ToR doesn't need saving, it needs improving. It's been very successful, and will continue to be successful as long as Bioware continues to work on the game.
hate to see a Star Wars Title fail, but let it go, pass it on to Free to play and start again, this time creat a Galaxy Far far Away, not a handfull of planets the size of an Urban back yard and expect players to have fun for years. Sorry, Stupid EA Exec's
hey, they're rebooting Superman for a third time, why not?
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
a) Crafting: Allow crafting classes to add augment slots on armor instead of the current "crit custom gear > raid drop gear" style. Raid drops automatically have augment slots on them. Same for PvP. Basically this allows people to wear what they want, not necessarily custom or have to RE raid or PvP gear to get those looks for BiS. Sorry buy RE'ing operation gear is a bit silly, and I know they will add this in the future as a dev has stated so, but it should have been rolled out with 1.2.
Each raid tier, give crafters 1 BoP raid equivalent gear to be crafted with rare materials, flashpoint drops like now are fine. Biochem get Earpiece, Biochem Implant, etc. Basically what they didn't update with 1.2 which was in the game's release. Between augments, augment slots, crit gear, and 1 raid equivalent BoP item, crafting is helpful endgame. No Biochem reusables.
b) PvP: Class balance goes long way here. I didn't do too much PvP but Rated WZs should have slightly better gear, maybe that works in Rated WZs only for balance's sake. Someone more PvP focused can bounce ideas that will be better.
c) UI: Needs better ways to visualize buffs and debuffs. Trackers for timers, even if not an addon, or even the option to disable buffs and debuffs that aren't your own. Mouseover healing and click cast and such for the healers that want it. Nothing major but buffs/debuffs should be improved.
d) Operations: Sorry I call them raids sometimes, I'm too lazy to go back and fix them all. Hardmodes need an added difficulty that is not enrage timer. This tier is a bit better than last, but newer mechanics for hardmodes and nightmare modes should be included. More things to do for ranged DPS, and less abuse for the melee DPS. Keep most fights with two tanks, this tier helped in that direction, compared to the mostly tank/spank T1 was. But mostly, more mechanics for higher difficulties.
e) Healing: I'm sorry, but it's a bit boring. Healers need say 1 big raid CD each, and some more minor CDs. Not to make fights easier, but because it requires more coordination with other healers and better teamwork, allowing you to make raidfights harder. Especially with things like soft enrages, which increase the pressure on the raid and adrenaline, requiring more focus.
f) Dailies: They're ok, but they need to give lesser level rewards. And fewer. Say only relics, or something that crafters can't supply. A small extra basically, getting ready for raids, not raid level or higher.
g) Companion AI: Allow players to give companions certain scripts to do when things happen during a fight, a la Dragon Age. I don't know why that amazing system didn't make it in, even a very simplified version. While doing that, allow a Story Mode version for Flashpoints that players can do with their companions, with loot specifically for companions and very minor items for the main character.
h) Other: Better Auction House, Phasing, Server merges, server only LFG tool, a PvP spec but not a dualspec, Codex fixes, extra planets for more diverse leveling on alts, and probably some other minor stuff I can't think of atm.
I guess that's about it, definitely more Q&As with meaningful answers, and most importantly, release a roadmap telling your subscribers about all the upcoming changes I pointed out, so players know what's incoming and what's being improved, and gather feedback, adjust accordingly.
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
Only in comparison to other Star Wars themed MMO-like games.
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
Id tell them to do what Square Enix did w/ FF14, stop charging, fire the devs that thought what we got was a good idea and start working on SWTOR 2.0 to be released sometime next year
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. Lao-Tze
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
Bag on SWG all you want, but the fact remains that when SWTOR tanks you can bet there wont be any fans making an emulator for it.
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT Playing: Skyrim Following: The Repopulation I want a Virtual World, not just a Game. ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
It can't be "Saved"(Assuming you mean a continued upward trend in customers over say a year) and keep the current subscription model. The cost of producing content at the level the game originally had(VO/story) is far too great. That means the new content would require a step down in quality and that could alienate the current playerbase. Even if the current playerbase were to stay it woudl require a ton of time/money to create an "endgame" where players help create the content, probably another 2 years and 50 million dollars. Not to mention that their engine cannot handle much more than they've done.
Solution 1: B2P with vanity cash shop and expansions every 6 months or so.This way they can keep the quality of content but don't lose subscribers.
