Darth Hater

This is OpsCom, where we bring you a weekly dose of Operations related content from the world of Star Wars: The Old Republic.  This column will serve as an inside scoop on new content, developer feedback, and community gossip. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and we will keep you up to date on all the news you need to stay on the cutting edge.

This week, we hear from Jesse Sky on the subject of Nightmare Explosive Conflict (Denova) and find out exactly why it is taking so long to reach players.  We also cover the Official SW:TOR podcast, which specifically focused on PvE Ops content.  Finally, we check in with the community at large to see just what has everyone fascinated.  For the full story, hit the jump.

Weekly News Round-Up 

This week, Jesse Sky comments on Nightmare difficulty coming to Explosive Conflict, ensuring players that it is a top priority for the team. 

The second episode of the Official SW:TOR Podcast went live recently, and for those that are interested in how the developers make design choices for Operations content, it is a must-listen.

The guild Methodical from The Bastion recently sat down with Jesse Sky and has an in-depth discussion about Operations.  Topics range from what the developers have learned from previous content, relative boss difficulty within the same Operation, as well as the technology involved in creating encounters.

Community Spotlight 

Vagabonds on The Harbinger are working hard to dispel the myth that an all melee Operation can't cut it, as illustrated in their kill of Warlord Kephess on Hard Mode!  A very large tip of the hat to those involved.  For the full scoop on their melee-centric strategies, as well as the rest of their kill videos, check out this thread on the official forums.

Lag has become a very hot topic since the server merges, and this has affected the performance of Operations Groups.  Anyone that does end-game content will tell you that lag can be a killer and several players are reporting some serious lag issues.  To weigh in on this topic, head over to the official forums and let your opinion be heard.

Weekly Op-Ed 

The Challenge of Operations, or Lack Thereof

Difficulty in an Operation is a very tough thing to get right, as evidenced by a constantly changing operations environment, and numerous balance patches to even things out.  If the developers over-tune content, they lock all but the most hardened players from reaching the pinnacle of content and clearing an instance for the week.  If it's under-tuned or "too easy", cries of "Casuals!" go up on the official forums, and there exists a general wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Obviously the developers intent, initially at least, is to aim somewhere in the middle; making content accessible to almost everyone, while providing a unique and often difficult challenge to the truly dedicated.

Many players will clear the hardest content in very short order, oftentimes on the day that it's released.  Naturally, these types of players are always going to be hungry for more content, and as such may feel that the developers are lagging behind with releasing the content.  However, there will always be the contingent of players who do not dedicate nearly as much time to the game, and as a result desire a more "a la carte" raiding experience that doesn't exactly sync up with the desires of a more vocal Operations community.

Personally, I am of the opinion that players will always find a niche, particularly if they are a fan of a game or series.  There will always be groups of players that lean to one side of the argument or the other, and what's really important is that one half remembers to regard the other with respect when leveling criticisms of the current state of the game.  I'm pleased with the range of challenges that have been presented to myself and my guildmates thus far, but I know that I'm not the most hardcore player on the planet, either.  In the end, games like TOR rely on a strong community, and it's up to the players to voice their opinions, albeit in a mature manner.

In this week's poll, we want to know what you think.  Do you believe the content is too easy over all?  Alternatively, do you think that the players complaining are doing too much in too short of a time period?

Poll

 Two poll questions this week: