[EDIT: I have gone through the discussion and grabbed what I hope are seen as the "highlights" of the amazing discussion that has come from this topic. It'll be especially useful for the TL;DR readers who are intrigued by the topic title. Scroll to the end of this post for more information (as long as Bioware allows me to edit this post.)]

[WARNING: Looooooooong]

Hi everyone. I've been playing SWTOR since it began five years or so, having cut my online gaming teeth first on WOW and then on Matrix Online. Some of you may remember M:O as having immense potential, and for a while the storylines and missions and live events were fresh and engaging— and then sort of sputtered out to that amazing finish when the developers opened the floodgates and let the players experience godmode, basically... before the big end when everyone dropped dead.

SWTOR, for me, raised my expectations of an MMO. The fully-voiced scenes, class stories, and companion relationships were the elements that motivated me to learn how to play the classes. (I tried playing WOW again with their last two expansions, but the absence of fully-voiced conversations and cutscenes was the turnoff for me). Five years later, I probably still look like a hack-and-slasher out there in the game. I admire all those who can wrap their heads around ability rotations and grasp how if something pops, this other thing goes off. Me, my sight just goes fuzzy and I get a loud ringing in my ear when I try to understand how the mechanics of the classes work.

I'm what seems to be referred to as a "casual." I may log in an hour an evening, if I'm feeling it. I've been a constant subscriber. And I've been a pretty steady reader of the forum.

I've also been a solo player from the beginning. I've had guild invites, of course, but never joined one. I've grouped maybe a total of four times, I think? I think most, if not all, were to complete one of the Heroics on Dromund Kaas, if memory serves— the one where everyone stands around waiting for the elite to re-spawn.

I'm an altoholic, as well. I've maxed characters slots on my server, The Shadowlands. If I was to be honest, I'd say several of them are being kept because of their outfits/gear which is Bound. If I could set those items to Legacy, I'd do it in a heartbeat and then free up the slot. Annnnnd, since I can't, the character stays, lol!

I've played every class story to completion. I have yet to reach full companion rank with several of my class companions, even after five years of playing. I keep intending to, but just never seem to work on that aspect of SWTOR gameplay.

As far as my playing skill, I'm horribly slow getting to keys or clicking off abilities, but I am unimaginably incompetent when it comes to me trying to set a buff for players I cross paths with in-game who aren't topped off! I've lost track of the times I've missed as I tried frantically trying to click on the player while they run by, and they go out of range. It really is quite comical from where I'm sitting. You kids just move too fast!

I steer clear of PVP because I guess I just never took to it, even when I tried it back in WOW. Certainly caused anxiety, though, so I can imagine how others love that rush of player against player where it all comes down to reflexes and ability rotation choices.

Never joined in on an Operation, either. Having seen streams of the Operations, though, I can completely understand why others are so fervent in their requests for more of them. They seem pretty intense.

As far as the overall game story (Classic and Galactic Command as a whole)— I have only played KOFTE with two characters, and not to completion with either. Both of those characters were CM tokens, as I have yet to carry one of my characters over into KOTFE.

Speaking of the Cartel Market, I have spent plenty there, too. As a rule, I purchase the speeder buffs for my characters as they hit their level minimum for the token. For me, it's a quality-of-life thing, improving game flow in the in-betweens. Kick in streaming music and off I go. I don't bother with the packs even though I like what I've seen what you might get if RNG is kind on sites like Dulfy and Twitch.

Getting back to why I've never felt interested in bringing one of my characters (or all) over to KOTFE/KOTET: I think the primary reason is because the characters I've developed relationships with in each class story are, for all intents and purposes as far as I understand it, removed from the game with no tangible evidence of when they will return— and certainly by no choice on my part.

If choices matter, then my choice has been to treat KOTFE, and now KOTET, as a separate game from Classic SWTOR.

I spend my time in Classic SWTOR these days. About a week ago, after watching a Twitchcaster playing a strictly dark side character, I realized that I have never played a fully dark character, so I'm working on that for the first time (I am dominantly Neutral across my character roster). Sith Marauder, of course. I'll confess that the storyline of the dark side has had some surprises that I have enjoyed. Still not liking that new Ravage animation, though, and being as old and set in my ways as I can be, I probably never will like it. To me, it plays like, "Oh cool, by the power of Cartoon Mode!" and suddenly old Batman captions flash up Bam Pow KerThump!

I created this SM with the notion this character being the first I take into the new game of KOFTE/KOTET. I reserve my right to change my mind when I approach the closing missions of Classic. Given my track record, I'll probably choose my companions over the expansions again, like I have with all of my Classic alts. In this case, choice does matter.

