"Ask me anything." That's a dangerous command for anyone to issue, nevermind the community manager of the hottest new MMO on the block. Yet that's just what Stephen Reid said today to the Star Wars: The Old Republic community on Reddit, and the length of questions and answers would make for a mini-novel if packaged as such.
While Reid certainly hedges on issues that BioWare is not quite ready to address, he doesn't shy away from direct answers when applicable. The compiled Reddit thread lists dozens and dozens of Q&As, including the much-asked-for guild housing ("on the list for future development"), the ability delay issue ("we'll talk about it publicly soon"), and an upgraded Galactic Trade Network ("improvements will come to the GTN in time, definitely").
In response to the request for non-mechanical (read: animal) mounts, Reid said, "Maybe -- it's a technical challenge, I've been told." He's most excited about the upcoming legacy system reveals, but he's not allowed to talk on it just yet.
Amidst the probing questions of the newly launched title is a personal query about what it's like for him to be at the helm of SWTOR community management. "What's it like?" Reid responded. "Bewildering and overwhelming and exciting and demanding, all at once, all day long (and often into the night). I had some idea what I was getting into, but it was bigger than expected. I'll stay as long as I'm wanted."
Reader Comments (38)
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 9:21PM Faction 3 said
Here's a question to ask...
Who gives a %$^&.
Who gives a %$^&.
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 9:26PM (Unverified) said
@Faction 3
The same can be said about your astoundingly witty comment.
Reply
The same can be said about your astoundingly witty comment.
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 9:44PM Faction 3 said
@Dunraven
I meant in regards to the dozen articles on this game already! I forgot to add that in...
Seriously guys, even if you're all die-hard fanboys of the game (I don't really care, either way, I play DCUO...so Im good), Im sure you're a bit tired of reading about every goddamn aspect of the game being covered in every available way...
I mean...don't you guys finally say "Yeah...we know...we play it too...."?
I did'nt mean to sound off like a creep at first...forgot to rectify the process of my thinking there...
Reply
I meant in regards to the dozen articles on this game already! I forgot to add that in...
Seriously guys, even if you're all die-hard fanboys of the game (I don't really care, either way, I play DCUO...so Im good), Im sure you're a bit tired of reading about every goddamn aspect of the game being covered in every available way...
I mean...don't you guys finally say "Yeah...we know...we play it too...."?
I did'nt mean to sound off like a creep at first...forgot to rectify the process of my thinking there...
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 9:48PM (Unverified) said
@Faction 3
That is the problem with bringing news to people. If there is news, you bring it. If all the news is from one company and the others are sitting on their laurels, what will you do, say nothing? Blame other companies for not doing enough to bring attention to themselves while BW/EA and going on a blitzkrieg trying to get SWTOR news out there as much as possible. Not massively's fault that other companies took christmas off.
Reply
That is the problem with bringing news to people. If there is news, you bring it. If all the news is from one company and the others are sitting on their laurels, what will you do, say nothing? Blame other companies for not doing enough to bring attention to themselves while BW/EA and going on a blitzkrieg trying to get SWTOR news out there as much as possible. Not massively's fault that other companies took christmas off.
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 10:08PM Faction 3 said
@(Unverified)
Well, I never looked at it this way. As much as it makes no difference, I gotta admit to backward thinking here.
Definately gotta look at it from that perspective. As much as people (like me) bitch about endless SW:TOR articles and junk, its still marketing. And lack of Marketing killed some of my favorite games (Auto Assault...how I miss you).
Reply
Well, I never looked at it this way. As much as it makes no difference, I gotta admit to backward thinking here.
Definately gotta look at it from that perspective. As much as people (like me) bitch about endless SW:TOR articles and junk, its still marketing. And lack of Marketing killed some of my favorite games (Auto Assault...how I miss you).
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 11:42PM lyons said
@Faction 3 i'll just leave this here
http://massively.joystiq.com/exclude/swtor
this was also the first ama where i actually asked something.
Reply
http://massively.joystiq.com/exclude/swtor
this was also the first ama where i actually asked something.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 12:27PM (Unverified) said
@Faction 3
"Here's a question to ask...
Who gives a %$^&. "
It got you to post, didn't it? Or were you just terrified that if you didn't post, thousands of complete strangers on this site would remain blissfully unaware of your contempt for the game?
Reply
"Here's a question to ask...
Who gives a %$^&. "
It got you to post, didn't it? Or were you just terrified that if you didn't post, thousands of complete strangers on this site would remain blissfully unaware of your contempt for the game?
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 9:48PM (Unverified) said
here's a question for the fans who have reached this far, how's that end game content goin for yeah?
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 12:50PM Space Cobra said
@KvanCetre
Agreed there.
Yes, I have seen/heard about 50's and other high-leveled characters, but if you would just go to low-level planets and then travel to the higher-level ones, especially on "Normal PvE" and "RP-PvE" servers (and I wouldn't be surprised if this were true on even PvP servers), you will see how many people are zones and the lower ones have more people than the higher ones.
Also, I have heard a few higher levels complain that there is no one to team up with....because there are not too many high level players that match them around!
So, this notion of the majority of players racing through content (on any game) is poppycock! Sure, you guys are out there, but the masses do it slower than you. And heck, I am slower than the masses, so I have that perspective you seem to be missing.
Reply
Agreed there.
Yes, I have seen/heard about 50's and other high-leveled characters, but if you would just go to low-level planets and then travel to the higher-level ones, especially on "Normal PvE" and "RP-PvE" servers (and I wouldn't be surprised if this were true on even PvP servers), you will see how many people are zones and the lower ones have more people than the higher ones.
