Originally posted by Mythios11

I'd much rather pay a monthly sub than have a company use a cash shop to supplement their income.  

Cash shop's are a slipperly slope.  Maybe they don't have a lot of "pay to win" items in it at launch but rest assured, if ArenaNet finds that it's not as profitable as they anticipated they will most certainly add more enticing items down the road.

 

I 100% agree with this. The whole "free-to-play" term is such a misconception. Instead, they should say free-to-START (F2S). In fact, I am not longer going to refer to ANY of those game as any but F2S.

Prior to STO going F2P I was a strong advocate of the game. Cryptic had made major strides in addressing some of the games earlier shortcomings. I other words, the game was getting better with each new update. However, once Crypic went with Perfect Worlds and subsequently went F2P, I have had little desire to log on. Part of that is seeing how "poorly run" many of the other F2P games have become that I have tried. The games turn on pumping out store content more then on making a great playing game (and yes, I understand they need to make money). The motivation for someone like myself to be nickle and dimed to death just to keep up with others just is not there. So, frankly, if STO dies (which I doubt will happen), I won't miss it.....I don't now.

People only read what THEY want to read. They missed the whole revamp of many of the classes and the addition of more OPs and Flashpoints. They missed the additions to game mechanics. This is not just a "mailbox in your ship" patch. It is a major addition to the game.

Can't an MMO have both a good story AND good gameplay? And if an MMO is based upon some "already fleshed out world" from say a book or movie, shouldn't it follow that same "story" to some extent? And if the game is "made up" without any background, shouldn't it at least have some reason for the player to be there other then PvP and crafting?

I am not really asking these questions because I am looking for answers. In my humble opinion, an MMO is what the players/subscribers get out of it. If they expect all MMO's to be just one sided in one genre then they will be jaded against those of a different genre. So if you like story and good gameplay, you may not like just good gameplay. Or, just want the gameplay. Point is, MMO's do not have to be stuck in one rut. The more types out there, the more choices WE have.

All I know is that I AM enjoying SWTOR and do not plan on cancelling anytime soon. I play everyday solo AND with up to 4 of my online bubbies AND with guildies. Now, how does not make this an MMO I will never understand. I have played many an MMO and they all have meant that same criteria.

Is SWTOR perfect? No. Never has it been. Is it fun? Yes. Enough so that I would say that only trolls would attempt to sling mud at the game. I really think it has something to do with them not wanting their ox to be gored. Go figure.

I have never been a huge "fan" of the ME games although I have played both 1 and 2. Never went for the DLC as I felt it was just an attempt milk the franchise. I have had very mixed feelings about buying this one considering the back handed merchandising that EA is attempting to force upon people. Perhaps forced is too strong but it sure seems that way to me. While I generally like Bioware, I am seeing more and more influence of EA marketing getting in the way of good game making. Not just with ME3 but several other recent EA releases through some of their other studios. EA just is not push quality. Instead, they want to push it out the door and start making money even if the product is shoddy. I hope that is not true with what Bioware is providing but from what I am seeing and hearing it seems so.

Originally posted by Naral

Hey folks,

As I am sure even people like me who still like the game have to admit, the UI in SWTOR kinda blows. I know in 1.2 there are some changes coming--resizing and repositioning UI features--which should do a lot to remedy most UI issues.

However, that is not the most annoying thing about the UI for me, what gets me going is the ability to have only two windows open at the same time, so you cannot have a quest, inventory and companion window open at once, or a mod, character, and inventory window at once. It is a huge pet peeve I would love to see changed--haven't seen anything yet.

You guys have anytthing you want changed in the UI not coming in 1.2? (maybe the above change is coming, but have heard/seen nothing about it yet)

I agree with this although I would call it no more then a minor "annoyance" then a "huge pet peeve". I too am looking forward to seeing the ability to open more then one window along with the ability to resize as announced. However, macros really aren't needed. If you have a keyboard that has macroing ability you have macros you can provide to SWTOR. But, if the UI stayed "as is", I could get by just fine.

Originally posted by xenpt

Im a big fan of fallout i have them all since the 1 to the las vegas last one, and it is one of the most amazing fun games ever.
I also thing the history is awesome for making an mmorpg with they are working on it for the rumors i have been hearing, what do you guys think of it ?? will it be awesome a fail ? will it be like the Fallout we are used to ???

MMO's have totally different mechanics then single player games. For one thing, the fact that a MMO has to deal with so many configurations and ages of computers means that they can not be as "cutting edge" as the latest single player computer game. Add to this the concept rightly or wrongly taken that mechanics must be designed to account for the lowest possible difficulty to attract a wide variety of players, makes MMOs far less sophisticated then the single player version.

So, to make a long story short, no....Fallout Online would not be anything like the single player versioni other then in name and back ground only.

Originally posted by Rasputin

Originally posted by bbethel

I Dont care what Xfire says

I dont know a single person that uses xfire. I know about 15 people that  I work with who are playing SWTOR. I also know a bunch of people playing diffrent mmo's, and none of them use xfire. We have played many mmo's together over the years and none of us have use xfire.

