ETA on Advanced Class change?

I am in Agreement with you and I might add one. Reason #3 is Bioware sells extra Character slots. byt being able to just switch AC's , that will start taking extra cash away from Bioware even though it will not be a lot, it is still a loss of revenue from that angle.

don't subscribers get 16 slots as a base?

stop necro'ing this thread.

thanks

Wow, this old debate still? Did we forget all the devs stating how ACs are complete, full-on classes by design? Did we forget how Damion has said this about ACs before and the player base and most other devs still don't want it? We must have also forgotten how doing this will crap all over purist-type class player, while the hybrid type has what he wants already.

What the heck is a "purist-type class player" and how does he or she maintain that "purity?"

We are looking at allowing you to change advanced classes, but it's definitely something that we wouldn't want you to take lightly. So, it would probably be expensive to do so. At current, the plan is we will probably allow it, but you will not be able to do this very easily, like it's not something your character will do every day.

Whether or not AC's are locked won't break the game. This debate really has nothing to do with mechanics. It doesn't have anything to do with story, nor end-game, nor whether someone has a lot of time, or little time. It has nothing to do with PvP, or PvE, raid, or flashpoint. It really has not much to do with companions, either. This really doesn't have much to do with whether AC's are classes or not.

This debate comes down to playstyle, specifically two different playstyles that almost neatly divides the playerbase in two, and are at direct odds with each other:

Flexibility versus Distinction.

My preference is for class distinction. Even in games where there is a lot of flexibility, I don't use it. I'm a purist through and through. I have issues with people being able to merely click a button and become a class that I've spent weeks upon weeks leveling, outfitting, learning, and getting to know. My distinction disappears.

On the other side, we have people who really could care less what other people are doing with their characters. They only want to be able to have fun and do one thing one day and another thing the next. They could care less even about their own class distinction, as long as they're having fun.

Now, the traditional class model of themepark MMOs (until the last couple of years) was for each class to be distinct, specializing in only one role, and to be permanent.

Enter flexibility.

BioWare knows flexibility is just as important as distinction. Their class design shows that. To many of us, they have already struck the best balance between flexibility and distinction better than any MMO to date.

As a person who prefers distinction, I could be insisting that classes be put back to pure roles for the sake of distinction. I could be rallying to make them distinctly different than any other class. But I'm not. I am willing to accept BioWare's current compromise on the behalf of those that prefer flexibility.

Now, and think about this, aren't the pro-flexibility crowd doing just that by asking for even more flexibility at the expense of the other playstyle? I submit that, yes, they are. To ask for more flexibility by opening up AC's is tipping the already perfect balance too far to the other playstyle at the expense of mine.

So, in short, BioWare's current balance should be left as is, especially since AC-switching is "probably" already in at a high cost. That's plenty of flexibility with this class system.

12 per server... but you can unlock up to 10 more.. for a total of 22 per server. (...)

Wow, this old debate still? Did we forget all the devs stating how ACs are complete, full-on classes by design? Did we forget how Damion has said this about ACs before and the player base and most other devs still don't want it? We must have also forgotten how doing this will crap all over purist-type class player, while the hybrid type has what he wants already.

Anyhoo, I doubt it happens. But we'll see.

I missed it? The last Damion Schubert quote I have is: http://dulfy.net/2012/11/16/swtor-f2...mion-schubert/

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18. Will be there any faction or Advanced Class change option available for purchase in the future?

We have had serious talks recently about offering an Advanced Class change option – I think that one will likely happen eventually. Species is likely as well. Doing a faction switch is considerably more difficult for us, though, due to the various quest flags set throughout the level up process, so this isn’t on the horizon anytime soon.
>>

As for your comments about what the "majority of players" want, I can counter this easily with "most players want it".

12 per server... but you can unlock up to 10 more.. for a total of 22 per server.

But your essential point is valid. Besides.. this game is made for rolling alts.. and so you can have all the ACs you want if you want them without mega-grinding. I get that some players prefer to focus and play on only one or two characters....and so they want AC changes....but that kind of goes against the spirit of the design of the game IMO.

And yes... I am an altaholic so I have a different perspective than people who only roll a character or two.