In my personal opinion, Guild Flashships should have two distinct phases:

 

1. Getting one at all.

2. Upgrading it to kingdom-come.

 

I believe that #1 should be, as you say, obtainable by all sizes and types of guilds irrespective of playstyle within a reasonable amount of time and for a reasonable amount of effort.

 

I believe that #2 should be anything but. It should be expensive, should require significant time and effort on the part of its members, and should NOT be available to anyone just for showing up.

I agree with you completely.

it seems to me with the image of the exterior of the sky palace in the galactic living video, it looks as if all of the rooms are already there. the sky palace appears to have a pre-set model with all rooms present and pre-designed. i think you buy cc or whatever to unlock the doors to rooms that you do not have access to over time. if this speculation is true, i hope you can pick which rooms to unlock first. i would sooner unlock the long balcony on the side, than just another room.

image shown here:

http://dulfy.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/swtor-nar-shaddaa-sky-palace-7_thumb.jpg

Can I turn the X5 into my stronghold?

I think it would look totally 'cozy' with a few clothes on the floor... uhm... I mean some fresh paint and a few trophies... like... a carbonized quinn (some sith would pay to have them frozen and shipped!)

I love the vision I'm getting with the whole anouncement and yes, better to do it right than right now. But some of the stories and classes just project the whole "roaming character" feeling.

Can I turn the X5 into my stronghold?

 

I think it would look totally 'cozy' with a few clothes on the floor... uhm... I mean some fresh paint and a few trophies... like... a carbonized quinn (some sith would pay to have them frozen and shipped!)

 

I love the vision I'm getting with the whole anouncement and yes, better to do it right than right now. But some of the stories and classes just project the whole "roaming character" feeling.

It has been said that you cannot, because of the way that custscenes are scripted inside the ships. Allowing players to mess up with object placement could seriously damage those scenes, or the scenes would need to be reworked and made much more generic to account for different objects being there or not.

Too bad. So... they'd actually have to redo the ships interior + scripted scenes... Yeah, I can see that being not-cheap.

Still... I think that strongholds for smugglers and roaming agents i.e. are a bad idea... Just some more thing that's going to get messed up by the few dozen bounty-hunters and sith-that-hold-a-grudge...

Well... maybe I can at least put quinn naked in a room with Bodar, Broonmark, a rabid rancor and put on Barry Manilow on auto-repeat.... And then leave for a nice 5 month trip to alderanean beaches ... Maybe financed by a livecam contract....

Conquering a planet is done through completion of Conquest Events, which are PvE Missions.

 

Also, I know this is big news so I am going to be sticking around in the thread answering questions as I can. We probably aren't going to talk too much about the details of each feature yet but I will answer what I can

 

-eric

I have a very important question if you would Eric.

Will we be able to sit down in our Strongholds? You know use the chairs and couches, and other furniture that may be in there.

Hey TUX,

 

I do entirely understand the sentiment behind the question. Unfortunately the answer is surprisingly not simple. Placing of decorations may work a bit differently than some might expect and as such we would like to show you. To your own point, we have to manage expectations and I would hate to have me explain it since that won't really do it justice. You need to see it

 

More information on that coming soon™!

 

-eric

Let's make it simple: players won't have free item placement, then we might better not expect advanced features like roll or scale items.

To be clear features like above aren't mandatory and one could certainly end with a nicely furnished house without them.

Now from a player point of view, we know others games provides such features and even way more.

Sadly games who went the shorter route (like LotRo) disappointed the player base interested in such game play.

In the end it might hurt your player base more than not adding these.

Because once the feature is in game, players know the core design won't ever change.

Then you have them disappointed and everything you're going to write down won't change their opinion.

P.S.: Anyway thanks for the honest answer, appreciated

Let's make it simple: players won't have free item placement, then we might better not expect advanced features like roll or scale items.

 

To be clear features like above aren't mandatory and one could certainly end with a nicely furnished house without them.

 

Now from a player point of view, we know others games provides such features and even way more.

Sadly games who went the shorter route (like LotRo) disappointed the player base interested in such game play.

 

In the end it might hurt your player base more than not adding these.

Because once the feature is in game, players know the core design won't ever change.

Then you have them disappointed and everything you're going to write down won't change their opinion.