At some point, I'll tire of the Classic storylines as I have before. That's when I'll take a closer look at Galactic Command, revisit one of those two Instant characters that were made specifically for KOTFE/KOTET and see about experiencing that alternate (for me) storyline.

If Bioware ever provides tangible evidence that all of the companions a scheduled to return through storyline in a definite period of time (I've seen people on here mention this year being a nice place for that to happen), then I would be more inclined in carrying over a Classic alt... [although that apelike walking animation used in KOTFE/KOTET is distracting and far less natural than the animation used in Classic].

Even so, I find myself in agreement with the point raised by others here that there is no fun in there being a single story when it comes to the KOTFE/KOTET side of SWTOR, which I guess I should be referring to as "Galactic Command."

Certainly not with 38 other alts! I'm not sure which is more grind-like: farming a gold in GC enough to hit a cap, or playing the same GC storyline to completion 40 times.

Neither sounds like a way I would like to spend my casual time in SWTOR, so here I remain in Classic SWTOR— after all, there are still plenty of things I haven't done.

Don't get me wrong: I'd love to play through Classic and into GC— but not without the people who helped each of my characters get to where they are. All the more so when a love interest is involved!

One last thought: I've read others grieving over either or both the RNG factor of Galactic Command and I've seen mention of those who would like to see certain things extend across one's Legacy. When I first saw those posts, it seemed like the CXP earning could be handled easily enough. Add it into the Legacy perks with it's own four or five tiers like what is done for Story XP perks, with each tier increasing your RNG favor to the point where we could have a nice buff when we go CXP earning.

Along with that thought, the issue of repetitive gear coming out of RNG is easily resolved by switching the gear from Bound to Legacy— especially given the unmistakable single-player focus of SWTOR/GC. This allows us to move RNG'd gear across our roster as needed. Even if I RNG'd (if I even played GC) 40 belts, I can use those 40 belts across my 40 characters. As an aside: it's been my experience in SWTOR/Classic that RNG gives me earpieces, wrist and waist gear (although lately I've been RNGing head gear for the first time ever). Again, this is strictly my own experience in Classic as a solo casual doing Heroics and such.

Anyhow, I've blathered on long enough.

If you run by me out there in The Shadowlands, slow down enough for an old gamer to throw a buff your way.

====================================================

Discussion Highlights:

SWTOR in the Life of a Casual

Solarwake ---

To me, it has always seemed that the player community has been divided into those who were primarily looking for KotOR 3 and those who were primarily looking for Star WoW, with relatively few people honestly attracted to the game for both facets from the outset.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9161517&postcount=17

ENVISIONocity ---

Have any of you solo players run in Galactic Starfighter's missions?

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9161603&postcount=22

If choices matter, then my choice has been to treat KOTFE, and now KOTET, as a separate game from Classic SWTOR.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9161695&postcount=29

eriksarcasm

"Exploding Simulator" (GSF)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9161872&postcount=41

ImmortalLowlife

I play swtor like it's Kotor 3.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162258&postcount=48

Tippor

I do LOVE my stealthies too.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162407&postcount=54

Blacklynx

SWTOR has what i always found lacking in most mmo's...

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162560&postcount=60

djungelvraaal

TIP: when you get to the fleet for the first time...

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162695&postcount=61

ENVISIONocity

Which of the class stories have you been the most conflicted about?

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162913&postcount=66

What class would you recommend for first-timer to PVP?

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162945&postcount=71

Tippor

The thing about the class stories is that their replayability is very high.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9162993&postcount=80

Dunderheid

TIP: How to disable Take Cover hotbar

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9163176&postcount=91

ChristienB

Endgame is a world of its own.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9166092&postcount=111

ENVISIONocity

Companion lag (early onset of ADHD?)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9166837&postcount=116

Alt backstories

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9167935&postcount=125

Corvibean

Doing Ops (as a casual)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9170642&postcount=142

ChristienB

Reunions with Love Interests

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9172681&postcount=153

Craggy

RNG and Command Crates

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9173451&postcount=156

KindlyOne

Feeling the loss of longtime companions in KOTFE/KOTET

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9173944&postcount=166

ENVISIONocity

What it means to be a "casual" in SWTOR (for me)

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9174142&postcount=187

cmdrzoom

Highlight reel of one player's SWTOR experience

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9174243&postcount=193

t_euclidus

Personal experience with SWTOR as a mostly solo player

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9176139&postcount=196

ENVISIONocity

Role-playing as a solo player

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9178208&postcount=200

Using Heroics as a "warm-up" to PVE content

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9179063&postcount=205

LordArtemis

Personal experience with SWTOR as a "casual" player

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9179120&postcount=207

ENVISIONocity

Staying appropriately leveled for PVE as a "casual" player

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9181206&postcount=216

ENVISIONocity

Finishing the main story of KOTFE/KOTET and thoughts

http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=9243396&postcount=281

*Wave from the Shadowlands* Hi!

