Yes, I realize I am likely going to forum hell for creating yet another thread about this topic.

And also, yes, I know the word "crisis" is a bit of hyperbole. That's why I put it in quotes.... to connote something colorful/debatable/subjective.

TL;DR Available at bottom of Part 4, in big green letters.

Contents:

-Part 1: The Intro, or Why I am Making this Thread

--Part 2: Arguments in Defense of the Current (Easy) Level of Challenge

---Part 3: Arguments in Opposition of the Current (Easy) Level of Challenge

----Part 4: The Solution: More Player Choice

Part 1: The Intro, or Why I'm Making This Thread

Since 4.0 came out months ago, thread after thread has been made about the level of inherent challenge in solo content, and there seems to be no end in sight. I think it is safe to say it is at least one of the major controversial topics that has risen up from the changes of 4.0.

As it is one my personal major criticisms with 4.0 (that the game has been made even easier... to the point of combat being pointless), I've spent a lot of time in these threads posting various responses to arguments from both sides, but of course these simple arguments get repeated over and over in every single thread made about this topic. I've now gathered quite a large recycling bin of stock responses I repost when these arguments get used. And since there seems to be no end in sight to these arguments getting used (and me subsequently responding to them), I think it's past time I consolidate all of my responses into one place, so I don't have to go digging through my own post history to find the thing I want to copy and paste.

That one place is this thread.

And while this is largely for my own purposes, I am posting it publicly to the forums in the hopes to get feedback/discussion on either the arguments themselves, my responses, and/or my proposed solution.

(And yes, all arguments used are roughly word for word arguments I have seen be used on these forums)

If you read nothing else, please read Part 4.

Part 2: Arguments in Defense of the Current (Easy) Level of Challenge

Argument: "The game was always easy!"

Response:

Argument: "The game is for people who like it Easy, they are the majority, people who want challenge are the minority, don't like it, then leave."

Response:

Argument: "It's the dev's game, they can do what they want with it! You don't like it? Leave!"

Response:

Argument: "This game is only about story! You shouldn't be playing for any other reason besides story, so why care about combat?"

Response:

Argument: "But there are already areas of the game that are challenging! Go play PvP or NiM Ops if you want challenge!"

Response:

Argument: "Last time they nerfed companions there was a huge backlash!"

Response:

now, the big one:

Argument: "Dismiss your companion (or purposefully underlevel, unequip gear, or any other handicap), that fixes everything!"

Response:

Argument: "But I have more fun playing in the current (Easy) level of challenge!"

Response:

Part 3: Arguments in Opposition to the Current (Easy) Level of Challenge

Argument: "This game is for braindead casuals/stupid people/toddlers/monkeys now!" or somesuch.

Response:

Argument: "People who don't want challenge just aren't skilled enough, and should learn to play!"

Response:

Argument: "The levelling content needs to be hard, so people learn how to play for the sake of Group Finder!"

Response:

Argument: "But I would have more fun playing in a higher level of challenge!"

Response:

Part 4: The Solution: More Player Choice

So. Now we've arrived. The solution to this divisive issue. How can we create solo content that simultaneously appeals to multiple groups of players?

Well, if you've seen really any of my posts over the last few months, or just have been paying attention to this thread at all so far, you likely know exactly what I'm going to say.

The solution is game intended, endorsed, and manufactured player choice.

We need the game to provide us with a conventional difficulty setting that doesn't force players to self-impose arbitrary limitations of what assets they can use to create an artificial sense of challenge in an inherently challenge-less situation.

Give us an ability to fix, rather then just disable, the broken part of the game (in this case, companions, or our strength in general). Instead of forcing us to handicap ourselves so we are lowered down to the level of the kindergarten enemies to feel some artificial, self-imposed challenge, make it so we are forced to raise ourselves up, though good gear, good skills, and good utilization of all of our assets, to triumph over a powerful adversary in a compellingly close (and therefore exciting and fun) fight.

So, in practical, specific terms, how should Bioware go about implementing this in the game? Well, there are a variety of options. None of them are perfect, as a perfect solution to this problem simply isn't possible. However, here is my best idea (I encourage you to offer edits to my proposal or your own original ones in the thread below).

Anyway, here is my proposal:

There should be TWO difficulty settings. If possible, an optional third could be added (as described below in "Mode #3"), though is relatively less important then the other two in my eyes.

