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BioWare publishes this week's SWTOR community Q&A, preps for next week
BioWare has published a selection of community questions (and answers) on its official Star Wars: The Old Republic website. The firm is making a concerted effort to reach out to its players lately, and the Q&A is the latest effort that comes on the heels of a website revamp and the in-game rakghoul plague. Combat designer Cameron Winston fields a query about SWTOR's threat mechanics, while lead designer Damion Schubert talks about the logic behind the equipment available at commendation vendors. "We don't want you to get all of the pieces of an armor set from any one source of gear. We want you to do multiple activities in the game to build out a full set of gear. This is a conscious decision on our part to encourage and reward playing multiple facets of the game. So you should do other things -- heroics, check the GTN, etc. -- the full set of gear is out there," he explains. BioWare has also made two new discussion threads available on the forums: one for this week's questions and one for next week's Q&A.
The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts
In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age. A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it. For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.
Analyst says SWTOR subs peaked at 1.7 million, now declining
Stop us if you've heard this one before. Expensive themepark MMO launches to critical and fan acclaim (minus a healthy contingent of naysayers, of course). A few months after launch, rumors of bleeding subscriptions abound, followed by analyst predictions of... well, business as usual. Gamasutra reports on one such forecast for Star Wars: The Old Republic by Cowen and Company. Analyst Doug Creutz says that though TOR's subs peaked at 1.7 million in February, he expects them to drop to around 1.25 million by March of 2013. The analysis is based on statistics gleaned from TorStatus.net, which tracks daily users as opposed to sub numbers. Electronic Arts' recent SWTOR promotional blitz also factored into the report. "While the game got off to a good start, the relatively light amount of end-game content does appear to be taking a toll," Creutz wrote.
Star Wars: The Old Republic hosting a weekend trial while plague expands
If you're one of the few souls that hasn't yet tried Star Wars: The Old Republic just yet, this weekend is your next chance. With the Rakghoul Plague racing across the galaxy, BioWare is inviting potential new players to take a look at the game from April 19th at 1:01 a.m. EDT until April 23rd at 3:00 a.m. EDT. As in previous weekend events, players will be able to pick up their trial characters and continue leveling them in the event that they purchase the full game afterward. Of course, if you're already in the game, you're probably less concerned about new players and more concerned with the aforementioned plague. Darth Hater has assembled a guide for players including the latest updates to this ongoing world event running until April 24th, which should be more than enough to help players unlock rewards and see all there is to see during the outbreak. Just be prepared -- there are probably going to be a lot of new people over the weekend not fully versed in containment procedures.
The Daily Grind: Should MMOs bestow account rewards based on character power?
A few months ago, we asked whether you prefer studios to assign vet rewards and similar bonuses to your accounts or your characters. But we've never asked whether you think games should grant out-of-game rewards to players whose accounts have characters of a certain level of power, and that's because it's so rare. In fact, I can't think of a game that's done so other than Star Wars: The Old Republic, which stunned just about everyone this week by announcing a free month of playtime to players who just so happened to have reached level 50, a plan amended yesterday to require instead a certain tier of legacy experience. Cynical readers suggest that such a move panders to those most likely to leave (thus affecting subscription tallies) and betrays the loyalty of day-one veterans who play several lowbie characters rather than focus their attention on a single toon. After all, why should it matter how far your characters have progressed when you're paying the same monthly sub as everyone else? What do you think -- do you want to see other studios dole out playtime and other rewards based on your character's level or gear or other arbitrary measurements of success and achievement? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
SWTOR extends free game time promotion beyond level 50 characters
If the news of yesterday's Star Wars: The Old Republic promotion to give level 50 players a month of free game time rubbed some members -- the non-50s, specifically -- the wrong way, then BioWare's on the scene to make amends. The studio announced that it's expanding its Legacy promotion to include a wider range of players. In addition to applying to any player who's reached level 50, the 30 days of free game time will now be applied to the account of anyone who has reached Legacy Level 6 in the game. This condition requires that a player has unlocked his or her Legacy at the end of Chapter 1 and then achieved six levels across any number of toons (Legacy XP is shared across an account). Another change to this promotion is that players have over a week to hit either one of these goals. Players now have until 1:00 p.m. EDT on April 22nd to achieve either level 50 on a character or Legacy Level 6 on an account to receive the free month of play. Following news of yesterday's Legacy promotion, the SWTOR forums exploded with discussion over the topic, with the main discussion thread reaching over 250 pages on the subject.
Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.2 goes live April 12th
It's almost time for Star Wars: The Old Republic players to begin forging their legacies. BioWare announced today that the game's patch 1.2: Legacy update will be hitting the live servers this Thursday, April 12th, which will certainly come as welcome news to fans of the title. In addition to the next steps of the game's Legacy system, which our own Larry Everett has covered previously, the patch will also be bringing a wealth of new content for PvE and PvP players alike. For the former crowd, BioWare is adding a new Flashpoint known as The Lost Island and the new Explosive Conflict Operation. Players in the latter camp will be able to get their player-vs.-player jollies in the new Novare Coast Warzone, which pits Empire against Republic in a capture-and-control gametype. And of course, players of all playstyles will finally be able to tweak and customize their UIs as it suits their playstyles. For the full details on the upcoming patch and its corresponding maintenance, just head on over to the official site.
PAX East 2012: A talk with PlanetSide 2's Matt Higby
"For me, it's such a compelling genre for anybody who's played it," SOE Creative Director Matt Higby said about PlanetSide 2's niche. "But that's the thing. There's not a lot of people who have played a MMOFPS, but the people who have are addicted." Hibgy sat down with us at PAX East to promote SOE's upcoming sci-fi shooter, saying that it scratches two itches with one bird (or some other mixed metaphor). "I'm a competitive player; I love shooters," he said, "but I'm also a very social player and love the progression aspect of MMOs." It's not as if the MMOFPS field is going to remain wide-open for very long. Competitors are rushing to mine this largely untouched market. Still, SOE has an advantage above the rest: It launched one of the first of its kind and has years of experience managing such a game. While we anxiously wait for word on PlanetSide 2's beta, we listened to Higby tell us why this title will continue the company's reign over the genre.
PAX East 2012: SWTOR 1.2 coming next week
We've been telling you about Star Wars: The Old Republic's 1.2 Legends patch for a while now. Thankfully we've finally got a release date to share as well. Actually, let's call it a release window, and let's call it next week, thanks to statements made by BioWare's James Ohlen at PAX East earlier today. "We have our update 1.2 coming in the next week, and then after that, it's going to continue to roll out month after month. It's exciting," he told Boston-area convention-goers. Ohlen's optimism springs from what's to come in SWTOR over the next few months. "The scope of our game updates in 2012 is going to be unimaginable. You're going to see so many changes and additions to the Star Wars Universe; it's going to be impressive," he said. Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of April 6-8, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about TERA or PlanetSide 2 or any MMO in between, we aim to have it covered!
New PvP warzone coming with SWTOR's Legacy patch
Want more details on Star Wars: The Old Republic's 1.2 Legacy patch that's due later this month? The official SWTOR website is the place to go, and the latest update features a new PvP Warzone called the Novare Coast. The planet Denova is home to a vital beachhead that leads to its open oceans, and whoever controls the coastline will have a leg up on controlling the planet. Three mortar turrets represent the contested objectives along the beach, and players can blast each other with artillery fire as well as engage in more personal combat throughout the instance. Get a load of the teaser video after the break.
BioWare kicks off SWTOR's third weekend free trial
So you still haven't played Star Wars: The Old Republic, eh? Well, BioWare's not giving up on you yet. The company is trotting out its third Weekend Pass Free Trial starting today, and you've got through April 9th to join in the fun. As in the previous events, there's no payment or credit card required, and you'll get full access to the game's first 15 levels, all eight character classes, all the origin worlds, and your factional capital. Also as before, your previously canceled account (or your previous Weekend Pass Free Trial account) is not valid, since these events are designed specifically for new blood. More details are available on the official SWTOR website.
