Star Wars: The Old Republic (MMO)

[JagdPanther]

Originally Posted by kujoe

Obsidian wasn't able to completely finish working on the game. The Restored Content Mod simply restores lost content that didn't make it in the final version.

Lost content such as new scenes and an extended ending are part of the mod—all official parts of the game that the developer cut out in order to make the deadline.

Okay, thanks. I'll look for that. Probably going to install the game now.


EDIT: Do you know where I can find it? If it's this Team Gizka thingy, their website appears to not exist anymore. Or maybe it's just down.

Originally Posted by Gordy Lechance

Its refreshing to see Good actually winning again in the Star Wars Universe.

All the Expanded Universe of the last 30 years did is sneer "don't bother trying to be a good person because it's not going to amount to a thing in the grand scheme of this uncaring universe" at the fans, spitting on the idealism and heroism that the original films stood for.

It is comforting to see that this time at least, Bioware did not pander to the cynicism of the wrist slashing emo-crowd, and assures us its okay to care and be heroes again.

I agree, for the most part.

I think the Expanded Universe certainly has a LOT of what you describe, but I don't see it ALL that way. My favorite EU story line is the X-Wing series of novels. I think they, overall, have positive finales. Sure, there are some bittersweet and even dark moments, but they're relatively positive.

Conversely, stuff like the Yuuzhan Vong War, for example, is just ridiculous, in my opinion. If you look up "Overpowered Plot Device" in the dictionary, the YV are at the top of the "Examples" list.

[kujoe]

I don't think I'll be playing this game, but I do hope that the MMO storyline will at least address what happened to Revan after venturing out to unknown space in order to face the so-called True Sith. Even better if the game could also explain what happened to the Exile who followed him.

With the game featuring Satele Shan, I'm hoping that this would be a sign that the game would at least make a reference about whatever happened in the past.

[velocd]

http://www.massively.com/2010/07/23/...med-for-swtor/

Space combat, woo!

If BioWare does free roaming 3D space combat--including PvP--then ToR has potential to be revolutionary in this genre.

What would be spectacular is fully unrestricted spacecraft travel. If I can pilot my personal spacecraft from the hangar to the atmosphere then space, then travel to the next planet with the possibility of space combat (NPCs/players/asteroids), and finally land on said planet.. if all that was seamless then damn. I'm sold.

Even with zoning from planet -> space -> planet I'm game.

I assume we'll be able to retrofit and upgrade our spacecraft for combat. If so, I wonder how we'll obtain the best spacecraft equipment. Will the best parts drop from raid bosses? Better yet, can we have raid instances that are spacecraft only or hybrid? Imagine an instance that is your raid of 25 spacecrafts attacking Sith battlecruisers (or whatever). Now that is Star Wars!

All this is assuming they make spacecrafts a core part of the game, and not some mini-game or afterthought.

[Keroko]

Then I'll apologize in advance for being a bastard and crushing that optimistic dream.

Navigation in space was previously described as the Mass Effect style galaxy map approach, meaning no manual take-off or unrestricted space travel. Space combat too was described as 'flying to various hot-spots on your galaxy map' so this hasn't changed since.

Space combat was described by Sean Dahlberg as "an alternative gameplay experience to the primary game of storytelling, questing, and ground-based combat." which, at this point of info, means that it's not an integral core part of the game

[velocd]

Originally Posted by Keroko

Then I'll apologize in advance for being a bastard and crushing that optimistic dream.

Navigation in space was previously described as the Mass Effect style galaxy map approach, meaning no manual take-off or unrestricted space travel. Space combat too was described as 'flying to various hot-spots on your galaxy map' so this hasn't changed since.

Space combat was described by Sean Dahlberg as "an alternative gameplay experience to the primary game of storytelling, questing, and ground-based combat." which, at this point of info, means that it's not an integral core part of the game

I hope they reconsider, maybe for a future content patch or expansion. Sandbox space travel isn't that important, but space combat should be a larger part of the game. My guess they don't want to deter MMO players who hate vehicle combat, but this is Star Wars--a SCI-FI MMO. If space combat is actually fun, compared to WoW's half-ass vehicle combat, that problem shouldn't exist.

[cors8]

Unless the space combat is flight simulator-like, I don't see what the big deal is.

Maybe the way they implement it will make it good.

[Keroko]

The next issue of PC gamer should have more information in it. Those who are able to get it, please do.

Anyway, making space combat in required part of the game is a sword so sharp in it's double edge you can't do much but cut yourself. STO tried that, and people either love the space combat and hate the ground combat, or relish in the ground combat and loathe the space combat, very few like both. I'm in the first camp, I love space combat but ground combat I'd wish had a big, fat skip button. Unfortunately, it doesn't, so getting tired of the ground combat interrupting my fun space adventure I left the game.

Choosing to make one side optional was an inevitable choice. No matter how much fun Bioware tries to make space combat, there are always people who won't like the system. People have different opinion on what's fun after all. By making space combat optional, those who enjoy it can fly around in space and have a good time, while those who say "no thanks, I'll stay with two feet on the ground and a good blaster" can just keep on blasting.

[Artful Dodger]

I've been looking around, but still no solid information regarding the pvp aspect of the game. Because I'm a big starwars fan, I will be getting the game regardless, but having open world pvp would be great in my opinion. It would feel really foolish and unrealistic if you are a Jedi and all you can do to a Sith Lord walking by is make a rude emote/gesture...