As far as my playing skill, I'm horribly slow getting to keys or clicking off abilities, but I am unimaginably incompetent when it comes to me trying to set a buff for players I cross paths with in-game who aren't topped off! I've lost track of the times I've missed as I tried frantically trying to click on the player while they run by, and they go out of range. It really is quite comical from where I'm sitting. You kids just move too fast!

lol I see them too! I'm like ''Eeek! No buff! I give you one..hey! Stay put!'' LOL then I have to run after them . *facepalm*..Let's hope none think I'm stalking them

*Wave from the Shadowlands* Hi!

 

 

 

lol I see them too! I'm like ''Eeek! No buff! I give you one..hey! Stay put!'' LOL then I have to run after them . *facepalm*..Let's hope none think I'm stalking them

A fellow Shadowlander! *returns wave*

A lot of times, I've arrived at a mission giver, and someone's there partially buffed but in conversation with the mission giver. I'll actually wait until they exit the conversation and buff them up before clicking into the conversation myself. I'm in no hurry, anyhow.

But factor in moving targets? I'd be an epic fail as a healer, for sure. I don't even want to imagine me in some party, trying to keep everyone alive.

No, I'm perfectly happy with my companions trying to keep me alive through all my bungling of my various classes during melee, lol! Oh, look! That one's flashing, so I need to click on it. Oh, there goes another one. I'm not sure what all of them do, but it doesn't seem to detract from my gameplay and enjoyment as a solo casual. Probably because the game mechanics protect me from myself so I can still enjoy the Classic storylines. The more I think about it, the more that's likely.

The option's there to improve my gameplay. PVP is a great way to develop my style of gameplay because you have the unpredictability of the others you go up against. Gear may win the day in the end, but I can't imagine going away from PVP without having improved in combat and getting more acquainted with the classes I prefer. You work on refining your style, and get faster. I know I'm missing out on a great part of SWTOR, but I'm not missing it, if that makes any sense. Same can be said of Operations, because I'm missing out there, too.

It comes back to story, I guess. Even though I've played them through enough that I can spacebar through those conversations I'd rather skip past because of the particular grindiness that is about to get underway for that particular mission. Some planets I loathe having to deal with either because of the perceived length of distance between destinations, or the grind-like nature of the planet missions there.

My first character was a Jedi Consular. Fully light. She was my first foray into SWTOR, and after having a chance to play through Classic with all of the classes with other characters of various personalities I developed during the time I've played these last five years, I'd have to say she's tragically naive. If I see her through the RotC and SoR story arcs, I can see her eyes opening to the state of things and realizing that sometimes, you have to make decisions you don't want to have to make.

I think I mentioned earlier that I'm primarily Neutral. Just works out that way with my characters, at least after that first one. A couple ventured more officially into either Dark or Light, but never beyond Level 3. My current character will be fully Dark, my first ever. Quinn still annoys me. Always will. Felt good to reject his advances, too. My Sith intends to keep him knowing his place, it seems.

Thank you for your reply!

Are you a casual solo, then?

Can't say I wasn't warned, but you really should give a summary to such extensively long post. My concentration jumped out a window before the halfway mark.

I'm horrible for that, sorry. I'll talk on something and then... Squirrel!

I've been meaning to write the post since the vocal unrest began following the release of KOTET for the post-Classic Galactic Command system, and I ended up writing a book.

Hum....I supposed I would call myself a casual player yes . Im here for the story , but stayed for the great ambiance

Im a gamer in my heart though , been playing games since the Atari . It is in my blood and Im planning to go to Nintendo heaven if there is one

I dont do PVP because of the hostility you find there . I also dont do OP or warzone , because Im a casual Subber lol . OPerations are locked out for those who are not a Sub .

And last , I belong to a guild where Im the only population everyone in my guild bailed when that Flagship nonsense came around . Peoples fought over who get what and who will raise the money of it . Next thing you know , Pouf! guild is empty and Im the only one there . I see the number of 200 something but nobody ever log back . So Im guessing they left their Alt there and started somewhere else .

But factor in moving targets? I'd be an epic fail as a healer, for sure. I don't even want to imagine me in some party, trying to keep everyone alive.

Nooo! dont say that ! Take it from someone who when she started , she was healing the Mob! haha . It take practise but then you shall Rulez !

