The question of the month: Will you keep your subscription up? and why?

It's all a matter of perspective. You're viewing from a game perspective, I view it from a first-person roleplay, story perspective. After all, that's why I play and love BioWare games. The 3PS aspect of the gameplay is the awesome part. I wouldn't be as happy if it was just an interactive cinematic like FF XIII.



If you choose to view it that way, sure. I can't change your mind. That's totally up to you.



There are many, including myself, who play BioWare games for story first. BioWare has made NO ATTEMPT to hide the fact that TOR is for those players. If you're not one, it's not your fault. But nor is BioWare lacking anything. It's just a difference. No one's "wrong"...



Possibly. Again, I can't comment. Didn't play. Too much needless, unnecessary blood that you couldn't turn off in Options...

So apparently you're in favor of turning video games into just plain video, because that's the way they're headed.

At what point do you draw the line? The next thing on the chopping block is branching storylines, which we already see in TOR and ME3.

Pro tip: Stories end. Good gameplay ensures longevity.

Stories end, eh? For an MMO, though? People are complaining that once their story "ends" at 50, it's over. Obviously, they think it shouldn't. Gameplay? Of course it should be a part of endgame. I think that BioWare, like every other MMO developer to date, underestimated the number of players that refuse to play the storylines. A mistake they are quickly correcting.

And it doesn't. Development on Chapter 4 of all 8 storylines is well underway. Didn't you notice that once you reach 50, your screen says "Interlude"?

And, no, not just plain video. Again, that's pretty much what FF XIII is, and I hated it, and so did a LOT of people. However, Mass Effect trilogy, KotORs 1 and 2 (2 is by Obsidian, I know, but BioWare already had much of the groundwork laid before handing it off to Obsidian. And don't forget LucasArts...)

So, no, plain video? No. And TOR is a far cry from "plain video"...

People are complaining at 50 because once you get to 50, you spend a week or two getting nearly the best gear available, repeatedly playing the same warzone or LFG FP in fleet for hours, and then it's over unless you're really into hard mode+ raiding.

The gameplay in SWTOR isn't good enough, and it might not matter if the story wasn't boring and completely linear (and a minority of levelling content too).

I remember at least a handful of instances in Mass Effect where I cried, burst out cheering/laughing, or had to get up and take a walk to really consider what I was about to do in the game.

I didn't feel a single thing playing the story in SWTOR because they tore the soul out of choice and consequence... and made uninspired generic characters I couldn't care less about. Wait, that's not true... I did feel anger and resentment at my stupid companions and their whiny insignificant problems. Probably not what they were going for though.

I just have to say, did the mods just clean out most of the "I cancelled my sub, etc etc" posts? because all I see are the supportive posts. I swear not all of them were non-constructive, I suppose you have to protect the image of the game eh?

You're still missing one big thing. The very thing that BioWare has stated was one of the engame activities for this MMO, and even stated that it wouldn't be for everyone: Experiencing the other 7 unique storylines. That, itself, is MONTHS worth of gaming.

I have 11 characters. Two at 50, two at 42, the rest done with Chapter One, and even replaying my favorite storylines on another server with another 3 characters. And I'm NOT the minority here.

I've played KotOR 12 times. KotOR2 8 times. Mass Effect several times, Mass Effect 2 a few times, and currently replaying both Mass Effect 1 and 2 to play 3. Again, MILLIONS of people have done the same.

The fact is, BioWare storytelling, by itself, has replay value, much less playing 8 characters to 50 for the 40% unique, non-repeated class storyline.

BioWare has stated for literally YEARS that this is the gameplay at endgame to be expected. YEARS. And people are acting surprised now? That perplexes me to no end.

If people can't see the value in that, then BioWare has already acknowleged, years ago, that this isn't the game for you. Personally, I don't see the reason to bash a game for delivering EXACTLY what they said they would for the last 4 years. I don't see it all.

You keep touting the stories like they're the main content in the game, except you keep ignoring the fact that the storytelling in this game is miles inferior to previous BioWare titles. It's not worth repeating like BioWare Edmonton titles. It is devoid of emotion, and completely generic like every other MMO.

Storytelling is the fourth pillar in this MMO (and I hesistate to call it one). Not the first. It's not good enough to stand on its own. Period.

This game reeks of Mythic.