Mirrored Classes is something we can blame WoW for since even that goliath of a company couldn't even manage to balance a Shaman and a Paladin, gave up and made them available for both factions.
I have seen very few games with unique classes in a 2 faction game, but there was one game, DAoC that offered unique classes in not only 2 factions, but 3. So it is possible to do, but those who are lazy and loathe monthly fan cries about balance will choose not to.
I really don't blame BioWare for following Blizzard's path of laziness, for I too can't stand reading 100's of threads each month about how one player keeps getting owned by someone else in PvP.
Perhaps the key is 3 factions. Since we haven't really seen a 3 faction game since DaoC, and all of these 2 faction games have massive balance issues no matter what is tweaked, nerfed or buffed, it stands to reason that 3 factions is the answer here. Guess we'll maybe see with that game Prime.
Except that in a three faction game you almost always find two factions ganging up on the third faction. This way the third faction has absolutely no chance and the game balance is ruined by the factions themselves, not the classes. This is, in my opinion, even worse than poorly balanced classes since the only way to "fix" it is for the players to move to other servers in which the faction/class combo they want to play with is in the majority. The only way to do this in most games is to pay for a server transfer OR start all over with a new character. Either way is a bad solution.
"If half of what you tell me is a lie, how can I believe any of it?"
They mirrored them because they want to keep it solo friendly. Heaven forbid you team with someone. It is a wonder they even allow groups. Why even call it a MMO?
Seems the author forgot that you choose an advanced class in Swtor at level 10, so you basically just have to choose another path on your mirror class to get a completely different playstyle.
Agreed, and this will be the way I go whenever I play the alternate faction. New story and also changes to playstyle. Seems like best of both worlds really.
Perhaps a lazy option for a developer, but that's not in any way a 'walk- away' factor for me
One less nitpicker to clog the TOR bandwidth I guess. Nice article though, I'm sure the haters appreciate it.
I actually like the mirrored thing. I can play four Empire classes as one advanced class each and then play the four Republic classes with the non-mirrored advanced classes. Now I'll have all eight advanced classes covered. Yay!
"Heck, you can still mirror classes without making them completely identical."
I submit that they did exactly that. Each class 'functions' identical to it's counterpart on the opposing faction, but the flavor is completely different. Missiles versus grenades. Lightnining and chokes versus wind and debris. Sniping versus pistol barrages.
So what if the Lightning does the same damage and someone throwing a big rock at you? So what if the Inquisitor has a talent to increase the lightning damage and the Sage has a similar talent for his big rock?
"For example, if you’ve played a Smuggler, you’ve played an Imperial Agent, and if you’ve played a Bounty Hunter, you’ve played a Trooper. "
Unless you pick up the opposite AC for the IA and Trooper, which would play completely different from the Smuggler/BH you already had. I don't see most people going through Smuggler twice on both ACs and then switching to IA.
So 4 mirror classes, each of them has 2 advanced classes. That makes 8 in total. Whats the big deal again ? Wow started with 9, so whats the big problem, please do explain.
Besides, that really gives BioWare alot of room for expansions and etc.
SWTOR’s class mirrors are actually not just extremely similar, but identical. For example, if you’ve played a Smuggler, you’ve played an Imperial Agent, and if you’ve played a Bounty Hunter, you’ve played a Trooper. Sure, they use different looking gear, their animations are flavored and styled to be class appropriate, but otherwise every skill and every talent is completely identical.
Not true at all. Bounty Hunter had a flamethrower. Trooper got lightning instead.
Bounty hunter's first crew member got heal. Trooper's first crew member dont.
Bounty hunter dual wields pistols.
Trooper got one huge assault cannon.
These are just some of the differences, they are not completely identical...... wtf
So is the issue PVE or PVP balance? If it is, why don't we have different skills for PVP for each class then? Why nerf our choices to bring about "balance" when the balance issues can be tackled from a different angle that has nothing to do with nerfs or buffs or developing a game with little to no classes in order to save themselves from the headaches of the "current" mmorpg balance issues.
