Please understand that I know where you're coming from and agree. But what you have to understand is when this game was released. Bioware advertised this game for the casuals - you know, the people with the money, not the hardcore minority where games made for them go free-to-play or die. When they launched this game, Bioware Austin did a bait and switch. This game was almost impossible to solo, and they catered to the lowest common denominator, the Hardcore Minority - a group of people who don't matter because games for them end up dying or going free-to-play. Bioware Austin literally invited DKP Guilds from SWG to an all-expenses-paid event, promising them there would be no flashpoint finder and they would work hard to make this game more challenging. After this, two million people left, the game went free-to-play, and Bioware Austin's leadership was fired. This game is a huge improvement from launch but it's still stuck in the past, catering to the hardcore minority. There's no console port and no gamepad support, which means the audience for this game is thinning out since normal gamers, not masochists like the Hardcore Minority, tend to bring the cash. Right now, because of the popularity of the Mandalorian TV Series, what EA Austin is doing is trying to cater to and make money from people who are willing to give this game a chance despite all the handicaps this game has. Even though this game is casual-friendly, it's casual-friendly in the way it should have been back in 2011. If the development team really wanted to make money, they could upgrade the graphics engine (again), add gamepad support, and launch the game on consoles. Again, what the hardcore minority thinks is irrelevant because they are irrelevant.

Yes, Final Fantasy XIV didn't have to resort to a free-to-play model. When the developers faltered at launch, the company opted to give people what they wanted. Now, from your post, it seems that you're a member of the hardcore minority. You're likely puzzled as to why games like City of Heroes and Matrix Online were shut down. There are people like you who are a minority who play Final Fantasy XIV and often wonder why anyone would engage in New Game Plus, where there are no tangible rewards. You might even have a tendency towards masochism, preferring challenging, difficult games that offer a sense of "accomplishment," a unique form of pleasure for you. For instance, games like Everquest and launch SWTOR are considered easy in your eyes. And, you're baffled as to why 2 million people left SWTOR because it was too hard at launch as you saw launch as easy mode. Now, I don't mean to insult your impassioned post. I understand that your question may be rhetorical, but on the off chance that it isn't, I must say that it's unlikely you would comprehend what average gamers gain from New Game Plus. This disconnect might be why many of the games you enjoy either go free-to-play or shut down. When SWTOR launched, we saw an influx of SWG players who were surprised when users demanded that DKP Guilds publicly declare and carry their affiliation like a badge of dishonor. These SWG players, being a minority and mostly reclusive, found themselves in a game that was not widely played. They became so insulated that when they eventually emerged into a changed gaming landscape, they were shocked to discover that society viewed DKP Guilds as dubious or fraudulent.

Allow people to purchase a New Game Plus so they can restart all the content well keeping their armor, companions and level so that way they can replay the game over leveled.

I would rather waste cargo space as I did long before you had played this game then pay a fee each and every time I wanted to transmog lets say a helmet. This is as backwards as the developers having a Guild Summit to promise the hardcore minority there will never be a dungeon finder and the game will never cater to casuals after it was announced this game would be the next casual friendly WoW Killer. After two million people left and those were fired we got everything we needed. Its so sad to come back to this game and see they fixed so much yet progressed to slowly on adding features paying customers who are not of a minority would like. Like gamepad support or a console port. The game is so good and I like the fixes but I feel like I am being nickeled and dimed. At least when ESO does it, it makes sense. Oh yeah the developers who developed this game also went over and made ESO in which that game failed because they rinsed and repeated and they had to completely remake that game and of course fire those developers, again.

I understand it can DPS now which stats should I focus on as for gear?

Yes, as I mentioned I have been gone for a while and this is a horrible change

So I have been a member since the BETA. What happened to transmog it used to be free to customize at will your character. Now you have to pay credit fee each time you update your character via the outfit slot? Not only do you need to but multiple ones but you cant just simply edit it.... wtf man This ruined transmog. Sorry if I am late to the party I heard the rumblings about two years or a year ago with the 7. something patch that screwed up the game but wow

Agreed, lets not try to break the story further.

No wonder why people are quiting the game on mass this bug from years ago was never fixed

I am in the legacy bar in my new character. I am seeing the buff is unlocked from my level 70 sith. I am on my new Jedi and I dont see the buff ability though its unlocked on the legacy tab

Yeah when you wear a mask it will mask the VActor

When you make a game and advertise it for casuals as EA did and when the heads of Bioware decided to make the game instead for the hardcore minority from failed games like SWG which caused 2 million people to leave in six months and caused the mass firings at Bioware Austin by EA for this idiotic decision you bet people are happy to see this. Some people paid a lot for the collectors edition and yeah Bioware said no Flashpoint finder or other casual features and even flew SWG players out for the Guild Summit promising them harder features which they like and a committment to no casual features like guild finder. Again 2 million people left and then with word of mouth tainted this game.

The now all fired heads of Bioware Austin for some odd reason decided to change the game's focus from casual friendly to appeasing the minority of players who come from failed games that never do well that used the Everquest formula. Think Matrix Online, City of Heros, SWG all failure games with people who have this BDSM mentality were they have to be hurt and have a hard life with perma death and forced parties fighting bats and rats. From being the WoW killer to changing things last minute making questing hard and forcing grouping. The Guild Summit which was a service for SWG Players who wanted Bioware to promise no Flashpoint finder and Bioware agreed and finally two million people left. Even though the hardcore minority sees the launch game as easy keep in mind these are the people who think anything that doesn't take six months and a game without deleveling is way to easy the game which EA advertised to the casuals was sadly revamped for players that you don't make games for and those games can't even go free2play they die. Thankfully EA cleaned house at Bioware Austin and fired the heads but lets face it.... this game's reputation was sullied as being a hard game focused on hardcore players not the casual. This game is an improvement and thanks to EA this game is pretty much casual friendly though Bioware for some odd reason makes one time quests like HK-55 so only a minority can access the content and everyone is forever locked out pissing off people. I hope this game is rereleased as a single player game so I can cheat and have fun with the game at my pace. I am uncertain that it would happen but I believe the game would sell. Right now like the PS3, Xbox One launch the begining of this game like the begining of those consoles were sullied and word of mouth got out and reputation sometimes never recovers or takes years to recover. Its so sad that the head of Bioware Austin decided to risk everything to appease a small minority of hardcore players who don't matter who either demand the game gets harder till that game days then they go to another game to demand the same thing never staying in one place because no game made for them like SWG can last.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR THOSE WHO HAVENT BEATEN ALL EXPANSIONS So I beat all the expansion I understand there is a hidden chapter that sadly can't play but I was told you can rebuild HK-55. Can you do this without this bonus chapter? Also how do you go about doing this? I beat all the expansions and never saw an option

Thats not what he is asking you though