Mode #1: Hard Mode

This is the mode intended for players who want challenging combat to be a core part of the solo leveling experience. In order to implement this mode. the current stats of mobs in the game would need to be raised (slightly), and the power of companions would need to be lowered (by a moderate extent). That's all that would need to be implemented. Relatively easy.

Now you may ask: Wait, you're buffing all mobs in solo content? What about (the likely majority of) players who want it as easy as it is now? Well, read on....

Mode #2: Normal Mode (via toggleable buff, which is toggled ON by default)

This is the mode intended for players who either aren't skilled enough or simply don't want to invest the time/focus the Hard Mode would require. How would this toggleable difficulty setting be implemented? A simple item or terminal or setting that applies a strong buff to your companion (taking them up to roughly the level they currently are now), making the mobs be much more easy relative to your strength. This would simply operate similar to already existing bolsters in the game, such as the GSI terminal or more aptly the 12xp buff.

It is important to mention here that, since those who would use this buff are the majority, as well as new players who might not know how to turn it on or if it even was there, this buff will be applied by default, while those who want to participate in the Hard Mode would toggle this buff off (similar to how people could toggle the 12xp buff off via a White Acute Module).

Optional Caveat: I personally believe this mode should, if possible, apply a (very slight, minor, small) debuff to the amount of very basic rewards (like credits, for isntance) killing mobs gives you. However it's worth noting I don't think it should be any less then what you currently get, rather, Hard Mode should get (ever so slightly) more (just like already existing Hard Mode content in the game). Why? Well, the reasoning is that playing on Hard Mode takes more time and resources to kill mobs, and thus should rewards proportionally more resources. This is not to say Hard Mode players deserve more rewards because they are the l33t master race, but rather to provide a (again, very very slight) gameplay incentive to try out Hard Mode, to encourage players to test themselves and learn their skills, as they will need them should they choose to participate in Endgame content or PvP. However I recognize this is potentially controversial, and am more then willing to scrap this caveat if it meant the rest of my proposal was implemented.

Additional Arguments/Reasonings for this Caveat:

(Optional) Mode #3: No Combat Mode (toggleable buff via terminal/item)

This is an optional mode in my proposal, but I think an important one. There is a third section of the playerbase, and one that rarely gets mentioned in the "Game is too easy" threads. And that part of the playerbase finds combat boring and tedious, no matter what the level of difficulty is. They simply are here for the story, but unfortunately for them they have to sit through hours of mind numbing """"gameplay"""" as 2V-R8 or equivalent clears out mobs for them.

If my solution is all about player choice and appealing to as many sections of the player base as possible, why should they be left out?

Anyway, this mode is simple in concept, but likely difficult to implement. It would, like the easy mode toggleable buff, be an item or terminal that makes the Player either invisible to all mobs, not generate any threat or aggro any mobs, or simply eliminate all mobs from their own instanced areas. That way, they can get to the story as fast as possible.

Of course, one downside to this is that they would be lacking for XP and loot, however that would not be an issue if Combat was not something they were participating in, or at the very least would be a price they'd have to pay for skipping combat.

And that's it! A relatively simple solution that can appeal to (almost) every type of playerbase while excluding (almost) no one! You have fun, I have fun.... we all have fun! Win, win, win!

TL;DR

Institute more player choice:

-Hard Mode -----> Increase mob strength and decrease companion strenght for people who want compelling, interesting combat to be a core component of the game

--Normal Mode -------> Increases Companion strength (to make the game as easy as it is now). This is toggled on by default. For people who either aren't skilled enough or don't want to invest the time in combat Hard Mode requires, but don't want to abstain from combat entirely

---No Combat Mode ----------> Makes mobs not aggro. For people who think Story is the only point of SWTOR. They can skip combat all together, and get to the story as fast as possible.

We NEED to band together to advocate for player choice.

On one side, people need to stop the "dismiss your companion, that fixes everything" or "ONLY EASE MODE, NO COMPROMISE!" nonsense.

On the other side, people need to stop the "ONLY HARD MODE, NO COMPROMISE" nonsense.

We need to meet in the middle and create a solution that appeals to (almost) everyone. And the only (or at least best) way to do that is with game endorsed, intended, manufactured, player choice that doesn't involve the player having to arbitrarily handicap themselves just to create an artificial sense of challenge in an inherently challenge-less situation.

