The Planets Feel Too Static

It's not about loading screens. It's about world design. It just feels static and artificial.

I agree that the planets feel static. They should have taken some of the "ideals" from SWG's planets and left it an open planet to explore. I remember on one of the planets that I would have to traverse 1000's of kms just to get to my guild leaders town... You cant really traverse any distance on these planets. Sectioning off the rest of the planet from what the mission areas are, is kind of lazy in my opinion. The graphics look great however.

Planets are (story)quest maze prisons not planets. Why do you think they were planets? Walls, hills, invisible walls,static units, taxi lines.. Everything on the planet feels its made with a done with a straightedge. Also the colors on most planets like Taris and Corellia are to greyish. Not the kind of thing were you can imagine flying over with your spaceship.
I really hope it changes and they become more like real planets, more openly and with a lot of nature and more beauty, like in SWG for example but then better ofc .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fef53yw3XKw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGOseZzY5E

I read an article about the hero engine and how easy it is to implement day/night cycles. It's a toggle!

Also the game suffers from almost total lack of ambience sounds. Some planets have literally zero sounds in the background. That's a big deal.

agreed, lack of day/night cycle and weather really kill the feel of the planets for me. It's sad that in a lot of ways they feel less real than the zones in EQ did a decade ago.

I agree with this. All I hear is my footsteps!

Also, do you think the cover mechanic has a part to play in corridor like fighting?

What they need is more phasing - so that the worlds actually change visually to reflect your accomplishments. You know ... when you drive Imperials away from this block of the city (story wise), you should be transferred to a new phase where we see Republic soldiers marching the streets, old banners replaced by those of your own faction, etc.

I think this, beyond all else, is what contributes to the static feel of the worlds - the game is very story driven, yet irregardless of what the story tells you, it's all the same. Even after driving the enemy off the planet, story wise, in game everything looks just the same as it did when you arrived - enemy mobs all over the place, your forces pinned down in some trenches, etc.

They honestly should have taken a page out of WoW on this one, especially given how story driven the content is. And while it does create some problems like people in different phases not being able to group up until the one behind catches up, story wise, it would have been HUGE for immersion, vital even I'd say.

Cosmetic stuff like livelier NPCs and day/night cycles would have been nice, but this, above all else, contributes to the worlds feeling static - because they are. Instead of changing according to your journey and accomplishments, they always remain the same.

Funny how ya never miss a sunset until you don't get them anymore. That day/night cycle while doesn't impact the game play sure does impact the feel of the world.

Agreed. This game have stunning graphic but lack the ambent feel to it.
In aoc (sry for comparing to other mmo games, many ppl hate it ) there were alot of ambient stuff and critter wid life.
Swg and wow even have this. Tho in thise games, ambient stuff was not stunning ofc i know that but it was there atleast.
And if i remember correctly lotro and gw had this too...

Can only hope that this will be implemented at some point