It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
...is that since we know planets are like "zones" in that they are intended for a certain level range, we will all eventually end up on the same 1 or 2 planets with all others becoming completely irrelevant to people at the max level.
This worries me because a huge world is great, but when there is no reason to visit.. let's say 18 out of 20 planets anymore, then that'd be rather disappointing. You'd be cramped up on those endgame planets and then that's that.
The Tatooine video shown some time ago had me worried already, what with the narrow corridor-style world that felt pretty much like Aion.
What do you guys think?
Comments
I'm sure there was a more recent answer confirming that you even get sent back to the starter planets at high level but heres a quote from last year.
Hey, thanks. I must have missed that, sounds promising. It'd be such a waste to never go to those planets again
Well as for worlds in general I can't really say anything, but speaking of starter worlds Bioware has said that there will be reasons to go back. If that's true for starter worlds perhaps it's true of all worlds.
I understand the concern to a certain extent since the same thing basically happens in WoW. I don't know if TOR will be similar in that regard or not. It's not something I've really put much thought into and it really doesn't concern me all that much. It is a themepark game however and all themepark games seem to have this issue...heck MMOs in general seem to have this issue where the older the game gets certain zones basically become ghost towns. However, I expect that TOR in particular will be an alt heavy game so this may not be as much of a problem with TOR as with other themepark games.
One thing to bear in mind is that the 3 PvP Warzones are all on different planets so at least 3 of the planets will be populated. I guess it makes sense they'll have the PvE dungeons and raids spread around similarly but I'm not sure how they'll get people to hang around those worlds though as players tend to congregate in one area.
I agree, it is also one of my prime concerns that TOR will be one long quest "tunnel" in a similar sense like Warhammer, and not really a sort of world in the sense that you ever go back to any place. Or like in Aion, yes. You hop form camp to camp, from quest area to quest are, but it isn't really a world you get into, in any sense.
Yes, I very much fear this may be the case. I haven't seen ANYTHING that shows me that there is a world built around social hubs, but a line of quest areas. I HOPE I am wrong, but indicators aren't very comforting.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Thats the problem with all leveling games, the zones in the end are tiny compare to the entire game, not to talk about the fact dev have put a tremendous effort for almost nothing since now you level so fast. Its not only zones, but gear, mobs, dungeons... And they clearly cannot do anything about it because when a mmo launch everyone start at level 1, so even if they wanted to make huge lev 50zones and tiny level 1 zones, they couldn't do it that much. And i don't even talk about empty newb zones after few month after launch ...
I even don't understand why designers are so attached with such ineffective design. And the crowd thinking there are no other possiblle alternative is even worth.
It seems you still have trouble accepting the themepark nature of SWTOR. Yes, areas will have various level ranges of its mobs and quests, no, it won't be limited to just 1 level range, and yes, there are several ways that they made frequenting social hubs like cantinas more appealing, besides the regular reason that main hubs always have, namely that all kinds of goods and trainers are there.
After all, Bree and Rivendell in LotrO or Tarantia and Khemi in AoC or Freeport in EQ didn't suddenly become useless because you entered a different level range.
Someone else already explained about how the planets have stuff that makes you go back to them at different level ranges as well, so I'll reply on this comment, I don't think it'll be like Aion.
For one, the normal planets are a hell of a lot larger than the regions in Aion, which are only 1-3 WoW zones large. Secondly, the map and video footage also shows that it has the same wide openness that MMO's like WoW, LotrO and Rift have.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
considering all the similarities of TOR with every previous BW game, Im pretty sure it is the case
look how many times you returned to any planet in Mass Effect - you just finished the storyline and moved on, Dragon Age is the same, KoTor is the same
They mentioned you will want to return - and I think the returning factor will be dungeons (but I fear nothing else)
I think I actually spent way more time reading and theorycrafting about MMOs than playing them
SWTOR is an MMORPG, it'd be more logical and common sense to compare it with other MMORPG's. Just like in other MMORPG's you'll have places where players frequent more often like the city hubs with everything in them and places where the players frequent less.
The ACTUAL size of MMORPG worlds: a comparison list between MMO's
The ease with which predictions are made on these forums:
Fratman: "I'm saying Spring 2012 at the earliest [for TOR release]. Anyone still clinging to 2011 is deluding themself at this point."
pretty much every mmo i have ever played has this problem, not sure why you would hope TOR wouldnt?
So we know that there are 17 planets. Of the 17 planets, 4 are starter planets and 2 are home worlds. Starter planets get us to level 10 and the home world will give us another 5 levels at least from what I have read. These home worlds will be the main hubs for social, quests and crafting IMO. So we will all be hanging out there from time to time. And it also depends on the AH's. If we have to be at the AH or can post gear from our ship.
