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Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR Sith beliefs
Peace is a lie; there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me. Although this statement is considered the Sith Code, the guide by which all Sith live their lives, it's more a counter to the Jedi Code than anything. Because the first Sith Lords as we know them in Star Wars: The Old Republic were former Jedi, it only makes sense that they would create a code intended to be the antithesis of the Jedi's central theme. Not all Sith follow the Sith code, but most believe in its credence. If the Sith Code isn't central to the Sith beliefs, what is? That's the interesting thing: There doesn't seem to be a central theme other than to be the opposite of the Jedi. Some Sith believe in an Empire. Some Sith believe there can be only two. Yet the Sith existed long before there was a Sith Code. Before there was a Sith Order, there was the Sith Empire on Ziost and Korriban, and that is where the SWTOR Sith come from. That is where my Sith characters come from. I don't believe I have all the philosophical answers, and clearly, my way is not the only way to roleplay a Sith, but perhaps I can give you a launchpad to start your own storylines.
Hyperspace Beacon: How do I play a Sith in SWTOR?
This is another one of those questions that I get asked a lot: How do I play a Sith in Star Wars: The Old Republic? I hope I'm asked because people like what they see and that I am also a good player as well as roleplayer, but I don't by any means believe that I have a grasp on everything that it takes to play a Sith. And I also believe that other people have a great -- if not better -- gasp on the nuances of the Sith personality. On top of that, many people don't play a Sith the way I do, so I don't want to discount that either. When I play SWTOR, I intend to have fun, and what I consider fun isn't the same as what other people call fun. I should give fair warning before diving into this outline: I'm not going to teach you the basics of roleplay; I'm going to hope that you already know that or that you've hopped over to Storyboard a few times. Secondly, I will use terms like "proper" or "best." Understand that I use those words from my perspective and that other players have a different and equally legitimate perspective, too. Lastly, this is far from exhaustive, and if you have any questions, I will spend some time in the comments answering them, or you can feel free to hit me up on Twitter.
Hyperspace Beacon: Human High Culture
BioWare games are notorious for interweaving allegories on racism in their plotlines. If you take Mass Effect, for example, Navigator Pressly was a human who had major issues with aliens -- especially Turians. Inversely, the Citadel Council was definitely prejudiced against humans because the human species was rather new to Citadel space and rising to power too quickly by the Council's standards. These undertones help give the Mass Effect story depth and real-world relevance. Although it's not an overt plot point in the Star Wars series of movies, speciesism does sometimes play a heavy hand in the Expanded Universe. In the Galactic Empire, this is known as Human High Culture. In the high political offices of the Galactic Empire under Emperor Palpatine, humans were regarded as superior to other species of the galaxy. Humans were, after all, most numerous, and they also did not originate from a single planet like most species. But the roots of the Human High Culture date back further than the events in Star Wars: The Old Republic. They may date all the way back to the first Dark Jedi to rule over the Sith people on Korriban. With this idea of Human High Culture in mind, I would like to talk about the species available to the SWTOR Imperial classes. In the May edition of PC Gamer UK, an over-ambitious reporter incorrectly announced a list of species and class combinations. What I would like to do today is make my own list based on what I know of Star Wars lore and announced species in the game. Continue after the break as I compile the list.
Gnost-Dural discovers the origin of the SWTOR Sith Empire
BioWare continues to tease its fans with new and exciting lore entries for Star Wars: The Old Republic. This week, we get a huge glimpse into how the Sith Empire was able to rebuild itself on the jungle world of Dromund Kaas. When the Sith Emperor's fleet fled Korriban following the Hyperspace War, one human stood out from the rest. His name was Odile Vaiken. This man, who was not a Force wielder, made his mark as an organizer and great military leader. Vaiken eventually became the new Sith Empire's first Grand Moff, and he eventually built what is now the great Imperial Military. In the most recent entry in the Master Gnost-Dural timeline, Dural follows the Sith history from the time of exile on Dromund Kaas to the building of the Sith fleet. From the carving out of the jungles of Dromund Kaas to the training of Imperial Army, Vaiken was in the center of it all. Vaiken became the highest standard for all common Imperial citizens, proving that even non-Force users have a vital role in the ever growing Sith Empire. Follow after the cut to see the rebirth of SWTOR's Sith Empire.
