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SWTOR's Spoils of War update offers casinos, tweaks group finder
In Star Wars: The Old Republic's most recent dev blog, designers Chris Schmidt, Alex Modny, and George Smith discuss the major game systems headed to servers with the 2.8 Spoils of War update -- specifically, the Nar Shaddaa Nightlife event, PvP tweaks, and the story mode ops group finder. Nar Shaddaa casinos will feature slot machines that award special buffs, weapons, armor, cosmetic abilities, and mounts -- like a ridable Rancor -- to lucky gamblers. Participants in Galactic Starfighter matches and Warzones will begin receiving double rewards, and two new ship variants, the Assault Bomber and Skirmisher Gunship, will become available. In an effort to reduce queue time, the group finder will utilize the 16-man story mode difficulty for operations and bolster gear rating for all players. Rewards will also be increased. Read the full dev blog at the official site.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's Grand Acquisition Race fell on its face
If you were looking for part two of the Huttball guide, know that I will finish it up next week. Today I have a more timely topic I wish to discuss. I love live events. These nuggets of content give a static themepark game a sense of life as well as a break from the daily grind. Star Wars: The Old Republic is eight months old, and the newest content is approaching its two-month birthday. The game needs a refresher. A live event was certainly well-timed and much-needed. Unfortunately, live events, like any game content, are a bit of a gamble, especially if you've run a live event in the past. No doubt, players will compare the current live event with the previous one or the best one, and if the current one doesn't exactly match up to the standard of events of the past, then players are certainly going to feel cheated. And despite my continued love of the game itself, I have to admit that the latest live event, The Grand Acquisition Race, fell short of all expectations.
Hyperspace Beacon: Monday night Huttball! [Updated]
If memory serves me, the first MMO that integrated an actual sport into its game design was Free Realms. Although soccer was not implemented at launch, players could not miss the soccer fields, and eventually, the developers did put those fields to good use. I certainly don't believe the Star Wars: The Old Republic developers had Free Realms in mind when they created the newly announced Warzone Huttball, but that does not negate the fact that most MMOs do not have sports that are just sports. I'm not sure this is because developers take the setting too seriously and therefore don't think outside the box in regard to side adventures players can have, but you will be hard-pressed to see many other MMOs introduce a sporty game into their core. Needless to say, Huttball excites me even more about SWTOR, and I've even considered creating a character just to play Huttball. Beyond the jump, I breakdown the rules of Huttball and speculate on the further possibilities of the game. Join me.
SWTOR presents the next great galactic sport: Huttball
Forget your regular PvP, in which the objective is to take down the other faction base or capture the flag. Star Wars: The Old Republic introduces us to a new way to face off against your enemies. Of course, we're talking about Huttball. Massively introduced you to this Nar Shaddaa sport earlier this week, but in this latest video, Director of Production Dallas Dickinson explains the rules and story behind this PvP arena. The highly lethal sport consists of two teams that each attempt to grab the ball from the middle of the Pit and cross that ball over the other team's goal line. It sounds a bit like soccer, but in this game of soccer, lethal force is encouraged. In fact, the Czerka Corporation has provided fire jets and acid pits just to make the game that much more dangerous. Beyond the break we've provided the full video introduction to this next sport sensation!