I think it is a safe bet that most people playing MMo's dont use Xfire.

In my mind XFIRE means NOTHING!!!

 

 

Did you ever get interviewed for an election poll?

Im not that young anymore (been able to vote for more than 20 years), and I have never been. Does that mean, that I should just ignore polls as irrelevant, if Im interested in politics?

If you actually understand how many "polls" are conducted then I would say that any one of them are irrelavent. I have voted for 35 years and have seen how fickle polls really are.

However, back on topic, Xfire is losing popularity. So, by that factor alone, taking any info gleaned from Xfire is not relavent. I used Xfire once. Dropped it as as something far less useful then its worth. I know of no one in my gaming circles, ages 22 and up, that uses the "service" anymore.

I would have to say that FIRST you have to establish what a "AAA developer" really means. Is it a developer that pushes out more then one game a year? Is it a developer that has had at least one, two or three "hits" that were games but not maybe MMO's?Is it someone that is published by a mega-corp like EA or Warner or Sony? Is it anyone that is in not in Europe or Asia? Is it anyone not in the U.S.? What is the criteria?

Originally posted by garry

Forums and posts - thousands of them so I thought I would toss my op in the mix.

 

Bioware - I am a 66 year old retired game designer (PnP). I looked forward to the new SWTOR, played a couple Betas, bought the DDE and am now playing. I want to congratulate you on a job well done. Are there some problems and bugs? Sure - just like EVERY OTHER MMO EVER LAUNCHED! I still like and have fun because the positive aspects of the game outweigh the negatives - by far - for me. Others who have different opinions state them, often, repeatedly, loudly and range from plain disappointment (normal) to outraged quitting obscenity. Puzzled as to why anyone would go thru so much time and effort, again repeatedly, to bash a simple video game, but have decided that it is simply some form of human nature.

 

Just as 'NEWS' organizations give priority to horrifying and 'bad' news, so do review organizations do the same. What works for the reputable news works for the new guys on the block as well. I decided to post instead of playing right now cause I have to go walk the dogs first. Then I will resume my game being a very lucky retired person who can play as much as I like.

 

And I like playing SWTOR. I have 3 characters, Jedi Knight, Smuggler and a new Trooper. Have some Empire characters I am looking forward to playing. I know the bug fixes and updates are coming, not really worried. So once again, well done Bioware and I am enjoying the game.

I agree with you 100%. Perhaps it is the fact that wisdom comes with age. Many of those that play games today have not real concept of what it was like over the last 30 years of video game development. All they see is what is there now and therefore have no perspective. I have yet to see the perfect game. What I look for is the game that is FUN FOR ME. SWTOR is one such game. Perfect...no. FUN...yes.

So, to mirror you comments, good job Biowware. Keep the great content coming as well as the fixes.

Originally posted by VikingLegion

Whats your opinion on the game so far? did you also play swg and how do they compare?(aside from graphically obviously). were your expectations met for this game? exceeded? disappointed? just wonderin what a few players think of things so far. would like some former swg player opionons aswell. cheers

I lost alot of interest in this game for a while but i figure for how good kotor 1 and 2 were i gotta at least give it a shot.

 

I played SWG from beta through to about 1 and half years past NGE. As far as how the games compare, SWTOR has better graphics, sounds and quests. If you like playing alts, SWTOR has a much better feel (my opinion) for giving plenty of choices. SWG still beats SWTOR in crafting (even post- NGE) but SWTOR crafting is not that bad (I should point out that I think SWG's crafting system was one of the best I have ever used). As far as space combat, SWG's Jump to Lightspeed beats SWTOR "roller coaster" approach. I am not saying it is not fun to an extent just not as "realistic". Considering SWG space combat had a lot of missed potential, I guess what SWTOR has now is about equal.

My totally biased opinion is that SWTOR is a fine MMO. If you like story, it is a great MMO. If you like/love Star Wars it is a great MMO based upon that lore. If you like KOTOR your experience may vary based solely upon the mechanics of the previous game. If you liked the story driven content, then SWTOR does not disappoint.

Overall, I expect to be playing SWTOR for at least the next couple years anyway. Hoping that Bioware stays focused and is allowed to stay focused (by EA) on what they have started. I see many improvements coming and much expansion in the future if given that chance.

Originally posted by lizardbones

A subscriber paying $29 a month? Why are you paying $29 a month for a F2P game?

I can answer that one....because  F2P games aren't free.

On topic, OP could have just left it at "Cash Shops Suck" and that would about cover it. I am getting more and more out of those game with cash shops simply because you will end up either paying MORE then a subscription if you really want to be able to play these  games or you will be left with not much of a game to play. Gamerfirst is probably one of the worst when it comes to over pricing and trying to make their games only fully accessable if you use their shop. Although there are others that charge hefty amounts for digitial junk.

Back to the quoted comment....why would ANYONE pay a sub in a so-called F2P game AND why would they make ridiculous purchases on a cash shop?

