SWTOR lifts the sound curtain in Friday update

In video games as in film, sound design is usually something a designer hopes goes unnoticed, but if it weren't there, viewers might think part of the game was missing. Star Wars: The Old Republic is obviously no different, but there is an extra challenge that comes with working on a widely recognized intellectual property. "Establishment of style has to be done a bit more carefully in The Old Republic than in other games; after all, there is a long legacy of signature sounds associated with the Star Wars universe that came out of the films, television series, and even previous games," declares Audio Designer Scott Morton in this week's Studio Insider. Iconic sounds such as lightsabers igniting, blasters firing, droids buzzing, and ship taking off have to encapsulate the Star Wars feel.

Those of you who like to dive behind the scenes of your favorite game should check out the rest of the Studio Insider all about combat sound. In the same article, Senior Concept Artist Clint Young answers fan questions about the visual concepts of Star Wars: The Old Republic. TOR is really appealing to the senses in this week's Friday update.