Patch 1.2 is all but here.
Around this time tomorrow…
…The servers will all be down and Patch 1.2 will be there in all its glory the next time we log in. As we all know, Patch 1.2 will be bringing vast improvements to the Legacy System (which is currently just an experience bar), a new Warzone, Flashpoint and Operation. There is also User Interface Customization, Crew Skills changes, Companion, Mission and General Bug Fixes. One thing that is not coming though, is Ranked Warzones.
What? No Ranked Warzones?
That’s right, Bioware announced that they are pulling the Ranked System Pre-Season from Patch 1.2 a matter of hours before the maintenance is supposed to start. This is a move that many would call brave at the very least. Personally I think it is stupid. I’m not saying pulling the System from the patch is stupid, but the way this was handled was not acceptable in any fashion or form. I am a big supporter of SW:TOR (and Bioware in general for that matter), but even I am starting to think that this was a bit of a botch job. Without sounding too much like a forum whiner (hopefully), I shall tell you why…
Pulling the Ranked System.
I am fine with this. Actually scratch that, I am a little disappointed, but I can live with it. If something isn’t working and you know it, sure pull it from the patch and get it up to scratch. I understand that and think that it is almost always the best idea for both the developers and the community. Implementing something on Live Servers that isn’t working on Test Servers is defeating the purpose of the system that you have put in place.
Promises, Promises…
This is where it starts to fall apart. Individually MMO Gamers are all different people with different ideas, personalities and perspectives. As a collective group we are demanding, impatient, vehement and sticklers for holding developers to their word. If we are told about something, if we get excited about it, if we have our collective hopes up for something and then it gets pulled away from us we (as a community) lash out.
Timing is Everything…
A large part of the problem is that this was announced so close to the actual patch hitting. It just leaves a dry taste in the mouth of everyone who was looking forward to the PvP aspects of this patch above everything else that it’ll bring. And let’s be honest; the hardcore PvP players will see the majority of the other content in this patch as cosmetic or irrelevant.
I could go on…
…about all sorts of things. I could also expand the timing aspect of this. I could rant about various opinions that I agree with in the Forums, but the fact is the damage here is done and bitching about it any more won’t change a thing. Personally I just think that in future, such issues needed to be handled a little better.
It’s not the end of the world.
It’s really not. And to be honest, pulling the Ranked Pre-Season from the patch doesn’t affect my day to day life, my game subscription or my long term opinion of this game. What it does is put a chill up my spine in regards to how it was handled and the negative vibes that it produces within a gaming community. With something like Ranked PvP you will get a lot of voices reacting, so the last minute announcement couldn’t have been about a worse subject. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t have pulled it if it wasn’t ready, but it should have been pulled earlier and an exact due date needed to be given at the same time.
We are getting some cool stuff in 1.2 that is listed up there somewhere… Legacy, UI Customization, etc. The content coming is rather huge. I am still really looking forward to this patch and I would rather see the Ranked stuff come out fully polished. I just hope that enough PvP orientated gamers are willing to try out the new Warzone and wait for the ranked matches.
And as a side note, my heart goes out to the people at Bioware who have to moderate these forums. Seriously, they wouldn’t have made the decision but they will have to dal with the fallout and that cannot be an easy job. I hope that all of the Bioware employees that are sifting through the forum posts just keep their spirits up and remember that the loudest voice is usually the vocal minority.
-Gav.
