Star Wars: The Old Republic

[Jedite]

Originally Posted by Ninen

I've always wondered why some form of the Bolded hasn't ever made it live in a game. You leave a camp alone long enough and the individual mobs slowly gain more loot (coin/materals/whatever) until a trigger point is hit and they de/respawn as named/psudo-named (6 gnoll archers morph into Legrrrowlas and 5 Elite gnoll archers if left alone for X hours/days) with higher chance at world drops/more coin/special loot (thus letting the dev put as much or as little time into itemization as they want).

Would encourage exploration in at least a segment of the population. I know in vanilla WoW I was always swinging by named spawn points if I happened to be in the area, just for the off chance at a "of the {blah}" or world drop.

On paper it sounds like a great idea, but I just don't think it would work.. knowing our MMORPG community there would then be a camp outside of the cave waiting for the spawn to actually happen.

[tad10]

Looks great. I really wish Bioware was working on its own IP not Star Wars.

[Tudana]

Im curious what the FOH posters think of the lastest drama on the swtor boards about the Jan posting of "inside infos".

Some have pointed out that this poster is a trekkie (admriker444) and posted this to try and stir the pot...it seems it took a few months to really take hold. lots of unsettled SWTOR Fans on the officials boards right now over these "rumors".

Original post

Below Im posting an inside view of The Old Republic based on an inside source. And no I didnt have to dumpster dive this time to get this info rofl.

Oh and before the flame wars begin, lets not forget I was dead on correct when I said Bioware was making a Star Wars theme MMO. And this was despite Bioware and LA both stating for a fact that this would not be a star wars MMO.

This is going to be long and so I'll do my best to organize what I know as best I can.

Many MMO's start out as an idea. Developers formulate a basic concept and then workshop ideas. A basic blueprint is written up and a budget is estimated. Then work begins. At this point some of the larger MMO dev houses present their blueprint to a marketing team. The team will do research to determine what kind f projected revenue they can expect and if the game will reach an intended target. Ideas are given back to the development team who may or may not revise their blueprint.

I describe this as whats normally done within a development of an MMO. I mention this because TOR didnt start in this traditional sense.

TOR was born from a business model. This business model was handed over to developers who were then asked to design a game around it. What was this business model you ask, it was a book.

This book was written by Lucas Arts and inspired by KOTOR and its success. I dont know the origins of when and why it was done but this book is the framework for TOR.

The game has been designed to play like a virtual book. Each chapter will have alternate endings based on which dialog you chose in the quests. The goal is to make the game replayable and new each time you start over.

Each chapter has roughly the same content as a KOTOR game. And there are several chapters so the game does have a ton of content.

The game is heavily instanced. If you have ever played Lord of the Rings Online, its similiar to the beginning quest sequence and some of the books. You will literally watch a story unfold in front of you in your own little world. There are several cinematic scenes in the game.

Its definitely NOT open. There are no giant worlds you can freely explore. Its sort of like Guild Wars or a variation of Age of Conan. No player cities and no housing.

There is no space content so if your hoping for a JTL in TOR you better look elsewhere. There is a few quests involving boarding a ship but you arent going to fly around in an X-Wing doing missions.

The story evolves. Think Books in Lord of the Rings. They plan on adding new chapters to the story. Here is the catch, you will likely have to pay for each new chapter. Its not really an expansion, so its more like buying some additional quests.

There are classes in the game but not in the traditional MMO sense. There isnt a tank class or a healing class really. Each class can dps and has some healing abilities.

Each class will start on its own planet and will have a unique series of quests to start the game. Once you leave the planet, the quests will be mostly the same as other classes but the dialog is unique to each class. Of course there are different possibilities based on the dialog you choose. Also cinematic sequences will be different depending on class.

You can solo through the entire game. Not to say there arent group quests, there are but you can skip them.

If you dont like questing, this game isnt for you. There really is no other means to play the game.

There is no non-combat class.

There is a limit to the number of companions you can have. And in a group you cant have two of the same companions out at the same time. Also you can only have one companion out at a time.

Crafting is very basic. You craft your own lightsaber. There is no weapons crafting or armor crafting of any kind. There are some quests that require you to do some basic crafting like fixing a shield generator or fixing a droid. There are some modifications you can add to your gear. But you arent going to make your own gear.


There is currency and you can buy consumables like health pots. There will be a standard auction house.

Its definitely a PvE focused game. PvP will be limited to duels at this point. There are no raids, at least not in the traditional sense where 25 people go into a dungeon like in wow.

combat is classic rpg with a toolbar and specials with cooldowns.

Bioware wont support addons and apparently it will be considered an exploit to use one. No idea why.


The game currently is in full alpha test mode.

To summarize the game, its not really an MMO in the traditional sense. Some people are going to be upset by the design. Others like KOTOR fans will absolutely love this game. Oh and there will definitely be RMT plus a subscription fee.