 

P.S.: Anyway thanks for the honest answer, appreciated

we better have a 90 degree turn, grid-style system, i can't imagine anything else besides some stupid pre-set thing. if they don't i am very certain it will hurt the population, but i am not sure he meant that we won't, only the situation is too complicated to explain without giving too much away or they are simply giving an excuse not to tell us because they know we want to know badly. by not telling us they set up for major anticipation, which gets people's interests. also, for some reason companies in every industry feels the need to not tell us everything in the beginning. mega bloks won't tell us their upcoming halo and call of duty sets until the next toy fair in new york, swtor is the same way. i've heard its because other companies steal ideas but i really have no frickin clue.

we better have a 90 degree turn, grid-style system, i can't imagine anything else besides some stupid pre-set thing. if they don't i am very certain it will hurt the population, but i am not sure he meant that we won't, only the situation is too complicated to explain without giving too much away or they are simply giving an excuse not to tell us because they know we want to know badly. by not telling us they set up for major anticipation, which gets people's interests. also, for some reason companies in every industry feels the need to not tell us everything in the beginning. mega bloks won't tell us their upcoming halo and call of duty sets until the next toy fair in new york, swtor is the same way. i've heard its because other companies steal ideas but i really have no frickin clue.

Well my guess is we'll have rotate function for item dropped on the floor but that's all, no Y axis setting and we'll have hooks for the walls even less scaling or roll.

Now, I might be wrong but the longest they keep from detailing the lack of flexibility the more they keep potential leaving players subbing. I mean the ones who are in for the palace reward.

All in all a $$$ move.

Smart.

Well my guess is we'll have rotate function for item dropped on the floor but that's all, no Y axis setting and we'll have hooks for the walls even less scaling or roll.

 

Now, I might be wrong but the longest they keep from detailing the lack of flexibility the more they keep potential leaving players subbing. I mean the ones who are in for the palace reward.

All in all a $$$ move.

Smart.

the hook thing sounds like a reasonable idea but i'm not sure we can predict that, considering variables like curved walls and connected walls at such an angle in which a piece on each might clip together. i am seriously hoping on huttesse rugs and those triangular tarps they have on the ceiling in hutt palaces. we already know rugs will be available because there was an imperial one in one of the very few pictures we have. i want my sky palace to look luxurious and frivolous, like any richer area on nar shaadda should be. i'm hoping for a Y axis, but with the size of that golden hut statue in the trailer i'd imagine only smaller items can be placed on the wall. even if some items on different walls clip, the versatility of a grid system would allow players to place it in a different place to avoid clipping, but curved walls probably will be free of items. hooks would make sense for the tarps, but i'd bet there would be pre-set areas where they could be put. the tarps i've seen are attached by ropes at the end, so i think those would be lengthenable to attach to the hooks. either that or hooks can be placed anywhere on a flat surface, save for the floor. then we could place them on the ceiling and let them hang down like i've seen.

i had subbed a few days after GSF, but i don't know if people still play because i stopped. other than adequate credits and experience, the only reward for completing missions and matches was for customizing ships, most of the customizations were completely cosmetic and only for CC. upgrades were costly and only usable in GSF, unlike pvp mods and other items. it got repetitive so i stopped, so now i only do wz, which i use to keep my adaptives up. despite also being repetitive, wz offer greater rewards. subbing is worth it, but contrary to a lot of people's belief, you don't have to be a sub to enjoy the game. preferred status is just great, subscription is perfect.

I'm a bit bummed conquest is just PvE.

This would be the PERFECT way to get open world pvp back on track.

Slap a small fort/outpost in each zone on a contested planet with a circle around it where you get auto flagged for combat and have factions duke it out for them and with them planetary control. The PvE quest thing can go on on uncontested planets. With the number of contested planets you have and the amount of capture points on each planet you could have faction imbalance and zerg rushing around would be more than adequately mitigated. 50 imps camping the dune sea outpost? Well us dozen reps are blitzing hoth then.

I'm a bit bummed conquest is just PvE.

 

This would be the PERFECT way to get open world pvp back on track.

 

Slap a small fort/outpost in each zone on a contested planet with a circle around it where you get auto flagged for combat and have factions duke it out for them and with them planetary control. The PvE quest thing can go on on uncontested planets. With the number of contested planets you have and the amount of capture points on each planet you could have faction imbalance and zerg rushing around would be more than adequately mitigated. 50 imps camping the dune sea outpost? Well us dozen reps are blitzing hoth then.

Well, they did not discard it all together. It is understandable that they want to avoid it given how people on PvE servers whine about getting killed in Rakghould Tunnels etc., but I think that there still might be room for PvP missions.

