I was a little bummed in discovering that HK-55 was only available to the few players that had been subscribing all year, but it wasn't all that bad when you could basically go get is twin in section X . However, you sort of got hit again when the new chapter cam out to play as him, coming with new achievements and new lore, when they only let you play if you had him as a companion. If he was able to be purchased or even free to subscribers that would be something, but it doesn't appear that he is.

So my question is, If you started playing this year are you never going to have the option to play this character? I feel like its a big loss if you are a subscriber and still unable to play chapters, get companions, earn achievements, and basically have the same experience as everyone else, simply because you have not bee a subscriber long enough.

Not gonna happen sadly been beat to death this top has.

 

It was for x period should have subbed then, it was in the tos and I think it might po all the subs that qualified if their exclusive became available for those who didnt

Yeah not going to happen but the bigger bummer is missing out of Z0-0M. Edited September 16, 2016 by supersappe

It was for x period should have subbed then...t

 

You do realize that new players are discovering this game all the time, don't you? Punishing people for not having signed up earlier is just going to foster resentment among those that missed out through no fault of their own.

It's not punishing people for coming to the game late, it's rewarding people for having been loyal supporters of SWTOR.

 

Edit: I like that they've done this. So many times companies focus on trying to attract new customers and don't give anything of real interest to their existing customer base. I'm glad that SWTOR have given something to customers that subbed for pretty much the whole year.

Edited September 16, 2016 by HaltHammerzeit

You do realize that new players are discovering this game all the time, don't you? Punishing people for not having signed up earlier is just going to foster resentment among those that missed out through no fault of their own.

 

Just try to imagine the message it would send:

To new players: Here! Pay more to get one extra comp and chapter! Sure others got it free, but you won't

To non-qualified subscribers: Hey! Didn't care to sub when needed, only subbed when all the chapters were released to give us less money? Now you can get the exact same treatment for ridiculously less money! (In general forum one suggested 2$...)

To qualified subscribers: Meh. We promised you something unique, exclusive for your loyalty and supporting us even when most didn't. But we want more money so we don't care anymore! Be sure to sub again, your rewards in the future won't be exclusive either! But still sub even when there's no new content!

Just try to imagine the message it would send:

To new players: Here! Pay more to get one extra comp and chapter! Sure others got it free, but you won't

To non-qualified subscribers: Hey! Didn't care to sub when needed, only subbed when all the chapters were released to give us less money? Now you can get the exact same treatment for ridiculously less money! (In general forum one suggested 2$...)

To qualified subscribers: Meh. We promised you something unique, exclusive for your loyalty and supporting us even when most didn't. But we want more money so we don't care anymore! Be sure to sub again, your rewards in the future won't be exclusive either! But still sub even when there's no new content!

 

There shouldn't be a single thing in this game that a new player shouldn't be able to strive for and achieve. If overly-entitled people are willing to leave because their precious little shinies are somehow devalued, then the game environment is a far better place without them.

Edited September 16, 2016 by ZanyaCross

There shouldn't be a single thing in this game that a new player shouldn't be able to strive for and achieve. If overly-entitled people are willing to leave because their precious little shinies are somehow devalued, then the game environment is a far better place without them.

while I agree to a T not everything is fair. Heck I didn't get it cause I I didn't care flatout others did and got their perk or reward what have you but the agreement can be made for the opposite for "new players getting timed rewards etc for nothing but a large deposit of cash or coins, warning nothing. "

 

Bottomline sub full-time and have nebulous service or get what you get and nebulous service

Edited September 16, 2016 by cardmonkey

There shouldn't be a single thing in this game that a new player shouldn't be able to strive for and achieve. If overly-entitled people are willing to leave because their precious little shinies are somehow devalued, then the game environment is a far better place without them.

 

There are already lots of things that can't be acquired in game by new players that have nothing to do with subscriber rewards. if overly-entitled people are willing to leave because they can't get precious little shinies that someone else got because they were here earlier, then the game environment is a far better place without them. (no, I don't actually believe this, just pointing out it works both ways)

 

Hell, this has been a thing right from the beginning with the CE of the game.

 

Or how about the pre-order crystal? Can't get the black-yellow one any other way.

 

 

While I would have preferred they used a different scheme for these rewards (ex. sub for X months straight and get the bunus chapter, but do it during the dates spanning KOTFE and get it earlier/with fewer months subbed overall), but they didn't do that and they have to stick to their promotion.

This is why I prefer the Veteran rewards in Star Trek Online.

For every hundred days you're subbed*, you get something exclusive.

 

I wouldn't mind if they implemented something similar here.

