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Star Wars: The Old Republic: Hands-On Preview
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com's Dana Massey had the chance recently to get some hands-on time with the upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic. In this report, he discusses the two newly revealed classes and gives his impressions of the game.
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Last month, LucasArts and Bioware showed off the final two classes to be added to Star Wars: The Old Republic during a demonstration in San Francisco. There, we had the chance to get hands-on with the Sith Inquisitor, take a good long look at the Jedi Consular and talk to the team that put them together.
"[We wanted to] make sure we fulfill the fantasy first," they told us during a presentation on a massive movie screen inside the LucasArts compound. Many MMOs take the basic RPG roles that a game needs and designs classes that fit those roles. With Star Wars, the team felt it important to deliver that authentic Star Wars experience first. While they made sure everyone has a role to play, they didn't want to be trapped by MMO archetypes and miss something Star Wars fans really wanted.
Read the Hands-On Preview.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
For the love of god I hope they dont kill us with the cut scenes and voice acting every 1 mins, I swera in Dragon age, im finding my self saying "ffs STFU ALREADY, I WANT TO PLAY". Bioware this sint a singleplayer game damit, where u can keep stopping players 24/7. Ive nerv really been a fan of voice acting or cutscenes in games, other than the occasional one for a special event or something.
My god and they also give NPC's to aid you so u never have to group again. GJ Bioware, why didnt u just call this mass effect 3 single player game.
Sounds good. Nice to know the combat feels much better than Dragon's Age.
If it annoys you in Dragon Age, I'd imagine it will annoy you in Star Wars. From the very small chunk I played, it seemed about the same, with the only difference being you got to watch your guy talk too.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
If it annoys you in Dragon Age, I'd imagine it will annoy you in Star Wars. From the very small chunk I played, it seemed about the same, with the only difference being you got to watch your guy talk too.
Sweet mother of god, say it aint so.
If it annoys you in Dragon Age, I'd imagine it will annoy you in Star Wars. From the very small chunk I played, it seemed about the same, with the only difference being you got to watch your guy talk too.
Sweet mother of god, say it aint so.
To be fair, we only played one area. So that is pretty anecdotal.
Dana Massey
Formerly of MMORPG.com
Currently Lead Designer for Bit Trap Studios
If it annoys you in Dragon Age, I'd imagine it will annoy you in Star Wars. From the very small chunk I played, it seemed about the same, with the only difference being you got to watch your guy talk too.
Sweet mother of god, say it aint so.
Look no offense demz2 but this a bioware game if your not into cutscenes and the like then perhaps you should try another genre because most rpgs are exactly that Rpgs (role playing games.) im sure this will be no different seeing as its made by bioware who make alot of games like this.
Yet another whiner!
Guess what? If you don't like BioWare games, you are not going to like this. Pretty simple really.
There are plenty of people out there who love BioWare's single-player games, me included.
I play single-player RPG's for the story, which is something BioWare does very well. To be honest, I don't get people that play an RPG and just want to fight, fight, fight all the time, I think their needs would be better suited in an FPS.
Up until now MMORPG's have lacked decent storytelling, BioWare is going to change that and I for one salute them for it.
MMORPG History:
Playing - EVE Online.
Played (Retired) - AO, SWG, MxO, WoW, RFO, SoR, CoX, EQ2, GW, L2, Vanguard, LotRO, AoC, TCoS, Aion.
Favourite MMO - Pre-CU SWG, 3 Years, 4 Accounts, 2 Pre-CU Jedi (1 Pre-9).
Awaiting - Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Earthrise.
Excellent preview and some new information aswell! I'm especially happy about this part:
"but they are aware that people don't necessarily want to play alone and as such will have full scaling."
You wouldn't happen to have any more information regarding this topic now would you? ;p
Sounds like your typical rpg but on a much broader scale. Alot of mmos don't get the rpg portion of mmos right but this is Bioware and they have an excellent team. I think this game will be very good and I can't wait to get my hands on it.
Good preview! This might be my next mmo!
I've never been sush a huge starwars fan, and I don't know so mush about it
but this seems to be a pretty good game
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waiting for ... nothing..
I am waiting for this game, just hope that the subscription fee will be not higher than $15 or euro monthly...
Good Preview and review Dana. Objective, while addressing concerns of the potential player base.
It will be interesting to see how a voiced protagonist affects immersion for me. It's not enough of an issue for me to write the game off though.
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Currently Playing: LOTRO; DDO
Played: AC2, AO, Auto Assault, CoX, DAoC, DDO, Earth&Beyond, EQ1, EQ2, EVE, Fallen Earth, Jumpgate, Roma Victor, Second Life, SWG, V:SoH, WoW, World War II Online.
Games I'm watching: Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Force of Arms.