Just curious, but isn't this why GW2's system of no trinity possibly a different take on the same "balance" issue? Or is it something that class/level based games HAVE to be designed around? Hmm, this might be where the lack of innovation issues that people have with SWTOR is coming from. I know it bothers me that Bioware, this giant behemoth supposedly awesome company, isn't innovating in these areas. Guess it's too much to ask.
Balance in general can be satiated by mirrored classes. Most apparent in PvP, but PvE is also important, and if you have the same classes on each side, theres no talk about how one side finishes quests easier due to a particular classes ability set.
Balanced classes help, simply due to the way issues were previously with FOTM builds. Everyone flocks to whats powerful, then it gets "balanced" then they go somewhere else, and the cycle continues. If you look down the line, or hell, if you play SWTOR, what did you see? Well, you didn't see a single class dominate PvP, nor did you see a single class dominate the PvE areas. (outside of starter planets of course). You saw diversity. In my time in Beta... those many months, I saw every build under the sun for every class, even builds you wouldn't expect, and even though the diversity wasn't there in terms of my consular having a completely different spec as someone elses inquisitor, the choices you make for your class and the way you play them is much more important.
So IS SWTOR balanced then? If not, then mirroring doesn't really work for the balance issue and personally, I'd rather have more class choices than have to sit on the balance fence all day. If it DOES work, will it get schewed if they make more classes in the future?
It has team balance, and yes it is mostly balanced. Are there some imbalances? Yes, but the imbalances are mirrored too, whereas in other games without mirrored classes, the imbalances aren't mirrored and you have one specific class, or multiple classes with strong skill sets.
The argument I heard the least in PvP was that the opposing team had a particular class that was overpowered.. and truly, if you look at everyones complaints on SWTOR, class balance isn't one of them. When they add more classes, it won't change the balance, as they'll mirror those too. In that sense, if one class is overpowered, at least the other side will have the same class set.
Would I like diverse classes? To a degree.... one thing SWTOR did right is class balance, and not just for PvP, they made PvE balanced too. One major problem I always hated in balancing classes was that you would also have abilities that would work one way in PvE, but they would be useless in PvP. In SWTOR they made it so abilities work the same throughout PvP and PvE (for the most part), so similar strategies can be used.
SWTOR’s class mirrors are actually not just extremely similar, but identical. For example, if you’ve played a Smuggler, you’ve played an Imperial Agent, and if you’ve played a Bounty Hunter, you’ve played a Trooper. Sure, they use different looking gear, their animations are flavored and styled to be class appropriate, but otherwise every skill and every talent is completely identical.
Not true at all. Bounty Hunter had a flamethrower. Trooper got lightning instead.
Bounty hunter's first crew member got heal. Trooper's first crew member dont.
Bounty hunter dual wields pistols.
Trooper got one huge assault cannon.
These are just some of the differences, they are not completely identical...... wtf
These are essentially visual differences. Consulars use the (invisible) force to pick up, move, or attack, while the inquisitor uses force lightning, but at the end of the day they each have abilities with a 1 for 1 match for the most part. Companions are another story, you are right, but you can't base class balance on companions, as at the end of the day everyone will get the same kind of companions eventually, and you can't use companions in ever facet of the game.
But ya know, in restro-spect I realize that in each of the mirrors they give you 3 trees (essentially 3 different "classes" within the class), so it does kinda expand on itself if people were to do as I was planing and just go balls out in one whole column of a tree. That would basically make you pretty different from any other mirror who specced fully into another column.. So even though you are mirrors, you are actually different at your cores and sometimes even playstyle (Scoundrel main heals anyone?)
I intend to have both a Jedi Consular and Sith Inquisitor, but going with different advanced classes. This will let me play a (basic) class I really enjoy, along with having the chance for both advanced classes all without having to play thru the same storyline twice, such as if I were to go Consular for both advanced classes, for example.
YMMV, of course, but mirroring the classes is far from a deal-breaker for me, and if it makes things easier on the devs, great.
