Introduction Firstly, I'm here to announce that these threads that SWTOR is getting "killed" or that it needs "saving" or how these discouraging announcements is going to make you leave just needs to stop. Seriously. I get that the General Discussion is the hub for QQing but it's not necessary, and it might get BioWare to implement something into the game that won't be good. I just hope BioWare isn't listening to any recommendations made by these QQers.

 

Secondly, I hope some of you out there do know some of the exact reasons what may be holding SWTOR back, and what steps BioWare needs to take in order to improve the community, community relations, SWTOR, etc. I will go on about this down below.

 

Missions And Grinding Now it's not that SWTOR is dying; it's not that BioWare is incompetent; it's not that this game needs to be saved. One of the main problems with SWTOR is that all of these missions and content are rinse and repeat. This has definitely discouraged me from playing alts and just leveling via WZs because the missions get so repetitive and boring. We want these side and story quests to have a great(er) influence on our gameplay and that they're so innovative that they won't feel like we're doing boring chores. And eventually, you get to endgame and you'll notice more of the grinding to get better gear. Now let's face it; many of the MMOs out there can be quite a grind but SWTOR is one of the lucky few games to be one of the most successful of its genre (that is not F2P at the moment, too ).

 

SWTOR needs different missions with more quality that don't make it feel so repetitive, and there needs to be more convenient ways to travel throughout planets to missions that don't make you go around and around making it feel like such a chore (Belsavis, honestly, makes it feel like such a chore because of all the missions that make you go around and around the whole area). There needs to be more innovation in these missions instead of kill X amount of characters while destroying Y amount of armaments (while looting Z amount of packages). Not only that, but the content already added into SWTOR needs to expand and to include better incentives. I'd want to feel the excitement of going back to an older planet because BioWare implemented a type of system or missions that make me want to go back. I wouldn't want to go back as much if I had to do a stupid Weekly just to kill a WB—not another rinse and repeat mission, none of that bullcrap.

 

Electronic Arts Another thing that is holding BioWare and SWTOR back is EA. EA is known for being very greedy and has mentioned in the past that SWTOR won't be in it's Top 5 games. If SWTOR isn't in EA's Top 5, then many resources from the game's developers can get cut. That's not a loss to only BioWare, but us gamers and even EA itself—EA is just too stupid enough to realize that because of their selfish and greedy goals. They even placed the SimCity over SWTOR, can you believe that bs?! I don't know what can be done about this controlling publishing company, but we need something done in order to make SWTOR one of the company's top priorities. I'm saying this about EA because some people shouldn't be placing all of their blame on BioWare, but some on EA, too. We can't forget how distasteful these guys are.

 

Customer Service & Communication We need you, BioWare, to be more on-the-top of things with SWTOR's maintenance and your communication with the community. We also need Customer Service to be more reliable because we have players everyday who need help with issues and you need to show them you're committed to keeping every subscriber you have. I cannot stress this enough, because if you guys are honest and update us quickly not just on Twitter (be aware I don't and never will use Twitter), but your Facebook page, and your website by using your homepage and adding new features to your website so we can see warnings and urgent announcements, our community will be up-to-date on whatever is going on with SWTOR or what's going to happen before we get surprised and QQ in the General Discussion.

 

If you guys start taking responsibility and take the initiative to show us you care, are going to be on the top of things, be honest and improve your Customer Service area we will be content. It'll make it easier on not only us, but you guys as well.

 

This "Fourth Pillar" Now, I'm curious. What do you all think BioWare needs to do with this "fourth pillar"? "Remove it", focus less on it, or add more to it? I really think BioWare needs to balance out these pillars and just focus a bit less on the Story Pillar. It's not that it isn't necessary. Clearly, it kinda is because that is one priority BioWare made to us players before SWTOR was released, but eventually, a story has gotta end somewhere and we'll end up going through the rinse and repeat process with the content that you've left us. We don't want to go through the same FPs and WZs and same content that will diminish the re-playability of this game.

 

The Pillars' Checks & Balances Please, BioWare, I urge you to make a "checks & balances" system with these pillars and make sure you can pull off making exploration entertaining and surprising. Give players the initiative to want to go and explore more parts of the planets and make tricks to discover special Codexes and Datacrons, etc.