Some planets I loathe having to deal with either because of the perceived length of distance between destinations, or the grind-like nature of the planet missions there.

Voss and Hoth right ! Cose those are the 2 planets..that have the longest road ever....you dont even get a snack for driving that long .

Did you do the old heroic+4 when they were around ^ Do you miss those ^

healing the mob? shame on you :D:D

hahaha I would panic and click on them! then peoples yell at me which doesnt help me at all! LOL But yeah , when I started man...in those heroic+ 4 I healed the Mobs so many times lol .

Nowdays the only problem I have , is when I play my Highest 70 too long . And when I go back to another class...I go <hum....where is the interrupt again do I have a cc on this one >

Can't say I wasn't warned, but you really should give a summary to such extensively long post. My concentration jumped out a window before the halfway mark.

I often wonder why people write this. I mean, seriously, have people unlearned to read ?

I admit, though, that the reading format in itself as that of a "forum window" isn't perfect. It is somewhat different from reading a book.

Hum....I supposed I would call myself a casual player yes . Im here for the story , but stayed for the great ambiance

 

Im a gamer in my heart though , been playing games since the Atari . It is in my blood and Im planning to go to Nintendo heaven if there is one

I founded my roots with an Atari computer. Games? Oh yes!

I dont do PVP because of the hostility you find there .

I can imagine, given what it entails. I already know I'd be little more than a punching bag for better and far more qualified players in PVP. Why go in to prove it? But then I can't get in to similar games where the goal is to frag and kill. My kids can, and prefer those games these days.

I also dont do OP or warzone , because Im a casual Subber lol . OPerations are locked out for those who are not a Sub .

Do you run them when you've got a subscription active?

And last , I belong to a guild where Im the only population everyone in my guild bailed when that Flagship nonsense came around . Peoples fought over who get what and who will raise the money of it . Next thing you know , Pouf! guild is empty and Im the only one there . I see the number of 200 something but nobody ever log back . So Im guessing they left their Alt there and started somewhere else .

I've been a solo casual for a long, long time-- even back into my WOW days when my kids first got me into an online MMO. What you wrote reminds me of how seriously I took my solo-ness, lol! In WOW, I had my kids help me found a guild of one: me. Still there, too, whenever I reactivate my account there.

Nooo! dont say that ! Take it from someone who when she started , she was healing the Mob! haha . It take practise but then you shall Rulez !

Okay, I did that a LOT when I was first learning to play, as Qyzen would jump into the fray back when companions still had their assigned roles and my Consular seemed determined to keep the mobs all fresh and able to finish off Qyzen. She could never understand why they'd come over and start wailing on her, lol!

And actually, I prefer the current role options, simply because I prefer certain companions over others, and like being able to assign them to the role I'll need for my progression. Lately, I've become more proactive in selecting their role: if a particular grindy segment is coming up, I'll now set my companion to DPS just so we can move through the mobs at a more productive pace. Most of the time, they're Healer. I've tried their Tank option, but meh. Doesn't seem to feel right with my game style in melee.

Voss and Hoth right ! Cose those are the 2 planets..that have the longest road ever....you dont even get a snack for driving that long .

I'd put Hoth in first place, with Voss close behind. I thought Tattooine was draggy until I arrived on Hoth. But you are spot-on about Voss. May the Force be with anyone that has to deal with anything inside that temple toward the end of the planetary story. If we could at least take a mount in there!! It just takes far too long to run to anywhere inside the Temple.

Did you do the old heroic+4 when they were around ^ Do you miss those ^

This was before Bioware installed level sync, right? I actually enjoyed going into those after getting leveled to the point where I could do them with my companion and gear, just to experience them. Level sync has put that to an end, and that's been a disappointment because now that we can get to Level 70, I could experience even more of those I still couldn't back when 50 and then 60.

I've never been concerned with what they call "end game" gear, but rather have tried to experience as much of what SWTOR Classic offers me— while I can do so.

Just as an example: I work to make sure each of my alts has their own unique look and will often opt to stay with an underpowered piece of armor to maintain the character's or companion's look rather than have the better one, stats-wise, I just RNG'd.

Which reminds me: I am SO thankful I don't have to try to keep my companions equally geared any longer!! That consumed a LOT of my casual time-- and if I were to place bets, I'd say that it felt like SWTOR: GC must feel like for those trying to gear up now through the new CXP system that us Classic players get to look forward to.

My alts also make it a point to... settle debts. Sometimes as I progress a new character, and they'll come across an NPC that manages to take them down. I nearly always come back and correct that later, when they'vemanaged to level or gear to a level where they can accomplish it. Less so on my Light alts, mind you, who seem to prefer to let bygones be bygones.

