Cartel Market Items dominate all of the latest patch notes and updates to the game. I'd love to see something that doesn't cost $ added to the game. Items like Revan's mask, robes, and the Hutt barges are examples of items that should have been end game loot drops.

I just think it's stupid.

You make it sound like they only patch in CCM content. Which is not true. Nice of you to disregard new content patched in the progressive patches since Free-2-Play went live. You know.. things like new Flashpoints, PvP, events, etc.

Not to mention the upcoming expansion.

You're right, Cartel Market items do not equal new content.

Cartel market items equal new revenue to continue funding of new content development.

They dominate soley because they pay for themselves.

They're not "taking the place" of any regular content. In fact they help support regular content.

You'd get less 'regular content' without them.

Cartel Market Items dominate all of the latest patch notes and updates to the game. I'd love to see something that doesn't cost $ added to the game. Items like Revan's mask, robes, and the Hutt barges are examples of items that should have been end game loot drops.

 

I just think it's stupid.

Why is that? I completely disagree. I'm no where near level 50 and all of my 9 characters have CM armor on. I'm glad it is not end game.

You make it sound like they only patch in CCM content. Which is not true. Nice of you to disregard new content patched in the progressive patches since Free-2-Play went live. You know.. things like new Flashpoints, PvP, events, etc.

 

Not to mention the upcoming expansion.

Andryah, that content was well-planned and datamined way before anyone even thought about f2p! Aren't you familiar with the torhead "leaks"? All of that was there since February last year with quotes from conversations and really detailed location descriptions. And almost everything from that leak happened so far. In my opinion they had most of it ready and were stalling for a very long time for some reason.

Also after Mr. Musco said that Cartel Market team is completely independent I have my doubts about the income from cartel coins going to the actual content. More likely EA and cartel market team + development of new cartel market items.

They dominate soley because they pay for themselves.

It's fine that the cosmetic crap can pay for itself, but so could a lot of other stuff that isn't even being given a shot.

THAT'S what's frustrating. I'd drop $$$ for a new companion or new class quests in a heartbeat, but they're not even giving them a shot to prove that they would pay for themselves every bit as much as the cosmetic stuff.

Mty point about endgame items- Someone as iconic as Revan in the SWTOR Universe shouldn't have his gear available for purchase. Yes I know it doesn' t have mods ect. but it should have mods as in at endgame loot.

You think they just whipped up the HK quest line? I believe all of the cartel content we are getting now is striped down bits and pieces of what the first boxed expansion was supposed to be.

What would folks be saying if your could buy Frostmourne in a pack?

Whomsoever takes up this blade shall wield power eternal. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit."

—The inscription on Frostmourne's pedestal

Whomseover buys cartel coins shall wield power eternal.

-Executive Producer the Hickster

Unmodded armor is not the best stuff, it's just the best looking stuff so I don't know where that's coming from. From what I've seen, there isn't anything in the CM that is end game. It is all cosmetic.

End game crystals, end game ships weaps and armor, high tier gear you can buy for lvling which makes you a god in lower end pvp. That's all there too.

Why don't they give a shot to some other kind of content too to prove that they, too, can pay for themselves?

Isn't that kind of what the expansion is? What all expansions are?

If BioWare is reading this, I would simply like to say I agree with the OP. As a founder and continuous subscriber, the shift in "content" from bug fixes and additional content to simply the latest sparkle pony, is not making me happy.

I really don't care what color my avatar is, or what shape my mount is. I care about content. The kind that takes skill and effort to get past, or is at least interesting and entertaining to experience. Like the kind the game launched with, and the first patches added in.

Section X and HK-51 was a good addition (though rumors suggest this was 90% complete during beta). NiM EC is a good addition (but waaaay too late). The rep grinds are NOT working for me...they only offer a wrapper on old content, with the rewards being....yep, new sparkle pony's.

A themepark MMO needs to consider CONTENT the meat of the game. It's what keeps the player base playing. Mounts and armor skins are like dessert. We like dessert, but you can only eat so much of it, before it makes you sick...and I'm getting sick.

If BioWare is reading this, I would simply like to say I agree with the OP. As a founder and continuous subscriber, the shift in "content" from bug fixes and additional content to simply the latest sparkle pony, is not making me happy.