I'd rather they work on adding content and such later on than the nit-picky issues of balancing eight, more diverse classes.
Unless you are designing an e-sport style game then chasing after "balance" is a fruitless and futile endevour. MMO designers should pretty much forget about "balance" (in the way most players define it) and just concentrate on making a fun and interesting game.
Honestly, even if classes are absolutely identical on each side....you'll still have players kvetching about "balance"....it's what they do.
The only thing you really need to do is make sure that no one class dominates in EVERY single situation/area of the game.
That's the REAL core problem that most MMO's have..... they have so little variety in the types of challenges and combat situations that players encounter that it becomes difficult to create differentiation/specialization because virtualy every single encounter is the same, every single combat situation is the same.....and thus having a particular class that is better at doing X then other classes becomes a no go...because X is 95% of everything that happens in the game.
Look at real world history, for example. At one point in time the armored knight on horseback was a true force to be reckoned with.... until you make that knight fight in the middle of a marsh, or a narrow mountain pass or a burning desert or charge up a steep sodden slope against an enemy that had set stakes out in front of thier positions.
The key is not have 95% of your content devolve endlessly refighting the same battle under the same conditions. Make a wide variety of conditions, terrain, situations that have a real effect on the players abilities. That way different classes (character types) can come to the fore under different conditions/situations. Let players figure out how to play to thier sides strengths and compensate for thier weaknesses. That's what PvP combat should be about in an MMO...... What most MMO's impliment as PvP is more like a glorified WWF match with better costumes.
Wait, this is a game-breaker? Isn't every MMO like this? Except they don't have "mirrored" classes, they have the SAME classes for each faction.
DAoC certainly was not mirrored.
Mirrored isnt ok when you basically have 4 classes in the entire game because of it.
THIS^^^^!!!!!! Bingo. I love story, but if that's the only way to diversify the classes in an MMORPG, than Bioware doesn't understand MMORPGs. Keep the story but give us more variety. Even 2 more unique classes would have sealed the deal, preferably I would like more. Maybe in a future expack? Do we even know what kind of roadmap this game will have post launch?
You don't have 4. You have 8. Advanced Classes are full classes. And as it was pointed out, this is absolutely no different than than what most MMOs have per side. The difference here is that at least with these mirrored classes, you get some variation in weapons, armor, and combat animations between the mirrors. In a game like WoW, instead of having mirrored classes, you just have the same classes for the two factions.
And to make the point more relevant to your interests, Elocke, what kind of variation do you get with Guild Wars 2? They'll have what, 8 classes as well? But yeah, in SWTOR it's bad, but it GW2 it's innovative I guess.
Mirror classes = balance (especially for PVP). Although how anyone can consider the current "telekinesis" abilities for Consulars to be as cool as Inquisitor force lightning is beyond me (yes, I'll be playing as a Consular).
However, each class has its OWN storyline. This immediately changes the experience, at least as it pertains to NPC interaction and quests. How that helps at the proverbial end-game though, I don't know.
As someone said: pick, for instance, RIFT. Same classes to both sides, not difference whatshoever.
Also, the developers have many times stated that the "real" classes in this game are the AC's. My plan is to pick up differing AC's when I go to the other faction to check out the storyline.
I agree with you. It completely hurts the prospect of giving each side a distinctive feel and feels like they opted to cut corners either out of laziness or for the sake of balancing. Just another in a long line of examples of how they are trying to dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator.
Well its mirrored for a reason.....balance. And it works. You dont have mirrored classes for each side the balancing becomes even harder.
But the "feel" of the class is different. Sure BH and Troops have the same abilities. But BH's do it with a pistol and missles. Troops do it with a BFG. Also the "feel" is drastically differnt do to BW's implementation of story. I have no problem rolling all 8 classes in the game just because the story and "feel" of each class is different.
Seems the author forgot that you choose an advanced class in Swtor at level 10, so you basically just have to choose another path on your mirror class to get a completely different playstyle.
These are identical to their mirror's counterparts as well. Vanguard (Trooper) == Powertech (Bounty Hunter).
