I am no longer playing SWTOR due to reaching the max level and becoming bored nearly two months into the game, but I’m still watching updates the game receives. I’m impressed by the Legacy system being implemented in the upcoming 1.2 patch.
I don’t care about my in-game “family” at all, but the concept of creating a race from the opposite side because the character is technically a descendent of a guy from the other side is neat. I also really like the idea of learning things from past characters to make future characters’ lives easier. I like alternate forms of advancement, and I like character customization. The Legacy system looks like an additional level of customization and upgrading that rewards players who continue to play through the game — a tool of re-playability that SWTOR has lacked, in my opinion.
During the video, one of the devs references abilities from other classes that other characters gain through the system. For example, a Bounty Hunter might have the ability to force choke. The dev mentions that these abilities will be “mostly fun and toys”, but then later in the video footage those abilities look usable in combat. Perhaps making one of the BH abilities look like force lightning instead of a rocket? That’s just a guess of mine for how they can implement them.
To reiterate, the Legacy system is a neat idea. I don’t know if I’m ready to resubscribe and check out SWTOR again, but these kinds of updates make the decision a little bit easier.
The abilities like Force Choke are tied into the “Heroic Moment” type abilities (the 20 minute cooldown ability that can only be used when a companion is out).
If your “Heroic Moment” ability is on cooldown you can’t use Force Choke, or Flamethrower, or whatever Legacy ability you have. If your companion isn’t out you can’t use them either. Additionally, they have their own 10 minute cooldown. I don’t know if it’s a 10 minute cooldown per ability, or just a 10 minute shared cooldown for all of them, but either way they’ll be restricted in use.
Otherwise though, I believe they function exactly as the root ability does.
It sounds like a decent system.
Unfortunately it’s one I’ll never see. Even if I went back to TOR my highest character (Shadow) fizzled out at the end of Chapter 1 of his story-arc. I tried getting into the stories/gameplay of the other classes and none made it past Taris.
As much as getting buffs to follow-up characters sounds wonderful, I can’t even bring myself to get through one character in the game.
@Warsyde: Ah, that cooldown sounds unfortunate. I hope they can manage implementing these abilities without being hindered so harshly by PvP balance. I think that’s a huge issue that ruins a lot of ‘awesome’ ideas in a game like this; worrying about PvP balance vs. worrying about making a game fun.
@Illy: I hear you. It was tough pushing to the max level. I’ll probably write something on that here soon about how SWTOR is not at all designed for the player who wants to reach end-game.
@Keen: Remember, the Heroic Moment CDs require a companion to be out. A Bounty Hunter will be able to Force Choke people while questing and such, but not in warfronts or operations. Pretty elegant system, in my opinion. 🙂 The abilities will be fun and useful, but they won’t affect balance in a significant way.
@Keen: Whoops, misunderstood. Nevermind that clarification. 😉
Heroic Moment†type abilities sound like a similar mechanic to GW2 down ability sets, only more simplistic.
Im still playing 3+ months later. I still enjoy the leveling system greatly which is odd becuase for 13+ years in MMO’s ive been never been an altoholic. I will have finished my 3rd level 50 sometime next week and have started on my Sentinel 2 days ago. I have 1 every class (minus the Sent) above level 25 currently and I jsut pretty much rotate playing them in Warzones because WZ’s under level 50 are fun as hell.
The Legacy system is truly going to be awesome. I’ve never been an altaholic but I will absolutely be playing alts even if it’s just so I can get the benefits of that classes buff with my own. Yes, as you complete 1 class story, that classes buff becomes available as an addition to your own for all your other characters. The fun “PvE Only” abilities will be great too but personally, I can’t wait to make a Sith Pureblood Jedi Knight and go full dark side with him. How epic is that?
