Sorry. The title's very vague but I didn't have enough room. I'll explain. But please, I would encourage people to simply reply with I agree or something short, because I have a feeling I'm going to get hammered by a few individuals that will take the time and write outrage, but I know A LOT more people agree with me that will read this comment and then move on without posting.

There's 2 problems and/or possibilities here. (Update: Yes i know not all flashpoints have story mode. All of them should is my later point. But this still occurs with the list of flashpoints that do have story mode, so Im keeping the point up there)

The first issue is people don't know that there are story mode flashpoints which are meant for the purpose of soloing and taking as much time as you want to fully go through and learn the story of each flashpoint. Yes its less xp, but this insures you time to enjoy the lore without having to put 3 other people through the long wait of you watching the cut scene that others have seen hundreds of times before. It's common courtesy. Something that is completely lost with 98% of all veteran modes that I attend.

The second issue is people playing through flashpoints that "want to see the story," or just go AFK and let the cut scene time out before before it continues to the next choice which again times out and the whole group is waiting on this one person that is AFK or even just the person that wants to see the story. It is a complete waste of time. Especially if you have a command boost running. Some flashpoints have long drawn out cut scenes, some do not. But on average, if you get stuck with a person that AFKs through all cut scene or just watches them all, after about 5 to 6 flashpoints, you could have fit it another flashpoint if people should just spacebar through and be efficient.

Now surprisingly when people mention spacebar through cut scenes or even mention story mode if you haven't seen the story before, people nerd rage when I bring up the fact that they are wasting 3 people's time. My favorites are "You don't get to tell people what to do when they are paying for their subscription" and "It's your opinion that it's wasting others time and that I'll get more xp if I space bar through the conversations."

I do get to express my discontent because I'm not just worried about my own time being wasted, but I'm worried about the groups time being wasted because you couldn't be considerate and do story mode.

Also, It's fact, not opinion that you gain more xp. The worst though are the virtue signaling morons that insult the people asking to spacebar under the guise of sticking up for the possibility of the silent person not spacebarring or just AFKing. They also go out of the way and state things like "quit bit**ing, I was spacebarring, but because you guys are making such a big deal, Im going to stop." The whole point is common courtesy and efficiency. If you insist on not using the story mode, you queue up for a veteran or mastermode and put people through all cut scenes while everyone has a command boost running, you are inconsiderate. There is no argument. Yet people find a way to argue ignorantly. (Granted, I'm not sure when they started adding Superior command boosts into the crates which is awesome, I haven't ran out since I came back, but it's still all about efficiency for the GROUP, not just what YOU want to do.)

There will be those people that say" Well Sekurity, you are the one being an inconsiderate ***** not allowing someone to watch the cutscene." Maybe, but here is where common sense comes in. You look at the situation as a whole. You can have 2 choices. The convenience of yourself or the convenience of everyone including yourself. What I mean by this is you will gain better xp by skipping all cut scenes. This is fact and not an opinion as many idiots try to throw at me when discussing this in groups.

The fix is simply forcing all people through story mode before they can queue up for veterans and mastermodes. They are not allowed to spacebar through the conversation, they have to watch it all. Once they are done, it is unlocked on the veteran and mastermode list. They must complete all story mode flashpoints before they can start getting the Activity bonus for the random veteran mode queue. That way everyone gets the basics. Remove all cutscenes from veteran and mastermodes once implemented. It's cool while leveling, but the 1, 2, 3 responses in flashpoints gets old after the 347th time.

If these issues happened 50% of the time, it wouldn't be a big deal. But as I stated before, this issue has been happening since launch and happens roughly 98% of the time.

Not all flashpoints have story modes. Some people don't care about the story and only want to grind cxp from master/veteran modes, they wouldn't be too happy about this.

Imo the group should communicate if they wish to skip the cutscenes or not. I personally don't mind watching them if someone else wants to do it, and majority of the group should make the decision. Not that one person in a hurry.

I'm GL of a guild whose operation leaders say during operations that any operation member wishing to watch the cut scene may do so, and that's a matter of policy.

