Dear BioWare,

before I start I have to mention that I really like this game. And in my opinion it is a quite good game. I play since launch and that may support the statement that I am a huge fan of the game.But there are many things I want to mention - knowing that nobody from the BioWare team will read that. This thread could get described as a collection where praise and criticism come together. So let's start! (It is from the perspective of a german player, I do not know in detail the following problems get solved in UK/USA or not.

1. Players are not equal.

1.1 It is not a secret but there are first class players and second class players.In the following, I will go into detail on it.

1.2 No forum support for french or german players. Since years french and german players do not have any mod-support in their forums. Of course, if someone offends against the conditions/terms, his thread will get removed from the forum. Quietly and unobtrusively. But that's not the point. Furthermore, there is no help for french or german players. Since a few years there are no yellow supporters in the forums. If there is a problem, french and german have to handle that alone - no need to help. Don't know if that kind of support gets used here, too.

On the other hand, important information get lost. Announcements like 90CC character transfer sales do not get transmitted to french or german forums. Of course, the argumentation could be like "learn english" but there are still people who are not able to speak or understand english. In Germany many players grew up in the GDR where english in school was something special. But you, BioWare, can not expect hat also the young players are able to understand english (even if I hope so). Moreover, not everyone is looking to the english forums even though they can speak and understand english. Could you please tell me why it is so difficult to let important announcements get translated by google translator? Of course, there are more english than french or german players but why do you treat them like second class? Is there a good reason? Is it the money? Would you treat us better if there were more subscibers in these countries?

1.3 Sweepstakes for all or none. We can live without them, that is not the point. But regarding to what I mentionend before it is not that hard to treat everyone the same way. As there were trouble some months ago (I really don't know the reason anymore), there was the announcement of compensation in form of a sweepstake. Cool idea - but why english only? To be honest, I think german or french players were not excluded but why was there no information about that? "Help, help! The American and english players are crying for compensations!! - the german and french players, too." But there is no need to help them, why should one help them?

2. Deficits connected to customer help and ingame support.

2.1 Language deficites. Many aspects were mentioned before. Honestly, there is a support ingame. If you have a activated subsription you are able to contact the support. Language is a form of respect and when I see what answers I receive (there are many correct responses connected to language!!) but mostly, a german player receive not acceptable answers. Sometimes you've got the impression that your ticket was translated by google translator in english and the custumer service's translated from english to german or french. There are so many mistakes (a few mistakes are no problem) but there was a response I was not able to understand - and it was german!

Otherwise, there is the impression that many tickets do not get understanded correctly by the customer servie. More in the following.

2.2 "Do it youself!" Before more criticism is raining: There was ALWAYS a response. But a response is not a solution. Firstly, my problems were no spectacular problems but in 8 of 10 times there was no player friendly solution. Two times I had the problem that an item was bound to my character although I did not bound it. Last year, someone from the support helped me and released it. Months later I had the same problem. Actually, it is still bound to my character. "There is no service for things like that". Do I have to understand?

There are so many aspects in which the paying player gets treated like...find a word yourself. More connected to that a few lines below.

Again, sometimes I have got the impression that I know for what I pay for (when I receive help. On the other hand. there are so many construction sites you have to solve in connection to custumer service.

3. The guild is dead, long live the...guild?

3.1 Missing group content. Known problem. More to that in another category.

3.2 No support for guilds. It was like a event the past months. Many guilds transfered to other servers because of low server population (more to that in another category). And these guild lost everything they built up in all the years. Personally, my guild lost many members on the german PvP-Server "Jar'Kai Sword" because

• a) they stopped playing because of missing content
  
• b) had not enough CC to transfer their complete legacy (many of them are under the age of 18 and parents are not willing to pay money for that)
  
• c) they are not willing to pay for something BioWare has to solve - and not the players
  

We also lost two completed guildships and more than 300.000.000 Credits according to cost for buying a ship and all the other stuff like decorations. Coming back to customer service, I tried to establish many deals with the costumer service. I tried to convince them to send my character all the items spent for guildship on the NEW server (we saw that sending items via ingame mail is possible (Eric Musco livestream marathon). I was willing to pay cartel coins for things players shoul be able to EXPECT but there is no will from BioWare to meet halfways. It is very sad how people get treated. Many guild members spent money in cartel coins to buy stuff for the guild but BioWare is unable to honor or to see that. It is also not possible to get the necessary plans for the ships back. Credits are also gone. Sad story.

