Have you actually completed a class quest? They all end with the characters gaining their highest place of power. They defeat their enemies and achieve their destiny. If you want to go by Superman, essentially, Superman defeats Lex Luthor forever. Now what does he do? Nothing. So what do the writers do? Reboot! That's one half of the crux of trying to make an Act 4 when the story already ended.

 

The Avengers analogy does in fact work, as in the Avengers, Iron Man didn't ditch the Battle of New York to go chase down the Mandarin by himself while Captain America toddled off to the Multiverse to find Red Skull. The story was focused on Loki and the Chitari, not five separate villains each doing their own thing that just so happens to be going on at the same time, like individual class stories.

 

And yes, soloing faction stories is possible, but at least it doesn't require the players to constantly back track because the Smuggler they just invited to the group is in the first area of the zone and everyone else progressed to the third area. If you have a group running the story missions, no one has to say "Well, I have to stop off here and do this cutscene so you guys just stand here and afterwards we can go to yours and then yours and then yours." That is the other half of the problem.

I've completed all 4 Imperial class quests and believe there are worlds of stories that can be told about those characters. Superman defeats far more villains than Lex. Dozens in many varied and interesting ways. All after he reached the pinnacle of his power. That's the joy of story telling. It's dynamic by nature and the imagination is boundless! (And it would have been very bad development on Bioware's part if they hadn't outlined at least a 2 year plan for the stories...)

I'll concede that faction stories are easier for groups to do, for those who are inclined to group. TBH I don't think many people bother grouping for planet quests though.

However, I think we are arguing apples and oranges on the Avengers analogy. I am discussing what each character does within the Avengers movie, you are talking about what each Avenger does in their stand alone movies as if all of the movies were mashed together. The Avenger movie is neither like a group of class quests, nor like a faction quest, which is why it's a bad analogy.

If the faction stories were indeed like the Avengers movie, class story fans wound be thrilled. Each character in the movie spends most of their time advancing their own stories within the greater structure of the film and then they come together in the end, not to fight all together, but each still contributing a different piece to the victory in their own way. They remain individual heroes who become Avengers. Their different histories, personalities and abilities are built on, not ignored and it's those differences that make the movie interesting.

The reality of faction stories is very different. What you have instead is a Shield agent who might be green, might wield a hammer or might have red armor. Multiply that by 4 if grouped. There is no reference to their origins, relationships or skills/powers other than a few fill in the black lines. There is no interaction between them. They all approach every scene the exact same way. Hulk doesn't hulk out. Iron Man doesn't use any spiffy tech. Black Widow doesn't use subterfuge etc. You can have 1 shield agent save New York, or you can have 4 shield agents save New York. It doesn't make a difference to the plot, and it makes no difference which one you choose. They are interchangeable shield agents.

Swtor is doing well....at least better than it was a year from now. I commend Bioware on an excellent 2013.

This is for real?

Also, i think this game will almost dead by the end of year.

Problem with that is the story still remains fractured. People would end up having to run about the entire world area trying to get the complete story. And what if you don't have friends who are the right class or they're the same class as you so you have to complete the same mission twice or you missed an important chapter because you weren't the right class etc. It's still a problem to work out. That's the only thing that is preventing a story based expansion. "How can we create a story that is both independent and inclusive at the same time, all the while building on the previous story and expanding it successfully?"

 

But I have faith in Bioware that they will eventually discover a way to avoid Stupid Sequel Syndrome and deliver a quality story that every class can enjoy together.

I think it would not. Take the Corellia stories, they all mention in some way what the other classes did. So yes, to get a complete story you would need to play all classes to get the complete experience, but that has been since beginning.

this could be done in the same way:

• I play a Consular
  
• I go and get allies, discover some funky Force Macguffin etc (individual story, other classes get something else)
  
• Possibly place some "joint" missions in between to make it less demanding on the individual story (meetings, escorts of targets, setting up base camps, etc)
  
• Final battle, if I am alone, it gets mentioned what I done and "on the side" hint to what other characters done. If I play in group with other class, mention all things currently present classes did in detail (it would be an easy "if class present, play dialog" statement or something like that)
  

This is for real?

Also, i think this game will almost dead by the end of year.

People said the same thing last year and we're still here. The game is definitely doing a lot better than a year ago, so there is no reason to be a doom thinker and make that assumption, unless of course you like being negative.

What I will say is that 2014 will be the year where BW can establish the game for the long term. That's why I believe they need to broaden the activity scope just a bit more and do a lot of QoL stuff as the game progresses with new content. And I do mean in 2014, not tomorrow

What I see going forward in to the 2014 to 2015 is the following

few new modes for GSF

few new flash points ( maybe 2 to 3)

1 new world (which holds the new raid)

df dp released nim setting Q2

78 gear allowed to be R.E

new raid around sept oct time

maybe a new huttball map

Lots of cartel packs

Well, i'm not sure i agree. By this time last year, at least we had an semblance of an expansion announced and to look forward to.