BioWare shows off SWTOR's customizable UI in new video
Custom user interfaces are an oft-requested feature in the MMOs that lack them at launch, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is adding the functionality in its 1.2 update. BioWare lead interface artist Michael Voigt walks us through the particulars of TOR's HUD in a new video just posted to the game's official website. Players will be pleased to note that both the placement and size of each UI element can be adjusted, while accessing the layout mode is as easy as clicking the plus button on the top left of your hotbar. BioWare has also included three pre-made layouts: the default mode, an extended quickbar setup, and a retro look that moves the target and map circle to the top of the screen (and the chat window to the bottom). Head past the break to watch the clip.
Bring your pals to The Old Republic with a newly extended Friends Trial
The galaxy can be a big, cold, and lonely place, and BioWare knows it. That's why the studio has decided to increase the number of friends that players can invite to join them in Star Wars: The Old Republic courtesy of a seven-day free trial. Whereas before players were only able to invite a paltry three friends at a time, now burgeoning social butterflies can drag up to 25 of their friends into The Old Republic. It's worth noting, of course, that the free trial period does come with some limitations. Friends invited for the free trial will only be able to progress to level 15, and trial characters can play only "on their Origin World, Capital World, at the Fleet, [in] a Warzone, and in their first Flashpoint." But if you've got some friends who are on the fence about subscribing to the game, those seven days just might be enough to get them hooked. So get out there, rally your friends, and get to conquering the galaxy.
April Fool's jokes streak across the MMO community
It may be the weekend, but that's never stopped pranksters in the past from pulling off truly epic April Fool's jokes. Many MMO studios, bloggers, and fan site operators are lining up to take a shot at the jester's crown today, hoping that their blatant (and entertaining) lies will at least amuse, if not trick, players. It would be fool-hardy (har har) to try to round them all up, so suffice it to say that office clowns have been quite busy thus far. From Star Wars: The Old Republic's announcement of playable ship droids and City of Heroes' offer of ludicrous marketplace sales to Blizzard's focus on educational kids games and StarCraft 2's playable supply depots to SOE scaring visitors with Chatdy, the gags are flying fast and furious. We might be the most impressed with a deeply detailed wiki entry for a Guild Wars mission called Annihilator 2: Searing Day, during which players are sent into the past to save Gwen from the G-1000. If you've spotted any other pranks, please share them in the comments!
Star Wars: The Old Republic blog talks about refining the PvP experience
If you're playing Star Wars: The Old Republic right now, you're probably looking forward to patch 1.2 quite eagerly. The latest topic in the bag of tricks is PvP, with fans of Warzones gaining a new ranking system to help track progress and face off against greater challenges. The ranking system is described in fairly comprehensive detail -- rank changes are based upon your rank compared to your opponents, with separate tracking options for both solo and group players. There's also a new set of Warzone rewards in the new War Hero set, as well as a number of additional improvements to purchasing rewards and earning commendations in battle. More medals will encourage more active participation, while a new vote-kick system will discourage AFK players. If all of this sounds like something you'd like to check out in person, the update with some of the PvP improvements will be playable at PAX East next weekend, providing an opportunity to test out the battles and give some immediate feedback.
