Interesting interview: Clicky

 

The guys seems honest and isn't afraid of tough questions.

Also liked that contrary to some he didn't spend the whole time saying how great is TOR.

 

 

Few things to mention:

• Content each 6 weeks
  
• Content = OP, Flaspoints, WZ, events...
  
• Story mode on hold for bigger (and much rarer?) updates
  
• Focus will be on grouped content.
  
• F2P =/= pay to win but you're going to be able to buy conveniences perk like faster leveling.
  
• F2P == vanity items, access to specific content, inventory/bank slots.
  

 

The Guy landed in May, so the actual event might be a snapshot of what to expect.

 

 

(Edit) Adding Jeff Hickman interview, Executive Producer of the game.

1. F2P got a broader time frame: fall =/= November.
   
2. F2P will get access to say all WZ but will be limited of how many they can do in a specific time frame
   
3. Story content "Free"
   
4. Medium level blue items shall be in the cash shop
   
5. One team dedicated to 6w content
   
6. Another team to the making of Makeb
   
7. A whole team has been working for months on the new level 50 hard mode space missions.
   

 

To be honest last part is a huge waste of $$$ and dev time.

For the managers eventually reading that: the space shooter is just lame.

You guys should realize it's a shame to have spend and keep spending so much on such a lackluster feature.

Even flying mounts in Wow move faster and do have 3D movement.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Deewe

All I can say is if they stick to the plan, and PLEASE optimize the game engine...Swtor can make a huge comeback .

 

Thanks for the find! I couldn't resist clicking the link that said "Clicky"

Good to hear a developer directly saying it won't go Pay 2 Win. That was the only hesitation I had with moving to F2P.

If all the things you mentioned in your summary are true I may resubscribe. Edited August 17, 2012 by Xanikk

I have to agree this post was extremely informative on what they are planning on doing to the game. Honestly on some aspects they have the right idea. Especially the part where he talks about how they need something that is way better at the end of leveling. Should be interesting, but I was extremely happy to here no pay to win lol.

"Story mode on hold for bigger and much rarer updates"

 

So, the one thing Bioware is really good at will not be done much. I expect this means little new systems either and EA will just milk $WTOR.

I like this guy. If he keeps his promises the game will be looking good,

"Story mode on hold for bigger and much rarer updates"

 

So, the one thing Bioware is really good at will not be done much. I expect this means little new systems either and EA will just milk $WTOR.

 

it is an mmo, so you have to do mmo-style content updates.

• Focus will be on grouped content.
  

^%#&(!!!!!!

 

Did he mention how big the groups need to be? 4 person grouped content would be awesome, but the 8+ grouped content is already rarely done on my server due to low pop. Also I hate stuff like that which becomes guild restricted, means most players can't access the bloody things.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Selvec

I am REALLY hoping the F2P =/= P2W is true.

it is an mmo, so you have to do mmo-style content updates.

 

This guys got it right.

 

Thank goodness bioware finally woken up to the truth (I hope). "story" and voice acting wont keep subs among the mmo-crowd.

^%#&(!!!!!!

 

Did he mention how big the groups need to be? 4 person grouped content would be awesome, but the 8+ grouped content is already rarely done on my server due to low pop. Also I hate stuff like that which becomes guild restricted, means most players can't access the bloody things.

 

This is common for MMOs.

 

It's pointless to spend content patches developing solo end game content for the minority of the crowd that plays mmos when most of us are subscribed for engaging stuff that keeps us keep us going for the long run.

 

Go play a single player game if you don't want to join a guild to do operations or group pvp.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Xanikk

So far, Bioware has been all talk and little action.

 

This interview hasn't changed my mind about that.

 

Time will tell.

 

And yeah, Matt, wow, its only been 3 MONTHS since you landed as GM Bioware-Austin. That's barely enough time to place your name on the door of your office!

 

What's that brown stuff pouring out of your mouth when you talk? Looks like you're full of it.

And me who hoped they would polish the leveling aspect before going f2p.

 

Ah well at least i can buy xp boost with my free cartel point.

"Story mode on hold for bigger and much rarer updates"

 

So, the one thing Bioware is really good at will not be done much. I expect this means little new systems either and EA will just milk $WTOR.

 

Despite what we might like to think, they simply don't have unlimited resources. It was clearly explained in the interview (as it has been elsewhere) that 'cinematic' scenes are extremely expensive, not just in terms of monetary cost but for the developers (programmers and animators chiefly) time and efforts. There's also a lot of planning that goes into creating stories, particularly to make stories which a very diverse population might find engaging.

 

I'm sorry that you're not happy but you really can't argue that they're going to milk it by stepping up a highly aggressive release schedule for new content and trinkets.

Compare any Flashpoint to the brand new, beta content Blizz are working on which so

.

