How is SWTOR holding up?

[Melanieshaman]

Running around Alderaan which is HUGE i saw a lot of people, and now on Balmorra, it seems even busier.

oh and there's pretty much always a queue after about 4pm server time on my server sometimes as early as 3. Always very heavy to full.

[mystik]

I barely touch the forums or do much else lately. so involving.

[Markluzz]

In a way I feel obligated to play for the 90 days I payed for, and I was originally intending to raid in it, but part of it just doesnt feel right to me. The quests themselves have little variety, and the side quests are basically a person reading a WoW quest text to me. The best part is awesome story quests, which are sadly a very small amount of the experience. I like being able to level through space combat, thats fun and adds a little flavor since 60% of the quests are kill this amount of mobs (which is usually very high) or go get/destroy/access this thing which on the way you must kill the same amount of mobs. (and the bonus quests make you kill more) Bioware needed more quest variety, to have things be different at different parts, and keep the story aspect. Then it would have been awesome, because literally 80% of the side quests I would rather just have a quest box and hit accept on. The small, but awesome 20% I like to hear, if hey would have made that 20% even just 50-60% I might want to play to max level like I originally intended.

And yes the starter zones are the best, and they literally made me feel like this game would be amazing, and I would play it forever. And then I got halfway through Balmorra, and I started thinking 'meh'. And then I was forced to do the Balmorra Bonus Quests (they were unabandonable) and it felt like a torturous, long, grind of quests, and I literally complained in general chat and had people who really liked the game agree with me. It was after that grind that I just couldn't feel all that immersed again.

Swtor is like lukewarm water, parts of it go a more WoW pick up quests and grind type system (this works great and is fine on its own, and with variety), and another part goes to KOTOR, Dragon Age type system trying to immerse you and offering a great story. Sadly mixxing those two just doesn't work to well, I would have loved for the MMO to have been all immersion, and you level like you level in KOTOR. Which would have been great, faster levels, literally all story, the only difference is it is online. That would have been awesome, and it partly does that, but it also does not.

Also the atmopshere is amazing, however I prefer brighter looking MMOs like WoW, the dark appeal (I know its in space) just doesnt work for me, it's great in a single player game, but in an mmo I don't like it because I spend alot more time in MMOs than single player games, and in MMOs I would rather things be a bit brighter. Especially since the main sw/org type hub in swtor is very dark. I know others like dark things all around, but I like some brightness and humor, which Bioware does not have.

It's a good game, and the best 'WoW Killer' I have ever played, but it isn't on a WoW level. It could have exceeded that though, which is why im dissapointed.

[Mteq]

If you're a real KOTR fan you'll be disappointed.



This is KOTR. Not what the abomination of SWTOR

if they wanted it to be KOTOR online, it wouldve been called just that. KOTOR online. its not. it just follows up on the story of the KOTOR games. the jedi knight games don't have the same feeling as the force unleashed games either, do they? and these two take place in roughly the same time span as well.

wrong expectations are wrong.

[Leodegrance]

Hows it doing you ask...

Well try sitting in queue for 45 minutes just to log into the damn WEBSITE this morning.

That is how well it is doing.Even the website login server cannot handle the load.

[valden83]

Well while I kind of want to respond to some of the posts in here that make me sort of want to facepalm, I am just going to give my own view on my experience so far.

I have been in the Beta since May, and was optimistic for this game from the beginning. I saw as it improved and grew with each beta build and saw it go from "pretty unfinished" to "nearly ready". Sadly, I feel that this game could probably have used another month or two to work some of the kinks out, but that does not detract from my overall enthusiasm and favorable view of this game.

As it stands, for me at least, it has been a super smooth launch. I feel bad for the people who have one circumstance or another that has given them a bad taste in their mouth, but for me I have had no issues. I got in on the second wave of early access along with my wife, we both put our credit card info in so that we were ready for playing when the game launched and actually had very little queue issues the first two days. Then of course more people came in and now after launch we do have a pretty decent queue, but it isn't exactly killing the experience and my queues in past MMOs (especially WoW at launch, and Warhammer Online) were much worse than these.

Gameplay is very similar to WoW, and I can see why some people who want drastic changes may not be happy here. However, I feel that they have improved on a lot of aspects of the traditional MMO. I honestly like the fact that there is no dungeon finder or looking for group tool, and while I am kind of indifferent toward whatever path they follow with that whole can of worms, I can definitely say it is refreshing to see so many people talking and working things out, grouping, etc. I hope the community stays at least somewhat decent into the life of this game... Dreaming I am sure, but still I feel it is off to a decent start.

