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Hyperspace Beacon: Should you subscribe for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter?
If our comments are any judge, many gamers do not believe that Star Wars: The Old Republic lived up to its launch hype. These players have been wary about jumping back into the game despite the positive impressions of the latest expansion Galactic Starfighter. Is it worthwhile for them (or anyone else) to jump back in? BioWare launches its second expansion for SWTOR today. This addition to the game takes us into the thick of the centuries-long struggle between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Players take command of one of 12 different dog-fighting starships in two possible 12v12 skirmish maps. Far different than the on-rails shooter-minigames the MMO launched with, these maps are completely free-roaming and play more like a flight simulator than StarFox 64. Of course, that alone doesn't necessarily make the expansion worth it. Let's examine the features that could make this expansion worthy of your subscription.
Star Wars: The Old Republic launches Galactic Starfighter for subscribers
Subscribers to Star Wars: The Old Republic don't have to wait another day to start fighting across the stars. Galactic Starfighter early access is now live for subscribers, with Preferred players getting access on January 14th, 2014, and free players allowed in on February 4th, 2014. Yes, if you want to blow up other ships today, subscribing right now will still let you start blasting away, and you won't even have to hit a certain level to be eligible. The goal with Galactic Starfighter as explained in one of two new development blogs was to allow all players access to the content even if they're not as interested in the story. Progressing through the leveling game will unlock companions, though, and the other development blog details how your crew members can help your overall performance. There's also a new trailer just past the cut showing off how you can customize your ship, perfect if you're deciding whether you want to subscribe or if you prefer to wait to start playing.
Star Wars: The Old Republic explores the design of starfighting stages
It might seem as if designing a stage for Star Wars: The Old Republic's upcoming expansion is pretty easy. After all, Galactic Starfighter doesn't ask for much -- just throw some stuff in a field and let ships shoot at each other, right? According to a new development blog by designer Chris Schmidt, it's not nearly that easy, starting with the rather obvious assertion that just flying around in a blank arena would be boring. Stages need to replicate the feel of a pitched battle, and that means careful design. Schmidt explains that each level starts off with brainstorming about the environment, followed by a 2-D mockup to give a rough estimation of where various points of interest will be located on the final map. From there it's up to the art and modeling teams to fill in a rough layout with interesting visual elements and things to fly around for interesting gameplay. Take a look at the full blog for a deeper picture at what it takes to design these elaborate dogfighting arenas.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR Galactic Starfighter has crew skills, too
Last week, I gave you an overview of the next expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, Galactic Starfighter. We learned that the 12v12 space battles work independently of the ground game and even eliminate any sort of level requirement in order to begin. Galactic Starfighter commendations are earned only through space battles and work to enhance only starfighter-related skills. In fact, the only tie to the ground game comes in the form of your companions. Companions play a pivotal and fun role in Galactic Starfighter, so much that picking the wrong companion can ruin your impression of the SWTOR expansion altogether. For each ship loadout, you may pick four companions to give you eight passive abilities and one active ability.The abilities are divided into four categories, as are the companions: defensive, offensive, engineering, and tactical. Your active ability is determined by which of the four companions you choose to be your copilot. It sounds simple enough, right? The complexity begins when choosing which abilities work best for your playstyle.
How to trick out your fleet of SWTOR starships
You aren't going to make it very far in SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter unless you've got the know-how to trick out your starship. Fortunately for you, the devs have put together a new post regarding the expansion's starship requisition and upgrade systems so that you won't be puttering around star systems. Each starship has five major component (read: gear) slots for active combat abilities and four minor component slots for passive stat boosts. Components can be upgraded, with the highest tier offering a choice between types of upgrades. By mix-and-matching components, players can create unique loadouts that will be customized to their playstyle. Component unlocks and upgrades are paid for with requisition, which is given for battle participation and victory. BioWare promises that teamwork will never penalize your acquisition of requisition, which is a fun thing to say a few times in a row. There are two forms of requisition: ship, which is specific to the starship you're flying, and fleet, which can be used for any of your starships.
SWTOR's Strike Fighter is kinda like an X-Wing
Ready for another dev blog on a Star Wars: The Old Republic starfighter? Well, good, because I'm going to summarize it for you right now. Today's entry is penned by BioWare's Brian Audette, who focuses on the Strike Fighter and calls it his "personal favorite ship role" from the game's Galactic Starfighter expansion. Audette compares SWTOR's Strike Fighters to the more familiar X-Wing from the original trilogy, saying that the former "are some of the most versatile and important ships to ever fly for either the Empire or the Republic." The ships are equally adept at dogfighting or hammering stationary targets, he continues, and Strike Fighter pilots can swap between two primary or secondary weapons.