 

 

*iirc that's total days, not consecutive days so if your sub lapses a few times, you don't have to start from scratch, but you'd still fall behind the people who kept their sub constantly running.

ill throw my 2 cents in here even if its probably not wanted, i believe that while some things should be exclusive, a part of the story should not be exclusive. they should give out limited things like the crystals or companions but to lock the community out of the story is not something that should happen. they should make it so you can do this and get hk-55 but for the people who subbed originally to get it they should have their hk be special in some way in comparison to the one everyone else get from the story, or make it so they can get zoom while the rest of us cant. that would make it fair. BUT DO NOT LOCK PEOPLE OUT OF THE STORY. im all for the limited stuff for a long time but come on.

There shouldn't be a single thing in this game that a new player shouldn't be able to strive for and achieve. If overly-entitled people are willing to leave because their precious little shinies are somehow devalued, then the game environment is a far better place without them.

 

I don't have black-yellow crystal, Party Jawa, Dr. Oggurobb Holostatue, Conqurer of the Dread Fortress, Deposer of the Dread Masters etc. that I didn't qualify for, haven't been here long enough for. Do I want them? Heck yeah! Do I whine? No, because I know something holds value, because it's rare, unique and exclusive. If BW made all previously exclusive rewards available for anyone not qualified, noone would ever again believe a single word from them and their sub numbers would hit all-time bottom. You demand things that are exclusive to ppl whose money kept the game running ever since 2011 release so that you can join in now. They deserve special treatment and special rewards. And tbh, veteran players get very few rewards compared to other games, yet ppl always want to get their exclusive "toys".

I don't have black-yellow crystal, Party Jawa, Dr. Oggurobb Holostatue, Conqurer of the Dread Fortress, Deposer of the Dread Masters etc. that I didn't qualify for, haven't been here long enough for. Do I want them? Heck yeah! Do I whine? No, because I know something holds value, because it's rare, unique and exclusive.

 

And you know what? I have a lot of that stuff and I have no problem sharing. I want everyone else to experience the fun I had playing the HK chapter. How about getting behind something that brings a little happiness to everyone for a change instead of some gated-off few that think they are royalty because they found the game a few weeks before someone else?

 

I don't even get it, everybody complains about how bad the writing is in KotFE and when we finally get a really genuinely great chapter people want to horde it for themselves like freakin' Gollum with the One Ring instead of letting everyone have a respite from the misery this season was.

Think it has something to do with the rules of the reward. How is it fair if we spread the love. It not bout royalty but merely following the sketchy rules and getting rewarded

 

It's moot anyway since they won't release it (anytime soon maybe they will say something) its not critical imo if anything just a funny tale that have a comp

Edited September 17, 2016 by cardmonkey

Aside from brand new players...

 

It's extremely simple to get ALL the rewards from now on...STAY SUBBED. When I have issues using my debit card, I use my credit card. If I can afford cigarettes, Diet coke, starbucks, new underwear, etc, I can afford $15 a month.

 

If, and I mean, IF, one can't afford a sub for years on end, whether 6 months at a time, one month a time, a time card, whathaveyou, then either you shouldn't be playing the game and need to work more (if part time) or drop something that is a want and not a need for you.

 

Needs are roof over your head, food, water, air.

 

Wants are everything else. Tv? Want. Car? Want. Starbucks? Want.

 

If you WANT the shinies, you need to sub and keep subbing. If you don't want to for whatever your reasons are and you CAN afford it easily, then you don't get shinies cause you decided you couldn't be assed to be or stay subbed.

 

Next time, grab a sub, stay subbed, never unsub. If you don't care about the shinies, then go preferred or free to play. But don't come here and beg, whine, complain about not having something you didn't qualify for.

And you know what? I have a lot of that stuff and I have no problem sharing. I want everyone else to experience the fun I had playing the HK chapter. How about getting behind something that brings a little happiness to everyone for a change instead of some gated-off few that think they are royalty because they found the game a few weeks before someone else?

 

I don't even get it, everybody complains about how bad the writing is in KotFE and when we finally get a really genuinely great chapter people want to horde it for themselves like freakin' Gollum with the One Ring instead of letting everyone have a respite from the misery this season was.

 

Terns and Conditions clearly stated that NOT everyone would be able access HK-chapter. And unlike most, I remember the outrage that we had to sub for so long for one lousy chapter and most subs decided it's not worth it. But there were people who decided to support the game anyways, even if it's just one extra chapter we are getting for it. Now the chapter turned out to be great and suddenly ppl start to whine why don't they have it. New players miss out on bunch of stuff, and that's how it works in literally every multi game. Why exactly should SWTOR be different? Because the HK chapter is good?

Not to mention BW would break his own Terms and Conditions, therefore could face a lawsuit, just because you want something shiny that others have.

We didn't get the extra chapter, companions for free. Are you willing to pay 120$ for it? 8 months worth of subscribtion, btw.

