Just to let the community now, a bunch of EA games have been tested on the upcoming Steam Deck and SWTOR received the "Playable" rating. You can see it in this video at 5:00:

 

 

I for one am looking forward to being able to log into this game on the fly without having to sit in front of the PC all the time. Especially for the daily login rewards.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Phazonfreak

I said the changes to abilities - utilities and the new UI had to do with Steam Deck compatibility. Next stop will be Xbox compatibility.

I said the changes to abilities - utilities and the new UI had to do with Steam Deck compatibility. Next stop will be Xbox compatibility.

 

I mean is that a bad thing? I'm not a fan of most of the changes to 7.0 but at least they're trying to expand their reach and hopefully get more income. Now if they'll do anything with increased revenue is another discussion.

 

I'd also like to see how playable it actually will be

The most hillarious thing in the world would be if SWTOR's engine actually ran better on a handheld device than a mid to high range desktop pc.

 

It's like EA giving players the middle finger so hard that the execs get carpal tunnel syndrome.

I mean you can technically play it thru Steam's Streaming service, and test out what this is like. There are a lot of keybind issues naturally but you can 100% fire it up on your phone or tablet right now using it...

 

As another in the chorus of these changes are to make it console friendly, mostly as its the last place they can access easy revenue with putting in the least amount of effort. And while playing SW:tor with a controller would be cool n all... It be cooler if they added content and reasons to play instead.

 

But yeah you can legit play with this in advance using Steam's apps, works on just about every game on steam.

I'd also like to see how playable it actually will be

 

Same, but considering the custom AMD Zen 2 APU that is inside the Deck I am fairly certain that it will run just fine, if you learn how to utilize the control layout with the two capacitive trackpads. If you ever used a Steam Controller before, you know that keybinds will be no problem.

 

Apart from the very reasonable price point of the Steam Deck, what immediately attracted me to them was the control layout that is extremely flexible.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Phazonfreak

I mean you can technically play it thru Steam's Streaming service, and test out what this is like. There are a lot of keybind issues naturally but you can 100% fire it up on your phone or tablet right now using it...

 

As another in the chorus of these changes are to make it console friendly, mostly as its the last place they can access easy revenue with putting in the least amount of effort. And while playing SW:tor with a controller would be cool n all... It be cooler if they added content and reasons to play instead.

 

But yeah you can legit play with this in advance using Steam's apps, works on just about every game on steam.

 

The steam apps connect your mobile device to a computer, game runs on the computer, and then streams the output of the computer back to your mobile device. Completely different situation than having a portable device running the game directly.

The most hillarious thing in the world would be if SWTOR's engine actually ran better on a handheld device than a mid to high range desktop pc.

 

It's like EA giving players the middle finger so hard that the execs get carpal tunnel syndrome.

I wonder if the end game plan is to turn it into a mobile game. I wish I was joking, but there are already elements like crew skills, events, and rep caps that play like a crappy time-based mobile game.

I wonder if the end game plan is to turn it into a mobile game. I wish I was joking, but there are already elements like crew skills, events, and rep caps that play like a crappy time-based mobile game.

 

Here's your experience and credits and rewards for completing the mission! To actually have those applied to your character right away, please buy 20$ of force crystals, or wait a week.

 

My biggest complaint about mobile mmos is actually the reduced amount of abilities, usually 4 buttons and 1 spammable that you mash over and over again. It'd be pretty sad to see SWTOR reduced to that, which is reason number 8 or 9 that patch 7.0 rubs me the wrong way with the direction it's trending.

The steam apps connect your mobile device to a computer, game runs on the computer, and then streams the output of the computer back to your mobile device. Completely different situation than having a portable device running the game directly.

 

Yes, it is hence the keywords "test what this is like" as in a way to test how controls, etc will be.

 

The comparison you're making was never made.

Edited January 21, 2022 by TheVoyant

Yes, it is hence the keywords "test what this is like" as in a way to test how controls, etc will be.

 

The comparison you're making was never made.

 

Controls via a chain of devices and controls directly on a device certainly created a difference in a "test what this is like" situation. It's called input lag, and reducing input lag is a huge part of the gaming hardware industry.

 

So even in your specific recontextualization of your original statement, you are incorrect.

I think the idea of the steam deck is really cool but I can't imagine playing this game on a screen that size.

I mean is that a bad thing? I'm not a fan of most of the changes to 7.0 but at least they're trying to expand their reach and hopefully get more income. Now if they'll do anything with increased revenue is another discussion.

 

I prefer the idea that these changes are being made to try and tap into a new market over the idea that they actually think these changes improve the game for current players.

I mean is that a bad thing? I'm not a fan of most of the changes to 7.0 but at least they're trying to expand their reach and hopefully get more income. Now if they'll do anything with increased revenue is another discussion.

 

I'd also like to see how playable it actually will be

 

No, it’s a good thing that it’s compatible and will be more available to the steam player base. What’s bad are the way the changes were made to make it compatible.

 

I’d been saying from the start that the changes only make sense from a business perspective if porting was Bioware’s goal. It didn’t make sense otherwise to use so much of their resources to do this if they weren’t trying to target new players or make it console compatible.

 

What I don’t understand is why Bioware didn’t just say this at the outset.

I prefer the idea that these changes are being made to try and tap into a new market over the idea that they actually think these changes improve the game for current players.

 

They were definitely never being made to improve the game for current players. Bioware should have just said that at the outset so we understood.