The Daily Grind: Are you enjoying an expansion this fall?
It looks to be a good fall if you love MMO expansions, as they're all over the place. EVE Online fans have Rubicon, Lord of the Rings Online adventurers hope to dive into Helm's Deep, EverQuest II Ratongas are chewing up Tears of Veeshan, and the EverQuest faithful have Call of the Forsaken to conquer. And that's not even to mention the upcoming Galactic Starfighter for Star Wars: The Old Republic and Lineage II: Valiance. That's a lot of new content to explore, but only if you're in those particular games. So sound off: Are you enjoying an expansion this fall? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Hyperspace Beacon: Getting started with SWTOR Galactic Starfighter
For about a month now, I have been playing the new expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, Galactic Starfighter. Granted, I haven't logged as many hours as some of those crazy people who have extensive guides on what each component does and how it compares to other similar components, but I have spent about 20 or so hours trying out different builds and testing my skills against other players. I certainly don't consider myself the best, but if I have the right equipment, I can hold my own. I've realized that not everyone jumping into SWTOR's new expansion will know what to do when getting started. I don't think I have to go over the basics like how to hop into your first match, but there are some things a person of average intelligence should know before tackling his first dog-fight. He should also set some goals for his first upgrades. I intend to help you out with that.
BioWare highlights SWTOR's Scout starfighters
Hey, Star Wars: The Old Republic fans, BioWare has released a Galactic Starfighter-themed dev diary that you might want to read. It's penned by designer Bret Hoffman and it features Scout Class Starfighters. Hoffman says that Scouts are designed for "speedy gameplay" and evoke "classic Star Wars ships like the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor." In SWTOR's PvP-themed space expansion, Scouts are the fastest ships and therefore are often first into battle. Superior maneuverability makes them effective dogfighters, but not all Scouts are the same. Some are built almost entirely for speed while others boast more powerful weaponry and defenses. Click through the links below to learn more.
Hands-on with SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter
The objective is just on the horizon. We're a ragtag group of journalists -- no, starfighter pilots -- and we're hellbent on taking a key objective from the enemy. The problem isn't the defending turrets; it's the five red squares that have just popped on our HUDs: Sith fighters. In a few moments, we'll lose each other in a storm of blaster fire and exploding ships. The ship to my right engages the turbo on his engines, rocketing forward. One by one, we all follow into the fray. This is Galactic Starfighter, the new expansion coming to Bioware's Star Wars: The Old Republic. The new ships, their customization options, and the chaotic, free-flight-PvP space combat make it one of the largest feature upgrades since the game's launch. It won't put you in the Death Star's trenches, but it will get you close. Join me in the cockpit as I tell you about my experience in rail-less throes of space mayhem.
Hyperspace Beacon: Putting SWTOR PvP on the right track
This past weekend, a friend of mine came up from Texas. Not only did we talk about our families and such, but we also spent some time talking about Star Wars: The Old Republic PvP. We have both been following the game about the same amount of time, and we are now in the same guild. I argued that PvP in SWTOR is broken. A couple of Advanced Classes excel while the others are just filler or fodder. Even if there were balance in the classes, BioWare does little to encourage the competitive player. In July, I gave a mid-term report card for SWTOR based on Dr. Richard Bartle's assessment of the different types of MMO gamers. As you might guess, SWTOR failed miserably in the "killer" category. As I talked to my friend, we came to the conclusion that SWTOR is a PvE game with a side of PvP. However, given some of the additions coming later this year, I think our Star Wars MMO might raise itself above the F grade I gave it a few months ago. Today, marks the start of Season One PvP, and in less than a month Galactic Starfighter launches. Both of these additions mark significant changes to the perception of game through the eyes of a "killer."
