Stephen Reid - reddit AMA

[Deleted]

SWTOR's community manager did a Q&A yesterday or reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/swtor/commen...ager_for_star/

Honestly, it seemed like a bit of a waste since there was nothing he could really say beyond "we're aware of the issue and working in it."

Oceanic Servers might come in early March however...

[Glorious Leader]

I feel bad for Stephen Reid some days. Hes thrown out their like a lamb to the ravenous wolves and he really can't give that much other than were working on it be patient. I guess that's what he chose to do in life.

[Moriarty]

Thanks for the link. I'm still confused why it's a complicated matter that requires extensive discussion to implement server forums though.

[NatePsy]

/Sadface
No question about the possibility of Sith Marauders having more hooded armor that isn't PvP gear, progression trailer was set in a PvE environment which suggests PvE gear but I'm not seeing it.

[Loyrl]

Thanks for the link. I'm still confused why it's a complicated matter that requires extensive discussion to implement server forums though.

Have you read their forums? It would be a tough job to find people to mod that place IMO.

[sleekit]

actually i know someone who would do it (and she works for Fallen Earth atm...)

[Dakia]

Have you read their forums? It would be a tough job to find people to mod that place IMO.

Their forums really are pretty terrible. Almost all discussions devolve in to flame fests by post #3. They aren't as bad as the Battlelog forums for BF3. I swear, some of those people deserve to be drug out in to the street and shot. No, your pathetic troll attempts and "You MAV bro?" posts are not funny. The TOR forums are definitely slightly worse than the WoW forums though. At least there is a degree of civility there on occasion.

[sleekit]

it'll calm down.
atm its full of many who will leave the game behind when they realise Bioware doesn't actually want to completely replicate all of WoWs system designs. i seriously doubt its an accurate picture of the games community just yet.

the holidays will end, the launch surge will end. people will become (at least somewhat) resigned to what the game actually is.

Bioware know this which is why queues were not entirely "fixed" because they know games population will drop back somewhat after launch

that's not to say it won't grow but there is a predictable launch spike before the graph starts to (hopefully) climb.

good recent totalbiscuit post swtor launch interview with Stephen Reid on his youtube channel talks about this at length.

[Dakia]

it'll calm down.
atm its full of many who will leave the game behind when they realise Bioware doesn't actually want to completely replicate all of WoWs system designs.
i seriously doubt its an accurate picture of the in games community just yet.
let the thinning commence !

Yeah, the plus side is that the majority of the trolls and idiots will be gone after their free month expires. The same thing happened with Rift and the forums where such a better place after the first free month ended.

[xMarek]

Have you read their forums? It would be a tough job to find people to mod that place IMO.

The forums are not that bad, at all. It's just Bioware has to have Nazi purged forums, and "you're a idiot" is on the same level as a racist remark. Server Forums are easy to implement, but they have this G rated thing going on, where if it wouldn't be said on Barney it gets you a infraction. I got a 1 point infraction today for telling someone that they needed to learn to play their class better if they were having trouble with the end of Chapter 1 quest when you're fighting Nomen Karr as a Warrior. Server Forums would just end up with me banned at that rate, as well as the majority of the forum users. I have yet to to see someone who posts there at least 5 times a day and not have at least a warning. Their definition of trolling (what most people get warnings/infractions for) is "Was in some way mean in a pre-school like manner to another us". Until they decide to let us talk to each other without being Nazi's I don't see server forums happening.

[s_bushido]

The forums are not that bad, at all. It's just Bioware has to have Nazi purged forums, and "you're a idiot" is on the same level as a racist remark. Server Forums are easy to implement, but they have this G rated thing going on, where if it wouldn't be said on Barney it gets you a infraction. I got a 1 point infraction today for telling someone that they needed to learn to play their class better if they were having trouble with the end of Chapter 1 quest when you're fighting Nomen Karr as a Warrior. Server Forums would just end up with me banned at that rate, as well as the majority of the forum users. I have yet to to see someone who posts there at least 5 times a day and not have at least a warning. Their definition of trolling (what most people get warnings/infractions for) is "Was in some way mean in a pre-school like manner to another us". Until they decide to let us talk to each other without being Nazi's I don't see server forums happening.

It can't be that hard to be civil, can it?

