I know I'm gonna take heat for posting this, but I think it's time to get rid of the faction separation.

We can have both factions on the same account on the same server

We even need to have both factions on the same server just to get HK

We can craft, buy/sell for both factions via GTN

We have same-faction warzones pretty much since launch

We have free-for-all world pvp zones like Outlaws and Ilum

The whole Gree event is free-for-all with Imps killing Imps and Pubs killing Pubs.

And we all know that big faction battles are never gonna happen in SWTOR b/c of the engine problems.

Most big guilds have chapters on both sides and even some of the smaller ones have them now too.

In my guild, we all share the same vent, sometimes even when we are opposed in the same warzone.

We craft for both sides and we get mats from both sides for it.

We all got lots of friends on both sides of the server.

Reality is, that the same players play on both sides of every server.

So why keep all the inconveniences?

No friends list that includes both factions?

Can't mail to the other faction (unless it's your own legacy)?

Can't trade with them directly?

Can't whisper to them?

Here is an idea that I would think helps everyone.

Mixed faction warzones (Imps and Pubs on the same teams)

It would speed up the queues:

Wzs would be filled as they are queued rather than trying to get both faction teams filled separately.

It would also help pugs!

Right now, at certain times of the day, Pubs dominate and other times Imps do (not talking about premades, just quality of pug players). Mixed wzs would even that all out, giving pugs a better chance to have a balanced match.

Mixed faction ranked would also be much easier to organize. For example, if your Imp premade is missing a geared healer and a guildie has a scoundrel, boom premade good to go!

Really, same goes for PVE too:

The ops are already faction neutral, so if your raid is missing a tank and someone has one with the opposite faction, he could just use it and tank the ops.

I know the RP'ers will be opposed, and I don't mean to ruin their fun, so don't hate me!

By all means, keep the factions separated for RP servers, and also keep it for 1-49 class stories.

But the fact is that most subscribers are on PVP and PVE servers and don't RP.

For most of us the faction separation is just a big annoyance after 50 and serves no real purpose anymore.

i dont agree with same faction PvP, even in warzones. it was something i spoke out against pretty vehemently when it was first talked about before the game launched.

there should be a central, safe zone area where both factions can mingle. it breeds a better sense of community and competition. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

same faction pvp breeds contempt within your own faction. it completely undermines the idea that we are supposed to be at war with each other. its one of the stupidest decisions i think bioware made with this game; they were clearly copying other games verbatim and stuck a little to closely to the script

i dont agree with same faction PvP, even in warzones. it was something i spoke out against pretty vehemently when it was first talked about before the game launched.

 

there should be a central, safe zone area where both factions can mingle. it breeds a better sense of community and competition. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

 

same faction pvp breeds contempt within your own faction. it completely undermines the idea that we are supposed to be at war with each other. its one of the stupidest decisions i think bioware made with this game; they were clearly copying other games verbatim and stuck a little to closely to the script

I do agree with you.

If Bioware would have consistently separated the factions, that would have been better.

But because they did not, now it is just annoying to keep the inconveniences for no good reason.

All I'm saying is that we might as well make the best out of the current situation.

i dont agree with same faction PvP, even in warzones. it was something i spoke out against pretty vehemently when it was first talked about before the game launched.

 

there should be a central, safe zone area where both factions can mingle. it breeds a better sense of community and competition. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

 

same faction pvp breeds contempt within your own faction. it completely undermines the idea that we are supposed to be at war with each other. its one of the stupidest decisions i think bioware made with this game; they were clearly copying other games verbatim and stuck a little to closely to the script

But don't we have same faction pvp with the gree area on ilum, Tatooine, and on servers like JC where rebuplic outnumber the empire if they could not have WZ's vs other republics there would not be any. I am not trying to troll I just thought it was apart of the game already. I remember at launch the WZ were faction based (you never played vs your own faction but they patched because of population problems otherwise we would of had no Wz's).

I would of liked it better if the factions ment something but in the current state of the game it does not seem like it.

I agree with cash except I feel that huttball should be mixed faction. If the teams are REALLY drawn at random, they should reflect that =P

Otherwise cash is right.

i dont agree with same faction PvP, even in warzones. it was something i spoke out against pretty vehemently when it was first talked about before the game launched.

 

there should be a central, safe zone area where both factions can mingle. it breeds a better sense of community and competition. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

 

same faction pvp breeds contempt within your own faction. it completely undermines the idea that we are supposed to be at war with each other. its one of the stupidest decisions i think bioware made with this game; they were clearly copying other games verbatim and stuck a little to closely to the script

a thousand times this. it's one of the reasons i hate the new ilum. i dont want to go there fighting my own faction and making my would-be friends hate me

they have an opportunity to do it your way with hutt cartel. have one central hutt cartel city which both factions make their base of operations, with quarters for each specifically. then get rid of this free for all pvp crap and put in some real open world pvp areas that are cross faction only and allow companions.

disallowing companions in pvp areas is dumb. the entire point of companions is that they make up for your shortcomings as a trinity class, and as filler for teams that aren't a full 4 members. it's not like companions are op. my full augmented war hero jaesa duelled a full war hero player and only got him down 25% before he beat her.

i hope ilum 2.0 isnt a sign of things to come. what bioware thinks pvp needs, is not what pvp needs

i dont agree with same faction PvP, even in warzones. it was something i spoke out against pretty vehemently when it was first talked about before the game launched.

