SWToR
Or what I'd like to call, "The Mako Factor." There's a lot written and said already on storyline and I've only completed chapter 1 in the Jedi Knight storyline, so I'm going to touch on a few other things that make me giggle or just infuriate me.
First of all: Darling Benny. If there was gear with torn fishnets and more piercing/tattoo options, she'd be all about that. Teenagers.
The thing that cracks me up about MMOs is that when you accept a quest, you have to take it at face value. It doesn't matter how shady a character seems, you see that light side option pop up, they are obviously telling the truth. This is doubly hysterical if you're playing a line like the imperial agent, where in the class story you're crossed, double-crossed and then triple-crossed and go through it expecting everyone to stab you in the back. It's a game mechanic, I know. But it's still kind of funny.
Speaking of game mechanics, the Mako Factor. This goes for characters like Vette and Kira as well, but I'm focusing on Mako because she's simultaneously the best and worst written character in the game. I think folks either love or hate Mako and unfortunately, I'm on the dislike end here, but I understand it's a taste thing. I know this goes against writing conventions, but please, when we give a character a catchphrase, when they dive into battle or go on a crafting mission or die or are revived, the more generic, the better. I know, it sounds crazy. It may sound cute the first time Mako declares she's more than just a pretty face, it might even make sense in the beginning because Braden, but multiple battles in, I'm ready to side with whatever's attacking us and dumping her insides all over the ground.
Same goes for Vette counting parts after a 3 second battle with weak enemies. Same thing with Kira shocked that you trusted her on a mission just like you have 50 million times prior.
I'm not particularly fond of Kaliyo as a character, but her battle cries are mundane enough for me to tune out after been shouted the bajillionth time.
I do like that in the companion conversations, Mako will touch on prior missions, so that it seems more like a story and less like a murder/grind for credits/levels. I don't think any other companion really does that, that I've experienced thus far. But she's horribly out of place in the BH story, I think. The BH at best, is apathetic, at worst, a sociopath. There's not really a good place to jam in a plucky girl next door archetype, unless it's to subvert her. I think what bothers me so much is that she interjects into conversations so regularly an the gets the last word when she disagrees with your choice. Like a "shame on you" sort of barb, when the Bounty Hunter has already made it clear several times over that s/he DOES NOT CARE. It tells me that Mako's head writer liked her a bit too much and assumed that everyone else would as well.
I know this isn't a possibility, but I do sort of wish there was an option to ditch/kill some of your companions. It makes sense for certain characters, like Mako, or Tanno Vik for trooper or Kaliyo for imperial agent. They're all loose ends that could turn around and bite you later.
The other thing I noticed is that NPCS have all decided that you're gorgeous. Now, this is a fantasy game and most people do make attractive characters as a default. I think Benny above is a cutie pie, but you also have 12 character slots. Meet Rutie:
Oh, sweetheart. An entire galaxy's worth of make up is not going to hide how you face-planted into a lawnmower. But keep trying.
I like the look and I think it suits my embittered smuggler. But there are so many male NPCs that mention how attractive she is. I'm torn between her taking it as an insult or her being egotistical enough to believe them. I have a hunch that if a flirt comes up with any pretty boys, she'll be all about it as a vanity thing. To impress upon the fact that she's still got it.
Game mechanics. They can't account for everything, I suppose. Just like I had fun with a megalomaniacal, hypocritical blood mage that condemned Merrill, murdered Anders and sided with the templars in DA2. No accounting for a player's taste 100%.
I'll leave you all with a ridiculous tale of my only grouping experience. The boyfriend tagged in for a 4 man because they were short a person so I hopped on to dps with my sith inquisitor. I didn't talk in the group chat because I was too busy playing and trying not to die? (I don't think I've entered a bunch of nonsense numbers and/or letters into guild chat yet as I was talking and then attacked by mobs mid conversation. I am your token noob forever.) The other two people thought it was incredible that I was sitting next to my boyfriend and playing and that was how I knew what was going on instead of relying on group chat. Unfortunately, one precious snowflake did not comprehend that while I wasn't typing in group chat, it did not mean that I couldn't read it. Now granted, it was mostly, "Omg best girlfriend ever to play swtor side by side with you" but then it went down the road of "how hot is she? Scale of 1-10" When he asked how old we were, I couldn't help myself and finally said, "15 and 54."
