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SWTOR: Grouping up for flashpoints
We are all familiar with dungeons in most MMOs -- they're areas that usually require more than one party member to complete, and they're often (though not always) instanced off from the rest of the game. In the early games like Ultima Online and EverQuest, it would literally take an army of people to get to the bottom of most dungeons. Since those days, the definition of a dungeon has really expanded far beyond the idea of a cave or underground fortress, and the mechanics of dungeons have changed as well. Dungeons in many games no longer require a huge group of people to complete them, but your success or failure greatly depends on whom you bring with you. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare has expanded the definition of dungeon to the point that that word no longer makes any sense. BioWare devs call SWTOR dungeons flashpoints. Starting at level 10, both the Imperial and Republic factions begin their journey through flashpoints. These hour-long instances tell one-off stories and give you, the player, a greater understanding of what is happening in the greater galaxy. During these adventures, you play a role in the stories of the galaxy's most famous figures. Grand Master Satele Shan, Darth Malgus, and maybe even a person or two from past games all make a appearance in these stories. At the same time, these instances require strategy. Beyond the break, I will outline the first three flashpoints: the Black Talon, the Esseles, and Bringing Down the Hammer. Also, pay attention to the tips -- they may just make your first runthrough a little easier.
SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book
Do you hear that? That's the sound of a million voices who were silenced suddenly freed to share their experiences with Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's because BioWare has officially lifted the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) allowing testers to talk about the game. BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk posted the announcement just minutes ago on the forums: As of now, the non-disclosure portion of our Game Testing Agreement is officially lifted. While all players must still accept the Game Testing Agreement, from this point on testers may now freely talk about their experiences this past weekend in the game, as well as post screenshots and gameplay videos of their testing experiences. We encourage you to come join us on the official Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Forums to share your experiences! The Star Wars: The Old Republic community site will have a copy of this message on the forums and it will also appear in the Patcher. Players may not talk about nor reprint posts from our testing forums as they are still fully covered by the confidentiality portions of our Game Testing Agreement. And all players who want to participate in the upcoming Beta Test Weekends still have to accept all terms of the Game Testing Agreement. So, other than that, free feel to talk about and share your experiences in Star Wars: The Old Republic. If all that wasn't exciting enough, the dev team also released articles covering the flashpoint Bringing Down the Hammer, the book, The Art and Making of The Old Republic, and the Legacy system, which allows for a family last name shared across characters.
