Cc takes away feeling of achievment

We get cartel coins allotted with our sub, so why not use them for the things you can and save those creds for the rare items that are more than a pain to luck upon in a pack. Got my Erad gear from the market and don't regret it for a second. Creds saved to spend elsewhere on items that I can no longer acquire that way. My "sense of achievement" comes from what I'm able to get via Ops and other questing, as well as crew skills.

Honestly, whatever makes the game enjoyable for you is fine, and while making certain items also achievable through questing is fine, making that the only way to get some of the well-known gearing would be a major setback. As of now you can do it your way, I can do it mine, and we're both satisfied.

I did accomplish something, I got the look I wanted for my mods I had to work hard to get.

Am I missing something? I assumed that the only gear you can buy from the CM is cosmetic-only gear. That is still true, right? Most people will not choose cosmetic or CM gear to impress you or anybody else. They ware such gear because they like it, and it is as simple as that. The fact that there is so much cosmetic and mod-gear in the game is one of the reasons why I love it. I think the CM is flawed in how it handled cosmetic gear, what with the Gambling Packs, but I still it is good that there is an option to customize your character the way you want.

Sod what everyone else thinks, ware the gear you want and the gear that makes you happy! That's why I say at least, there is already to much elitism in online gaming at the moment. Also, it should be noted that not every piece of gear is on the CM. What about the people who ware Rep gear? Do endgame stuff? Do you think they are all lazy too? Besides, why judge someone based on their choice of gear anyway? You don't know how much effort they do put in to the game!

There is a lot in this game you can accomplish and take pride in, such as Legacy levels, alts, PVP, Flashpoints, Operations, Achievements etc . . . just because you have the option to buy some cosmetic gear, that doesn't mean the player, or the player base has, become infected with couch potatoes.

Besides, as MaximusRex said, a lot of people earn the mods they put in to those pieces of gear. That is one thing that thankfully is not, and hopefully never will be, on the CM.

"Progression" means different things to different people. To some people it is all about the stats on the gear and to others it is all about the look of that gear.

I think you are mixing up two entirely different problems. Gear progression has nothing at all to do with visual customization.

It's been my experience that many people play MMO's to be as uber as possible and many too look as cool (in their eyes) as possible. In either case, the only ones who care are the people involved. Diverting the cool looking aspect to a cash shop is a cop out that is written off as "fluff" by people who do not understand the rationale of game players.

TOR fell flat on its face because it was a remarkably mediocre game that lacked many "fluff" features that have been standard in MMO's for a decade or more. It's going to get hammered badly by upcoming MMO's that have seen exactly why TOR tanked in the first place and they won't make the same mistakes.

TOR will be remembered for changing the MMO genre by doing everything wrong and for grossly misunderstanding the MMO playerbase.

No. But you can bet that the relative failure of TOR has not gone unnoticed by other game developers. It's not coincidence that every upcoming MMO is hyping "sandbox" features and none of them look like WoW clones. TOR is likely the last nail in that coffin and that is a good thing.

But that's just it, back in the day the two were inexorably linked: If you had a particular set of gear that looked a certain way your stats were at a certain level. And players would strut around cities and fleets, showing off their "uberness."

Now that aspect is gone and people like the OP complain because they can no longer stroke their e-peen.

I say good riddance!!!

Wore a cape on my main (sawbones) for about 6 months or longer, as far as I am concerned being able to move armor, enhancements and mods is the best thing ever. I was sick and tired of looking like everyone else, now I change outfits on a few of my toons pretty regularly and I will never wear a cape again. I have no clue what the new gear even looks like, I am perfectly happy with my main in Mira's outfit and my slinger in a relax top, miniskirt and dancer shoes.

I gotta agree with the OP. I strut my dread guard's corrupted mask wherever I go, and people ask where I get it, and I don't tell them from the Cartel Market

Right.

I don't necessarily disagree with any particular point that you made, but the devs were pretty clear at launch that "visual progression" WAS an intended design feature in this game, cross class appearance was NOT allowed and many folks across the net listed this draconian design view as one of the reasons they left the game.

There is nothing particularly wrong with visual progression. There is something wrong with stomping out individuality and creativity in appearance for the sake of visual progression restrictions. That was the point.

There are many folks that have different opinions as to why SWTOR failed to gain the audience that was expected. I am simply going by the "top reasons" lists folks disliked the game on many different websites....I compiled a list with all of the links a long time ago, back in the days before the launch of the CM/FTP.

Appearance was one of the hot button topics before launch...folks wanted some kind of appearance system, and Bioware came out against it in full force. In fact they reduced the scope of orange adaptable armor before launch to come more into line with their visual progression intent....of course they excused it away by saying that we were not intelligent enough to handle it.