 

Expand on not only on instanced combat but Open World PvP combat, too. You should give players reasons to want to go and invade Imperial bases and capture objectives that give players many incentives like Planetary and Planetary System buffs. Here's a link I have to a great thread which may be a bit outdated; however, it's still a great read and should still be discussed (watch out because it's a huge discussion thread!!).

 

Now Progression is another Pillar that we need for both PvP and PvE. Progression will keep players into the game, but please you've got make sure you get this grinding feeling out of your players. As long as players feel like they're going to be grinding more and more, players will play less and less and eventually unsubscribe. I'll be adding more to this down below.

 

"The Quality and Re-playability Pillars" In order to diminish grinding significantly, you've got to focus on the Quality Pillar. Sure you're going to want to add quantity for content-heavy patches, but we got to balance this out so we don't have players burning through the content. More quality could also mean increasing the difficulty and making players think more throughout missions. The more creative and original you are here, the better the Progression and Story Pillars will be.

 

Focusing on the Re-playability Pillar will also benefit us players greatly because players won't feel like they won't be playing the same thing over and again. We need to also diminish the feeling of the rinse and repeat process or otherwise, our players will eventually stop supporting SWTOR.

 

Now I'd call these Pillars the "Pseudo-Pillars" because they aren't the Pillars I feel like BioWare has announced to us, but if BioWare takes the initiative to focus their attention on these Pseudo-Pillars then SWTOR can grow into the game that everyone wants it to be.

 

Hubs and Social Content Now this is another topic I cannot stress enough. Players have been asking for you to improve the Fleet so players won't look like they're just staring into space; players have been asking for mini-games like Paazak and even a stadium for bets in Huttball; players have been urging you to improve all the social aspects of SWTOR. Seriously, I really think this is something that you guys need to work on and continually inform players on because if you don't, players will just be sitting in the Fleet talking about politics, spamming about Jawas or standing there staring into space (this happens a lot on The Fatman).

 

We have Cantinas but all I see them good for is to rest your XP. This kind of has an effect on the Exploration Pillar because we want more hubs whether they're easy to walk into in-game or may take time to discover. These rooms, mazes, buildings can be hidden and could eventually be used as hubs for communities, guilds or just players grouping up for anything.

 

Endgame Incentives Now, I'd like to add that the game needs more incentives to go back to older planets. I feel like once you reach endgame, nothing you went through while leveling really matters anymore. This, I believe, really needs to change. We need expansions to this content that's been available to us since the start or otherwise, it'll make SWTOR look and feel very small once your at endgame. Please do make sure these expansions on older content is qualitative too, because I don't want to feel the repetitiveness whenever I do missions for an alt. Maybe this thread can explain more.

 

Conclusion I believe I mentioned everything I wanted to into what isn't killing SWTOR, but what's holding it back and what BioWare needs to do in order to make the game improve and progress in playability, in social and regular content and in business by receiving more subscribers. We just have to hope EA doesn't hold them back from making SWTOR the better MMO it can be.

 

I'll still be continuing to subscribe, however, and for many reasons, too.

Edited July 17, 2012 by HomicidalWhales

I agree with practically everything you have stated.

 

I believe they need to focus more and more on the Story/levelling content in the game, they need to implement even more innovative ways of playing the story content.

this topic is new and exciting. Bioware is so happy to have so many developers play the game.

this topic is new and exciting. Bioware is so happy to have so many developers play the game.

 

Agreed, I would like to add that I think it would be in the games best interest if they put some of these developer into the project while moving some of the original ones.

I agree with practically everything you have stated.

 

I believe they need to focus more and more on the Story/levelling content in the game, they need to implement even more innovative ways of playing the story content.

Thank you! I felt like a lot of people here were trying to say this to BioWare all along, but I just found the best way to put it for everyone to read. I really think they should lessen up on the Story Pillar just a bit so they can focus on those who are looking for qualitative content. I just don't want BioWare risking one Pillar for the other, but if they end up reading this hopefully they find a way to intertwine both to perfect this MMO.

Nice post and it must have taken you a long time but it's a real shame Bioware don't listen they like to think they do but really they don't also with there game engine and client that is causing more issues than it's worth it's just not about the content it's also about how there client and engine work and lot's of players have quit because of this also the Australian place Vocus that hosts the Asia-Pacific servers needs a shake up or Bioware should find a new host.