Anyhow... time to stop typing again.

Do you run them when you've got a subscription active?

No . Never done them . I was hoping since they turned those heroic+4 to solo . They would do the same with Operations , since we can also solo flashpoint . But no . Operation need a whole group , and I probably end up getting yelled at cose I stepped on someone toe or something .

And actually, I prefer the current role options, simply because I prefer certain companions over others, and like being able to assign them to the role I'll need for my progression. Lately, I've become more proactive in selecting their role: if a particular grindy segment is coming up, I'll now set my companion to DPS just so we can move through the mobs at a more productive pace. Most of the time, they're Healer. I've tried their Tank option, but meh. Doesn't seem to feel right with my game style in melee.

Tank option seem bugged to me on some character that werent Tank . One exemple , is Vette who sometimes just stand there and do nothing . Until I click the button for her to attack .

Just as an example: I work to make sure each of my alts has their own unique look and will often opt to stay with an underpowered piece of armor to maintain the character's or companion's look rather than have the better one, stats-wise, I just RNG'd.

haha everyone does that ! So we can look good in those cutscene !

Which reminds me: I am SO thankful I don't have to try to keep my companions equally geared any longer!! That consumed a LOT of my casual time-- and if I were to place bets, I'd say that it felt like SWTOR: GC must feel like for those trying to gear up now through the new CXP system that us Classic players get to look forward to.

Truth be told , while now we don't have to worry about that and it seem easy . I do miss it .

Since Level Sync , it just..it kinda killed a routine I had . I knew I had to upgrade my gear before heading to X planet . I also knew I had to save those crystal so I could upgrade both mine and my companion . But now that is gone...it just doesn't feel right . I know...we have Level Sync so why worry right ? but it was a nice routine .

Now I feel like someone pulled the carpet under my feets sometimes .

My alts also make it a point to... settle debts. Sometimes as I progress a new character, and they'll come across an NPC that manages to take them down. I nearly always come back and correct that later, when they'vemanaged to level or gear to a level where they can accomplish it.

Oh this is hilarious ! cose I though I was the only who does that ! lol Payback time feel so good !

Since Level Sync , it just..it kinda killed a routine I had . I knew I had to upgrade my gear before heading to X planet . I also knew I had to save those crystal so I could upgrade both mine and my companion . But now that is gone...it just doesn't feel right . I know...we have Level Sync so why worry right ? but it was a nice routine .

When Bioware announced this recent removal of crystals, I went through all my alts and used their accrued crystals to buy up the level gear I find myself using on alts throughout Classic progression. I should be set for a while on that front. For now. Wishing I'd purchased more hilts, though.

Now I feel like someone pulled the carpet under my feets sometimes .

This is part of my reason for looking at SWTOR as two much different games: Classic and, now, Galactic Command with its KOFTE/KOTET. I've lost some nice things in Classic, but I at least have my companions. If I go on to Galactic Command, I lose even them. Or at least those yet to return, although as time goes on there seems little reason to think they ever will.

In Classic mode, I can enjoy the best cutscenes I've seen in an online MMO, fully-voiced. In Galactic Command mode, I am relegated to words in a multi-choice conversation where I am a silent participant.

In Classic mode, I can enjoy giving my companions their own unique looks to suit their personalities or roles. In GC mode, I'd be limited to an army of Stepford Wives of Lana.

It hardly seems a worthwhile tradeoff just to have better gear or a higher level to this old, casual PVE player.

Does anyone ever wonder if Bioware just pulled a Windows 10 with SWTOR? lol

Fellow Shadowland player here, and a very casual one at that.

Just wanted to tell the OP that I likes his post, and just like you, I don't group much, which is a bit odd , considering I'm a quite social person, but for some reason, grouping in this game, just makes me stressed, I can't quite explain why though, mind you, this is not me complaining in any way, I quite like playing solo. About the buffs, I do the same thing, and just like you, quite often, people are too quick lol. I did get most of my max characters through KotfE, but, it at least to me, gets a bit tedious doing the same story on so many characters.

Also, it's nice to see a post that's well written, and seems to me at least, to have been well thought through as well!

That was a nice post to read, refreshing even, thanks for sharing!

