I agree the companion is a bit confusing. Once you reach 50 you really don't do much with your companion. Just dead weight in your ship.

Its also announced that they are increasing the level cap though, so he may still be useful yet. Plus, there's open PvP, doing dailies, etc. That they are used for nowadays.

The selection of these questions is really an insult to this games subscribers. I'm sure there are MANY more important questions that are being asked and shouldn't be ignored.

Yes there is a ton of negativity in this forum but if the communication was transparent then it might improve.

So out of all the question asked by the Community those are the ones that Bioware/EA chose to answer. know wonder this game is not performing as expected.

When will they except some real questions and give us some straight answers?

riddle me this Bioware. Do you want a game in 6 months? yes? then you need to look in the mirror and throw some cold water on your faces and wake up. These Q + A's are nothing short of trolling lol. As stated above nothing you comment on is of importance or interest to most of the player-base.

Any plans to to promote world PVP?

Any plans to add a barber shop?

Any plans to add an appearance tab?

Any plans to open up the Planets to make people actually want to return there?

Any plans to add Player housing?

Any plans to expand and improve the "Crafting System"?

When can we expect an improved Space Game?

Any plans to implement mini games and more social aspects?

Can you put a date to paid Transfers, so I can be with the few friends who didn't un-subscribe?

Its the small things that keep people invested in their Characters, and your game, in between content patches.

Its a Dark Time for TOR Bioware, time to pull out the Trump Cards above, "wall of crazy"? Maybe, Keep Subscriptions? Definitely

This is interesting:

LNSSnorkle: We know players that don't migrate by themselves will have their chars automatically moved. The thing is, how can we know where they will end up?

 

Damion Schubert (Principal Lead Systems Designer): Once we do automatic transfers, we will be doing everything possible in order to maintain the basics of the current ruleset as possible - PvE vs PvP, regional choice, language (for Europe); so in many cases, you should have a good idea of which populations you are likely to end up with. Another top concern is trying to help the populations that result have a good factional balance. We will give out a specific list once we are closer to implementation of this plan - watch for more info soon!

The question seems like it would be answered by the Character Transfer, Server Populations, and You (Part II) blog (i.e., you're automatically transferred to the destination server you were originally assigned to), but Damion Schubert's answer seems to imply they're looking at the populations on the destination servers to see where to best fit the people remaining on the origin servers.

The last part is especially intriguing. Does it mean that they might, for example, automatically transfer all the Republic characters on an EC PVP origin server to the EC PVP destination server that has the lowest Republic population in order to balance the factions on that server better?

Another Q and A filled with questions that don't really matter and answers well see the comment on the questions. Bioware, your communication with your customers is gross. Learn to understand what is important and needs to be addressed and what is garbage no one cares about.

Edit: You know what, **** it. I'm unsubbing.

Would have really liked to see an answer regarding the "Match to Compaion Chest" feature, plus some of the other questions that people asked regarding armor / vanity issues.

 

Maybe next time.

 

Or match to chest preview window =D I've spent countless credits on new shoes and slacks that I liked the model of, in hopes of it matching correctly.

And about the stability fix, glad they are stable and always up! Too bad though they arent smooth though =( Still get some pretty nasty spikes since 1.3

Considering they probably only have 5 employees left I'd say answering 5 questions a week is enough.

Oh no I didn't.

Keep up the good work EA | BioWare. I enjoy having my Legacy quick transports, and am confident that i would use them more than a sprint speed bonus. I also enjoy the word on the Rakghoul DNA. I do have 3 stacks of it, that I would like to convert into something. (Just a suggestion, but maybe the jawa vendor in the Outlaw's Den. Back story on it would be neat, and who wouldn't believe that a jawa was able to get his hands on something that not many can.)

Congrats on the boost to server stability also. I do get the occasional lag spike, and while painful, it's nothing to write home to mom about. I'm sure you are working towards a solution to this.

Your comments on the automated server transfers made sense also. I am sure that you have data that will indicate recent game activity for a toon, and use that in your consideration when doing balancing, as I for one have several husks of toons on other servers, that I will most likely never play again. I will probably just go on tonight and delete them .

Also, I cannot thank you enough for updating the format a bit to keep all the "never satisfied, what's next, when can I expect it" Q&A in check. I agree wholeheartedly that it is very repetitive and can be annoying.

Thanks again EA | BW. I am enjoying the heck out of my experience!

p.s. - The hood toggle does sound neat.

I've always been 100% into Star Wars lore since I was a child, but I'm worried about the game, not the lore.

qft

Damion Schubert (Principal Lead Systems Designer): Once we do automatic transfers, we will be doing everything possible in order to maintain the basics of the current ruleset as possible - PvE vs PvP, regional choice, language (for Europe); so in many cases, you should have a good idea of which populations you are likely to end up with. Another top concern is trying to help the populations that result have a good factional balance. We will give out a specific list once we are closer to implementation of this plan - watch for more info soon!

