ETA on Advanced Class change?

Why the hell would people even leave if ac change is allowed? Answer only a VERY small percentage would have a problem with it and an even smaller amount would leave if it happened.

Keep telling yourself that. Then ask yourself, if so few people would leave if they allowed class changes, however limited, why have they not implemented them? Why the total and complete silence from the devs on this hot topic, despite countless threads including this one of almost 400 pages?

They haven't done it yet as it takes time and they'd rather spend that time on other stuff atm not that they're worried it will make people mad. If they were worried about making people mad they wouldn't be releasing the Rudolph tauntaun mount or have released that Halloween thing and they wouldn't have priced a tauntaun at 3000 CCs.

Does the Rudolph the red nosed taun taun break any unwritten rules of MMO's? Does a 3000 CC taun taun break any unwritten rules of MMO's? Does a Jack 'o lantern meditation chamber break any unwritten rules of MMO's? I don't think any of those break any unwritten rules of MMO's.


Would allowing class changes, in any form, break an unwritten rule of MMO's? The answer to that one is "YES!".

People want to claim that selling class changes on the CM would increase the revenue from the CM. If that is the case, why have they not implemented class changes? Do they not want the money?

You say "it takes time". That ambiguous quote is almost a year old, if not older. In that year, they managed to get species and appearance changes implemented. But wait, those are COSMETIC changes only. They do not affect any fundamental game mechanics. Allowing class changes would affect fundamental game mechanics.

Since that quote of almost a year ago, the devs have not said one word, uttered a single syllable or even given us a hint of a whisper that they are working on class changes, or that they are even still considering allowing class changes. They have also not indicated that they are no longer considering allowing class changes. Since "eventually" could be this week, next month or three years from now, they lose nothing by remaining silent and letting both sides think what they will. The pro class change side can think that class changes will happen, if they choose to do so, and the anti class change side can think that the devs gave a 'soft no" with that quote, if they so choose.

Until "eventually", we all get to enjoy the game as it is.

Sure would make rolling the most OP class at that specific time much easier.

That is one of the reasons class changes are an unwritten NO-NO in MMO's.

No not if you're playing WoW or some other MMO heavily influenced by pop-culture references but it does break an unwritten rule of SWTOR original design intentions. The last line of the quote specifically mentions the desire to keep 4th wall breaking pop-culture references out of the game.

From the old forums and sourced from Darthater :-
http://www.darthhater.com/articles/s...-of-january-13

No it wouldn't because it's an Advanced Class change that's being asked for not a Class change. As other MMOs don't tend to have this additional stage of specialisation it is best to stick to the definition of Class that SWTOR actually uses.
I wouldn't advocate the ability to swap between Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent, both Classes, but I do advocate the ability to swap between Powertech and Mercenary, both Advanced Classes.

Because all things in the programming world take time and are placed in a priority based queue. SWTOR released a new species the Cathar and it was obviously a high priority to have a species swapping feature available at such a release. I seriously hope the long asked for Guild, Legacy and extra content features are placed higher in priority than an AC swap function. It doesn't mean I don't want to see it just that I'm happy to wait.

Allowing Advanced Class changes would have zero effect on the fundamental game mechanics. You are not giving a character extra power in the form of being able to use abilities from both ACs at the same time. You are instead increasing the utility of the Class in allowing the player to choose which AC they play.

And yet their last word was that it would 'Likely happen eventually'. I've been happy with that statement, I don't think it's in anyway ambiguous. As always the programming complexity and perceived priority drives the delivery.

Yup

From anecdotal evidence of my friends that left SWTOR the transition to the Hybrid subscription and cartel market were the straws that broke the proverbial camels back. I'd argue that they saved the game with quality of life features and new content still being released.

If a gamer survived that transition and is enjoying the game I can't believe they would quit over something as trivial as an AC swap function.

And it's not really a hot topic as much as a merry-go-round debate between 8 forumites

Anyone that says they would quit over AC changes is like a kid saying they will run away if they do not get that second pudding.

Class changes are NOT trivial. Despite some posters continued assertions that it is not a class change, it IS a class change in the eyes of many players and in the eyes of the DEVS. The devs are the ones who determine classes, NOT you and not me. I've not seen any statement from the devs reversing their statements that the AC's a fundamentally DIFFERENT class mechanics, that they see the AC's as DIFFERENT classes and that each AC was treated as a full class within each story line. Until, and unless, you can provide a statement from the devs reversing this stance, the AC's are DIFFERENT classes, whether or not you want to admit it.

Even the often thrown around quote in which the devs say that AC swaps will "likely happen EVENTUALLY" does not contradict or reverse their earlier stance that the AC's are DIFFERENT classes.

One more question for those who wish to insist that the devs said they WILL implement AC (class) changes. Exactly when is "eventually"?