I'm a little bit like you myself. I play for me, rarely engage in group activities (did try a few here and there though and none of them were a bad experience) but I'm mostly in a pace of doing things my own way in my own time and actually wanting to watch cutscenes which doesn't always work in group format. I'm addicted to the Classic story arcs, they're my favorite by far and I'm up to 32'ish characters now all lingering somewhere between level 1 and 65, one is level 70. I did go into KOTFE/KOTET, despite the loss of companions, because I really wanted to experience the story and I don't regret it but there are times where I really miss my guys and wish they'd just show up already so I can have my family back. I've tried creating a fully DS character in the past but many choices just seem so, petty, illogical and psychotic that I rarely make it past DS III.

As far as GC goes, I feel it's a punishing system. As a casual story player, I personally don't really need the gear. If I get it, ok cool but if I don't then whatever. As long as my characters can handle whatever story content follows next, I'm good. However as someone who does engage in raiding and end-game activities in other MMO's, I fully understand the need for gear that other players have. The idea of progressing on a raid, taking on harder content and receiving better gear/rewards in exchange. GC takes that away from those players so I'm sympathetic to their plight even if it doesn't really affect me personally.

And buffing players... I do it too but usually while arriving at the entrance of HEROIC+2s, never to the crowd that's racing across the fleet, they're too speedy.

That was a nice post to read, refreshing even, thanks for sharing!

 

I'm a little bit like you myself. I play for me, rarely engage in group activities (did try a few here and there though and none of them were a bad experience) but I'm mostly in a pace of doing things my own way in my own time and actually wanting to watch cutscenes which doesn't always work in group format. I'm addicted to the Classic story arcs, they're my favorite by far and I'm up to 32'ish characters now all lingering somewhere between level 1 and 65, one is level 70. I did go into KOTFE/KOTET, despite the loss of companions, because I really wanted to experience the story and I don't regret it but there are times where I really miss my guys and wish they'd just show up already so I can have my family back. I've tried creating a fully DS character in the past but many choices just seem so, petty, illogical and psychotic that I rarely make it past DS III.

 

As far as GC goes, I feel it's a punishing system. As a casual story player, I personally don't really need the gear. If I get it, ok cool but if I don't then whatever. As long as my characters can handle whatever story content follows next, I'm good. However as someone who does engage in raiding and end-game activities in other MMO's, I fully understand the need for gear that other players have. The idea of progressing on a raid, taking on harder content and receiving better gear/rewards in exchange. GC takes that away from those players so I'm sympathetic to their plight even if it doesn't really affect me personally.

 

And buffing players... I do it too but usually while arriving at the entrance of HEROIC+2s, never to the crowd that's racing across the fleet, they're too speedy.

Thank you for putting into words pretty much spot on how I feel about grouping, story, buffing, companions, and the GC, just like you, it doesn't really affect me personally, but I can fully understand the raiders.

Only thing in this post we differ on, is the full DS lol, I admit, I agree that some of those ds choices are a bit too much, even for me, so, yeah, I do cheat with the occasional LS option, and, make up for it with diplomacy!

Fellow Shadowland player here, and a very casual one at that.

Cool! Nice to make your acquaintance!

I did get most of my max characters through KotfE, but, it at least to me, gets a bit tedious doing the same story on so many characters.

I must've progressed through the class stories and planetary arcs around 50 or 60 times if I factor in the alts that I deleted over the last five years. So why am I so averse to doing it that way through the GC system?

Like you pointed out, at least in Classic mode, you have 8 different class stories, each with their own goals and intrigues. In GC mode, you have a single story for 8 different classes, with everyone becoming the "Outlander." That's a pretty big reason to me as a longtime subscriber who also happens to be a solo casual.

Should Bioware have used GC as an opportunity to go with a new game engine and handled it as a "Guild Wars 2"-like expansion beyond Classic SWTOR? Especially in the face of such a significant makeover of SWTOR. Would GC have found greater acceptance in the forum community as SWTOR II? And if Bioware had, how might they have handled requests from people to transfer their characters to the new engine, I wonder. Maybe only Legacy gear could go with that level of transfer? I sure don't claim to have any answers.

Me, I have to come to terms with the reality that as long as I choose not to play SWTOR: GC, and finally accept that it's the end of the line as far as story is concerned.

Which, for this old casual soloist player, is oddly okay because there is still much to do in Classic SWTOR, and I doubt I'll get to everything so long as I remain a casual--

In the meantime, I'll wait to see when my teams of companions come back into the story and take things from there. In fact, I think I saw someone post elsewhere on here that Bioware could do it through the same delivery system they used for HK-55 recently. I think that's a great suggestion for us casuals to see, especially. Stories for each companion from the companion's perspective in the days leading up to crossing paths with the Outlander-- for better or worse, depending on what the player's affection was in Classic SWTOR. There's how many months of content for subscribers? Even doing a dual companion DLC every 3 months would be better than what us casuals are potentially looking at in 2017 as far as story content.

