Rise of The Hutt Cartel: First Digital Expansion

[Kelimbror]

People complain there isn't enough content in one post then want XP bonuses in the next so they can skip conent....

Here's your daily dose of reading comprehension:

In no way, shape, or form is anyone asking to skip content. It's nice that we still have white knights to pop in and give us irrelevant one liners though. Here's your cookie!

While more leveling content would be great, as people enjoy leveling in this game, the amount of content is a fixed and definite, limited amount of quests designed around a story they have created. The problem is that sources indicate that fixed amount of content will not get you to the new, arbitrary level cap. This is a problem...

One that could have been ameliorated by applying already earned legacy bonuses to their new 'no class story design'. Especially given that they stated the class story would continue on Makeb, then went back against it, it would have been the right move. The combination of not having XP properly tuned and not giving class stories is the completely wrong move.

I don't expect you to even try to understand though. Please give me more excuses, one liners, and lack of actual discussion.

[Elim Garak]

And I'm pretty sure the lack of Xp to level on Makeb is for F2P players to buy XP boosts. (Which are pretty cheap on GTN, btw)
They have to take XP boosts into account since they are easily and cheaply available. They certainly don't want people to level too fast.

Anywho
Class quests never were meaningful sources of XP even with a legacy bonus.

if there were class quests on Makeb - they wouldn't have helped with leveling that much even with Legacy bonus. Haven't you leveled 1-50? Class quests contribute to only 25% of all the XP you get.

But you can use legacy bonuses for new FPs and exploration. Exploration is not a big deal, but FPs - you can run them as many as you like with a legacy bonus to XP and gain loot while you are at it.

But carry on, complain about Class Quest Legacy XP bonus not working on PLANETARY quests on Makeb, as if it was expected.

[Redblade]

And I'm pretty sure the lack of Xp to level on Makeb is for F2P players to buy XP boosts.

Sounds about right for EA/BW, extract money from the customer by force instead of making him want to give you money.

[Kelimbror]

Sounds about right for EA/BW, extract money from the customer by force instead of making him want to give you money.

And as usual, bringing up this point is dismissed as 'complaining' about nothing. Oh this forum is my daily source of irony and laughter at how low humanity can go in this particular medium.

[Elim Garak]

ITT people complaining about F2P games being F2P

[Redblade]

ITT people complaining about F2P games being F2P

There are several F2P titles that doesn't strong arm it's players in to paying money proving that you really don't have to.

[Deleted]

And I'm pretty sure the lack of Xp to level on Makeb is for F2P players to buy XP boosts. (Which are pretty cheap on GTN, btw)
They have to take XP boosts into account since they are easily and cheaply available. They certainly don't want people to level too fast.

Doubtful because they started handing XP Boosters like candy ever since March. On avarage you get like 2-3 Minor boosters on each planet and Major booster for finishing bonus series. I don't even know what to do with some I have left on my lvl 50 assassin.

[WarpedAcorn]

Sounds about right for EA/BW, extract money from the customer by force instead of making him want to give you money.

And that's the goofy thing. I've never given a F2P game money UNLESS I was having a good time. When I'm enjoying it and not having my wrists tied, I tend to think "well...I would definitely pay for this, so maybe that goofy little accessory in the cash shop is a justified purchase". Meanwhile, if I'm having to broker all sorts of deals to get unlocks on the AH in order to "beat" the restrictions, I don't really feel the need to hand over any of my cash.

[Elim Garak]

Doubtful because they started handing XP Boosters like candy ever since March. On avarage you get like 2-3 Minor boosters on each planet and Major booster for finishing bonus series. I don't even know what to do with some I have left on my lvl 50 assassin.

Just because you didn't use them right away (especially on double XP weekends) - doesn't mean every one got stocked.

[Deleted]

...The problem is that sources indicate that fixed amount of content will not get you to the new, arbitrary level cap. This is a problem.

Not having enough content to easily hit the new level cap would have me rioting in Kaas city! However I trust Dulfy and according to this quote, there should be no trouble hitting 55 without xp boosters if you do the RotHC content and not just the Makeb planetary storyline:

Makeb’s content is only the tip of the iceberg as there tons of other content such as dailies, weeklies, macrobinocular and seeker droid missions to keep you occupied for days.

