I was genuinely surprised when Malgus returned as I began playing the Ossus story line. It was incredibly exciting & I loved seeing him come back.

However, if this new loading screen would have been put in place before then, I would have of course known about it beforehand. The loading screen poster they used previously with the statue in the middle was perfect - it introduced the new characters & hid our beloved old one. But someone who isn't aware of Malgus returning would obviously now know because of this blatant oversight.

Better would be if the loading page was interactive -- Malgus shows up after completing Ossus.

I agree. It would make sense if the loading screen changed after completing that. But completely spoiling it is a terrible idea.

At what point are the spoilers acceptable? I think we're far enough away that it's appropriate now. People who want to play for the latest story and avoid spoilers realistically should have cleared the content on their own by now. Everyone else can't expect the rest of the players to sit on their hands forever.

What about people who can't play that often or are just returning? I think it's more unreasonable to expect anyone & everyone to complete the new story content immediately.

Putting a gigantic spoiler as the first thing you see when you first load up the game is what's inappropriate.

What about people who can't play that often or are just returning? I think it's more unreasonable to expect anyone & everyone to complete the new story content immediately.

 

Putting a gigantic spoiler as the first thing you see when you first load up the game is what's inappropriate.

It's not immediately after though, that's the point.

It's not immediately after though, that's the point.

Who cares? It's still a spoiler & not everyone can or is willing to play this game as often as someone else. It's still a needless spoiler for someone who hasn't finished the content yet.

Who cares? It's still a spoiler & not everyone can or is willing to play this game as often as someone else. It's still a needless spoiler for someone who hasn't finished the content yet.

Watch a Game of Thrones preview for next season, it will have a ton of spoilers for previous seasons if you haven't kept up. Watch a preview for a Sequel to a movie, it will spoil some of the first.

If they would have had him on there at launch I'd agree, but we're 2 months down the road. I think it's fair game. Not to mention I personally enjoy having more interactive screens like this, I thought it was fun seeing him there when I logged in. I like having the screens evolve with the story.

Again if you're someone that cares about not having stuff spoiled ahead of time you should either stay reasonably abreast of the content, or it can't matter to you that much. This is standard across the entertainment industry.

 

Watch a Game of Thrones preview for next season, it will have a ton of spoilers for previous seasons if you haven't kept up. Watch a preview for a Sequel to a movie, it will spoil some of the first.

 

If they would have had him on there at launch I'd agree, but we're 2 months down the road. I think it's fair game. Not to mention I personally enjoy having more interactive screens like this, I thought it was fun seeing him there when I logged in. I like having the screens evolve with the story.

Someone who follows Game of Thrones & is behind a season isn't going to watch a preview for the next season. Bioware has said they want to put an emphasis on storytelling, so blatantly spoiling the story with a loading screen is entirely counterproductive. Even if you do want to closely follow the stories, that doesn't mean you'll have the time or the ability to play it often enough. Why risk a spoiler with a loading screen? If they wanted to change it, then it should change after you've completed that portion of the story. Not before. The bottom line is that it is a careless spoiler & a bad decision, & expecting everyone who wants to follow the story to do it fast enough to avoid careless spoilers is ignorant.

Someone who follows Game of Thrones & is behind a season isn't going to watch a preview for the next season.

Bioware has said they want to put an emphasis on storytelling, so blatantly spoiling the story with a loading screen is entirely counterproductive. Even if you do want to closely follow the stories, that doesn't mean you'll have the time or the ability to play it often enough. Why risk a spoiler with a loading screen? If they wanted to change it, then it should change after you've completed that portion of the story. Not before. The bottom line is that it is a careless spoiler & a bad decision, & expecting everyone who wants to follow the story to do it fast enough to avoid careless spoilers is ignorant.

It's not a "careless spoiler" I can assure you it was intentional. They made a choice that some people liked, and some people didn't, but as they say there's no accounting for taste.

Not sure about you but I don't get to pick the ads that play for me.

 

There have been spoilers in there before, anything that shows content you haven't gotten to yet is a spoiler. This isn't a new thing, and honestly I returned from a hiatus and had a few things spoiled by the log ins while I was catching up. Not a big deal IMO.

 

It's not a "careless spoiler" I can assure you it was intentional. They made a choice that some people liked, and some people didn't, but as they say there's no accounting for taste.

I can't recall a spoiler in any of the previous loading screens. And it certainly is careless - companies make careless or ignorant decisions all the time, it doesn't matter if one person or a room full of people approve it, it could still be bad. And spoiling the return of Malgus with an image is a bad choice. If I had seen that loading screen before I'd completed Ossus all of the tension of his return would have completely evaporated. It might not be a big deal to you since you do not seem to put as much as an emphasis on the story, but for others it very well could be. Why risk it? Better safe than sorry - the previous loading screen served its purpose perfectly well & it would have continued to do so without spoiling anything. Spoiling the story is not how you tell a story.

Hey, debate aside, I really enjoy your SWTOR art.

