What if I don't want a guild, what if I hate grouping. But I still want to do the flashpoints when ever I want!... Here is the solution.. After aquiring crew companions, players should be able to call on some or all depending on level of character and flashpoint level. So flashpoint vs Malgus, for example, could be played alone with your own 4-5 companions, having a true Old School Republic Experience.

Cartel could even get in on the action, by selling more lvl 1 companions that you have to level, making it more interesting, .

But only on the flashpoints will that option be available, and there shouldn't be any extra lag, because flashpoints are an instance.

 

Thoughts or suggestions anyone?.., I think if the players want it bad enough, it should happen.

Mass Effect style is good for normal leveling . Why can't you have 2 companions in tow instead of just one ? Then you can have a mini-party will all the roles filled .

 

If you're a tank, bring a healer companion and a dps companion .

Healer ? bring a tank and dps.

Or you can bring a 3 dps group to burn through mobs quicker .

I'm going to have to disagree with you and say no. Now most people already know my opinion on this but I will explain it in a general way. You see what makes an mmo is the fact that it requires groups for certain content and in this case it is flashpoints and ops.

 

What your proposing would require a huge amount of work for the developers because they would have to completely rescale all the current flashpoints and the new ones to be soloable. Also in my opinion this would completely trivialize endgame content because why would you go do a 16man if you can just use your companions?

 

Overall flashpoints and Ops are content that should always require groups no matter what. And yes I did read your post indicating that you do not like guilds or grouping but you would be surprised at how enjoyable it can be. In the end the grind to 50 and 55 is the most solo friendly experience I have seen in any mmo I have played to me flashpoints and ops should still remain exclusively for groups.

 

Finally you mentioned that enough people want it should happen, see the problem is that if such a thing were to be implemented now it would setback the expansion and thus upset a very large amount of people.

Mass Effect style is good for normal leveling . Why can't you have 2 companions in tow instead of just one ? Then you can have a mini-party will all the roles filled .

 

If you're a tank, bring a healer companion and a dps companion .

Healer ? bring a tank and dps.

Or you can bring a 3 dps group to burn through mobs quicker .

 

Mass Effect is a RPG SWTOR is an mmo. Two completely different games two completely different types of leveling. You simply can't have the single player leveling experience one gets from an RPG in an MMO. The reason? It is an mmo which requiresother players and grouping.

I actually have to agree with OP. Lack of solo content at endgame is what causes people to leave.

The notion that grouping is mandatory for a player in an MMO is rediculous. There are plenty other means of interacting with other players.

 

However, I do not think that just all the flashpoints should become soloable through the use of companions.

It might work to turn some of the flashpoints into soloable content AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL (I just had to add that before people come up with garbage about soloing low level flashpoints) with the use of additional companions, but I also think that some flashpoints and definitely all operations should remain group-exclusive.

 

So, a seperate line of instances would be a better solution. Solo-exclusive content, where you might be allowed to bring 1 or 2 additional companions, but not any other players. This content would then also have it's own gear progression with different tiers and everything. How to seperate that gear from the usual PvE gear or PvP gear? Simple: we have this nifty stat called presence. So assign some of the item budget to that, and balance the content around this adjusted item budget. Maybe include some hardmode versions or something as well, to compensate for the tons of presence some people got from having a lot of alts, or add some diminishing returns mechanic to it. I'm sure the developers can come up with something to sort out the 400+ bonus presence some people have.

 

Basically, something challenging and progressive to do for the solo crowd at level cap.

 

We've had a discussion very similar to this one long before launch, by the way.

I don't agree. The flashpoints and operations are made for groups. And grouping up to do them is a lot of fun. You're really missing out if you only do solo content.

Want more content as a solo player? Play other classes.

 

Operations and Flashpoints are designed around groups.

Dont like it? Sorry bud but this is an MMO, everything is soloable except for the group content (duh)

Soloists are only interested in all the drops, for whatever reason.

For farming purposes.

Been there done that (in Guildwars, the 52HP build was my idea until nerfed badly).

But in GW there were many arseholes, thus the reason for soloing.

 

I cannot agree on soloing, if you want to solo, play a SP (Single Player) game.

If you go for an MMO, then be ready for the need of groups.