All that would be needed is to make those missions level based, so that there are no rewards for ganking low level players (and that there are rewards for killing players around your level), and all those "nasty PvPers" can do is annoy people by not letting them get to the objectives, and thus guiding guilds to do these things in groups, as it is meant to.

Actually did you read the FAQ? Because it clearly states decoration rewards will also come from pvp as well as pve

also, on flashpoints

Well, they did not discard it all together. It is understandable that they want to avoid it given how people on PvE servers whine about getting killed in Rakghould Tunnels etc., but I think that there still might be room for PvP missions.

All that would be needed is to make those missions level based, so that there are no rewards for ganking low level players (and that there are rewards for killing players around your level), and all those "nasty PvPers" can do is annoy people by not letting them get to the objectives, and thus guiding guilds to do these things in groups, as it is meant to.

rakghoul plague sucked, it made getting through alderaan even worse than it already was.

alderaan is the worst planet of all my opinion, and here is why i hate it:

soundtrack: some kind of odd rustic/medieval crap. they captured the feel of the planet with the music, which automatically made the music suck.

environment: the environment is earth-like, which lacks originality and wonder because we see earth all the time! the whole place is covered in snow, and the odd bluish white glow given off by the snow, sky, and artificial structures alike, all at once hurts my eyes.

global situation: noble houses, really?! why not LARP around with people in elf costumes? even if they made alderaan accurate to star wars, i still hate it. i hate the politics and the fact every damn thing on the walls, ceiling, or floor is either gold or red in color. everyone on the planet is either a killik joiner, a rich snob, or a backstabbing noble.

anywaym the people on alderaan have to get through their story lines, and it sure isn't fun when plague bearers jump out from under every vendor tent or other key location, express their dissatisfaction in you with a RAAAAWR that all enemy npcs make a variant of when you invade their personal space. the plague bearers then chase you on your mount for quite some distance. then you have to buy a 1250 credit vaccine to clean your wounds if you get bit, which sucks for 28-32ers who lack the income of the mainly 55ers who go to the event. the vaccine, despite lasting for at least an hour, doesn't last through death, unlike the plague itself.

sometimes, but rarely, pvpers will attack if they find you walking around flagged, so "nasty pvpers" can be used in the sense that they'll kill anyone they can a lot of times. usually two groups of enemy 55ers hang out at your faction's outpost, after killing every guardian NPC in the place. they usually sit around, loitering. you are safe so long as you don't think you can take out a lone 55er with the help of a few other mid-level players, because the friendlies around you die quick and there is always 1 to 2 stealthers nearby. you can't go to medcenter because you're AT the medcenter. so you spam your infinite medical probes, each with a bigger cooldown than the last, until you get over the sand dune, mount up, and ride like the wind! then you repair your 85% durability armor for most of your credits and learn from that experience.

i would like a "i just did something stupid, help me escape BW!" button usable instantly, but only when when flagged.

the only problem i had that was unsolvable, was on tat and i was doing a smuggler companion mission for corso. you always had to cross an imp outpost to get to it no matter what rout you took. i tried the probe-spamming technique, but the outpost guardians have extreme slows and stealth detection capable of seeing through probe stealth, disappearing act, and standard cloak, without saying so above their bars!!! they are all lined up perfectly as well!

sometimes, but rarely, pvpers will attack if they find you walking around flagged, so "nasty pvpers" can be used in the sense that they'll kill anyone they can a lot of times. usually two groups of enemy 55ers hang out at your faction's outpost, after killing every guardian NPC in the place. they usually sit around, loitering. you are safe so long as you don't think you can take out a lone 55er with the help of a few other mid-level players, because the friendlies around you die quick and there is always 1 to 2 stealthers nearby. you can't go to medcenter because you're AT the medcenter. so you spam your infinite medical probes, each with a bigger cooldown than the last, until you get over the sand dune, mount up, and ride like the wind! then you repair your 85% durability armor for most of your credits and learn from that experience.

 

i would like a "i just did something stupid, help me escape BW!" button usable instantly, but only when when flagged.

 

the only problem i had that was unsolvable, was on tat and i was doing a smuggler companion mission for corso. you always had to cross an imp outpost to get to it no matter what rout you took. i tried the probe-spamming technique, but the outpost guardians have extreme slows and stealth detection capable of seeing through probe stealth, disappearing act, and standard cloak, without saying so above their bars!!! they are all lined up perfectly as well!

