Been gone over a year - how is grouping in SWTOR now?

[Mashugana]

I loved SWTOR but eventually stopped playing because grouping was just not...fun. The main grouping content, instanced flash points, were freaking AWESOME...except for the cut scenes. It felt like we'd have a blast for 5 minutes and then come to a jarring halt while we sit back at listen to dialogue or hit the space bar over and over.

Has any of that improved? Can you just run an instance when you want a break from story and just want to play with friends? Are there new incentives or content for groups?

And is there any way to skip cut scenes in general if you want (If I am making my 3rd Jedi I rally would like to skip all the cut scenes from level 1-20 if possible - seen them too many times

Thanks for any update.

[Parrin]

I loved SWTOR but eventually stopped playing because grouping was just not...fun. The main grouping content, instanced flash points, were freaking AWESOME...except for the cut scenes. It felt like we'd have a blast for 5 minutes and then come to a jarring halt while we sit back at listen to dialogue or hit the space bar over and over.

Has any of that improved? Can you just run an instance when you want a break from story and just want to play with friends? Are there new incentives or content for groups?

And is there any way to skip cut scenes in general if you want (If I am making my 3rd Jedi I rally would like to skip all the cut scenes from level 1-20 if possible - seen them too many times

Thanks for any update.

There is still no way to skip cut scenes in a group unless the entire group wants to spacebar through them. Also, you have to wait for anyone with a slower internet connection.

Having said that, most of the flashpoints after the first one, Black Talon or The Esseles, barely have any dialogue. The main exception is the Revan one for your faction.

[Mashugana]

Thanks - that is helpful since Black Talon/Esseles are the ones I ran the most. If that changes then teaming would be much more fun once past those.

Thanks!

[Deleted]

Esseles is a nightmare when people dont skip the dialogue as it takes about 5 times longer than if you skip it. I personally ignore it now when I level as its too painful to be in a group with someone who wants to watch the cinematics

[Parrin]

Esseles is a nightmare when people dont skip the dialogue as it takes about 5 times longer than if you skip it. I personally ignore it now when I level as its too painful to be in a group with someone who wants to watch the cinematics

I loved the cinematics the first time through. Hell, I loved them the 5th time through. But about the 7th or 8th, I just couldn't take it anymore. I know there are folks out there who are just now trying SWTOR for the first time, but it seems like we shouldn't have to sit through the dialogue with every single group. I'm personally convinced that there are a few self-centered folks who use the dialogue as an opportunity to alt-tab to the internet or grab a snack.

[Gelda82]

Of the few newer flashpoints they've added, they lack the longer storylines or dialogue of the early game; they were designed to suck you in and impress you early on, but later level ones have barely any story or depth to them. In fact, all of the newest flashpoints have been role-neutral(or "Tactical" is the buzzword) and let you use any 4 classes, no healers or tanks required & are really easy. They also have worse and worse rewards unless you're finding and completing terminal missions for doing X number of flashpoints a week, etc. Looting is still profoundly stupid, with any class able to roll need on anything, try to be quick in chat and only run with players who will answer back and agree on loot rules with you.

Casual pvp queues are fine but ranked pvp is dead, you basically don't do it unless you queue in organized groups with other people and it's borderline win-trading if not win-trading outright; BioWare wont punish people generally though since it's the only way the queue pops. Maybe it'll change with the new dumpy quests for ranked, but I doubt it & even if it works you'll just get a bunch of ungeared low-quality games.

[Valeron]

To me the story dialogue was the highlights of the instances. Otherwise they are pretty mundane instances/dungeons.