FINALLY SOME GOOD PVP! Thank you so much Bioware

Can't wait to see this in action. Will be interesting to see how the North PVE rewards differ from the PVP South awards. And if you want all the Gree items do you have to do both or will you hit the weekly cap before that?

 

Should also be interesting to see how the Bolster system works for 45->50. I don't see how it can overcome the gear discrepancy of a 45 in blues going vs an elite war hero 50.

Looks awesome!

 

But...

 

The Secant’s arrival has changed the terms of the battle on Ilum. This is a PvP region restricted to groups of four players competing over limited resources to achieve daily mission objectives. Operations groups are disallowed in the Southern Bowl, but on PvP servers, the Northern Bowl will still host large-scale conflicts between the Empire and the Republic.

Question: did I read it wrong or do you have to be on a PvP server to have true, Ops group, open world PvP on Ilum? How it read was that on PvE servers there will be no big open world, just the 4 on 4 in the southern area. If that's the truth it's...disappointing, to say the least. Hoping I read it wrong.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Parthenon

It sounds like those who have been begging for a year for some form of open world PvP will get that, and those who want to grind rep without doing any PvP will be able to do that. The dev blog points out that only the Southern Shelf missions are tagged [PvP], implying that there are other missions that require no PvP at all. But if you do take the PvP ones, then apparently you'll have slightly easier PvE objectives you can complete while in the Southern Shelf area. From how they've described it, I can't see any reason for PvE-only players to feel left out, and the PvP players will finally get something they can do other than wait for queues to pop.

 

Eh? Game runs so much better than it did when 1.1 Illum came out, past events and their pvp areas have shown it handles so much better. Fleet runs like crap because of how many are on it and more on it than ever before since f2p, but it still is running better than it did back in 1.1

 

Also Illum had a population cap on it placed to keep performance up, I assume that is still the case for the event.

Game has been out for over a year now. If you're not 50 at this point, it is your own fault.

Well not necessarily. I just started a new Sorcerer who is only 33, but I'll probably have him at level 50 before the event ends and if not it's no big deal since it's recurring.

Are we assuming the ops boss is the ginormous Wampa in the pic/vid?

Are we assuming the ops boss is the ginormous Wampa in the pic/vid?

 

"analyzing how their native species respond to various stimuli, from mild atmospheric alterations to direct attacks"

 

If only the wampa had been exposed to the Rakghoul Plague!

Large zombie wampa.....a zwampa!

Looks awesome!

 

But...

 

 

Question: did I read it wrong or do you have to be on a PvP server to have true, Ops group, open world PvP on Ilum? How it read was that on PvE servers there will be no big open world, just the 4 on 4 in the southern area. If that's the truth it's...disappointing, to say the least. Hoping I read it wrong.

 

I was dissapointed to read this as well. But I am hoping there are ways around this for people on PvE servers. Can we have multiple gruops of 4 in the same area? I am thinking so.

The Secant’s arrival has changed the terms of the battle on Ilum. This is a PvP region restricted to groups of four players competing over limited resources to achieve daily mission objectives. Operations groups are disallowed in the Southern Bowl, but on PvP servers, the Northern Bowl will still host large-scale conflicts between the Empire and the Republic.

 

Many repeatable missions are available at each research camp, and those that require entering the Southern Bowl are flagged as [PvP]. These [PvP] missions do not directly require killing players, but the nature of the objectives will pit your group against all others in the region as you compete for limited resources in a relatively dense area. Additionally, the Secant’s Droids™ are weaker in the Southern Bowl, making Heroic objectives easier to complete if your group risks a foray into the contested area.

 

It's on!! This is going to be a blast!

Game has been out for over a year now. If you're not 50 at this point, it is your own fault.

/facedesk

Do you really think that everyone who plays this game now have started a year ago?

 

As for me, in general i'm positive about the event and looking forward to it. Though there are a few things i'm worried about.

First, and the most important one, is bugs. I don't want to unexpectedly complete the entire event by doing a space mission anymore, but imo it's very likely for bugs of the same scale to pop. Afterall, rewamped Illum promises to be a big, complicated thing, which didn't make it to the PTS.

Second, the ops boss. I really hope it will be a "dummy for beating", i.e. it won't require complicated tactics to kill and will be doable in Columi level gear. Yes, my 50's wear just that because i don't do end-game in this game, including raiding and dailies.

Third, i fear that PvP guild groups in top gear will make PvP part of the event undoable for PvE geared people and those who don't enjoy grouping for quests.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Trollokdamus

I am okay with the PvP aspect of this update. I think that it is cool that you are really getting an opportunity to take place in battles with the opposite faction. The PvP aspect also gives some players a sense of caution in these contested areas, due to the fact that some enemies might be just around the corner. However, I am not completely happy with what is happening in this update. As of now, i am playing as a level 30 powertech. When the update launches, i will still have around 15-20 levels before i can take place in this event. I am guessing that by then, most people will have either finished or gone on to other parts of the game. So, what i am basically saying is that is would be fun if there were updates that allowed players of all levels to participate. That way, everyone will be able to take place in the cool events BioWare creates. Also, players of all levels will be excited about the updates. I think that the new update "Return of the Gree" will have both pros and cons.

They are probably trying to control population of sith vs republic by disallowing Op groups. But it wont matter. Depending on how many groups of 4 are allowed in the south part I can tell you now itll be 8 groups of 4 sith trolling around together while the 4 republic players try and complete missions

 

Bolster is a good start for pve if you are pre 50, but there needs to be a separate Bolster type buff to help the faction with the lower population.

