Galactic Seasons 5 - What Happened?

[DWho]

3 minutes ago, Spikanor said:

like i told juliushorst all.

read that thread is good then you see the reasons why people are against to have new companion for the gelactic season since some of then are good reasons like that there see more old story line companions then new one's.

or focus more on main contant and main story line with voice acting.

also there lost a lot of team members also.

that means the understaff problem there got all at bioware has only become 10 time's worse at broadsword.

I did read the thread you linked. Half of the responses were in favor of comps or neutral. The other half were all about not wanting comps in their comp lists which is easily done (by not using the summoning tokens).

More main story and content is completely separate from GS so that is a bad argument as well. Reusing old companions won't work because people begged Bioware to let them kill off a bunch of the companions so not all of them are available to everyoner and also if you are in the KotFE and KotET storylines, you don't have most of your companions available

Your assessment of the number of people in favor of having companions in GS is wrong.

[Spikanor]

2 minutes ago, DWho said:

I did read the thread you linked. Half of the responses were in favor of comps or neutral. The other half were all about not wanting comps in their comp lists which is easily done (by not using the summoning tokens).

More main story and content is completely separate from GS so that is a bad argument as well. Reusing old companions won't work because people begged Bioware to let them kill off a bunch of the companions so not all of them are available to everyoner and also if you are in the KotFE and KotET storylines, you don't have most of your companions available

Your assessment of the number of people in favor of having companions in GS is wrong.

we disagree with each other on this point like we wane.

but that do's not mean that the devs can not make there own call what there wane do with the gelactic season.

if there not wane add a new companion in the gelactic season then its there choose to do so.

that do's not mean there only listing to the people that not wane have a new companion and who knows there are a lot of other reasons also there not going to tell us why there is no companion in the gelactic season at all.

there are a lot of other things there keep a secred from us that are playing there what the reason also can be.

maybe there are planning for the next expension to rework the compleet companion system so its no use to add a new one now since there are a lot of idea's what the reason can be.

[BulbulusTheGreat]

5 hours ago, DWho said:

Companions are cool and people love them.

One thing new companions add to the game is variety. There has been so little content released over the last several years that people who are still around are reduced to running the class stories over and over in lieu of any new content (and thus have dozens of characters they can use new companions with). I find it refreshing to be able to use something other than the stock companions on story repeats. It adds a tiny bit of freshness to the game even though all companion perform basically the same way.

It's very much the same as a reskinned mount, or reskinned armor set, or reskinned weapon.

The best way to implement companions going forward is to have them be summonable from an object in the GS rewards track (perhaps an additional "reward" on the FTP track) or mailed to the character at the start of the season (just like the hundreds of pets we get). That way those that don't want them can toss the summoning device (although I am sure there will be some of those people complaining later they can't get the companion, just like they did when the begged Bioware to let them kill certain companions) and those that do want them can use it.

you won't get any arguments from me, i don't dislike the comps being added and i don't understand why so many people do, they're not my favourite thing ever but they're not the worst either, my main issue with most GS is that stories are pretty lame, but GS5 probably had worst story out of all of them, worse than the comps so i'd honestly rather comps be back than another flop of a story like we had with GS5.

[juliushorst]

5 hours ago, Spikanor said:

your points to have a new companion are weak vs the one's that not wane have one since there tell hard points why we not need a new one.

What points do I need?

1. I like companions.

2. Other people like companions.

3. Companions are relatively easy to make because we already have models and AI routines.

4. Companions feel unique because the game doesn't throw them at you as often as it throws mounts and armors.

5. Properly implemented companions don't affect people who don't want them.

6. Gifts are a good credits sink the game desperately needs.

 

5 hours ago, Spikanor said:

then you need to read that thread is more better since people have bring a lot of good points out why we not need a new companion.

 

Then you should have no problem quoting those "good points" because so far you only brought up:

1. Companions are overcrowding the ship. OK, then don't add them to the ship, I don't care what's going on on the ship.

2. Companions are linked to objectives. OK, then remove companion related objectives (this point is also nitpicky - for me the arena objective doesn't exist, there is no force in the universe that would make me participate in arenas but I'm not asking for the objective to be removed).

3. Companions are related to reputation track. OK, I like the terminal on the fleet too, we can keep it so I don't need to visit the ship.

4. Companion list is too long. OK, then give us the companion at the end of the seasonal story, with an option to reject them. You get the story and reject the companion, I get the story and accept the companion.

As you can see, every potential inconvenience brought up in your "good points" is easily mitigated without removing companions.

 

5 hours ago, Spikanor said:

sadly you are the only one complaining when back then when season 4 has end more people complain about there not wane have a new companion in the next gelatic season and there also have come with good points and reasons why we need no new companion at all.