Also, it's nice to see a post that's well written, and seems to me at least, to have been well thought through as well!

It's my first topic creation, and I was nervous, lol! So, I blathered on longer than I had intended.

+1 to pretty much everything said in this thread so far. tl;dr types, feel free to skip the rest of this post

To me, it has always seemed that the player community has been divided into those who were primarily looking for KotOR 3 and those who were primarily looking for Star WoW, with relatively few people honestly attracted to the game for both facets from the outset. As a strictly solo player (exception: Valor 5 and FPs for DvL Eternal, and boy did I drag all those teams down), I've always been one of the KotOR 3 types, and have always been pleasantly surprised at just how well the devs managed to preserve that single-player feeling in an MMO, largely because of the class storylines and companion interaction.

The more that complexity collapses, the more my enjoyment erodes, and the companion absences have broken an otherwise pleasant immersion, but that's on me. Though I've invested a significant amount of money in ~4 years of subscription (plus CM purchases), when the inevitable occurs and the enjoyment is no longer worth the expenditure, I doubt I'll be all fiery about it. Just quietly unsub, with enjoyable memories of the countless hours spent in these stories. Maybe re-sub later if the game is still there, as I also tend to revisit single-player RPGs.

During the 5.0 RNG crisis, the most common argument seems to be that the mechanics introduced in 5.0 are blatantly designed to artificially extend existing content (and thus extend people's subscriptions), and that the developers should realize that the community is so opposed to the current direction that the changes will, in fact, have the opposite effect on subscriptions. The counter-arguments, when they occur, seem to be that the vocal unsubscribers do not reflect a silent majority of players who are perfectly content to adjust to the new changes.

This has made me wonder how many KotOR 3 'casuals' are actually out there subscribing, and whether our consumer loyalty is also on the line. I mean, I've been steadily subbed for 4 years, investing significant time off and on, just enjoying solo content, and because of the intricacy of the vanilla storylines, the relative depth of NPC interaction, and my own penchant for enjoying the scenery (/datacrons), I still haven't even finished all of the class arcs!

While I'm not in the business of crusading for changes, I do quietly wonder whether there are enough 'story' players that streamlining trend evident through the various expansions isn't going to have a similarly deleterious effect on their long-term subscriber base, just with a significant time delay. Unfortunately, short of the devs sending out a detailed survey, there is no way of gauging this, the theoretical *silent* majority of players being just that.

Also, well-met, fellow Shadowlands slow-buffing altaholics

If you guys feel like starting a guild of casual Shadowlanders, don't forget to send ol' eriksarcasm an e-vite!

Though, I may take a day or two to reply, I don't login every day anymore.

OP, couldn't agree more with your take on the current game. Even though the system's flaws don't really affect me as a casual as much as they'd hit hardcore players, I'm still giving it a thumbs down. Also I don't think players like you who've stuck around that long should be called casuals. To me, casuals are the ones that play F2P for a while, maybe sub for a month or so, and then move on. Loyal players like yourself and others need a different label. For now, I'd call us "hard casual" (make your own dirty jokes).

If you guys feel like starting a guild of casual Shadowlanders, don't forget to send ol' eriksarcasm an e-vite!

Oh, same here! I thought I was just about the only one. Nice to know there are others.

If you guys feel like starting a guild of casual Shadowlanders, don't forget to send ol' eriksarcasm an e-vite!

 

Though, I may take a day or two to reply, I don't login every day anymore.

 

OP, couldn't agree more with your take on the current game. Even though the system's flaws don't really affect me as a casual as much as they'd hit hardcore players, I'm still giving it a thumbs down. Also I don't think players like you who've stuck around that long should be called casuals. To me, casuals are the ones that play F2P for a while, maybe sub for a month or so, and then move on. Loyal players like yourself and others need a different label. For now, I'd call us "hard casual" (make your own dirty jokes).

I'd totally be up for that casual guild, filled( by the looks of things as of this thread) solo players, who are slow buffing people, I like it!

And I haven't thought of it the way you just put it, how you define casuals, I think you might be onto something.

And, eh, I've been left in charge of a guild that used to be decently big, on the imp side, everyone's left, the only one logging in, is me.

During the 5.0 RNG crisis, the most common argument seems to be that the mechanics introduced in 5.0 are blatantly designed to artificially extend existing content (and thus extend people's subscriptions), and that the developers should realize that the community is so opposed to the current direction that the changes will, in fact, have the opposite effect on subscriptions. The counter-arguments, when they occur, seem to be that the vocal unsubscribers do not reflect a silent majority of players who are perfectly content to adjust to the new changes.

