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SWTOR dares you to face the Legions of Scum and Villiany
Mos Eisley isn't the only place where ne'er-do-wells congregate. Star Wars: The Old Republic says that there's another desert planet, Darvannis, that's also under the thumb of the Hutt Cartel and needs a little player intervention to thwart a gathering army. An operation dealing with this story will take place in the upcoming Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion. Called Legions of Scum and Villiany, this operation will challenge level 55 players to infiltrate a Hutt town, smack down a few bosses, and figure out what's going on. A couple of interesting twists, including a stealth portion and a droid dealer, promise more angles than a straight-forward fight. The operation will come in both story and hard modes. BioWare Senior Operations & Flashpoints Designer George Smith gives an overview of Legions of Scum and Villiany in a new dev blog along with the team's philosophy behind the high-level content. When you're done checking that out, don't forget to read our recent hands-on with the expansion and a deeper look at this operation in Hyperspace Beacon.
Massively's hands-on with SWTOR expansion Rise of the Hutt Cartel
Last week, BioWare invited a crew of gaming journalists to Austin to experience the latest content for Star Wars: The Old Republic. While I couldn't personally make the trip, BioWare invited me to listen in on the presentation given by Executive Producer Jeff Hickman. The journalists in Austin paired up and began their journey on the Hutt-controlled planet of Makeb, while I, having already been testing Rise of the Hutt Cartel for a few weeks, began writing my impressions of what I saw on that planet. Before I begin my report, I would like to lay down a couple of disclaimers. In order for me to tell the story behind Makeb, I will have to give some spoilers about the main game. If you haven't completed it, and you don't want to know how it ends, then you will not want to read the first section after the break. Secondly, if you are looking for Rise of the Hutt Cartel to fix all the issues and emotional setbacks you had with SWTOR in the first place, then you might be a little disappointed. However, if you loved the storytelling and overall gameplay of vanilla TOR, then you will absolutely love this expansion.
SWTOR's Hutt Cartel expansion launching April 14
Many Bothans died to bring you this information: The first expansion for Star Wars: The Republic, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, will launch on April 14th, 2013. Our spy network tells us that Makeb continues the player's personal story where it left off at the end of the base game. Whether you're a Jedi Knight who just finished an epic battle on the Imperial homeworld of Dromund Kaas or a Sith Lord who has taken her seat with the Dark Council, the next step is the Hutt-controlled planet of Makeb. For the longest time, the Hutts have remained neutral during the whole galactic conflict, yet recently, they have found new boldness. Besides Makeb, RotHC brings with it a new level cap (up to 55), at least one brand-new ability for each class, multiple new questlines (on and off Makeb), new level-55 flashpoints, a new level-55 operation, and new gear. Additionally, if you pre-order before 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 13th, you will receive three exclusive in-game items: the title Scourge of the Hutts, a Makrin Seedling mini-pet, a Dr. Oggurobb Hutt holostatue. We've also obtained a short video with Lead Writer Hall Hood and Lead Concept Artist Ryan Dening that you can view after the break. %Gallery-183727%
BioWare: SWTOR servers 'teeming with people'
BioWare executive producer Jeff Hickman has penned a state-of-the-game post for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In it, he says that the firm's "new high-capacity servers are teeming with people." SWTOR has seen more than two million new accounts created since its free-to-play switcheroo, and Hickman also promises that the dev team's "eight-week new content cadence" will continue. New features are coming, too, including a new avatar customization feature and the new Cathar species, not to mention the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR, a wretched operation of Scum and Villainy, part 1
Sometimes it's good to be me. When I mentioned that I had not had a chance to test out the latest operation in Star Wars: The Old Republic Rise of the Hutt Cartel on the public test server, one of my Twitch followers known as Jedi Consular put me in touch with the Memories of Xendor guild. You might remember that guild from my column about the tools of the raid. Its members made the real-time parser that I use all the time. MoX invited me to join a 16-man Scum and Villainy operation last Thursday. When we started the raid, I was shocked to find out that we were running hardmode. My groupmates told me they don't even run storymodes anymore. They skip right to the most difficult. I want to give a big thank you to Tensa, Jedi Consular, and MoX guild for helping make this article possible. Because of this group of awesome gamers, I experienced the complete raid. From Dash'roode to Dread Master Styrak, we fought every boss. SWTOR has expanded as a raiding game; each boss has its own merits and shows the game's growth from the previous raids. Read on to get my breakdown. However, I will warn you: There are major mechanics and story spoilers.