You are mistaken. Read the title of the thread you yourself linked:

5 hours ago, Spikanor said:

here is the link from it so that you can read it again good: https://forums.swtor.com/topic/930747-i-hope-the-devs-change-their-minds-about-future-galactic-seasons-not-giving-us-a-companion/#comment-9773757

This person, too, is disappointed that there are no new companions.

Large portion of people commenting are in favor of returning companions to the seasonal track.

 

4 hours ago, Spikanor said:

companions are bound since season 2 to the reputation track so to unlock it you need to have the companion summon at all so trowing it away you cant if you cant unlock the reputation track at all and that needs to be done with all your chars also to unlock the reputation track on it.

You are mistaken again. In Season 2 seasonal currency was exchanged by a Torguta NPC on Nar Shaddaa Promenade, you did not have to complete Fen's alert.

Fleet is, of course, preferable for the exchange NPC \ terminal.

 

3 hours ago, Spikanor said:

or focus more on main contant and main story line with voice acting.

I don't think one companion with pre-existing model, pre-existing AI routine and alien VO drains that much resources and that's enough to shut me up.

 

3 hours ago, Spikanor said:

but that do's not mean that the devs can not make there own call what there wane do with the gelactic season.

And I can let them know that I don't like their decision and ask them to reconsider.

Edited November 9, 2023 by juliushorst

[OlBuzzard]

** Not everyone wants another companion.  This is particularly true when said associate / counterpart / partner (etc) has very little to offer (unless the development team designs FUTURE missions AFTER the GS series in which we receive implied reward.  
** A large number of players would prefer a companion (IF that is what we are stuck with) that would be easy to communicate with, fun to be around and genuinely beneficial (unlike the last 2 or 3).  I personally find them totally useless.  Therefore, said reward becomes EQUALLY worthless!
** No need to go on a total rant because someone WANTS a companion or EVEN if others DON'T.  Maybe if there was a choice of what sort of companion we received (male/female/droid... Wookie) ???  That would at least offer a variety of sorts.
** Frankly the GS series needs a heck of a lot more than just a pretty new toy or mindless robot tagging along.  It needs an overhaul.

The main reason that the GS series needs so much work is due to the simple fact that it is such a large part of the SWTOR package these days.  I totally get the idea behind the GS series.  It's not altogether a bad idea.  But if there is little reason than to be bored with the rewards and general activities of said game activity then .. well frankly .. people will continue to be bored with that aspect of SWTOR.  With boredom comes pain .. and with pain... 

THAT leads to the dark side!

😉

[eabevella]

Wanting a companion or not, putting the GS companions on our personal ship is a DUMB IDEA.

Use 1 single braincell and think. What will the ship look like in S10? S20?

The ship will be packed like the refugee ship my grandparents was on in a few years if this game is still running.

Why a game designer thought this is a good idea for a game that isn't just some cheap money grab mobile game (I mean, at this point, many will say "actually..." but this game still has good foundation and still can be good). Why there's no long term planing at all?

Put GS companions ELSEWHERE or NO WHERE AT ALL if there are more (gods I hope not).

Actual UI improvement we need: FAVORITE COMPANION SO WE CAN SEE/USE THE ONES WE ACTUALLY NEED ON TOP OF THE COMPANION LIST. I don't want to scroll through 2305920 lv1 companions whose names I don't even bother to remember.

[Spikanor]

10 hours ago, juliushorst said:

6. Gifts are a good credits sink the game desperately needs.

most people never use gift's at all there use the Companion Compendium since there are lazy to spent a lot of time with gift's to make then level 50.

so a good credit sink is it not since there are a lot more credit sinks in this game that are much better and a lot of other idea's are also much better as credit sinks.

3 hours ago, eabevella said:

Why there's no long term planing at all?

since there cant make a long term plan in the first place since this game is a money cash grap for EA and there share holders. also there have trouble all with there short term planing so a long term planing is alot harder for then if there cant do it right with there short term planing.

3 hours ago, eabevella said:

FAVORITE COMPANION SO WE CAN SEE/USE THE ONES WE ACTUALLY NEED ON TOP OF THE COMPANION LIST.

remember EA's moto there need to follow.

not make it fun for the community and make it only so there spent real money in the game.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Spikanor

[juliushorst]

8 hours ago, Spikanor said:

most people never use gift's at all there use the Companion Compendium since there are lazy to spent a lot of time with gift's to make then level 50.

so a good credit sink is it not since there are a lot more credit sinks in this game that are much better and a lot of other idea's are also much better as credit sinks.

You are mistaken yet again. It takes something around 14 gifts and less than a minute to get a seasonal companion to 50 (once you got one to 50 by using gifts given to you from the reward track).

I don't know what others sinks you are talking about - gifts are the only sink that significantly drains my credits. And no, "Pay 15M to skip a heroic" is not a good sink, I never even considered doing it.

