The easiest MMO I've ever played

That's the worst part of the dumbing down; you've got epic enemies, built up as real daunting foes by the story, and then they fall over before you get through one or two sloppy rotations. And that's with your companion on passive.

I'm all for weak and normal enemies being cannon fodder, and even strongs only being able to do any real damage if in numbers, but bosses should require at least a little bit of effort from the player.

I have to admit, I think this whole notion of "quit crying and put away your companion" line of reasoning is a tad bit misguided. Does it solve the issue? kind of i guess? You still don't need a companion to kill anything and everything while leveling regardless of what class you may be. Why I think this becomes ultimately an incorrect solution is that you're forcing people to play the game in an unenjoyable state just so that they can find some modicum of challenge. I don't think that's entirely fair to say to someone that basically they are not allowed to enjoy the game the way it's meant to be played (with your companion in the leveling process) because you want some form of a challenge. It's just...backwards...to me somehow. While putting your companion away, walking around naked, chewing on a slim jim in your underwear does add some challenge to the game it's just not a real good solution for the difficulty issue. It's the scotch tape solution rather than the duct tape solution.

edit: I do like the level by doing pvp notion. I'm going to give that a bit of a go. Should be fun actually. Not as cut throat as end game pvp. But, still could be good fun.

Just like how I could play the game with my toes to increase challenge. Doesn't mean I'm going to. Them saying that is really the equivalent me telling them to go t dulfy so they can learn to play. But at least at the end of the day my way involves learning and growth.

I refuse to believe that this formula is even working. These forums have crept to a stall and while I understand a percentage of people visit the forums. You can't take a huge difference from even during the summer when content was dead and the forums were still booming. Actually, I think the majority of people cancelled and can't post but since it's easy to set yourself up with unlocks via the gtn so they are still here using up all the bandwidth while paying zero money. Heck, they can barely even get a couple servers to move past standard on a free game. That is why we are getting sub rewards. Don't even kid yourself if you think they are doing this for us ... the customer. Yeah right.

Now when Bioware chooses to throw all you single players under the bus because you never stick and spend as minimally as possible because you have no attachment and will be off to the next shiny make sure you explain in your exit interviews why you are leaving. They did to us and they will do it to you too. Stage 1 is already obvious with the announcement of gsb packs being removed. This is gonna get good over the next month or two /popcorn

Are you purposely making ridiculous statements? Not only does going back to lower planets not represent what people were regularly doing pre 4.0, you actually got no experience for it. So you couldn't overlevel content to that point without some other on-level content. How do you propose people were getting to such a level that they were way above the content they were doing, by doing content that was as easy as story leveling is now? You can't overlevel PVP, you can't overlevel leveling flashpoints, you can't overlevel space, etc. So please explain to me how going to level 60 and returning to old levels (after you've put in the time and effort to get to level 60) is in any way easier than it is now where you're ridiculously overpowered while still at level for the content.

I started playing this game in Jan of 2015, and I noticed pretty quickly that everyone who could use Treek, did, for all leveling content. I noticed that my companions back during patch 3.0 were less than useful for any task other than healing. What we have now, is every companion being as good and a bit stronger than Treek was, back in 3.0. I would say the game is easier, but I also like that I can solo Heroics, its the only way I can have fun in this game now.

Companions going back to feeling pointless and horribly weak is not a game I want. Additionally, if I find that the leveling experience is too easy, I will attempt to engage the aspects of the game that are obviously not easy, like PVP, Hard Mode Flashpoints, and Operations.

Then I feel sorry for you, as your imagination must be pretty pathetic and your world view totally self-centered. It's not about being 'inept', its about many people having actual physical issues. Posts I've seen recently include a guy who's mum now plays (she's 65) and from several folks with physical disabilities that can now enjoy the game that simply couldn't before.

But hey, lets ramp it up to make it difficult for YOU and stop those people playing at all, that would be fair, right?

Or how about not being a jerk, accepting that the story content is for everyone, regardless of ability, and get your ego fix for doing something 'difficult' in PvP or Ops.

It absolutely was too. At 60, I could go to any planet except Yavin, and mow down everything without using anything but the default attack - NPC's literally could not hurt me because I was so over level compared to them.

Datacron hunting, achievements...there were reasons to return to old planets before 4.0. Not as many, but some.

I'd rather be a "jerk" and have a game that plays to its medium than a choose your own adventure movie pretending to be a game.

Very well put. That completely ruins ANY kind of immersion with this game ...

Bioware basically broke everything below level 60 to cater those who play level 60+ ...

You have never played Monkey Island ?

Boring because it is easy?