Darth Hater

Since we're talking about environments, the reused environments even in the base space missions bugged me from time to time. Sometimes they didn't even match how the lore planets looked since each tier reuses the same planet for each side. Makem Te Assault for example, the world in lore has a massive graveyard across one continent(the famed Tracts of Makem Te) that from space looks like ice caps. No sign of the Tracts on the planet in-game at all. Javaal Fleet Action, icy asteroids in space and a green world below, when in lore Javaal is an ice ball planet in the Brentaal system. Just 2 examples I can think of off the top of my head.

I do wish they'd have an art guy model out a dozen new planetary backdrops during an afternoon, and correct some of the world backdrops to match their lore appearance.

Each of the new space mission dailies correspond to a day of the week. For example, Lorta Escort reads in its mission text: "Repeatable: Weekly on Friday"

Interesting, no?

It is because they reward BH comms, so it is weekly to prevent easy farming, while providing steady income each day, not just burst income every tuesday.

I too have always been fond of the Space missions in SWTOR. My Main's Ship is maxed out (Pre-1.6 that is) I have a full Imp Pilot suit, and I've used space missions as a way to level up alts. They're nice distractions, but they have a number of weaknesses: they're single player only, they're more a tacked-on distraction than a full gameplay aspect, they're repetitive and use the same environments, they require grinding, and they test gear more than they do any form of skill.

While I'm fond of space missions, this patch emphasizes the worst parts of space missions. I just tried these missions with my tier-6 equipped ship, and got annihilated. I came to DH to see if I was crazy, but no - apparently I'm not.

I see the following issues with these missions.

1. They skip Tier 6 missions - Up til now the hardest mission have been Tier 5. All these missions are Tier 7 missions, which means there's no progression which utilizes Tier 6 (which is a crafted Tier), which feeds into the next issue.

2. Tier 6 isn't even feasible to start with Tier 7 missions - As a result, you need to get the new gear to run the new missions. The catch is the new gear is so expensive that you need to grind the hell out of the OLD missions to earn the comms. This means that half of why you'd run the new missions (new stuff) can't be obtained by running new missions. Which feeds into my third issue.

3. Rehashing the same old stuff - So I need to re-run the same missions I've run a dozens of times in the past, yet dozens more times again, just to get the gear. Only to then get tier 7 gear to run the SAME MAPS AGAIN with new flight paths. There's ONE new map, and I don't even have access to that apparently. So all this repetitive grinding, all in the hopes that I'll reach a new map. For, what? Black Hole comms that I can get a dozen other different ways?

In summary - I find this to be an expansion that weakens an already weak gameplay aspect - Grinding is not enjoyable progression and space missions have always been a weakpoint for SWTOR. Being the first update to expand on this, it's a travesty to see that they decided to not take any sort of initiative with making even simple expansions on gameplay to address the numerous issues it has. I'm hoping these missions undergo numerous changes before this patch goes live.

Are these missions impossible without grade 7 gear? I suppose that could be the case for some, seeing as I haven't had the chance to run them all, but it seems unlikely.

I completed Far Cradle strike with nothing but pre-1.6 gear -- crafted purples and a proton torpedo tube. The initial mission awarded 20 fleet comms and the daily awarded 40 fleet comms, 2 BH comms and 5 daily comms. It took me 5 attempts before I managed all my objectives before jump to hyperspace.

Vistaer, you should be rejoicing at this expansion. It takes everything that was good about space combat -- managing health vs. objectives -- and makes it better. In previous space combat, you didn't even have to worry much about enemy fighters or when you were and weren't using your turbolasers except maybe if you haven't geared your ship. In these missions, you have to do all the things you had to do before, but with near-perfection, which is exactly what I would hope for from a heroic mission.

And yes, the set-pieces are similar, but these all look fresh to me. Since it seems like these can be done with existing gear (and I wasn't even using EMP, warfare pod, or power converter, which could definitely help with both objectives and burst damage mitigation), you don't have to rerun/rehash a damn thing.

This is not the travesty you're looking for.

Hi Vistaer, I have the following points to offer...

Quote from vistaer »

I see the following issues with these missions.

>>1. They skip Tier 6 missions - Up til now the hardest mission have been Tier 5. All these missions are Tier 7 missions, which means there's no progression which utilizes Tier 6 (which is a crafted Tier), which feeds into the next issue.<<

Tiers 2 and 4 are skipped as well. The first three missions are listed as 'any,' meaning even without parts. Then you have missions suggesting tier 1 gear, then up to tier 3, and then tier 5. All 'even number' tiers, which are crafted by cybertechs (except for one piece that is a quest reward-- the beam charger for tiers 2 and 4, and the generator for tier 6) are skipped.

>>2. Tier 6 isn't even feasible to start with Tier 7 missions - As a result, you need to get the new gear to run the new missions. The catch is the new gear is so expensive that you need to grind the hell out of the OLD missions to earn the comms. This means that half of why you'd run the new missions (new stuff) can't be obtained by running new missions. Which feeds into my third issue.<<

I don't have the patience to crunch numbers, but I can say that the first three space missions on getting your ship, are nearly impossible without tier 1 gear, even though they're supposedly doable without gear. I finished the very first escort mission with no gear once, but it was hard as heck. I've never finished the first space station assault without tier 1, ,or the third mission that doesn't say you should have it (sorry, I"m half awake, I can't pull the mission names off the top of my head, especially since they differ for pub and imp).

The high costs of tier 7, if they are that high, I won't argue against. I definitely don't have enough comms for all of those, and I like doing space combat.

well from what i found there's only 2 that are schematics.

"missiles and the deflector shield selling at 700 fleet comms.

the others are just the parts....

laser cannons ---- 500 Fleet comms

durasteel armor ---- 500 Fleet comms

Beam Generator  ----  500 Fleet comms

that's all i got so far.. lol

As a fan of the space missions, I too would like to know if the new parts are schems or parts them selves.  With the new droid schems requiring end game ops mats, I wouldnt be suprised if the ship parts are also schems and require these components as well, making the grind for comms to get the schems and then the mats excessively long.  Although,  my cybertec could possible make some credits from this venture too.

Thanks Sado! :)

The schematics are for cyber tech crafters?

Are they purchased with daily comms/ space comms? Or are they drops?

There's also one on the regular space vendor.

awesome .. now i can't remember the new ship upgrades are they schematics ? or the part?

i hate the idea of having to grind over 2k comms for all my alts ships.

Hopefully schematics give all the necessary items, and the comms are just for rare rewards. Also why would you want to do the same missions for alt ships? Just to have it equiped? Or you want to do the dailies on them?