I actually believe (call me naive) that this is a realistic proposal that could actually be implemented within Bioware's means. Will it though? Well.... no. Probably not.

Anyway, let me know what, throughout this massive post, you disagree or agree with. If you have a better solution, let me know.... because there likely is one. I'm hoping to gather other proposals here as well, not just mine, and will edit OP with others.

Addendum: Other People's Proposals

#1) Soul_of_Flames' Proposal (Level Sync Difficulty Adjuster)

#2 LordArtemis' Proposal (Level Sync Difficulty Adjuster)

#3) Quething's Proposal (Damage Done to and by Mobs Slider)

#4) PorsaLindahl's Proposal (Difficulty Options in Instanced Areas)

#5) Chessack's Proposals (Level Sync by Zone of Planet + Flashback Mode)

#6) Dashtardly's Proposal ("Hard Mode" Specific Instances)

more on the way....

Great post. I endorse.

/signed.

Its a good idea, but I am still an advocate for a downlevel setting. If the game offers a hard mode that pushes your level down 3 or 4 levels across the board it would be the easiest way to provide a challenge to those players that desire it IMO.

No need for buffs or gimps.....use the current level system to increase difficulty instead.

Now, you automatically win by doing nothing. No really, I can stand still wearing no gear, pressing no buttons, while my Rank 1 Influence Protocol Droid solos Heroic Bosses handily.

I watched your video and did notice one small discrepancy compared to a true new player. Your presence score. (IMHO alot of those that cry how easy it is forget this part) You had a 373 score at 20. A new player will not have that. On a server where I haven't done the datacrons yet, I have a 12 sage with an 88 presence and a 37 mercenary with 185. I do have a 24 mercenary on a server that has all the legacy datacrons and his presence is 679 ( Base of 131, bonus of 548 ). Now his companion kicks ***!

So your influence rank 1 tank companion is still receiving a heath and damage bonus to fight that mob (almost 3x's what a new player would have). I agree that it is easier to fight with companions now but I am not totally sure a true new player could of done that as successfully at equal level.

Well, the reasoning is that playing on Hard Mode takes more time and resources to kill mobs, and thus should rewards proportionally more resources. This is not to say Hard Mode players deserve more rewards because they are the l33t master race, but rather to provide a (again, very very slight) gameplay incentive to try out Hard Mode, to encourage players to test themselves and learn their skills, as they will need them should they choose to participate in Endgame content or PvP. However I recognize this is potentially controversial, and am more then willing to scrap this caveat if it meant the rest of my proposal was implemented.

)

I will agree with your post only if the "hard" mode reward is the same as the easy mode. Your extra reward for hard mode is you got the developers to create hard mode and now you get to do it. If you are truly advocating for a challenge than that is you reward. The minute you start asking for a monetary, item, or xp reward increase for doing the hard mode it nullifies the challenge argument and comes across as you just want a bigger reward than everyone else.

Excellent post. Thank you.

So you are thinking something like the old Makeb easy button terminal. Which btw was an awesome feature (mind you it took me my third play through of Makeb to realize it was even there). I think that was one of the complaints about it, was that it was not clearly labelled. So if you are thinking something like that, it really does need to be labeled in BIG bright letters. It can also be pointed out during the class quests, where you go to DK or Coruscant, and click a terminal already (but that would require another quest and cut scene).

I would be perfectly happy if all Bioware did however was toss a difficulty choice on instance doors. I would be happiest if this included Class Quest instances, but would settle for just the H2 instances. I don't know how difficult that would be to implement, however it already exists on Flash Point doors, the SF door, and Ops doors.

I will point out that you did miss a view point in your list up above. There is a group of people who find the combat so tedious and dull, they just want it over with as fast as possible. These are normally level 65s running yet _another_ alt through the H2 grind for their Alliances. I am not sure making the combat 'easier' will help them. I am not sure making the combat 'harder' will help them. I do believe making the combat meaningful/engaging would be the most helpful.

Bioware has a rather terrible habit of thinking 'harder' means more mob HP, and more stuns. Which doesn't make the combat more engaging, it just makes the tedium go on longer. So when scaling everything back up to Hard Mode, they really need to take a look at how the mobs use their defenses, heals, and attacks as well.

I agree that both sides need to agree that there is no one right way to play the game. This is a great post for trying to show both sides the flaws of the game and the flaws of their arguments.

I personally would go a different route with game balance.