 

there should be a central, safe zone area where both factions can mingle. it breeds a better sense of community and competition. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

 

same faction pvp breeds contempt within your own faction. it completely undermines the idea that we are supposed to be at war with each other. its one of the stupidest decisions i think bioware made with this game; they were clearly copying other games verbatim and stuck a little to closely to the script

there would be no need for same faction pvp if BW would just alow cross server pvp ques

It's too late now, but given the number of servers, it would have been better if players could only create characters of one faction for each server...

Yup, that's true. I would have liked if BW kept the factions truly separate.

At launch, I felt like "Imp-for-Life" but now I don't really care which faction I'm playing, got friends on both sides, and sometimes I even forget which side I'm on.

Well, since we can't turn the clock back, OP's idea about mixed warzones isn't a bad one. It would probably help to even things out and would make it easier for rated teams to get going, especially since I don't think we will see cross-server pvp anytime soon, if ever.

At least whisper, mail, and friends lists should cross factions to make everyone's life a little easier.

The safe zone was supposed to be Nar Shaddaa, which is where the neutral GTN was as well. I admit that I was tired of Huttball after Huttball after Huttball because the opposite faction was essentially done for the night, leaving us with the same faction against each other. I still don't like facing my faction in warzones, but I suppose it's better than waiting for a half an hour ... just to play Huttball against my own faction. I also don't think that one should be able to play as both factions on the same server.

I understand what you are getting at, though I don't agree since there is a very clear line between the factions, and it would not make sense, in my opinion, to have them team up for anything.

...except maybe bounty hunters and smugglers. Why they are attuned to a specific faction and not a criminal organization other than for the class stories is beyond me.

But don't we have same faction pvp with the gree area on ilum, Tatooine, and on servers like JC where rebuplic outnumber the empire if they could not have WZ's vs other republics there would not be any. I am not trying to troll I just thought it was apart of the game already. I remember at launch the WZ were faction based (you never played vs your own faction but they patched because of population problems otherwise we would of had no Wz's).

 

I would of liked it better if the factions ment something but in the current state of the game it does not seem like it.

um, there IS same faction PVP in the gree area on Ilum. the southern half of the map makes you hostile to anyone you are not grouped with, regardless of faction.

as far as faction balance, in SWG (yes i know it sucked, but some elements were actually decent) the better PvPers would have toons on both sides of the GCW. so if battle started to get lopsided, they would switch to the underdogs and help balance the odds. i remember quite a few nights were the PvP went back and forth, mainly because we kept switching sides lol. i realize that does not hold to the "faction loyalty" aspect, but imo sense of community and play-ability should take priority.

keeping factions totally separate is a terrible decision imo. you essentially divide the population of any given server in half (or 60/40, 70/30, etc). if i were a developer, i dont know why i would willingly design the game so that players do not get to feel the actual size of their server. cross faction was one of the things that i took for granted in SWG, and is something that i definitely miss in this game.

we should have a neutral fleet. that would be amazing imo.

i do agree tho that the ship has sailed on the faction mechanics changing. we are stuck with what we've got, and faction in this game means nothing. your guild is basically your faction.

i do agree tho that the ship has sailed on the faction mechanics changing. we are stuck with what we've got, and faction in this game means nothing. your guild is basically your faction.

yeah that's how I feel too, its not factions but guilds now. My suggestion of mixed wzs is just an idea to make the best out of what we have right now.

A neutral fleet would be very cool too, but at least Bio could remove the obsolete faction restrictions i.e. friends list and such.

Well, honestly, it could be done and be done in such a way as to make everyone happy. Even the RPers.

Just end the war.

With the end of the war, you would light/dark sided sith/jedi roaming the galaxy, operatives/smugglers applying their skills in peace time, and BH/Troopers roaming the galaxy looking for work with the possibility of teaming up with people that you previously would have fought.

Original poster ,this is so terrible i am not even sure you are serious.

In a story driven game rep and imp on the same side in warzones ? Worst idea ever on these forums.

If this goes live i am unsubscribing,uninstalling the game and destroying my computer .Seriously.

This is the worst idea in the history of gaming ideas and ideas in general.

I can't warp my mind what manner of thinking is needed to come up with something like that.

Do you even know what this game is ,what Star Wars is, and what events the different warzones represent?I mean seriously...

Saw some people agreeing with these kind of ideas... *** is this? What is the world coming to? GM pls delete this thread.

Since they changed mercenary tracer missile animation i am afraid to see any absolute pile of nonsense and crap on the forums that normally is going to be ignored with a giggle ,because Bioware may take it seriously and change something in the game.

: /

Original poster ,this is so terrible i am not even sure you are serious.