Edit: Our operation leaders are also in the habit of making sure all members who want to do so complete the one-time quest, on as many characters as they like, for any operation, and summon the operation members to the one-time quest giver each time just for that purpose.

What I mean by this is you will gain better xp by skipping all cut scenes. This is fact and not an opinion as many idiots try to throw at me when discussing this in groups.

Are you seriously trying to say that there is an XP award for spacebarring through cutscenes? Hint: no, there isn't.

You will get more XP-per-hour (because you will take less time), I agree, but you won't get more XP-per-flashpoint by skipping the cutscenes.

But the main problem with the suggestion is the one highlighted in the first answer: some (about half) flashpoints don't have a story mode. What do you propose for those, given that this is a request at least 50% directed toward other players?

The other problem with removing the conversation-wheel part of the cutscenes is that there is an additional thing you gain by making those choices: Social Points. To be sure, some people don't care about Social Points, but some do, and people group up in Vet mode FPs to farm social points.

One final question. Let's say that they add story mode versions of all the FPs that don't currently have it, and let's say that they make running an FP once in story mode mandatory before running it in VM/MM, and let's say that cutscenes in Story mode are mandatory. Given all that, do you see the "at least once in story mode" as a per-character or per-legacy gate?

One thing that winds me up is folks shouting at others in a group that want to see the cut scene, it may be their first time seeing the place, have to admit I then start to watch the bugger myself to just to wind up said muppet.

Have some respect and let people play how they want, its like 30 seconds of your life.

Be safe.

Not all flashpoints have story modes. Some people don't care about the story and only want to grind cxp from master/veteran modes, they wouldn't be too happy about this.

 

Imo the group should communicate if they wish to skip the cutscenes or not. I personally don't mind watching them if someone else wants to do it, and majority of the group should make the decision. Not that one person in a hurry.

Most of the time it's with the lower level dungeons Hammer station, Athiss, cad, ETC. Update, yes Im aware that these are not in story mode. The only ones that have story are these. But regardless, that still doesn't change the fact that all flashpoints should have story modes for the reasons I stated.

1. Black Talon/Essles

2. Boarding Party/Taral V

3. Foundry/Maelstrom Prison

4. Directive 7

5. Battle of Ilum

6. False Emperor

7 + 8. Tython + Korriban

9. Manaan

10. Rakata Prime

11. Blood Hunt

12. Battle of Rishi

You don't mind if someone wants to watch all cutscenes or AFK through them, but what about the other 2 people that do because it is a waste of time for the group including yourself regardless if you mind or not. Then what? Disregard the whole group over 1 person that could have done story mode?

Also, you know very well your nice thought on "let the group decide" requires the person that is AFKing or the person that doesn't care about group rule following your group rule. Which we all know that 3 people typing in group, spacebar, rarely ever works. So nice thought, but it clearly doesn't work.

Also, it's not about the "1 person in a hurry." This is why I tried to specify about common courtesy and efficiency. You can be efficient and not have to hurry or rush.

Are you seriously trying to say that there is an XP award for spacebarring through cutscenes? Hint: no, there isn't.

 

You will get more XP-per-hour (because you will take less time), I agree, but you won't get more XP-per-flashpoint by skipping the cutscenes.

Hint: How did you not get my explanation? You just reiterated everything I said but took longer doing so. I never said you get BONUS xp by spacebarring. If you spacebar through cutscenes, that's less time you spend. In a play session, if you remove all cutscenes, you get more xp if you are chaining flashpoints back to back.

Jesus, you should be embarrassed.

I'm GL of a guild whose operation leaders say during operations that any operation member wishing to watch the cut scene may do so, and that's a matter of policy.

 

Edit: Our operation leaders are also in the habit of making sure all members who want to do so complete the one-time quest, on as many characters as they like, for any operation, and summon the operation members to the one-time quest giver each time just for that purpose.

Very commendable, but this is a guild policy.