I'm rather ambivalent on the RNG debate because it hasn't impacted my gameplay directly at this point. I can appreciate the complaints over being on the wrong side of the curve, but I'm not sure that enough time has passed for data to have been collated and evaluated for necessary adjustments. At the same time, it would make perfect sense that Bioware decide to slow down the hungrier of SWTOR's player base to keep them in pace with expansions and major patches that they've cobbled together, lest the player base get it all achieved faster than you can issue it.

Offhand, I see Bioware as facing some heat from EA who may want to see more income yet refuses to invest in ways that would make that happen. Not that they'd tell us in a Twitch feed. And speculation on my part, quite frankly.

In any case, I'll probably be here to the end because ... well, Star Wars.

Oh, and light sabers!!

Also, well-met, fellow Shadowlands slow-buffing altaholics

This has been really great, hearing from fellow Shadowlanders! And I've really appreciated everyone else who responded. Thank you, everyone!

Have any of you solo players run in Galactic Starfighter's missions? I actually haven't. I've done the very first of the space missions that we access aboard our ship, and I'll admit that on my three-monitor setup, it was immersive! I never did more than those two, though, so I'm not sure how the rest compare.

Oh, someone mentioned immersion as part of their SWTOR experience, and I'm with them.

Tossing out there one long-awaited treat: If I could get anything, it'd be day and night cycles on the various planets. I enjoyed that element in my WOW days, for sure. Improved environmental conditions would be nice in this same regard, actually. Rain, snow, that sort of thing wouldn't go unappreciated by me.

But to get around on some of those planets after nightfall? That'd be great!

Have any of you solo players run in Galactic Starfighter's missions? I actually haven't. I've done the very first of the space missions that we access aboard our ship, and I'll admit that on my three-monitor setup, it was immersive! I never did more than those two, though, so I'm not sure how the rest compare.

 

Oh, someone mentioned immersion as part of their SWTOR experience, and I'm with them.

 

Tossing out there one long-awaited treat: If I could get anything, it'd be day and night cycles on the various planets. I enjoyed that element in my WOW days, for sure. Improved environmental conditions would be nice in this same regard, actually. Rain, snow, that sort of thing wouldn't go unappreciated by me.

 

But to get around on some of those planets after nightfall? That'd be great!

I have queued up as a solo player in the galactic starfighter thingy, and I would like to take this moment and apologize to my team , although, I've won, one I think, I absolutely suck at gsf, and should probably never do them again, I just don't understand them, mind you, the tutorial, I did that, but that was a looong time ago.

And yes, day, and night circles would indeed be nice, I also like the rain and snow idea.

*edit a word snuck in where it shouldn't have.

Have any of you solo players run in Galactic Starfighter's missions? I actually haven't. I've done the very first of the space missions that we access aboard our ship, and I'll admit that on my three-monitor setup, it was immersive! I never did more than those two, though, so I'm not sure how the rest compare.

 

Oh, someone mentioned immersion as part of their SWTOR experience, and I'm with them.

 

Tossing out there one long-awaited treat: If I could get anything, it'd be day and night cycles on the various planets. I enjoyed that element in my WOW days, for sure. Improved environmental conditions would be nice in this same regard, actually. Rain, snow, that sort of thing wouldn't go unappreciated by me.

 

But to get around on some of those planets after nightfall? That'd be great!

I know right!!! We dont even have WIND *Whine* I have been saying it for 3 years now !

Seriously though , that is one thing I always wish we had . Like on Hoth it could help with that blinding Snow . Tattoine could look awesome under a Night Sky !

And more weather would be nice in general . I know they have it in GW 2 and The Secret World as well . And in most new RPG . Dragon Age Inquisition made by Bioware didn't have it . But The Witcher 3 did and they did it amazingly too ! They had wind and storms and it felt like you were there .

Galactic Starfighter ? Is that where you drive mosquitos ship and go pew pew ? and then use spacebar or something and do a barrel roll ? I think I end up smacking a meteor or something cose I sucked at it !

Turn out , I'm better at driving bigger smexier ship in Star Trek ! then Mosquitos ship in Star Wars LOL

Also I don't think players like you who've stuck around that long should be called casuals. To me, casuals are the ones that play F2P for a while, maybe sub for a month or so, and then move on. Loyal players like yourself and others need a different label. For now, I'd call us "hard casual" (make your own dirty jokes).

It's funny because I've been in SWTOR so long now that when I create a new alt, I can usually hit level 2 just opening emails that roll in as part of my accrued legacy perks and such.