SWTOR panel at SXSW touches on Hutt expansion and other updates
If you weren't able to make it to Austin to catch the Star Wars: The Old Republic panel at the SXSW Interactive Gaming Expo this past weekend, we've got you covered; here's a video of a good chunk of it so you don't have to miss out. Of course, we also understand that some of you might be pressed for time due to things like, oh, maybe work, so you can't kick back and watch it all at once right now. For those, we've got a synopsis of the highlights to tide you over. The devs opened with a few words about the upcoming Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion. Sadly, no date announced, but they did mention the bonus items coming with each pre-order. Folks who spring for the expansion early (which is $10 cheaper for subscribers) will get a holostatue, a pet, and an exclusive title. The devs also emphasized the new content coming with the expansion, including gear, abilities, and two storylines on the new planet -- one for the Republic and one for the Empire. During the audience Q&A session, the devs also revealed that the cartel market update expected today will offer a cartel pack with almost entirely new items instead of repeats. All of the items can also be sold via auction. There are more tidbits to be had in this video, so pull up a chair and watch the final 22 minutes of the panel after the break. [Thanks to Jose for the tip!]
Star Wars: The Old Republic shows off how to make Makeb [Updated]
Here's how it goes in Star Wars: The Old Republic. There's a war taking place, which is more or less a constant event in the franchise. After several years of the Republic falling back and regrouping, it's finally pushing ahead. Unfortunately for both the Empire and the Republic, fighting a war for that long means using up a lot of resources... resources that can be found on the neutral planet of Makeb. The neutral planet that the Hutt Cartel has just invaded in a bid to become a galactic superpower. The latest video from the SWTOR development team shares more story setup and design previews from the planet Makeb, centerpiece of the upcoming expansion Rise of the Hutt Cartel. If you're looking forward to cascading waterfalls or orbital elevators, you'll want to take a look at the full video just past the break, but if you're just in it for the story, there are a few more tantalizing glimpses in there as well. [Update: BioWare has also just released a dev blog with some gorgeous concept art for the planet.]
Star Wars: The Old Republic sets the stage for Makeb
The war between the Empire and the Republic in Star Wars: The Old Republic has been two-sided thus far. Sure, there have been some minor incursions by other powers, but it's fundamentally been a conflict between those two sides. Makeb in Rise of the Hutt Cartel represents a major departure from that dynamic, and the latest development blog focuses on the changing face of the galactic conflict. And it's more complex than just the addition of the Hutts. The Hutts certainly play a major role, of course, but part of the reason for their presence is that the ongoing war makes open conflict seem more appealing to groups like the Hutt Cartel. Meanwhile, the Republic is finally in a position where it's not on the back foot compared to the Empire, meaning that the people in charge have to balance fighting the Hutts and maintaining the advantage. And amidst all of that, there's the planet Makeb itself, which is in the throes of severe ecological disaster. There's a lot going on in the expansion planet, enough to turn what seems like a two-sided conflict into a multi-faceted melee.
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR consolidates comms
Star Wars: The Old Republic's Rise of the Hutt Cartel hit the public test server last week, prompting a lot of players to rush to see the latest changes to this Star Wars MMORPG. Unfortunately, the majority of content slated to come out with this expansion has not been released publicly -- namely, the new planet of Makeb. Fortunately, we did get a sneak peek into the new gear progression as well as the Scum and Villainy operation. Gear progression is a common subject for this column and with good reason. Although there is skill involved when playing SWTOR, gear is the great equalizer. As in many themepark MMOs, a player's gear greatly determines whether or not he can defeat specific instances or bosses. Because of this, how a player earns gear and which gear happens to be the best at any given moment becomes top priority when new content comes out. With an additional five levels being added with Rise of the Hutt Cartel, gear becomes especially important. Let's examine how everything breaks down.
BioWare tweaking SWTOR commendations in new expansion
Does your Star Wars: The Old Republic avatar have a bunch of unused Coruscant commendations in his currency window? The upcoming Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion seeks to rectify that by introducing a new commendation system which will bundle all of the previously planet-specific commendations into a single unit. Darth Hater has some new details on this and other Game Update 2.0 currency tweaks, including new classic commendations which will replace the current Black Hole variant as the default entry-level gear currency.
Star Wars: The Old Republic opens up test servers for patch 2.0
We've known for a while that the first digital expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic will be releasing in the spring. Those waiting eagerly for Rise of the Hutt Cartel won't have too much longer to wait, it seems, as the expansion has been put up for testing on the game's public test server. This build includes gear, operations, and flashpoints for characters at the new level cap of 55, as well as the extra abilities and skills you'd expect from an extra five levels. Notably not included is all of the content from Makeb that would allow players to actually reach level 55, which necessitates the addition of a special NPC to boost player levels and allow corresponding equipment unlocks. Still, if you're looking to take your main characters for a test drive in the post-expansion world, head over to the public test server and start seeing what changes with five more levels under your belt. And even if you'd rather wait for the release, this round of testing means the expansion can't be too far off.
