3281

I think they reset the characters? However, baring anything else, I’ll join you on that server

3282

They reset ones from beta weekends prior to 11th-13th November, but not those ones, was my understanding; also long-term players will share the beta, although I dunno if Nigut Road is open during non-weekends. I never saw high level characters.

There’s also some “high level characters” testing where they give people 40+ characters to test later content, but I’m not really interested in that and it’s not clear if anyone other than long term testers have had access to it.

3283

Just to lazy to search for it, is there any casual Euro-friendly Qt3 guild?

3284

Both our guilds are set to launch on NA-West servers.

3285

It’s not. Per Georg Zoeller, Bio’s principal combat systems guy,

Ultimately we don’t do hybrid roles. You can do them (by mixing different skill trees), but by design, all our classes are meant to be fully capable in the roles they fill. The ‘hybrid’ tax would be the fact that you won’t be able to get the top tier talents in one skill tree if you spread yourself too thin into others.

At high level, all roles have the same capabilities, in our game all healers are ‘main healers’ provided they are specced accordingly, etc.

Common Questions

So, what’s the point of playing an AC that has only DPS options available?

That is a question you have to answer for yourself.

In a traditional fantasy MMO, if you play a thief or a wizard, you’re locked to one role as well, so it’s the added role flexibility that SWTOR brings to the table that is giving you second thoughts. I would look at it like this:

[ul]
[li]If you really like the flexibility of non DPS roles and feel comfortable with taking on other roles, you might want to play an AC that has that option available.[/li]> [li]If you know you only enjoy DPS roles in a game (and based on our research, a sizable faction of players falls under that umbrella), a DPS only AC means you will get a three different styles of dps gameplay to select from.[/li]> [/ul]

So why do we do this? Why not go for a ‘this Advanced Class only can DPS and therefore they are the best at it’ approach?

[ul]
[li]Because we want people to pick the class they want to play and reduce the likelihood of them getting told ‘sorry, can’t participate in this group because we want only the best DPS in game - that is a Gunslinger’.[/li]> [li]Likewise, we don’t want the fact that a specific tank or healer AC is not available at a time from becoming a stopping point for getting on with your group content.[/li]> [/ul]
The truth is, not everyone is comfortable playing every role and shouldn’t be expected to.

Q: Since I can only fill a DPS role, I should do the absolute best damage in the game!
A: Not in SWTOR. We give you get more variety in your DPS gameplay. We maintain balance between all ACs that can fill a role.

Q: What ever happened to being 5% better thing for pure DPS classes?
A: Given class utility and other considerations of why you might want to have someone in your group, 5% is not considered ‘significant’ for the purpose of this conversation.
There’s actually more at the original post – official forum thread 9672671 – but I can’t link yet.

3286

That’s really fascinating stuff. I’m still debating between Gunslinger and Guardian (full DPS build), but I may choose Guardian just for the flexibility of being able to DPS most of the time but respec to a tanking build if my group is absolutely desperate.

That said, I spent 5+ years playing a Rogue in WoW, so part of me really wants to play a ranged DPS class just to try something new.

3287

Also, here’s a link to the thread in question:

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=9672671

3288

Both are the same classes I’m the most interested in here. Though I found the cover system in the beta so surprisingly entertaining aside from the times it bugged out on Coruscant whining that I couldn’t see enemies I obviously had line of sight to that I’m pretty sure I’ll be starting as a Gunslinger upon release.

Energy management on a smuggler where burning through it all kills its regen rate and natural cover actually blocking entire shots from the enemy is just a really interesting setup. Then you have portable cover that still grants ranged defense in the form of dodging shots, etc. but no actual blocking of fire like rocks and crates do. Really makes you think about where you should be setting up or if you should be popping out of cover to exploit some of the skills you can pick up and then go duck in somewhere else.

3289

FYI, they got rid of portable cover for Operatives/Scoundrels with this build. You can now kneel, which grants you access to the skills that you can only use “behind cover” but kneeling doesn’t convey any defensive benefits. I’ve read complaint threads where people are saying there’s no natural cover in certain flashpoints and bemoaning the fact that they’re just kneeling down in the middle of nowhere to heal, and they’re feeling too vulnerable. No idea whether that complaint holds any water, though.

Gunfighters/Snipers are still good to go with respect to portable cover, from what I read.

3290

Well there’s always Vanguard…

I’d suggest considering Commando, though. In a pinch, a companion can tank. A companion can NOT main heal.

3291

boggle

I’ll grant you it was one of those things that, when I first saw it, made me think “Really? Is that Star Warsy?” But they’ve surely built in-game terrain around it existing, and besides which, aren’t there talent abilities based on it?

3292

Re: Vanguard - I thought about it, but I’m not really interested in the Trooper class. From a storyline perspective, I’d rather be a Smuggler or a Jedi.

Re: healing in a pinch - I have zero desire to ever play a healing class. DPS is my preference, but I could tolerate tanking if I absolutely had to. Healing is right out.

3293

Well, its not a QT3 guild, but I’m Euro and in one, and we are looking for more :)
http://exterminatus.eu - This is a SITH PVP guild though.

Re. Security Questions

I’ve started (as someone else also did) to just save them encrypted with my password (using Keepass.info). But I decided that instead of them being real answers, since I am saving them anyway, I might as well make up bullshit answers to anything. That way, your ‘security password’ will be impossible to guess, unlike “What is the name of your Dog” and all that.

Was worried they were talking about ‘Vanguard’:The Game for a while there.

3294

See, I wish I’d thought of that before I renamed my dog 5B871E47F99D26CB65C96.

3295

Hmm, I knew they had added the ability to crouch anywhere so you could use your cover-only abilities whenever you wanted and adjust the hotbar but I had thought portable cover was still in.

I guess I’ll see for myself tomorrow.

3296

I saw someone using that little shield cover thing earlier today.

…
As for passwords, What is your dog’s name is perfectly secure if you don’t have your pet plastered all over facebook.
-grin-

3297

Well, what I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t matter how security concious you are, if your family/friends are not. (well, it matters, except they can negate some of your efforts through their ‘sharing’).

3298

Application sent to both, username Morrolan.

3299

Ok that is given, which is why I am thankful I currently only have one friend that could out me in any degree on facebook.

…
Beta just had a new patch, it is the eve of the stress test and all was quiet in the woods.

3300

Downloaded the new patch… and I am a bit worried for launch. seeing as, when I downloaded the full beta I had 2-10MB/s speed, and wasn’t downloading along with many others (I’d expect, since I used the link before I got an email). But with this patch, I’m downloading at only 500KiB/s.

I hope we’re able to use most of the files for Retail launch, so we do not have to re-download everything, or even worse, install from DVD-media and then patch 10+GB.