To me that makes it sound like hitting 55 is a doddle if you sample more than just the Makeb planetary quest. We'll all know for sure in less than 4 days though. However I still find it a bit worrying long-term if they can't fill 5 levels without resorting to daililes but let me see what the Microbinoculars and Seeker quests yield xp wise.

[Kelimbror]

Not having enough content to easily hit the new level cap would have me rioting in Kaas city! However I trust Dulfy and according to this quote, there should be no trouble hitting 55 without xp boosters if you do the RotHC content and not just the Makeb planetary storyline:

Makeb’s content is only the tip of the iceberg as there tons of other content such as dailies, weeklies, macrobinocular and seeker droid missions to keep you occupied for days.

To me that makes it sound like hitting 55 is a doddle if you sample more than just the Makeb planetary quest. We'll all know for sure in less than 4 days though. However I still find it a bit worrying long-term if they can't fill 5 levels without resorting to daililes but let me see what the Microbinoculars and Seeker quests yield xp wise.

I know that you've said before you haven't really played any other MMOs besides SWG. I'm going to go ahead and tell you that having to use dailies and side activities as forced in the leveling process is ridiculous and not acceptable. If there aren't enough quests to get people to max level, it's basically incompetence. Like...there's really no good explanation for why it would be designed that way.

Those 'other' activities are supposed to be a part of the end game, not something required to do just to hit max level. That would be like requiring people to level archy or fishing in wow or else they can't raid at max level. There would really be a riot.

[RoninaThorstone]

Those 'other' activities are supposed to be a part of the end game, not something required to do just to hit max level. That would be like requiring people to level archy or fishing in wow or else they can't raid at max level. There would really be a riot.

You have to have 12000 achievement points to zone into the new raid tier.

[Deleted]

I know that you've said before you haven't really played any other MMOs besides SWG. I'm going to go ahead and tell you that having to use dailies and side activities as forced in the leveling process is ridiculous and not acceptable. If there aren't enough quests to get people to max level, it's basically incompetence. Like...there's really no good explanation for why it would be designed that way.

Those 'other' activities are supposed to be a part of the end game, not something required to do just to hit max level. That would be like requiring people to level archy or fishing in wow or else they can't raid at max level. There would really be a riot.

I see your point and while I agree on the dailies, what about the Micro/Seeker droid quest arcs? Those aren't endgame (they start at lvl 53).

On every planet in TOR we have class missions, world arcs and side missions. That's what PvE'ers use to hit level cap. I can't speak for other MMOs but in TOR it's been like that from day 1. In the Makeb update they bypassed the class missions and only gave us a planetary quest line and side missions to get to level cap. No difference in my eyes. If after doing Makeb and the 2 side quest arcs I still am short of cap then I will happily lodge my complaint repeatedly on the forums (as feedback).

Somehow though I imagine Makeb plus 2 side story arcs should get me there.

EDIT: What I find disappointing is the lack of abundance. Somehow I thought we'd be spoilt content wise. I didn't expect Rift-levels of expansion but it does seem a bit bare hence my worry for the longterm pattern.

[Kelimbror]

I see your point and while I agree on the dailies, what about the Micro/Seeker droid quest arcs? Those aren't endgame (they start at lvl 53).

These haven't been described as side quests. They are designed as new systems, new things to do at end game.

The beauty of end game activities is that people can choose whether they want to do them or not. Seeker droids are basically a rip off of WoW's archy profession (which is completely optional). It's not required as part of the leveling process. It's just a bonus that you can supplement it with.

I'm not sure how to better show the distinction. Also, what is the point of creating a new planet for an 'expansion', if they are going to have to send you back to the old world (which required little to no additional work)? And then to charge you for that?

Edit: This would be like requiring you to get all of your datacrons and leveling professions in order to hit level 50 because the quests on there own didn't get you there. It's fine to depart from the norm and provide multiple ways to get to an end result, but it's never ok to force your players to do them anymore.

Edit Edit: I think the seeker/binocs are great for end game additional activities. It's just one more troubling thing that they couldn't even give enough quests/balance xp properly so that you can level from questing and had to resort to using new systems as part of the leveling process.

[Deleted]

1) These haven't been described as side quests. They are designed as new systems, new things to do at end game.