You'd better be working fast on paid character transfer.

I know quite a few people that will simply leave the game if they can't transfer to play with their friends.

Not going to re-roll for sure.

I'm not paying for it.At least on my server, there are only a handful of people left so I don't see what's wrong with tagging all valid servers as destination servers. This whole process has felt terrible and ill thought out and if I have to pay even more just to make the game tolerable, it's just not worth it.

Already have unsubbed, chief, but thanks for telling me to anyway. You're probably doing more hard to the game by telling people not to the complain than the people complain. Things don't get improved if people don't complain. Most likely you don't understand that, though, and are just blindly rushing to Bioware's aid.

Sorry Chief, Bioware doesn't need my aid. If Bioware has any needs, I am sure that they know that internally, and are working to find a way to meed that need. So please know that I am not blindly doing anything. You on the other hand, with your original post:

Yet another terrible Q/A. The fact that they're answering BACKSTORY questions just shows how much they're grasping for straws.

How on earth could you know what EA's | BW's thoughts were on this weeks Q&A? The internal dynamics and decision making of the company are mostly not public knowledge, so unless you have some inside information, your post was libel at best.

I mean, I've heard the whole "squeaky wheel gets the grease" idiom, but do you actually believe that things don't get improved if people don't complain?

Moving on....

You do realize that people taking that advice is what got SWTOR this far in the first place right? LOL

Ummm... Got them where? Where is SWTOR? Include references please.

Moving on...

Just you know our monthly fees pays for the salary of people making the game.

 

The more you are making people leave because of your advice, the less the devs have funds to improve "your" game.

 

To be fair: I don't understand why people like you have the audacity to over inflate their importance and request others to leave.

I didn't know that you worked in the accounting department at EA | BW Deewe? So you're saying that subscription fees are the only source of income that EA | BW has diverted to the team working on SWTOR. You don't think they might be getting income (transactions in the black) from anywhere else that might also contribute? You don't think that EA is using other non SWTOR related resources to continue (transactions in the red) working on a project that they believe in (either financially or on principle)?

If the amount of resources, financially or other, devoted towards SWTOR shifts, then as a company, EA | BW will have to address that internally. I doubt that they want to lose subscribers, and I bet they want you to enjoy yourself. But if you are not happy, don't ruin it for those out there who actually do want to know more than just when is this happening and when is that happening.

To be fair: Touche.

But let me retrace my steps a bit to look at your thoughts on this weeks Q&A. According to Deewe:

-It would not have been hard to code in that sprint boosts cannot be used in warzones. (As if he/she knows anything about what it takes to do anything related to develop for the game, also neglecting the fact that this design could give QQ'ers more ammunition to QQ about.) I personally like the choice. On my way to 50 I was able to quickly QT to the Outlaw's Den to loot some Recruit Gear on a daily basis. At 50 I'm able to quickly QT to the BH for dailies. What's not to like?

-The Rakghoul Outbreak event was a failure, and no-one at EA | BW has any idea how to handle making use of the DNA Samples. (Really? If you Google "Rakghoul Outbreak" there is page after page of people commenting on how great the event was. The TorWars crew or the TORked crew, cannot remember which one it was, noted how cleanly it was done compared to other MMO's in one of their podcasts. While there is most likely an equal number of negative pages on this, I am inclined to believe that they revolve around not being able to turn in our DNA Samples (which they did cover, to the best of their abilities at this time), or having invisible companions, as if it is that big of a deal.) I for one, enjoyed the heck out of the event, it brought our guild closer, and I cannot wait for the next one. Oh, and my Crimson Rakghoul takes offense to you comments, and wishes you to retract them.

-Paid character transfer is a must, or people will unsub. (I do agree that I am anxious to get micro-transactions for character transfer, but everything I have witnessed thus far is leading me to believe EA | BW are really putting a lot of effort into server balancing. While I believe the MT character transfer will affect their research, they will work it out. It's not a deal breaker tho. When we want to do that we all just re-roll together, and have a blast earning social along the way.)

-Deewe is angry about crashing. (It was all right there in the A to the Q. They are aware that with the advent of 1.3 uptime has increased but there has been a rampant (maybe too strong) issue with disconnects. If it has happened to you, then you know what is happening when it happens, and he said they are working on it.)

Ha, looks like my post that generated this aggro was removed. Oh well.... "Submit Reply"

riddle me this Bioware. Do you want a game in 6 months? yes? then you need to look in the mirror and throw some cold water on your faces and wake up. These Q + A's are nothing short of trolling lol. As stated above nothing you comment on is of importance or interest to most of the player-base.