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR Marauders will suck but Operatives will not
Update 2.5 for Star Wars: The Old Republic will release at the same time the Galactic Starfighter expansion will hit for subscribers. Perhaps this timing is meant to hide the awful mistakes BioWare is making with two of its best Advanced Classes. One will receive a thorough thrashing with a nerf bat, while the other will only get a stern talking-to -- not even a wag of the finger. Of course, I'm talking about the Marauder/Sentinel class and the Operative/Scoundrel class. Last week, the Inquisitor/Consular class took center stage because there is a chance that the Madness spec might actually become viable in PvP. But at the same time the Assassin/Shadow tank becomes viable in PvE, it'll become a wrecking ball in PvP. (Time to roll another character!) Unfortunately, two of my favorite classes aren't seeing the changes they need in the next SWTOR update. Because I'm so helpful to the SWTOR developers, I will sit in my armchair and tell them exactly what to do. But first, let's talk about the tweaks coming for these two enormously popular classes.
Hyperspace Beacon: Four myths behind the SWTOR Galactic Starfighter NDA
You want to know how to get viewers to your livestream and get yourself banned by BioWare all in one stroke? Film the beta for Star Wars: The Old Republic Galactic Starfighter! However, like the many who have leaked information about upcoming games, I have wondered why there is an NDA on these things in the first place. What is lost by companies allowing players to stream or talk about closed beta tests, and what is gained by company by keeping some things under wraps? In the video games industry, like many industries on the cusp of technology and innovation, competition is high, as are the stakes. And developers like BioWare want to keep its latest creations like the next expansion for SWTOR under tight control to supposedly prevent the competition from stealing its secrets and creating a game just like it. I'm not so sure that makes a lot of sense. In fact, I've found that most of the reasons behind a beta NDA don't hold true when it comes to the next expansion for SWTOR. Here are the top four myths that I hear from those who support an NDA.
Don't expect SWTOR space PvE any time soon
The Unnamed SWTOR Podcast recently spoke with BioWare devs Damion Schubert, Andrew Horwitz, and Eric Musco at Star Wars: The Old Republic's Community Cantina Q&A in New York City. According to podcast host JD, BioWare said that space PvE will not be coming to SWTOR any time soon, if ever. I asked about the possibility that Galactic Starfighter was designed with PvE in mind. [BioWare] said no, it was not. That is far far far far far down on the wall of crazy, is PvE Starfighter. [BioWare] said the biggest problems would be with scripting and 3-D AI; things that they don't have in the game they would basically have to write fresh. The good thing about PvE is the good scripting. Getting the ability in at the right time makes it interesting and fun, but not unfair. You know, getting those enrage timers right. Getting like a DOT thrown out at the right time. Stuff that has to be done really well for PvE to work right. And for them to do that in space would be a lot of work. So problems with scripting and AI would be reasons that we won't be seeing PvE Galactic starfighter. SWTOR launched with an on-rails space shooter component and is currently in the process of adding space PvP with December's Galactic Starfighter expansion. [Thanks Grand Nagus!]
New SWTOR dev blog sorta talks about Galactic Starfighter
There's a new Star Wars: The Old Republic dev diary in town, and as you may have guessed, it's all about the recently announced Galactic Starfighter expansion. Lead designer Michael Backus is the blog author, and he pens the first of what is surely to be many paragraphs "delving into the background and development of Galactic Starfighter and its place within the SWTOR experience." This particular entry doesn't contain much in the way of gameplay info, unfortunately, but Backus says that more details will be forthcoming in the future.
Hyperspace Beacon: Curbing expectations for SWTOR Galactic Starfighter
After the announcement last week about the Star Wars: The Old Republic super-secret space project, I wanted to jump up and down, shouting from the roof tops about how BioWare has done something right. BioWare has given small indications of how it was listening to fans, starting with the size of lightsaber hilts up to dyeable lore-based gear. However, in this column, I want to give a balanced report of what's happening in SWTOR. Although the next expansion, Galactic Starfighter, tops nearly everything SWTOR has ever implemented to date, I think we should have realistic expectations for the upcoming expansion.
SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter expansion coming in December
Star Wars: The Old Republic's expanding space gameplay has been BioWare's worst-kept secret for quite a while now. Prior to today's video drop, though, we didn't know much about what it would look like. The firm has also posted a preview page with a fair amount of detail. The digital expansion is officially called Galactic Starfighter and it will feature 12-vs.-12 "free flight combat action." There looks to be ship customization as well as different ship roles, gameplay zones, and gameplay modes. BioWare is also offering various bonuses and early access tiers depending upon your preferred payment method. All the details are located behind the links below, and you can view the trailer after the cut. [Thanks for all the tips!]