I'd like the level synch gone and the mobs re-structured. Make the mobs like they are in the rakghoul tunnel. One guy in the open at the level of the planet/area and if you want to avoid combat at higher levels you just walk past. If you want a fight reinforcements of the correct level join the fight and drop gear based on the gear table for your level not the planet. This will speed up revisited areas and keep them relevant for use in future expansions (the stated reason for adding the scaling).

If you want to down level to help a friend we could get a reusable item that downscales you to the planet max or to the same level as the lowest level group member.

Last thing I'd like to see is a change to companions. I know this will make people unhappy but it is (in my opinion) the best way to fine tune the game play. I'd like to see the gear you equip to your companion work for stats and I'd like to also see a set of gear that auto levels or a toggle to turn on the auto gear level. If I had my way I'd also like to see a relic that disregards influence affection or whatever we are calling companion ranks this week. Having the choice in how your companion is equipped will let you fine tune them to preform as well as you need them to. Having a set of self leveling gear for them or a toggle for self gearing lets them work as they do now for those that like the way they are.

I fully agree this is a situation that is best resolved with more choices not less. I wish there were more though out posts like this one.

Its a good idea, but I am still an advocate for a downlevel setting. If the game offers a hard mode that pushes your level down 3 or 4 levels across the board it would be the easiest way to provide a challenge to those players that desire it IMO.

 

No need for buffs or gimps.....use the current level system to increase difficulty instead.

Honestly, if the devs did this, I would be happy. Because it's at least something more then what we have currently.

But ultimately I don't like it quite as much as my own suggestion, because it still has the unfortunate psychological effect of purposefully lowering yourself down to make innately challengeless enemies a challenge.

Psychologically, it's more satisfying to have an innately challenging adversary, and having to raise yourself up to triumph over it, rather then having an innately challengeless adversary, and having to lower yourself down to give it an artificial sense of challenge.

But again, on balance I'm in support of this idea, just not relative to my own.

As a side note, if enough people post their own proposals, my hope is to add an addendum of sorts comprised of other people's proposed solutions, and yours will definitely be included.

Honestly, if the devs did this, I would be happy. Because it's at least something more then what we have currently.

 

But ultimately I don't like it quite as much as my own suggestion, because it still has the unfortunate psychological effect of purposefully lowering yourself down to make innately challengeless enemies a challenge.

 

Psychologically, it's more satisfying to have an innately challenging adversary, and having to raise yourself up to triumph over it, rather then having an innately challengeless adversary, and having to lower yourself down to give it an artificial sense of challenge.

 

But again, on balance I'm in support of this idea, just not relative to my own.

 

As a side note, if enough people post their own proposals, my hope is to add an addendum of sorts comprised of other people's proposed solutions, and yours will definitely be included.

I appreciate your candor, and I certainly understand your perspective on the issue.

I would only say this...there is already an innate buff/debuff system in place, it has been in place since launch.

As originally designed, If you come up against a mob that is, say, three levels above you, the difficulty in that battle is substantial. If you are the same level it is as intended and balanced, an even fight. If you are three or four levels above, you are buffed against that mob, and he or she/it is at a disadvantage.

At least that is how it was before 4.0. I knew folks that would constantly challenge themselves prior to 4.0 by skipping side quests so they could remain 3 to 4 levels below the current content....basically a nightmare mode, where champions were almost impossible to defeat.

Now, it would not likely work the same way (provide the same challenge prior to 4.0), but a downlevel tool is working within the system of level sync....as level sync already reduces your level to a maximum of 3 to 4 levels above the current content if you are above that level.

All this would do is simply increase that reduction so you are instead 3 to 4 levels BELOW the current content.

To me, this makes more sense if the level sync system is here to stay, provides the challenge that players desire (a return, at the very least, to the standard challenge prior to 4.0) AND uses a system already in place and in place for 4 years.

No other adjustments would be needed IMO. That is the simplest and easiest solution, all things being equal.

I strongly disagree with the use of the word "crisis" as its hard to measure if the majority even notice the difficulty being lower. I leveled my 8th and final character through the now easier story and I of course noticed it was easier. I'm not going to argue that the game should be one way or the other, especially since I will never level another character the normal way. The question id like to ask the vets of this game is, why are you even still doing story content? I've been playing since Jan 2015, certainly not a founder, are you telling me that players who have been enjoying this game for years are still using the main story lines as the main mode of enjoying this game? As in, seeing the Jedi Knight story more than once? I'm even more surprised that after replaying the game over and over doing the easiest content possible, prior to 4.0, that the already easy content was thought of as challenging. I am not judging, but it sounds to me like people who are pros at swtor as still using the easiest content to entertain themselves.