Short summary: Players invested time, money, motivation and so on in building up their guilds. If a player asks for help connected to one of these aspects, BioWare's reaction is stubborness. "Player, do it yourself".

The argumentation can get described like: No one forces you to go. That is theoretically correct. But there are no perspectives on our servers. What do you say to a syrian child? "No one forced you to go"? Regarding to that, there is never a "force to go". Very sad. But hey, it is a game published by €A.

Let's continue with more or less short things.

4. "Group content? Are there enough players for that? We do not need group content, do we?"

4.1 No new group content. I don't want to talk about that again. Everyone knows what is meant. Many guild members stopped playing the game because of this. I really like the KotFE-story (I really do). But that destroyed our guild, increases massive migration, decreases player numbers. Since Dec' 14 there was no new operation and no new flashpoint (well, if you call star fortress a flashpoint). That is the wrong way in my opinion. Also new PvP maps take too long to get introduced. It took more or less two years for a new battleground.

4.2 Merge the german servers, please. There is one full server and two dead servers. Please merge them together for better GTN prises, PvP, PvE etc. We had to transfer - it was your job to do that but we had to pay for ist. Sad Story II.

5. It is all about the money.

5.1 Well, you are a company. Everyone understands that you need money - that is no problem! But the following is on a very interpretable instance of argumentation. In my opinion, you shoul develop/improve this game because you want to give the players a proud game. But I talked to many people and to the question "Why does BioWare still support the game" every answer was: Because of the money, because of the money. And to be honest, your primary target is the money. And maybe on third place after good reputation may come the player. Correct me if I am wrong.

5.2 Cartel Market Packs are not fair. I do not spend money into CC (for the transfer I did) but when I buy a - for example - "Anarchist's pack", I expect to get items connected to this pack! There were many packs with chance cubes (I like them but I want new items, too) and with no items watchable on the pack's thumbnail. I even don't know if that is legal in Germany because we have so much more laws than the US in connection to consumer protection but even on a moral instance that is not acceptable. You can not sell packs and giving the people things with no connection to the bought pack. It's like you buy a VW Passat and receive a Golf. In Germany, we call that fraud/scam.

6.Epilogue

6.1 There is so much criticism but at least I want to mention again that I enjoy the game and that it is not my intention to hate. This is just a collection of many voices combined in one thread compact with my personal opinion. I don't expect you to read that but if so, I am sorry if you feel offended by my thread. Let's be clear. It sounds hard but that is my opinion. And if I would hate the game so much, I would have cancelled my subscription. Hope you change some things.

HAVE A NICE DAY AND CONCENTRATE ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE!

Well, we get information about shot downs but not more. I also think that it is not that hard to translate those things.

I'm pretty sure at this point in time they would just be using google translate to translate it into French and German. While that would be humorous, I'm fairly certain it would be less than accurate.

Thanks Didn't expect that someone would read that so fast!

I agree with Tux and you on this, there are several great points in here. OP this was quite a refreshing thread and was well written in my opinion. You didn't yell or call names, you kept it civil and I really commend you for it. For someone who is not perfect in English you wrote this out well and both your praise and criticism is on point. Now hopefully everyone will follow the example you've set in the tone of the thread and not bash anyone. Cheers!

EDIT: Might I also suggest you PM this to Ben or Eric in the hopes they may read it and pass it on to the higher ups.

I agree with Tux and you on this, there are several great points in here. OP this was quite a refreshing thread and was well written in my opinion. You didn't yell or call names, you kept it civil and I really commend you for it. For someone who is not perfect in English you wrote this out well and both your praise and criticism is on point. Now hopefully everyone will follow the example you've set in the tone of the thread and not bash anyone. Cheers!

 

EDIT: Might I also suggest you PM this to Ben or Eric in the hopes they may read it and pass it on to the higher ups.

Well said Squirrel...I wish I'd have said this. It really is a spectacular post...it hits on the good, the bad and the ugly. The only part I would have left out is the part about the CM (5.2)...the CM is a product of us, the players. We feed the beast so the beast continues to grow. Other than that, I love it!

EDIT: Might I also suggest you PM this to Ben or Eric in the hopes they may read it and pass it on to the higher ups.

