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Everything we know about Star Wars: The Old Republic
Last week was a big week for MMO fans. After years of waiting, rumors both for and against the concept of a BioWare/LucasArts MMO, and a level of secrecy normally only associated with military contract renewals, the two companies finally took the wraps off of Star Wars: The Old Republic. We know it'll be years yet before we're in-game, but it's been a lot of fun talking about what we can expect down the road here on Massively. Here, then, is everything we know about the game at this point in time. Click through to read some of our coverage, and keep your eyes out for future articles on the site about BioWare's in-development title. We've got a long way to go, MMO fans! Massively and Joystiq liveblog the Star Wars / BioWare announcement!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 occasion The Old Republic Unveiled: Overview, space combat, and Star Wars GalaxiesWe have a high level overview to kick us off. Join us below the cut to get some insider information on why BioWare is making the game, the four pillars of BioWare storytelling, what little they can tell us about space combat and vehicles, and .. perhaps most interesting ... an affirmation of LucasArts' commitment to Star Wars Galaxies. The Lore of Star Wars: The Old RepublicPeople who've seen the films but may not necessarily have played Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR) on PC or console, and especially those who haven't read the novels or various comic book lines released over the years. Read on, and we'll introduce you to the backdrop and factions of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Old Republic Unveiled: Classes, Jedi, and CraftingWhile obviously we're no where near knowing what SWTOR's classes will be, we do have a few thoughts from the BioWare Austin heads about class-related issues. Join us as we find out some information on Jedis vs. non-Jedis, the fun of being a rogue, and the all important issue of crafting in the game. The Old Republic Unveiled: Combat, PvP, and HeroicsWe have the details about what they're hoping to do. Join us as we learn about the meaning of heroic, why being outnumbered is actually a good thing, and watch as we get told we can't know anything about PvP yet.
The Old Republic Unveiled: Classed-based storytelling and tales of heroism
Earlier today we talked about the classes of Star Wars: The Old Republic. We talked about the importance of classes, and how they define a player's sense of self in-game. So often, though, the role you play in an MMO is only important to you as a player. Your experience, your job, in a group is where your class stands out. When you're alone, when you're pulling out your quests, you're doing the same thing as everyone around you. That apparently is not the team at BioWare's idea of what questing should be. Join us to walk through comments from head writer Daniel Erickson about class-based storytelling, the importance of playing an evil character, and the goals of giving players the chance to be heroic ... together.%Gallery-35033%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Leveling, Sidekicking, and Questing
Moving on up by knocking stuff down - it's the standard MMO trope. We know that Star Wars: The Old Republic will feature a fairly standard leveling mechanic. But what do you to do level up? What sorts of stories will we be engaging in, how will we get to max level? BioWare is looking to up the ante by providing that 'heroic' experience from level one on. Join us to talk about the importance of decision-making, the company's view on mentoring and multi-level parties, and the dangers of the 20 foot tall k'lor'slug!%Gallery-35034%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Classes, Jedi, and Crafting
Gripping story, compelling visuals, and innovative game mechanics may be enough for a single-player gamer to make a purchasing decision. But MMO gamers have one other thing they need to understand before they can make that choice: who am I going to be? Star Wars: The Old Republic is no different. What race, what class, what role are we going to play in this brave new world? While obviously we're no where near knowing what SWTOR's classes will be, we do have a few thoughts from the BioWare Austin heads about class-related issues. Join us as we find out some information on Jedis vs. non-Jedis, the fun of being a rogue, and the all important issue of crafting in the game. %Gallery-35036%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Companion Characters
Even in a massively multiplayer space, it can be lonely. Playing by yourself in an MMO can be a strange, isolating experience. Solo play is fun every once in a while, but the point of these games is to play with other people. Or at least other entities. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is approaching solo play and storytelling in a unique way ... that should be wholly unsurprising for anyone that's played one of their titles before. They're leveraging their experiences with games like Mass Effect and Baldur's Gate to creat the most compelling NPC allies yet seen in the MMO space. Join us as we explore characters you'll learn to like, hate, and maybe even love.%Gallery-35034%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Combat, PvP, and Heroics
The name of the franchise is Star Wars. Not Star Knitting or Star Dancing, Star Wars. As a result, there's a lot of conflict, a lot of action, and a lot of combat. Star Wars: The Old Republic will be no different, and in fact the designers and developers look to be shaking things up from the MMO combat norm. As MMO players we've heard that before, havent we? 'Not just another EverQuest clone', real-time combat, even FPS combat ... somehow it all ends up a wash. BioWare might have what it takes, though, and we have the details about what they're hoping to do. Join us as we learn about the meaning of heroic, why being outnumbered is actually a good thing, and watch as we get told we can't know anything about PvP yet.%Gallery-35033%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Setting, Sith, and Empire
One of the most evocative elements of the KOTOR games was the story. The timeframe outlined by the original Star Wars movies is intriguing, but there's something ... magical about the Old Republic. A time of high ideals and blackest villains, of wars with real meaning and dreadful consequences. It's a fantastic place to set a story, and as part of our ongoing coverage of Star Wars: The Old Republic's unveiling we turn now to setting and lore. Join us as we get some info straight from the lead writer and studio heads about what we can expect in that Galaxy Far, Far Away ...%Gallery-35034%
The Old Republic Unveiled: Overview, space combat, and Star Wars Galaxies
Massively and the Joystiq network had a man on the ground at Tuesday's unveiling of Star Wars: The Old Republic. We sorted the chaff from the wheat, and now we are prepared to offer up to you a series of post outlining everything there is to know about BioWare's newest game. To start with, we have a high level overview to kick us off. Join us below the cut to get some insider information on why BioWare is making the game, the four pillars of BioWare storytelling, what little they can tell us about space combat and vehicles, and .. perhaps most interesting ... an affirmation of LucasArts' commitment to Star Wars Galaxies.%Gallery-35033%