When I leveled my Jedi Knight, I only did story missions and heroics, those heroics were a complete slog at level. Golds took forever to kill and never mind doing heroics on Voss or Makeb. I wonder how all of this complaining will ultimately affect the heroics that are still not soloable by a companion.

I watched your video and did notice one small discrepancy compared to a true new player. Your presence score. (IMHO alot of those that cry how easy it is forget this part) You had a 373 score at 20. A new player will not have that. On a server where I haven't done the datacrons yet, I have a 12 sage with an 88 presence and a 37 mercenary with 185. I do have a 24 mercenary on a server that has all the legacy datacrons and his presence is 679 ( Base of 131, bonus of 548 ). Now his companion kicks ***!

 

So your influence rank 1 tank companion is still receiving a heath and damage bonus to fight that mob (almost 3x's what a new player would have). I agree that it is easier to fight with companions now but I am not totally sure a true new player could of done that as successfully at equal level.

A new player probably wouldn't be using a rank 1 companion on Imperial Balmorra. I just finished that planet with my new Agent, and Kaliyo is rank 7 without me having given her any gifts beyond what I've found as drops. Rank 7 gives me a bonus of 350 Presence. So that video is actually pretty much exactly where a new player would be, companion wise.

I watched your video and did notice one small discrepancy compared to a true new player. Your presence score. (IMHO alot of those that cry how easy it is forget this part) You had a 373 score at 20. A new player will not have that. On a server where I haven't done the datacrons yet, I have a 12 sage with an 88 presence and a 37 mercenary with 185. I do have a 24 mercenary on a server that has all the legacy datacrons and his presence is 679 ( Base of 131, bonus of 548 ). Now his companion kicks ***!

 

So your influence rank 1 tank companion is still receiving a heath and damage bonus to fight that mob (almost 3x's what a new player would have). I agree that it is easier to fight with companions now but I am not totally sure a true new player could of done that as successfully at equal level.

Fair enough. I recognize not every player is going to have the same experience as me, so that particular video isn't the end all be all "gotcha!" video it might seem like it's trying to be.

However, that video was my genuine experience.... and the fact that companions can be that innately OP without any deliberate action on my part is still just as troublesome with or without the fact that it isn't that way for EVERY player. It's that way for ME, and it really demeans the whole solo experience for me.

I will agree with your post only if the "hard" mode reward is the same as the easy mode. Your extra reward for hard mode is you got the developers to create hard mode and now you get to do it. If you are truly advocating for a challenge than that is you reward. The minute you start asking for a monetary, item, or xp reward increase for doing the hard mode it nullifies the challenge argument and comes across as you just want a bigger reward than everyone else.

Well, as I said, I am more then willing to scrap that caveat if the rest got implemented, so we have a majority of my proposal as common ground.

And yes, a challenge can be it's own reward for me. So if my proposal got implemented without this caveat, I would still be immensely satisfied. But I strongly disagree that asking for a (again very, very slight) increase in only basic rewards (xp/credits) nullifies my entire argument nor comes across as just me want a bigger e-***** then everyone else.

There are several reasons I do still strongly believe this caveat is overall a good thing, and it's not just because I want to be richer. And these are:

1) Fairness to Hard Mode players.

At the very smallest extent of this caveat's implementation, it would be solely for equality. You heard me right. Increasing the rewards one player gets actually makes it equal. How is this the case? Well, because killing mobs in Hard Mode content take more time and resources. And after all, what matters is amount of rewards vs. time. If Hard Mode and Easy Mode mobs dropped the same amount of rewards, it actually favors the Easy Mode players, as they are getting more rewards vs. time, while Hard Moders are getting less rewards vs. time. So, this actually would just balance the level of rewards of the two playerbases, and by arguing against this you are actually arguing for inequality, and for the game to favor a certain type of player based on their preference.

So, that is the minimum implementation of this caveat in my eyes. So that it is equal. So hopefully we can agree at least on this point.

That said, I'm now going to turn around and totally argue for why this shouldn't be the case.... and why the game should actually provide proportionally more rewards for Hard Moders. Hypocrisy FTW.

