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SWTOR suffers from the Rakghoul plague again
Last week, we began to see the warnings from Alderaan of wild beasts attacking random citizens in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Today, Massively has discovered that it is in fact a new outbreak of the Rakghoul plague that hit Tatooine nearly two years ago. Addalar Hyland, the director of Galactic Solutions Industries, confirms these reports after sending multiple teams to investigate the attacks. Governments of both the Empire and the Republic are asking citizens to be wary when traveling as the plague is highly contagious. Based on the image above, we discovered that it could be spreading off the origin planet of Alderaan and might have made it to the Imperial fleet. If you have skills that might assist in ridding the galaxy of this lethal plague, we urge you to watch this video below then report to the nearest GSI representative immediately.
Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR F2P experiment, closing chapter one
It's been a couple of weeks since I've covered anything dealing with my Star Wars: The Old Republic free-to-play experiment, so I should do a quick rundown of the rules. I believe that it is possible to play SWTOR from beginning to end, including endgame, without paying for anything. The SWTOR cash shop (Cartel Market) and auction house (Galactic Trade Network) are directly connected in a way that allows for nearly everything sold in the cash shop to be sold to other players with in-game credits. There are enough people who have more real-life money than time to support those who have more time than money. So during my experiment, I vowed I would not take any gifts from other players or my alts and I would buy all of my unlocks off the GTN. So far, I've noticed little change from level 1 to 10. However, Coruscant started to get rough. I also learned that leveling alongside a subscriber turned out to be disappointing. Yet in general, the leveling process seemed to be right on par with the planet I was on. It was my theory after leaving Taris that although there is a F2P experience penalty, my XP placed me on-level with each planet. Subscribers had an advantage of rising above the recommended level for each planet. Then I ran into Tatooine.
SWTOR: Warzones whack-a-mole
You cannot make a Star Wars game without some sort of galactic conflict. Subscribers to Star Wars: The Old Republic can play out this interplanetary war in appropriately named instances called warzones. Out of the box, BioWare's MMO includes three of these epic conflicts. The planetary government of Alderaan draws both major factions into its own internal conflict in the civil war warzone. Nar Shaddaa host the seediest death-games the galaxy has ever heard of. Huttball is the prime example of these deadly sports. And the technology of the Voidstar is up for grabs by either the Empire or the Republic, but the question is "who will get there first?" At level 10, you can begin your PvP adventure by queuing up for these battles solo or with a group of four. But as any war general will tell you, the more you know about the battle you're about to enter, the more likely it is that you will win. Past the break, you'll find a rundown of each warzone and a bit of strategic advice before you jump into battle.
Hyperspace Beacon: PvP with Taugrim
Many of you reading this have asked about PvP in Star Wars: The Old Republic. And while I may know game mechanics and have a good understanding of how PvP works, I am by no means an expert at that style of gameplay. Lucky for you (and me), I work with one of the best PvPers at Gamebreaker. On top of that, he's been playing TOR beta for a couple of weeks now and already has some incredible insight into the game's PvP scene. Let me introduce to you Ed Park aka Taugrim. Ed joined the Gamebreaker team as an expert on Trion's RIFT, and he has been doing video guides for PvP for about seven years. Ed has a habit of proving people wrong in his videos, which is one of the main reasons I like turning to him for PvP advice. He told me about the melee cleric in RIFT and how many people said the playstyle wasn't viable in PvP. Consequently, he released videos showing (with incredible commentary, I might add) how he successfully plays that class in PvP. But we didn't come here to talk about RIFT -- we came to talk about SWTOR. After the break, catch my interview with Taugrim in bite-sized chunks. Enjoy!
Hyperspace Beacon: Hyperspace... beacons
A hyperspace beacon in Star Wars lore guides a space traveler from one safe lightspeed jump to the next. Basically, a nav computer communicates with a hyperspace beacon, requesting jump points to its intended destination, and the hyperspace beacon, being in contact with other hyperspace beacons, replies with the fastest route to that star system. Explorers, like Gav Daragon, would take risky jumps in directions beacons didn't point to. That is how they found Korriban. By the time period of Star Wars: A New Hope, hyperspace beacons were no longer in service. However, we know for certain that less than 300 years before Star Wars: The Old Republic, hyperspace beacons were still in use. Since technology appears to advance quite slowly, I can only assume that they are still used in some capacity during SWTOR. As evident by the galaxy map that BioWare launched this past Friday, the worlds of this time period are strongly divided into territories. The planets of the movies appeared to be united under one banner (although that's not entirely accurate). What I'd like to do today is give you a little tour of the galaxy, comparing this map to something you may be a bit more familiar with: the Star Wars movies. So strap yourself in, kid -- we gotta make the jump to hyperspace!