Originally posted by oobla

I like this game but I find the mobs are far too easy to kill with the companion . Its a major reason why I eventually left WoW because I like some challenge in an mmo . Most of the time I either dismiss him or send him off on missions . I think had they placed the two sides in each others paths earlier on in the game I would have seen some use for the companions while leveling but given that doesn't happen they seem to make the game a cake walk if you use then .

On a side note why didn't they introduce random space battles while travelling from one planet to another in a similar sort of way you get in Dragon Age ? It is StarWars for god sake a franchise where a huge amount of the action takes place in space .

I'm enjoying this game for what it is but so much that could have been done and should have been done seems to have been overlooked and it appears to be another mmo which offers easy mode game play while questing .

 

You are not "forced" to take your companion with you to quest. You CAN dismiss them at any time.

Secondly, what level are you playing at? At low levels, mobs are somewhat easy. Once you pass level 20 and then 30 they get more difficult. I solo when my friends are not on with a different character. I am level 39 at the moment. I an fighting mobs that are 3 to 4 levels below me (35 to 36) and they are a challenge even with my companion.

Originally posted by Ghost12

Originally posted by Yamota

Originally posted by Ghost12

 

Actually, I doubt this poster actually played SWG. If he did, it wasnt for very long.

I'm not even an "SWG fan" and I highly respect and enjoyed SWG's model for play. I played it for about 6 months until Jedi hit and then I knew the game was headed for disaster. The moment they put in the Force Sensitive slots, it ruined everything else about the game cause now everyone just farmed constantly to find their Force Senstitives.

However, SWG was very very fun before any of that stuff hit. There was more to it than just camping mobs, but crafting, moving to different planets to sell goods, player housing, a modest politics system, and sitting around just chatting and socializing.

There are many, many SW games made and SWG was far from the worst. Far.

His statement about how players are "out in the field doing missions" is laughable. This is exactly one the problems of these themepark games. Thats all you do. If I wanted to do that, I'll just boot up D2 or D3 and play Co Op with a bunch of friends.

MMO's are supposed to be virtual worlds. You do more than just "do missions", but actually live in them, so to speak. I mean, look at yourself. Look at what you're doing - all you're doing is missions, thats it, maybe saying 1 or 2 things to your groupies while the voice actors do the rest. Sad. Even when camping mobs back then, we'd have long conversations - we'd learn things about the people we played with, even personal things, and maybe even formed friendships. It was about community. He's right, it sounds like this poster wants little to none socialization. So why even call this an MMO?

Games like SWG offered a complexity and deepness that obviously this poster cannot appreciate. Which is fine.

But when someone calls TOR a, WoW 2.0, it really is a WoW 2.0, because well, almost everything WoW has TOR has as well. We understand you may like the game, but dont go off on a biased rant and attack him for it. Cause it sorta makes sense.

 

 I agree with most of what you said but I still think it was way better how SWG handles Jedi's than how they are handled in this game. There atleast you have to do something to be able to become a Jedi, here every Joe Schmoe can become one which dillutes the whole concept of a Jedi or Sith. They are supposed to be the elite of the elite which means they are relatively rare, compared to other professions. However in this game I can bet that atleast half of the population is either Jedi or Sith.

 

Yep I agree. Now everyone gets to be a Jedi or Sith, who are supposed to be pretty rare and special. At least in SWG you had to work for it. Now since everyone is a Jedi, the Jedi loses its elite factor, because they are common place.

I think you have your time lines a little messed up or your knowledge of Star Wars. SWG takes places around event of Episodes 4 through 6 with things thrown in from Episodes 1 through 3. SWTOR however takes place in a time period 3000 years before the battle of Yavin IV (Episode 4). In SWG, there were suppose to be "few" Jedi and Sith because the Empire with the aide of Darth Vader hunted down virtually all the Jedi and the "rule of two" was in effect. At least that was the vision of the original game (SWG). In SWTOR, there are  suppose to be thousands of Jedi and Sith as this is one of the high points of not only both force user types, but also the high point of the conflict between the Sith Empire and the Republic.

Now, in SWG, the Jedi "elite factor" was in fact watered down by CU and then totally by NGE. In SWTOR, Jedi and Sith are about what you expect them to be.

Never say never but.....

What EA published MMO is now or was launched with a Lifetime sub?

It is not LIKELY to ever happen.

On a side note. Lifetime subs do not mean that after "x" number of years you are playing for free. Actually, you start out paying MORE per month then normal subs. Do the math:  (Lifetime sub $) / months played) = monthly sub cost. Now, that means that at some point down the road you pay less then the monthly sub and at some point a lot less. But, it also means that you are essentially paying a monthly sub no matter what. This is not an argument for or against Lifetime subs....just clearing up some facts.

Things have not yet "settled" after the Slicing nerf. Come back in a few weeks and maybe then.

PS3??? NO THANKS! Loved EVE Online but won't touch anything that is PS3 ONLY!