Gamescom 2011: SWTOR wins Best Online Game and introduces Huttball
The excitement revolving around Star Wars: The Old Republic at Gamescom 2011 apparently cannot be contained. Even those voting for the best-in-show cannot help but recognize BioWare's MMO for its achievements. Although Electronic Arts' single-player title Battlefield 3 won the top slot, The Old Republic was voted Best Online Game. Indeed, this game is powerful as analysts have foreseen. In addition to taking home the Best Online Game title, the EA booth introduced a new PvP arena that features something different from the typical faction vs. faction combat. In the new Warzone, called Huttball, players of opposing teams attempt to grab the center ball and score points by crossing over their opponents' goal line. And it just wouldn't be Nar Shaddaa without a little bloodshed, right? Instead of just trying to recapture the ball from the opposite team, you are welcomed -- nay, encouraged -- to strike your enemy down with all your hatred! If that enemy happens to be of the same faction, he's fair game in Huttball. Remember, what happens in Nar Shaddaa stays in Nar Shaddaa. Darth Hater nabbed some footage of Huttball in action. If you speak German or absolutely have to catch the latest TOR visuals, force leap past the break for the footage.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's hidden messages
"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future," were Yoda's words from The Empire Strikes Back, but contrary to the Jedi Master's belief, most of the time there are clues to what our future holds. Like the smell right before a rain storm, or little ticks of involuntary action that give away when someone is bluffing in poker, or that face your mother used to give you which said you were in trouble, clues to what the future holds are everywhere. Star Wars: The Old Republic is no exception. Clues to what the game holds are hidden all over its website. Alyssa Gobelle is the web designer for SWTOR. She has done a beautiful job of constructing a site that is entertaining as well as interesting to look at. Although the busy lettering, Aurebesh, entices the eyes, it also gives away secrets to the game. In April, Gobelle was interviewed by the Holonet Project fan site, where she revealed that the messages are totally intentional: "When they first brought me on, our first major task was to design the HoloNet. We wanted the HoloNet's voice to be as much 'within the lore of the game' as possible so we planned to add some generic Aurebesh to start. But we also wanted to add some hidden teases and notes for you guys to devour and ponder upon and play with. Give some more fuel to the speculation festivities." Continue after the break to find out what some of these "hidden teases" are. Perhaps you can help me figure out what the rest of them mean.
Visit scenic Nar Shaddaa in Star Wars: The Old Republic
The Star Wars: The Old Republic website reveals a new world for the MMO: the "smuggler's moon" of Nar Shaddaa, orbiting the Hutt homeworld. It's a huge city full of fugitives and other criminals, and is host to an ongoing war between the Hutt Cartel and the Exchange Syndicate -- you know, the kind of thing that a Jedi pays no attention to because he's too busy bringing down the government of the whole galaxy. It also kind of looks like something out of Phantasy Star Online. Have you ever noticed how in science fiction, entire planets will just have one defining feature? Like in Star Wars: Hoth is an ice planet, Dagobah is 100% swamp, Coruscant is one enormous city, and this place is a different planetwide city. Based on all the planets we've lived on (pretty much the one), that doesn't seem like how it works. Of course, the Star Wars universe is the one with lightsabers and Wookiee best friends, so there's definitely value to its interpretation of civilization.%Gallery-98568%
SWTOR's Sin City has been announced: Nar Shaddaa [updated]
What happens in Nar Shaddaa stays in Nar Shaddaa. How many unique locations can you fit in one one game? Well, according to the developers at BioWare, one more. Star Wars: The Old Republic is now up to 14 planets with the addition of this center for the criminal underworld: Nar Shaddaa. This city planet is the evil twin to Coruscant in that it is completely covered in city sprawl. Obi Wan called Mos Eisley a wretched hive of scum and villainy -- which is true -- but when compared to Nar Shaddaa, it is saintly. Besides being the apex destitute, this is neutral ground for the current war; the Republic and Empire are equally hated. The only war that matters on Nar Shaddaa is the one between the two mob-like corporate giants. On this moon of Hutta, the Hutt Cartel finds its greatest -- and possibly its only -- rival in all the galaxy: the Exchange. Where will you fit in this futuristic turf war? Maybe your place is on the side that pays the most credits. But whichever side you choose, neither can be trusted, so trust only in yourself. It's not just business as usual on Nar Shaddaa. When planning your Star Wars vacation, be sure to stop by the literal world of entertainment. [Update: Follow the after the break to see a short video of the city-world]
Star Wars: The Old Republic reveals Ord Mantell as its newest planet
BioWare has revealed Ord Mantell as Star Wars: The Old Republic's newest planet via a flurry of screenshots, concept art and even a new wallpaper. It reminds us a lot of Dantooine from the original KOTOR game, but with a little more going on than a Jedi Academy and tons of grass.Don't get us wrong because we enjoyed or original stay in Dantooine, but reading the lore piece on Ord Mantell is causing a noticeable unnatural buildup of saliva. Embroiled in a ruthless civil war? Mountainous plains and volcanic islands? A corrupt government? These are all the makings of a wonderfully fun adventure for any player of either faction.We're mostly excited about the ongoing battle between the Republic loyal old government and separatists looking for independence. As the marauders, Nar Shaddaa black market tech and elite Republic forces are all likely to be converging just as we -- and you -- arrive on the planet once Star Wars: The Old Republic launches sometime in the hopefully not-too-distant future.%Gallery-35033%%Gallery-35034%%Gallery-35036%