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.
Star Wars: The Old Republic reveals Voss
The looks we've gotten inside the planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic paint a number of different pictures, but for most of them the conflict is fairly cut-and-dry. There are objectives for Imperial Sith forces or the Republic, but there haven't been things that are external to both forces. But Voss, the latest world revealed, is a bit different. There is already an intelligent species living there, and they face utter annhilation even as both the Empire and the Republic try to curry their favor. The eponymous Voss are isolated against the other natives, the Gormaks, and have been fighting a long and losing war in which Gormak assaults have all but destroyed them. But the reclusive Voss are powerful natural Force users, an asset to either major galactic power. Both are trying to gain the allegiance of these potentially powerful allies, even as they stare one another down. The possibility for diverse adventures are obvious -- do you try and talk the Voss into helping your faction? Wipe out the Gormak? Attack your enemies when they're distracted? Ensure that if you don't get the aid of the Voss, no one does? The full reveal talks more about what looks poised to be a divisive part of Star Wars: The Old Republic, whatever path you would take.
SWTOR fan friday introduces 'Developer Corner' feature
Fan art and fan fiction are in full effect in this week's Fan Friday for Star Wars: The Old Republic. However, BioWare's added something new to the mix this week -- the Developer Corner. Before getting to that, we'd like to briefly mention that the above preview of scars for our potential characters is superb. We especially appreciate the wide range of options, some of which show of the ability of the game's graphics engine to render subtle details. The new Developer Corner segment offers the briefest peek at in-progress game elements that are intended to be interesting and completely new. It may not always be a video, but as it happens we lucked out. This week features a short video clip that's void of sound yet full of grandiose level design strokes. Focus is on the Imperial military base of Sobrikill Valley on the planet of Balmorra, where the Republic is raining down laser bombs like nobody's business. Thankfully, the Imperials have setup a large force field overhead, which creates some significant visual oomph. We can only imagine what it must look like from the ground level!
Star Wars: The Old Republic reveals Dromund Kaas, seat of imperial power
It's another Friday, and the recent pattern has shown, Star Wars: The Old Republic has posted a new update on the official site. As we've heard a full reveal of all the playable classes, the site has been focusing more on backstory and locations of late. And we see an important location indeed -- the heart of the Sith Empire that has been obliterating much of the eponymous republic's power base. Dromund Kaas, a jungle planet, was discovered by the Sith quite some time ago, but the location was lost and the planet forgotten in the recesses of history. That is, until the Sith suffered a horrendous defeat some thousand years back, at which point the remnants of the fleet happened upon the forested world. They spent generations building their force back up, which included turning the atmosphere into a nonstop electrical storm (how that helps with launching an attack on a larger entrenched military is somewhat questionable, but let's not sweat the details). Even with the Sith powerbase expanding, Dromund Kaas remains the center of intrigue, politics, and all that goes along with the above. No doubt there are a large number of future Star Wars: The Old Republic players already thinking about what adventures might take place on the planet's surface, so take a look at the official update, which includes further screenshots, concept art, and a video flythrough of the planet.
Star Wars: The Old Republic releases more intel on the Imperial Agent
One of the frequently-voiced concerns about Star Wars: The Old Republic is the possibility that the non-Force classes will wind up becoming almost irrelevant. Who's going to pay attention to being a spy when you can wield an energy sword and fling lightning, right? As a matter of fact, the Imperial Agent would like very much if no one ever notices they exist. They're quite happy to stand in the background and never be observed, because as the latest developer's entry explains, that's precisely what the Agent does best. They exist in the shadow, the man of many faces and a hundred names, a presence whose influence is strongest when it isn't evident at all. Star Wars: The Old Republic faces the difficult task of making the Sith -- traditionally the villains of the franchise -- into a playable and likable faction rather than monolithic evil. As the developer entry points out, the Imperial Agent is a major part of that, of giving the chance to look at someone who is quite possibly a proud citizen of the Empire and happy to serve in keeping the peace and bring down the Republic. It's also a look at the parts between the lines of the films, the spies and intel operators whose role was important but whose faces were rarely seen. But you might decide not to look at the full discussion of the class anyway -- and as we've mentioned, really, that's what the agent would want.