My wife and I are approaching it as a co-op game with the option to interact with people in an MMO manner, but so far with our companions and our two player team, we have had little issue duoing the content up to level 19. I am playing a Marauder and I feel the combat is some of the most fluid and impressive combat I have experienced. From someone who has played WoW since launch, that is a big deal for me. I have always felt that some of the biggest drawbacks to other MMOs I have tried is that they just don't feel as fluid as WoW does. SWTOR however feels awesome. I feel the flow is really impressive, walking into a pack of enemies as your toon randomly blocks blaster shots from behind only to cut them down in short order is really fun right now. The wife of course enjoys shocking our foes to oblivion on her sorc.

The Graphics are better than any MMO i have played. Now this is of course my opinion, and I understand how some people like more realistic graphics, but I find that the stylized graphics work better overall. I just laugh hysterically when people say that swtor has crappy graphics and isn't any better than WoW... Or even worse. Heh, its not even close. I am impressed at how well my system runs it too. Older intel quad 6600, 560 ti vid card, 6 gb ddr2 ram and I get about 25-35 fps with everything pretty much maxed except shadows and forcing 8x antialiasing via my driver.

I think the things that really set this game apart from its competition are:

The questing system and voice acting is top notch and feels like you are really involved in the quest. Sure it isn't perfect, but I find it to be a nice refreshing change from the standard "click npc then read end of quest log and skip all lore" that I got in the habit with WoW. I actually feel compelled to hear what they have to say.

The companions are awesome. I really think they are fun, allow flexibility in how you approach the game, and make for a very interesting twist on crafting. I never have been a big fan of crafting in the past, but I am actually into it this game.

The layout of the map. Honestly I love the main map, how it goes transparent when you move, etc. Its not a huge thing but I just really like the map and how it just feels like I have this uber navigation tool at my fingertips. Quests are all easy to find as well.

The customization of gear is very cool.

The environments are just downright amazing in some areas. I find myself pausing at times just to stare at the details in the scenery. Next time you go into some dark sith tomb, just pay more attention to the walls and ceilings, check out the sculptures, markings, corpses, etc. It just seems like a lot of work was put into some of these areas.

Anyhow, in the end, I really don't know how long I will stick with the game, but I do know that I will be getting my money's worth, and will probably play it for some time moving forward. I think it is going to be the next big MMO... That doesn't however mean it is the next WoW killer, just that its going to be the next MMO to come out that can come remotely close to WoW's throne in a sea of mediocrity.

[Deleted]

Some people are laughable.

Some of you say you need to travel, quest a lot ? Learn to quest in the right order and to travel when need to. Face it.

"I'm bored since i played it and it feels i spend most of my time traveling" - (three chars to level 10) .......... What is this ? You barely have a glimpse of what the game as to offer, and yet, you still complaint.

I honestly can't figure this out.

I played WoW for 5 years, been on the casual and the hardcore side, so i know what i'm talking when i'm saying that we have (thankfully and obviously) more story, more epicness on the questing on this game. That's just how it is.

It feels fresh and you don't know what story lies behind other chars, besides being the same race, so it's not a "here we go again and level some alt..." b***s**t.

Also, we don't have not even the difficulty or grinding that some people say we do, when compared, say...to Aion. Oh dear lord, that was grinding all over it and that's what made me quit Aion for WoW (once more).

Try it, play it on the end game for a few time and THEN, like in WoW after 7 years (just so people are more familiarized - since we all compare new MMO's to WoW) people can whine and can say the game is like this or like that.

If you don't like it, you either like the current WoW style/game/content/easy mode or this is just your first MMO and it doesn't suit you.

[Deleted]

Just as I predicted.

If you can't run a new MMO on a three year of PC perfectly, you will lose a bulk of your subscribers after the first month and they will never return.

It's quite weird people are having such issues running the game considering the graphics really arent that special, it looks very dated actually, I dont understand why it would be so demanding at all.

[Deleted]

Good, one less person in the community.

What a strange reaction to have to say to someone quitting a game that only exists through the virtue of its members. Really.. baffling.

[jvbastel]

What a strange reaction to have to say to someone quitting a game that only exists through the virtue of its members. Really.. baffling.

Welcome to the internet, leave your morals and principles at the door, please.