Hyperspace Beacon: Making a deal with the Hutts in SWTOR
Hutts. When you say that word to a layman, he probably thinks that you're talking about grass-topped houses, but if you say that word to the Star Wars fan, the image that springs to his mind is Jabba the Hutt. The giant green and yellow slug was mentioned all the way back in 1977 when Star Wars was first released. In fact, he was supposed to show up in that movie, but due to budget restraints, the special effects department couldn't mask over the late Declan Mulholland. The scene was later added back in for the special edition, but it really nullified the mystery of Jabba and made the Hutt appear to be more of a joke than the dangerous gangster that he should have been. Hutts. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, Nem'ro is the central figure to both the Bounty Hunter and the Imperial Agent storylines for the first 10 levels. On the Republic side, you run into an overarching story on Nar Shaddaa involving Bareesh the Hutt and Republic Ambassador Averdon, one that pits you against warring criminal organizations. These gargantuan blobs are central to both the Republic and Imperial stories on Quesh and the endgame operation for Karagga's Palace. And now, the first SWTOR expansion will center around the Hutts and the planet of Makeb. Hutts. Where did they come from? How did they come to power? Are they different in TOR than they are in the movies? Let's take a moment to explore these criminal overlords.
BioWare releases Makeb first-look video for SWTOR's upcoming expansion
BioWare has released a first-look video for Star Wars: The Old Republic's Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion. The clip takes us on a fly-through of Makeb, the new planet that features "new story-based missions pitting both Republic and Imperial forces against the nefarious Hutt Cartel." The firm also wants you to know that you can pre-order the expansion and receive several in-game rewards. These include a "Scourge of the Hutts" title, a Dr. Oggurobb Hutt holostatue, and a creepy crawly Makrin Seedling minipet. We've embedded the video for your viewing pleasure after the cut. [Source: BioWare press release]
Fox News discusses Star Wars: The Old Republic's gay expansion planet
Star Wars: The Old Republic fans already know that Makeb is the Planet of Gay, containing far more gay than even the fabled Gay Level on Coruscant. Or perhaps it's just the sight of the game's upcoming expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, which will feature the first implementation of same-gender romances in the game. These romances will be limited to characters already on the planet rather than new or existing companions. This is not new information for most players. However, it's news to Fox News, whose take on the planet's status is... slightly different. According to Fox News, Makeb will be the "gay planet" added in the expansion, likening the current limitation of this new content to segregation and noting that many players are opposed the inclusion of same-sex relationships in the game. There is no mention of the number of players requesting the feature, nor of the variety of (presumably) non-gay quests and content available on Makeb. In short, it's missing a number of nuances regarding the situation, something that might be good for a raised eyebrow or two from fans and detractors alike.
Star Wars: The Old Republic confirms same-gender romance, more endgame content
Executive Producer Jeff Hickman is riding in the new year with a bold state of the game letter for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In it, he not only trumpets the benefits of free-to-play but addresses several pressing questions from the community and gives a few hints at Update 1.7 and the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion. Hickman says that F2P has done well by SWTOR, although he doesn't deliver specific numbers: "The game is incredibly healthy with an ever increasing number of players who are actively playing (the servers are rocking!)." He also said that players will soon see changes to "a special PvP area," a lot more content for endgame customers, improvements to Ilum, and the ability to copy characters to the test server. Regarding PvP, Hickman indicated that pure open-world PvP will not be coming to the game any time soon. Finally, the state of the game address confirms that same-gender romance will be added to SWTOR in the expansion, although it will initially be confined to interactions with NPCs and not companions. "I want to reveal today that we are adding SGR with some NPCs on Makeb and do intend on pursuing more SGR options in the future," Hickman said.
SWTOR dev talks expansion skills, planet, and gear
"Questions you have, hmm? Answers you seek? Go read a dev round-up, you will! Hmmm!" That's the advice that a certain green puppet told us after the Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel announcement left a lot to be discovered. Fan site Darth Hater did its good deed of the day by hoovering up and redistributing important dev posts on the forums about the expansion about some of these missing details. Senior Community Coordinator Allison Berryman addressed some of the most common questions, such as the viability of current endgame gear (answer: very viable) and how big this new planet will be. "To give you all a better idea of Makeb's scope," she said, "it's a planet of equal size to our larger planets and it contains a variety of areas -- sprawling mesas, underground caverns, garden estates, and more." Berryman also says that character development is a big part of the expansion agenda: "As part of the new content, every skill tree will be expanding and you can expect significant updates. Players will earn a new skill point with each level, and new skills will be available in each skill tree. Additionally, a new active ability will be introduced for each advanced class."
SWTOR's Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion set for spring 2013
Ready for Star Wars: The Old Republic's first expansion? BioWare is prepping Rise of the Hutt Cartel for a Spring 2013 release according to the game's official website. The content will be available as a digital download for $19.99 (or $9.99 if you're a subscriber). New features include the planet Makeb, a level-cap bump to 55, new story content with fully-voiced cinematics, and new gear, skill points, and abilities. BioWare is also gifting pre-order customers with five days of early access to all of the new stuff provided you place your order by January 7th. The company promises further details in the coming days.