Star Wars: The Old Republic gives an official reveal of Tatooine
Despite being an obscure planet on the outer rim in Star Wars: The Old Republic, everyone knew that the desert planet Tatooine was going to be in the game. No, really, everyone. It's like Hoth, it shows up all the time, probably because the first movie in the franchise started on it. BioWare has thrown us a few curveballs, but to think they wouldn't send us to a well-known and iconic planet in the franchise would be silly. And sure enough, today's update to the official site is details on the sprawling desert wasteland with occasional pockets of civilization. There's plenty to do in the desert, however, even if the traditional stomping of tusken raiders doesn't appeal to you. The official page details the aftermath of the Czerka Corporation's meddling with the biosphere and with unfettered weaponry, which the Sith Empire is attempting to reclaim. There's the promise of something truly horrible under the sand as well, which should provide players of Star Wars: The Old Republic plenty of searching around dunes. Take a look at the official page on the planet, and if that doesn't sate your need for the game's universe, the newest installment of Threat of Peace is also available for your reading pleasure.
Mandalorians smack down the Jedi in SWTOR's new timeline update
One of the most common questions asked regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic and the easily accessible Jedi is, "Who's going to take on an army of Jedi?" We've long since had the answer tucked away here at Massively, but now BioWare has been kind enough to illustrate it for us in their latest timeline update, which features the fearsome Mandalorians.The nomadic Mandalorians are strikingly unique and much like the Jedi and Sith in that sense they're not an actual species; yet war is their singular goal in life. Their mantra is that strength is not merely good, it is great, it brings honor through battle. Thus, it's no surprise that Mandalorians are generally opposed to the Jedi and get along better with the power hungry Sith. At this point, the Republic Trooper's coutnerpart is pretty obvious. That powerful Jedi army doesn't seem so intimidating against legions of Sith, Bounty Hunters and bred-for-war Mandies, now does it?We highly recommend you check out the timeline video. It's not only informative, but quite entertaining if you've got even the slightest amount of interest in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Gun toting Trooper class revealed for The Old Republic
The fourth Star Wars: The Old Republic class has been revealed today, and it's the Republic Trooper. An initial pang of worry struck our minds at the name until we began perusing the official class page, then saw the image above. Oh, and let's not forget the videos depicting three glorious special attacks. Weapon butts? Sticky Grenades? High-Powered Rifle Grenades? Sold.Reading through the class description provides further clarification as to why a player would consider this career over a Jedi. These aren't just cannon fodder soldiers, but highly trained and specialized men and women not to be trifled with -- which gives us pause. Why are these people so impressive, but not named in a way that lets you know this verifiable truth?It seems as though, considering the severity of their battle prowess presented on the official website, naming this class simply "Trooper" is a bit of a misnomer. We're sure there has been plenty of internal debate over at BioWare concerning this matter, and we'd just like to take this moment to point out that the incorrect side seems to have won the argument. Still, at least the class looks quite awesome.%Gallery-35033%%Gallery-35034%
The Old Republic shows potential for more than good versus evil
BioWare has been touting their focus on story with Star Wars: The Old Republic, and many a jaded MMO fan have scoffed and or rolled their eyes each and every time. Ord Mantell's developer diary concerning the planet's creation gives a glimmer of hope that there truly is a blurry line between the forces of the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire.Instead of making Ord Mantell an Empire controlled planet with Republic rebels attempting to overthrow it, the development team went the other direction, sort of. They made the choice of keeping the planet under Republic control, but making many of the leaders less-than-honorable types. The locale has also been malnourished by its caretakers, as the Republic is seemingly only concerned with Coruscant after the war.
