Hey folks,

 

What's next? In case you missed our last livestream in December or didn't get a chance to check it out on PTS, Game Update 6.1 is the next thing on the horizon and it is slated for a February release. That update contains our next story beat (around the size of Hearts and Minds)

 

-eric

So short?

First, and foremost, thank you for (finally) posting. I have added sub time due to this post, speaking with my money.

I do feel obliged to mention, however, that I couldn't care less about your numbering scheme. I hope the amount of time BW spent worrying about numbering schemes is not proportional to the amount of your post discussing it. If so, I guess I can't be surprised none of the issues I raised earlier are being even remotely addressed.

Ok, snark aside... "the next story beat..." sounds promising. I wasnt expecting new story outside of the flashpoint format i despised from 5.x until 7.0. So kudos here, in advance.

Finally, I implore you to not totally disappear or refuse to address any of our issues until after 6.1 or whatever number scheme BW decides to adopt next (since apparently BW spends roughly 1/4 of it's time devoted to debating numbering schemes). I raised 5 issues I have, very fairly for me, here http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=973405

To summarize for people who can't be bothered to read the whole thing, though I implore Musco to,

1. The failure to raise content to 75 is damaging to the endgame, and makes gearing feel largely pointless.

2. The new group finder operations needs to be addressed, I suggested splitting it into 2 operations queues, 1 for the multiple boss raid of the day, and one for the one off bosses (either rotate daily or random).

3. Several things on gearing, but primarily that amplifiers are a stupid number sink that is in fact required for min/maxing and not irrelevant as advertised. (Granted the advertisement was one of the dumbest things I've had the misfortune of reading on this forum, seriously, an irrelevant min maxing tool made no sense from the beginning).

4. The guild conquest window bug.

5. Crafting still needs major help.

Finally, and once again, welcome back to work Musco, and I hope you actually take your word on talking to us again, and not go deaf between now and 6.1.

Hey folks,

 

First off, happy new year! We know that with a new year means questions of "what's next" and so let me try to add some clarity to things.

 

What's next? In case you missed our last livestream in December or didn't get a chance to check it out on PTS, Game Update 6.1 is the next thing on the horizon and it is slated for a February release. That update contains our next story beat (around the size of Hearts and Minds) and the new Alderaan Stronghold! Many of you have already have already shared your thoughts on the Stronghold, we are hoping to have PTS back up later this week with some new changes to check out.

 

One other quick note about 6.1 is the usage of the .1 in the Game Update. In the past we have been pretty inconsistent in our Game Update numbering and so we wanted to clean that up. This started at 6.0 but going forward any 6.X update will only increment if there is some story contained in the update. If there is no story, then it will increment by 6.X.X.

Ex: After 6.1 if the next update contained story, it would be 6.2. If it doesn't have story it would be 6.1.1.

 

We talked about this last year as well but just a reminder that we have moved away from the big form roadmaps that we used to post. Instead we try to lean more on updates via PTS, posts, livestreams, and blogs. So you should expect to see more about what is beyond 6.1 as we get closer to / beyond its launch. With that said, that doesn't mean Keith will stop swinging in to give you some longer term updates. I would expect before the end of January to see Keith in the forums to give you a bit of a welcome to 2020 which will likely contain some hints at what we are looking at doing this year.

 

I can tell you that the team is really excited about what is coming in 2020 and we are already planning around things for next year, our 10-year anniversary (and beyond)!

 

Thanks everyone.

 

-eric

ERIC, what about the bugs????????

Loot toggle and gear drop bug - not dropping correct set gear or tactical’s for class and spec

When will you update this thread to let us know if the Devs have enough evidence or do we need to keep posting more

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=9794040#post9794040

Airvent Bug in Hutt Ball and Mandalorian Arena - airvent makes you teleport or instant kill you, it no long throws you into the air.

ERIC, what about the bugs????????

Owing to their new communication format, they're apparently not talking about anything post 6.1 until after it launches. Or that's my interpretation, anyway.