PAX 2011: SWTOR Alderaan PvP session captured on video
Darth Hater has posted a new Star Wars The Old Republic clip direct from this year's Pax Prime. The clip was captured on a hand-held camera, so the quality isn't the greatest, but we do get a good long look at the Alderaan warzone PvP (as well as some dancing Sith Inquisitors, if you're into that sort of silliness). The video runs for around 10 minutes, and we get to see quite a lot of action as well as a good bit of the layout of the Alderaan warzone. Also of note is TOR's unique take on respawning after death. There's no annoying countdown timer like in your standard online PvP match. Instead, you'll spawn on your ship and have to fly a speederbike back to the battle zone in real time, which gives you a tactical view of what's going on as well as the feeling of still participating in the game as opposed to watching a clock for several seconds. Check out the clip after the cut. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 26-28, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, City of Heroes, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Massively's guide to Gamescom 2011
If you've never been to Gamescom before, let's simply put it this way: It's big. Really, really big. Forget most any convention you've attended; this is likely to be even bigger. Billing itself as the world's largest games event, Gamescom sees well over a quarter-million fans, journalists and exhibitors crowd into the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany to check out hundreds of games and companies. Due to its size and worldwide prominence, Gamescom is a significant event for anyone following the MMO genre (and video games in general). There are plenty of MMO studios gearing up to share first looks, exclusive reveals, detailed Q&A sessions, and exciting hands-on demos for attendees. Naturally, Massively will be paying close attention to all of the news coming out of Gamescom this week. For those attending the convention or merely looking to keep abreast of all of the games, studios, and information forthcoming, we've compiled a guide to the hottest tickets at Gamescom as well as a comprehensive exhibitor list of MMO studios after the break.
SWTOR Alderaan warzone playable at Gamescom
It's no secret that Star Wars: The Old Republic will be making a big splash at this year's Gamescom. What we didn't know prior to today, however, was the fact that one of the title's PvP warzones will be playable in a dedicated area "away from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the show floor." BioWare's Chris Collins gives us the details on the official SWTOR boards, and you'll need to sign up via email ahead of time if you and your mates want to get in on the action. The warzone matches will feature eight vs. eight teams and will pit Republic forces against their imperial counterparts in the Alderaan Civil War scenario. Whether your taste runs to the clumsy randomness of a blaster or elegant weapons from a more civilized age, you'll need to get your signups in by Monday, August 8th.
Star Wars: The Old Republic video visits Alderaan, fights lots of dudes
We were pretty upset when we saw Alderaan get totally blown to smithereens in A New Hope, but now that the Star Wars: The Old Republic trailer posted after the jump has shown us what type of unsavory characters lived there, we're not sure it's actually that great of a loss.
E3 2011: SWTOR flies to Alderaan
Alderaan is known mostly for being the homeworld of Princess Leia and being one of the first victims of the Death Star. However, the planet is rich with history even 3000 years before the events in Star Wars: A New Hope. The developers at BioWare have mentioned in the past that Alderaan would host one of the PvP Warzones for Star Wars: The Old Republic, but they did not mention anything about the PvE aspects of the world -- until now. A usurper by the name of Bauris Ulgo has forcefully proclaimed himself king of Alderaan, and the Republic has asked you persuade him to leave. Of course, this will not be easy, and it will require that you and your team take it back by force. Below we have some incredible screenshots of Alderaan, Tatooine, and player vehicles. After the break, we have SWTOR Lead Writer Daniel Erickson's livestream of Tatooine playthrough. And stay tuned here later this week as we bring you more information about the raid on Belsavis called the Eternity Vault and our impressions of playing on the open world of Tatooine. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered! %Gallery-125684%
SWTOR reveals plans for E3, advanced class powers, and a new tie-in comic book
BioWare descends on the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 7th, but its exact plans regarding the Star Wars: The Old Republic show were held close to the chest -- until now. Thanks to the community team in Austin, we now have a good glimpse at what will be shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. An ancient threat grows restless on the planet of Belsavis; the entire galaxy is at stake; and both the Republic and the Empire will suffer. A group of heroes is deployed to Belsavis to counter this terrible evil in the next revealing trailer for SWTOR called Eternity Vault. Visitors to E3 will witness two in-game plotlines. First, a showdown of patriots and a usurper who has laid claim to the throne ignites the planet of Alderaan. Second, players take on sand people on one of the most iconic planets in the Star Wars universe: Tatooine. Also, The Old Republic birthed a new tie-in comic book. Alexander Freed, a lead writer at BioWare Austin, penned this latest tale titled the Lost Suns. The comic book features a spy named Theron Shan, who is combing the galaxy for clues to what the Empire has been doing since the Treaty of Coruscant. Freed expounds on some of the hidden secret on the official site. Lastly, more detail has been revealed about the Advanced Classes on the official site, including specific powers for each tree. For a complete breakdown of revealed powers watch the Hyperspace Beacon on Tuesday. For the rest of the gory details be sure to visit the official SWTOR website and don't miss our live coverage from E3 all next week.
Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid
Last Friday, Star Wars: The Old Republic finally revealed the Crew Skills crafting system. In a slightly less important announcement, BioWare also announced its new Community Manager, Stephen Reid. OK, I'm teasing. It is very important announcement. Since Sean Dahlberg stepped down, the community team has been without a face and voice to the community. Those left behind had to put in extra effort into providing the fans with the latest releases from the SWTOR news room, and for a while, the community was unsure who, if anyone, would be able to fill the shoes. Now, Stephen Reid has taken the helm of the massive community starship. Now since we have a new voice of the SWTOR community team, Massively thought it would be interesting to get his thoughts on the game, on the community, and on how we, the fans, could best make Star Wars: The Old Republic the game it should be. Massively Senior Editor Brianna Royce sat down with Stephen at a recent LucasArts event for an in-depth interview -- join us past the break to see what he had to say!
Star Wars: The Old Republic -- Warzones and Wizard's rename
A few months back at Gamescom, BioWare announced the names of all the advanced classes for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and one name in particular stood out to fans for all the wrong reasons. A Jedi Consular sub-class was called Wizard, and fans decided that the name was not Star Wars-y enough because SWTOR is a science-fiction game, not fantasy. However, the creators at BioWare wanted to stick to the name by justifying the name on the official forum and in interviews. But now, it seems they have caved. The ranged and healing sub-class will be renamed to Jedi Sage, Jedi Seer, or Jedi Adept. The best news is that you, the fans, get to choose. Head to the SWTOR forums and place your vote for your favorite name. Continuing the trend of giving the fans what they asked for, BioWare created a new video of Warzone ingame footage. For those who are unfamiliar, the Warzones are the PvP areas announced at E3. Alderaan is the only planet we know of that has a Warzone, so they weren't shy about showing some of that off in the new trailer. The Imperial forces have invaded a Republic outpost in an attempt gain control of Alderaani skies. Will you help the Republic or the Empire? Catch the video after the break.
This ain't like dusting crops, boy: The Old Republic expounds on crafting and PvP
Earlier this week, BioWare promised a couple of Star Wars: The Old Republic "juicy reveals" at this year's Winter Showcase in London, and it looks as though it might have delivered. The studio went into detail about two key systems in the game: crafting and PvP Warzones. Darth Hater reports that Warzones will be just one of the types of PvP arenas in the TOR. Warzones feature set teams with specific objectives. In the case of Alderaan's Warzone, it involves taking over turrets and blasting the enemy's drop ship to pieces -- once this happens, the match is over and tokens and XP is awarded. This Warzone was shown to be 8v8, although BioWare did not mention if the Warzones scaled in group size. BioWare also hinted about another Warzone that takes place on a derelict spaceship. Turning to crafting, BioWare is implementing something called the Crew Skill system. Players will send their crew on assignments to accomplish various objectives, including gathering (Bio Analysis, Slicing), crafting (Artifice, Biochem) and missions (Diplomacy, Treasure Hunter). Companions are typically suited to do one of these tasks better than the others. These tasks can be queued up in advance, and will have different benefits -- for example, Diplomacy can spread a player's influence and impact morality points, while Treasure Hunting will turn up treasures (and, presumably, junk) based on a random number generator.
SWTOR lore expands with more biographies
The fourth pillar of story has just widened its base this morning as BioWare announced three more supporting characters to the line-up. An Alderaani noble, a tight-lipped Sullustan, and an Imperial super-spy brand the front web page of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Who are they, and what role do they play in the world arc? The Alderaani known as Bouris Ulgo "gave us pants" according to Daniel Erickson's joke at the PAX presentation. However, the truth is Ulgo is the self-proclaimed King of Alderaan. What role does the House of Ulgo play in the conflict on this independent planet? That is yet to be discovered, but we do know Ulgo has gone mad since the return of the banished House of Thule (not the one from the EverQuest expansion -- it confused me, too.) Diab Duin is the Sullustan diplomat Supreme Chancellor entrusted to keep the secret of Aeten II. It is possible the Chancellor believed this quiet pessimist would be over-looked by Imperial spies and assassins, but one this is for certain: the secret of the stygium crystals is safe with him. When one has risen to the the upper echelons of Imperial Intelligence, he loses his personal identity and becomes known only by his code name. In this case, we are talking about the "Keeper." Every unscrupulous deal of assassination or territorial infiltration is controlled by the Keeper. If he fails at his job, the Empire is quick to replace him. To find out more about these spies and nobles of the SWTOR universe, check out their biographies on the official site.