So that leaves the other 11 planets to take us from 15 to 50. From e3 we know that tatooine is around level 26 and alderaan is around level 36. So that leaves 9 more planets to fill in the gaps. I have a feeling there will be a good number that will give you a reason to be there at level cap. At least i hope so. Once they get the full PvP update out, we should know a lot more.How many people long for that "past, simpler, and better world," I wonder, without ever recognizing the truth that perhaps it was they who were simpler and better, and not the world about them?
R.A.Salvatore
Can't please everyone and some people can't be happy with what is there.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
I've heard a few people mention this and I just don't get it. Isn't every mmo like that? I can't think of one that wasn't.
The only thing that might make SWTOR different is story. It may cause people to roll more alts which could make the lower level zones busier.
I think its a pretty high likelyhood. I also don't think its that big of a deal.
SWG wasn't like this.
Played: SWG-FFXI-EQ2-Aion
Anticipated in order of Hype:
ArcheAge
GW2
TERA
SWTOR
Not enough info, but looks promising:
Blade & Soul
Really? When I played it seemed like it was. I "out leveled" all the planets and went to Dathomir to do all my later leveling/grinding.
When I reached "endgame", I spent a few weeks killing mobs to get holocrons all in the same base.Then spent the rest of the time killing Krayt dragons for mats and money.
ALL games Bioware has ever done has been awfully linear, no reason to think SWTOR wouldnt be.
There was no real endgame in SWG, but that's a different story...
I'm a bit puzzled by the "doesn't every game do this?" answer. Why do you think that is a good reason for anything?
"Well WoW and the other games do it like this, so we have to do it like that as well"
I think that's a silly point. You'll never move forward and leave the old stuff behind if you think like that.. just saying
I'm a bit puzzled why you expect an mmo not to be an mmo.
Mmo's are designed this way for a reason. I think it's silly for you to complain about it without coming up with idea's of your own to change it.
And I'm curious to know what makes you think TOR should be held to another standard from every other MMO out there? It's a problem that needs solved I suppose but hardly a high priority from the view of most developers. I don't know what if anything BIoware will do to solve the issue, but I'm not going to hold it against them if they don't. We already know that TOR will not be a huge step away from other MMOs in terms of gameplay. What innovation they bring to the field all has to do with telling a story, not with gameplay mechanics. Anyone who expects TOR to solve such issues is kidding themselves and should know better if they know anything about Bioware at all.
I think the problem here is one of expectations. Bioware has pretty clearly stated what the're attempting to accomplish with TOR. You can have all the expectations in the world, but they're kind of meaningless when the standards have been set. This is where a lot of unhappiness and bitterness stems from. Honestly, it's a bummer that they're not programming the game to your standards, but why do you hold that against them? Not every game is meant to appeal to every gamer. I can almost guarantee you it's nothing personal on their behalf, so why take things so personally? If this game doesn't appeal to you, then move on. Why aggravate yourself by engaging in an endeavour that is bound to fail? You are not going to impose your personal views on Bioware.
The OP has an obvious and legitimate question. The planets will be large. The Tatooine video showed only the movement in game of a quest run. A few times Eric brought up the whole 'world' map and pointed out that the quest trip occupied only a small square of the map (looked like about at best 1 out of a hundred similar sized squares) and although he used a vehicle it did take a while to actually get to the first quest building. Seems like the planet is HUGE!
Also they have given a lot of info and emphasized exploration in the game. Side quests, datacrons will give to a reason to hang around and go back along with missions from your story line, world arcs and replayable dungeons, flashpoints etc. I think they have provided some innovation in this area, which the OP pointed out, is something of a problem in many mmos.
In addition, your companions have story lines as well and I don't doubt that will include returning to planets even at higher levels. It is too obvious an addition to planet replayability not to do so.
BTW: I read a minute ago about someone who was worried that they would have a problem remembering stuff (especially lore) from a voice over quest and they even sometimes forgot stuff from a text. To them you will have VO, optional text as well. The quest log will contain the info you need for the quest and the CODEX will update automatically for any lore from your contact.
I don't go back to my high school or grade school.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
This.
Also, remember that in an MMO, you can patch in a strip club where your principals office used to be.
What's in the game at launch isn't all there's ever going to be.
The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: Be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge.
-Elbert Hubbard
You don't ever go back to your hometown? You never go on vacation to the same place more than once? The OP's concern is a valid one. Maybe not for this game since it's clear they are not going to change it, but for future games. It's such a huge waste of development time to make zones that will be almost completely vacant in under a year. Smart developers would find ways to keep those zones active. Maybe the PvP servers will have some way to do that.
Vault-Tec analysts have concluded that the odds of worldwide nuclear armaggeddon this decade are 17,143,762... to 1.