Star Wars: The Old Republic - Official Thread

[Ragnarok]

Pretty good read from MMORPG.com

[Ragnarok]

Now we have a general Idea when it will be coming out.

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello mentioned that a "major new massively multiplayer online game" would not be shipping within EA's 2011 fiscal year, which ends on March 31st, according to a report by Joystiq. EA CFO Eric Brown later confirmed that Star Wars: The Old Republic is "not included in our FY11 release slate."

So there you have it folks, set your calendars to sometime between April and June next year, as we won't be playing Star Wars: The Old Republic for a little while yet.

This doesn't come as much of a surprise, though, as the game was originally slated for a Spring 2011 release window, and given the fact that Spring  generally begins between the middle and end of March, the April to June timeline makes perfect sense. So, I guess if you expected it earlier than that, well, don't!

[Ragnarok]

TheGalacticStruggle.com got a chance to sit down for an exclusive hands-on with BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic where the first new species was revealed: the Rattataki. Playing a level 6 Bounty Hunter with a distinct look, BioWare informed the folks at TGS that they were playing a Rattataki, which may have you scratching your head, but if you are familiar with the character Asajj Ventress, you're familiar with the Rattataki.

One interesting and perhaps disappointing detail about customization was also revealed in TGS' gameplay hands on, where Jake Neri described The Old Republic's customization as not being as robust as Star Wars Galaxies' customization system.

Star Wars: The Old Republic's Advanced Classes system was also revealed today over at Eurogamer, detailing the dual class system each class will be able to branch off into. The Advanced Class system essentially gives Star Wars: The Old Republic 16 classes, with the main four on each side serving as a kind of base archetype.  It is not simply a choice of choosing a Juggernaut or Marauder talent tree as a Sith Warrior and that's it. Instead, players will have two distinct talent trees for each Advanced Class, A third talent tree will also be available, but it will be shared between both Advanced Classes and focus on your base class abilities.

[Subb]

Prepare for a new trailer, guys'n'gal. One's coming in a few days.

[Reaper]

If you could post a link when it has been released...

[Subb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOttfaTvg-s#t=0m33s << a teaser of the teaser trailer.

[Tbone]

Ships and PvP Rewards - E3 Coverage
http://pc.ign.com/articles/109/1096845p1.html

If you weren't excited for BioWare's MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic yet, perhaps some of the new things I learned and experienced at E3 2010 will change your mind.

Every player, regardless of their chosen class, will get their own starship to command across the galaxy. Always dreamed of flying a Corellian vessel? Choose the Vanguard class when playing. Or maybe you've had some sort of sick dream where you gangster walk through the galaxy aboard an Imperial transport (if so, choose the Sith Fury class).

Of course, it would be pretty boring to have an entire galaxy packed with a handful of similar ships. To combat this, BioWare has created a robust customization package so that you can fully trick out your ship with premade gear sets or your own hand-picked items. Though BioWare isn't showing off the ships in action just yet, they assure us that there will be thousands of different variations so that each person can feel as if they have a unique vessel.

That same level of customization is also given to your character in the form of various PvP gear. Though you start out pretty basic in terms of gear, by completing PvP challenges (which BioWare isn't discussing yet), you earn new goods. Some of this stuff is cosmetic, some is highly functional and all of it seems to change based on class and race. In the example BioWare showed off, one bad ass ended up with a jetpack and devilish armor that made him look like Boba Fett spawned from Hell. In other words, you can build up your character to look more awesome than anything the Star Wars universe has seen before.




BioWare continues to insist that Old Republic can be played as a single-player game if you are the type who likes buying Massively Multiplayer games for the express purpose of not playing them correctly. However, the PvP rewards system is meant as encouragement for engaging with other players as often as possible. There will be other ways to earn gear, but it sounds like the quickest way to maximizing your get-up is by teaming up with other players (or shooting them in the face).

At E3 2010, BioWare offered up a half-dozen classes to try out, but I was immediately attracted to the Twi'lek smuggler, because I am a letch. But also, because the success of The Old Republic largely depends on the strength of the non-combat specialist classes. People will be drawn to play as the bounty hunter or the Sith Warrior, but if the smuggler and its ilk aren't fun, then the online balance weighs even more heavily towards just one or two classes. And that could very quickly spoil a promising MMO.

The smuggler is not the most combat savvy, but she's crafty. She uses cover to survive and has a set of available actions that better suit someone who can't overpower an enemy like a weapons-heavy bounty hunter. The cover system itself is basic. A green silhouette shows where you can take cover. And once in cover, you can use those icons to move from one spot to the next and eventually flank your enemies. Grenades and a rapid shot ability are key to taking down enemies without suffering too much damage. The smuggler is not a brute, so standing in the open taking pot shots is suicidal.

On the field of battle, the smuggler isn't useless by any means. And if you team up with more offensive-minded individuals, you can use cover to sneak to objectives or get the drop on protected enemies. But the smuggler's value will be more strongly felt outside of combat. After all, The Old Republic doesn't take place on one planet, but in a galaxy ripe for exploration. While the E3 demo didn't let us go off-world, obviously a smuggler will have some advantages aboard a ship that a Sith Inquisitor will not.

While you won't be Force-choking enemies or brandishing a lightsaber, combat for one of the least combat-focused classes is fun. As long as BioWare balances any combat deficiencies with some other benefits--better ship, more useful conversation options, etc.--plenty of people will be giving the smuggler class a go. And that can only help The Old Republic to succeed.

[Adad]

That trailer was tight as hell. Wow

[Tbone]

What trailer? Subb's link was removed...

[Subb]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-star-wars/101161 FUCK YES

[Anamodiel]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-star-wars/101161 FUCK YES

SWEET JESUS.

[Adad]

you can d/l it on their site again too.  http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/hope-cinematic-trailer

[Manic Velocity]

HIGHLIGHT FOR SPOILERS:

Wait wait wait wait wait... did she block... the fucking lightsaber... with her goddamn hand?!

Also, did anyone else recognize the voicework?

[Adad]

Yea manic I was shocked by the same thing. wild

[Tbone]

I believe it was the Force....she just cut it really, really close. I'm sure she could feel the heat.