Also in 1.2 is Sprint from lvl 1, Massive improvements to the viability of non Biochem tradeskills, a massive reworking of the Galactic Trade network, ranked warzones, almost all gear will have extractable mods, Guild Banks, faster travel back to your ship, a whole new Warzone, an entire new Operation, and another Flashpoint! And that’s just the highlights. The full patch notes can be found here: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=363056
[…] over at Keen & Graev (I seriously can’t get enough of these dudes), they talk about Patch 1.2 for SW:TOR! (Go go […]
Nice to see Bioware employees visit this blog. 🙂
The Massively thread about this was highly entertaining, and also had some good points in between the rage/crying/flaming (such as why would you want to play the same class you just got to 50 with a different race skin, especially since the story does not change in any way to ‘notice’ your new skin?)
@SynCaine: What do you mean play the same class you just got to 50? You get a couple abilities from a previous class to enhance a different one. Example: A bounty hunter with some force lightning.
It’s a neat way to enhance the customization and replayability of a game that currently has little replayability and customization.
I’m still playing SW:TOR, and the whole legacy sounds like a HUGE money sink first.
I like what I have seen. I’m into SWTOR for years, so the short term rush to max level stuff doesn’t interest me at all. I like to play a Chapter at a time on whatever character I feel like. It’s nice having this stuff build up around you when you take your time.
@Werit: That’s really the way SWTOR should be played. The biggest enemy this game has is itself. By creating end-game content and putting a great deal of focus on the max level the whole feel of the game is lost when players rush through.
If Graev and I ever do end up going back to SWTOR, we’re going to go very, very slow.
I really 100% agree with how folks are talking about playing TOR…I was early access and am a mmog vet but I got 2 lvl 32’s at the moment and 4 just through their ship.
This is not a game to pound and drive through. If WoW or Rift are 6pks of Bud TOR is is a 750 of Chimay. I enjoy slow sips.
I think you’re right Keen that TOR was designed this way as well. Bioware has their own business model. It’s a half court game before the shot clot.
I agree that TOR is best played through slowly and alting it up. The endgame isn’t the strongest suite.
It begs the question though… why not just make it like Mass Effect 3 with a co-op function? Was there a need to MMOize this game at all? What was the point? To charge a subscription?
I agree. SWTOR should never have been a MMO. This should have been strictly a multiplayer Bioware RPG.
@Keen: It should’ve been, but instead we have the 1st “Premium” rpg…It’s like HBO but w/o the nudity.
Whatever. So long as there’s no cash shop I’ll keep playing it. And btw, did you see the leaked screenies from GW2’s shop? Loot chest keys? Ouch. Talk about going to the dark side.
I haven’t seen the loot chest keys. I don’t even know what they would do. Any explanation?
I think I’d like SWTOR under a free-to-play model.
I like the game, but not enough to justify a subscription. I get tired of playing Bioware RPGs after a while. I’ve spent the last 6 months playing through ME2 and I’ve been going through DA:O for over a year.
@ Keen: re loot keys: http://imgur.com/a/yOKsM
yeah, i don’t know if these shots are for real, they could be totally fake. But the mystic keys is what stopped me in my tracks.
Still pulling for GW2 but greed…sheesh, doesn’t greed just muck everything up?
Aren’t you guys getting too ahead of yourselves in judging this MMO? You should never expect a lot of endgame content in MMO’s that just came out, and evidently you shouldn’t need much endgame content yet in this game judging from how much well done content there is before you even hit max level. Voiced characters, unique stories, companions, plentiful and realistic 2-4 man heroics that aren’t always found in an instance mode, well thought out/elaborate quests that have meaning, an interesting/unique crafting system, your own ship, a decent mini-game used with your ship. Imagine, how much this game could improve in every aspect considering their obviously strong foundation to start off? Look at how WoW, in over 7 years it doesn’t even measure up to this game in terms of the leveling quality/meaning(not even close), action effects(from using abilities), a strong story, and soforth. My point being, you need to give this game time to fully develope in terms of endgame to see it’s full potential.