WATCHMEN

As written on: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=5606669#post5606669

 

Hello all BW, EA, SWTOR fans and players,

I'm writing this post because I actually care about the game and would like to see it move toward a direction of benefit. Came to accept the fact that it cannot be perfect nor will it be the best game, but it's what works for me and you as well - which is why you're subbed and even reading this.

SWTOR was geared toward a single-player based MMO, which as itself, is unique and original in its own right. However, an MMO requires consistent player to player experience, meaning the community has a large role in the game's health and status as an entity.

While the voice acting and cinematic scenes are nothing short of a marvelous work on BW's part, it's not enough to completely satisfy the urges of the player entirely. In example, a raider raids on one day and clears Denova. What are they supposed to do for the rest of the week? PvP.

I know many PvErs that absolutely love the PvP in this game because it is potentially very fun and can be a worthwhile experience. Despite having its flaws and problems, let us be realistic. Most of the posts are over-dramatic and exaggerating in nature. The class balance is not by any means that horrible. It's not the best either, but it can very well work.

So what are the key issues?

1) Ranked is a poor way of showcasing skill and furthermore, the incentive to actually play it is little to none. While the idea is solid, the execution isn't well done. Nor will it work to high standards in a game like this due to its combat system.

A - The rewards are egotistical at best and in all honesty, replaced by better looking items.

B - Assembling 8 dedicated players to concern themselves to Ranked matches is a serious irk. Many people
have work outside this game and priorities to attend too where they cannot be bothered to having log on at
a strictly specific time just to play three to five games over the course of two hours.

B2 - Adding a further point to B, with the lack of cross server ques and population dwindling, the morale to even
face the top tier teams on one's server dampens this problem further. Which leads to less ranked matches.
A domino effect.

C - While playing for objectives may be an original idea, in ranked there's nothing skilled about it in the slightest.
Certain comps are outright cheesed (IE: Smashers, Bubble Stunners etc.) There's too much focus on CC
and numbers to get any point across. Most of it boils down to what team overwhelms the other or a stream
of point blank luck. There's nothing 'clutch' and there's nothing particularly impressive about any feat in it.
If one team loses a point, then it's 9/10 times over due to the way the system works.
There's generally no comeback.

C2 - Adding a further point to C, the people running these comps shouldn't be blamed or looked down at all. By
all means, if any advantage works to your favour, then use it. The problem is, the advantage is stupendously
great where it blocks out any form of creativity for additional group flavours.

D - Resolve is not a horrible system, but it is certainly below average. It doesn't address the problem of mass
stuns and control across an entire team. Not to mention, when it's about full - you're probably already dead.

How can we work on fixing competitive PvP?

2) Small-scale PvP similar to Arena-styled matches (2v2, 3v3, 4v4). KOTOR had an arena. Why shouldn't SWTOR?
It can be a simple, small maps with a few pillars and what not. I understand such a venture will take money, but
I believe it can be more beneficial than pushing ranked warzones. Especially considering the status of where this
game is truly at.

- The benefits of this would correspond to the correct measures of this game's lowering population.
- More players would be able to get into the 'ranked' action easier, and it allows more versatility in combinations.
- Less emphasis on overwhelming force and more skill based factor comes into play.
- Different specs (IE: Concealment Operative / Infiltration Shadow) might actually have a chance to play.
- Easier to organize.

3) Alternatively, you can lazily just allow solo ranked ques. However, be warned of the qq that will follow and this
won't 'fix' the problem. It will only be temporal solution to a later, bigger issue you will have to face.

4) Resolve should work more like this: Stuns need to follow a DR curve. They need to grow less effective on
every stun that is shot at toward the player. (Effective = Cut duration)

5) Add cross server ques. This should be standard in any MMO.

6) Fix the lag / bug issues. Certain abilities don't go off, or there's a massive delay on X ability that should be addressed.

7) While Open-world PvP would be a fun idea to bring back, the reality of it booming again is very slim due to player population.


In conclusion, these are just some of the things that can be changed with the game's PvP system. I'm sure there's more, and feel free to add your own take. My gripe with this game is that it has a tremendous amount of potential, but I feel as if it's not being utilized in the right way. BW, have you not learned your lesson? It's not gear or adding new gadgets that will fix the issue.

The issue is the system itself.

Kam, 10/10.

The issue is that they are concerned about money. Which is fine, any company or business should be. What I have suggested, however, will work toward that goal. Let's be realistic, if the game was booming then ranked MAY have had a better chance. The point is, it's not - so we need to be logical and work with what we have.

Can't see how an added arena would not lead to a better financial outcome than the already depraved state ranked is in.

Kamdus wrote:

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After seeing GW2 do some of the same shit BW did with SWTOR (adding bullshit PvE bullshit instead of fixing core mechanics and bugs that render entire weapons kits useless that have been in the game since fucking launch (ie ranger 1h sword)) , Ive come to the conclusion that MMO developers care mostly about the casual PvE crowd.

 

My fantasy honestly is SWTOR bankrupts BioWare and MMO developers learn a valuable lesson about neglecting PvP. But as previously stated I don't think the majority of SWTOR or any other MMO's playerbase is that into PvP, so this would never happen.

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 That may be true indeed, but it is certainly not helping. Not for the longrun at least...

I hate turning to Blizzard, but they downright did it right. Even if they cared more for PvE, PvP was never ignored.

or we need to give SWTOR another 8 years before it gets good.