Also, I have heard a few higher levels complain that there is no one to team up with....because there are not too many high level players that match them around!
So, this notion of the majority of players racing through content (on any game) is poppycock! Sure, you guys are out there, but the masses do it slower than you. And heck, I am slower than the masses, so I have that perspective you seem to be missing.
Posted: Dec 28th 2011 10:38PM Furdinand said
Sweet! A screen shot of a species you can't play!
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 12:58AM Alex Oglitchkin said
@Furdinand That is what expansions are for silly. Gotta keep some things up the sleeve.
Reply
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:03AM Dalano said
@(Unverified)
Yeah, we're all just dying for that next article on Smedley and his ego or Garriott and his. Or maybe one about how GW2 might possibly be having some type of beta at some point that may or may not be referred to as "soon".
Get over it. Just because you don't personally like a story doesn't mean it's not news.
Yeah, we're all just dying for that next article on Smedley and his ego or Garriott and his. Or maybe one about how GW2 might possibly be having some type of beta at some point that may or may not be referred to as "soon".
Get over it. Just because you don't personally like a story doesn't mean it's not news.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:06AM Ashane said
Better than the endless Rift articles tbh.
Though would love to see more Archeage stuff posted, but cant have everything! :)
I'll admit its getting a bit old. I wish Bioware would shut up and actually fix shit instead of endlessly talking about fixing it. Cuz they've been talking about fixing it for over a year now for some features.
Though would love to see more Archeage stuff posted, but cant have everything! :)
I'll admit its getting a bit old. I wish Bioware would shut up and actually fix shit instead of endlessly talking about fixing it. Cuz they've been talking about fixing it for over a year now for some features.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 2:58AM Celtar said
I see a lot of the usual Rabid Response Team (hereby known as RRT), chewing Faction3 and a few others up for being critical of anything SWTOR. Very very sad in my opinion. Personally I think we are reading too much and not seeing anything of merit. Smoke and mirrors, otherwise known as PR.
I want to start seeing some concrete info on improvements on a game that though while very fun is apparently half baked in many instances. I am having fun, let me say that again, I am having fun. As is my wife and one of our kids, so before you trash me realize that we've blown $150.00 for one and $80.00 x2 for two other copies. Actually not blown because as I stated I and they are having fun.
That said, the game is obviously not done, many things were dropped that they didn't have finished, the game "does" come off more like a stand alone rpg not a full fledged mmorpg. But slay me with a blunt instrument if I or any one else brings that up. The sirens scream, lights flash and the RRT goes into overdrive. Nay! they push it up to 11! Why? Because 11 is cooler then 10 of course.
So how about we send off for some beer and everyone sit down and lets talk about the stuff that is buggy, incomplete, things that would flesh out the game and make it a long term enjoyable hobby/past time. Instead of a flash in the pan could have been. Can someone call off the dogs so we can have those sorts of talks...yet?
Probably not...but I can dream.
I want to start seeing some concrete info on improvements on a game that though while very fun is apparently half baked in many instances. I am having fun, let me say that again, I am having fun. As is my wife and one of our kids, so before you trash me realize that we've blown $150.00 for one and $80.00 x2 for two other copies. Actually not blown because as I stated I and they are having fun.
That said, the game is obviously not done, many things were dropped that they didn't have finished, the game "does" come off more like a stand alone rpg not a full fledged mmorpg. But slay me with a blunt instrument if I or any one else brings that up. The sirens scream, lights flash and the RRT goes into overdrive. Nay! they push it up to 11! Why? Because 11 is cooler then 10 of course.
So how about we send off for some beer and everyone sit down and lets talk about the stuff that is buggy, incomplete, things that would flesh out the game and make it a long term enjoyable hobby/past time. Instead of a flash in the pan could have been. Can someone call off the dogs so we can have those sorts of talks...yet?
Probably not...but I can dream.
Posted: Dec 29th 2011 8:58AM hereafter said
@Celtar
To be fair, this might not be the best place for that kind of discussion. Maybe the SW:TOR subreddit or the occasional main forum post would be a constructive place, but the conversation-building aspects of Joystiq in general aren't that impressive. Even then, e-mails or bug reports are probably the better, more direct option for enacting real change.
There's a lot of room for anonymity and half-baked opinions here, so that usually inspires backlash from fans who feel feel the comments are misleading or overly opinionated.
Though to address your point about it not feeling like an mmorpg, I'm having trouble reconciling that opinion with my own experiences, which have involved a lot more grouping and multiplayer interaction than in my final year of WoW, any of my time with Rift, or the majority of my time in DCUO, CO, or STO. There's something to be said for the quests that encourage it in TOR, even if they don't fully facilitate it through automatic grouping tools.
Reply
To be fair, this might not be the best place for that kind of discussion. Maybe the SW:TOR subreddit or the occasional main forum post would be a constructive place, but the conversation-building aspects of Joystiq in general aren't that impressive. Even then, e-mails or bug reports are probably the better, more direct option for enacting real change.
There's a lot of room for anonymity and half-baked opinions here, so that usually inspires backlash from fans who feel feel the comments are misleading or overly opinionated.
Though to address your point about it not feeling like an mmorpg, I'm having trouble reconciling that opinion with my own experiences, which have involved a lot more grouping and multiplayer interaction than in my final year of WoW, any of my time with Rift, or the majority of my time in DCUO, CO, or STO. There's something to be said for the quests that encourage it in TOR, even if they don't fully facilitate it through automatic grouping tools.



