Going forward, let's hope EA/Bio learns from GW2 about the use of VO work

[Deleted]

absolutely agreed.

sometimes less is more. I can appreciate what Bioware tried with swtor but in the end I have to admit I jumped the hype train because it doesn't really make sense in a MMO - at all. I know everybody wants a piece of the cake but they really should stick to single player games. That's where the VA budget makes sense, that's where you need the immersion.

GW2 voice work is OK. I don't mind the occasional voiced dialoge during storyline quests but really, it's not needed in a game like this. At least Arenanet didnt lose focus when it comes to the real meat of MMO gaming - gameplay, community, PvP.

[Deleted]

Try the the space bar - i dont see an issue.

[Deleted]

There's VO in Guild Wars 2? It sounds like inane chatter to me. Seriously, the dialogue is about as immersive as Asteroid. The VO, together with the PvE progression have been let downs. However, I knew this after I'd spent 10 minutes watching someone play at Eurogamer so I shouldn't complain. I was kind of hoping that they'd change it though. The whole theatrical stage background thing is a bad move imo as well.

[Svifnymr]

Try the the space bar - i dont see an issue.

As I mentioned, one of the things GW2 has that TOR could use is a "skip to end" type button, rather than spacebarring one at a time. Though there are some dialogue choices, so maybe "skip to next choice" or something too.

See, me, I'm odd. I rarely if ever spacebar in TOR. When it's a conversation I've seen before, I usually browse the web or go do something while it plays out, sort of a game-sponsored break.

[WarpedAcorn]

See, me, I'm odd. I rarely if ever spacebar in TOR. When it's a conversation I've seen before, I usually browse the web or go do something while it plays out, sort of a game-sponsored break.

Haha, I'm not the only one. I'll spacebar some of the planetary missions if I feel like I'm in a rush to get stuff done, otherwise I will listen to them. But I do sometimes let the dialogue play out while I get up and do something else around the house like get a drink, let the dogs out, fold laundry, or do some pullups.

[Repefe]

I don't think GW2 is the best example. I was really impressed with TSW VO especially quality of the voices. To put it simply for TOR what I would like to see is: Not every quest needs VO. Pay for quality, not volume. Allow players to skip meaningless chitchat or the conversations altogether, esc shouldn't make you turn down the quest, it should auto accept it.

As I mentioned, one of the things GW2 has that TOR could use is a "skip to end" type button, rather than spacebarring one at a time. Though there are some dialogue choices, so maybe "skip to next choice" or something too.

This would be very welcome.

[Korgoth]

I liked the SWTOR VO setup a lot better then GW2. Yes you have a bunch of lame quests that didnt need it, and in GW2 they just have you wander into doing those quests, but wouldnt it be better if those quests just didnt exist.

I'd love for them to revamp the leveling solely off the story missions with the idea that it would play more like Mass Effect, where you have the option to do side missions and explore, but you dont have too, you can play through it all the way to the 50 by following a well planned out story. Why do they need mindless grind quests? It's not anymore fun with a voice, with no npc, or with a wall of text, because killing 10x is just killing 10x.

[Kelimbror]

Why do they need mindless grind quests? It's not anymore fun with a voice, with no npc, or with a wall of text, because killing 10x is just killing 10x.

Because unfortunately, MMO leveling has to occupy more than 7 hours of game time. I think the primary reason is that most companies are not very good at producing standard 'end game' content. On top of that, I think the majority of people spend more time in the leveling process than raiding or pvp. It would be a terrible business strategy to make leveling be over in a day, because then 80% of their casual player base would be left instantly with nothing to do and wouldn't subscribe anymore.

Would I enjoy a game where the leveling was a great story that took 1/4th the time? Hell yes, sign me up. Not going to happen though

[Jalek]

Because unfortunately, MMO leveling has to occupy more than 7 hours of game time. I think the primary reason is that most companies are not very good at producing standard 'end game' content. On top of that, I think the majority of people spend more time in the leveling process than raiding or pvp. It would be a terrible business strategy to make leveling be over in a day, because then 80% of their casual player base would be left instantly with nothing to do and wouldn't subscribe anymore.