I really hope that they read it! Thanks for your feedback!

The only part I would have left out is the part about the CM (5.2)...the CM is a product of us, the players. We feed the beast so the beast continues to grow. Other than that, I love it!

Honestly, I was not clear to note that down or not, but I did it. I miss the "old" new brown/silver/gold decoration/mount/pets/etc. packs. The CM is not that bad but today I am not happy with it. ^^

Honestly, I was not clear to note that down or not, but I did it. I miss the "old" new brown/silver/gold decoration/mount/pets/etc. packs. The CM is not that bad but today I am not happy with it. ^^

That's much clearer, and that's a very fair comment

Honestly, I was not clear to note that down or not, but I did it. I miss the "old" new brown/silver/gold decoration/mount/pets/etc. packs. The CM is not that bad but today I am not happy with it. ^^

Prior to recent changes it was a bit easier to collect items from purchased packs, now it just seems that there is a lowered chance even on the lower quality items in the pack, since it appears, although from my understanding it isn't supposed to take the place of other items, the chance cubes make it more difficult to collect what is in the current release.

Personally I would just sell chance cubes separately from current release packs. Let people chase everything in the chance cubes and leave the current pack holding just the current release items.

Prior to recent changes it was a bit easier to collect items from purchased packs, now it just seems that there is a lowered chance even on the lower quality items in the pack, since it appears, although from my understanding it isn't supposed to take the place of other items, the chance cubes make it more difficult to collect what is in the current release.

 

Personally I would just sell chance cubes separately from current release packs. Let people chase everything in the chance cubes and leave the current pack holding just the current release items.

But....but...but then... then that would actually give the consumer a chance to have the new items in the pack and feel like they got something good out of it than spending hundreds of dollars for a chance to get a good obtain.

Man OP... really well written post and I agree with literally all of it, leaning the most to the equal treatment of all the customers especially.

Prior to recent changes it was a bit easier to collect items from purchased packs, now it just seems that there is a lowered chance even on the lower quality items in the pack, since it appears, although from my understanding it isn't supposed to take the place of other items, the chance cubes make it more difficult to collect what is in the current release.

 

Personally I would just sell chance cubes separately from current release packs. Let people chase everything in the chance cubes and leave the current pack holding just the current release items.

I completely agree! I don't know the english discussion about chance cubes but I can tell that many german players do not hate chance cubes - they like the idea. But maybe BioWare should have handle that in another way - the example you suggested.

If I could speak German as well as you speak English, I would be very happy. You did very well.

I didn't realize how poor the support is for French / German.

I completely agree! I don't know the english discussion about chance cubes but I can tell that many german players do not hate chance cubes - they like the idea. But maybe BioWare should have handle that in another way - the example you suggested.

I would definitely buy chance cubes separately, probably would actually spend more chasing elusive pieces I need, if they were like 50 CC a cube. I just don't like getting them in the packs, it's kind of a let down so I stopped buying packs.

Although it would make sense for them to make such announcements also on the German and French forums since they exist, I have to say that I am very disappointed that you completely and utterly seem to forget that there is a third rate citizen also. And they are many...

These are all the players who do not even have a forum in their own language and have no choice but to learn English to be able to know what's going. I am talking about the Dutch, the Spanish, the Italians, the Swedish, the Norwegians, the Finnish, the Danish, the Estonians, the Latvians, the Lithuanians, the Polish, the Czech, the Slovaks, the Hungarians, the Romanians, the Russians, the Greek, the Ukranians etc.

So what makes you more special than all those other people?

Although it would make sense for them to make such announcements also on the German and French forums since they exist, I have to say that I am very disappointed that you completely and utterly seem to forget that there is a third rate citizen also. And they are many...

 

These are all the players who do not even have a forum in their own language and have no choice but to learn English to be able to know what's going. I am talking about the Dutch, the Spanish, the Italians, the Swedish, the Norwegians, the Finnish, the Danish, the Estonians, the Latvians, the Lithuanians, the Polish, the Czech, the Slovaks, the Hungarians, the Romanians, the Russians, the Greek, the Ukranians etc.

 

So what makes you more special than all those other people?

That is a good question. I really don't understand why there is no SWTOR in spanish. Hay muchos jugadores espanoles. I have a friend in Sweden and he claims that they learn english in early years. There are many TV shows translated into the "big" languages but not in swedish etc. So they are used to it.