So yeah. Just because someone's not engaging in group chat, does not mean they're not talking. It's probably just better that you can't hear what they're saying.
First of all: Darling Benny. If there was gear with torn fishnets and more piercing/tattoo options, she'd be all about that. Teenagers.
The thing that cracks me up about MMOs is that when you accept a quest, you have to take it at face value. It doesn't matter how shady a character seems, you see that light side option pop up, they are obviously telling the truth. This is doubly hysterical if you're playing a line like the imperial agent, where in the class story you're crossed, double-crossed and then triple-crossed and go through it expecting everyone to stab you in the back. It's a game mechanic, I know. But it's still kind of funny.
Speaking of game mechanics, the Mako Factor. This goes for characters like Vette and Kira as well, but I'm focusing on Mako because she's simultaneously the best and worst written character in the game. I think folks either love or hate Mako and unfortunately, I'm on the dislike end here, but I understand it's a taste thing. I know this goes against writing conventions, but please, when we give a character a catchphrase, when they dive into battle or go on a crafting mission or die or are revived, the more generic, the better. I know, it sounds crazy. It may sound cute the first time Mako declares she's more than just a pretty face, it might even make sense in the beginning because Braden, but multiple battles in, I'm ready to side with whatever's attacking us and dumping her insides all over the ground.
Same goes for Vette counting parts after a 3 second battle with weak enemies. Same thing with Kira shocked that you trusted her on a mission just like you have 50 million times prior.
I'm not particularly fond of Kaliyo as a character, but her battle cries are mundane enough for me to tune out after been shouted the bajillionth time.
I do like that in the companion conversations, Mako will touch on prior missions, so that it seems more like a story and less like a murder/grind for credits/levels. I don't think any other companion really does that, that I've experienced thus far. But she's horribly out of place in the BH story, I think. The BH at best, is apathetic, at worst, a sociopath. There's not really a good place to jam in a plucky girl next door archetype, unless it's to subvert her. I think what bothers me so much is that she interjects into conversations so regularly an the gets the last word when she disagrees with your choice. Like a "shame on you" sort of barb, when the Bounty Hunter has already made it clear several times over that s/he DOES NOT CARE. It tells me that Mako's head writer liked her a bit too much and assumed that everyone else would as well.
I know this isn't a possibility, but I do sort of wish there was an option to ditch/kill some of your companions. It makes sense for certain characters, like Mako, or Tanno Vik for trooper or Kaliyo for imperial agent. They're all loose ends that could turn around and bite you later.
The other thing I noticed is that NPCS have all decided that you're gorgeous. Now, this is a fantasy game and most people do make attractive characters as a default. I think Benny above is a cutie pie, but you also have 12 character slots. Meet Rutie:
Oh, sweetheart. An entire galaxy's worth of make up is not going to hide how you face-planted into a lawnmower. But keep trying.
I like the look and I think it suits my embittered smuggler. But there are so many male NPCs that mention how attractive she is. I'm torn between her taking it as an insult or her being egotistical enough to believe them. I have a hunch that if a flirt comes up with any pretty boys, she'll be all about it as a vanity thing. To impress upon the fact that she's still got it.
Game mechanics. They can't account for everything, I suppose. Just like I had fun with a megalomaniacal, hypocritical blood mage that condemned Merrill, murdered Anders and sided with the templars in DA2. No accounting for a player's taste 100%.
I'll leave you all with a ridiculous tale of my only grouping experience. The boyfriend tagged in for a 4 man because they were short a person so I hopped on to dps with my sith inquisitor. I didn't talk in the group chat because I was too busy playing and trying not to die? (I don't think I've entered a bunch of nonsense numbers and/or letters into guild chat yet as I was talking and then attacked by mobs mid conversation. I am your token noob forever.) The other two people thought it was incredible that I was sitting next to my boyfriend and playing and that was how I knew what was going on instead of relying on group chat. Unfortunately, one precious snowflake did not comprehend that while I wasn't typing in group chat, it did not mean that I couldn't read it. Now granted, it was mostly, "Omg best girlfriend ever to play swtor side by side with you" but then it went down the road of "how hot is she? Scale of 1-10" When he asked how old we were, I couldn't help myself and finally said, "15 and 54."
So yeah. Just because someone's not engaging in group chat, does not mean they're not talking. It's probably just better that you can't hear what they're saying.