 

That said, I cant wait. HK is ready and set to kill. FOR THE REPUBLIC

Edited February 12, 2013 by supafreak

Ah, so it's not that you have to go into the flagged-for-pvp zone to complete objectives, it's that your objectives are easier to complete in that region than in the other areas? If that's the case, that's actually kind of cool, and I approve of that.

 

Thank you for the more indepth blog, anyway. This is exactly the kind of specifics I was wanting.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Bleeters

Hold on so this is a world event, that requires group participation and drops PVP gear?

Right well good luck with that maybe the expansion will have some PVE content for people who embraced the idea of the solo adventure and storyline rather then complaining about the lack of PVP and endgame content after running through the game as fast as possible, maybe after a full year of subscriptions I'll get some content.

Hold on so this is a world event, that requires group participation and drops PVP gear?

Right well good luck with that maybe the expansion will have some PVE content for people who embraced the idea of the solo adventure and storyline rather then complaining about the lack of PVP and endgame content after running through the game as fast as possible, maybe after a full year of subscriptions I'll get some content.

 

Most things have been pve orientated so far. what's wrong with some pvp love?

One thing doesn't have to exclude the other.

Glad to finally get confirmation that the Western Ice Shelf has been reworked to support pure PvE for this event. Especially considering all the wannabe-griefers who've been boasting about it being a PvP event. Also glad to see that there are options to do PvP missions or simply completing one's PvE missions in the PvP half of the area, if one wishes to try those routes.

 

This is the type of content that might actually get me to casually try out PvP.

 

Also, I'm really looking forward to those event rewards...

Edited February 12, 2013 by JediMB

Hold on so this is a world event, that requires group participation and drops PVP gear?

Right well good luck with that maybe the expansion will have some PVE content for people who embraced the idea of the solo adventure and storyline rather then complaining about the lack of PVP and endgame content after running through the game as fast as possible, maybe after a full year of subscriptions I'll get some content.

 

Most everything in tor is pve oriented. Ilum was supposed to be our pvp area. This event has both. I dont want to do the operation in the center, so I wont. I do want to go to the pvp flagged area so I will, I also want to do the pve northern area, so I will.

Edited February 12, 2013 by supafreak

/facedesk

Do you really think that everyone who plays this game now have started a year ago?

 

well i started a year ago off and on, my highest is 43 JC Shadow, I amnot a rusher, I have enjoyed the story lines and

I have a few alts, I feel why rush to the end and then stand around with nothing to do? I am a PVE because i don't care for PVP.,i'm not going to rush and lvl to 45 to be able to do the event.

Hold on so this is a world event, that requires group participation and drops PVP gear?

Right well good luck with that maybe the expansion will have some PVE content for people who embraced the idea of the solo adventure and storyline rather then complaining about the lack of PVP and endgame content after running through the game as fast as possible, maybe after a full year of subscriptions I'll get some content.

The linked blog specifically suggests that you can either complete daily quests in the un-flagged section, or move into the pvp section and complete them there against easier enemies but with the added risk of needing to fight other players. Assuming it works out as it seems to be saying, there won't be any 'forced' pvp.

 

As for group participation, I only see mention of an operations boss (which you don't need to do to get the event rewards, it would seem), a heroic 4 quest, and a limitation on the number of people who can group up together in the (possible free for all) pvp zone.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Bleeters

Hold on so this is a world event, that requires group participation and drops PVP gear?

Right well good luck with that maybe the expansion will have some PVE content for people who embraced the idea of the solo adventure and storyline rather then complaining about the lack of PVP and endgame content after running through the game as fast as possible, maybe after a full year of subscriptions I'll get some content.

 

I am looking at that myself

The Empire and the Republic have set up research camps to study the Secant – camps which double as staging platforms for forays into the contested area in the south.

This is a PvP region restricted to groups of four players competing over limited resources to achieve daily mission objectives.

Operations groups are disallowed in the Southern Bowl, but on PvP servers, the Northern Bowl will still host large-scale conflicts between the Empire and the Republic.

No Operations groups in the Southern Bowl and Northern Bowl if you are in a Pve Server.

Pvp Servers can have Operations groups in the Northern Bowl.

 

Many repeatable missions are available at each research camp, and those that require entering the Southern Bowl are flagged as [PvP]. These [PvP] missions do not directly require killing players, but the nature of the objectives will pit your group against all others in the region

Southern Bowl will be the Pvp area if you are going to get a auto flag. At the same time I can no longer form operations groups in the area because of the four man limit. So either they give me a character copy or I will just run around with other players in my faction. No reason to roll in a pvp server just to do this one event.

Can't wait to get some PvP on Ilum again, hope it will be great and this time actually work.

all events have been PvE focused so far. Why shouldn't PvPers get an event that caters more toward them? I'm mainly a PvEer and I'm excited for this event.

 

You disgrace the Empire with you words!

[quote name=mOk, so you are forced to PVP in order to do this, and can only do this event if you are 45+. Nice way to alienate half the people playing.

 

I hate PVP. People will just exploit it and gang up on people in groups to further ruin it. Completely ruining their chance to get anything done. I only enjoy playing WITH others, not against others, or alone.

 

Way to go Bioware.

 

My anticipation for this just died. Pretty much everything they do now just turns me off.

dluke]all events have been PvE focused so far. Why shouldn't PvPers get an event that caters more toward them? I'm mainly a PvEer and I'm excited for this event.

 

You disgrace the Empire with you words!

/facedesk

Do you really think that everyone who plays this game now have started a year ago?

 

well i started a year ago off and on, my highest is 43 JC Shadow, I amnot a rusher, I have enjoyed the story lines and

I have a few alts, I feel why rush to the end and then stand around with nothing to do? I am a PVE because i don't care for PVP.,i'm not going to rush and lvl to 45 to be able to do the event.

 

This is almost exactly me ^^^