This is not a rant or a "let's all pile on and bash Bioware" thread.

As you can see by my join date I have been a follower/supporter of this effort from years ago. I still consider myself a loyal subscriber and I still enjoy the product. I suspect I will for quite some time. Having said that, I haven't been completely blind and have questioned several decisions they have made, particularly recently.

I, like many others, have concerns about their current position on the group finder and server transfers and how these two ideas/features actually interact with each other and I have chosen to remain quiet and patient while waiting for some solid information but I find myself growing more and more concerned with the lack of information/interaction with the community.

I've never been fond of people who make demands on an already overwhelmed group of developers. I've often winced over the extreme and hyperbolic demands some of the "fair-weather fans" have made, considering them unreasonable and somewhat extreme. Recently, I find myself more accommodating of these views and it is primarily and singularly due to the lack of information from the devs.

I was convinced, when we were given the free 30 days that within 2 weeks, we would have some solid communication from the developers about the future direction and future plans. There are, after all, many many questions that are hanging in the air unanswered.

Meanwhile, the game I love, continues to lose subscribers. There's no point in arguing this, it is happening and it is obvious. I believe the silence from the developers is exacerbating this much more than they may realize. I feel this way because I consider myself a canary in a gold mine. When players such as myself (the most patient of the patient) become concerned, this is a serious problem.

Bioware, it's time. The community is horrible here, I get that. I understand that anything they say to this community will be twisted and contorted and lambasted by many while at the same time adored by others. Thus is the nature of the forums and this community. I understand that timelines are dangerous and how perilous it is to reveal features before they are ready in such a volatile community environment. I get all of that, believe me I do.

I strongly and honestly feel that we are at the point where the silence is more detrimental to the health of the game than would be the risk of disappointment over any possible features/additions that are altered before implementation. There are just too many big questions hanging in the air and I believe the time to answer some of those is long since passed. Ask any developer of any MMO that has come before, both successes and failures. You just can't leave a community in the dark for this long without there being repercussions.

I am not demanding anything. I'm not whining and I'm not trolling. I genuinely feel like the health and future of this game depends on the developers being more forthcoming and doing so...immediately.

We need to know the plans for transfers/lfg/ranked pvp. We need to know more and a tentative timeline would be sincerely appreciated. My largest concern is how these three things interact with each other.

For example, A single server lfg tool is basically worthless if it occurs before transfers. On the same train of thought, ranked pvp will be worthless without server clusters. Following this thought through, would it be easier just to cluster servers and make the LFG x-server as well as the pvp ques. I'm not saying any of these ideas are better than others. I would just really like to know what the plans are. What are they thinking?

It's time Bioware. Turn the lights on. You cannot sit silently by and expect the community to wait forever. I feel like, and I fully submit I could be wrong, the community has been more than patient while we wait for some news.

Please, let us in on the plans. I thank you sincerely for the 30 days free and I'll be completely honest here, there's probably no risk of my sub going anywhere for at least the next few months. There are many, however, that are viewing this 30 days as a watermark for Bioware. The silence, to me at least, is extremely disconcerting.

We need some information about the direction of our beloved game. We need it now. I plead with you to communicate the future plans (not a year from now but days/weeks from now) to your players. I ask this of you not while wielding the threat of my subscription over my head like an axe but while holding it in my palms like a beggar.

It's time to open those lines of communication. The silence is becoming deafening.

It's time.

I agree

Any new information would be helpful. So many people are leaving on my server.

Haven't they communicated quite a bit about the server transfers? What more can they say until they're far enough along that they feel comfortable announcing a release date?

The transfer issue seems to be the vast majority of the complaints around here and they've said it's their top dev priority and they're aiming for something early summer. I'm sure all the specifics will be out when they have a planned release date, and they'll have that when the devs make more progress.

Until then, discussing a bunch of tentative plans would probably create all kinds of disappointment if/when things don't turn out as projected. When there's a release date for the next big patch, I'm sure BW will communicate every last detail you're asking about, because they'll actually know at that point.

Haven't they communicated quite a bit about the server transfers? What more can they say until they're far enough along that they feel comfortable announcing a release date?