2) Cohesion of Design and Incentives

Another reason this caveat should be implemented is that it already is implemented in almost all areas of the game. All harder content that is already in the game already give better rewards! Ranked PvP gives better rewards then normal PvP. Heroics give better rewards then solo content. Hard Mode Flashpoints give better rewards then Normal Flashpoints. NiM Ops give better rewards then normal Ops. Etc. and so forth. Why should Hard Mode solo content be any different?

If you really think "challenge is truly its own reward".... why does Harder content already give better rewards in almost every aspect of the game? It's because it is important to provide incentives. It gives a sense of progression.... a goal to achieve, a higher height to reach. It gives the player the carrot on the end of the stick to keep them engaged and interested in playing the game more and achieving more in it.

Speaking of incentives...

3) Incentives to Learn Class

One of the biggest problems with my proposal is the fact that the allowance for Easy Mode and No Combat Mode mean that players won't know how to play their class at all, being able to coast along in their story never having to learn rotations or game mechanics. This is a problem, as these players will now be filling the Group Finder, and PvP, meaning that these modes will be filled with players who aren't skilled enough to complete the content, resulting in many frustrated players, wasted hours, and overall lack of satisfaction.

However, if an incentive is given to play on Hard Mode, that can lessen (though not eliminate) the effects of this. If there is a real incentive to play on Hard Mode solo content, more and more players will push and strive for it, and learn their classes (after all, I don't want Hard Mode to really be all that Hard), and thus be much more capable in Group Finder and PvP.

If there is no ingame incentive, many players will simply ignore it, when in fact if they engaged in it, it would open up new areas of content for them and make for a healthier community overall.

Anyway, hoped that helped you understand where I'm coming from..... and that it's not just me wanting my preferred play style to be seen as the superior l33t master race.

My guess (that is all it is) is that most folks find the current difficulty level acceptable, and the vast majority probably liked how it was right after 4.0.

IMO, however, the strength level after 4.0, even if folks did like it overwhelmingly was simply not sustainable, as it made all content FAR too easy to even likely keep the most casual players interest in the long run.

I think how it sits now is a good place for most players, and only the most hardcore players do not like it or find it too "easy", but that does not mean that there is no place for a "hard mode" or that some adjustments should not be made IMO.

I will point out that you did miss a view point in your list up above. There is a group of people who find the combat so tedious and dull, they just want it over with as fast as possible. These are normally level 65s running yet _another_ alt through the H2 grind for their Alliances. I am not sure making the combat 'easier' will help them. I am not sure making the combat 'harder' will help them. I do believe making the combat meaningful/engaging would be the most helpful.

 

Bioware has a rather terrible habit of thinking 'harder' means more mob HP, and more stuns. Which doesn't make the combat more engaging, it just makes the tedium go on longer. So when scaling everything back up to Hard Mode, they really need to take a look at how the mobs use their defenses, heals, and attacks as well.

Thanks for reading/responding.

Although I feel like (maybe) I did cover that point of view.... namely with the third option I was advocating for: No Combat Mode.

Now, this doesn't make combat "meaningful/engaging"...... but those are subjective terms that are different for each player and are going to be really hard to reach, especially if the complaints are that the combat is too same-y, with the game mechanics being stale.... as it would require some real innovation as to how to make combat refreshing and fun for veterans with the same game engine. And I don't really know how to do that.

However, and back to my original point.... if the point of view is that easier combat isn't the solution, and harder combat isn't the solution, because the very nature of combat is tedious, and they want it over with as fast as possible.... then the No Combat Option seems to be the solution for these players. They can skip Combat entirely, and just get straight to the story!

Let me know if I'm misinterpreting you, but I think we're in agreement about this third group of players, and my initial proposal covers them with the No Combat Option.

A new player probably wouldn't be using a rank 1 companion on Imperial Balmorra. I just finished that planet with my new Agent, and Kaliyo is rank 7 without me having given her any gifts beyond what I've found as drops. Rank 7 gives me a bonus of 350 Presence. So that video is actually pretty much exactly where a new player would be, companion wise.

I agree they wouldn't, but they could.

I was pointing out that a vet player with a rank 1 is different than a newcomer with a rank 1. There could be up to around a 548 presence point difference (rank 1 gives a start of 50 bonus.) There are some on this forum that would point to the video and use it as their righteous cudgel to bash everyone that the game is that easy. I agree that a rank 7 would perform the same as in the video. (although I had trouble with Kaliyo, I'm not the "let's burn the house down while we are still in it" kinda person;)).

