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Spec specific bars


Saxxonknight

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When you use the Legacy Perk "Field Respecialization" you then have to redo your bars, which between boss fights takes time from the group. I know in another game with the ability to save well over 10 class/tree combos, each one had its hotbars saved so you just had to swap specs and go. Given there are only 3 options here, this should be fairly easily achievable and would greatly improve group versatility.
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When you use the Legacy Perk "Field Respecialization" you then have to redo your bars, which between boss fights takes time from the group. I know in another game with the ability to save well over 10 class/tree combos, each one had its hotbars saved so you just had to swap specs and go. Given there are only 3 options here, this should be fairly easily achievable and would greatly improve group versatility.

In programming, there are only three interesting numbers: "zero", "one", and "many"(1), so it doesn't matter whether there are three or seven or four hundred and sixty three options. Well, sort of it does, because the UI for 463 different disciplines would be ... fraught.

 

That said, it's worth noting that each class has way more than three options. Three disciplines with different combinations of utilities (and given that 6.0 will have nine utility slots, that's potentially a *lot* of combinations per discipline). And yes, one might wish to use different combinations of utilities for different content even with the same discipline.

 

I think the best way would be to follow the Guild Wars 1 example, and save files somewhere with a combination of build details (discipline and utility combination) and bar layouts. Where exactly those files get saved is important mostly to people who play on more than one computer although there's a migration cost for local storage for people who replace their sole PC with a new sole PC, if the storage is local.

 

On the other hand, local storage does have the advantage that the storage is not shared between all players, so BioWare doesn't have to manage it, and we already have local storage of some per-character stuff, e.g. keybind files and UI layouts.

 

The sequence would then be:

* Select Field Respec ***OR*** see the Mentor and de-disciplinify the character.

* Set up a new combination and save it.

 

Or it would be:

* Select Field Respec ***OR*** see the Mentor and de-disciplinify the character.

* Load an existing template.

 

I would also recommend that the templates be compatible between a class/discipline on one faction and its mirror on the other (that is, a Merc can load a template saved by a Commando or vice versa).

 

(1) By this, I mean that once you've decided to be able to handle more than one thing, it really doesn't matter how many more than one there are. There may be practical limits related to available storage or processing time, but the number of different objects you can handle is dependent *only* on those limits.

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Yeah I get that the multiples doesn't really matter as much as the base code. The game example I was citing if Rift, while I haven't played in a while, I know that at the time I had 6+ tree combos saved on several characters, since you could respect out of combat (game cost of some sort, forget what) and it changed your bars to that associated spec it was a matter of 5 seconds to swap roles between fights. That is utility and ergonomically stellar for large groups trying to move thru varied content.

 

Something that also helped grouping there was every class could tank, heal or DPS, just a matter if you bothered to explore the options and save your build and bars.

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  • 4 months later...

Yeah, i would love this, but i just gave up and made more alts. xD

 

Well, kind of. I got one of each class on each faction wich means i got 2 specs on each class. Thankfully legacy wide gear is easy to get, otherwise this wouldn't be possible.

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In programming

(snip)

 

Stop right there.

 

If everquest2 can save files locally for character ability specifications, SWTOR can do it. In EQ2, it's just a locally-saved XML text file. EQ2 also locally saves out layouts for player houses in terms of what's where, so if you ever screw up placing things (and in EQ2 decoration placement can get sophisticated), you can always reload the decoration placement of a house (stronghold).

 

SWTOR already lets you save out logs, client.ini settings, and character config files. It' can't be THAT difficult for them to add the ability to save out combat proficiency configs.

Edited by xordevoreaux
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If everquest2 can save files locally for character ability specifications, SWTOR can do it.

Of course it can. I wasn't saying otherwise. In fact, I thought I made a case for saving it locally. Whatever.

In EQ2, it's just a locally-saved XML text file. EQ2 also locally saves out layouts for player houses in terms of what's where, so if you ever screw up placing things (and in EQ2 decoration placement can get sophisticated), you can always reload the decoration placement of a house (stronghold).

Now *that* is an interesting idea for SH decorators, given the occasionally over-enthusiastic behaviour of the "pick up whole room" feature.

SWTOR already lets you save out logs, client.ini settings, and character config files. It' can't be THAT difficult for them to add the ability to save out combat proficiency configs.

Agreed. The more interesting thing is loading them back in ... ;) ;)

 

More seriously, UI design for that might be a bit stressful, although GW1 seems to have it about right.

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More seriously, UI design for that might be a bit stressful, although GW1 seems to have it about right.

 

I strongly advocate that the SWTOR devs do some basic competitive research: get a free to play EQ2 account, and see how EQ2's interface saves out alternate advancement points. One drop-down, one button.

Edited by xordevoreaux
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I strongly advocate that the SWTOR devs do some basic competitive research: get a free to play EQ2 account, and see how EQ2's interface saves out alternate advancement points. One drop-down, one button.

I meant for *loading*, not for saving, but yes, they should.

Edited by SteveTheCynic
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They balance most of the game around not needing a tank or healer.. and as such no one needs to be those roles unless you are doing content that requires them (ops, mm, etc) and then people go in starting with those roles and I don't think they change roles around too much.

 

That being said, I know myself and many others would LOVE this feature and would be more likely to change roles for different content as needed to fill.. Like going from Damage while questing, to tank / healer in a flashpoint or PVP. I think the game could only benefit from this feature. As it is right now, I make a character and they are a role.. or discipline.. and they stay that forever because I don't want to redo the action bars.. Because going from Healing to DPS or visa versa takes too long to make it worth it to me.

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