee-Elder]

23 minutes ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

There's a whole post with a bunch of reasons. I linked it. Please read it. I can't say it more plainly than that. 

i already read it  and i disagree with your "reasons" .

Not sure why you're  only fixating on the joystick thing and ignoring the rest of my extensive plainly stated points/topics/counterpoints  ^^ regarding GSF, but whatever you seem more interested in declarations than actual debate.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Nee-Elder

[ThadiusMoor]

100% agree GSF needs new content...

 

As such, I have a great concept they could do, have a look and add support if you like it...

 

https://forums.swtor.com/topic/931733-new-gsf-mode-desparately-needed-a-good-concept

[arunav]

Making the ship cosmetics possible to earn with requisition would be a positive change. I seriously doubt the game makes any real money off of them at this point. Let GSF players at least customize their paint jobs and colors with requisition earned from matches. If not, program a way to 'unlock' the cosmetics for one's legacy. 

Another possibility: the GTN used to be filled with all the various color modules as well as paint jobs. Perhaps put these on a vendor now instead, as they are much less common, often don't include what a player is searching for. 

If we're being super ambitious, is a new deathmatch box too much to ask for? Already setting aside a domination map, because... there's nodes to include. But if I could wave a magic wand for GSF, it would include a new domination map. Perhaps a battle above Mannan, to fit the setting at the beginning of 7.0. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by arunav

[TrixxieTriss]

2 hours ago, DakhathKilrathi said:

Tell me you didn't read the thread I linked without saying you didn't read the thread I linked. The poster I was responding to specifically mentioned "proper flight stick/joystick/pedal/HOTAS support," and it seems like you might not know the difference between that and a cheap controller. The low end ones are still almost $100. So yeah, expensive. 

It tells me you’ve never played a proper flight sim or space sim with proper equipment before. A low end Logitech joystick in Australia is $69AUD or $43USD. About 1/3rd the cost of good MMO mouse

If the game supported the basic Logitech game pads or Flightsticks, that’s all it would need to support more advanced & expensive setups because they have specialised software to map stuff with.

I play SW Squadrons with both Mouse keyboard & Flightstick. It’s actually easier & more accurate to play with the mouse & keyboard & not the joystick. But it’s more fun for me & way more challenging to play with my joystick, foot pedals & throttle, even though it’s much harder.

I’m sure you’ve never actually played a proper flight sim or space sim with more advanced controllers. Because if you had, you’d know the learning curve to use them is very steep. It’s much harder to learn than using a mouse & keyboard or game pad or even a basic joystick. You need to actually develop more muscle memory (including your feet) & remember much more complicated button setups. It actually took 9 months of playing Squadrons daily till I could actually be semi competitive against people using basic keyboard & mouse combos. 

So no one currently playing GSF would stop playing it if they added proper Joystick support. And no one would be forced to go & buy hardware if they didn’t want to. If anything, it would probably boost GSF participation from people like me who’ve been asking for it since the beginning. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by TrixxieTriss

[arunav]

1 hour ago, TrixxieTriss said:

I’m sure you’ve never actually played a proper flight sim or space sim with more advanced controllers. Because if you had, you’d know the learning curve to use them is very steep. It’s much harder to learn than using a mouse & keyboard or game pad or even a basic joystick.

That is some serious flight sim gear you've posted!!

I don't keep track of who works on SWTOR that well - didn't the 'main' GSF guy stop working on SWTOR, or perhaps even at BioWare? Maybe BS doesn't have anyone on staff familiar enough with the code to do anything substantial for GSF. 

At this point, it would be amazing if the scoreboard would go back to showing how many medals each player earns in a match. 

Edited October 24, 2023 by arunav

[Nee-Elder]

1 hour ago, TrixxieTriss said:

So no one currently playing GSF would stop playing it if they added proper Joystick support. And no one would be forced to go & buy hardware if they didn’t want to. If anything, it would probably boost GSF participation from people like me who’ve been asking for it since the beginning. 

QFE ,  much more realistic speculation there ^ yep

23 minutes ago, arunav said:

 - didn't the 'main' GSF guy stop working on SWTOR, or perhaps even at BioWare?

Maybe BS doesn't have anyone on staff familiar enough with the code to do anything substantial for GSF.

Yes and most likely , but still that's no excuse for not at the very least answering my ( and others' ) very legitimate normal  questions: https://forums.swtor.com/topic/931603-74-livestream-coming-october-18th/#comment-9782693

Why be so *slient* about  SPACE and GSF  in a goshdarn  STAR WARS game?!?!?!

i just don't understand it.

[OlBuzzard]

@TrixxieTriss I have used the old X-45 / X-52 versions.  I can only imagine how much fun it would be to use the X-56 (though probably without the rudder pedals).  Frankly I remember the hours I use to spend playing the latest MW game.  Some of the mechs I created were able to do over 90!  And yes ... hit and run like a crazy man (even in PvP). 

[TrixxieTriss]

59 minutes ago, OlBuzzard said:

@TrixxieTriss I have used the old X-45 / X-52 versions.  I can only imagine how much fun it would be to use the X-56 (though probably without the rudder pedals).  Frankly I remember the hours I use to spend playing the latest MW game.  Some of the mechs I created were able to do over 90!  And yes ... hit and run like a crazy man (even in PvP). 

I’ve not installed MW4 on this PC. But now you’ve mentioned it, I think I’ll need too so I can test out this gear. 
Ive never used the X-52, but if it’s base spring is as tight as the X-56, I can’t imagine not using rudder pedals. 

[Peglas]

I hope they continue to ignore GSF, it's good as it is and if they started fiddling with it they'd eff it up like PVP and everything else in the game

[Stradlin]

20 hours ago, Peglas said:

I hope they continue to ignore GSF, it's good as it is and if they started fiddling with it they'd eff it up like PVP and everything else in the game

 

When it comes to core aspects of GSF (balance, ships, roles of different ships) I believe it is as good as it gets. Ie the difficult part is basically done, or at least won't need any further attention.

....Which is why it is so strange they just refuse to build on it at all. New ships(in terms of appereance), occasional new map, or even new game modes, GSF INCLUDED IN PVP SEASON...One would think these things are a given..but nope.

GSF is the only part of the game where all around you has been made purely for pvp. Yet, it is not part of a pvp season. Tis crazy.

 

Replayability and logevity of GSF is in pretty stellar numbers, as is the case with all pvp content. So devving hours spend on GSF would give pretty notable bag for the buck, if we think of things in terms of dev hours invested.

 

 

It is so strange to me how persistently some folks keep asking for joystick (or pad!!) support for GSF. I've been playing Elite: Dangerous for about as long as I've played GSF, close to 10 years. Always with a HOTAS, mostly due to immersion. Idea of using  a joystick/Hotas for GSF feels entirely unnatural to me. GSF is 3rd person bsns just like rest of TOR. Joystick for immersion on GSF feels like the idea of  holding a flashlight in my hand for immersion when playing my jedi knight chars. Were it a 1st person cockpit view, I'd totally get such requests. It isn't.

'

 

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Stradlin