What I don't get is that the author tells us that mirroring is BAD BAD BAD. And look at what MMO has done it for the last 7 years now..? Right WoW has been mirroring classes 100% and no one ever complained about that..?
Other point of interest: the classes the author named as mirrors ARE NOT their mirros. The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Smuggler, and not the Trooper as the author states...
Also, as Grizzkhit said gameplay is different. Mirrored classes have a whole set of DIFFERENT skills. In basic they might seem the same, but the differences in skills makes them completely different in game-play.
Seems the author forgot that you choose an advanced class in Swtor at level 10, so you basically just have to choose another path on your mirror class to get a completely different playstyle.
These are identical to their mirror's counterparts as well. Vanguard (Trooper) == Powertech (Bounty Hunter).
What I don't get is that the author tells us that mirroring is BAD BAD BAD. And look at what MMO has done it for the last 7 years now..? Right WoW has been mirroring classes 100% and no one ever complained about that..?
Other point of interest: the classes the author named as mirrors ARE NOT their mirros. The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Smuggler, and not the Trooper as the author states...
Also, as Grizzkhit said gameplay is different. Mirrored classes have a whole set of DIFFERENT skills. In basic they might seem the same, but the differences in skills makes them completely different in game-play.
Common misconception...The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Trooper not Smuggler, they just use somewhat swapped weapons. Same goes for Smuggler - Imperial Agent.
Seems the author forgot that you choose an advanced class in Swtor at level 10, so you basically just have to choose another path on your mirror class to get a completely different playstyle.
These are identical to their mirror's counterparts as well. Vanguard (Trooper) == Powertech (Bounty Hunter).
What I don't get is that the author tells us that mirroring is BAD BAD BAD. And look at what MMO has done it for the last 7 years now..? Right WoW has been mirroring classes 100% and no one ever complained about that..?
Other point of interest: the classes the author named as mirrors ARE NOT their mirros. The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Smuggler, and not the Trooper as the author states...
Also, as Grizzkhit said gameplay is different. Mirrored classes have a whole set of DIFFERENT skills. In basic they might seem the same, but the differences in skills makes them completely different in game-play.
Common misconception...The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Trooper not Smuggler, they just use somewhat swapped weapons. Same goes for Smuggler - Imperial Agent.
Speaking of.. Has anyone compared and/or confirmed any differences either stat wise or dps/att. speed wise between each of the weaponsets?
I played an Operative and Scoundrel to the same levels, and part of me thought that the Operative's Rifle base damage was a little higher than that of the Scoundrel.. I mean, I know that mirroring the classes was a cut to balance, but did they just copy and paste all the weapons to mirror each other as well?
I think the Commando's machine gun weapon looks cool, but is there a difference between it and say the 2 pistols of a mercenary?
While I am all for nonmirrored classes, Bioware has done themselves a favor by having mirrored classes. Neither side has an advantage in any encounter PvP or PvE. I expect this will leave them more time to add what I believe their MMO is more focused on PvE stories. The other nice thing about it for customers is that when there is an issue with a class/spec it is more likely to be fixed quicker as it is a much larger part of the playerbase.
I prefer nonmirrored classes, hell I prefer to be able to be very different even within the same class. I am just not surprised Bioware went this way with such a story heavy MMO. I am also going to play, because I enjoy it despite mirrors.
What I don't get is that the author tells us that mirroring is BAD BAD BAD. And look at what MMO has done it for the last 7 years now..? Right WoW has been mirroring classes 100% and no one ever complained about that..?
Other point of interest: the classes the author named as mirrors ARE NOT their mirros. The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Smuggler, and not the Trooper as the author states...
Also, as Grizzkhit said gameplay is different. Mirrored classes have a whole set of DIFFERENT skills. In basic they might seem the same, but the differences in skills makes them completely different in game-play.
Not the case. The BH mirror IS the trooper. Smuggler's mirror is the IA. They both have the cover system and a stealth AC. Medium armor, etc.