This may be a game where I will actually raid alot; the story and lore of warcraft never managed to make me an avid raider.

[tkdtiger]

Originally Posted by Keroko

The next issue of PC gamer should have more information in it. Those who are able to get it, please do.

Anyway, making space combat in required part of the game is a sword so sharp in it's double edge you can't do much but cut yourself. STO tried that, and people either love the space combat and hate the ground combat, or relish in the ground combat and loathe the space combat, very few like both. I'm in the first camp, I love space combat but ground combat I'd wish had a big, fat skip button. Unfortunately, it doesn't, so getting tired of the ground combat interrupting my fun space adventure I left the game.

Choosing to make one side optional was an inevitable choice. No matter how much fun Bioware tries to make space combat, there are always people who won't like the system. People have different opinion on what's fun after all. By making space combat optional, those who enjoy it can fly around in space and have a good time, while those who say "no thanks, I'll stay with two feet on the ground and a good blaster" can just keep on blasting.

I agree it's hard to balance the two...Reviews for Star Trek online I think proved this point...many have said it was like having 2 MMO's placed together that didn't mesh well. STO has made some more improvements, but the game to me still feels like it's lacking the exploration feel...

I hope the Old Republic can find a good balance between the two.

[Firefly00]

Originally Posted by cors8

Unless the space combat is flight simulator-like, I don't see what the big deal is...

I'm not sure how well that would mesh with the rest of the game, but the X-Wing/TIE Fighter subfranchise has, in my opinion, been left to rot for too long; why LucasArts has let that happen is sort of beyond me. Though a console treatment of said games would be best attemped in concert with the Project ACES team (the portion of the Namco crew who're responsible for bringing us Ace Combat).

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by tkdtiger

I agree it's hard to balance the two...Reviews for Star Trek online I think proved this point...many have said it was like having 2 MMO's placed together that didn't mesh well. STO has made some more improvements, but the game to me still feels like it's lacking the exploration feel...

I hope the Old Republic can find a good balance between the two.

The contrast between the two is too large. Space combat controls a single ship in an open instance, allowing players to join and leave, with quick combat that requires quick thinking and reflexes (especially in the weak-armored escort). Ground combat is a closed instance clusterfuck where you control 4 nearly useless goons and try to whittle down the healthbars of dozens of enemies. And with phasers being phasers, ground combat is anything but fast.

Fortunately, ground combat in TOR is quite fast, so no fears there.

Originally Posted by Firefly00

I'm not sure how well that would mesh with the rest of the game, but the X-Wing/TIE Fighter subfranchise has, in my opinion, been left to rot for too long; why LucasArts has let that happen is sort of beyond me.

Space sims died. With the popularity of space sims plunging, Lucasarts didn't bother trying to make another X-wing. A smart move, in my opinion, though with the genre slowly climbing back on its feet, who knows what will happen.

[ttdestroy]

I don't think I want LA anywhere near a new xwing vs tie game, they've become a bit fickle with their games varying vastly in terms of quality.

[Keroko]

's gonna be hard then, considering Lucasarts still owns the license.

[Zotis]

I've been registered on the TOR forum since August 2009. I'm in a Mandalorian guild: Mando Ori'ramikade, which is Mando'a for Mandalorian Supercomandoes.

Can't wait for Beta!

[Keroko]

So I guess you're rolling either a trooper or a bounty hunter then?

On that note, the bounty hunter story has been said by the writers to have the most mandalorian stuff, so you should probably roll one even if you're a trooper.

Oh, and before I forget, four new races have been announced.

It seems more and more that Bioware is going for a Dragon Age/Mass Effect-esque 'origin' aproach to the race/class choices. It's a great idea in my opinion. Sure, it limits customization, but you can actually adjust the class stories to make you feel like the race you're playing, not to mention incorporate at least 8 different races.

[MeoTwister5]

Considering how you can make a Jedi or a Sith straight off the bat in this, has Bioware announced how they intend to balance out Force User classes with the non Force Sensitives?

[Keroko]

Define 'how to balance.' If you mean balance as in 'Jedi are super powerful in lore' then the answer is that the players aren't scrubs, but the best of the best. We're playing the Han Solo's, the Jango Fett's. The kind of guys who can fight a Jedi to a standstill.

If you mean balance by combat specifics... well, that's just a matter of skill-balancing.

[Zotis]

Originally Posted by Keroko

So I guess you're rolling either a trooper or a bounty hunter then?

On that note, the bounty hunter story has been said by the writers to have the most mandalorian stuff, so you should probably roll one even if you're a trooper.

Bounty Hunter all the way. Although, we will most likely be allied with the Republic. In the past the Mandalorians fought the Jedi and tried to conquer the galaxy for the glory of battle. But the Sith have been abusing and deceiving us so much that most of us are pretty ticked off. Besides, if the Sith won the war the galaxy would be in a very pitiful state.

[Keroko]

Originally Posted by Zotis

Bounty Hunter all the way. Although, we will most likely be allied with the Republic.

*winces* You... do know that you can't create a Republic bounty hunter, right?

[MeoTwister5]

I still actually want that they implement the ability for Jedi to be able to cross-class into non-Jedi roles. Of course in terms of Canon this isn't likely.