Jedi Archive
Thread: CU Opinions No Flaming Please
Rostiea wrote:
I would appreciate your serious opinions regarding the Combat Upgrade without abuse towards any of SOE etc.
Please respond following:
1) Are you satisfied with the CU? No
2) Do you think some other combat system could have been more effective? Yes somethings got to be better than this!
3) Do you agree the PRE-CU needed changing to "Move With The Times?" NO It has broken much and just needed tweaking here and there. SP could have been changed in old system, they did it for ID's etc
4) Do you have any ideas which could help SOE improve their combat system instead of causing peoples to cease their accounts? Improve customer service, but this could simply be a lack of Corespondant input. IE: I don't like that I won't say anything!
Message Edited by Rostiea on 10-07-2005 05:31 PM
1. No. Despite promises of a more tactical, fast paced combat system, what we have is tediously slow whether it's pvp or pve and all comes down to who runs out of mind first and can no longer heal. Serious bugs persist despite the fact this new system was released five months ago.
2. The old system would have been fine with the removal of "uber" weapons, some balancing, and a solution for the mindpool problem. The new system could work if the slowness problem was addressed, solution for the mindpool problem, and long term, persistent bugs squashed. (I leave the jedi problem out of this, because the fix to allow jedi to effectively solo out of sight is as simple as returning the boost in powerlevel we had against mobs approximately our own level and lower.)
3. It would have taken fewer resources to fix and balance the existing system than it has to institute the new one. It will require even more resources to fix the remaining bugs and new exploits that will occur over time as is common with any new system. Furthermore, the majority of players liked the old system minus the overpowered weapons and dots.
4. Nerfs have to stop, and all changes should be evalutated in terms of how theyaffect the fun factor. In short, if the change descreases fun, kill it before it hits live. Finally, the devs need to learn they not only cannot but should not try to control how players legitimately use the mechanics of the game. If balance changes need to be made on this basis, so be it... but be darned sure those changes go in in a matter of weeks, not months when that use is part of established play.
I agree that a change was needed, and I am actually more satisfied with post-CU than pre-CU. However, I believe such a dramatic change was unecessary.
Firstly, there was no need for the forced grouping scenario. The gameplay changes would have brought that around by itself. By forcing grouping, you don't build a solid community, you build a fragile one that can crumble as soon as everyone is done with the grind.
Secondly, there's no need for all those new icons and special effects. Just causes lag. Furthermore, the sound effects are worse.
Thirdly, why remove the combat queue ? It promoted tactics and planning, exactly what the CU was trying to do. Instead, it removed one of the only tactical aspects from the pre-CU game.
I also hate the combat level damage multiplication system. It turned SWG, a game with a unique skill system, into a generic level-based game.
The animations are also terrible.
The CU was needed, but not all the extra stuff that came with it.
Rostiea wrote:
Would you agree with the idea of making normal players vs jedi = not much of a chance? and BH vs JEDI = EQUAL.. This would mean its the whole players tactics = the winner
Here's what I would support: Legendary Masters (an upgrade path for each profession beyond Elite Master) being equal to Jedi.
If you strictly confine yourself to our current definition of "normal" players as our current grind-em-out-in-a-few-days masters, then no, any level of achievement that can be attained in a few days should be pwned easily by a Jedi. The key distinction I would make -- and read this carefully, because it is a critical point in my view -- is balance of EFFORT as well as BALANCE IN ACTUAL GAMEPLAY. I believe Jedi should be very powerful in in-game terms. Anything less is un-StarWarsy. However, a "normal" toon should havean upgrade path (something I would call a "legends" or "legendary master" track) that will in time make him the rough equal of a Jedi in combat. That upgrade path should be the equal in arduousness and power gained to the Jedi grind. So perhaps it is a misnomer to refer to these "legendary Masters" as "normal toons." They would obviously be far beyond "normal." They would only be "normal" in the sense that they would not be Jedi.
I think a "Legendary Masters" idea would satisfy the most ardent of Jedi-haters, in that it would give them a viable, well-balanced upgrade path that is NOT Jedi -- an alternative, with the satisfaction of truly earning it when the reach the level of pwning a true Jedi.