KeithKanneg Quote: Originally Posted by Hey,



There's been many questions similar to yours, plus quite a few PMs (still reading those), asking me about the direction of the game. But, why divert resources before delivering a full operation seemed like it could be helpful to address directly.



Diverting suggests we only focus on Operations while ignoring the other game play systems. As many would attest to, we essentially did that the last couple years with our focus on KOTFE and KOTET. Yet, we learned a lot about content delivery and timing. We decided to leverage that into providing multi-player content on a more frequent basis, preferably every 5-6 weeks, although some content takes longer, such as Operation Boss encounters.



During the development of the Boss fights, I think it's prudent for us to work on other game play systems and deliver those changes instead of making everyone wait until the end of the year. That may not be the answer you were looking for, but it is the direction the team has agreed to for the foreseeable future.



---Keith



That is World of Warcraft is succeeding not because it can be run on an old machine looking like a bad 90's cartoon, as gamers that see an MMO as something worth investing in don't then use a 14 year old machine and still pay over a subscription and additional fees on cosmetic gear. Lets face it people that aren't interested in upgrading their graphics card every 5 or so years aren't going to feel that new weapon is worth a 20 buck investment cause it will make their experience that much the nicer.



WoW is succeeding in-spite of its limited aesthetically appeal but because it offers content and lots of it. Not just raids and the content it offers appeals to the player base. Take relic weapons, from 100's level you grind out your class specific best unique (personally tailored till you got it all) weapon. No range lock boxes, not need to do any specific content though some is better than others. Playing the single solo story will get you relic power. Sure its a stupid grind but your making progress not getting to rank 300, getting a box of junk and then regrinding rank 300 for more junk!



So that aside, the idea that offering a raid boss every 3 months as it seems to be the plan seems unlikely to work. You have ignored the raid community for the last 2 years, if any are left they are either happy with the raids in the game or the primary lure is something else because if it was all about the raids as has been mentioned WoW is adding them far more consistently and would appeal to that play style far more. So adding one boss in the first 6 months of 2017 is not going to be enough to get people that have left to come back, an entire raid in WoW or one boss in ToR. The lure isn't there, the same goes for flash points and the like, you can't ignore these aspects for years then add one and expect people to be excited and give ToR another go if the new content can be completed in an evening.



So the focus on Multiple player aspects seems too little to generate sufficient interest. While perhaps more disappointingly this seems to be a move away from the last 2 years of story. Where certain people rally and cry 'You have had story for the last two years'. True, But it was an awful story. For the last 2 years we have had keeping up with the Valkorians, with our characters shoe horned into a one size fits all story that made no sense. Even if you ignore the masses of plot holes, the seemingly meaningless story arcs and the constant betrayals and lack of any real choice. Koth does the exact same thing no matter what you choose! SCORPIO is just as absent no matter what your choice. You have a story that was sadly dull about an all powerful god being that seemed to go no where and then abruptly end. Hell we had 3 missions devoted to an attack on a spire that achieved nothing. It became generic and ultimately left the player the most powerful person in the galaxy only not really cause Theron and Lana dictate every step of the way. And to top it off we learn we have been betrayed yet again! The go to move of the creative team and once again no matter what choice you make, you are the most unpopular hated tyrant in the galaxy and everyone is lining up to betray you. And that is saying something given who sat on the throne before you and loyal their followers were.



It feels that the ToR team is incredibly small, with the focus being on the Cartel Market, which week after week will get a post on whats on sale. Its mentioned it will be an op boss or some other form of content. It takes six months to do balancing changes, with balance being very far from what is being sought by all account of the post. Based solely on dps targets on a dummy completely ignoring utility, defence, self heals or every how most op bosses force melee off target for far more than 5% of the fight. While there has been a vast improvement in communication, nothing seems to have made it into the game that would attract players to give it another shot. And from the road map it seems unlikely anything will be added. Keith, as you appear to be reading the forums and with luck acting on what is said I would like to offer an alternative view to the one that you quoted.That is World of Warcraft is succeeding not because it can be run on an old machine looking like a bad 90's cartoon, as gamers that see an MMO as something worth investing in don't then use a 14 year old machine and still pay over a subscription and additional fees on cosmetic gear. Lets face it people that aren't interested in upgrading their graphics card every 5 or so years aren't going to feel that new weapon is worth a 20 buck investment cause it will make their experience that much the nicer.WoW is succeeding in-spite of its limited aesthetically appeal but because it offers content and lots of it. Not just raids and the content it offers appeals to the player base. Take relic weapons, from 100's level you grind out your class specific best unique (personally tailored till you got it all) weapon. No range lock boxes, not need to do any specific content though some is better than others. Playing the single solo story will get you relic power. Sure its a stupid grind but your making progress not getting to rank 300, getting a box of junk and then regrinding rank 300 for more junk!So that aside, the idea that offering a raid boss every 3 months as it seems to be the plan seems unlikely to work. You have ignored the raid community for the last 2 years, if any are left they are either happy with the raids in the game or the primary lure is something else because if it was all about the raids as has been mentioned WoW is adding them far more consistently and would appeal to that play style far more. So adding one boss in the first 6 months of 2017 is not going to be enough to get people that have left to come back, an entire raid in WoW or one boss in ToR. The lure isn't there, the same goes for flash points and the like, you can't ignore these aspects for years then add one and expect people to be excited and give ToR another go if the new content can be completed in an evening.So the focus on Multiple player aspects seems too little to generate sufficient interest. While perhaps more disappointingly this seems to be a move away from the last 2 years of story. Where certain people rally and cry 'You have had story for the last two years'. True, But it was an awful story. For the last 2 years we have had keeping up with the Valkorians, with our characters shoe horned into a one size fits all story that made no sense. Even if you ignore the masses of plot holes, the seemingly meaningless story arcs and the constant betrayals and lack of any real choice. Koth does the exact same thing no matter what you choose! SCORPIO is just as absent no matter what your choice. You have a story that was sadly dull about an all powerful god being that seemed to go no where and then abruptly end. Hell we had 3 missions devoted to an attack on a spire that achieved nothing. It became generic and ultimately left the player the most powerful person in the galaxy only not really cause Theron and Lana dictate every step of the way. And to top it off we learn we have been betrayed yet again! The go to move of the creative team and once again no matter what choice you make, you are the most unpopular hated tyrant in the galaxy and everyone is lining up to betray you. And that is saying something given who sat on the throne before you and loyal their followers were.It feels that the ToR team is incredibly small, with the focus being on the Cartel Market, which week after week will get a post on whats on sale. Its mentioned it will be an op boss or some other form of content. It takes six months to do balancing changes, with balance being very far from what is being sought by all account of the post. Based solely on dps targets on a dummy completely ignoring utility, defence, self heals or every how most op bosses force melee off target for far more than 5% of the fight. While there has been a vast improvement in communication, nothing seems to have made it into the game that would attract players to give it another shot. And from the road map it seems unlikely anything will be added.