Would I enjoy a game where the leveling was a great story that took 1/4th the time? Hell yes, sign me up. Not going to happen though

Why do we even need levelling anyway? Why not make all areas accessible to everyone but of varying difficulties and rewards? Or have easier parts closest to town and the further or deeper you go the more difficult it becomes. Grinding levels in D3 to get to inferno where it's actually difficult is offputting considering how face roll the first three difficulties are. Should be able to skip right to it if I think I have the skill. Or at least skip through the easier difficulties faster. Sure in SWTOR it's telling a linear class story, but you can still do this without strict levels.

[Kelimbror]

Why do we even need levelling anyway? Why not make all areas accessible to everyone but of varying difficulties and rewards? Or have easier parts closest to town and the further or deeper you go the more difficult it becomes. Grinding levels in D3 to get to inferno where it's actually difficult is offputting considering how face roll the first three difficulties are. Should be able to skip right to it if I think I have the skill. Or at least skip through the easier difficulties faster. Sure in SWTOR it's telling a linear class story, but you can still do this without strict levels.

There have only been a few games without levels and let me tell you, people tend to hate them. I can't remember when, but Blizzard has touched on it a lot that the increase to level caps (and thereby leveling as a whole) is something players have developed a need for, in order to feel more powerful for their time spent.

At this point, it is completely psychological, but it still has an impact. Even GW2, with all their claims of downleveling so everything is meaningful, could not make it so balanced that you struggle at lower levels. You still show massive power increases for your level when you go back to old zones. I think they have struck a fine balance in this principle.

All of this to say that the primary structure for MMOs has a dangling carrot. That carrot has to start somewhere, so it starts from the beginning. Sad to say that without it, no one would play. The carrot can take many forms and it wouldn't *exactly* need to be levels, but it's going to be the same concept no matter how you dress it up.

[Redblade]

At this point, it is completely psychological, but it still has an impact. Even GW2, with all their claims of downleveling so everything is meaningful, could not make it so balanced that you struggle at lower levels. You still show massive power increases for your level when you go back to old zones. I think they have struck a fine balance in this principle.

One thing that would be interesting and probably quite awesome is if they would with the phasing tech in WoW phase all zones to max level as you hit the cap thus making all of the world a viable place to play, this provided they add content to do all over the place obviously. Grouping with lower level than your self would phase you back to the lower phase to solve any grouping issues.

[Deleted]

The only thing EA can learn is how to make money...most of the time cause they sure didn't make money from swtor.

[RoninaThorstone]

The only thing EA can learn is how to make money...most of the time cause they sure didn't make money from swtor.

They made back all their money in the first quarter. Not sure where people are getting all this misinformation...

[Kelimbror]

One thing that would be interesting and probably quite awesome is if they would with the phasing tech in WoW phase all zones to max level as you hit the cap thus making all of the world a viable place to play, this provided they add content to do all over the place obviously. Grouping with lower level than your self would phase you back to the lower phase to solve any grouping issues.

Along with that idea, maybe the choice to have it that way would be a preferred method by a lot of players? It would take a minute amount of work on their end, but combining your idea with a toggle would really make me interested in any game that did it. This way you can still go crazy and wreck low levels when you feel like it, or farm lowbie materials to sell/level new professions. However, if you just want to be able to use the entire game that has been created to farm gold, mats, anything...let the whole world scale to max like you suggested. I would even want max level ore and herbs dropping in every zone with it scaled up. It makes so much sense it hurts.

If WoW implemented this technology, as boring as the game has gotten I would run back to it with open arms. Using the entire revamped world as a virtual playground at level cap....it would utterly destroy every game in terms of viable content. Which is funny, because as it stands wow has no content lol.

I would definitely like to see phasing used in SWTOR like that, but I would want their zones opened up completely as well. Right now it is too roped off to really let that freedom shine.

[Redblade]

*snip*

It would have almost endless possibilities in any game that implemented it, and give space for insane amounts of content. It would probably be best implemented with a single server structure of sorts using similar mechanics that Tera uses with channels, this would give the world much more life as well if you have the players and done right.

[Svifnymr]

Along with that idea, maybe the choice to have it that way would be a preferred method by a lot of players? It would take a minute amount of work on their end, but combining your idea with a toggle would really make me interested in any game that did it. This way you can still go crazy and wreck low levels when you feel like it, or farm lowbie materials to sell/level new professions. However, if you just want to be able to use the entire game that has been created to farm gold, mats, anything...let the whole world scale to max like you suggested. I would even want max level ore and herbs dropping in every zone with it scaled up. It makes so much sense it hurts.