 

Inserting the possibility to run solo will make that the MMO suddenly will be filled with nothing BUT soloists.

What then with the game from there on?

Soloing World Bosses?

 

You must be mad!

Only a few select then will be able to take the goods, and redo and redo him.

 

No, soloists are a definite no-no...

Sometimes I prefer to adventure alone. One reason is if I catch wife aggro, I don't have to apologize for slowing the team down. The class quest system in this game is excellent, in my opinion. One problem, I think they should be a bit harder. I struggled my first playthrough, but they were a breeze the 2nd time.

 

I don't think adding endgame solo content is going to break anything. Group stuff for people who like to group, solo stuff for people who like to solo. Group content should have priority, but it's not a sin to run content alone.

I agree with the Wife aggro issue.

 

"babe take out the trash" "babe spend some time with us" "babe let me show you the thing that blah blah blah" "babe I'm ovulating" "babe your son wants to know where we keep the fire extinguisher" "babe can i throw out some of these old comic books? they are so dusty." "babe I'm going to organize your car trunk"

 

Sometimes you don't have as much time to do a long flash point as you thought you did.

 

I would like to see this as a possibility. But only for flash points and ops. If you allow a max of 3 companions to be summoned per player at flash points you could keep the party at max 4 for flash and 16 for Ops.

 

I mean you can already do a flash point with 2 players and two companions. Would it be so hard to Increase that number?

 

This way you could have Solo experience on flash points with 3 companions but for ops you would still need to group up with at least 4 other players to make up a 16 character party. The xp is already on a scale depending on level right? And really the companions are never as good as real players. Corso just the other day jumped down an elevator shaft to get to the bottom. Probably to avoid wife aggro.

 

All other game play including class quest line adventures id keep the max group at 4 and allow only one companion.

 

Gotta go. Guess why?

Edited April 3, 2013 by Rolodimm
Agreed with previous post

Why flashpoints? The crew skill missions have interesting fun descriptions to them, why not instance some of those?

Fun little side missions that can/or not focus on the story

 

The concept and idea I think is great. Going on solo missions with 2 or 3 of your companions is a great idea, just don't use old flashpoints.

I have to say that although I can understand some players' complaints about endgame being 'for grouping'. It is not a very accommodating strategy for players who don't wish to. I personally HATE Fp's/Op's yet do them as my guildies (who I don't exactly love either) require me to heal them. I advocated at launch for a solo system of play, half of which was achieved with GF, though I think we still need SOLO_OPS, and that will be when I think this game has TRULY fleshed out its end game.

I'm a mostly solo player and I like the idea of being able to use multiple companions to group to do missions. I don't think it should be flashpoints though. I've played flashpoints and grouping just feels right on those (though most I solo and levels below where I am).

I think that Ops should remain live player partys only. I would, however, like to see a dificulty scale for flash points that would allow for solo play. Obviosly the quality of loot should be scaled down, and the stats should be set for a more soloist type of build. It would be very cool if the incorperated puzzles and traps like DDO, which I do still play. Edited April 5, 2013 by Rohkai

No SOLO game is the problem.

 

That's a very questionable statement from my point of view. The amount of single-player content in this game is staggering. Have you done every quest, every planet storyline, every bonus series, gotten every lore object and datacron, and fully explored each planet's map? Have you maxed out all your reputations (those can all be done solo)?

 

Unless you define "content" to include only activities that gets you end-game gear. I've been playing since launch and still haven't done a full completion of the entire game on even one faction. There's just such an insane amount of single-player content that it takes months and months to even finish all the story for one character.

Edited April 5, 2013 by Jenzali

I´m intrigued by the idea. There are models for that, like Star Trek Online and Guild Wars 1. I´m suggesting a weakened version of the flashpoints with weaker rewards for playing with your companions.

Of just scaled down to make it doable with 1 companion, just like in lord of the rings online.

the more i think about, the more i realize that something like that is usual in many mmo´s.

I don't mind FPs etc being only for groups. What I do mind is the fact I can't assemble my whole crew and do some suitable missions with them.

I´m suggesting a weakened version of the flashpoints with weaker rewards for playing with your companions.