See this part:

We talked about this last year as well but just a reminder that we have moved away from the big form roadmaps that we used to post. Instead we try to lean more on updates via PTS, posts, livestreams, and blogs. So you should expect to see more about what is beyond 6.1 as we get closer to / beyond its launch. With that said, that doesn't mean Keith will stop swinging in to give you some longer term updates. I would expect before the end of January to see Keith in the forums to give you a bit of a welcome to 2020 which will likely contain some hints at what we are looking at doing this year.

Kendra's translation: we talk about what we want, usually about what's coming next month, no longer address the future beyond next month, and maybe Mr Kanneg will drop by to say hi everythings amazing later. If you disagree with us, the doors that way.

Either Kanneg or someone else has Musco on a leash or Musco is totally ignorant of the game's future.

That is the point of every rpg. I don't understand what is surprising about it. RPG's gameplay is all about the pursuit of power for your character.

Well... that's one way to look at it, but far from the only way. I've always understood the point of every rpg to the immersion of yourself into an interesting world through exploration and story. Traditionally our characters would gain power organically while working our way through dungeons and campaigns. (Unless your DM designed unimaginative Monte Hauls, in which case I feel sorry for you.) Gear grinds were introduced as filler for MMOs since they can't produce content as fast as it can be consumed. Now, I find mindless grinding to be very relaxing while I watch Netfix, and it certainly has it's place in MMOs, but as far as "content" goes, it's the bottom the barrel and barely qualifies.

Well... that's one way to look at it, but far from the only way. I've always understood the point of every rpg to the immersion of yourself into an interesting world through exploration and story. Traditionally our characters would gain power organically while working our way through dungeons and campaigns. (Unless your DM designed unimaginative Monte Hauls, in which case I feel sorry for you.) Gear grinds were introduced as filler for MMOs since they can't produce content as fast as it can be consumed. Now, I find mindless grinding to be very relaxing while I watch Netfix, and it certainly has it's place in MMOs, but as far as "content" goes, it's the bottom the barrel and barely qualifies.

Well Musco did give us good news on that front. "6.1" will have some story attached, it might not be as in depth or unique as the original class stories, but it beats nothing.

Well Musco did give us good news on that front. "6.1" will have some story attached, it might not be as in depth or unique as the original class stories, but it beats nothing.

I’d settle for bug fixes first

hey folks,

 

first off, happy new year! We know that with a new year means questions of "what's next" and so let me try to add some clarity to things.

 

What's next? In case you missed our last livestream in december or didn't get a chance to check it out on pts, game update 6.1 is the next thing on the horizon and it is slated for a february release. That update contains our next story beat (around the size of hearts and minds) and the new alderaan stronghold! Many of you have already have already shared your thoughts on the stronghold, we are hoping to have pts back up later this week with some new changes to check out.

 

One other quick note about 6.1 is the usage of the .1 in the game update. In the past we have been pretty inconsistent in our game update numbering and so we wanted to clean that up. This started at 6.0 but going forward any 6.x update will only increment if there is some story contained in the update. If there is no story, then it will increment by 6.x.x.

ex: After 6.1 if the next update contained story, it would be 6.2. If it doesn't have story it would be 6.1.1.

 

we talked about this last year as well but just a reminder that we have moved away from the big form roadmaps that we used to post. Instead we try to lean more on updates via pts, posts, livestreams, and blogs. So you should expect to see more about what is beyond 6.1 as we get closer to / beyond its launch. With that said, that doesn't mean keith will stop swinging in to give you some longer term updates. I would expect before the end of january to see keith in the forums to give you a bit of a welcome to 2020 which will likely contain some hints at what we are looking at doing this year.

 

I can tell you that the team is really excited about what is coming in 2020 and we are already planning around things for next year, our 10-year anniversary (and beyond)!

 

Thanks everyone.

 

-eric

thats very dissapointing

I’d settle for bug fixes first

Bug-fixes & new content aren't mutually exclusive. People (not necessarily You, Trixxie) always think just because some time/attention is given to say a new Alderaan SH, then that automatically means "omg now they won't have enough time for bugs!!?!?!!?!?!!!!"

