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Massively and Joystiq liveblog the Star Wars / BioWare announcement!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/LucasArts_BioWare_press_conference_liveblog'; You've waited. We've waited. The wait is over. Join Joystiq.com and Massively.com for a liveblog of the LucasArts / BioWare announcement below the cut! In the meantime, check out our post on the announcement from earlier today for more context on this momentous occasion4:57PM ET – We're live from the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco! Event should get under way in just minutes.5:04PM ET – We're still in the holding pen outside the theater. There's a life-size Boba Fett staring at us! . Bioware has finally unveiled Star Wars: The Old Republic, their new MMO! Massively's got you covered on all the details -- from liveblogging the announcement to screenshot galleries and more. Join us in the Galaxy far, far away!
The Star Wars / BioWare announcement is just hours away
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/LucasArts_BioWare_press_conference_liveblog'; We're just hours away from the highly anticipated announcement of the BioWare/LucasArts project most gamers expect to be a Knights of the Old Republic MMO. We here at Massively has been waiting for this day ... oh, for years. More recently, though, we've had some more concrete elements to talk about. Ever since the July confirmation of the project by EA's head, we've been very busy thinking, plotting, and planning. Our own Kyle Horner has explored theorycrafting, wondering about planets that might appear in the game and ways that non-Jedi might counter their force-using fellow players. Craig Withers explored the game's possibilities as well, talking about what he wants to see.We've also heard quite a bit from you! We've asked you what class you want to play, and what game design components you want to see. We'll finish this quickie wrapup with IGN's "Top Ten Things We All Want to See in a KOTOR MMO", and ask that you come back in about six hours to follow along with Massively's coverage of this fantastic event!
Check out our BioWare/LucasArts announcement invite
If you're looking forward to October 21st as much as we are, you should know that you're specifically looking forward to 2pm Pacific time on that august date. What's happening then? Well, we're only going to find out (finally, for-reals) what BioWare and LucasArts have been working on all this time. At Massively, as you might imagine, we're feeling pretty confident that it's going to be an MMO set in the Knights of the Old Republic-timeframe of the Star Wars franchise. We're even willing to put money on the title being Star Wars: The Old Republic.We'd like to go on record right now stating we think the game's MMO acronym should be SWOR ... but will probably end up being TOR. What do you think?Joystiq's own Randy Nelson will be representing Massively, Joystiq, and the whole family of blogs at the event - ensuring that readers here and across the network are kept up to date. No pressure, Randy! Above is the frontside of our invitation to this event, and you can see what's on the back below the cut.
LucasArts and BioWare confirm impending announcement
LucasArts and BioWare have invited members of the press to attend an event later this month at which the two companies will finally officially announce the game they've been working on together. They did not say what the game is, of course -- then how could they officially announce it at the event? Obviously we're suspicious that it will be the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO (or just Star Wars: The Old Republic, as the rumored title goes).EA's John Riccitiello already confirmed the existence of that game under the table way back at E3, and other tidbits of news have only supported it since then. But hey, we suppose it could be something else. It was suggested in the Massively offices that maybe LucasArts bought the rights to He-Man, and it is in fact a He-Man MMO. Or maybe GI Joe. Yeah, we're a-stretchin'. More likely: a Willow game.According to Worlds in Motion, the invitation says it's "the game that's been rumored about for years." Uh-huh. The announcement will come October 21st, so hold your horses. Or your speeders. Whatever.
KotOR MMO announcement rumored to be coming soon
The site ComputerandVideogames reported earlier this week that new information may be coming soon about BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic MMO. We do know that the company is working on such a title, thanks to commentary from John Riccitiello during this year's E3. Unfortunately, the words don't stem from the most reliable source. The UK's Daily Star is the source of the claim, with the tabloid's site stating that it will be traveling to San Francisco to see the game in person. We sent word to LucasArts, asking if they'd be willing to confirm or dismiss their intentions to make an announcement this month. The PR Manager we spoke to stated, specifically, that "LucasArts doesn't comment on unannounced games." We'll keep you updated when (and if) the annoucement is made.
The Daily Grind: What do you want in the KotOR MMO?