Edited September 17, 2016 by jauvtus

If you want an HK unit, go to section X and do 51's questline. Same character basically (and looks much nicer imo) plus the questline is fun and interesting.

HK-55 is just a Gimic to get people to stay subbed. In the real story he is dead. So he isn't much of a loss for me. Edited September 18, 2016 by cool-dude

You do realize that new players are discovering this game all the time, don't you? Punishing people for not having signed up earlier is just going to foster resentment among those that missed out through no fault of their own.

 

It's not really a punishment, HK's death is part of the story. Re-obtaining him at teh end does not impact it at all unless you have the bonus chapter.

Players missed out on stuff from long ago... it happens in an MMO.

Rather than have it be that a user must have been subscribed during a certain period of time, I would much prefer to see it so that it is based on how long you've been a subscriber. If people want Nico/HK-55, add up how long it was since launch and once you've subscribed that long, you get them (or whatever reward was during that time). That way they still have an opportunity to get them but still have to pay up just like everyone else (you just get it later).

Not to mention BW would break his own Terms and Conditions, therefore could face a lawsuit, just because you want something shiny that others have.

 

This is a complete lie. Bioware is free to change it's terms and conditions any time they want. Legally all they need to do is inform you in advance, and make you click on the "I agree to the new terms" that you probably won't even read before letting you sign in again.

 

If you want an HK unit, go to section X and do 51's questline. Same character basically (and looks much nicer imo) plus the questline is fun and interesting.

 

It's not the same, either in personality or mechanics. 51 is a terrible tank (and not even the best DPS anymore since losing Assassinate) and both have completely different lines and dialogue.

 

Also, in describing the mission to get 51 you forgot to mention "soul-breakingly tedious".

I agree with tedious but need a better phrase that soul killing

Zanya is pretty much utilizing sound reasoning here to be honest.

 

What people don't understand about MMORPGS is that making the general populace happier makes the game healthier, financially and in terms of it's community. Hk-55 being restricted to just subs may bring in some money for a short period of time, but it's very clearly not good for the community health (simply look at the many threads on the subject to discover that yourself).

 

It can further be very easily argued that we have no good reason to believe that HK-55 being exclusive to subs makes the company more money than it being available in the Cartel Market a few months after it is rewarded to subs. You would lose a few of those subs but gain an absolutely IMMENSE amount of Cartel Coin purchases (which to be fair, some will come from sources such as security keys/referrals, but certainly not all and probably not even most).

 

I think, therefore, the game is likely much more healthy in the long run having CONTENT such as a companions/story not be exclusive to limited time offers. That's just pretty much undeniable if you apply sound reasoning to the situation.

 

The only question, then, is CAN Bioware do it? Firstly, yes, they can. Bioware is free to change the terms and conditions for their products as they wish. This is *especially* true considering, from what I've read, Bioware never says it's FOREVER exclusive to these subscribers. Take the following sentence as an example:

 

"This Sony Playstation 4 giveaway is exclusive only to people who sign up for the Sony weekly Newsletter"

 

Does this imply Sony Playstations can only be received via this giveaway? Not necessarily. I haven't seen any explicit (and yes, it MUST be explicit to be legally the case) statements that this content is FOREVER exclusive only to people who subscribe during this SPECIFIC giveaway. I'm open to correction of course, but the wording used in the terms of service does not imply absolute unending exclusivity, but is instead neutral in regards to if it's exclusive just for the immediate future or for forever (and again, in legal terms, it must be EXPLICIT or it's legally NEUTRAL).

Edited September 20, 2016 by BobTheTeepo

Or just stay subbed so semantics like these don't occur. I'm no paragon of we or bioware just like their products but the rules were there don't Subb during x time deal with it. Without rules we have anarchy.

 

They are damned if they do or don't and it sounds easier to just keep the pace. If the game is losing players tough ish everything comes to a end.

I think, therefore, the game is likely much more healthy in the long run having CONTENT such as a companions/story not be exclusive to limited time offers.

 

Bingo. Especially when it's actually good content.

 

Or just stay subbed so semantics like these don't occur. .

 

That's not realistic for everyone. Some people have billing issues. I had like three happen in that time frame that I finally have completely fixed and if I didn't have it set to bill me every three months instead of one I'd have lost out. Stuff just happens, and saying "tough turkey" to the people it happens to doesn't make for a happy customer-base.

 

Also, this does nothing to address people who just hadn't been playing the game that early.

"Hey, welcome to the game! Glad to have you as a customer! Oh, that stuff over there that everybody is raving about? Sorry, you didn't join us early enough so you're screwed. I mean, we appreciate you finding our game, just not that much. Be sure to spend lots of money in the cartel market though!"

 

You can't expect to draw in new customers and then gate them off from the fun parts.