But this is not typically how Dev teams work. Even BioWare has enough Devs to work on both (Art department + Code department) ...and i'm sure "6.1" will also include some significant bug-fixes.

Anyways, imho , DISNEY needs authorize EA to allow BioWare to start cross-marketing & cross-referencing more new content with other SW successes (like 'The Mandalorian', for example ---> Player bounties during BH Event Week, whereby players would opt-in to be hunt'able on all cross-faction planets. ) .

There's no reason why SWTOR should be---or seem to be---this little neglected side stepchild.

This is still Star WARS, no? So, for 2020, let us know: What are we fighting for? What are we playing for? What are we grinding for? ( And i don't mean just "to get 306 gear so you can maybe do isolated NiM Ops once per week" )

SWTOR has sooo much untapped potential, even after 9 years. ( pve GSF zones & missions, anyone? )

Of course, IF the rumors are true about the next SW film trilogy taking place in (or near) SWTOR's timeline....well....i just hope BioWare is able to take full advantage.

Anyways, imho , DISNEY needs authorize EA to allow BioWare to start cross-marketing & cross-referencing more new content with other SW successes (like 'The Mandalorian', for example ---> Player bounties during BH Event Week, whereby players would opt-in to be hunt'able on all cross-faction planets. ) .

 

There's no reason why SWTOR should be---or seem to be---this little neglected side stepchild.

 

This is still Star WARS, no? So, for 2020, let us know: What are we fighting for? What are we playing for? What are we grinding for? ( And i don't mean just "to get 306 gear so you can maybe do isolated NiM Ops once per week" )

 

SWTOR has sooo much untapped potential, even after 9 years. ( pve GSF zones & missions, anyone? )

 

Of course, IF the rumors are true about the next SW film trilogy taking place in (or near) SWTOR's timeline....well....i just hope BioWare is able to take full advantage.

Remember, this game is part of the EU, not Disney-canon. They may include indirect references through armor sets/weapon models/pets that share similarities with new releases from Disney, but SWTOR takes place in a separate continuity.

Even if Disney does something in an Old Republic era, it won't mean much for our original timeline here. SWTOR needs to retain its EU purity.

Having said that, there's no reason that Disney/Lucasfilm, hated as they may be, couldn't commit more resources to unleashing SWTOR's full potential. After all, we got two major expansions, KOTFE and KOTET, subsequent to Disney's acquisition of the Star Wars IP.

Onslaught was closer in size to the RotHC and SoR expansions though. If we want to see bigger, better expansions, updates, content, etc., then we players need to step up as well. Spread the word on social media, recruit your friends to play, tell your family, be friendly/helpful in-game, stay subscribed, contribute any way you can to help the SWTOR community grow and the game to succeed.

If we, as a community, did that more, I think SWTOR would start getting the attention it deserves. We need to show the decision-makers that the demand is strong, and we're worth the investment.

If it's excessively extended, then how could I get 10+ characters in full 306 gear with the mods I wanted, set bonuses and tacticals in 3 weeks?

 

[/snip snip]

 

seriously ??

You must have one of the best RNG "motivators" ever made !!

Hey .. for whatever it's worth... the ONLY thing I don't like about that statement is that it wasn't me that did that !

Back on thread track...

I would be interested in some sort of "update" as it were. Maybe something like "Hearts and Minds" again ?? That little segment tied up a lot of loose ends ! IMO .. we could use a couple more to help with direction of a number of questions / theories about the direction of the new story.

BTW... one last personal note / opinion … I really don't give one royal rippity roo-ha about what WoW or other games do as far as their communication (or a lack there of) . I like THIS game and THIS community ! Therefore.. what is going on HERE is what I believe to be the important guideline as far as communications are concerned !!

And so far... things seems to be getting back on track. Hopefully that will continue to improve in 2020.

I’d settle for bug fixes first

Hey wait a second .... that was a part of my list !!