I'm confused. If you died at a base were you not unflagged? Since I play on a pvp server idk how flagging works. If we have gankers we just have a call to arms and fight them off, usually tons of fun. Also you don't get repair bills from pvp so whatever you bill was came from pve deaths/fighting.

Also, where did you have to go on tat that you couldn't bypass an imp base? I'm not quite there on my scoundrel yet with Corso so idk. You should be able to bypass every imp base on tat.

I'm confused. If you died at a base were you not unflagged? Since I play on a pvp server idk how flagging works. If we have gankers we just have a call to arms and fight them off, usually tons of fun. Also you don't get repair bills from pvp so whatever you bill was came from pve deaths/fighting.

 

Also, where did you have to go on tat that you couldn't bypass an imp base? I'm not quite there on my scoundrel yet with Corso so idk. You should be able to bypass every imp base on tat.

It is around the location of the +3 Aim datacron on Tatooine, which is nested in canyon between two imp bases, and the only access to it is through either imp bases, or through Outlaws Den (see this map for the Datacron location to get the idea - http://www.swtor-spy.com/img/datacrons/51/Tatooine_datacron_Aim3_image_swtor_2011_12_22_12_41_26_721.jpg)

It is around the location of the +3 Aim datacron on Tatooine, which is nested in canyon between two imp bases, and the only access to it is through either imp bases, or through Outlaws Den (see this map for the Datacron location to get the idea - http://www.swtor-spy.com/img/datacrons/51/Tatooine_datacron_Aim3_image_swtor_2011_12_22_12_41_26_721.jpg)

Nope, there is a tunnel between Outlaws Den und the imp base, using it you can travel from the Dune Sea to the datacron without getting flagged - or getting killed.

It is around the location of the +3 Aim datacron on Tatooine, which is nested in canyon between two imp bases, and the only access to it is through either imp bases, or through Outlaws Den (see this map for the Datacron location to get the idea - http://www.swtor-spy.com/img/datacrons/51/Tatooine_datacron_Aim3_image_swtor_2011_12_22_12_41_26_721.jpg)

Nope tunnel just north of outpost Zaroshe. The imps often forget about this when we flank in wpvp

But you can get anywhere on the map without encountering Imperial base guards, well at least the areas you are supposed to go lol.

A few other things I have seen in the thread...

 

• Companions in Strongholds - I was able to talk to the Design team about this. Exactly how it will work is still being worked out. I will post about it in the future once things are a bit more locked down!
  
• Quick Travel - You can travel to your Stronghold anytime you can use Quick Travel currently. Also, as a subscriber you have a few options on where you can travel to from your Stronghold, including back to the coordinates you just came from.
  

-eric

Yes! Kotor nostalgia!! Thank you!!!!! I've thought of these 'strongholds' more as 'Wow! the Taris hideout is coming to the game!!!!' than 'YES!! Player housing!'

Nope tunnel just north of outpost Zaroshe. The imps often forget about this when we flank in wpvp

 

But you can get anywhere on the map without encountering Imperial base guards, well at least the areas you are supposed to go lol.

Huh, who said you cannot discover something new even when playing since Early Access Day 1

Conquering a planet is done through completion of Conquest Events, which are PvE Missions.

-eric

Will the pve conquest events be instanced?

Hello Eric and TOR team,

I am confused about alt characters. Can I have 1 apartment and have all my characters living there? Or since I'm a subscriber do I have 1 Nar Shadaa Skypalace per character?

Also (you don't have to answer this one just I case in someway it is a spoiler) will there be some form of a vendor to get your stronghold or will there be a mission?

I am really looking forward to this update it sounds AWESOME. I was a bit annoyed about pushback but the extra features level it out!

Thanks in advance

~oneofdacheeses

Hello Eric and TOR team,

I am confused about alt characters. Can I have 1 apartment and have all my characters living there? Or since I'm a subscriber do I have 1 Nar Shadaa Skypalace per character?

Also (you don't have to answer this one just I case in someway it is a spoiler) will there be some form of a vendor to get your stronghold or will there be a mission?

I am really looking forward to this update it sounds AWESOME. I was a bit annoyed about pushback but the extra features level it out!

Thanks in advance

 

~oneofdacheeses

Strongholds are legacy-wide, meaning that technically all your chracters can live in there. But as far as we know, you cannot place them inside, so only one of your characters will be visible there.

And there is both vendor and a mission to lead you to it