Darth Hater

One more bit of feedback in the form of a request. I've yet to find a podcast that includes people like me -- players who PvP almost exclusively -- as regular hosts or guests. It'd be great to get a PvP segment or commentary since so much is devoted to PvE Flashpoints and Operations. Yeah, there are not a lot of new developments in PvP (no new WZs, few balance changes, etc.). But there is still an audience for that stuff. I would love to hear interviews with great PvPers talking about different class strategies, for example. Or gear optimization explained in basic terms. Or strategies for specific Warzones. And so on. 

I am sure new F2P players looking for a deep dive would appreciate it, along with old vets like us who have played from Day One. 

Love you guys and enjoy the podcast but this latest episode was depressing. Specifically, you guys seemed depressed. I can't blame you. The game has not lived up to its promise. And things like the new HK trailer -- which you spent a lot of time picking apart -- are evidence that the game just does not have the development and PR resources that it once had. Must be very depressing for folks like you who are among the most devoted fans and have been for literally years and who have spent so much time and energy on it to create this amazing site, podcast, database, etc. So I feel you on that and I understand. 

I would focus on the positive and hope for the best. Are you enjoying your game play experience? I am. I play for hours and hours each week, almost exclusively PvP and crafting. Are there problems? Yes, everything from UI to game balance to lack of end game content. But it all goes away when my Sorc goes flying over the firepit with the ball in Huttball for the score. It all fades from thought when my Jugg  successfully defends a healer with taunts, peels, CC and guard. Those are the good moments (among many others) and if I didn't enjoy playing the game I too would be depressed about it. 

Let us hope that the F2P transition results in cash money for Bioware/EA, an infusion of new dedicated players and, as a result of the foregoing, more development and PR resources so the game continues to grow. While some of the F2P and Cartel Market choices Bioware has made are questionable, the F2P model has worked for other aging games. Look at DDO for example. The latest content patches for that game bare witness to the success of such business models in sustaining the life of older titles and expanding them. One thing to keep in mind: it is a lot hard to take things away than to give them back. So while some of these restriction may seem a bit much, loosening them is easier than taking things away. Expect the particular decisions, prices, items and perks to be fluid as the numbers roll in. 

Anyway, that's my feedback. Again, love the podcast and appreciate all of your hard work. Look forward to the next podcast. 

You guys spent way too much time trying to tell us you're a fan site but not a fan site but press....truth is you're not a fan site.  Fan sites didn't get this info until way too late. Stop being posers.

Just as a note re: the security key (about 23mins in) see Nathan Emmott's updated comment here: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=5324114

Update: We've been getting some questions about security keys and how they will work. For starters, Free-to-Play and Preferred players cannot use NEW digital security keys. However, if you had one on your account and you decided to go to Preferred Player Status, then you can still use your digital security key. Free-to-Play players may purchase a physical security key, which will give them Preferred Player Status and the ability to use the physical security key.

Personally I think it's crazy, they should be begging everyone to have security keys, virtual or physical, because it lowers their support costs when people are logging fewer "my account got hacked" tickets.

Assuming people without security keys get hacked.

If people dont get swindled by scammers on sketchy websites, or fishy emails, then there is no need for security keys in the first place.

Its there just case there is a very convincing scam that even the skeptical would fall for, that having a security key for everyone is beneficial, and it reduces the want of scammers to get involved when there are security keys... so you have a point there, but its really at the end of the day dependant on the user.

Also there should be a law, international law, that makes it illegal to scam people, and there are organizations that set out to fine these people. That would help to make the internet more reliable, which is important considering all the money that is traded on the internet, which normally has its own special technology. But active policing is always beneficial for the banks, and their customers as well.

i don't care if TOR started as a sub game or not, they didn't succeed as a sub game, the market has changed and BW/EA just doesn't want to get on board with it.  GW2 doesn't need to charge people a monthly sub and i would argue that it has just as much (if not more) content in it as TOR does.  it might not be the type of content (no raids) you want, but it's got twice as many pvp options (more robust spvp as well) and 80 levels (as opposed to 50) worth of pve leveling content and they've just released one of the best holiday content events i've ever partaken of.  they're also on the verge (Nov 15th) of releasing even more FREE world pve content (as well as another dungeon and spvp map). 