Kissing cousins: SWTOR's legacy system explained
Star Wars: The Old Republic players are understandably excited about the unveiling of Legacy features in Update 1.2, but BioWare has been coy on specifics up to this point. To remedy that, Senior Game Designer William Wallace penned a blog post explaining what you'll be able to do with your familial connections in 1.2 -- and what is being tabled until Update 1.3. After choosing a Legacy surname (which many players have already done), BioWare will allow you to connect your characters through a family tree in the Legacy panel. Characters don't have to just be blood relatives; they can be allies, rivals, and adopted family members as well. Wallace explained that through these Legacy connections, characters have inherited many traits that run strong in families. These unlocks come in the form of shared emotes (which come at the end of Chapter 2), shared heroic abilities (unlocked at the end of Chapter 3), and the ability to roll the same race no matter what the class (unlocked at level 50). The Legacy system will also allow companions to unlock passive stat bonuses shared across all companions of that same archetype. Ship improvements, including mail, GTN access, and droids, are other perks of this system. However, players will have to wait until Update 1.3 to purchase per-character perks. These, as Wallace hints, will allow players to "customize the way their characters progress, as well as new rewards, conveniences, and all kinds of other fun surprises."
SWTOR devs attempt to balance the Force through nerfs
It's Friday, Friday, and even Jedi got to get down with Friday... which also means a new community Q&A sent across the holonet to players eager for a glimpse of Star Wars: The Old Republic's future. However, the devs have asked that questions focus more on current features in the game, as in many cases they cannot give firm details about what's coming up in SWTOR. Today's topics begin with a discussion about why some advanced classes, such as Commandos and Mercenaries, lack an interrupt. This wasn't an oversight, the devs revealed, but "a purposefully designed weakness in their ability arsenal" to keep them balanced in the game -- especially in PvP. "Balance" was an answer to another issue as well, specifically the nerfs to some of the healing specs. Lead Combat Designer Georg Zoeller realized that folks were going to rail against it, but the team thought it was necessary: "I know trying to 'sell' a downwards adjustment (AKA nerf) to anyone affected is like selling the need for a tax increase to people. When you are on the receiving end of it, you're not going to be happy about it." Other questions revolved around rage timers, looping the game's music, cross-faction communication within the same guild, and legacy system specifics.
Leave your legacy with Star Wars: The Old Republic's newest dev dispatch video
Star Wars: The Old Republic's patch 1.2 is slowly creeping over the horizon, and that means players are one step closer to getting to try out the next steps in the game's Legacy progression system for themselves. In light of this, BioWare has released a new video highlighting the inner workings of the Legacy system to give players a look at what exactly they can expect. Here's a recap for the uninitiated: The Legacy system unlocks after a character completes chapter one of the storyline, and from that point on that character will gain Legacy experience in addition to the normal combat experience. Progressing through the Legacy system will unlock a variety of spiffy treats -- such as special skills, new class-race combinations, account-bound gear, and more -- for all characters on a player's account. Obviously the benefits are greatest for altoholics (whoo!), but even one-character players will be able to benefit from the new abilities and other unlocks. Of course, you don't have to take our word for it; the full developer dispatch video can be seen just past the cut.
The Perfect Ten: Types of loot that get me excited
Loot's not something that I see discussed much these days among MMO players. It's probably because loot's been around since the beginning of online time and is such a staple that we'd only really notice it if it went away completely or if the object in question were a major game-changer for us. Random loot from mobs is a reward mechanic that is bordering on archaic, having been supplanted by dependable quest rewards and barter vendors that give us the gear we so desire. Of course, now we've come around the weird circle to the point that dropped lockboxes hold interesting loot, but we've got to pay for the privilege of seeing what's inside. But let's not go there today! Instead, I'm going to share with you the 10 general types of loot that still get me excited while playing. They will shock, amaze, and radically reshape your life, as long as you've had a recent brain wipe and are awaiting brand-new neural instructions.
Why I Play: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was one of the best games of all time that I very nearly didn't play. But I'm glad I did because it changed the entire way I look at games. I don't need to extoll the virtues of that game, as people have been doing so pretty much since its release. BioWare had certainly released games in a similar vein before, but KOTOR was the one that finally compelled me to try something. My gaming world would be a far darker place without the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. So what does this have to do with Star Wars: The Old Republic? I never would have tried any of that and never would have become a fan of BioWare were it not for KOTOR. And both Star Wars: The Old Republic and its antecedent had to overcome a very big impediment: my profound antipathy toward the Star Wars franchise.