Bounty Hunter is Sith Empire only and full of choices in latest BioWare dev blog
We know about the basics of the Bounty Hunter class in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but not the finer details of the how and why. That's where BioWare's first developer blog on classes comes into the picture. The focus of the piece is to explain the reasoning behind choices made concerning the Bounty Hunter, and in its mission to do so a little bit more of the game is revealed.For instance, since each class will have its own story and both the Republic and Sith Empire are to have different quest experiences entirely, a character class will only exist on one side. This means that Bounty Hunters are Sith Empire only -- so we hope those who're planning on rolling this class aren't too set on being on printing business cards with "The Republic" on them.What excites us most is the bevy of choices BioWare is attempting to make available to players. "Does your honor come from getting the job done or being a good person? Is your loyalty to your crew, your conscience or your credits?" It's questions like these that perk the ears on our heads. And our hope is that delivery will be made so that our precious time can be ticked away on a galactic battle between forces of good and evil.
The Old Republic's timeline as voiced by Lance Henriksen
If there's one thing a self indulging Star Wars fan knows, it's that lore is bountiful in our favorite science fiction pastime. So it comes as little surprised that a series high quality weekly webcomics just isn't enough for Star Wars: The Old Republic. BioWare has gone the distance and begun to put forth an audio timeline leading up to the current peace between the Galatic Republic and Sith Empire.The historical record will be spoken by Master Gnost-Dural, Keeper of the Jedi Archives, who is in turn voiced by actor Lance Henriksen. BioWare fans will recognize him as the voice of Mass Effect's Admiral Hackett of the Human Systems Alliance. As for how many of these we should plan for, looking at the timeline reveals several more historical points (we counted 18) that took place before this inaugural first.We'll try to feign a little surprise when "history" from the Knights of the Old Republic RPGs crops up somewhere in here, although hopefully it'll be more than a recap of those game's storylines.
Bounty Hunter class revealed in second The Old Republic video documentary
The second video documentary from BioWare focuses heavily on how Star Wars: The Old Republic is approaching story. While that may sound like retreading old ground -- and a little of it is -- there's actually some very new information held within the video.The biggest of which is the official acknowledgment of the Bounty Hunter class who, according to BioWare, will have "his own movie trilogy" story told to players in the shape of enormous quest lines. And this is in addition to the game's overall story, which puts the amount of story in this game well over a metric ton.Additionally, we learn that the so-called peace treaty between the Republic and Sith Empire is really more of an agreement to avoid all out war. Or in other words, players of light and dark side will be facing off against each other in plenty of skirmishes throughout the entire game. The news isn't that surprising, especially considering an MMO's got to have its conflict play -- or PvP play, if you like.Check out the video after the cut.
How will factions and PvP work in Star Wars: The Old Republic?
Since BioWare and LucasArts' Star Wars: The Old Republic was announced, we've learned that there will be two factions in the game -- the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. We've also learned that players will be able to embrace either the Dark or Light Side of the Force. But there's something surprising in all this: there's no direct correlation between the two distinctions. You could, for example, play as a Jedi working within the Empire -- "a good guy in a bad place," as BioWare put it.We're big fans of the idea -- more moral complexity is welcome (especially in the Star Wars setting, which tends to quite literally be black and white), but it raises some interesting gameplay questions, particularly with regards to PvP -- questions we're eager to raise!%Gallery-35033%
The Lore of Star Wars: The Old Republic
The hotly anticipated MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) from BioWare has only just been announced, but they've already given us a clear picture of the game's setting and a bit of the lore as well. From what we can tell, you won't need to be a die-hard fan of Star Wars to appreciate the title, which is good news as there's a daunting amount of Star Wars canon out there. That said, it'll certainly help to have at least some grounding in what's going on in Star Wars: The Old Republic. To that end, Massively's put together a brief primer on the lore of SWTOR.Who is this written for? People 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. Get Educated, Padawan >>