LucasArts' Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has sold like, a bajazillion copies since it launched a couple weeks ago. The Star Wars franchise definitely sells video games, even when they get lukewarm reviews. But we're not going to talk about sales today. We're going to talk about quality.Since this site is about MMOs, and since we're going on about Star Wars, you've probably guessed that today's Daily Grind is about the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO in development at BioWare's Austin studio. We want to know: what do you think the KotOR MMO needs in order to achieve greatness? It can't just be World of Warcraft with lightsabers and sociopathic droids. It needs to be radical.So what's it gonna take? What are you expecting -- nay, demanding -- from BioWare in perhaps the most hotly anticipated MMO since WoW or possibly of all time?
Behind the Curtain: MMOre Morality
See what I did there? MMOre? See? No? Fine, get lost. So, it seems like Knights of the Old Republic Online is a definite thing now. I've actually been trying not to think to hard about that – I normally end up having to change my pants afterwards – it hasn't worked though, so my washing machine's been taking a serious beating recently. But enough about my bodily functions and laundry habits. We know that Bioware can make awesome singleplayer RPGs which provide you plenty of opportunities to choose the kind of person you want to be in-game. That's all well and good in a singleplayer environment, where character growth, progress and even gear can be controlled and directed with much more precision than in an MMO.
Top 10 things we all want in a KotOR MMO
The Knights of the Old Republic MMO concept has been laid out there, despite no "official" announcement, and excitement is brewing everywhere. What would this MMO bring to the table? How would they successfully create another Star Wars-based online world and make it at least competitive in today's crowded MMO market? Enter IGN's "Top 10 Things We Want in a KOTOR MMO" list. This list was compiled by the folks on IGN's PC Team to let us know what they think would make the game exciting and successful. Some of the features they've cited include space combat comparable to TIE Fighter, player-run territories (planets?) and no over-saturation of Jedis. Check out the complete list at their site for more, and let us know what you'd add to that list.
The week in Massively features
The Digital Continuum: Six planets KOTORO shouldn't be withoutThere are many worlds to explore in the Star Wars universe. Some are nothing but deserts, while others are covered completely by a single city. So how do you decide which planets to include in something like the upcoming KOTOR MMO? PAX08: Hands-on with Mines of Moriahis weekend at PAX 2008, Massively had the opportunity to be a part of the first-ever public preview of Mines of Moria with Lord of the Rings Online Executive Producer Jeffrey Steefel. During this showing, Steefel showed us many of the main features of this first expansion for LotRO, including the Legendary Weapon system, the two new classes, the vastness of the mines themselves and much more. Massively interview: Multiverse explains the Buffy MMO, Firefly's delayYesterday we brought you word that the folks at Multiverse (the developers of the MMO middleware) are in development on an MMO based on Buffy the Vampire slayer. At the same time, news came out the Firefly MMO will now be delayed considerably while they focus their efforts that other IP from writing dynamo Joss Whedon. Yesterday evening we had the chance to speak with Mr. Corey Bridges, Co-founder, Executive Producer and Marketing Director for the company. Mr. Bridges took some time out of his busy schedule at the Virtual Worlds Expo to explain a bit more about the Buffy/Firefly MMO hoopla. PAX08: Interviewing Champion Online's writer, John LaymanAmidst the rather large -- but also surprisingly polite -- crowd surrounding the Cryptic Studios booth, we were able to talk with the writer for Champions Online, John Layman. Discussions revolved around the breadth and depth of content within the game's zones and the possibilities of space-based zones lying in wait for higher level characters. The Hyborian Backpackers' Guide: Sanctum of the Burning SoulsContinuing from where we left you last week, the Hyborian Backpackers have headed indoors for a change on this latest adventure -- but being sheltered from the climate didn't mean we were any safer than before. In fact, inside Age of Conan's Sanctum of the Burning Souls, you'll need a whole group of friends of the appropriate level if you intend to survive for very long at all.
The Digital Continuum: Six planets KOTORO shouldn't be without
There are many worlds to explore in the Star Wars universe. Some are nothing but deserts, while others are covered completely by a single city. So how do you decide which planets to include in something like the upcoming KOTOR MMO? Well, you could just flippantly choose the ones that appeal to you the most, or spend way too much of your time researching planets to figure out which ones would suit both MMO gameplay and lore the best. I went with the latter choice for this week's Digital Continuum. Feel free to click the image above and read through the results.%Gallery-31316%
The Daily Grind: Is WAR the WoW killer?