Juuuust kidding !!

Good old fashion bug squashing is ALWAYS a good thing … I think !

thats very dissapointing

you have too many title on your signature , please nerf

Thank you.

Hope you give something to PvPers, from Bug fixes and may be a fresh WZ.

I pay a sub to 99% PvP and I am sure I am not alone.

Also not to forget please fix the air-lifts in Huttball, and the Mandolarian Arena.

Bug-fixes & new content aren't mutually exclusive. People (not necessarily You, Trixxie) always think just because some time/attention is given to say a new Alderaan SH, then that automatically means "omg now they won't have enough time for bugs!!?!?!!?!?!!!!"

 

But this is not typically how Dev teams work. Even BioWare has enough Devs to work on both (Art department + Code department) ...and i'm sure "6.1" will also include some significant bug-fixes.

 

Anyways, imho , DISNEY needs authorize EA to allow BioWare to start cross-marketing & cross-referencing more new content with other SW successes (like 'The Mandalorian', for example ---> Player bounties during BH Event Week, whereby players would opt-in to be hunt'able on all cross-faction planets. ) .

 

There's no reason why SWTOR should be---or seem to be---this little neglected side stepchild.

 

This is still Star WARS, no? So, for 2020, let us know: What are we fighting for? What are we playing for? What are we grinding for? ( And i don't mean just "to get 306 gear so you can maybe do isolated NiM Ops once per week" )

 

SWTOR has sooo much untapped potential, even after 9 years. ( pve GSF zones & missions, anyone? )

 

Of course, IF the rumors are true about the next SW film trilogy taking place in (or near) SWTOR's timeline....well....i just hope BioWare is able to take full advantage.

I’m definitely for new content, but at this point my expectations are so low that a bunch of bug fixes and reduced dysnc in pvp would feel like Xmas to me. It seems everytime they add new content they break 5 other unrelated things. It always makes me nervous when they announce it.

Hey wait a second .... that was a part of my list !!

 

Juuuust kidding !!

 

Good old fashion bug squashing is ALWAYS a good thing … I think !

 

Get off my lawn old man 😘

Surely you realise that isn't going to happen. We only had that with the vanilla release so... you don't want a patch or an expansion, you want swtor 2 with completely new class stories.

Please stop putting words in my mouth and deliberately and dishonestly misrepresenting my opinion.

I want a continuation of the current class stories within SWTOR 1.

Pretty much every Class Story has lose-ends that can be followed up and tied into the new content; so there is absolutely no need at all for SWTOR2.

All The Best

Hey folks,

 

With that said, that doesn't mean Keith will stop swinging in to give you some longer term updates.

-eric

It'd be really nice if he actually started doing so.

Despite a promise in his introductory Lead Producer letter to be more communicative he's actually been far less communicative than Ben Irving.

If you guys can't keep the most basic and simple commitments you make to us why would we have any faith you can keep the big ones?

All The Best

Please stop putting words in my mouth and deliberately and dishonestly misrepresenting my opinion.

 

I want a continuation of the current class stories within SWTOR 1.

 

Pretty much every Class Story has lose-ends that can be followed up and tied into the new content; so there is absolutely no need at all for SWTOR2.

 

All The Best

There definitely is a need for swtor2, maybe not story wise, but it is needed game engine wise

#weneedswtor2

There definitely is a need for swtor2, maybe not story wise, but it is needed game engine wise

 

#weneedswtor2

developing a full new game is not a good idea.

some other MMORPG game's have done it also and in the end there second version with new game engine is closed in the same year again after release.

since a lot off players that are playing the first version not gone play the second version since there have spent a lot off time in there chars to make it strong.

and to start from notting again is for a lot not fun to do.

what better is to fix the problems in this version and make the grafic's look what better then.

increse the level limit and adding new attack skills is a good thing to do.

and if there add here and there new class content in the game also then its also good for most.

and who knows adding a new class is also a good idea there most do.

there need to focus to make the first SWTOR better by fixing things first and upgrade here and there some things.

developing a full new game is not a good idea.