I wouldn't make the rewards weaker. They should have the same overall itembudget. Just spend the item budget differently, and assign some of it to the under-used presence stat. So remove 20 endurance, 5 mainstat and about 20 points of secondary stats (crit/surge/power etc.) and add 10 points of Presence for those. When there's a couple of companions benefitting from that presence bonus, even from one single item worn by only the player or one of the companions, at once, it'll balance out pretty nicely.

What if I don't want a guild, what if I hate grouping.

Then why the F*** are you playing an MMO - Massively MULTIPLAYER Onlne game?!

Then why the F*** are you playing an MMO - Massively MULTIPLAYER Onlne game?!

.

 

In his defense, there are other great social aspects that do not involve being in a guild or grouping for combat

 

I have always been and will remain 100% in favor of flashpoints and Ops being made soloable or able to be done with a friend. However, if that were to happen, the rewards should reflect as such. No comms, just your standard green or blue loot and some coin.

Edited April 9, 2013 by TheBBP

Ahem, i'm going to draw your attention to the game type

 

MMORPG = Massively MULTIPLIER Online Rolplaying Game

 

Good day

You know, it really wouldn't kill you to make some friends in an MMO.

Have to agree that I have never seen so much solo-content on an mmorpg. In fact, swtor really seems like a solo game that bioware was forced into making mmo, and that it gives up the mmo very begrudgingly. I can see NEW end-game content that is designed specifically to be solo'd but most certainly not the same end-game content that requires a group. The reason being that all solo-able content disincentives players from grouping up.

I'm going to have to disagree with you and say no. Now most people already know my opinion on this but I will explain it in a general way. You see what makes an mmo is the fact that it requires groups for certain content and in this case it is flashpoints and ops.

 

What your proposing would require a huge amount of work for the developers because they would have to completely rescale all the current flashpoints and the new ones to be soloable. Also in my opinion this would completely trivialize endgame content because why would you go do a 16man if you can just use your companions?

 

Overall flashpoints and Ops are content that should always require groups no matter what. And yes I did read your post indicating that you do not like guilds or grouping but you would be surprised at how enjoyable it can be. In the end the grind to 50 and 55 is the most solo friendly experience I have seen in any mmo I have played to me flashpoints and ops should still remain exclusively for groups.

 

Finally you mentioned that enough people want it should happen, see the problem is that if such a thing were to be implemented now it would setback the expansion and thus upset a very large amount of people.

 

I play for the story and for being able to solo, because grouping up to do content ruins the experience for me, because I have to play at another players' pace, lets just say, I have been playing since release, hell early access and I have never, EVER fully seen black talon or Esseles story.

 

I just get pressured into skipping all the fun stuff, which is why I think bioware should make a separate solo versions of EVERYTHING with just toned down rewards and difficulty, so anything that requires 2 or more players will then be solo'able, but if you want any of that top-notch stuff, do the group version.

 

Overall, grouping tends to ruin the experience, I play for story, if it was for grouping only, I wouldn't have left wow, I came to this game because it was starwars, lightsabers, blasters and everything, them boasting about heroic combat, which turned into a 'be the healer or use the healer' type gameplay and the fact that bioware made the game, kotor ruled, I could spec however I liked, used whoever I liked and I had no issues, same thing with Mass Effect series.

 

When this game come out, I had nothing but trouble until I just used the healer companion, despite the healer being outright annoying to the point of wishing I could kill the ***** off, but I can't do that, so I have to live with an annoying companion because bioware ****ed up and made the levelling process with the companion as a mini-trinity system, its like endgame grouping without the steroids. lol.

What if I don't want a guild, what if I hate grouping. But I still want to do the flashpoints when ever I want!... Here is the solution.. After aquiring crew companions, players should be able to call on some or all depending on level of character and flashpoint level. So flashpoint vs Malgus, for example, could be played alone with your own 4-5 companions, having a true Old School Republic Experience.

Cartel could even get in on the action, by selling more lvl 1 companions that you have to level, making it more interesting, .

But only on the flashpoints will that option be available, and there shouldn't be any extra lag, because flashpoints are an instance.

 

Thoughts or suggestions anyone?.., I think if the players want it bad enough, it should happen.

 

 

I love this idea, I too have suggested this before. I would love to be able to use 2 companions at a time and use my companions in flashpoints aswell.