Star Wars: The Old Republic - Offline Mode for Class/Expansion Stories and Side Quests, Repeatable Heroics, and Story Mode Flashpoints

[(OKU) Paradox]

I'm making this wish here in case it ever becomes contextually-relevant.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a game that has been an important part of my life for years. It's something I love, look forward to, and hold on to, and I know I'm not alone there. It may be, "just a game," but it's a game that is important to a lot of people on a lot of levels. For a lot of people, this game is the only remnant of the Star Wars we grew up with.

Despite over a decade of work by developers and stories and adventures experienced (and struggled through) by players, the Class Stories and Expansion stories - primarily single-player content and, in retrospect, full single-player games in and of themselves - are still locked into the online-only framework of SWTOR as an MMO. If servers close in the future, all of this perfectly good story-focused, expertly-written, immersive, and open-world content vanishes forever.

My personal hope is that, if that happens, SWTOR can be given an offline mode, however ramshackle it might be, to at least allow for story progression, repeatable side quests, repeatable heroic missions, and story-mode flashpoints, which are well-suited to solo players.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a great MMO, but it contains and arguably imprisons a whole series of co-existing single-player games inside that framework. Letting so much content fizzle out and die when the servers close would be a waste. An offline mode for the story content of the game would keep it and an important part of gaming and Star Wars history alive forever.

[BJWyler]

People have been asking for offline modes for MMOs for two decades. Not a single one that I am aware of has ever done it. There are a lot of logistical and legal hurdles that most likely prevent it from happening.

It would be nice to have, though.

[Krzeminsky]

game is dying?

[NavFamG]

Originally posted by Kazimierz:

game is dying?

They've been saying it (and every other game out there short of WoW) has been dying since the day after they launched.

But no. I'd say it's slowing down and has been passed on to another company (Broadsword), but part of the dev staff went with it and they're still releasing content.

[Dr. Atrocious]

For now, our best bet is the extended "life support" which could be anywhere between 10-20 years (generously) which will keep the servers online with the bare minimum effort; however, I too hope that, in the event of the inevitable shut down some years or even decades down the line, there will be an offline option.

SWTOR has arguably the most unique single player experience in an MMO. It would be a shame to lose what is essentially a fully fleshed out single player experience simply because the online servers shut down.

[FrostyJawa]

The only MMOs that ever gave players an off-line story-mode (without ever being asked by players to do so) was PhantasyStar Online, PhantasyStar Universe and PhantasyStar Portable 1 & 2. Sega has more than proved to the MMO industry that an off-line story-mode for MMOs can be done. Sadly, nobody appears to be listening.

Speaking for myself, I would be more than willing to pay extra money for a version of SWTOR that had a stripped-down off-line story-mode included.

[Neptune]

Originally posted by NavFamG:

Originally posted by Kazimierz:

game is dying?

They've been saying it (and every other game out there short of WoW) have been dying since the day after they launched.

But no. I'd say it's slowing down and has been passed on to another company (Broadsword), but part of the dev staff went with it and they're still releasing content.

Not for F2P players : Content you need to subscribe for to get it at every new release..

[shademoooon]

Originally posted by FrostyJawa:

The only MMOs that ever gave players an off-line story-mode (without ever being asked by players to do so) was PhantasyStar Online, PhantasyStar Universe and PhantasyStar Portable 1 & 2. Sega has more than proved to the MMO industry that an off-line story-mode for MMOs can be done. Sadly, nobody appears to be listening.

Speaking for myself, I would be more than willing to pay extra money for a version of SWTOR that had a stripped-down off-line story-mode included.

I agree, a less linear, more open to make your own way. Dare i say it, a push to how SWG had it set up.

[Katsper]

Originally posted by timeisaparadox:

I'm making this wish here in case it ever becomes contextually-relevant.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a game that has been an important part of my life for years. It's something I love, look forward to, and hold on to, and I know I'm not alone there. It may be, "just a game," but it's a game that is important to a lot of people on a lot of levels. For a lot of people, this game is the only remnant of the Star Wars we grew up with.

Despite over a decade of work by developers and stories and adventures experienced (and struggled through) by players, the Class Stories and Expansion stories - primarily single-player content and, in retrospect, full single-player games in and of themselves - are still locked into the online-only framework of SWTOR as an MMO. If servers close in the future, all of this perfectly good story-focused, expertly-written, immersive, and open-world content vanishes forever.

My personal hope is that, if that happens, SWTOR can be given an offline mode, however ramshackle it might be, to at least allow for story progression, repeatable side quests, repeatable heroic missions, and story-mode flashpoints, which are well-suited to solo players.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is a great MMO, but it contains and arguably imprisons a whole series of co-existing single-player games inside that framework. Letting so much content fizzle out and die when the servers close would be a waste. An offline mode for the story content of the game would keep it and an important part of gaming and Star Wars history alive forever.

game and art preservation has a lot of overlap with consumer rights and i so, so strongly agree with you. i really hope some kind of regulation is created at some point to have things like this planned for from the start of development.

[Darth Revan]

the day in which the servers of this game shut down will be a very sad and tragic day for me personally indeed. :(

hopefully that does not happen in the next few decades.

[PocketYoda]

If any mmorpg could possibly do it this could as its a majority single player experience through 99% of it..

Originally posted by BJWyler:

People have been asking for offline modes for MMOs for two decades. Not a single one that I am aware of has ever done it. There are a lot of logistical and legal hurdles that most likely prevent it from happening.

It would be nice to have, though.

Hellgate London did it, its on Steam and works, the only issue is a lot of the original bugs are still in it because the company ported an older version to single player not the best version sadly..

[Snake Eater]

In the case that it gets shut down, I think private servers will eventually be made. It happens with pretty much every other shut down MMO's.

[cube]

Oof. Imagine unleashing the Jedi Knight modding community on this game.

[Sepulchure]

Originally posted by blank:

Oof. Imagine unleashing the Jedi Knight modding community on this game.

They all moved on. Plus they wouldn't know to do with the engine limitations.

[Hellfire]

Originally posted by Dr. Atrocious:

SWTOR has arguably the most unique single player experience in an MMO. It would be a shame to lose what is essentially a fully fleshed out single player experience simply because the online servers shut down.

Even worse, there's absolutely no way a potential sequel would have the same production value. AAA is dead.