Weekly Dev Q&A for Fridays

[Sjofn]

I hope so. <3

[Evildrider]

Although we’re certainly willing to entertain the idea of cross-server LFG tools if the need arises, it’s a last resort for us. We firmly believe for cooperative play it is important to have a community and social responsibility that you simply can’t have with players appearing and disappearing from your reality. Instead we are pushing hard on servers that are massive compared to the ones we launched with.

SIGH

I mean, whatever on the server mergers that aren't REALLY server mergers oh god don't say they're server merges, but unless they're merging the servers into ONE BIG SERVER, this is the WRONG FUCKING ANSWER.

It really depends on how big these server caps are.  I bet they are just gonna say fuck it about instances and let as many ppl on the servers as possible and instance the shit out of the fleet and planets like they did at launch.

[Sjofn]

WoW's dungeon finder didn't become 100% wicked sweet awesome (from a group building standpoint, of course) until it branched out of its battlegroups if I remember right, and I feel pretty secure in saying the battlegroups WoW was working with had bigger populations than whatever servers pop they're going for on the new merges, so ... I dunno. Maybe you're right. But I am pretty well certain that the populations - even on freshly merged servers - are not going to be big enough for their LFG thing.

It's better than nothing, of course, and will probably be ooookay for level 50 stuff (although probably shitty for DPSers as usual? Who knows). But being all "derp derp cross server is a LAST RESORT" is making a big mistake imo.

[Evildrider]

WoW's dungeon finder didn't become 100% wicked sweet awesome (from a group building standpoint, of course) until it branched out of its battlegroups if I remember right, and I feel pretty secure in saying the battlegroups WoW was working with had bigger populations than whatever servers pop they're going for on the new merges, so ... I dunno. Maybe you're right. But I am pretty well certain that the populations - even on freshly merged servers - are not going to be big enough for their LFG thing.

It's better than nothing, of course, and will probably be ooookay for level 50 stuff (although probably shitty for DPSers as usual? Who knows). But being all "derp derp cross server is a LAST RESORT" is making a big mistake imo.

I am all for them holding off cross server as much as possible. 

[Ingmar]

Missed the last couple, here's last Friday's:

http://www.swtor.com/blog/community-qa-june-15th-2012

Most interesting thing to me was this bit about debuff stacking:

VexedLucifer: How do armor debuffs work? Do they allow for more damage from other players besides the one who put the debuff on the target? If two characters of the same class put an armor debuff on do they both allow for more damage or does only one take effect while calculating damage? For example, would a raid do more damage to a boss if it had 3 unique armor debuffs opposed to no armor debuffs?

Austin: Game Update 1.3 introduces a new system to regulate the stacking of buffs and debuffs, such that only the highest of any same-effect applies. There are some exceptions to this, but by and large (and in the case of armor reduction), only the highest of any same-effect will apply. You will still benefit from the presence of your own debuff (for example, your 5 stacks of Armor Reduction will enable your Guardian Slash to strike nearby enemies), but only the biggest debuff will affect the target's stats. And yes, armor debuffs do benefit all attackers.

[Minvaren]

Another Q&A is up.  Pretty short, but hey...

Fireblazer: Any chance we will be able to get extra character slots for a server in the future. Maybe as part of the legacy system?

Daniel Erickson (Lead Game Designer): There will definitely be more slots appearing in the near future. Stay tuned for details.

 

[Ingmar]

This week's is up:

http://www.swtor.com/blog/community-qa-june-29th-2012

Nothing too exciting this time around. Chat bubbles are coming at some point, the RPers will be happy.

[Lantyssa]

I was going to chastise you for placing chat bubbles over companion color customization, but then I realized why that one doesn't excite you.

[Ingmar]

I just mentioned the chat bubbles first because we already knew companion color matching was coming. BUT HA HA LAUGH AT THE DISABLED.

[Sjofn]

[Lantyssa]

<sisfist>

[Sjofn]

 

[Lucas]

As a roleplayer, I'm very happy about the chat bubbles; now please give me more sit-able chairs, pazaak and I'll gladly play your game forever (I know, I know: priorities! :P)

[Ingmar]

The one from Friday the 13th, that I missed due to in-laws.

http://www.swtor.com/blog/community-qa-july-13th-2012

Talius-LH: Is there any plan in place for either re-implementing the removed codex entries and titles or removing them entirely from the codex?

Damion: The codex will get a clean-up pass in the not-too-distant future, and at that time, we'll be either removing the entries that are no longer obtainable or re-enabling some those removed entries if it makes sense to do so.

Hooray, the lingering stuff in there makes it hard to use the codex as to-do checklist for achievement stuff, glad to see they're cleaning it up. (I still think they need to bring back the General title for JKs...)

[Ingmar]

Friday's QA from last week was delayed to today:

http://www.swtor.com/blog/community-qa-july-23rd-2012

Nothing too super thrilling in there this time around.

[Rokal]

Maybe some of the more experienced people on here will know: is there currently a way to get purple color crystals without being lvl 50 (and buying the pvp one) or buying the crystals that were sold pre-1.2 via the AH? Torhead has a ton of low-mid level crystals listed, but it's not clear if they were ever actually accessible in the game.

Edit: I guess the Q&A you just posted mentioned that there are no plans to make them craftable, so that answers my question.

[Ingmar]

I don't know of any low-level purple/cyan crystals that are actually in game, no.

[Lantyssa]

The low level purple ones were only around in beta.  The times I shouted at my character to "grab his lightsaber" for the purple crystal were innumerable.  I'd have used it even if it was statless.

[Amaron]

The only purple crystal you can craft is the pvp one.   There were some 47 ones on the vendor at one point I think but that's it for below 50.

[koro]

I think it's still possible for some low-level world bosses to drop cyan crystals, but since nobody ever kills them...

[Ingmar]

They seem to get dropped fairly regularly on Ebon Hawk from what I've seen. (Er, the bosses, not crystals.)