OT: I'm liking the game a lot. The levelling experience has been the most fun for me since GW1 which says a lot coming from me Even if the endgame wouldn't turn out to be good, i'll still level a few alts to max

[La]

Others may like the cutscenes but I find them annoying. I usually listen to music over game sounds or hang out in vent but now I have some NPC yaking at me something I could have read in half the time. Plus the attempt at different answers doesn't seem to make much of a difference, I suspect most your answers lead you to the same result.

the game was made to be enjoyed through the leveling experience and all the great, hard work put into it. it`s not an MMO like WoW where your single goal is to get to 85 asap and ignore the story, ignore quest text, ignore everything, this game gives you something more and really lets you appreciate the RPG element in a universe where story is overflowing with it.

but like people said, with that comes the need for something more and only time will tell what the game offers at the max level.

[Kanx]

If my girlfirend wasn't so amazing at making me want to be on the phone to her all day, i'd never be off this game.

Unfortunately she has a degree in phone conversation seduction.

can i give your girlfriend my girlfriends number?

she REALLY needs some of those lessons

[Jaja]

Very impressed never bored

My companion won't make sweet love to me but oh well we can't get it all

[Tart]

Anyone know if there is a try swtor trial download like the WoW option. Im sick of trying to find an alternative to WoW inwhich ive splashed out cash to play Warhammer and LOTRO to quit them within a month as they have been utter gash.

[Hightotem]

Anyone know if there is a try swtor trial download like the WoW option. Im sick of trying to find an alternative to WoW inwhich ive splashed out cash to play Warhammer and LOTRO to quit them within a month as they have been utter gash.

Yeah m8 you took the 2 worst alternative mmo options. Right now rift is probably the best MMO until SWTOR endgame gets tested. In terms of levelling this is light years ahead of the rest in enjoyment. I hated levelling in wow it was more of a race to get to cap, with SWTOR you don't mind taking your time as you feel your char is important and I do see myself levelling 1 of every class before I even think about hardcore raiding.

There is also so much potential to get things added in this game. I will be playing this as my sub based MMO along with guild wars 2.

---------- Post added 2011-12-23 at 11:19 AM ----------

Also the atmopshere is amazing, however I prefer brighter looking MMOs like WoW, the dark appeal (I know its in space) just doesnt work for me, it's great in a single player game, but in an mmo I don't like it because I spend alot more time in MMOs than single player games, and in MMOs I would rather things be a bit brighter. Especially since the main sw/org type hub in swtor is very dark. I know others like dark things all around, but I like some brightness and humor, which Bioware does not have.

Blizz had to make Org and SW very bright because that's where most people stand around these days in wow. Rift is much better then wow in it current form and it's pathetic compared to wow in burning crusade up until uldaur.

[Deleted]

If you're a real KOTR fan you'll be disappointed.

I was a massive fan of the KoTOR series. I've ran both KoToR I and II several times through, I adored those games. Guess what, I also love SWTOR.

Opinion is the inbred cousin of fact.

[Deleted]

Anyone know if there is a try swtor trial download like the WoW option. Im sick of trying to find an alternative to WoW inwhich ive splashed out cash to play Warhammer and LOTRO to quit them within a month as they have been utter gash.

I would also like to know if there is one, I had a quick look and couldnt find one so not sure if I was just looking in the wrong place...

Would be weird as an MMO not to.

[Deleted]

I would also like to know if there is one, I had a quick look and couldnt find one so not sure if I was just looking in the wrong place...

Would be weird as an MMO not to.

It's only just launched. There won't be a trial for several months at the very least.

[Mayia]

Loving it, its an experience you have to want it though, If you love your money in wow, love your mounts achievements and characters it will be very hard to let go.

I've left thousands of gold to my gf who wants to still play wow i'll miss my rare mounts the most but i am having fun just pissing around in swtor.

[Mrooyen]

I guess there has been a lucky few that didn't suffer the worst MMO launch in history?! 20 hours after buying it I was still unable to setup an subscription that was needed to launch the game. From the masses of complaints on facebook ect I know I am not the only poor sould that raced out early to buy and spen most of the day in a "waiting Room". I hope the wait will be worth it because if the launch is anything to go by it failed allready. I must lol at ppl that make a decision to stop playing an previous MMO that they have played for many months/years based on a couple of days play. I just dont see how you can compare it in such a short space of time.

Anyway hopeing to be able to actually create a Char soon.