Troopers and BH's, both have heavy armor, a heavy damage ranged AoE, etc...
As their stories go, you could say they are somewhat mirrored like you say. BH's and Smugglers are kinda neutral, self interest classes, while Trooper and IA are very embedded in their factional gov't.
Speaking of.. Has anyone compared and/or confirmed any differences either stat wise or dps/att. speed wise between each of the weaponsets?
I played an Operative and Scoundrel to the same levels, and part of me thought that the Operative's Rifle base damage was a little higher than that of the Scoundrel.. I mean, I know that mirroring the classes was a cut to balance, but did they just copy and paste all the weapons to mirror each other as well?
I think the Commando's machine gun weapon looks cool, but is there a difference between it and say the 2 pistols of a mercenary?
seems to me that fire rates balance them out. Pistols cycle faster via standard fire while rifles do more damage per hit. I could be wrong, though.
I found the mirrored classes to only be an issue if you jumped from one side of the mirror directly to the other. Let me explain:
In my first beta, I did Jedi Knight to 17, then jumped straight to Sith Warrior. I was very disappointed by the Sith Warrior. All I could focus on was that it was the Jedi Knight reskinned.
However, when I came back for my 2nd beta, I really enjoyed the Warrior. In the end, it was story I really cared about. If mirroring means they are able to perfect gameplay easier, then I am all for it.
Yeah, it sucks that there is a bit of a bait and switch. If you don't expect the mirroring, it is really disappointing. Once I knew it was there, I didn't really care.
Comments
Wut? What does a Sith Warrior having the same abilities as a Jedi Knight have to do with what you just said?
Except that in a three faction game you almost always find two factions ganging up on the third faction. This way the third faction has absolutely no chance and the game balance is ruined by the factions themselves, not the classes. This is, in my opinion, even worse than poorly balanced classes since the only way to "fix" it is for the players to move to other servers in which the faction/class combo they want to play with is in the majority. The only way to do this in most games is to pay for a server transfer OR start all over with a new character. Either way is a bad solution.
"If half of what you tell me is a lie, how can I believe any of it?"
"Haters are gonna hate not make any sense".
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Agreed, and this will be the way I go whenever I play the alternate faction. New story and also changes to playstyle. Seems like best of both worlds really.
Perhaps a lazy option for a developer, but that's not in any way a 'walk- away' factor for me
One less nitpicker to clog the TOR bandwidth I guess. Nice article though, I'm sure the haters appreciate it.
I actually like the mirrored thing. I can play four Empire classes as one advanced class each and then play the four Republic classes with the non-mirrored advanced classes. Now I'll have all eight advanced classes covered. Yay!
"Heck, you can still mirror classes without making them completely identical."
I submit that they did exactly that. Each class 'functions' identical to it's counterpart on the opposing faction, but the flavor is completely different. Missiles versus grenades. Lightnining and chokes versus wind and debris. Sniping versus pistol barrages.
So what if the Lightning does the same damage and someone throwing a big rock at you? So what if the Inquisitor has a talent to increase the lightning damage and the Sage has a similar talent for his big rock?
"For example, if you’ve played a Smuggler, you’ve played an Imperial Agent, and if you’ve played a Bounty Hunter, you’ve played a Trooper. "
Unless you pick up the opposite AC for the IA and Trooper, which would play completely different from the Smuggler/BH you already had. I don't see most people going through Smuggler twice on both ACs and then switching to IA.
So 4 mirror classes, each of them has 2 advanced classes. That makes 8 in total. Whats the big deal again ? Wow started with 9, so whats the big problem, please do explain.
Besides, that really gives BioWare alot of room for expansions and etc.
Not true at all. Bounty Hunter had a flamethrower. Trooper got lightning instead.
Bounty hunter's first crew member got heal. Trooper's first crew member dont.
Bounty hunter dual wields pistols.
Trooper got one huge assault cannon.