That is a good question. I really don't understand why there is no SWTOR in spanish. Hay muchos jugadores espanoles. I have a friend in Sweden and he claims that they learn english in early years. There are many TV shows translated into the "big" languages but not in swedish etc. So they are used to it.

So maybe the problem is the Germans and not the game makers

Seriously though, I think there are more and more Germans who speak English so I think the overall need for language specific support has diminished. I also see more Germans and French coming to TRE instead of staying on language specific servers. It is about money but I suppose it may not be worth investing into because the actual need that you describe might not be a need for many German and French players.

So maybe the problem is the Germans and not the game makers

 

Seriously though, I think there are more and more Germans who speak English so I think the overall need for language specific support has diminished. I also see more Germans and French coming to TRE instead of staying on language specific servers. It is about money but I suppose it may not be worth investing into because the actual need that you describe might not be a need for many German and French players.

They are going to TRE because there are more players than on all three german servers. Even the german server with highest population has not thaaaaaat much population.

I find it appalling that they use google translator to reply to french/german tickets. How incredibly unprofessional.

Nice post, OP. I hope you guys in Europe get the attention you need and deserve.

They are going to TRE because there are more players than on all three german servers. Even the german server with highest population has not thaaaaaat much population.

It's a matter of preference for some of us. I think that the german translations in video games and movies in general just sound plain silly for the most part, nevermind all the wordplays that are usually lost in translation and the fact that I prefer to hear the actual actors...well...acting instead of some guy sitting in a studio and looking at a screen.

I'd also find it boring to have only my own countrymen to play with. Having guildies from all over Europe and beyond is far more interesting IMO.

First, let me emphasize that I believe posts like the OP's are good for the forums. He has, in his opinion, viable complaints, which he has voiced in a reasonable, rational manner. So, I expect that any dissenting opinion will be received accordingly.

I agree with some of the OP's points ... particularly the ways in which overseas players are denied the same resources we enjoy.

I disagree on the Guild points. First, I'm not at all impressed with comparing transferring servers in a videogame with real world refugees. But, even setting that aside, guild members knew they could not transfer their stuff with them. Yet, they chose to go. They made the choice some players (not me) have repeatedly implored them to make: "Move your guild characters to a better server; you can always buy new stuff." No one promised them any "reparations" (it seems the best word to describe what the OP seeks) once they made that choice.

I agree that, if the day ever comes that EA/BW decides to shutter servers and force transfers, they had damn better have a plan in place to transfer guild and personal assets. But as long as the decision to change servers is voluntary, the consequences of that decision rests on the players.

EDIT: I steadfastly believe that the primary reason EA/BW has not shut down some servers is that they haven't figured out a good way to make those transfers of Guild and personal assets. Once they sort that out, I expect to see forced transfers.

I strongly disagree on the OP's characterization of CM packs as "fraud". There is no bait and switch. There is no misrepresentation. EA/BW has told us what to expect. This is not analogous to "buying a Passat and getting a Golf". The more accurate analogy is agreeing to buy a random set of car keys, hoping to get a Passat, but knowing it might be a Golf. I don't know the German phrase for "Random Number Generator," but I assume it's attached to as many epithets there as it is here.

SECOND EDIT: I just stumbled upon the perfect analogy for CM packs: They are the "Claw Machine" of SWTOR. You deposit your quarter, use the controls to move the claw, and take your chances. Sometimes, you get that super-cool <insert whatever arcade prize is considered super-cool today>. Sometimes, you get that stuffed duck. Sometimes, you get nothing (except, with CM packs, it only feels like you got nothing ... you always get something).

As for group content ... meh. The dearth of new group content has not impacted my enjoyment of SWTOR. But, hey, adding new group content won't impact me either, so, have at it.

Points for rational and non-hyperbolic presentation of concerns.

If you want the devs to read and embrace, might have been better to drop it into Ben's open letter thread as I am sure they are tracking replies to that one.

If what you wanted was to create a topic of discussion, to gain "support" for your concerns...then a separate thread is a better approach to attract a pile-on.

Honestly though... there is not much new here except for the poor forum support for other languages. And I agree.. if they are going to have foreign language servers/clients and forum.. they need to do actual native support for those languages. As for poor communications in general... welcome to the club.. we all get the same treatment in this regard.