If WoW implemented this technology, as boring as the game has gotten I would run back to it with open arms. Using the entire revamped world as a virtual playground at level cap....it would utterly destroy every game in terms of viable content. Which is funny, because as it stands wow has no content lol.

I would definitely like to see phasing used in SWTOR like that, but I would want their zones opened up completely as well. Right now it is too roped off to really let that freedom shine.

They didn't even manage to make at-level viable from a challenge standpoint with cataclysm, even without heirlooms it just has this feel of a way to get you to max level rather than an actual game or teaching your class or abilities. Cataclysm is an odd thing anyway, your character that leveled through the world before, has no quests dealing with the cataclysms effects. Meanwhile half of the quests seem geared towards nostalgia.

GW2 does a great job of open world exploration, the storylines aren't anything special, but it's a rich open world to expore. The down-rank system works well and WoW could borrow it easily. GW2 also handles instancing for the personal story very nicely, I think. Whereas in TOR you enter an instance, in GW2 it's a phased/instanced setup where you're seeing a special version of the area just for yourself. Lends a nice air to the terrain.

TOR's "trigger mobs" for special events are nice though, and WoW needs to use that idea like it did with knockback/ stealthboost/ stealthgroup and area loot. It lets you play a special event with a wide range of levels and fits in their system very easily, vs the "upscale/downscale" option ala GW2. TOR needs to use phasing so that your actions actually have a lasting impact, I think, but focuses well on the story. I think TOR's main downside was the completionist way questing was setup. They need more branching options on the planets, so if you chose to go save X instead of Y, you couldn't go over and save Y later. Then on your next play through, you could save Y and have different quests.

I play TOR for story & spacefighting, and GW2 for just wandering around exploration.

[Kelimbror]

GW2 does a great job of open world exploration, the storylines aren't anything special, but it's a rich open world to expore. The down-rank system works well and WoW could borrow it easily. GW2 also handles instancing for the personal story very nicely, I think. Whereas in TOR you enter an instance, in GW2 it's a phased/instanced setup where you're seeing a special version of the area just for yourself. Lends a nice air to the terrain.

I actually prefer SWTOR's system. I'm not sure of the implications it has in the insane load times for each zone, but the ability to phase in without a wait is very seamless. GW2 having a load to go to that area is not great at all. If all the 'instances' in SWTOR is part of what adds to the load times for a planet, then obviously that is problematic.

Ideally it would be a combination. I think if the story and group areas used technology that got rid of the colored portals and allowed other people to still access a 'normal' version of that area would be pretty smart. That would unfortunately be very confusing for a lot of people, but as long as you are following your quest markers it shouldn't be a problem.

I do like the individual phasing strategy where you can feel special, if only for a little bit. Both games do this well.

[Svifnymr]

I actually prefer SWTOR's system. I'm not sure of the implications it has in the insane load times for each zone, but the ability to phase in without a wait is very seamless. GW2 having a load to go to that area is not great at all. If all the 'instances' in SWTOR is part of what adds to the load times for a planet, then obviously that is problematic.

Ideally it would be a combination. I think if the story and group areas used technology that got rid of the colored portals and allowed other people to still access a 'normal' version of that area would be pretty smart. That would unfortunately be very confusing for a lot of people, but as long as you are following your quest markers it shouldn't be a problem.

Definitely saying I want a combination. Phasing has great potential and should be used, but at the same time personal instances are good for story reasons too. Phasing is mostly for altering an area for stages of a quest but still having other non-group people in the area with you.

[Redblade]

Definitely saying I want a combination. Phasing has great potential and should be used, but at the same time personal instances are good for story reasons too. Phasing is mostly for altering an area for stages of a quest but still having other non-group people in the area with you.

Funny thing about that, they can if they want phase things for you down to an object level out in the world, as far as I know it's very rarely used but I noticed it when doing a sith warrior quest where you light a fire out in the world, after it's lit it stays that way for you when ever you pass it.

[Deleted]

A skip to the end button is silly, and people who queue for a HM flashpoint and refuse to do the bonus boss/champions are silly aswell.