Reposted from another forum:

I don't know if anyone still plays SWG around here. I've kept my account for the space expansion, I love the weekly dogfights and Deep Space patrols. However currently SOE is trying to break their own records in terms of mis-managing a game.

-In (April?) they introduced a new Combat Upgrade (CU) that revamped a number of classes and skills and changed the way combat worked. Still basically the same game, but a new format for skills and graphics. The CU was widly unpopular, with massive petitions and account cancelations. Several classes like Bio-Engineers, Creature Handlers, Jedi, etc. were completely changed.

Post-CU were weeks and weeks of patches and fixes, plus the continued class balancing. Some bugs were introduced (here's where you can tell I'm a spacer) that had nothing to do with the ground based CU and still haven't been fixed.

I don't know solid numbers, but based on the friends in game I lost the cancelled accounts due to the CU were significant.

-Since the CU several major changes have occured for professions like Creature Handlers and Squad Leaders.

- The third expansion Trials of Obi-Wan, a generally agreed bad-joke marketing plan, was just released a week or so back, and contained items and quests for classes like, you guessed it, Creature Handlers.

- On November 15th-ish they plan to roll out the "New Game Experience." Essentially revamping the entire game, the NGE removes several classes from existance (Creature Handler and Squad Leader, anyone?) and introduces an FPS-style, although very watered down and not really FPS, to the ground game.

Since most of us played EQ, EQ2, Planetside, etc. I thought it was worth pointing this out, if you're missing the news. Everyone's favorite game publisher (and now, copyright breaker via DRM) has pulled what I think is one of the most unethical moves possible, and I survived the Luclin crap-rollout.

Basically they've built up an expansion, sold pre-orders, then announced a new revamp that removes professions who benefit from the expansion after the launch of the expansion. Professions are being slimmed into nine or so main categories now, I can't find the link at the moment. No more Creature Handler, Bio-Engineer, Squad Leader, etc.

Not only that, but there's a sense that the SWG dev teams don't even communicate - why revamp several professions you're about to remove? The NGE took time to code, they didn't write it last week.

Really makes you wonder what these companies think they're doing, and how much they're able to get away with from their customers.

I have read from several sources (Devs to players that attended a convention with the devs) about the new changes to SWG. I think the ideas, if they are implemented the way I read will make the game a much better game than the game I played last year was. Bascially the way the game was, once you played for a month, you were done. To become a Jedi, all you had to do was set up a bunch of macros to do the work for you, no one actually went through the whole process (which without macroing would take 8 hours a day, for 6 months in a great exp spot) to become a Jedi. Now there's actual character advancement, and it takes the reliance solely on medic buffs out of the equation.

It gives them the ability to actually balance the game, which wasn't possible when anyone could do anything and everything, respec, get things from 5 differant trees, etc.

After reading the changes they are going to implement, a friend and I actually considered resubscribing for a month to check it out. It looks interesting at least, and I doubt it will cost SOE any of the fanbois that are still actually playing the game. It may draw some people back in for a month or more if the changes are implemented properly. I think it's great they are willing to look at what has been faulty with the game since release, and are willing to take a risk to make the game better.

It isn't so much the changes, it's the way they're being put in. Why put so much effort into fixing existing professions a few weeks before removing them completely? Or adding new items to an expansion to benefit professions - again weeks - before removing them? That simply doesn't make sense.

In my book that's waaay bad customer relations - build up an expansion then pull the things advertised for it. Rumor is SWG is being slimmed down for the PS3, and there's some decent evidence for that. Really bad CR to keep us, and I think half their dev team, completely in the dark.

from the numbers put out by SoE, the classes they've removed made up a grand total of 1% of the total SWG population. So, I think making changes for the better good, to the detriment of 1% of the population, isn't that bad of a change. Especially when it could enhance the longterm viability of the game.

maybe someone with half brain finally was able to gain some influnce enough to push for changes to fix what was a pretty weak game in the first place. something had to happen if they convinced the bean counters that run SOE these days that putting an expansion on the sacrifical alter is actually a good move.
I only played for about 5-6 weeks over a year ago. there was alot of things i liked about the game but it was apparent right off it needed some radical tweaking if it was be around for the long term.
Maybe i'll fireup an all access pass and check out the changes now if it a much better balanced game.

Those numbers, I firmly believe, are marketing values. There was another post by SOE about a month or so back which ranked Creature Handler several of the destroyed professions much higher in terms of numbers playing them. It's all funny numbers anyway since the only ones who know the truth would be SOE, and they can call it whatever they want.

Again though, my issue isn't the change, it's how it's being done. Same question: Why put hundreds of hours of manpower into fixing classes weeks before removing them? Or advertise items in an expansion released some 15 days before those items are useless? Something there doesn't add up, and this is becoming typical of SOE's business practices.

I heard they were "dumbing up" the combat inorder to prepare it for it's PS3 release.

Fandros
aka Blaest....former MBH/MR...

Fandros

Sadly in my personal opinion making sweeping changes like this while some might view as necessary don't always do the game good. In all honesty when they made the huge changes in EQ2 it made me just not enjoy the game much anymore. I suspect many people feel the same way in SWG. In fact, I am in the process of cutting ties with EQ2 and moving over to WoW. My guild has been given notice to find a new GL, the game is just not fun anymore.

I can understand the need to fix the problems, I just don't understand some of the choices that are made along the way.

Fil!! Traitor! lol errr that's what you told me heh


Fandros

Awww gawd I know :(

I'm just tired of SoE and all the wierd changes. I accomplished my goals, I'm done now :) Time for something new, and maybe now I can give WoW the fair shake I couldn't when I was hung up on EQ2, at least until Vanguard comes out.

/nods I went the way of WoW for a bit. But it paled on me, likely due to lack of guild interaction.

I'm now hoping for beta for 3 games....Vanguard, DDO and Pirates of the Burning sea....arrrghhhh

Fandros

So you gave up on WoW too then? Maybe I need to just stop playing games :o I am not as worried about guild interaction, I've had my fill for quite some time as a GL lol. I'm ready to not listen to people whine about everything and just have fun :)

I wouldn't pin any hopes on DDO, Fandros.

I'm not really San, IGN is too damn involved and that's sour imho.

But, I would like to take a look at what there is to offer there.

You have anything specific that rings badly to ya?

Fandros

I found it amazingly boring and tedious in just about every possible way. There seriously was almost nothing enjoyable about it. I played alpha for a few weeks on and off, and then a couple more times after each major patch. It's not getting any better.

Dodging bolt spells is kinda cool though.

ugh ;(

I know they opened up the Beta last week. But of course the NDA is keeping folks from talking about it.

Fandros

What exactly was tedious San? Quests, combat? What was it like?

I really shouldn't get into details. I don't much care if they axe my account at this point, but I did agree to an NDA.

Understood San, nudge nudge wink wink. ;P

Hell there are something like 200K folks signed up for Beta I read somewhere. It's unlikely I'll get in anyways.

Fandros

Awwww :(