 

The transfer issue seems to be the vast majority of the complaints around here and they've said it's their top dev priority and they're aiming for something early summer. I'm sure all the specifics will be out when they have a planned release date, and they'll have that when the devs make more progress.

 

Until then, discussing a bunch of tentative plans would probably create all kinds of disappointment if/when things don't turn out as projected. When there's a release date for the next big patch, I'm sure BW will communicate every last detail you're asking about, because they'll actually know at that point.

I honestly feel like they have not communicated enough. I don't need or ask for a detailed, minute to minute timeline. I do feel, sincerely that the amount of information they have given us has not been sufficient.

the current Dev team will never open up for fear of even more flak coming their way.

The OP is very reasonable and SHOULD be hired to be PR director of SWTOR, but "should" matters as much as a fart in a hurricane.

Bioware/EA "should" become famous for being unreasonable because of SWTOR.

It's time for a change alright.... time to cancel subs and move to a game that has a clue...

I fully agree with the OP. Developer silence might be important on several stages but now is getting harmful for the game. More information should be brought to us players. Saying that I don't mean they should commit with a precise release date for this or that feature but sharing with us how things are going (what are the concerns, it's being harder or easier than they thought it would be, the bumps on the road, the backtracks, whatever) with players could build a more harmonious relationship between the two parts. I know they are the ones developing the game and no one likes to be told how to get their job done but we are much more than them and it's not the first time players bring up some questions and details about some features that developers might have not remembered or overlooked due to the amount of stuff already in their heads.

Well.. just my 2 cents...

While server transfers isn't a issue with me I imagine they want to make sure that it works right the first time.That takes time.If people lose their chrs during a transfer you will see some very unhappy folks.

While i agree they def need to have it perfect before its released. I just want to direct to a post as far back as 1/25/2012 http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=340708&highlight=character+transfer So they should have known and had been working on this even in a just in case fashion and honestly im not going to say i know anything about making games but i just imagine 4 months would be ample time to have a decent system in place

It would be nice if there was some weekly information about the progress of some things. e.g. ranked warzones and server transfers. People would appreciate this.

well they started that podcast crap so hopefully they use that and the weekly questions to talk about real problems and not ppl saying stuff like "Jedis with red lightsabers is not canon uggggggggg change it"

Saying that I don't mean they should commit with a precise release date for this or that feature but sharing with us how things are going (what are the concerns, it's being harder or easier than they thought it would be, the bumps on the road, the backtracks, whatever) with players could build a more harmonious relationship between the two parts.

Precisely.

If handled correctly, this could be an opportunity to form strong and lasting bonds with the community. This is something that is sorely lacking currently.

I understand the risks and the difficulties, particularly with such a polarized and opinionated community, however, in my humble and honest opinion, the only thing worse would be to remain silent.

Haven't they communicated quite a bit about the server transfers?

All we've been told about server transfers is that they're coming.

• We haven't been told when, other than the vague 'summer-time' response.
  
• We haven't been told what they'll entail. Are these transfers going to occur like:
  
  High Pop ~> Lower Pop

  
  

  Lower Pop ~> Standard Pop

  
  

  Low Pop & High Pop ~> Standard Pop

  
  

  All Pop ~> All Pop

  
  

• We haven't been told if there are any special requirements that are necessary for customers to be eligible for free transfers.
  

If I had booked a flight with Ryan Air, and they were rearranging my flight, I'd expect, as a paying customer, to be given answers to any and all questions I wanted to ask. I would also not expect their response to be, effectively, "go somewhere else if you don't like it", as any company that does that is unlikely to last.

Simple admission that there is a HUGE issue would at least be a start. I asked for that two months ago, a simple admission.

Great PR.

It would be nice if there was some weekly information about the progress of some things. e.g. ranked warzones and server transfers. People would appreciate this.

OH NO! It must be kept secret. Everything must have a glorious surprise factor. Surprises are what's important, not customer appreciation.

While server transfers isn't a issue with me I imagine they want to make sure that it works right the first time.That takes time.If people lose their chrs during a transfer you will see some very unhappy folks.

They have already tried and tested it... a la Asia Pacific Servers.....