These are just some of the differences, they are not completely identical...... wtf
It has team balance, and yes it is mostly balanced. Are there some imbalances? Yes, but the imbalances are mirrored too, whereas in other games without mirrored classes, the imbalances aren't mirrored and you have one specific class, or multiple classes with strong skill sets.
The argument I heard the least in PvP was that the opposing team had a particular class that was overpowered.. and truly, if you look at everyones complaints on SWTOR, class balance isn't one of them. When they add more classes, it won't change the balance, as they'll mirror those too. In that sense, if one class is overpowered, at least the other side will have the same class set.
Would I like diverse classes? To a degree.... one thing SWTOR did right is class balance, and not just for PvP, they made PvE balanced too. One major problem I always hated in balancing classes was that you would also have abilities that would work one way in PvE, but they would be useless in PvP. In SWTOR they made it so abilities work the same throughout PvP and PvE (for the most part), so similar strategies can be used.
These are essentially visual differences. Consulars use the (invisible) force to pick up, move, or attack, while the inquisitor uses force lightning, but at the end of the day they each have abilities with a 1 for 1 match for the most part. Companions are another story, you are right, but you can't base class balance on companions, as at the end of the day everyone will get the same kind of companions eventually, and you can't use companions in ever facet of the game.
But ya know, in restro-spect I realize that in each of the mirrors they give you 3 trees (essentially 3 different "classes" within the class), so it does kinda expand on itself if people were to do as I was planing and just go balls out in one whole column of a tree. That would basically make you pretty different from any other mirror who specced fully into another column.. So even though you are mirrors, you are actually different at your cores and sometimes even playstyle (Scoundrel main heals anyone?)
Soo.. On that note, I eat my words..
I'm going to say I don't mind, not in this case.
I intend to have both a Jedi Consular and Sith Inquisitor, but going with different advanced classes. This will let me play a (basic) class I really enjoy, along with having the chance for both advanced classes all without having to play thru the same storyline twice, such as if I were to go Consular for both advanced classes, for example.
YMMV, of course, but mirroring the classes is far from a deal-breaker for me, and if it makes things easier on the devs, great.
I'd rather they work on adding content and such later on than the nit-picky issues of balancing eight, more diverse classes.
IMO,
Unless you are designing an e-sport style game then chasing after "balance" is a fruitless and futile endevour. MMO designers should pretty much forget about "balance" (in the way most players define it) and just concentrate on making a fun and interesting game.
Honestly, even if classes are absolutely identical on each side....you'll still have players kvetching about "balance"....it's what they do.
The only thing you really need to do is make sure that no one class dominates in EVERY single situation/area of the game.
That's the REAL core problem that most MMO's have..... they have so little variety in the types of challenges and combat situations that players encounter that it becomes difficult to create differentiation/specialization because virtualy every single encounter is the same, every single combat situation is the same.....and thus having a particular class that is better at doing X then other classes becomes a no go...because X is 95% of everything that happens in the game.
Look at real world history, for example. At one point in time the armored knight on horseback was a true force to be reckoned with.... until you make that knight fight in the middle of a marsh, or a narrow mountain pass or a burning desert or charge up a steep sodden slope against an enemy that had set stakes out in front of thier positions.
The key is not have 95% of your content devolve endlessly refighting the same battle under the same conditions. Make a wide variety of conditions, terrain, situations that have a real effect on the players abilities. That way different classes (character types) can come to the fore under different conditions/situations. Let players figure out how to play to thier sides strengths and compensate for thier weaknesses. That's what PvP combat should be about in an MMO...... What most MMO's impliment as PvP is more like a glorified WWF match with better costumes.
You don't have 4. You have 8. Advanced Classes are full classes. And as it was pointed out, this is absolutely no different than than what most MMOs have per side. The difference here is that at least with these mirrored classes, you get some variation in weapons, armor, and combat animations between the mirrors. In a game like WoW, instead of having mirrored classes, you just have the same classes for the two factions.
And to make the point more relevant to your interests, Elocke, what kind of variation do you get with Guild Wars 2? They'll have what, 8 classes as well? But yeah, in SWTOR it's bad, but it GW2 it's innovative I guess.
