State of the Game #3 Promise Not Delivered

Customization is a game feature, it is part of nearly every MMO, and it's identical to the customization that is already present in character creation. What they are charging for is the privilege to use it "again" on the same character, without the option to buy it with in-game currency, which several other MMO's do.

My main personal issue, is that they are treating customization as a non "core" feature of the game. Any long-time MMO player will tell you that customization IS the CORE feature of an MMO, more so than any other genre. So I take great issue with the fact that even though I pay $15/mo., I also have to pay more to use them, or wait months to save up enough "complimentary" coins, paying $15 each month during the waiting period.

This whole thing just makes me sad. I love this game. I don't want to hurt EA or BioWare but I also don't want them to hurt me either.

Wow! What a contrived bit of "logic." You should really find out the definition of a core mechanic. A core mechanic is something that the game cannot function without or is in some way tied into the functioning of a class or storyline objective. For example, SWG and GW2 made the barbershop and color modification of gear a core mechanic. It was actually part of the character skillset and a factor in how the player had an income. Plenty of other MMORPGs have no barbershops or color modification for gear. Therefore, it is not a core mechanic as many other MMORPGs function fine without it.

As many have pointed out before, if you are a subscriber, you are given a stipend of CCs to spend each month. At minimum, it is 500/mo. Since we don't what the costs will be, we can't really say if it is outside the norm. So anything else is just overreactionary.

http://www.swtor.com/patchnotes/2.1.0/customization

Well, look at that. I see two things at there very bottom of the 100+ bullet points that are fixes or quality of life improvements that aren't something they broke in 2.0 or later. TWO.

Their only saving throw (cop-out, depending on how you look at it) is their statement about two different departments working on 2.1 and 2.2. I'm fine with waiting and seeing.

Quite frankly there is much pending on this update. If all this update does is implement customization for CC coins without considering class balance, broken PvP and numerous bugs, I will vote with my money not sub, because not only the expansion did not deliver, it ruined PvP.

A lot of PvP players are hanging by a thread. If 2.1 does not deliver, it will be the last straw for many players.

There will be a ton of bug fixes but with all due respect since when is the cartel market developers and PvP developers one and the same? I'm sorry but the classes will never be truly balanced and the only nasty thing going on in PvP is bolster which as far as I know will be addressed in the update. What I do know for sure is the augment glitch will be fixed and that I'm sure will appease PvP players a bit.

heir only saving throw (cop-out, depending on how you look at it) is their statement about two different departments working on 2.1 and 2.2. I'm fine with waiting and seeing.