I honestly feel like they have not communicated enough. I don't need or ask for a detailed, minute to minute timeline. I do feel, sincerely that the amount of information they have given us has not been sufficient.

Couldn't agree more.

I think it's becoming very clear that this is BW's first multiplayer game, and I think it's showing when it comes to communication with their online (and paying) community/customers.

It's like picking up the phone to LG, and being told to **** off.

All we've been told about server transfers is that they're coming.

Simple admission that there is a HUGE issue would at least be a start. I asked for that two months ago, a simple admission.

Admission would never happen and especially this early it may make their current subs feel like their owning up but if they admit they messed up it may turn away future subs so its just rly bad for PR

Couldn't agree more.

 

I think it's becoming very clear that this is BW's first multiplayer game, and I think it's showing when it comes to communication with their online (and paying) community/customers.

 

It's like picking up the phone to LG, and being told to **** off.

sorry but its not, bioware merged with mythic, wich made warhammer online, the nabs from warhammer online are now working on swtor, and its noticable.

Admission would never happen and especially this early it may make their current subs feel like their owning up but if they admit they messed up it may turn away future subs so its just rly bad for PR

This isn't exactly cracking PR... Nor is losing half a MILLION subscribers in 3 months.

sorry but its not, bioware merged with mythic, wich made warhammer online, the nabs from warhammer online are now working on swtor, and its noticable.

I realise that, but purchasing or merging with a company that developed a game independently, is not developing one yourself. That was the point I was making. The people who make DAO, haven't made MMO's before. That's what I was getting at.

This isn't exactly cracking PR... Nor is losing half a MILLION subscribers in 3 months.

this is true but you the old saying "You're never beaten until you admit it." George Patton and thats what they think when they are asked to own up to their mistakes

sorry but its not, bioware merged with mythic, wich made warhammer online, the nabs from warhammer online are now working on swtor, and its noticable.

We do not know this. This is speculation.

We do know that Mythic is part of Bioware but we have no way of knowing who is working on what or to what degree any of the Mythic employees are involved in any given area.

It is also, at the very least impolite, to equate any shortcomings of this game with the persons who have worked on any other game in the past. It is slanderous to make statements such as these, particularly when you have no idea what any of those Mythic employees are doing within the internal workings at Bioware.

This thread is a conversation about opening the lines of communication between the developers and the community. I hope you see that your comment is directly in conflict with this idea.

sorry but its not, bioware merged with mythic, wich made warhammer online, the nabs from warhammer online are now working on swtor, and its noticable.

Yeah were trying to have a constructive thread there's no need for bad talking unless u have a leg to stand on

It would be nice if there was some weekly information about the progress of some things. e.g. ranked warzones and server transfers. People would appreciate this.

Some people would appreciate it. Others would take this information as 'promises', as has been seen already, and use it to feel all butthurt that BioWare broke a 'promise' when no promise was in fact made.

As for me, I don't need BioWare to hold my hand and talk to me every day..I'm not some clingy, desperate beta male who needs reassurance. I don't demand such communication from the devs that create my console games, nor the devs that create my SPRG PC games. I don't demand such communication from my cell phone provider, nor any other service provider in any business.

Why certain MMO players feel they deserve constant attention by the developers is beyond me.

OP. Did someone recently turn green and explode near you?

I have a suggestion. Go back to just logging on and enjoying the game rather then worry about things you are not paid to worry about. Trust me, they already know all this and are frantically working on solutions. We are talking literally millions of dollars here. No one takes that lightly.

You sound very bright and I do like your ideas, but I'm thinking you have been sucked in by this board and all the "know it alls" and their banter about failure and the resulting natural disaster that will ensue.

Think of it in terms of growing pains. The game is and remains financially viable. That means it will be ongoing, with a solid base of support. That means it has what it needs most, time. Everything else will fall into place with that time. If the LFG comes before mergers, the boards will explode, but the game will be fine. Once mergers come in it will be like the frustration of 137 blue REs falling by the way once that purple pattern pops, and everyone is happy again. People will come flocking back, especially if done when new content is released....just as it has occurred for the last 18 years with these games.

Worrying about it will not help it along.