Not all flashpoints have story modes. Some people don't care about the story and only want to grind cxp from master/veteran modes, they wouldn't be too happy about this.

 

Imo the group should communicate if they wish to skip the cutscenes or not. I personally don't mind watching them if someone else wants to do it, and majority of the group should make the decision. Not that one person in a hurry.

The problem is that most can not communicate. Many break their fingers at the welcome.

Most of the time it's with the lower level dungeons Hammer station, Athiss, cad, ETC. These aren't the group content ones. But regardless, all flashpoints should have a story mode for the reasons I stated before.

 

You don't mind if someone wants to watch all cutscenes or AFK through them, but what about the other 2 people that do because it is a waste of time for the group including yourself regardless if you mind or not. Then what? Disregard the whole group over 1 person that could have done story mode?

 

Also, you know very well your nice thought on "let the group decide" requires the person that is AFKing or the person that doesn't care about group rule following your group rule. Which we all know that 3 people typing in group, spacebar, rarely ever works. So nice thought, but it clearly doesn't work.

Also, it's not about the "1 person in a hurry." This is why I tried to specify about common courtesy and efficiency. You can be efficient and not have to hurry or rush.

I'm having trouble understanding how Hammer Station, Athiss or Cademimu aren't "group content ones"? They have veteran modes and master modes. The list also includes fps like the Czerka fps, Kaon Under Siege and Lost Island, that are not low level fps in any way.

You describe that watching cutscenes is a waste of time for everyone, even though it's only waste of time for you and people who think like you -- people who are only there for xp/cxp/loot. People with different priorities consider different things a waste of time. I don't consider watching cutscenes a waste of time, there are some cutscenes I'd actually prefer to watch but I skip them because the group decides and I assume I'm playing with people like you. And if 3 people agree on a group rule and 1 person doesn't, there's a "kick"-option designed for that.

In my opinion, not being able to sit there and watch a cutscene for 2 minutes to make someone else happy means you're in a hurry, and it's not "common courtesy" for everyone to agree with your opinions and share your playstyle. If 1 person wants to watch the cutscenes, and 2 people don't mind letting them watch the cutscenes, common courtesy is to either watch them or drop group.

Most of the time it's with the lower level dungeons Hammer station, Athiss, cad, ETC. These aren't the group content ones.

You are aware that it's the lower level flaspoints that do not have a solo mode? None of the three you mentioned are solo-able. You don't get story-mode flashpoints until the Revan one's start.

I prefer people to say if they're new to a flashpoint, it lets you know they don't know the shortcuts, and that they might want to watch the cutscenes.

Here's a suggestion for you. Solo the lower-level flashpoints yourself if you're so good. No need to put up with those 'annoying' new players.

(Confession: I have solo'd some vet flashpoints after one bad run too many. Everyone has a limit to their patience, but it's not a reason to force everyone to play your way, it's a reason to take a break from the group-activity finder.)

I usually like to space at but if someone hasn’t seen it it’s fine, I’ll wait. However faking through it is super annoying. I will say this though. Because half of them don’t have an SM then VM is really where the trial runs are at. If you haven’t done the flashpoint yet you really shouldn’t be running master mode. Especially the 3 latest flashpoints because the are more difficult. It gets so bad that I usually have to filter them off because I don’t get a group that knows the flashpoint and we end up wiping. You won’t run a MM operation withought doing SM/V/M first, you should do it for FP.

That said there are be players every day that want to try out group content. Some of the cut scenes seem pretty cool so if they haven’t seen it let them watch.

Most people farming cxp are only running hammer station because it’s the fastest. If that’s your goal then you should only run that one. Then you can complain all day about no one SB.

As other have mentioned, Hammer Station, Athiss, Cademimu, etc. are the ones that DON'T have solo mode, and since they are now all level synced to 70 they aren't by and large soloable the same way they were at one time.

I'm actually with you that I'd love to see solo modes for all of the ones that currently don't have them. But blaming someone for wanting to see the story in, say, Athiss or Kaon...well, they can't generally do that alone right now.