Today we got...? One flashpoint coming? Thats what you have to look forward to.

I am choosing to look forward to The elder Scrolls online in 3 months. Not because i dont want to play SWTOR, but because i got nothing to look forward to in SWTOR. There is pretty much NOTHING coming as far as we know. In the meanwhile competitors are getting full fldged expansions or patches that put the so called "digital expansions" we get here to shame.

I love SWTOR, i want more SWTOR, but EA/Bioware dont want to give me more SWTOR. They want to give me more cartel packs and more blind faith in the dark. I am done pledging my money to this system. Show me a large chunk of content by march, or lose me to the competition. Thats my point of view (been playing the game since launch).

The Emperor is the one who defeated Revan and sucked the life out of 8k Sith. It took one of the strongest Jedi of the time to kill him, while he was in his "weakened" state. He's arguably the strongest Sith ever, second to Darth Sidious.

 

If they bring back the Emperor just to make him a solo boss, I'm gonna be pissed, and so are quite a lot of other people. Especially because it took what, 4 of us to kill Darth Malgus, the Emperor's (dis)loyal servant? And took 8 of us to kill a single one of the Dread Masters (Both in S&V and in the first of the Oricon Ops).

 

Make the Emperor a Flashpoint boss if not an Ops boss. I'd still not like it, but I won't be annoyed to no end about it. But solo killing the second-most powerful Sith ever is a big no.

Ok, it would be more epic if you would get a massive strike team and start beating him to mushy pulp, it would be a worthy ending. But don't forget that the knight who defeated the voice, has grown in strength since Makeb. All the heroes have grown since then. When the new story comes along you can bet that they have become the most powerful heroes of their time, so the number of players isn't that important.

Also don't forget that even the most powerful of beings, so the Emperor as well, could have a bad day.

Remember that Ulic Qel-Droma was shot in the back by a pilot and Darth Sidious was gently tossed over a balcony.

Well, i'm not sure i agree. By this time last year, at least we had an semblance of an expansion announced and to look forward to.

prepare for a massive numbers drop in Four months when Elder Scrolls Online happens. Expect the Developers too never give timelines, New Voiced quests or misson. Text terminals only. Half arsed quests. Nothing new or groundbreaking. What remains of the team was ordered by EA to just focus on making gambling packs to get as much money as they can before the new year of MMO's destroys this game.

Prepare for old and rehashed arguments to appear. Prepare for butthurt and trolls. Most of all, prepare to meet the doomsayers on a similar thread, exactly one year from now, having the same arguments and hyping the next game.

Happy New Year all!

SWTOR in 2014. Plan?

SWTOR in 2014 ?!? W T F are you talking about?!?! This game wont survive till 2014. Ask IStillWantMySWG about it. Well, maybe just in Australia for a few hours

ESO pull players from TOR? Hahahahaha!! Maybe for a week...at the most.

As for what I hope to see in the 2014; whatever they throw out. I'll play, and try whatever...until I find something else that catches my eye.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=709545

 

My Idea ^

Heh. They should hire you as a writer. Nicely done.

OT: I have a lot of ideas, but obviously the story will continue. They've said they aren't doing class stories but that faction based stories with nods to classes with different dialogue options will continue. So... to that end and given what AvnSevex has described, essentially we will see a new arch villain and a new spawn for bad guys.

What I would like to see, realistically.

1. The story continue even if individual class stories do not. A new threat to the galaxy and all that. From that, more Ops, more fps, and another planet expansion.

2. The expansion for GSF. More maps, more intergration into the broader game with story etc. And yes, joystick support for those that want it. I don't need it, but I know many that would love it.

3. Quality of life improvements. Start with guild improvements, Calendar, Mail, etc. Guild capitol ships... well I may just be dreaming there. Lol.

4. PvP improvements. New warzones or arenas. Revamped support for 8x8. And... lets end the debate on what should really be happening on Illum.

5. Another full blown expansion. Free or not, lets move on. I'd like to see another level cap near the end of the year.

7. Instant events. Random new events that happen suddenly.

SWTOR in 2014 ?!? W T F are you talking about?!?! This game wont survive till 2014. Ask IStillWantMySWG about it. Well, maybe just in Australia for a few hours

You mean LStillWantMySWG don't you? Because "I" has been banned. It's an "L" now.

ESO pull players from TOR? Hahahahaha!! Maybe for a week...at the most.

 

As for what I hope to see in the 2014; whatever they throw out. I'll play, and try whatever...until I find something else that catches my eye.

ESO and wildstar are definetly taking people away from this game, most ppl in my guilds have unsubbed already , just saying.

If you do not like the content that has been released does not mean it is not content. I enjoy GSF as it is something different from the normal gameplay that is in this game. I enjoyed Makeb because it was a challenge. I liked CZ and Oricon because they are new zones and the dailies don't take a long time to do. If I get bored, I can do something else in the game.