 

SWTOR's scale, detail, mechanics and quality are leagues ahead... and here you are grumbling because they're more properly managing their resources and prioritising group content, when one of the biggest criticisms levelled far and wide is that SWTOR is too much of an extension to KOTOR rather than an MMO.

So far, Bioware has been all talk and little action.

 

This interview hasn't changed my mind about that.

 

Time will tell.

 

And yeah, Matt, wow, its only been 3 MONTHS since you landed as GM Bioware-Austin. That's barely enough time to place your name on the door of your office!

 

What's that brown stuff pouring out of your mouth when you talk? Looks like you're full of it.

 

Seriously. The guy is doing his best to step into a falling MMO, Give him time.

Seriously. The guy is doing his best to step into a falling MMO, Give him time.

 

I've been watching this game fall since I started playing back in October.

 

This is currently my favourite MMO.

 

I have no faith that the current staff of Bioware-Austin can improve this game.

 

He's already been here 3 months. Should we be giving him 3 years while they continue to take our money for a game with lots of bugs, poor class balancing that keeps getting worse and PvP that's a joke?

 

I may like the game, but the way things are going are doing nothing to instill faith in me as a customer of SW:TOR.

 

I'll give the guy a break when he and his team actually make a good decision that sees this game make a giant leap towards improvement.

This is common for MMOs.

 

It's pointless to spend content patches developing solo end game content for the minority of the crowd that plays mmos when most of us are subscribed for engaging stuff that keeps us keep us going for the long run.

 

Go play a single player game if you don't want to join a guild to do operations or group pvp.

 

That's an amazingly wrong observation. More people play mmos in the west for the social aspect, relaxation, and for character development, not for raiding, and not for min/max stats. Grouping isn't even very popular if you haven't noticed in your last few MMOs. Hardcore raiders are niche.

 

Unfortunately, this game offers very little in either social, or character development.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Hambunctious

Re: F2P not meaning P2W...

 

To put it simply, that's what they all say.

This post raised an eyebrow:

 

 

Leaving aside the fact we have been told about all of this before (seems like several times) every interview or presentation from Gamescon seems to be saying the same thing with regard to new content. I'm not sure how many people have understood what I think you are trying to do with "more frequent content updates".

 

So let me ask this straight out, does "more frequent content updates" mean this:

 

August - Live event

6 weeks later - new flashpoint

6 weeks later - new warzone

6 weeks later - new playable race

6 weeks later - new operation

6 weeks later - new companion

 

Because if so, and you are the type who like live events you could be waiting 6 MONTHS for the next one, the same if you like warzones or flashpoints or whatever - you will get a new one every 6 MONTHS or so. Now I know a lot of us will find more than one of the items listed exciting - personally I love live events (except this one, you can keep that mega disapointment thanks) but Rakghoul was amazing) and I love warzones.

 

So in 6 months there might be two mini-content updates that interest me. Your own mileage may vary, I'm sure there are some who do simply EVERYTHING in game but in reality I doubt the guys who are mega in to Operations will be too fussed with a new flashpoint etc.

 

I would bet this 5 week mini drip feed system is what Bioware considers "more frequent content". However I would bet my house that isn't what current subscribers would consider "more frequent content". So community and dev team, am I right or wrong?

Woah, now that's a link!

Updated the OP with another interview

im a bit worried that they consider adding FP & OPS & WZ as content tbh...

Dont get me wrong, it is in a way content, but still its gonna be huge repetitive to do so. oke its fun to do Lost island for some time to get some black hole coms or that rakata chest piece for an alt but after that ? continue it for fun?

 

at the moment we are at Black hole gear & War hero gear.

 

new Fp's & ops come ... now we have Blacker Holes Gear & World War hero gear.

3 months later new FP's, Ops & WZ come ... then we have Blackest holer Gear & World War II Gear.

and so on & on.

 

Then , lets add 5 levels to the cap so all this gear becomes obsolete & bring in some new FP's , OPS & WZ to bring

a complete new gear set, maybe with 2 extra augments to give players that extra modification (aka "freedom")

 

You get my drift i hope... It was fun maybe when i was younger or this was my first mmo & i wouldnt know better.

Its the pixel on a stick carrot that will keep players hanging for months or even years, but i think ill pass on that.

Same reason Why i quitted lotro was due to that, so many instances & skirmishes & dailies and it kept coming , to me its then just an arcade game where people log in and grind for pixels, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Any thoughts ?

Any thoughts ?

 

MMO 101.

 

It's what MMOs do.

 

Sounds like maybe you have outgrown MMOs, which there is absolutely nothing wrong about outgrowing a game genere.

Edited August 18, 2012 by Andryah

MMO 101.

 

It's what MMOs do.

Sounds like maybe you have outgrown MMOs, which there is absolutely nothing wrong about outgrowing a game genere.

 

Well maybe thats why MMOs seem to be having problems keeping their subscriber base?

 

Well not all of them.

 

/shrug