SWTOR: Theme-park MMO design. End of the road?

Depends what genre the game is. MMO(RPGS) fit sandboxes better than singleplayer games which favor theme park. Star Wars for example fits a sandbox much better than a themepark. You can say SWG was one and failed a bit but the sandbox thing was the sole reason left why it was good it had a lot of bad gameplay and other issues what was the reason why it was going down.

IF SWTOR was a sandbox with good pve, pvp, good freedom good gameplay no issues like: you must farm alignment/affection with YOUR SENTENCES in order to get gear(a huge attack on freedom), the insane bug list, the maze like planets or any of the other issues also discussed largely on the forum. Then swtor was the best mmo ever. In SWTOR the themepark factor is so explicitly present that its not even a themepark but a railtrack in it.

And sandbox or themepark doesn't decide if it is good game. There can be unlimited of other things that makes or break a game. A good game has no issues!

Please link me a viable one button macro for a MM hunter in WoW 4.x.

What, just spam SS? What about your MMM procs, and your ISS buff? And hard casting Aimed under dynamic haste effects?

If you think you can one button macro modern day wow you have no idea how the class mechanics work.

This is subjective. YOU say it's worse others don't. Fact is you can't please everyone and BioWare has pushed the idea of playing the different classes to get the whole picture. Players want to suck up as much content with one character and then complain the others are the same. If people expected a whole set of different quests outside of the class quests for each class they should also expect to be disappointed.

All the talk about how you CAN go different zones to level in WoW players still ended up in the same zones doing the same quests on multiple characters and yet they don't complain. Hell I know a guy that made 5 hunters.

The thing is people are having fun. You may not but the thing is BioWare never lied to you. They said 200hrs of content per character. So you found a way to do it in 125hrs. Big deal. They designed it more for people who like to play alts and want to experience the various stories.

Do you know someone asked me on one of my characters why I'm not leveling faster? I was like why? Not because I believe there's nothing to do at level 50 but why should you care how fast I'm leveling. They don't even know if I have a level 50 already or not. I'm not complaining that I'm bored, I'm not complaining that there's nothing to do, I'm not complaining about anything. I log on talk some smack with friends, run some warzones, act the fool in General Chat, help guildies, try to figure out how the hell did those guys get up there (still annoying me that I haven't figured that out yet) or anything I feel like doing.

There are things to do at level 50 it's IF you want to do them. If you don't and also don't want to make an alt then this game probably isn't for you and I don't understand why that is a bad thing.


Does Equis Amber FTW!
But this is so true. I would consider myself this type of casual player. I played FFXI for 20hrs one day just to gain one level... Then grabbed the same group cause we ironed out our system and did it again the next day in 15 hrs, and the next day in 18hrs. 3 levels in 3 days a total of 53hrs. I'm not doing that crap again... EVER...


You're talking about playing the class to the maximum potential. Even in SW:TOR you can't do that with one button. The Average WoW player can copy a one button macro and play and do ok. Doesn't make them "l33t" but neither does one buttoning in SW:TOR.

Point: It CAN be done.

/agree

Its not the Themepark design but the lack of all the social content mmo's have brought to the table. Nuances such as your character animating while you simply chat to others or *kicks dead horse* sitting in chairs with other people.

Designs for players do procedures to make things better such as experimenting while crafting to possibly pump up the stats a bit. The crafting isn't really all that bad it's just not yours but your companion's. I think it would feel better if the main crafting profession was yours and the player did the crafting instead of your companion. (even though it has your name on the item) Decorating the ship with sit-able chairs, couches, beds, tables, console, perhaps some sort of a ambient light. Getting mail in your ship would be nice too. Allowing up to sixteen people in your ship would be fantastic.

Is the Hero engine capable?

Another idea would be to place high level content on every planet. Get everyone everywhere. But that's another thought.

I ban ru!

-----------------------------end of rhine

Blizzard turned your favorite Mom & Pop burger and fries diner into McDonalds and introduced it to the masses. MMO's will never be the same now, unfortunately.

Great post though, OP.

I almost totally disagree with the OP, at least on the basis of time and content for this game.

SWTOR is a hideously bad example of how to make a themepark MMO. There is so much development spread so thin with the eight class quests going in a chain right the way through the game, and then 'finishing' at level 50, with what is essentially no max level content.

It's just a leveling engine, basically.

It would be very easy with a bit of clear, basic planning to do a hell of a lot better. =/'

AS may other posters already said, GW2 is taking - theoretically - the leap you are sugesting, incorporating a "mix" of typicl theme park MMOs and sandboxes. Staged beta is coming and people will be able to have an idea if ANet will indeed deliver on the features they are proud to announce.

I am not sure SW:ToR will survive with a healthy playerbase the Diablo 3 and GW2 release. For the many reasons already know, and specially because they are going to loose the vast majorityof their disheartened PvP player base. Because one thing is for sure: GW2 WILL have better PvP than SW:ToR. Its not hard to offer a better PvP experience than SW:ToR and, well, its a PvP centric game. If ANet cant get a better PVP experience comparing to TOR, in a PVP centric game they may as well close their doors.

GW2 wont be the third coming, but I bet the PvP will be better than TORs. And that is gonna cost BW.

Uh, the whole topic is about the fact that a sandbox makes for a better game, also, all games have issues even those rated a 10. I will just point out Skyrim to illustrate that so thats a non-starter.

I still dont see an answer to my central question which was why sandbox MMO's fail consistently when put on the market.

Funny, that's exactly why i'm leaving SWTOR when it comes out. I'm just sick and tired of the same old gear grind. I'd rather play for fun.