I can't recall a spoiler in any of the previous loading screens. And it certainly is careless - companies make careless or ignorant decisions all the time, it doesn't matter if one person or a room full of people approve it, it could still be bad. And spoiling the return of Malgus with an image is a bad choice. If I had seen that loading screen before I'd completed Ossus all of the tension of his return would have completely evaporated. It might not be a big deal to you since you do not seem to put as much as an emphasis on the story, but for others it very well could be. Why risk it? Better safe than sorry - the previous loading screen served its purpose perfectly well & it would have continued to do so without spoiling anything. Spoiling the story is not how you tell a story.

I just feel like it's my responsibility to stay abreast of things I care about. When I see a trailer that spoils something for me in any other aspect of my life I don't love it, but I don't blame the trailer for including something from a movie that's been out for a year and I chose not to see. I view this the same way. It's fun for those in the know to get a more catered experience in my opinion, and I have no problems maximizing the experience for active players over avoiding a minor inconvenience for a player who may not ever even see the loading screen depending on how often they update and how long it take the inactive player to catch up.

Like I said, it's a difference of taste I guess. The way I see it a good story is still good even if part of it is known before hand, and if someone wants to avoid the spoilers then they had 2 months to clear approx. 1 hr of new content. *shrug* I guess the part I really don't get is it wasn't even spoiled for you, we're debating whether or not some theoretical person who may not even exist should be protected from something they may not even care about.

Hey, debate aside, I really enjoy your SWTOR art.

Better would be if the loading page was interactive -- Malgus shows up after completing Ossus.

Better would be if they'd just let Malgus die. Like Revan in the original FP, his original ending was crappy. And, I'm certain that just like Revan in SoR, the newly resurrected Malgus' ending will be an even worse abomination than his first death. It's hard to call BW a developer that prizes story when their stories are just recycled content, and that was a problem well before they got eaten by EA.

I like the old one. It had some mystery in it with the robed figure and temple ruins. I don't like this new one.

I concur. EA / BW fumbles yet again. "Let's change up the splash screen instead of concentrating and focusing on programming and coding new spectacular content!"

Kinda makes you also wonder which splash screen version they will use if they ever release an anniversary poster / painting decoration of it as well???

Actually I put quite a bit of emphasis on the story, as in, it's the only reason I play at all. I only recently played PvP for the first time this past year despite being a "Founder" in game.

 

I just feel like it's my responsibility to stay abreast of things I care about. When I see a trailer that spoils something for me in any other aspect of my life I don't love it, but I don't blame the trailer for including something from a movie that's been out for a year and I chose not to see. I view this the same way. It's fun for those in the know to get a more catered experience in my opinion, and I have no problems maximizing the experience for active players over avoiding a minor inconvenience for a player who may not ever even see the loading screen depending on how often they update and how long it take the inactive player to catch up.

 

Like I said, it's a difference of taste I guess. The way I see it a good story is still good even if part of it is known before hand, and if someone wants to avoid the spoilers then they had 2 months to clear approx. 1 hr of new content. *shrug* I guess the part I really don't get is it wasn't even spoiled for you, we're debating whether or not some theoretical person who may not even exist should be protected from something they may not even care about.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate it. Always happy to see people who are able to disagree on something but still be friendly.

Agreeing to disagree is my #1 rule on forums. Thanks for the discussion!

Bioware or EA want to attract players who had left the game with that screen, I'm sure.

You know, Dark Side Sells.

They didn't care in the first place, with selling those items via the Anniversary Vendor.

It's been 2 months. That's long enough for spoilers, imo.

Also, SPOILER ALERT Jon Snow is a Tagaryen.

Also, SPOILER ALERT Jon Snow is a Tagaryen.

That was pretty obvious from book one though

And only half Targaryen.

Well back to topic, i don't mind the spoiler, but i really like the previous on better, seeing Malgus's gigantic ugly face every time i log in is not what i like the most...

It's been 2 months. That's long enough for spoilers, imo.

So anyone new to the game is just out of luck on avoiding spoilers?

The loading screen does have that image but it doesn't tell you anything else. For all you know Malgus is a ghost, or the story is about his secret legacy, or it's his twin brother, or whatever. IMHO it's a spoiler in the sense that you would ascertain he's part of the story but there really isn't any detail to it.

FWIW though, I wish there were a way to change it because I'm already getting sick of seeing him glaring every time I load the game.

So anyone new to the game is just out of luck on avoiding spoilers?

Someone new wouldn't even know who or what is in that splash screen. They wouldn't even know who Malgus is either.

Someone new wouldn't even know who or what is in that splash screen. They wouldn't even know who Malgus is either.

You said: "It's been 2 months. That's long enough for spoilers, imo."

My question was not about the splash screen specifically, but about the generality you made regarding spoilers.

The announcement/news page spoilt his reveal, anyway: http://www.swtor.com/info/news

I would certainly have preferred it to be a surprise, but the loading screen isn't a spoiler if its actually announced...