[Spikanor]

6 hours ago, juliushorst said:

I don't know what others sinks you are talking about - gifts are the only sink that significantly drains my credits. And no, "Pay 15M to skip a heroic" is not a good sink, I never even considered doing it.

the gifts drains your credits a lot but its not doing anything at all good for the game so its not a good credit sink since not a lot of people are doing it.

if you have follow the idea's back then for a long time then you see a lot of better credit sinks idea's people have suggest what works better then something what only is not doing much.

 

6 hours ago, juliushorst said:

You are mistaken yet again. It takes something around 14 gifts and less than a minute to get a seasonal companion to 50 (once you got one to 50 by using gifts given to you from the reward track)

wow season gifts also worthless to get as reward also wasting a lot of space in the reward track when there can use the spots for better items as reward then gift's.

[Darcmoon]

25 minutes ago, Spikanor said:

wow season gifts also worthless to get as reward also wasting a lot of space in the reward track when there can use the spots for better items as reward then gift's.

I’d prefer companion gifts, or really almost anything, than the Brazz’s (sp?) gifts we got.  Those things are worthless. 

[juliushorst]

1 hour ago, Spikanor said:

the gifts drains your credits a lot but its not doing anything at all good for the game so its not a good credit sink since not a lot of people are doing it.

Based on what data?

 

1 hour ago, Spikanor said:

if you have follow the idea's back then for a long time then you see a lot of better credit sinks idea's people have suggest what works better then something what only is not doing much.

Gifts are no better and no worse than those ideas and  they are easy and cheap to implement.

 

1 hour ago, Spikanor said:

wow season gifts also worthless to get as reward also wasting a lot of space in the reward track when there can use the spots for better items as reward then gift's.

I thought one of the "good" arguments for not having companions was that devs don't have resources and manpower to make that many rewards?

[DeannaVoyager]

12 hours ago, juliushorst said:

You are mistaken yet again. It takes something around 14 gifts and less than a minute to get a seasonal companion to 50 (once you got one to 50 by using gifts given to you from the reward track).

There are several other companions in the game that don't take seasonal companion rewards. If you are arguing about gifs being credits sink (or not), then you should at least be honest with your argument and include all companions and companion gifts in your statement, not just pick the exceptions. Getting a class companion or CM companion to lvl 50 without the instant boost takes time as Spikanor said and the gifts aren't free either.

 

Not sure I would call them a credit sink though because personally I wouldn't buy gifts that take forever to give to the companion if there is a faster way to level them up.  

Edited November 11, 2023 by DeannaVoyager

[Spikanor]

6 hours ago, Darcmoon said:

I’d prefer companion gifts, or really almost anything, than the Brazz’s (sp?) gifts we got.  Those things are worthless. 

i have not told that the brazz's stuff from this season is also a good reward.

the brazz stuff is also something worse since whats the point to get a dark spore drop rate buff when the drop rate from it normal is so worse like crap so its more replace one crap item with a other one what has become useless.

that part is more the devs own fault to set the dark spore drop rate so low that the buff has almost no use at all.

same with the bind to pick up it got is also a other question from why that and not make it bind to legacy.

5 hours ago, juliushorst said:

Based on what data?

if you ask the communety if there spending credits on gift's to increase there companion lvl to level 50 i think there all tell there use the companion Compendium since there not wane waste a lot of time from it and go for the easy and faster way.

so a good credit sink is it not at all since its not only the season companions but all the companions also story and CM companions and there not have that special gift item what the season companions.

 

5 hours ago, juliushorst said:

Gifts are no better and no worse than those ideas and  they are easy and cheap to implement.

ow really.

10k credits for the purple gift's you can buy on the fleet vendor's.

5k for the blue versions.

between 200 and 600 credits for the green versions.

and the legendary versions 250k in odessan.

so if people only use the legendary versions there can better buy the companion compendium on the GTN since thats much cheaper and a lot faster then spending credits on legendary gift's.

5 hours ago, juliushorst said:

I thought one of the "good" arguments for not having companions was that devs don't have resources and manpower to make that many rewards?

what the real reason is why we not have a new companion for this season is something you need to ask then self since there can be a lot of reasons you can think about why there not give us a new companion.

so maybe you need to ask eric or jackieko what the real reason is.

[juliushorst]

23 hours ago, DeannaVoyager said:

There are several other companions in the game that don't take seasonal companion rewards. If you are arguing about gifs being credits sink (or not), then you should at least be honest with your argument and include all companions and companion gifts in your statement, not just pick the exceptions. Getting a class companion or CM companion to lvl 50 without the instant boost takes time as Spikanor said and the gifts aren't free either.

We were talking about seasonal companions so I addressed seasonal companions (more expensive, much faster).