One thing that winds me up is folks shouting at others in a group that want to see the cut scene, it may be their first time seeing the place, have to admit I then start to watch the bugger myself to just to wind up said muppet.

Have some respect and let people play how they want, its like 30 seconds of your life.

 

Be safe.

Well first, I stated that "on average" for cutscenes. Sometimes they are only 2 dialogue sections where there is only a 1 quick sentence then choice. Others are like false emperor and take quite longer. But on average, it is absolutely not 30 seconds. 15 to 20 seconds is an average spacebaring skip sequence if they aren't super mashing it and choosing right away.

But with your comment about you start to let the dialog go if someone starts "shouting" at other members. First, I would need context. Is there a flashpoint voice chat that I'm not aware of (sarcasm) ? Ok, so then just typing with all caps SPACEBAR? Most people use caps especially in cutscenes so people can see it. Caps doesn't always mean "rude or yelling." Now that we got all the rediculous claims out of the way, If they honestly start typing "Hey idiot, spacebar you tool. You are wasting our time." then sure, they need to be taught some manners and I would say for you also not spacebaring would be an acceptable and understandable response. But if they are just typing spacebar, and calmly expressing that it is holding back the group, then you are just inconsiderate and quite frankly an @sshole at the point. If there were no insults, and you are doing something just for spite, then you are a "virtue signaling moron" that I stated in my post, and you have no common decency for others. You have 2 other people in the group typing spacebar, you stated that you normally do, but then you stop just to get your virtue signaling brownie points for that 1 individual and you disregard the other 2.

I'm having trouble understanding how Hammer Station, Athiss or Cademimu aren't "group content ones"? They have veteran modes and master modes. The list also includes fps like the Czerka fps, Kaon Under Siege and Lost Island, that are not low level fps in any way.

 

You describe that watching cutscenes is a waste of time for everyone, even though it's only waste of time for you and people who think like you -- people who are only there for xp/cxp/loot. People with different priorities consider different things a waste of time. I don't consider watching cutscenes a waste of time, there are some cutscenes I'd actually prefer to watch but I skip them because the group decides and I assume I'm playing with people like you. And if 3 people agree on a group rule and 1 person doesn't, there's a "kick"-option designed for that.

 

In my opinion, not being able to sit there and watch a cutscene for 2 minutes to make someone else happy means you're in a hurry, and it's not "common courtesy" for everyone to agree with your opinions and share your playstyle. If 1 person wants to watch the cutscenes, and 2 people don't mind letting them watch the cutscenes, common courtesy is to either watch them or drop group.

I have already updated my previous post to clarify and correct it. In a nutshell. All flashpoints should have story modes for the reasons I described before.

Your statement about "Just kick them" is awfully inconsiderate. You try to make me out to be some sort of tyrant yet you are for just kicking someone for not spacebarring. I totally disagree with you. I'm not petty. But I do want people to understand why people are always saying spacebar at cutscenes. I also disagree with you about if the 3 people are asking for a spacebar, the common courtesy in that situation is to watch it or leave. That is not common courtesy. I specified that clearly in my post so I wont repeat myseIf.

I don't disagree with your statement about a waste of time being a matter of opinion. That's fact and I thought was common sense that didn't need to be stated, but you did, so....thanks?

This all goes back to "you" or "others." If 3 people are asking for spacebars in a calm manner without insult, group collective in that time over weighs that 1. Respecting the collective is common courtesy. Not the good of one.

You may have had some bad experiences with extremely rude people insulting people for not spacebaring. We aren't talking about them. I don't agree with that and I don't condone it.

How about in a word: NO.

How about in a longer word:

NNNNNOOOOOOOO.

Dasty

How about in a longer word:

 

NNNNNOOOOOOOO.

 

Dasty

Brilliance at it's best Ladies and Gentleman.

/golfclap

How about in a word: NO.

Bravo

I have already updated my previous post to clarify and correct it. In a nutshell. All flashpoints should have story modes for the reasons I described before.