Guess what Trixxie?

 

"Steam Deck starts shipping February 2022" (refer to steamdeck.com)

Guess what Trixxie?

 

"Steam Deck starts shipping February 2022" (refer to steamdeck.com)

 

Yeah, coincidentally, 7.0 launches around the same time

Yeah, coincidentally, 7.0 launches around the same time

 

Yeah, it's interesting. Also, I'm hoping EA and Steam/Valve become better friends now -- after that Microsoft purchase.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Rion_Starkiller

I said the changes to abilities - utilities and the new UI had to do with Steam Deck compatibility. Next stop will be Xbox compatibility.

 

I have to ask? In what way? For the most part the pruning is at most 3-4 abilities out of the 20 something characters have. I don't see how the pruning has anything to do with controller support when people have been playing swtor on a controller since the steam controller became a thing.

 

I disagree with a decent chunk of the cuts to some of the classes, but acting like it was for the sake of controller compatibility is reaching. It is safer to assume it is more about dumming it down as people prior to steam had issues understanding class abilities. Heck I just got three of my friends to start playing and I am basically backseat gaming over discord streaming to try to help them. One of the is a final fantasy player too. Swtor has been pretty complex with it's "basic" rotations for a while, and that complexity isn't being removed. Just the issue with gunnery mains using sticky grenade on cooldown.

 

The issue is the rigidity of the skill trees, IO for example should have explosive dart as a basic tool, like how they made orbital strike for engineering standard due to pts feedback... just to make takedown the replacement.

I can't even begin to imagine how I'd be able to play that on a mobile device.

 

But definitely useful for vacations so you don't miss sales/login rewards etc.

I prefer the idea that these changes are being made to try and tap into a new market over the idea that they actually think these changes improve the game for current players.

Definitely prefer this idea too and still trying to convince myself they will do console ports but... there's simply been NOTHING actually indicating that. No leaks, rumors, mining, nada. Ability pruning is like the only possible clue we have yet its so unsubstantial... heck, WOW got official controller support in recent years and we don't even have that for SWTOR

 

I honestly lost hope at this point. Game is already halfway there in maintenance mode to me considering how much new content we're gettig these days, EA doesn't care to give it a higher budget but neither does Bioware seem like they wanna fight for this game. So yeah... it won't be TORtanic memes type of death but it's really far removed at this point from any definition of an active MMO that still aims to attract large number of new players and compete/eclipse the competion in the genre.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Pietrastor

I have to ask? In what way? For the most part the pruning is at most 3-4 abilities out of the 20 something characters have. I don't see how the pruning has anything to do with controller support when people have been playing swtor on a controller since the steam controller became a thing.

 

In addition to that, it is extremely unlikely that the developers knew about the Steam Deck when they decided on the features for 7.0. Valve was extremely secretive about the project and stumped everyone when they announced the Steam Deck last summer around the same time that LotS was revealed, meaning that the expansion must have been in development months or even a year before there was any indication of a PC handheld from Valve.

 

I am convinced that the devs and EA are eyeing the console market and I am pretty sure that they were ecstatic when the Steam Deck was revealed as a new avenue to play this game, but I don't think that both things are directly connected.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Phazonfreak

I am convinced that the devs and EA are eyeing the console market and I am pretty sure that they were ecstatic when the Steam Deck was revealed as a new avenue to play this game, but I don't think that both things are directly connected.

The where's the official controller support and setup? Ain't that way WAY more important to have ready for February's Steam Deck launch than ability pruning? I would love if they had this kind of ambitions but there's really zero evidence of that whatsoever so far...

The where's the official controller support and setup? Ain't that way WAY more important to have ready for February's Steam Deck launch than ability pruning? I would love if they had this kind of ambitions but there's really zero evidence of that whatsoever so far...

 

Steam deck is utilizing the steam controller software that is built into steam itself. In this software there has already been steam controller, xbox controller, and ps4 controller button mappings for swtor for years.

 

Basically all a publisher could do is "endorse" one, but more often than not they endorse really bad ones, and the ones by fans are leagues better.

 

Side note, I still think this discussion around the ability "pruning" is to make the product console friendly to be kinda off the mark. Swtor getting rated for the steam deck is probably more to do with proton, and steam wanting a certain percentage of all their games "ready". The pruning is primarily due to the devs being unable to balance content around 12 different flavors of cheese being abused for different mechanics. This way they can force you to "choose" which mechanics you will actually try to cheese vs other where you will have to do mechanics properly. (Not looking forward to running dreadguards in 7.0, though it might just become double sin tank meta due to guard shroud)

Steam deck is utilizing the steam controller software that is built into steam itself. In this software there has already been steam controller, xbox controller, and ps4 controller button mappings for swtor for years.

 

Basically all a publisher could do is "endorse" one, but more often than not they endorse really bad ones, and the ones by fans are leagues better.

I realize that and of course controller mapping itself is not an issue at all, but as you said, its all unofficial stuff. SWTOR controller gaming (and by extension console ports) wil never become mass-popular or possible without a built-in official controller default button map (which can be then modified) that people outside hardcore PC crowd will use. I mean, it's the same set of issues that plagued PC gaming for years compared to accessabilty of consoles. Stuff needs to be ready, working and available to use right after star screen without having to do anything. Hardcore crowd will always find a way but the more casual mass audience simply won't bother if there's any hassle involved making a game work. Edited January 23, 2022 by Pietrastor