 

In a story driven game rep and imp on the same side in warzones ? Worst idea ever on these forums.

 

If this goes live i am unsubscribing,uninstalling the game and destroying my computer .Seriously.

 

This is the worst idea in the history of gaming ideas and ideas in general.

 

I can't warp my mind what manner of thinking is needed to come up with something like that.

 

Do you even know what this game is ,what Star Wars is, and what events the different warzones represent?I mean seriously...

 

Saw some people agreeing with these kind of ideas... *** is this? What is the world coming to? GM pls delete this thread.

 

Since they changed mercenary tracer missile animation i am afraid to see any absolute pile of nonsense and crap on the forums that normally is going to be ignored with a giggle ,because Bioware may take it seriously and change something in the game.

: /

Lol dude, I'm not responsible for what Bioware has done, I'm just spelling out what everyone knows already.

So don't shoot the messenger!

Outside of RP, the factions don't exist anymore. Bioware is not gonna reverse that, in fact they are more and more muddling things between the factions, like the free-for-all pvp in the Gree event.

So we can either keep pretending and put up with the obsolete little inconveniences or we can accept reality and make the best out of it. And that's why I made my suggestions, sorry if that upset you.

Well, honestly, it could be done and be done in such a way as to make everyone happy. Even the RPers.

 

Just end the war.

 

With the end of the war, you would light/dark sided sith/jedi roaming the galaxy, operatives/smugglers applying their skills in peace time, and BH/Troopers roaming the galaxy looking for work with the possibility of teaming up with people that you previously would have fought.

Pretty cool idea, it would work with the reality of the game and solve rp problems at the same time!

I know I'm gonna take heat for posting this, but I think it's time to get rid of the faction separation.

 

We can have both factions on the same account on the same server

We even need to have both factions on the same server just to get HK

We can craft, buy/sell for both factions via GTN

We have same-faction warzones pretty much since launch

We have free-for-all world pvp zones like Outlaws and Ilum

The whole Gree event is free-for-all with Imps killing Imps and Pubs killing Pubs.

And we all know that big faction battles are never gonna happen in SWTOR b/c of the engine problems.

 

Most big guilds have chapters on both sides and even some of the smaller ones have them now too.

In my guild, we all share the same vent, sometimes even when we are opposed in the same warzone.

We craft for both sides and we get mats from both sides for it.

We all got lots of friends on both sides of the server.

Reality is, that the same players play on both sides of every server.

 

So why keep all the inconveniences?

 

No friends list that includes both factions?

Can't mail to the other faction (unless it's your own legacy)?

Can't trade with them directly?

Can't whisper to them?

 

Here is an idea that I would think helps everyone.

 

Mixed faction warzones (Imps and Pubs on the same teams)

 

It would speed up the queues:

Wzs would be filled as they are queued rather than trying to get both faction teams filled separately.

It would also help pugs!

Right now, at certain times of the day, Pubs dominate and other times Imps do (not talking about premades, just quality of pug players). Mixed wzs would even that all out, giving pugs a better chance to have a balanced match.

 

Mixed faction ranked would also be much easier to organize. For example, if your Imp premade is missing a geared healer and a guildie has a scoundrel, boom premade good to go!

 

Really, same goes for PVE too:

The ops are already faction neutral, so if your raid is missing a tank and someone has one with the opposite faction, he could just use it and tank the ops.

 

I know the RP'ers will be opposed, and I don't mean to ruin their fun, so don't hate me!

By all means, keep the factions separated for RP servers, and also keep it for 1-49 class stories.

But the fact is that most subscribers are on PVP and PVE servers and don't RP.

For most of us the faction separation is just a big annoyance after 50 and serves no real purpose anymore.

no. The factions are the essence of star wars.

I know it's already been said, but aren't the factions the essence of Star Wars? I mean, take that faction seperation away, and what are u left with as far as story in the game.... It would just be completely generic at that point. Maybe if they bought in the yuuzahn vong for some flashpoints, ops, or a future planet expansion, but other than that fighting alongside a Sorc with my Vanguard would kind of break it for me.

The other thing is, I think allowing more free communication and mingling of the factions would really bring out the worst in people. Having spent a good bit of time on Ilum for the gree event and witnessed the ganking and forced flagging in the PvE area, the jumping of solo players or other groups for no reason other than to grief in the PvP area, and the animosity and hate in gen chat within the same faction, I can only imagine what it would be like with both factions.

Now, I just want to add something before the whole "you're in a PvP area, expect to get killed" crowd jumps in. The vast majority of actual PvP in the PvP zone was not fighting over objectives or for any in game reward... It was jumping and griefing people who were either already engaged in combat vs. NPCs (that the attacker could not get credit for since it was owned by the people fighting it first) or you just happened upon and they had a smaller group than your own.

. we should be able to talk to the other faction freely through whispers, mails, etc. guilds should be able to be multi-faction if they choose to be.

Oh you cant even imagine the s.h.i.t.storm this would cut loose. <shudders when remembering the irc-chat for Dark Age of camelot>.