ETA on Advanced Class change?

Except for the fact they are different classes. With a vast range of different abilities and functions.

Respect talents? I'm fine with. It doesn't change the class. Just the use of the same abilities you've been using. Nt introducing an entire new class to play >.>

The problem here is not how people will learn to play. The problem is a reduction of the already not that great customization when it comes to classes. Right now, we have "sort of" eight more or less unique classes. If an option to swap between the advanced classes ever goes live, this number will be reduced to four.

Ever play a druid? At least here the classes each have many overlapping abilities, stats, gear, etc.. Just going from a dps operative to a healer operative is basically just as drastic a change in play styles.

it requires skill to play any spec competitively and all specs are different. No one is denying that.

I understand your apprehension, but to restrict players from trying out new things to keep them playing, just to satisfy your desire for "diversity", isn't a great argument against it. Bioware can use the metrics to see which classes need the most work...and 2 years from now when changes are made, they can switch back

A druid has one tanking spec, one melee dps spec, one caster dps spec and one healer spec (the only class with four specs).
Now if you allow advanced class change, you will get a, let's say, Inquisitor class, which would have two caster dps specs, one healer spec, two melee dps specs, one tanking spec.
So, four specs for druid vs six specs for Inquisitor.
But... as i said earlier, the problem is customization. This change will reduce the number of SWTOR classes to four, while in WoW you still have 10 more classes aside from druid, where each class (and even each single spec) has its own unique feel. My point is, WoW has loads of customization when it comes to classes, while SWTOR has much less of it. And allowing advanced class change would reduce the customization we have here even more.

Level 10 is too early? How does that impact those games in which you select your class at creation? If level 10 is too early for your class choice to be permanent, how can level 0 be sufficient to make your class choice permanent?


But it's a cogent and logical argument to say that since certain characters in WoW can fill all three roles, that this game must allow a single character to dill all three roles, despite the devs intentional design that no single character could fill all three roles? That's like saying that little Jimmy's parents let him go see a PG-13 movie and therefore little Johnny's parents have to let him go see a PG-13 movie.

I don't believe that this is an "wildly unrealistic worst-case 'nightmare' scenario". I think that if they allow class changes we will see far more of this than you think.

Yes, the devs latest statement was that AC changes would "likely happen" eventually.

Allow me to copy/paste an earlier post. I'm very curious as to your answers to the questions posed therein, when looking at the TOTAL picture.

Let's look at the TOTAL picture.

The devs have stated several times that AC's are fundamentally DIFFERENT class designs, and that they (the devs) see them as DIFFERENT classes. Most MMO's do NOT allow class changes.

The devs stated that they were considering allowing AC changing and allowing species changes and that these would "likely happen eventually". There was NO time frame given for the implementation of either one, nor did this quote say the either one WOULD happen.

Since this quote regarding AC changes "likely" happening at some undetermined point in the future, there has been NOTHING further from the devs on allowing class changes. The devs have not said one word, have not uttered even a hint of a whisper, or even popped into this 360+ page thread to let us know that they are still considering it. They have also not said they are no longer considering it, either.

We have seen the implementation of species changes, which is PURELY cosmetic and does not affect fundamental game or class mechanics. We still have not seen or heard anything further about class changes.


How would you explain the fact that class changes are still not allowed, even though the cosmetic species changes which were mentioned in the same quote have come to pass? How would you explain the complete and total silence from the devs on this hot topic?

First, no one is saying that player who leveled a commando cannot play a vanguard. He can. He just has to actually level it, and not ask for it to be handed to him. If we are going to talk about allowing people to switch back and forth depending on what class is the more OP, then why even have classes? Why not just let everyone switch to whichever class is the FOTM, regardless of the story line?

I agree that the devs could have made it clearer that the AC's were classes and done it differently. Ideally, they could have made it clear at creation by having players choose their story and telling them into which classes each story could evolve, once a player hits level 10. They have made it clearer, although not as clear as it could be, by giving players more information at creation as to what roles each AC can fill, whether the class is melee or ranged, etc.

Where you and I disagree is that the devs are the ones who set the rules and get to decide what is and is not a class, not the players. The players may "want" to see the AC's as simply a spec, but "wanting" something does not make it so.

To date, those statements regarding AC's being seen as different classes and fundamentally different class designs have not been reversed, even when considering the later quote regarding AC swapping "likely" happening at some undetermined point in the future. We're closing in on 400 pages in this thread and still not one word, or even a peep, from the devs. What does that say to you?

This game expects players to have many alts. it's designed that way. The major part of this game is replayability in a form of leveling alts.
It's not, say, TSW, which is specifically designed the other way around. In that game, you are expected to have one single character and do whatever you want with him.
In TSW, if you want to try out new things, you work more on your single character. In SWTOR, however, for that purpose you level an alt.
This is how these games are designed and how they work.

The Class story, which we've already noted is identical, doesn't change based upon AC. This does nothing to interfere with "replayability" of anything....it's merely a way for people to switch to an AC they may have more fun with,

No single character would be able to fill all 3 roles without most likely paying for an expensive AC swap. You are basing your argument on the faulty premise that AC swap would be "click a button, magically switch ACs, little to no CC cost."

The main plot of the class story is the same, but in general it's not identical. You can play your sorc as a bad guy and your sin as a good guy and this will affect the story in a certain way. Despite that, i agree that the need of going through the same story if you want to try out a different advanced class of the same faction is not the best design i've ever seen, but it's the design we have. However, that's not what i wanted to say.
What i want to say is, my previous points still stand.
First, this game is designed around you leveling alts if you want to try out new things, even if their core class is the same. Allowing you to swap between advanced classes is a move which goes against the core game design.
And second, class customization. You say that "to restrict players from trying out new just to satisfy your desire for diversity" is a bad idea, but i disagree. Players can already try out new the way this game works now. What you're actually asking for is to simplify the process of trying new, which would come at a cost of sacrificing a great deal of class customization.