 

22 hours ago, Spikanor said:

10k credits for the purple gift's you can buy on the fleet vendor's.

5k for the blue versions.

between 200 and 600 credits for the green versions.

and the legendary versions 250k in odessan.

Seasonal companions use dedicated gifts avaliable from season vendor. Those gifts are much more expensive and you need about 14 of them.

[DeannaVoyager]

On 11/10/2023 at 1:37 AM, juliushorst said:

6. Gifts are a good credits sink the game desperately needs.

^^ A few posts up.

You were talking about credit sinks (in general). If you wanted to talk about seasonal companion gifts as credit sinks, you should have said so.

[Spikanor]

5 hours ago, juliushorst said:

Seasonal companions use dedicated gifts avaliable from season vendor. Those gifts are much more expensive and you need about 14 of them

you talk about gift's in general and i see not in your post anything about season gift's only so maybe next time you need to point it better out since this has back fire you hard.

so in the end your credit sink gift idea is the worthless idea there is and pointless idea also.

Edited November 12, 2023 by Spikanor

[BulbulusTheGreat]

On 11/11/2023 at 2:07 AM, Darcmoon said:

I’d prefer companion gifts, or really almost anything, than the Brazz’s (sp?) gifts we got.  Those things are worthless. 

lol i did entire GS and never used brazz thing, i honestly forgot what it was for.

[Spikanor]

4 minutes ago, BulbulusTheGreat said:

lol i did entire GS and never used brazz thing, i honestly forgot what it was for.

it was to boost you drop rate with the dark spore's.

and since the drop rate from it is all really low the boost is also not that big at all.

[DWho]

15 minutes ago, Spikanor said:

and since the drop rate from it is all really low the boost is also not that big at all.

I think it also required you to do the "content" without a companion. I think the idea was to encourage people to group up and use it on a group of people. It was possible to get dark spores to drop if you ran content solo but without a companion.

[Spikanor]

2 minutes ago, DWho said:

I think it also required you to do the "content" without a companion. I think the idea was to encourage people to group up and use it on a group of people. It was possible to get dark spores to drop if you ran content solo but without a companion.

there are people that got a lot dark spore's with a companion also.

the point with it all its a compleet fail since with the brazz's gift was also binds to pick up and not legacy bound and the drop rate was a compleet joke from the dark spore's.

and the information about it was also bad that people think more its a joke item.

[DWho]

8 minutes ago, Spikanor said:

there are people that got a lot dark spore's with a companion also.

I'll take your word for that but I did not get any dark spores to drop at all with a companion out whether or not I was using it. I did use them all up trying though. Doing Coruscant Heroics without a companion was the only place I got them to drop.

[Ominovin]

26 minutes ago, DWho said:

I'll take your word for that but I did not get any dark spores to drop at all with a companion out whether or not I was using it. I did use them all up trying though. Doing Coruscant Heroics without a companion was the only place I got them to drop.

The drop rate with a companion seems to be abysmally low but still technically non-zero.

The vast majority of the drops I've personally seen have been on the 'vehicle' missions on Iokath (walker and probe droid) where you lose your companion for the duration:  Even then, we are still talking 1 drop for 40-50 kills on a particularly good day and 0 drops on most days...

[BulbulusTheGreat]

2 hours ago, Ominovin said:

 

i'd say i get decent drops without brazz thing and with a comp

Edit: sorry didn't mean to quote.

Edited November 12, 2023 by BulbulusTheGreat

[juliushorst]

15 hours ago, DeannaVoyager said:

You were talking about credit sinks (in general). If you wanted to talk about seasonal companion gifts as credit sinks, you should have said so.

12 hours ago, Spikanor said:

you talk about gift's in general and i see not in your post anything about season gift's only so maybe next time you need to point it better out since this has back fire you hard.

We are talking about seasonal companions. I assumed it goes without saying. Why would I bring up regular companions and regular gifts in a conversation about seasonal companions?

 

12 hours ago, Spikanor said:

so in the end your credit sink gift idea is the worthless idea there is and pointless idea also.

You make a statement but provide no arguments for it. And I said it's not the main reason to have companions, just one of the reasons to have them. My main reason remains the same - I like companions and I want to have more of them - that's why I'm willing to invest credits in them.

Once again, seasonal companions work better as credit sink because: their gifts are more expensive than regular gifts (but cheaper than compendium if you count GTN price for Dark Projects) and it takes much less time \ clicking to bring them to 50, making it more appealing.

[Shayddow]

running multiple characters, I haven't had a problem getting enough spores to drop. I usually have enough that I max out rep before the week is over, then I have to turn some in the following week. 

What I have had problems with is collecting enough from past galactic seasons that I haven't maxed.  During this whole week I've had Amity on with many of my characters. I've only collected 5 whole tokens for him. (I only need like 4,000 more rep to max my rep to legendary).