So, that is the minimum implementation of this caveat in my eyes. So that it is equal. So hopefully we can agree at least on this point..

I can't justify an increase in reward when you are asking for more of a challenge too.

It's like asking your parent's to buy the lot next door with all the trees and bushes to make your lawn mowing experience more challenging, then turning around and telling them you want a raise in allowance since the yard is now bigger.

Ask for the challenge or the "raise," not both.

OP makes way too much sense for this forum.

Hardmode could be implemented by a level sync choice setting.

Easy would be how it is now, or with level being controlled by exactly what section of the map you're in.

Hard would put you at or slightly under level for whatever you were doing.

Pure story would be level 255 (or 9999999).

I can only agree that aiming a game like an MMO for just one kind of player is a complete mistake. Choices that matters are needed so players can adjust a difficulty level for getting the best game experience. I support the aim of this thread.

As LordArtemis said, the only way to get some challenge (PVE solo game) has always been playing underleveled, 2, 3 or 4 levels down (actually even 5 levels down is an acceptable option). Is very difficult to enjoy a character when you can only fit to class story missions if you want to stay underleveled; you need to skip a lot of exploration missions that makes (for some players like me) a better story experience, just to avoid making the game too easy (and boring, for me). Even in the new kotfe i have seen 50.000 experience points on screen when a mission is completed, but the chat (and game) gave me around 500.000!!! Insane!! Forcing me quickly to a new level even if i dont want to at that predefined pace.

So I think there is a more simple way to achieve a balance in challenge or difficulty in just 2 features:

· Toggle experience back to 3.0 / actual 4.0. (In my experience, 3.0 had a good balance for choosing how to play the game in a non rushing way. 4.0 delivers too much experience everywhere, just say missions, npcs, exploration, rewards... something between 2x and 3x that i feel excesive for a more slow progression, something I would love to get rid of)

· Companions are affected by gear (3.0) / actual companions (4.0). That player chooses how to setup his companions, the old way, spending in gear and mods, or the actual state where their performance is managed by the game.

Mixing these two options, a player can obtain 4 different ways of progression and challenge, from the actual easy way (4.0) to a slower and more attention to detail playing. As both toggles are related to the solo gaming, no other player is affected when grouped, so i can't see any disavdantage to be added as new game preferences. Also, lower experience rewards let gear be more relevant in level progression (actually it gets old too fast too soon). Actual pace makes a lot of content so irrelevant that is a shame, even for a new player that doesn't know anything about all the available content.

About the hm modes giving better rewards, I can't agree. If we are talking about personal player experience, the way each of us choose to play is our choice. We will get the same reward taking different paths, just that.

Rewards need to be tied to the diffcult level. If something hardmode takes double the time than in easy mode, rewards needs to be doubled.

Otherwise this makes no sense.

Rewards need to be tied to the diffcult level. If something hardmode takes double the time than in easy mode, rewards needs to be doubled.

 

Otherwise this makes no sense.

Has sense for group content, not for a solo game. Playing a class story is because the story, not because the rewards. If I choose more difficulty and takes more time to me, it is my choice. Rewards shouldn't be the main argument to decide how to play my solo experience (not even an argument).

Has sense for group content, not for a solo game. Playing a class story is because the story, not because the rewards. If I choose more difficulty and takes more time to me, it is my choice. Rewards shouldn't be the main argument to decide how to play my solo experience (not even an argument).

This is a MMO and as such every player is more or less in competition. If someone does the heroics on hardmode and he gets the same rewards as a person who does them in easy, he creates a disadvantage for himself.

A very good post with details how many players feel toward the lastest changes of the game.

However, regarding the difficulty of combat, I'm in between two chairs.

While I agree that combat should be more challenging and make us use most of our ressources to win (which would have the advantage of teaching us how to play our class), the incredible number of enemies we must fight past is what makes me feel that easy combat is not all that bad sometimes.

I'm all for a more challenging experience but only if the number of enemies we must defeat in order to progress in our story is dramatically lowered. If we had hard combat for every minion we encounter, the game would not be fun anymore. A Star Wars experience should be fast-paced and hard combat everywhere would not meet this criteria. I agree, though, that champion, elite and even strong enemies should pose a greater threat than they do now.