 

Your statement about "Just kick them" is awfully inconsiderate. You try to make me out to be some sort of tyrant yet you are for just kicking someone for not spacebarring. I totally disagree with you. I'm not petty. But I do want people to understand why people are always saying spacebar at cutscenes. I also disagree with you about if the 3 people are asking for a spacebar, the common courtesy in that situation is to watch it or leave. That is not common courtesy. I specified that clearly in my post so I wont repeat myseIf.

I don't disagree with your statement about a waste of time being a matter of opinion. That's fact and I thought was common sense that didn't need to be stated, but you did, so....thanks?

This all goes back to "you" or "others." If 3 people are asking for spacebars in a calm manner without insult, group collective in that time over weighs that 1. Respecting the collective is common courtesy. Not the good of one.

 

You may have had some bad experiences with extremely rude people insulting people for not spacebaring. We aren't talking about them. I don't agree with that and I don't condone it.

I don't personally kick people for not spacebarring, as I don't mind it, but if it is such a big deal to you, then that option IS available. You said there's nothing you can do if one member of the group does not follow whatever rules others agreed to, I pointed out there something you can do.

I'm glad we agree that it's common knowledge that "waste of time" is a highly subjective term. However, you wrote that

it is a waste of time for the group including yourself regardless if you mind or not.

When it is not "waste of time for the group including myself", as it's not waste of time for me. It's, in fact, possible it's waste of time for you only.

I at no point said that if 3 people wish to spacebar, it would be common courtesy to either watch it or leave. I said that if 1 person wants to watch it, 2 people don't mind watching it and 1 person is asking for a spacebar, THEN it is common courtesy for that one person to either watch the cutscenes, or leave. It's polite to go with what majority decides.

And yes, I have more experience with people getting rude when they realize someone wants to watch the cutscenes and they don't, than with people who are able to sort that situation out in a calm discussion.

I really don't understand the problem people have with having people in a flashpoint. When I run these with my boyfriend and we get 2 non-guild members we do the following before we even start

(1) Do you want to see the cutscenes? If you do not answer we will take that as a No so they will be skipped. No complaints are accepted once we start.

(2) Do you want to skip the mobs? Same as above.

Then we start. We have never had a problem because of this and we been here since launch, even before solo flashpoints were even in the game.

You are only seeing this from your perspective and assume everyone else is out to min max CXP gain too. But that's simply not the case.

You may feel your time being wasted, but it's the groupfinder. You simply meet various people using it for various reasons there. There always has to be found some sort of compromise.

If you completely want to avoid running into people with other interests 'wasting your time', you'd fare way better forming a premade group.

People are running flashpoints via gf for XP/CXP, for achievements, for conquest or just for fun. You get all kind of players there.

I'm doing them simply for fun and achievements for example. While I usually skip, I actually still like to watch the cutscenes again now and then, because even after running all those FPs repeatedly since release, a lot of those cutscenes are well made and it's been a long time since I watched them. And I simply don't do vet or story fps, since they are just boring when you enjoy tanking and want to play with a group,(it's also fun to play with PUGs since each one is different) so master mode only for me, including cutscenes now and then since I'm not on a timer to get X flashpoints done in Y time. It's my free time, I intend to enjoy it and surely not to approach it like work hours.

A sensible measure would either be form a group via fleet chat for the specific goal you want to pursue there, to find like minded players who agree with you on how to run several flashpointss and min maxing what ever you want out of them.

Or at least being polite and ask nicely at the beginning of a FP, if people want to skip cutscenes or not. Just like people usually ask for including bonus bosses. Or if someone needs an explanation.

Nowhere have you mentioned asking your GF groups, if the majority wants to spacebar or not. From what you wrote you are just assuming it, just like you assume everyone wants to run 6 FPs and is happy to save time there to squeeze a seventh in.

If the majority wants to skip, go ahead but, if the others don't mind someone watching them, it's your place to either follow the rest of the group or leave.