Debatable. It's an idea, for sure.

some other MMORPG game's have done it also and in the end there second version with new game engine is closed in the same year again after release.

And some have done it very successfully:

* FF14 *closed* the old game (because it sucked *hard*) in favour of the new one.

* Guild Wars 1 was frozen rather than closed, but GW2 has done well and is still running.

since a lot off players that are playing the first version not gone play the second version since there have spent a lot off time in there chars to make it strong.

and to start from notting again is for a lot not fun to do.

Seems to have worked well for GW2.

what better is to fix the problems in this version and make the grafic's look what better then.

Fix problems: yes. Improve the graphics? Well, that depends a bit on what you mean, and whether increasing texture and object resolutions counts as "fixing problems" or "improving graphics".

increse the level limit and adding new attack skills is a good thing to do.

It's a thing to do, sure, but I wouldn't automatically classify it as "good". It's certainly not necessary. Guild Wars 2 opened in 2012, and today, the max level is *still* the same as it was at launch.

and if there add here and there new class content in the game also then its also good for most.

Agreed.

and who knows adding a new class is also a good idea there most do.

Star Trek Online still has only three classes.

there need to focus to make the first SWTOR better by fixing things first and upgrade here and there some things.

It's not necessary. If they decided that it was time to break the shackles imposed by the pre-alpha Hero Engine they chose, it would make sense to, at the same time, redo almost everything, in which case it might as well be in a new game.

 

We talked about this last year as well but just a reminder that we have moved away from the big form roadmaps that we used to post. Instead we try to lean more on updates via PTS, posts, livestreams, and blogs.

Given the age of your player demographic, (Those of us old enough to have seen Star wars in the theatre in 1977 are now at least 50), I don't think relying on livestreams for primary communication is very realistic. I'm now 60 and you'd have to chain me in a chair to get me to watch a livestream, mostly because they are long, rambling, painfully disorganized exercises in blah blah blah. I want the information written in one central location, in a terse and tightly-organized format.

Given the age of your player demographic, (Those of us old enough to have seen Star wars in the theatre in 1977 are now at least 50), I don't think relying on livestreams for primary communication is very realistic. I'm now 60 and you'd have to chain me in a chair to get me to watch a livestream, mostly because they are long, rambling, painfully disorganized exercises in blah blah blah. I want the information written in one central location, in a terse and tightly-organized format.

Truthfully I can't see why a summary couldn't be written. Speaking from someone who appreciates both ways of communication.

Given the age of your player demographic, (Those of us old enough to have seen Star wars in the theatre in 1977 are now at least 50), I don't think relying on livestreams for primary communication is very realistic. I'm now 60 and you'd have to chain me in a chair to get me to watch a livestream, mostly because they are long, rambling, painfully disorganized exercises in blah blah blah. I want the information written in one central location, in a terse and tightly-organized format.

Truthfully I can't see why a summary couldn't be written. Speaking from someone who appreciates both ways of communication.

I'll up the ante

I'm 67 .. and IMO.. communication is imperative. In order for the "older generation" to work with the younger generation we also appreciate other various methods. No .. I personally don't subscribe to much of the alternative methods being utilized today.

That said... I'm also a bit apprehensive with ANY form of rhetorical babble signifying nothing !! ( if you catch my drift)

com·mu·ni·ca·tion: /kəˌmyo͞onəˈkāSH(ə)n/ … ( noun ) the imparting or exchanging of information or news.

Please note: the means of getting that information to us is not specified. It does suggest, however, that you know … actual information is being exchanged or provided !! Feelings or emotions (such as excitement) over such "new information" simply is an expression of anticipation that the recipients of those statements are equally pleased.

In short: The more frequent the communication … when actual communication is taking place … the better. I would prefer some good old fashion solid information. I'm probably a little more flexible than most. But I DO PREFER more clearly defined results at the end of the day.

Sorry … that's just the retired purchasing director side of me personally.