 

Now with there game client if it finds another program accessing the same port it will throw a massive hissy fit and cause the game to jump into a latency frenzy and just pretty much shut it self off and not try and reroute packets and when this happends the packets are lost and your in game latency will jump to the 100's of thousands are bioware aware of this YES do they care nah it's just coming down to what we already know lazy dev teams not pulling there weight and taking short cuts well Bioware look at the results SWTOR is on a down hill ride and it's a free ride all the way to the bottom.

Does everyone who plays this game have a degree in game design?

 

I see more self appointed designers in this game than any other...

 

The bold statement in the topic is enough to make me roll my eyes...You...a player, knows all of what's going on, what's being planned behind the scenes enough to say what steps Bioware needs to take...It's nearly laughable.

 

Anyways just something that has been annoying me and when I saw your topic I had to say something.

Does everyone who plays this game have a degree in game design?

 

I see more self appointed designers in this game than any other...

 

The bold statement in the topic is enough to make me roll my eyes...You...a player, knows all of what's going on, what's being planned behind the scenes enough to say what steps Bioware needs to take...It's nearly laughable.

 

Anyways just something that has been annoying me and when I saw your topic I had to say something.

 

I disagree, if some pays a sub they should be able to speak their mind and suggest ways on which they believe will improve the game. What harm could come from someone saying what they believe will improve the game?

Does everyone who plays this game have a degree in game design?

 

I see more self appointed designers in this game than any other...

 

The bold statement in the topic is enough to make me roll my eyes...You...a player, knows all of what's going on, what's being planned behind the scenes enough to say what steps Bioware needs to take...It's nearly laughable.

 

Anyways just something that has been annoying me and when I saw your topic I had to say something.

Well I don't have a degree in anything. I'm just a kid. Yup, honestly, just a kid making bold yet statements that most of the community may agree with.

 

To each their own. I can't make you agree with me, but as fans we need to make sure that BioWare is taking a step in the right direction because I think one thing players have had enough of is all these random, unscheduled maintenance times.

 

Roll your eyes all you want, but at least I'm being mature about it and not QQing. At least I'm analytic enough to give BioWare great constructive criticism to heed.

I would say the need to shift away from story at least the side story.

 

 

They need to make your main class story very very good and then go basic with all the other story stuff. It just costs to much for the speed that players play threw it.

 

Most people don't really care about anything other then the main class arc. So spend the money to make the awsome then go cheap on the side quests so more addition re-peatable content can be made.

 

I pretty sure most of the game budget game from EA. You can leave EA but your budget drops without their deep deep pockets

Edited July 17, 2012 by Lt_Latency

I like how you've put your thoughts together, and I agree with you to an extent. When I read this though, I see between the lines ANOTHER thinly veiled "Make this game into SWG".

I like how you've put your thoughts together, and I agree with you to an extent. When I read this though, I see between the lines ANOTHER thinly veiled "Make this game into SWG".

Honestly, I'm pretty young so I've never gotten the chance to play or ever see any gameplay from SWG. So don't worry, my thoughts aren't putting it like that.

Does everyone who plays this game have a degree in game design?

 

I see more self appointed designers in this game than any other...

 

The bold statement in the topic is enough to make me roll my eyes...You...a player, knows all of what's going on, what's being planned behind the scenes enough to say what steps Bioware needs to take...It's nearly laughable.

 

Anyways just something that has been annoying me and when I saw your topic I had to say something.

 

By Gosh if not for my kids, I'd kick my wife to the curb sale all my crap pack up and move to a town with a killer programming college. I'd make the best darn game anyone ever seen!!! I've tried to learn on my own but I'm 40 years old I dont have the friends that into this to help out like younger people. I've told my wife this! lol She said she would help me pack! lol:D

I was almost in agreement with the OP until I read the following:

 

"This "Fourth Pillar" Now, I'm curious. What do you all think BioWare needs to do with this "fourth pillar"? "Remove it", focus less on it, or add more to it? I really think BioWare needs to balance out these pillars and just focus a bit less on the Story Pillar. It's not that it isn't necessary. Clearly, it kinda is because that is one priority BioWare made to us players before SWTOR was released, but eventually, a story has gotta end somewhere and we'll end up going through the rinse and repeat process with the content that you've left us. We don't want to go through the same FPs and WZs and same content that will diminish the re-playability of this game."