Same as you arguing from your perspective, that the one person is forcing their playstyle on you by not skipping, they can say the exact same of you.

Communication is the key.

I at no point said that if 3 people wish to spacebar, it would be common courtesy to either watch it or leave. I said that if 1 person wants to watch it, 2 people don't mind watching it and 1 person is asking for a spacebar, THEN it is common courtesy for that one person to either watch the cutscenes, or leave. It's polite to go with what majority decides.

I agree totally. That was all my point. My point with this whole conversation is for the most part, there are 3 people wanting spacebar, one does not or AFKs through the dialog. It's the group collective. In your situation, with 1 wants to watch, 2 don't care, of course at that point common courtesy for "my choice" is to deal with it or leave. Absolutely.

I agree totally. That was all my point. My point with this whole conversation is for the most part, there are 3 people wanting spacebar, one does not or AFKs through the dialog. It's the group collective. In your situation, with 1 wants to watch, 2 don't care, of course at that point common courtesy for "my choice" is to deal with it or leave. Absolutely.

Well, I'm glad we can agree on this. Especially with the flashpoints that do have a solo mode, it is indeed polite to skip if everyone else in the group wants to skip. But I feel people shouldn't just assume everyone else in the group wants to skip, and if several groupmembers want to watch cutscenes, spamming "SPACEBAR" to the chat isn't going to change their minds.

You are only seeing this from your perspective and assume everyone else is out to min max CXP gain too. But that's simply not the case.

You may feel your time being wasted, but it's the groupfinder. You simply meet various people using it for various reasons there. There always has to be found some sort of compromise.

 

If you completely want to avoid running into people with other interests 'wasting your time', you'd fare way better forming a premade group.

People are running flashpoints via gf for XP/CXP, for achievements, for conquest or just for fun. You get all kind of players there.

 

I'm doing them simply for fun and achievements for example. While I usually skip, I actually still like to watch the cutscenes again now and then, because even after running all those FPs repeatedly since release, a lot of those cutscenes are well made and it's been a long time since I watched them. And I simply don't do vet or story fps, since they are just boring when you enjoy tanking and want to play with a group,(it's also fun to play with PUGs since each one is different) so master mode only for me, including cutscenes now and then since I'm not on a timer to get X flashpoints done in Y time. It's my free time, I intend to enjoy it and surely not to approach it like work hours.

 

A sensible measure would either be form a group via fleet chat for the specific goal you want to pursue there, to find like minded players who agree with you on how to run several flashpointss and min maxing what ever you want out of them.

Or at least being polite and ask nicely at the beginning of a FP, if people want to skip cutscenes or not. Just like people usually ask for including bonus bosses. Or if someone needs an explanation.

Nowhere have you mentioned asking your GF groups, if the majority wants to spacebar or not. From what you wrote you are just assuming it, just like you assume everyone wants to run 6 FPs and is happy to save time there to squeeze a seventh in.

 

If the majority wants to skip, go ahead but, if the others don't mind someone watching them, it's your place to either follow the rest of the group or leave.

Same as you arguing from your perspective, that the one person is forcing their playstyle on you by not skipping, they can say the exact same of you.

Communication is the key.

Nicely articulated. Thank you for not throwing insults and misrepresenting what I stated. I have absolutely not issues with anything you stated here.

The only thing that I would like to reiterate is people can have fun, do their achievements, and be efficient all at the same time. It's all about the majority. I am fully aware if I'm the only one asking for a spacebar, sure it sucks, but I deal. I'm only bringing up the majority of my groupfinders that call for spacebar by everyone, even when that flashpoint does have a story mode, and those people clearly state "I don't care" or tell the group the F off. When you queue for groupfinder, you work together "as a group." Your playstyle should reflect that. As in what's best for the group. If the group is calling for fast, efficient, skip the cutscenes, then that should be the playstyle. That playstyle is not being forced on anyone. That should just be a given. If the whole group but me want's to watch cutscenes and take a 15 minute break smack dab in the middle of a flashpoint, it's my choice to follow the group or leave. I understand that.