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.
Hyperspace Beacon: Fires of Hope from E3 2010
The Hyperspace Beacon is a weekly guide and discussion by Larry Everett about the yet-to-be-released game Star Wars: The Old Republic. No matter where you were this week, if you are a Star Wars fan, you saw the new SWTOR trailer: Hope. I'm sure you also read the Daily Grind asking, "Do cinematics make you want to play?" It's an honest question. Lots of times these over-the-top trailers mask some of the things producers aren't telling you about the game you are interested in playing. In fact, it may give you greater expectations than the game has to offer. There have been quite a few comments about Star Wars Galaxies' trailers which have caused some players of the seven-year-old MMO to ask rhetorically, "I want to play that game. Where is that game?" So let me tell you up front, Star Wars: The Old Republic does not look like either of the cinematic trailers, but that does not mean it is not a great game. I believe as a fan of this game and as a reporter for this website that I would be doing you, the reader, an injustice by totally giving into the (albeit mostly fan-created) hype that surrounds this game. So this week I want to take things back a notch and hopefully give you a realistic outlook on a couple of announced aspects of the game.
E3 reveal: Player spaceships and PvP Battlegrounds in SWTOR!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/E3_reveal_Player_spaceships_and_PvP_Battlegrounds_in_SWTOR'; A new door has been opened today in Star Wars: The Old Republic: the door to your very own customizable spaceship! Mary Bihr and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, of LucasArts and Bioware respectively, stood on the stage at E3 to shock Star Wars fans everywhere. Since the first movie with the Millenium Falcon, the starship has been the center of every character's personal story. Friendships were built, and characters even fell in love, on starships. What story will your character build in his or her starship, and what personal touches would you like to see? Battlegrounds will be the primary focus of PvP combat in SWTOR. Indeed, the new trailer called "Hope" alludes to the fact that one of the primary battlegrounds will be on the planet Alderaan. We know from the official site that Alderaan is a planet estranged from the Republic. This Core planet is the first announced area which will be hotly contested by both the Republic and Imperial forces. So gear up your Trooper and ready your lightsaber, the battle for the Old Republic is about to begin!
Hyperspace Beacon: E3 -- extravagant extraterrestrial exhibition
The Hyperspace Beacon is a weekly guide and discussion by Larry Everett about the yet-to-be-released game Star Wars: The Old Republic. We have been teased, taunted, and tantalized this week before the Electronic Entertainment Expo, so much so SWTOR fans don't know topsy from turvy. In this Hyperspace Beacon, released just hours before Electronic Arts' press conference at the Expo, I will hopefully give you the lowdown on the latest news and perhaps help you appreciate the magnitude of the startling reveals. On the surface they may seem like hyped-up teases with very little to latch on to, but I believe they have exposed quite a bit. As Massively reporters packed their bags to head to Los Angeles, Bioware did not stop tossing tidbits at its diligent disciples. First, we were treated with a hands-on walkthrough from Gamespot detailing the beginning quest for most of the starting classes. Twi'leks and chiss were cited as playable species in this revealing report. Also, Gametrailers.com probed the path behind producing an exciting E3 trailer. Besides touring Blur studios, the interview taunted us with a brief look into this year's animated short story. Continue on after the break to find more insight into the extravagant extraterrestrial exhibition that is this year's E3.
Return to Alderaan in Star Wars: The Old Republic
Bioware has revealed the planet of Alderaan will be one of the environments for players to explore in the upcoming MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic. Before it was reduced to an asteroid field by the Death Star, Alderaan was a planet known for its natural beauty and peace. Thankfully, a bloody civil war begins, giving gamers plenty of stuff to viciously click on. Honestly, while we're excited to see the planet again, we also can't help but be a little sad. Like watching the movie Titanic or Lindsay Lohan's career, it just doesn't feel right when you know the whole thing will end in tragedy. For those of you looking to practice epic MMO-clicking, Bioware's official site houses more media and information on the doomed planet.