I dabble in PvP and while I get beat, I learn and enjoy the mechanics of the matches, even the arenas. It is just a different style of match. I don't see them ever removing 8 man PvP matches due to the fact that the matches would be empty if it was 4 vs 4. There is no logic in that.

In 2014, we know this much:

-GSF update and by Febuary will be the full release. So once that hits, then logically we can rip it apart if we hate it or praise it if we like it.

-A flashpoint that will tie to GSF update

-Quality of Life update. I recall reading a dev post saying that was coming once GSF was released in Feb.

-Rakghoul event revamped.

-A new Huttball match

What I hope:

-New planet (other than the area for the coming flashpoint tying GSF together).

-QOL Update: animations for all emotes, new emotes

-Crafting update that allows crafters to have more of a market.

We will see a dip in people when any new game comes out. Some will return, some will not. It is the way of the MMO. But like many, I will play TOR as long as I am having fun. And so far that is 2 years and counting.

ESO and wildstar are definetly taking people away from this game, most ppl in my guilds have unsubbed already , just saying.

You don't have to be subbed to be playing this game. Wow! I just took your argument away, amazing!

ESO and wildstar are definetly taking people away from this game, most ppl in my guilds have unsubbed already , just saying.

Like Reno said, you do not need to sub to play.

Also, lot of people left for GW2, then came back crying month later...

I can't really say anything about Wildstar except that I will try it when it comes out.

As far as ESO goes, I won't be trying that one out.

Ignoring all the traditional "Doom and Gloom" posts here, what I want to see next year are the following for QOL and in game stuff.

#1 More Character customization options. My two Sith Inquisitors aren't able to have the slave marking customizations that the other races for the class get to have. And that sucks. As well as some race spacific Cyborg parts (As was seen here during the Bounty Event) Also, I think it's high time some new HK Customizations were added that just changed HK's color, and didn't turn him into a different droid.

#2 A New race (Or two new races) As we all know, the Cathar sold )well enough for BW to be looking into/working on a new race. Of course, I'm not too picky as to what race they add.

#3 New Companion(s): I LOVE HK and Treek. But, I loved the questline to get HK more (Well, at least the story part) And if/when BW adds a new companion, please, PLEASE make a questline out of getting Him/Her/It. (It'll also give me another video to make. )

#3A Replace the Burba Seismic Excavator/Scanner in the HK Questline with the Seeker Droid. PLEASE. At least the Seeker Droid gives the player a cule as to where the item they are digging up is.

#4 New Planet(s)

#5 MORE CLASS STORY! Now, I'm not expecting something huge like Act's I-III, but, even if it's just a single set of quests on ONE new planet, it'll be awesome. Also, maybe go back and fix some stuff in the earlier quests (Like Jedi Master Arca Jeth looking NOTHING like an Arkanian.)

#6 More Companion stories.

#7 More stuff relating to The Shroud. At the end of the quest line, it's clear that The Shroud

So, seeing more of him is always nice.

#8 More Legacy Unlocks. As a person with a ton of alts on both sides, and only two bank characters (One for the pub side, and one for the Imp side) I'd love to see a legacy wide unlock for an extra or two extra bank tabs to switch items across my legacy.

#9 More Events. WIth the Rakghoul event returning, and the Gree and Bounty Hunting events going on, maybe add some new events, or bring back the Chevin event (And change the story since the Gree are already in the Galaxy)

#10 New planet arrival cutscenes. With the love that the Oricon and Fleet arrival cutscenes received, I think it's high time for the Devs to go back and remake the arrival cutscenes for the planets in game. (Makeb would be the first I suggest.) And maybe redo the cutscenes when you go to the story specific ships in the game

#11 http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=679732

You mean LStillWantMySWG don't you? Because "I" has been banned. It's an "L" now.

Yeah , I know mate I heard, he has 4 or 5 different accounts banned. This LStillWantMySWG will be banned too, soon. Ive just wrote a ticket about his cheatings. And Im not alone in this.

Random person appears*

fix the Guild so you don't lose leadership over stop paying for Subscription. Keep the auto transfer for when leader goes inactive for...4 weeks?

Annoying to lose 3 guilds in 4 months because you forget to pay and it goes to a member who goes crazy with power..deleting the members he hates and stealing all the items, renaming all ranks "Because hes Leader now"

Random person appears*

fix the Guild so you don't lose leadership over stop paying for Subscription. Keep the auto transfer for when leader goes inactive for...4 weeks?

 

Annoying to lose 3 guilds in 4 months because you forget to pay and it goes to a member who goes crazy with power..deleting the members he hates and stealing all the items, renaming all ranks "Because hes Leader now"

4 weeks is a little too small, make it 2 months, I got alts I go inbetween while running my guild, sometimes I won't be online on the alt that actually holds the title guildmaster for more than a month at a time.

Also as for the 3 guilds thing, oddly specific, did that happen to you!?!