[Deleted]

Their forums really are pretty terrible. Almost all discussions devolve in to flame fests by post #3. They aren't as bad as the Battlelog forums for BF3. I swear, some of those people deserve to be drug out in to the street and shot. No, your pathetic troll attempts and "You MAV bro?" posts are not funny. The TOR forums are definitely slightly worse than the WoW forums though. At least there is a degree of civility there on occasion.

Yes, the forums are terrible. But really, how hard can it be to moderate a forum that requires a game and an active subscription to post? How many people will buy a new copy just to troll on the forums in case they get banned?

[Ralook]

Yes, the forums are terrible. But really, how hard can it be to moderate a forum that requires a game and an active subscription to post? How many people will buy a new copy just to troll on the forums in case they get banned?

You'd be surprised the sense of entitlement people have from a 1-time payment of 60 dollars and an extra 15 a month...

[Dakia]

You'd be surprised the sense of entitlement people have from a 1-time payment of 60 dollars and an extra 15 a month...

Indeed. Wasn't there just a thread a few days ago about wanting a one day refund when the sub for the first month has been free thus far?

[Ralook]

Indeed. Wasn't there just a thread a few days ago about wanting a one day refund when the sub for the first month has been free thus far?

More than likely. The amount of entitlement i see in this forum is disgusting (I'm talking ALL the forum, not just the SWTOR sub-forum). I don't understand how someone could be disappointed by the product other than they're just blatantly ignorant and were hoping for a Call of Duty MMO with a star wars skin. I played through KOTOR 1 and 2 multiple times and i was blown away by the 5 hours of gameplay i had last night on my Jedi Guardian. Granted the game isn't even 2 weeks old (Sure beta, etc but for Full Release) and people are already finding things to complain about. Ridiculous.

[philefluxx]

While I appreciate Stephen Reid's willingness to communicate, allowing players to ask questions you have no intention of answering for one reason or another is just a waste of time. Going through the entire feed I dont think I saw one question with any depth actually get answered above "we are working on it" or "maybe", so really what was the point? I'm sure SR had better things to do with his day....

[Low Hanging Fruit]

I feel bad for anyone that has to deal with MMO gamers on the internet. The level of self entitlement seems.. high from them. I won't lie I know my ego has slipped out of control a few times but of course its usually civil. For once I can say that the questions that were asked were good though!! You don't see that all that often. Usually it is crap like "when do i get to have purple hair?" type of useless junk. But I do wish that he at least had something to say other then he doesn't say anything unless he has to say it and it is on purpose (slick).

I think the big problem with the SWTOR forums is just anyone can make an account and post there. I think it should be held to account holders only -- or at least have a section that is. Also realm forums would be nice. I understand the whole trying to keep it one happy family / it is just guild spam but way to many people play this game to keep any single and central location organized and not just a spam of posts you cant ever fallow because they are 20 pages away in 5 mins and nuked by every troll and flamer on the internet. They will figure it out eventually so I am not to worried about it.

[Dakia]

I think the big problem with the SWTOR forums is just anyone can make an account and post there. I think it should be held to account holders only -- or at least have a section that is.

I think they actually ended up limiting it to active accounts only just before the launch. I know that I got a few errors about needing privileges to post before I had entered my key for the game.

[Vexies]

While I appreciate Stephen Reid's willingness to communicate, allowing players to ask questions you have no intention of answering for one reason or another is just a waste of time. Going through the entire feed I dont think I saw one question with any depth actually get answered above "we are working on it" or "maybe", so really what was the point? I'm sure SR had better things to do with his day....

Well its a nasty double edge sword of a situation. If they dont attempt to communicate on a regular basis people play the " they dont listen to us!!" card and if he does talk to the community and gives them ANYTHING in the way of a even semi concrete statement its taken as gospel and they will crucify them and call them liars, cheats and all sorts of childish crap if they so much as miss a deadline by 2 nanoseconds.

One thing I did find interesting is that he did let slip that there is no plans on the horizon to allow for AC respecs. Dual spec per his comments seems to be in the pipes but I was surprised to see em be so relatively definitive about that given its hot button nature.

[philefluxx]

One thing I did find interesting is that he did let slip that there is no plans on the horizon to allow for AC respecs. Dual spec per his comments seems to be in the pipes but I was surprised to see em be so relatively definitive about that given its hot button nature.

Agreed, Im happy to see them stick to their guns. It will just take a little time for people to realize that changing an AC is not the same as a duel spec in WoW and that it completely changes everything which is why they dont allow it. Besides, people need to have more than one character if they fear they may get bored of one AC.