 

I really don't care what color my avatar is, or what shape my mount is. I care about content. The kind that takes skill and effort to get past, or is at least interesting and entertaining to experience. Like the kind the game launched with, and the first patches added in.

 

Section X and HK-51 was a good addition (though rumors suggest this was 90% complete during beta). NiM EC is a good addition (but waaaay too late). The rep grinds are NOT working for me...they only offer a wrapper on old content, with the rewards being....yep, new sparkle pony's.

 

A themepark MMO needs to consider CONTENT the meat of the game. It's what keeps the player base playing. Mounts and armor skins are like dessert. We like dessert, but you can only eat so much of it, before it makes you sick...and I'm getting sick.

^^^ THIS ^^^^

I played in the beta and I've also been a subscriber since the game launched. It's really annoying to see 95% of patch notes flooded with cartel market nonsense. Content should come first. Also, it's quite obvious that they now keep the good armor designs for the CM, which makes me feel quite cheated.

And don't get me started on the other main thing that should have a WAY higher priority than CM stuff in the updates... The bugs. I'm not saying there's any game-breaking bug bothering me. In fact, there's almost no bug at all bothering me. There's... just... one.

SINCE LAUNCH, our companions run around with their weapons drawn. Kira and Nadia have been slicing their own waists with their lightsabers SINCE FREAKING BETA. If EA wants to focus on milking their players with the bloody Cartel Market, fine, but first you have to fix bugs that have been in the game for more than a YEAR.

This greedy Cartel Market could very well be what dooms this game. And I'm not one of those guys that runs around screaming that this game won't last another year.

I'm not saying the Expansion is not content. In fact, I'm quite pumped about it. But whoever thinks that Cartel Market and milking players is not the main focus for this game right now is quite naive. We all know EA. We all know what this game could be without their nefarious influence over BioWare.

Andryah, that content was well-planned and datamined way before anyone even thought about f2p! Aren't you familiar with the torhead "leaks"? All of that was there since February last year with quotes from conversations and really detailed location descriptions. And almost everything from that leak happened so far. In my opinion they had most of it ready and were stalling for a very long time for some reason.

Also after Mr. Musco said that Cartel Market team is completely independent I have my doubts about the income from cartel coins going to the actual content. More likely EA and cartel market team + development of new cartel market items.

Personally I wouldn't bother replying to Andryah. She/he is infamous for shooting down anyone with any sort of complaint or criticism that she doesnt deem "fair" or "constructive'

Depends on what game content....

Pvpers would need to be able to get this cool armor too, as would pvers, and those who just want to level to 50. You can still get them via credits, so it's not pay to win/look good, and the cartel market is the best way to accommodate all of the communities in swtor getting what they want...:

Besides,

Different departments have different funding, and pve operations designers spend most of their time on the ops, not the gear they get from it, we'd never get anything as cool as the Cartel Market stuff in PVE/PVP

Strikefromabove.... Do you still play? Thought you quit...

You're right, Cartel Market items do not equal new content.

 

Cartel market items equal new revenue to continue funding of new content development.

LOL, yeah, there would be no game for these people to complain about if the Cartel Market wasn't around to subsidize the game and all the players who don't pay for a sub.

On a different note, it would be great if people could take 5 seconds to search the forums and add their comment to existing threads instead of making new threads on the same, tired subjects whenever a thought pops into their heads. This thread raises nothing that hasn't been discussed over and over and in countless other threads. If there's a Cartel item you want, either pay money for it or grind for credits to buy it off the GTN. If you're not willing to do either of those things, then I have no sympathy for you. I suppose the OP is suggesting that the coolest looking gear (which is completely subjective), that doesn't even have any stats associated with it, should only be obtainable from nightmare mode Ops? If you were to the point that you were regularly running the hardest end-game content, then you have made enough credits or could easily make enough credits to buy Revan's Mask or some other expensive item off the GTN. The people running that content want the most powerful gear as loot, not some cosmetic item that they may or may not even like anyway.

End game crystals, end game ships weaps and armor, high tier gear you can buy for lvling which makes you a god in lower end pvp. That's all there too.

You can get all that stuff in game. The higher tier gear you have to wear at the higher level, how does that make you a god. My jugg is a god in PvP because she's in level 31 armor at level 31? How? I can make amoring and mods or I can buy them on the GTN. Either way, I disagree. You can craft your own. I'm already up to level 31 blue mods and armoring.