 

If I understand that correctly, you are saying LESS story. Sorry, but the thing that had me most interested in SWTOR was the story element. You say that "the story must end somewhere". Why? Chapters end. A movie might end. But the story could go on for (in theory) forever. Perhaps you mean ONLY the FP and OPs and WZs. If that is the case, I partially agree. I think MORE FPs, OPs and WZs would be a better thing. However, I think that BW ultimately needs to add MORE Chapters to the character questline and not less or none.

I was almost in agreement with the OP until I read the following:

 

"This "Fourth Pillar" Now, I'm curious. What do you all think BioWare needs to do with this "fourth pillar"? "Remove it", focus less on it, or add more to it? I really think BioWare needs to balance out these pillars and just focus a bit less on the Story Pillar. It's not that it isn't necessary. Clearly, it kinda is because that is one priority BioWare made to us players before SWTOR was released, but eventually, a story has gotta end somewhere and we'll end up going through the rinse and repeat process with the content that you've left us. We don't want to go through the same FPs and WZs and same content that will diminish the re-playability of this game."

 

If I understand that correctly, you are saying LESS story. Sorry, but the thing that had me most interested in SWTOR was the story element. You say that "the story must end somewhere". Why? Chapters end. A movie might end. But the story could go on for (in theory) forever. Perhaps you mean ONLY the FP and OPs and WZs. If that is the case, I partially agree. I think MORE FPs, OPs and WZs would be a better thing. However, I think that BW ultimately needs to add MORE Chapters to the character questline and not less or none.

In a way, I don't want them focusing too much on the Story Pillar that will eventually make us end up on the rinse and repeat process again. It's not that I don't want any of it, but that they need to be careful how to balance it out with the other Pillars so us gamers always have something in-game to switch to and have fun with it.

 

Not only that but this is Star Wars. Star Wars should be a never-ending story. If they focus too much on the Story Pillar, I think we'd end up with content that we'll eventually burn out and be replaying over and over again.

 

With this Story Pillar and what BioWare wanted to do with it in an MMO, they currently did it by mixing oil and water. I just think they need to balance out all these Pillars in order to give us the right amount of content that's qualitative enough time-wise and story-wise. I wouldn't like to be playing the same FPs, Ops and WZs over and over again after I've finished the new story content BioWare gave me. That's what I feel like I've been doing atm, and BioWare should fix that for all of us so it doesn't feel like a rinse and repeat process with the existing content.

Correction: EA doesn't consider SWTOR among their Top 10 priorities, not Top 5. Incredibly discouraging that EA is leaving nothing more than a skeleton crew to keep SWTOR running, and completely disregard the massive money-making opportunities arise with an MMO of this caliber from such well-known company.

The management team on SWTOR has been failing since day 1. One idiotic decision after another (seriously, bring servers down for a 4 hour maintenance on a Thursday to fix 1 tiny bug about augment display that no one even knew existed). There are things like this that are keeping people away from the game and aren't bothering to invest of themselves in it.

I keep one foot in and one out the door because I would rather play this game whenever I'm bored, instead of committing all my gaming-time to it and end up being horribly disappointed, as we all have in recent years by both BioWare and EA.

Correction: EA doesn't consider SWTOR among their Top 10 priorities, not Top 5. Incredibly discouraging that EA is leaving nothing more than a skeleton crew to keep SWTOR running, and completely disregard the massive money-making opportunities arise with an MMO of this caliber from such well-known company.

The management team on SWTOR has been failing since day 1. One idiotic decision after another (seriously, bring servers down for a 4 hour maintenance on a Thursday to fix 1 tiny bug about augment display that no one even knew existed). There are things like this that are keeping people away from the game and aren't bothering to invest of themselves in it.

I keep one foot in and one out the door because I would rather play this game whenever I'm bored, instead of committing all my gaming-time to it and end up being horribly disappointed, as we all have in recent years by both BioWare and EA.

 

I find it sad that Tiger Wood's Golf is more of a priority than SWTOR. Golf > Star Wars = ick.

Correction: EA doesn't consider SWTOR among their Top 10 priorities, not Top 5. Incredibly discouraging that EA is leaving nothing more than a skeleton crew to keep SWTOR running, and completely disregard the massive money-making opportunities arise with an MMO of this caliber from such well-known company.

The management team on SWTOR has been failing since day 1. One idiotic decision after another (seriously, bring servers down for a 4 hour maintenance on a Thursday to fix 1 tiny bug about augment display that no one even knew existed). There are things like this that are keeping people away from the game and aren't bothering to invest of themselves in it.