Solution 2: Add SWG style endgame. New huge planets, player housing/cities, bases, crafting revamp, combat revamp(chronicles of spellborn style), a third faction, and faction switching.
Solution 3: Go into maintenance mode and milk it for all it's worth. Try again with a new MMO.
Solution 4: F2P(cash shop)
If they got he B2P/F2P route they should condense the classes. All jedi should be rolled into 1 class but with a huge branching skill tree. Same for Smuggler/Trooper and Bh/OP. This way it at least gives more depth/uniqueness in creating your character. Remove 50-75% of CC's, tone down the mobility(sprints, leaps, etc) and increase TTK to like 15s so PvP becomes more enjoyable and tactical.
It can't be "Saved"(Assuming you mean a continued upward trend in customers over say a year) and keep the current subscription model. The cost of producing content at the level the game originally had(VO/story) is far too great. That means the new content would require a step down in quality and that could alienate the current playerbase. Even if the current playerbase were to stay it woudl require a ton of time/money to create an "endgame" where players help create the content, probably another 2 years and 50 million dollars. Not to mention that their engine cannot handle much more than they've done.
Solution 1: B2P with vanity cash shop and expansions every 6 months or so.This way they can keep the quality of content but don't lose subscribers. Solution 2: Add SWG style endgame. New huge planets, player housing/cities, bases, crafting revamp, combat revamp(chronicles of spellborn style), a third faction, and faction switching. Solution 3: Go into maintenance mode and milk it for all it's worth. Try again with a new MMO. Solution 4: F2P(cash shop)
If they got he B2P/F2P route they should condense the classes. All jedi should be rolled into 1 class but with a huge branching skill tree. Same for Smuggler/Trooper and Bh/OP. This way it at least gives more depth/uniqueness in creating your character. Remove 50-75% of CC's, tone down the mobility(sprints, leaps, etc) and increase TTK to like 15s so PvP becomes more enjoyable and tactical.
I would be betting on Solution 3 if I had to risk money.
Comments
ToR doesn't need saving, it needs improving. It's been very successful, and will continue to be successful as long as Bioware continues to work on the game.
So I'd call the EA exec an idiot.
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
hey, they're rebooting Superman for a third time, why not?
Sorry to break this to you: SWG was a better game in it's broken state than SWTOR will EVER be.
Currently playing SWTOR and it's MUCH better than it was at launch.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
Let's go with points I guess.
a) Crafting: Allow crafting classes to add augment slots on armor instead of the current "crit custom gear > raid drop gear" style. Raid drops automatically have augment slots on them. Same for PvP. Basically this allows people to wear what they want, not necessarily custom or have to RE raid or PvP gear to get those looks for BiS. Sorry buy RE'ing operation gear is a bit silly, and I know they will add this in the future as a dev has stated so, but it should have been rolled out with 1.2.
Each raid tier, give crafters 1 BoP raid equivalent gear to be crafted with rare materials, flashpoint drops like now are fine. Biochem get Earpiece, Biochem Implant, etc. Basically what they didn't update with 1.2 which was in the game's release. Between augments, augment slots, crit gear, and 1 raid equivalent BoP item, crafting is helpful endgame. No Biochem reusables.
b) PvP: Class balance goes long way here. I didn't do too much PvP but Rated WZs should have slightly better gear, maybe that works in Rated WZs only for balance's sake. Someone more PvP focused can bounce ideas that will be better.
c) UI: Needs better ways to visualize buffs and debuffs. Trackers for timers, even if not an addon, or even the option to disable buffs and debuffs that aren't your own. Mouseover healing and click cast and such for the healers that want it. Nothing major but buffs/debuffs should be improved.
d) Operations: Sorry I call them raids sometimes, I'm too lazy to go back and fix them all. Hardmodes need an added difficulty that is not enrage timer. This tier is a bit better than last, but newer mechanics for hardmodes and nightmare modes should be included. More things to do for ranged DPS, and less abuse for the melee DPS. Keep most fights with two tanks, this tier helped in that direction, compared to the mostly tank/spank T1 was. But mostly, more mechanics for higher difficulties.
e) Healing: I'm sorry, but it's a bit boring. Healers need say 1 big raid CD each, and some more minor CDs. Not to make fights easier, but because it requires more coordination with other healers and better teamwork, allowing you to make raidfights harder. Especially with things like soft enrages, which increase the pressure on the raid and adrenaline, requiring more focus.
f) Dailies: They're ok, but they need to give lesser level rewards. And fewer. Say only relics, or something that crafters can't supply. A small extra basically, getting ready for raids, not raid level or higher.
g) Companion AI: Allow players to give companions certain scripts to do when things happen during a fight, a la Dragon Age. I don't know why that amazing system didn't make it in, even a very simplified version. While doing that, allow a Story Mode version for Flashpoints that players can do with their companions, with loot specifically for companions and very minor items for the main character.
h) Other: Better Auction House, Phasing, Server merges, server only LFG tool, a PvP spec but not a dualspec, Codex fixes, extra planets for more diverse leveling on alts, and probably some other minor stuff I can't think of atm.
