Between 3 beta weekends and my current batch of characters, I've run the Esseles a bunch of times. On my main, I've run every flashpoint up through Manalorian Raiders.

 

In the Esseles, there were plenty of conversations. It was great. Not just a string of corridors full of mobs leading to bosses.

 

What I want to know is why was this model dropped after the first flashpoint? Every flashpoint I've done since is run run, kill mobs, run, kill boss, rinse and repeat. The same old same old instance model.

 

It's the same for Sith.

 

Black Talon you can play with 1 friend and take your time, get social and alignment points, and the whole thing is a blast.

 

Hammer Station? Boring.

Athiss? Boring.

Mando Raiders? Boring.

 

Foundry? Cool story, bro. Kind of long. Still can't be duoed and still has no alignment points.

Collocoid War Games? Broken.

Simply passing by to pitch in to the OP:

 

I completely agree. After the awesomecake that is Esseles, everything else is a stale cookie.

 

I played all Republic Flashpoints up to level 35, and I've decided to stop trying them because each time they just disappoint me. I don't need them for the loot, or the money, or the 'great groups' *coughsputter* I encounter.

 

For the social points I don't have to do it. For that, I just re-run Esseles with a bunch of fresh people who are doing it for the first time and are still really enjoying it.

 

...wish there was more Esseles awesomeness.

lol

we are lvl 50 and we are doing hard mode instances

 

they kill poeple if they don't press space

 

and you sit here and talk about more conversation

 

go and watch a movie if you like to listen conversations

 

 

Your reading skill are lacking in soo many ways that "lol" you posted at the front of the post should be directed at yours.

 

At what point did the OP mention hard modes,, a high amount of people have lives, unlike you (i'm speculating, but the chances are high) and cant spend hours upon hours and nights playing and rushing through contents.

 

Theres also the matter of people wanting social points and enjoying stories while they can, but according to YOU, people shouldn't be wanting stories in NON HARDMODE flashpoints.

Agree on choices/conversations. Now doing the Red Reaper and while it's enjoyable, it doesn't have any talking and only one choice. But still, it's small and fun.

 

Colicoid War Games on the other hand... glah I'm done with them.

 

My favorie is Maelstrom for reasons you'll find when you go there.

 

But for socialising, Esseles still takes the cake.

Edited December 30, 2011 by GhostRiderLSOV

I was hoping to find a thread like this (was about to start my own).

 

I agree with the OP completely. The best time I have ever had in an MMO was running The Esseles with my friends. I figured the rest of the Flashpoints would be this good (story and dialog).

 

Then I ran Hammer Station, Athiss, and Mandalorian Raiders. None of them were any good. I mean, I have run them a few times for loot, but it was really just a big Heroic, and not a Flashpoint.

 

If anybody from BioWare is reading this, I request that all future Flashpoints be made in the model of The Esseles (story/dialog).

I was my servers first level 50.

 

I didn't skip a single dialogue option while leveling.

 

By the 15th time ive done Esseless on hardmodes, on alts, whatever.. I got entirely sick and tired of the same story over and over. You better be willing to spacebar through it at this point.

I was my servers first level 50.

 

I didn't skip a single dialogue option while leveling.

 

By the 15th time ive done Esseless on hardmodes, on alts, whatever.. I got entirely sick and tired of the same story over and over. You better be willing to spacebar through it at this point.

 

I skip many side quests dialogue. I don't really care since they are not really good. I watch class quests dialogue and flashpoints I haven't run.

 

I need spacebar. I need to have auto answer. I want to pick the same way everytime. Let me set that. Lightside first, companion second.

 

I don't need to pretend like I am going to impact the world or answer any other way and if I do I can turn it off for flashpoints.

Sigh. I actually wanted to see a thread talking about flashpoints but lets all let the spacebar troll sidetrack us instead. I'm sure that one side will certainly win this argument.

 

 

To OP, I agree the flashpoints haven't been the same since the first. I really hope bioware new flashpoint will follow that strategy.

Edited December 30, 2011 by shudon

Esseles is fantastic, fun & highly repetable, BECAUSE of the conversations & choices player make.

 

Bioware please add more!

Between 3 beta weekends and my current batch of characters, I've run the Esseles a bunch of times. On my main, I've run every flashpoint up through Manalorian Raiders.

 

In the Esseles, there were plenty of conversations. It was great. Not just a string of corridors full of mobs leading to bosses.

 

What I want to know is why was this model dropped after the first flashpoint? Every flashpoint I've done since is run run, kill mobs, run, kill boss, rinse and repeat. The same old same old instance model.

 

Simple answer, they cut corners. The put a lot of work into the first few flashpoints (Esseles, Black Talon, Taral V, Maelstrom Prison, Foundry and Directive 7) but that left large gaps in level range where there were no flashpoints available. So they quickly threw things together in order to have flashpoints at all level ranges, but they couldn't dedicate the time to really doing them with in-depth story.

Edited December 30, 2011 by ViperI

I'm glad I'm not in your guild. You rushed to 50, rushed through normal mode content, and skip dialogue and cut scenes. Sounds like you're playing the wrong game.

 

Wow ego much?