I keep one foot in and one out the door because I would rather play this game whenever I'm bored, instead of committing all my gaming-time to it and end up being horribly disappointed, as we all have in recent years by both BioWare and EA.

EA actually did state SWTOR was going to remain in its Top 10 in an article, but from your statement and the state of the game at the moment it just seems to me that EA is incompetent and frankly doesn't care a lot. You are right that they're losing profit with a game that can earn them a lot of money.

I can understand every Opinion in this Post

Paying subscription so i could understand you want to add things to the game but if you don't like it, you know where the door is.

You put alot of effort into this post, but next time mate when you think of an answer, or a solution just think - countless number of people could be thinking the same thing at the same time.

But hey, everyones differen't! and you can't please every single person so..

oh & tbh the games in it's first year... soooo you knoww great things could come.

I can understand every Opinion in this Post

Paying subscription so i could understand you want to add things to the game but if you don't like it, you know where the door is.

You put alot of effort into this post, but next time mate when you think of an answer, or a solution just think - countless number of people could be thinking the same thing at the same time.

But hey, everyones differen't! and you can't please every single person so..

oh & tbh the games in it's first year... soooo you knoww great things could come.

One reason I like paying for this game is because I'm an avid Star Wars fan and F2P isn't free. F2P isn't going to give me the full experience like being able to own any items, collectibles and such because it'll include microtransactions. There's many reasons why I favor the P2P system vs. the F2P system.

 

I know there may have been others who've thought of what I did, but I think I collected these thoughts to include in a great post that you can read and discuss now.

 

I know that it's been almost 7 months since SWTOR's release, but I do have high expectations from BioWare by the end of the year.

Hello Everybody!

 

We have recently removed several posts from this thread for being off topic. When creating a post or reply please try to keep on topic and related to Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.

 

As a gentle reminder this thread's topic is, "What's Holding SWTOR Back and What Steps BioWare Needs to Take..."

 

Hello Everybody!

 

We have recently removed several posts from this thread for being off topic. When creating a post or reply please try to keep on topic and related to Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.

 

As a gentle reminder this thread's topic is, "What's Holding SWTOR Back and What Steps BioWare Needs to Take..."

 

MODERATOR!

Hehe, Tbh i've had fun aswell with this game so far...apart from a few things.

The one main thing i would like to see

is

Bounty Hunters Being able to hunt PLAYERS for creds n BH Comms

I'm not a BH, But i'd love to be hunted while doing a daily

hell even that would just spice your game up, being paranoid everyday some BH might come and jump into that mob your killing and finish you off haha.

Do somthing Like send your companion to go find the planet he's on then somthing to search for his co - ordinates

Edited July 17, 2012 by Eeleek

Very good post. I feel something drastic needs to happen soon, there are so many things they could implement to improve the game. I personally think they need to focus more on the social aspects of SWToR. Would be nice to have community events, hang outs, clubs. It would be great if users could stream music in clubs, bars etc... The only time people really get to talk is through FP's and warzones, and even then people are highly strung so the experience isn't really beneficial to anyone. I try to have a laugh when i warzone, half the time i get a blank face as if it's despicable that i even thought of the word fun. Pazaak is a must, especially if you can trade cards in at a vendor for random social gear, that doesn't require social X. Edited July 17, 2012 by Saint_Bailey

Does everyone who plays this game have a degree in game design?

 

I see more self appointed designers in this game than any other...

 

The bold statement in the topic is enough to make me roll my eyes...You...a player, knows all of what's going on, what's being planned behind the scenes enough to say what steps Bioware needs to take...It's nearly laughable.

 

Anyways just something that has been annoying me and when I saw your topic I had to say something.

 

This is always the pale defense. You don't need a background in development or design to know what you like as a customer. You may not be able to engineer a car, but you know what you want. You may not build a smartphone but you know, as a customer what you want.

 

At the end of the day, as a business, it isn't about whether you're qualified to design or develop a game, it is about what you are willing to pay for as a customer. This is where EA/BioWare is failing big time. They think they know better than their customers and the rapid drop in sub numbers (and company actions related to it) are a clear indicator that you do not in fact know better.

 

Customers are telling BioWare what they want in order to keep the cash rolling in. Whether you think they are right or wrong doesn't matter - once a product is public, you do what is necessary to keep the cash rolling in. Customers don't need to be developers or designers to tell them what they want.