do you know why the market has shifted away from monthly sub games?  because the majority of people have finally figured out that the sub was the biggest crock of shite in the history of online gaming!  it's a total ripoff.  these devs whine and sit around complaining that we're all content whores and they can't realistically keep up with players by providing them with monthly content updates, so give them a break.  forget that, you don't have content for me you don't get my monthly money.  i bought TOR and payed for 6 mos of sub and for what?  the biggest dev team sitting around not creating anything new for how many months?  and now i've been cut off from a game that i already bought.  they still haven't release anything new since my sub ran out, so tell me why again i'm justifiably cutoff from playing for what i already payed for? 

the people who continue to pay for this game have no respect (or concept of value) for their money. 

having said that, i'm not suggesting that TOR isn't worth a purchase, because it is.  whatever content it has needs to be assessed/charged at a fair market purchase price.  they can figure out if they want to charge (i suggest a mix of free and charged content) for future updates.  if they want to have a cash shop, more power to them.  what they're doing with this new "f2p model" is a travesty imo.

GW2 does have a cash shop, so it's not all virtue in the box purchase covering the price. I still don't know GW1 made money when it had new context with no cash shop to fuel future productions and server maintenance and such. Point is, GW2 has a cash shop and makes money the same way TOR soon will.

Your highlighting that GW2 has 80 levels to TOR's 50 feels petty. WoW has 90 levels now, does that mean it has 10 more levels of goodness over GW2? The amount of levels doesn't really matter; what matters is how easy it is to get through those levels. TOR's story makes those 50 levels go by quite enjoyably, not lasting so long that they wear out their welcome.

ANet hasn't (as of yet) charged anything extra for playing any of its content (dungeons, open world pvp, structured pvp, holiday/special events, min games, jumping puzzles and open world pve adventuring) and I get to play it for as long as the servers are up because Anet recognizes that when a customer purchases their product they have no right to cut them off from it.  The cash shop is purely cosmetic/convenience. 

Since I actually played both games with multiple level-capped characters I feel confident in stating that it is my opinion that TOR has superior class stories to GW2; however, my overall game enjoyment of the available content compared/contrasted between both products goes to GW2 because it wins in so many more categories than TOR does (for me). 

Having said that my goal wasn't to start a pissing match over the two games, but illustrate BW/EA doesn't have enough game to justify a monthly sub and have furthermore demonstrated an utter lack of desire/capability to produce on going content that would justify a monthly fee from its players.  They basically charged me $160 (box cost plus 6 mos sub) for their launch product.  Is the game worth that much cash?  Not by a long shot.  They promised to support this game for the long haul and shame on me for buying into that nonsense.  Trust me, I'll never do it again.  Such a large dev team (best in the business, right?) yet so little product to show for it.  And now they're doing some pathetic nickel and dime travesty of a "ftp model".  Nothing can hide the fact that TOR was horribly mismanaged from start to present and that a great IP with a one time great developer wasn't enough to make this game a success.  It just goes to show that there are no "sure things" or "gimmes" in this business.  Most of the gamer community is just too savvy these days.

I would say the launch product was there at launch. All the class stories were done at release, which I feel counts as the launch product, not having to wait 6 months.

i have to agree with mini games. right now i am bored out of my mind with TOR. so im not playing it right now till they add something that i can do. because of the lack of things to do has me playing SWGemu.

and to be honest if mini games were in game i wouldst be reevaluating my sub.

i think a lot of others who left i  would bet would have a lot to do with this. and its no secret.

mini games can add so much to the game by adding THings To Do. when your not raiding or running the same warzones to death. 

EA is out of touch with the TOR player base still. saying that it was the cost that pushed players away and BW saying it was the long waiting time for updates. there's a really big disconnect there.

and im feeling frustrated with the game right now. with the lack of things to do. and it seems like its all talk and no walk. they keep showing us videos of the same thing over and over again.

just very frustrated right now. sorry guys..

love the show thou.

Who ever on the cast said that minigames are not importent and they should fix other things you are 1000% WRONG ! minigames keep players around when bored, and there have been alot of bored players at endgame in swtor that left.SWTOR is a thempark hell to many of us.Minigames is fun thats it, and as long as the players are having fun they are not leaving.How you fail to understand this is beyond me.

Sry but Nightmare mode of Explosive Conflict is not something "most" players care about.

Players in the end want to have fun and not get bored.On space content i agree, not on the fail rail shooter but real space combat.