[Zerai]

Originally Posted by trekkieperson

Oh and before the flame wars begin, lets not forget I was dead on correct when I said Bioware was making a Star Wars theme MMO. And this was despite Bioware and LA both stating for a fact that this would not be a star wars MMO.]

I am amused how this is his 'I'm totally right'. Bioware and LA? Star wars? Nah.

But if that's how the game is going to be..I dunno, I don't mind that much. As long as you can do all quests with friends and have them work, I'm sold. As soon as quests are solo only, I'm going to have issues.

[NativityInBlack]

Thanks for bringing it out Tudana, I think all foh posters could guess everything that guy said, it's a no brainer by what came out so far, they are doing a "!SWG" after all.

No space sim is a bummer but that's because we didn't had an awesome Star Wars space sim since what? X-Wing Alliace a decade ago?

Some will argue circa the original Tie-Fighter even that was trully masterful for it's time.

I don't think most of us here are looking at TOR for anything beside a re-playable KOTOR, at least I'm not, KOTOR was my favorite RPG anyway!



How they will hold single character players after they complete the storyline?

That's their biggest problem, the deal breaker even, sorta like WAR and uneven factions, hopefully unlike the later they will have a plan.

[Caliane]

Well, that could just be guesses made based on the real info given.

Mostly do to the point, everything stated there makes perfect sense given the things that have been said about the game.
The companions, story based, etc all make far more sense if this "MMO" is more Guild wars and less WOW, that we all assumed.

Sub fee for a guild wars type game sounds pretty lame.


A complete lack of pvp seems pretty dumb. Obviously, not something that Bioware is known for. And they have completely avoided talking about the subject. But Star Wars without pvp, sounds like a mistake, and pvp adds infinite re playability.

[machineman]

Well that's a real buzzkill for those of us who want an MMO that plays on the strengths of the genre - the potential for a persistent open world.

It sounds like there's virtually no value to even being able to have other players online, they were just looking for a revenue model.

[ChewieTobbacca]

Lucas? Looking to milk a revenue model???

Shocking, who would've thought!!!11

[Tudana]

As i stated in my original post, this poster was discredited by assuming (that is all any SWTOR Fan can do on either side now) he is only out to stir the rucus up in the fan base...but is he really?

So rather to take what he posted as "real inside info" or "clever twists of likes and dislikes" is whats got the fans flustered. Bioware will not come out and say anything one way or another. They are getting a free buzz off it i bet, same as with the Gay`s in Starwars drama last week.

The forum admin did post a warning

Originally Posted by SeanDahlberg

There have been a few rumors floating around lately about a variety of things. I'd just warn caution to all of and bring up the fact that it is very easy for people to doctor images in photoshop or talk like they know something you do not.

Rumors are just that and until you hear something as official, don't give it too much credit.

So with all that gamers have had to deal with in the last few years and be part of, while screaming at the tops of our lungs of how things really are...from SWG to Vanguard, Aoc, WAR..so on and so on...it does not surprize me these rumors would be more truth then fiction...

Its going to be entertaining to say the least either way it goes

[UnchainedAcolyte]

Sound like a lot of elements presented fit the model of what has been presented about the "game" so far. There's no hint of being a persistent MMO model, and sadly Bioware likely decided to play along and use buzzwords to garner attention.

I'm disappointed because if there existed a company who could do the SW(G) MMO concept "right", it would be Bioware. Apparently not.

Sad, everything Lucas and his company touches these days media, gaming or otherwise turns to shit.

[CnCGOD]

Sounds like KOTOR with co-op.

[Caliane]

Originally Posted by UnchainedAcolyte

Sound like a lot of elements presented fit the model of what has been presented about the "game" so far. There's no hint of being a persistent MMO model, and sadly Bioware likely decided to play along and use buzzwords to garner attention.

I'm disappointed because if there existed a company who could do the SW(G) MMO concept "right", it would be Bioware. Apparently not.

Sad, everything Lucas and his company touches these days media, gaming or otherwise turns to shit.

The Clone Wars animated series is pretty sweet.

[Azeth]

Originally Posted by Caliane

The Clone Wars animated series is pretty sweet.

truth

Granted I'm jumping to conclusions based on the past 9 pages of ranting, but it's really frustrating when games piggyback on titles and completely lack any playability.

Do i design MMOS? No

could i list every great aspect that a star wars MMO should have? yer goddamn right i could

[Dumar]

move this to other games forum please. this is not an mmo in any fucking sense of the word possible.

[tad10]

Originally Posted by Dumar

move this to other games forum please. this is not an mmo in any fucking sense of the word possible.

If the rumour above is correct then I'm gonna have to agree with Dumar on this one. It is no more an MMO than Diablo 2 (and presumably D3) is an MMO.

On the bright side the urge that I had to give money to Lucas via Bioware is gone.