The Warhammer Online NDA has been lifted, and a veritable tidal wave of WAR-related information has struck the internet. The open beta test is imminent, but countless pre-order customers are already in the closed beta. The game's launch is only a month away! So this is a great time to ask for your predictions: is Warhammer Online the long-awaited World of Warcraft killer?Some folks hoped it would be Age of Conan, but while that game is doing all right, it hasn't lived up for the hype for everyone. Are all your hopes placed in WAR now, or will it take BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Online or Cryptic's Star Trek Online to move the genre into the next era? Hell, maybe WoW will never be dethroned by one game.Make your predictions here, but we have a disclaimer: we won't be held responsible for any shame and embarrassment when you're proven way off base in the future!
KotORO it ain't: There's a third Star Wars MMO out there
Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Online (or more likely, Star Wars: The Old Republic) apparently aren't the only two Star Wars MMOs out there. We didn't originally mention this because lacking the Star Wars bit it was under the radar of our normal coverage, but McDonald's is including keys to virtual worlds for kids in its Happy Meals.Among the worlds: a Sci-Fi environment based on the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which hits theaters across the United States and the United Kingdom today. The environment is some kind of space station, and be there Yoda will. (You see what we did there?) So if you're really, really desperate to wander around a Star Wars-based virtual world other than SWG, well ... this is your chance, right? Yeah, okay, it's probably best to wait for KotoRO. We just thought you should know in case you're really hardcore.[Via Raph Koster]
The Daily Grind: would you want a moral compass?
A survey that asked for player feedback on several hypothetical City of Heroes features included the possibility of a 'rogue' system, in which your character's actions in the game would dictate whether they swing to the hero side, the villain side, or a grey area inbetween. At present, heroes and villains are stamped as such from character creation onward, and the story arcs treat you as one or the other, with no moral ambiguity.In the KOTOR games, of which an MMO version is now on the cards, characters can veer towards the light or dark side by means of their actions. You choose a side in the course of play, not by making an irrevocable choice at character creation.Would you like to see a 'moral compass' system in any of the MMOs you play? Does the idea of corrupting a 'good' character or redeeming an 'evil' one appeal? Does it enrich a game to have meaningful moral choices that shape your character's affiliation? Or does such a system inevitably lock you in to the game's idea of good and evil, rather than allowing you to determine your own alignment?
LucasArts looking for PC and console MMO testers
If you somehow still weren't convinced -- or in denial -- about the reality of a KOTOR MMO, here's some further proof of the matter. It's very compelling evidence but what's most interesting about the job requirements is this bit, "Strong familiarity and experience with gaming consoles, and Windows based PC's." Should we be expecting to hear the eventual announcement of an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 KOTOR MMO? Seems like.The good side of this news is you could meet the criteria LucasArts has set for a tester and be one of the first people to play the game. The bad news is that a new single-player KOTOR seems unlikely to be in anyone's current future. So if you're not initially sold on a massively multiplayer KOTOR, hopefully BioWare will actually own up to their claim of trying something different and change your mind in the long-run.
The Daily Grind: What class do you want to play in KotORO?
A few weeks back, in the midst of the E3 hoopla, we got the news that BioWare is officially working on a Knights of the Old Republic MMO. If you're anything like the Massively staffers, you've had the Star Wars theme running through your head since then. Next week's release of the Clone Wars feature-length CG movie isn't helping matters any. Back then, our own Kyle Horner threw out some suggestions for playable characters he'd like to see. From Sith to sentient droids, it's an evocative list. We want to know, though, what do you want to play? Are you looking to fill the shoes of Boba Fett's ancestors and take up the helm of a Mandalorian bounty hunter? Perhaps you're more of a traditionalist and seek to add your voice to those on the Jedi council? Or are you more like this blogger, and simply want the chance to survive with your wits and a good blaster at your side? What role do you want to play if and when Knights of the Old Republic Online ever comes out?
The Daily Grind: The MMO you're most looking forward to
There are so many upcoming MMOs to anticipate, we honestly can't say which one we're looking forward to most. Champions Online looks like good fun (with a good sense of humor!), DC Universe Online has us wowed with its array of super powers (that thing where you can freeze someone in a block of ice and throw them around? We're led to understand it never gets old.), Wrath of the Lich King is sure to turn our attention back to Blizzard (we may or may not have the beta client open as we type -- we'd never admit it if we did), Warhammer Online is just around the corner, Star Trek Online calls to the inner geek in all of us, and Knights of the Old Republic Online (or whatever it might be called) is a siren's song to any geeks not falling head over heels for STO. We're in such a state of giddiness over upcoming games, we can't quite determine which one we're most excited about -- and that's where you come in. Which of the many new titles out there are you most looking forward to?
