They should have kept developing the "fourth pillar"

I know pre-launch, BioWare was mocked a bit for always talking about story anytime they talked about this game. The most common criticism you heard about SWTOR before it launched was that it sounded like a single player game with co-op content thrown in. That MMO gamers wouldn't buy off on that, and that they are mostly concerned with progression. As in, gearing up their characters once they get to max level.

This has proved to be a double-edged sword. Though hindsight is always 20/20, it's clear that if BioWare really did want to do something different or tweak the MMO model, they should've by and large ignored MMOers. I've come to this conclusion after playing a Jedi Sentinel to 50, and then being consigned to the dailies/hard mode flashpoint grinds.

SWTOR became instantly unfun to me. I even made a thread about it a few weeks ago about how I don't enjoy being 50. However, I recently started playing a new character who is now only level 17, and I'm having a blast again.

Why?

Because of the story. This game shines from 1-49. This game becomes like any other MMO at 50: boring, tedious, and redundant. MMO'ers will always demand content. And they will always demand it at an unrealistic pace, and then once that content is released, they will consume it much faster than any developer cam make new content.

In this way, the game becomes a never ending self fulfilling prophecy of doom. People will always complain there's not enough to do and that the game is boring. And developers will always continue putting out content that is essentially more of the same in different skins. You hear this in nearly every single MMO out there today, including WoW.

SWTOR could have - and still can be - different. Because what it needs the most right now is not another raid or warzone (though I know that's what we are getting.), but Chapter 4. That's what it needs right there - Chapter 4.

You advertise a game as being all about story and the fourth pillar, and create a really enjoyable experience while leveling. Why, then, are you surprised that no one is sticking around when the story ends? This could have been the best way to make SWTOR have longevity and truly do something a bit different than anyone else on the market. By putting out new content that is focused on your hero's continued journey. Flashpoints, warzones, operations, all that stuff is fine and dandy, but these play into MMOer's hands, a fickle demographic that is a) never satisfied, and b) always says they want something different when in fact, they only want more of the same.

Not saying you can't focus on those things: we have to gear progression and all of that, but end game is truly a different game than the journey.

And SWTOR is probably the first MMO I've ever played where the journey was truly what the adventure was all about..

I understand where you are coming from. Getting into endgame content has now destroyed 3 MMO's for me. For some people it really is about the journey. Weather or not they do the journey solo or with a group of friends/family.

I do think it is good the endgame stuff is THERE for those who enjoy it. At the same time I think we as players need to know ourselves well enough to know that if endgame starts messing things up its time for us to hang up endgame and level a new race/class of character.

After all what is the rush to 50 anyways if endgame is not part of your game plan. Take your time. Savor the journey. If that is what you enjoy there is nothing wrong with doing it and to heck with endgame.

I agree, SWTOR could have been an evolution but instead they only dipped their toe half in and pulled it back out in time to put all the boring stuff about MMOs back in at level 50. I would much rather this game to have had no endgame raid progression and instead have the devs work harder on continuing the story. Games like Planetside 2 are showing that MMOs can be popular without the traditional WoW formula; I hope Bioware takes note and shakes things up.

Agreed, although that's why I was never on board with them making it an MMO in the first place. It happens the natural narrative progression, since it can never have a definite ending.

I hate leveling, in WOW I only made one level 60 and that's it, I gave up GW2 because I don't like the leveling. But this game let me made 4 level 50s because of its story.

it was said somewhere, and i cant recall, but the plan is for a total of 12 acts for every class, i heard/read that about a month after release, so who knows if its still true or even part of the plan, or even if it was just a troll messing with everyone, but that's what i have hopes for, a long continuation to the story's built around the classes

I would agree with everything that has been said so far. The story is by far the most attractive portion of this game.

I agree that there should be "some" endgame content for those who want it, but so far, that's all we've concentrated on since launch. It is time to get EVERYONE some more story. Yes, we've released new ops, but honestly, how long until the 1st hardcore guild was beating them on NM? It takes a massive amount of time for you guys to design these things (and rightfully so, they need to be done right), but the payoff on Ops, and even warzones to a lesser extent, isn't what it should be. So yeah, after 1.6, I would say you need to focus on 2 things:

1. Quality of Life improvements (maybe even a few cartel items thrown in for some spice -- and profit) and class balance issues, like normal; and bugfixes. Seriously, bugfixes -- some things, like the JK big rear end, has been here since beta. Fix them already.

2. MOST IMPORTANTLY: MORE STORY.

they are adding more chapters to the classes.

Yes, but this is where their focus needs to be now. Not warzones, not Ops. Yes, F2P messed some things up, but it's been a year and we've not had any new story -- and they wonder why people left?

the new planet they have been working on adds new story content for classes. i dont think that is too far off. that stuff takes much more time and resources to produce than WZs, FP, ops or new daily stuff.