Mirror classes = balance (especially for PVP). Although how anyone can consider the current "telekinesis" abilities for Consulars to be as cool as Inquisitor force lightning is beyond me (yes, I'll be playing as a Consular).
However, each class has its OWN storyline. This immediately changes the experience, at least as it pertains to NPC interaction and quests. How that helps at the proverbial end-game though, I don't know.
Doesn't bother me at all.
As someone said: pick, for instance, RIFT. Same classes to both sides, not difference whatshoever.
Also, the developers have many times stated that the "real" classes in this game are the AC's. My plan is to pick up differing AC's when I go to the other faction to check out the storyline.
Well its mirrored for a reason.....balance. And it works. You dont have mirrored classes for each side the balancing becomes even harder.
But the "feel" of the class is different. Sure BH and Troops have the same abilities. But BH's do it with a pistol and missles. Troops do it with a BFG. Also the "feel" is drastically differnt do to BW's implementation of story. I have no problem rolling all 8 classes in the game just because the story and "feel" of each class is different.
What I don't get is that the author tells us that mirroring is BAD BAD BAD. And look at what MMO has done it for the last 7 years now..? Right WoW has been mirroring classes 100% and no one ever complained about that..?
Other point of interest: the classes the author named as mirrors ARE NOT their mirros. The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Smuggler, and not the Trooper as the author states...
Also, as Grizzkhit said gameplay is different. Mirrored classes have a whole set of DIFFERENT skills. In basic they might seem the same, but the differences in skills makes them completely different in game-play.
Common misconception...The mirror of Bounty Hunter is Trooper not Smuggler, they just use somewhat swapped weapons. Same goes for Smuggler - Imperial Agent.
Speaking of.. Has anyone compared and/or confirmed any differences either stat wise or dps/att. speed wise between each of the weaponsets?
I played an Operative and Scoundrel to the same levels, and part of me thought that the Operative's Rifle base damage was a little higher than that of the Scoundrel.. I mean, I know that mirroring the classes was a cut to balance, but did they just copy and paste all the weapons to mirror each other as well?
I think the Commando's machine gun weapon looks cool, but is there a difference between it and say the 2 pistols of a mercenary?
While I am all for nonmirrored classes, Bioware has done themselves a favor by having mirrored classes. Neither side has an advantage in any encounter PvP or PvE. I expect this will leave them more time to add what I believe their MMO is more focused on PvE stories. The other nice thing about it for customers is that when there is an issue with a class/spec it is more likely to be fixed quicker as it is a much larger part of the playerbase.
I prefer nonmirrored classes, hell I prefer to be able to be very different even within the same class. I am just not surprised Bioware went this way with such a story heavy MMO. I am also going to play, because I enjoy it despite mirrors.
Not the case. The BH mirror IS the trooper. Smuggler's mirror is the IA. They both have the cover system and a stealth AC. Medium armor, etc.
Troopers and BH's, both have heavy armor, a heavy damage ranged AoE, etc...
As their stories go, you could say they are somewhat mirrored like you say. BH's and Smugglers are kinda neutral, self interest classes, while Trooper and IA are very embedded in their factional gov't.
seems to me that fire rates balance them out. Pistols cycle faster via standard fire while rifles do more damage per hit. I could be wrong, though.
Exactly...lol people find so much to complain about. If it was the opposite people will be complaining how it is not balanced lmao.
I found the mirrored classes to only be an issue if you jumped from one side of the mirror directly to the other. Let me explain:
In my first beta, I did Jedi Knight to 17, then jumped straight to Sith Warrior. I was very disappointed by the Sith Warrior. All I could focus on was that it was the Jedi Knight reskinned.
However, when I came back for my 2nd beta, I really enjoyed the Warrior. In the end, it was story I really cared about. If mirroring means they are able to perfect gameplay easier, then I am all for it.
Yeah, it sucks that there is a bit of a bait and switch. If you don't expect the mirroring, it is really disappointing. Once I knew it was there, I didn't really care.