The week in Massively features (E3 Edition)
E308: DC Universe Online roundupSony Entertainment Online revealed a metric ton of new information on their upcoming superhero MMO DC Universe Online at E3 this week, and Massively was on hand to pick the spicy brainmeats of Creative Director Chris Cao, SOE-Austin VP of development John Blakely, and famed DC artist and Executive Creative Director for the project, Jim Lee. The Digital Continuum: Five KOTOR MMO Jedi counter-measuresWith the less-than-grandiose announcement that Electronic Arts, BioWare and Lucas Arts are working together on a KOTOR MMO, I've found myself pondering the game that until now was nothing but a rumor. Granted, I already thought about the game quite a lot even before it was the now more official affair. E308: Membership and microtransactions in Free RealmsWe know that SOE's upcoming title Free Realms will be free to play, but that begs the question of how SOE might profit from the title. (Especially considering that Lead Designer Laralyn McWilliams stressed that Free Realms is just as important to SOE as the other titles being shown off at E3, The Agency and DC Universe Online. E308: Erling Ellingsen talks patch timeframes for Age of ConanEarlier today we sat with Age of Conan product manager Erling Ellingsen. Due to the development cycle Conan is in right now, Ellingsen didn't really have anything in particular to show us - but he did have some things to tell us. E308: SOE President John Smedley talks Free Realms, possible sequelsYesterday at Sony Online Entertainment's E3 headquarters, the Massively team got to see and hear the latest details on SOE's trifecta of new titles: The Agency, DC Universe Online, and Free Realms. There will be in-depth coverage of these games across the site during the rest of the day. To kick off, and to give you some perspective on what these games mean for the company, we sat down to talk with SOE's CEO John Smedley.
The Digital Continuum: Five KOTOR MMO Jedi counter-measures
With the less-than-grandiose announcement that Electronic Arts, BioWare and Lucas Arts are working together on a KOTOR MMO, I've found myself pondering the game that until now was nothing but a rumor. Granted, I already thought about the game quite a lot even before it was the now more official affair.There are no two ways about it. Star Wars as an MMO presents developers with a tough issue: how to deal with the Jedi class. I still think that one of the many mistakes with Star Wars Galaxies was setting it during the original trilogy, where Jedi were almost non-existent. I got the draw of the setting, but for an MMO it really didn't cater to the fervent desire to roll a Obi-wanna be character. Yet I also feel like it's a mistake making Jedi readily available without presenting players with other options that are equally appealing. Neo-futuristic-magical-samurai with energy swords aren't a hard sale for most players choosing which class they want to play. Thankfully, BioWare seems to have chosen itself a wonderfully powerful loop-hole: Knights of the Old Republic.
KOTOR MMO confirmed by Electronic Arts
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/KOTOR_MMO_confirmed_by_Electronic_Arts'; We've had plenty of speculation -- lots and lots of it -- but now we've got confirmation from Electronic Arts chief executive John Riccitiello that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is indeed getting a massively multiplayer online iteration. Portfolio.com has the story. The article quotes Riccitiello as saying, "... the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about -- in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it." When directly asked if this was confirmation of Knights of the Old Republic Online, the executive said simply, "yes".You can commence the freaking out now.
E308: BioWare says there is no KOTOR MMO (wink)
We just saw BioWare show off their new Dragon Age: Origins here at E3, and while that singleplayer game looks great (imagine a Mass Effect game set in the world of Baldur's Gate), we did spring the requisite massively multiplayer question on them for you. At the very end of the Q&A session with developer Dan Tudge after the demo, the PR rep told us there was just "time for one more question," and we threw it out there: "So, how's the Knights of the Old Republic MMO coming?"There was silence in the room for a moment. Tudge quietly said, "I... have no idea what you're talking about," and then everyone laughed as the PR rep nervously said, "Good answer." Tudge added, "You're asking me that in front of my boss?" And so we revised the question: Dragon Age has a very MMO-style design -- there's a minimap in the upper right, party portraits in the upper left, and a bar with icons for skills across the bottom. Does BioWare really want to make an MMO? "The interface looked like Baldur's Gate to me," said Tudge cooly. "The real question is, how much of the MMOs did Baldur's Gate influence?"Touché. But we left the press conference with a smile, a special secret that we'll share with you now. As much as Tudge was thrown off by the question, as much as the PR flack was aghast that we asked it, we did leave with this satisfactory piece of information: they didn't, in point of fact, deny. Did you enjoy this? Check out all of our E3 coverage as the week rolls forward!