I guess that's about it, definitely more Q&As with meaningful answers, and most importantly, release a roadmap telling your subscribers about all the upcoming changes I pointed out, so players know what's incoming and what's being improved, and gather feedback, adjust accordingly.
Flush the servers and install a game that was so bad they had to scrap it? Makes sense.
But, but... SWG was PERFECT!!
Well, except for the big empty worlds, horrible combat, horrible engine, terrible support, lack of content, insane grinding, lack of Star Wars 'feel', awful lag...
But it had a good crafting system, so obviously the game was perfect!
Only in comparison to other Star Wars themed MMO-like games.And it still better than TOR.
Add an expansion of more story and make it take really long to lvl but...
add day/night cycles to all planets
add sand box zones to certain planets - housing, sieging, crafting
mini games
more warzones - just pump them out, and take from existing MMOs that EA has under its umbrella
weekly events from devs
more alien races to create the atmoshpere of a sci fi fantasy
Imporve overall ground of game to add a lot replaybility without increasing the grind - sand box
Make all classes accessible for endgame to try out
--- Make promise for space combat pvp in the next expansion-- and deliver of course
Write bad things that are done to you in sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble
I tell him...
"Save it yourself!"
*Jumps out of plummeting burning airplane and pulls the chord on parachute*
"I am not in a server with Gankers...THEY ARE IN A SERVER WITH ME!!!"
Id tell them to do what Square Enix did w/ FF14, stop charging, fire the devs that thought what we got was a good idea and start working on SWTOR 2.0 to be released sometime next year
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
Lao-Tze
Build a new engine.
Make the engine capable of doing all the cool things the devs and fans want.
Transfer the entire game onto the new and better engine and start again.
Play for fun. Play to win. Play for perfection. Play with friends. Play in another world. Why do you play?
Bag on SWG all you want, but the fact remains that when SWTOR tanks you can bet there wont be any fans making an emulator for it.
Tried: EQ2 - AC - EU - HZ - TR - MxO - TTO - WURM - SL - VG:SoH - PotBS - PS - AoC - WAR - DDO - SWTOR
Played: UO - EQ1 - AO - DAoC - NC - CoH/CoV - SWG - WoW - EVE - AA - LotRO - DFO - STO - FE - MO - RIFT
Playing: Skyrim
Following: The Repopulation
I want a Virtual World, not just a Game.
ITS TOO HARD! - Matt Firor (ZeniMax)
I heed the advice from the movie Speed and shoot the hostage.
"Gypsies, tramps, and thieves, we were called by the Admin of the site . . . "
It can't be "Saved"(Assuming you mean a continued upward trend in customers over say a year) and keep the current subscription model. The cost of producing content at the level the game originally had(VO/story) is far too great. That means the new content would require a step down in quality and that could alienate the current playerbase. Even if the current playerbase were to stay it woudl require a ton of time/money to create an "endgame" where players help create the content, probably another 2 years and 50 million dollars. Not to mention that their engine cannot handle much more than they've done.
Solution 1: B2P with vanity cash shop and expansions every 6 months or so.This way they can keep the quality of content but don't lose subscribers.
Solution 2: Add SWG style endgame. New huge planets, player housing/cities, bases, crafting revamp, combat revamp(chronicles of spellborn style), a third faction, and faction switching.
Solution 3: Go into maintenance mode and milk it for all it's worth. Try again with a new MMO.
Solution 4: F2P(cash shop)
If they got he B2P/F2P route they should condense the classes. All jedi should be rolled into 1 class but with a huge branching skill tree. Same for Smuggler/Trooper and Bh/OP. This way it at least gives more depth/uniqueness in creating your character. Remove 50-75% of CC's, tone down the mobility(sprints, leaps, etc) and increase TTK to like 15s so PvP becomes more enjoyable and tactical.
I would be betting on Solution 3 if I had to risk money.