 

EDIT: And people while you may like Essles and the dialog FP's now...give it a couple weeks...and you will start to feel the same as some of us....

 

One can only listen to thr same dialog over and over again for so long...

Edited December 30, 2011 by RenegadeBremis

In a way, I think those Flashpoint were made to people who wanted to play a regular Instance like Wow and so, so.

 

Though I have to say, Maelstrom Prison, Taral V, Esseles, Black Talon are brilliant because they are so focused in the story. Oh and the last boss of MP is REALLY AWESOME. The combat idea is freaking amazing.

 

Now, I REALLY HOPE that the next Flashpoint they are going to release next month will be just as good as the Essseles and BT.

 

Ran

Ive been running a group of 4 troops with my guild since EGA and We have done every FP so far at its appropriate level. While The Esseles/BT do set a very high bar for flashpoint story i do feel that they are getting better as we progress in levels. Currently, we are all 33 and having just completed Taral V i can say that the story aspect doesnt disappear completely.

 

Hammer and Athiss are certainly story light but i thought that Allusis was story centric and Cadmimu was awesome. Not on par with Esseles/BT but they definitely had atmosphere.

 

Taral V brings it back up to the Esseles/BT Style though and was incredible (IMO) from both a story standpoint as well as a mechanical perspective. Also, due to points brought up during Taral V i am seriously looking forward to Maelstrom Prison!

 

My point is, i agree that it would have been awesome to maintain that high gloss feel that the Esseles/BT provided but i dont think its all lost.

I agree, I would love to see more story driven and heavy flashpoints like the Esseles.

 

Some of the most fun I have had in a instance in a long time, playing with friends.

It's to pull you in like a fisherman. I do love the further FP's as well however.

It's called entry-level polish. All their 'prettiest' stuff gets shoved in early-game to attract and keep players.

Get real at some point. I have lost count how often I did BT. Why would I watch the very same responses again and again and again on HM?

 

Done that content, don't join my group if you are some maso punishing himself with the same dialogue over and over again.

 

I'm not looking a movie 3 times either in a couple of days, but maybe our taste of enjoyment differs.

I'm glad I'm not in your guild. You rushed to 50, rushed through normal mode content, and skip dialogue and cut scenes. Sounds like you're playing the wrong game.

 

hi i am what you call a "ex-general beta tester" you know all those converstions? I've seen THEM ALL MULTIPLE TIMES over the course of the last 4 or 5 months, so excuse me if I decide to skip them.

 

also, all 6 of those dropship flashpoints were added within 3 months before the game launched, they were made as bioware realized that people werent happy with the number of flashpoints in the game at the time (black talon, esseles, boarding party, taral v, foundry, maelstrom, directive7, battle for ilum, false emperor). In true EA fashion, a whopping SIX flashpoints were added staggeredly over the course of 2 months before launch. None of which had any real meaningful story and are meerely flashpoint filler that didnt have enough time to be made to the quality as previous flashpoints

the end

This is also the same reason why they're having to expand the 2nd operation they added, next month

Edited December 31, 2011 by bigheadbrandon

I'm glad I'm not in your guild. You rushed to 50, rushed through normal mode content, and skip dialogue and cut scenes. Sounds like you're playing the wrong game.

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. Endgame is just farming. People listen to the dialogue in normal mode BT/Esseles, not HM.

 

The fact that SWTOR's endgame content is super lame isn't the OP's fault. And to be lvl 50 already doesn't mean you rushed there, it just means you played a lot. You can listen to all the dialogue without any skipping and hit lvl 50 in 5 days /played, easily. For an MMO, that isn't very hard to accomplish in 12 days.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Lord_Itharius

It's called entry-level polish. All their 'prettiest' stuff gets shoved in early-game to attract and keep players.

 

Horrible design. I still like the game, but IMO every FP needs to be like Esseles/Black Talon. Am I alone in thinking this?

bioware shouldn't cater to the spacebar jockeys. they need to go back to wow. Esseles was a great mission. everything since has been disappointing with regards to the conversation interaction.

 

All the children who insist on the spacebar approach need to go back to some lame, mindless fps to get your kicks. You're just ruining the experience for everyone else.

lol

we are lvl 50 and we are doing hard mode instances

 

they kill poeple if they don't press space

 

and you sit here and talk about more conversation

 

go and watch a movie if you like to listen conversations

 

Sigh.

Edited January 1, 2012 by Herbertllew

Horrible design. I still like the game, but IMO every FP needs to be like Esseles/Black Talon. Am I alone in thinking this?

 

No, you're not alone, but the way Bioware touted Black Talon / Esseles in pre-launch events makes instance play feel pretty much like a bait-and-switch.

I also agree with the OP. I run through the Esseles every day at least once because I enjoy it so much. I really enjoy the scenery that the FPs have, but they definitely need more conversations and general interactive bits like in the Esseles. I still sit through every conversation, and even make the same choices. Then again, I also rewatch the same movies over and over as well.

 

I have run up through Cad on the Republic side, so hopefully the next couple are better.

I agree. Esseles/Black Talon sold me on the game during beta. Hammer Station, in particular, is pretty boring. Athiss is a little more interesting, but it's no BT.