 

Any plans to to promote world PVP?

Any plans to add a barber shop?

Any plans to add an appearance tab?

Any plans to open up the Planets to make people actually want to return there?

Any plans to add Player housing?

Any plans to expand and improve the "Crafting System"?

When can we expect an improved Space Game?

Any plans to implement mini games and more social aspects?

Can you put a date to paid Transfers, so I can be with the few friends who didn't un-subscribe?

 

Its the small things that keep people invested in their Characters, and your game, in between content patches.

 

Its a Dark Time for TOR Bioware, time to pull out the Trump Cards above, "wall of crazy"? Maybe, Keep Subscriptions? Definitely

This.

This is interesting:

...The last part is especially intriguing. Does it mean that they might, for example, automatically transfer all the Republic characters on an EC PVP origin server to the EC PVP destination server that has the lowest Republic population in order to balance the factions on that server better?

Agreed. I think one way to look at it is the quicker any given player makes their transfer decisions themselves, the happier they will likely be. Clearly, at some point, the decision will be made for you. And you may not like, or even understand why they put you where you might end up; it may be the furthest place from your mind, and for some esoteric fourth- or fifth- highest priority of the devs in a transfer heirarchy of reasons.

Which brings us back, for those holding out for some greener pasture; you'll probably be happier if you make the transfer decision, yourself.

Agreed. I think one way to look at it is the quicker any given player makes their transfer decisions themselves, the happier they will likely be. Clearly, at some point, the decision will be made for you. And you may not like, or even understand why they put you where you might end up; it may be the furthest place from your mind, and for some esoteric fourth- or fifth- highest priority of the devs in a transfer heirarchy of reasons.

 

Which brings us back, for those holding out for some greener pasture; you'll probably be happier if you make the transfer decision, yourself.

Let me see if I grasp your reasoning behind this post.

You are saying that those that are not transferring to their chosen Destination Server - which, at this point, is pretty much because they do not like their chosen Destination Server for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Overcrowded (via their perception)
  
• Poor performance (usually attributed to overcrowding, but there are other possibilities).
  
• They know they will lose cherished character names.
  
• Not the server they want their characters on.

Should transfer, because BioWare might automatically move their characters to another server?

Hell, I would think the holdouts are hoping the automatic transfer script will move them to a different Destination Server. (I know I am.)

I enjoyed last weeks Q&A more.

For question #1: Ballance and PvP. BW please remember that theres morre to the game than the frikin WZ. Please, Please, Please stop making changes to the over all game to balance what should be altered just for the WZs.

For Question #4: So, characters that stayed where they were are going to be moved anyway. You can throw out the word transfer and call it what it is, a merge. I dont really have a problem with that. Its what I was hoping for to begin with. But I dont like that the choice given was apparently and illusion.

For the last question: This is a good guestion and answer. More like these please.

I dont mean to sound so negative but Im just sick to death about the changes because of WZ balance issues. Like what was done to the merc and assassin tank. I mean ***?! It seems like maybe you shoulda have made a game more like one of those lame team war games. Its abvious thats where the real focus is.

And I really dont admire false statements,call things what they are please. That makes yas look really bad. You shoulda have just said in the beginning, 'We're doing server merges over time' not ' Server transfers are now available!' Its like saying: Everybody on board thats going! If you dont get in we'll drag you anyway.

What is the backstory of the seven pillars on Corellia commemorating the heroes of The Jedi Civil War in BTC 303 (Revan, Bastila, Carth, Canderous, Juhani, Mission, Zaalbar)? How did the people of Corellia arrive at the decision to build the pillars?

Really? This is a question you pick to answer? There are so many questions asked week after week about gameplay and answer a question about backstory? Pathetic.

Really? This is a question you pick to answer? There are so many questions asked week after week about gameplay and answer a question about backstory? Pathetic.

I lol'd.

Another Q&A with light fluffy questions picked. Nothing specific about the future of the game or real gameplay changes that are needed/wanted. No mention of the glaring class balance issues that are starting to kill PvP.

How disappointing.

Imagine.

What if the game had 3 million subs and was a real AAA product.

Then this Q&A wouldn't be that bad.

But it is that bad.

The only reason that made me come to SWTOR was BW.

I knew how EA handled WAR and suffered for 2 years by their unwillingness to do anything good for the game and their renown ability to completely ignore their players.If EA listened to half of the input it got in WAR forums SWTOR would be a lot better game.

So I did not want to have anything to do with an MMO made by them.

But then it was BW and the WARS.

How could that go wrong?

These Q&As is the tip of the melting iceberg that is SWTOR.

But now I've learned my lesson.

Wrath of TOR.