Community Q&A Thread Blog Discussion: July 27th, 2012

I'm not paying for it.At least on my server, there are only a handful of people left so I don't see what's wrong with tagging all valid servers as destination servers. This whole process has felt terrible and ill thought out and if I have to pay even more just to make the game tolerable, it's just not worth it.

Sorry Chief, Bioware doesn't need my aid. If Bioware has any needs, I am sure that they know that internally, and are working to find a way to meed that need. So please know that I am not blindly doing anything. You on the other hand, with your original post:

How on earth could you know what EA's | BW's thoughts were on this weeks Q&A? The internal dynamics and decision making of the company are mostly not public knowledge, so unless you have some inside information, your post was libel at best.

I mean, I've heard the whole "squeaky wheel gets the grease" idiom, but do you actually believe that things don't get improved if people don't complain?

Moving on....

Ummm... Got them where? Where is SWTOR? Include references please.

Moving on...

I didn't know that you worked in the accounting department at EA | BW Deewe? So you're saying that subscription fees are the only source of income that EA | BW has diverted to the team working on SWTOR. You don't think they might be getting income (transactions in the black) from anywhere else that might also contribute? You don't think that EA is using other non SWTOR related resources to continue (transactions in the red) working on a project that they believe in (either financially or on principle)?

If the amount of resources, financially or other, devoted towards SWTOR shifts, then as a company, EA | BW will have to address that internally. I doubt that they want to lose subscribers, and I bet they want you to enjoy yourself. But if you are not happy, don't ruin it for those out there who actually do want to know more than just when is this happening and when is that happening.

To be fair: Touche.

But let me retrace my steps a bit to look at your thoughts on this weeks Q&A. According to Deewe:

-It would not have been hard to code in that sprint boosts cannot be used in warzones. (As if he/she knows anything about what it takes to do anything related to develop for the game, also neglecting the fact that this design could give QQ'ers more ammunition to QQ about.) I personally like the choice. On my way to 50 I was able to quickly QT to the Outlaw's Den to loot some Recruit Gear on a daily basis. At 50 I'm able to quickly QT to the BH for dailies. What's not to like?

-The Rakghoul Outbreak event was a failure, and no-one at EA | BW has any idea how to handle making use of the DNA Samples. (Really? If you Google "Rakghoul Outbreak" there is page after page of people commenting on how great the event was. The TorWars crew or the TORked crew, cannot remember which one it was, noted how cleanly it was done compared to other MMO's in one of their podcasts. While there is most likely an equal number of negative pages on this, I am inclined to believe that they revolve around not being able to turn in our DNA Samples (which they did cover, to the best of their abilities at this time), or having invisible companions, as if it is that big of a deal.) I for one, enjoyed the heck out of the event, it brought our guild closer, and I cannot wait for the next one. Oh, and my Crimson Rakghoul takes offense to you comments, and wishes you to retract them.

-Paid character transfer is a must, or people will unsub. (I do agree that I am anxious to get micro-transactions for character transfer, but everything I have witnessed thus far is leading me to believe EA | BW are really putting a lot of effort into server balancing. While I believe the MT character transfer will affect their research, they will work it out. It's not a deal breaker tho. When we want to do that we all just re-roll together, and have a blast earning social along the way.)

-Deewe is angry about crashing. (It was all right there in the A to the Q. They are aware that with the advent of 1.3 uptime has increased but there has been a rampant (maybe too strong) issue with disconnects. If it has happened to you, then you know what is happening when it happens, and he said they are working on it.)

Ha, looks like my post that generated this aggro was removed. Oh well.... "Submit Reply"

This.

Agreed. I think one way to look at it is the quicker any given player makes their transfer decisions themselves, the happier they will likely be. Clearly, at some point, the decision will be made for you. And you may not like, or even understand why they put you where you might end up; it may be the furthest place from your mind, and for some esoteric fourth- or fifth- highest priority of the devs in a transfer heirarchy of reasons.

Which brings us back, for those holding out for some greener pasture; you'll probably be happier if you make the transfer decision, yourself.

Let me see if I grasp your reasoning behind this post.

You are saying that those that are not transferring to their chosen Destination Server - which, at this point, is pretty much because they do not like their chosen Destination Server for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Overcrowded (via their perception)
• Poor performance (usually attributed to overcrowding, but there are other possibilities).
• They know they will lose cherished character names.
• Not the server they want their characters on.

Should transfer, because BioWare might automatically move their characters to another server?

Hell, I would think the holdouts are hoping the automatic transfer script will move them to a different Destination Server. (I know I am.)

I enjoyed last weeks Q&A more.
For question #1: Ballance and PvP. BW please remember that theres morre to the game than the frikin WZ. Please, Please, Please stop making changes to the over all game to balance what should be altered just for the WZs.

For Question #4: So, characters that stayed where they were are going to be moved anyway. You can throw out the word transfer and call it what it is, a merge. I dont really have a problem with that. Its what I was hoping for to begin with. But I dont like that the choice given was apparently and illusion.

For the last question: This is a good guestion and answer. More like these please.

I dont mean to sound so negative but Im just sick to death about the changes because of WZ balance issues. Like what was done to the merc and assassin tank. I mean ***?! It seems like maybe you shoulda have made a game more like one of those lame team war games. Its abvious thats where the real focus is.
And I really dont admire false statements,call things what they are please. That makes yas look really bad. You shoulda have just said in the beginning, 'We're doing server merges over time' not ' Server transfers are now available!' Its like saying: Everybody on board thats going! If you dont get in we'll drag you anyway.

Really? This is a question you pick to answer? There are so many questions asked week after week about gameplay and answer a question about backstory? Pathetic.

I lol'd.

Another Q&A with light fluffy questions picked. Nothing specific about the future of the game or real gameplay changes that are needed/wanted. No mention of the glaring class balance issues that are starting to kill PvP.

How disappointing.

Imagine.
What if the game had 3 million subs and was a real AAA product.
Then this Q&A wouldn't be that bad.
But it is that bad.
The only reason that made me come to SWTOR was BW.
I knew how EA handled WAR and suffered for 2 years by their unwillingness to do anything good for the game and their renown ability to completely ignore their players.If EA listened to half of the input it got in WAR forums SWTOR would be a lot better game.
So I did not want to have anything to do with an MMO made by them.
But then it was BW and the WARS.
How could that go wrong?
These Q&As is the tip of the melting iceberg that is SWTOR.
But now I've learned my lesson.
Wrath of TOR.