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 in OpsCom, we’ll check in on a discussion of the craftable loot distribution in 8-man groups versus their 16-man counterparts — is one more profitable than the other? Also, we’ll look at one player’s plea to the developers to make a Hard Mode version of every flashpoint and for current Hard Modes to have a Nightmare Mode. We’ll also take a look at a continuing and ever-present issue for many: Operations lag. For these stories, the weekly Community Spotlight and more, hit the jump.
Weekly News Round-Up
Over on the official forums, User dakisback brought up the issue of one 16-man group completing Explosive Conflict versus two 8-man groups completing the same Operation, and discusses which comes out on top as far as craftable loot is concerned. For the full scoop, take a look at their thread on the official forums.
In a bid that most players are likely to agree with, User magi_melcior made a post calling for all current Flashpoints to have a Hard Mode implemented, and for all existing Hard Mode Flashpoints to have a Nightmare Mode difficulty added. To weigh in with your opinion, pop over and have a look.
In the continuing battle against lag, we are seeing more and more reports of this actually halting operations. Speaking from experience, I can say that my guild has come close to calling it a night a few times. What is Bioware doing to address this issue? Murder_Toys made a post on the official forums, head on over and weigh in with your opinion.
Community Spotlight
In this week’s Community Spotlight, we’re taking a look at the Imperial guild Pak’Cafan on the Canderous Ordo server.
Starting as a guild in Everquest way back in 1999, Pak’Cafan is a guild focused on Honor, Respect and Family. With such a strong devotion to these core values, it’s no wonder that they’re doing so well. The next time that you’re on Cand-O, pop on over to the fleet and congratulate these folks for being in this week’s Community Spotlight.
Are you interested in having your guild featured here? Send us an email at (darth@darthhater.com) and give us a general run down. Submissions should include Guild Name, Faction, Server and how far your guild has progressed. Bonus points for a YouTube video of any boss kills that we can feature in this section.
Op-Ed: The Ebb and Flow of Subscriptions
In what many players will recognize as a tradition in any MMO, there always comes a lull before new content. Many guilds have already cleared Hard Mode Explosive Conflict and are presently gearing out alts, or they’re attempting to bolster their roster with new players and gearing them up. With fall approaching, it’s a dangerous time for many guilds, as they will likely lose some players with the advent of new games or new content for old favorites. The coming weeks will see the release of Guild Wars 2, a new expansion pack for World of Warcraft, and a slew of other games arriving on the scene.
So, what’s a leader to do in order to keep his guildmates faithful to this scene? In all honesty, there isn’t much that you personally can do. It isn’t the first time that folks have been tempted away from a game with the promise of greener if not more familiar pastures, and it certainly won’t be the last. However, those who truly enjoy the game will stick it out, and in the months following the release of these shiny new things, The Old Republic will have seen it’s share of updates. We’ll feel the exultation of multiple wipes, expensive repair bills, and the general stress that comes with learning new content.
In the end, it’s usually quite easy to tell who’s in it for the long haul and to adjust accordingly. Personally, I prefer to have people stick it out, through the lull as well as through the wipes, but I never harbor ill will or hard feelings towards people who have moved on to different things. At the end of the day, there will always be the stalwart guildies that you can count on to be there no matter what, and those are the kinds of folks that keep me playing.
Comments