2) The beauty of end game activities is that people can choose whether they want to do them or not. Seeker droids are basically a rip off of WoW's archy profession (which is completely optional). It's not required as part of the leveling process. It's just a bonus that you can supplement it with.

3) I'm not sure how to better show the distinction. Also, what is the point of creating a new planet for an 'expansion', if they are going to have to send you back to the old world (which required little to no additional work)? And then to charge you for that?

Edit: This would be like requiring you to get all of your datacrons and leveling professions in order to hit level 50 because the quests on there own didn't get you there. It's fine to depart from the norm and provide multiple ways to get to an end result, but it's never ok to force your players to do them.

1) As they start at lvl 53 and not 55 I presumed that was due to them giving XP as a reward and so not strictly endgame (for me at least).

2) In TOR they will be part of the levelling process as they're level 53 quests that take over when Makeb finishes (Dulfy says Makeb takes you to lvl 53). I see your point though, it would be much better to have them solely as endgame content as lord knows TOR needs diversification (Ops, WZ's, dailies and FP's is all we have so far).

3) I actually like having to go back to old planets. It's one thing I suggested back in Beta. There is currently no reason to ever load up 70% of the planets again once you hit level 50. It's nice to include the older planets in new content imo.

I am underwhelmed by the proposed amount of content (despite enjoying the quality of what little i've tested).

[Noah37]

Is Pizza the hut going to be added in? I really enjoyed the story telling of the game, just not the group quests, haven't played in a while.

[philefluxx]

Edit Edit: I think the seeker/binocs are great for end game additional activities. It's just one more troubling thing that they couldn't even give enough quests/balance xp properly so that you can level from questing and had to resort to using new systems as part of the leveling process.

I dont even know why this is even surprising to any of you. They have already come out and admitted they had no clue that players can eat up content so fast. That alone cannot give you any hope that they can balance questing and XP caps. Furthermore, it doesnt sound like this expansion really has all that much going for it, sounds like a DLC to me. If they force you to do dailies to reach cap it will just take people that much longer which for some reason today's dev's consider leveling gates content...

---------- Post added 2013-04-05 at 10:22 AM ----------

Is Pizza the hut going to be added in? I really enjoyed the story telling of the game, just not the group quests, haven't played in a while.

LOL Im sure your trolling, but I doubt we will be seeing any Lone Star action.

[Kelimbror]

3) I actually like having to go back to old planets. It's one thing I suggested back in Beta. There is currently no reason to ever load up 70% of the planets again once you hit level 50. It's nice to include the older planets in new content imo.

Oh me too, it was part of my idea of implementing class specific dailies/weeklies. I think the binocular thing is pretty awesome idea, the seeker droid seems like a gold sink and rip off, but I haven't played it so I can only guess from the descriptions. I feel like the only reason they haven't added heavily requested things like pod/swoop racing, pazaak, etc is because they are planning out the way to make the most money out of those...probably by adding several more 'expansions'.

"Buy the new Gambler's Den Expansion! Compete with your friends in games of pazaak, put a wager down on your favorite swoop racer or gladiator, see the under world of The Old Republic like never before." (Of course by wager, they mean real money...which is what they're trying to figure out how to do.

Wager real money, win Cartel Coins!!! yAaaayy!

[Deleted]

"Buy the new Gambler's Den Expansion! Compete with your friends in games of pazaak, put a wager down on your favorite swoop racer or gladiator, see the under world of The Old Republic like never before." (Of course by wager, they mean real money...which is what they're trying to figure out how to do.

Wager real money, win Cartel Coins!!! yAaaayy!

That is incredibly cynical of you...and highly likely to 'come true' as prophecies go

[Kelimbror]

That is incredibly cynical of you...and highly likely to 'come true' as prophecies go

Dude I sure hope not. That would basically kill a piece of my soul. Normally HK is the one who makes the awful predictions that come true. But it's pretty scary that we can already envision the game with something like that in it.

I mean, you can already sorta gamble with items. All they would have to do is guarantee some form of return and give you a chance to get a higher return. In any event, they keep your real money and give you digital goods at no extra cost to themselves.

They could even add a gambler's den faction for winning bets.

The more I type this, the more real the possibility of this happening becomes. I should have never mentioned this.

*REDACTED*