Find the Truth: http://www.factcheck.org/
Sounds a lot like AoC's starting area Tortage. The single player night time and MMO daytime. You play the SPG RPG to follow the story and travel around the game universe for the RPG aspect. Then while you are in the quest hub areas. You can pick up group quests for what ever world you are in. They may have gone one step further though. Allowing players to play the SPG parts as a multiple-player co-op. With an increase in difficulty depending on the size of your group.
I like the idea of multiple play styles in a single MMO. If done right, it will make more players happy than angry. It has to be done right though.
How many people long for that "past, simpler, and better world," I wonder, without ever recognizing the truth that perhaps it was they who were simpler and better, and not the world about them?
R.A.Salvatore
I was busy with other MMOs when SWG was having it's day. I'm looking forward to this version o when it's released. I'll definitely jump on at the beginning (if future reports continue to roll out generally positive).
Can ou expand a bit on the SMuggler being to be "to some extent" a healing class? Or other information on how the group dynamic works or is that still so rough with the AI and such that you can't be sure how group planning and cooperation should shape up to be?
From what I could gather from Darth Hater it isn't a healing class, it has a heal available in one of the trees, the Scoundrel tree if I remember right. Check out the info here darthhater.com/2009/12/03/december-3rd-information-extravaganza/ it is the best SWTOR coverage that any site has released today as far as I'm concerned, a lot of good info.
MMORPG History:
Playing - EVE Online.
Played (Retired) - AO, SWG, MxO, WoW, RFO, SoR, CoX, EQ2, GW, L2, Vanguard, LotRO, AoC, TCoS, Aion.
Favourite MMO - Pre-CU SWG, 3 Years, 4 Accounts, 2 Pre-CU Jedi (1 Pre-9).
Awaiting - Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Earthrise.
Just play The Witcher and you'll get used to a voiced protagonist pretty fast. It's no big deal for me personally.
Just play The Witcher and you'll get used to a voiced protagonist pretty fast. It's no big deal for me personally.
You know, come to think of it, I thoroughly loved the Thief series, and that had Protagonist voice over -- perhaps not to the extent that BioWare plans, but I rather enjoyed Garret's (Thief's protagonist) commentary.
_____________________________
Currently Playing: LOTRO; DDO
Played: AC2, AO, Auto Assault, CoX, DAoC, DDO, Earth&Beyond, EQ1, EQ2, EVE, Fallen Earth, Jumpgate, Roma Victor, Second Life, SWG, V:SoH, WoW, World War II Online.
Games I'm watching: Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Force of Arms.
Find the Truth: http://www.factcheck.org/
From what I could gather from Darth Hater it isn't a healing class, it has a heal available in one of the trees, the Scoundrel tree if I remember right. Check out the info here darthhater.com/2009/12/03/december-3rd-information-extravaganza/ it is the best SWTOR coverage that any site has released today as far as I'm concerned, a lot of good info.
Thanks for the link and ignoring my typo!
I don't relish this game on account of Bioware's (over) use of cutscenes either. They should seriously consider marketing their products as interactive stories with combat minigames.
Dialogue choices are nice, but I do agree with Dana: they tend to only ever fall into one of two catagories: Say the thing most obviously there to propel the narrative forwards, or hold it up by saying something obnoxious. At their heart, there's not much actual game there.
But who knows - maybe this time they've spun a multi-threaded tapestry of possible fates. I doubt it - that's hard. I've tried it, and its always tempting to just pick the player up by a skyhook at drop them back on the railroad tracks, lest you have too many avenues to manage.
At first I was heartened by the fact that since it's Star Wars, at least there wouldn't be any dwarves. But knowing Bioware, they'll find a way to put them in. Expect at least three beer-guzzling bad-scottish-accent ewoks in every cantina.
I really love BioWares work over the years. But I cringe when hearing Lucas Arts use the same PR phrases that failed with SWG NGE such as the word "iconic". No offense anyone.
Developers Guide at Bioware for SW:TOR
1) Role
2) Playing
3)Game
4)Massivly
5)Muliplayer
6) Online
The article fails to say whether the group arcs are also instanced. At the moment the game is sounding exactly like Guild Wars in terms of how much of it is online; just a bunch of town hubs. Bioware really needs to clear this issue up soon otherwise there's going to be a big disappointment near to or at release.
And to the people who say all the instancing allows Bioware to focus on making it a proper RPG instead of just focussing on the online parts, I'd suggest you check out FFXI (and FFXIV which will be doing the same thing). They have an instanced main storyline with cutscenes (and full voice overs in FFXIV) yet they also have an entire open world... something that TOR is more and more sounding like it's lacking.
I'm beginning to think Bioware should rethink advertising this as an MMO, even ArenaNet stated that Guild Wars wasn't one.
The article fails to say whether the group arcs are also instanced. At the moment the game is sounding exactly like Guild Wars in terms of how much of it is online; just a bunch of town hubs. Bioware really needs to clear this issue up soon otherwise there's going to be a big disappointment near to or at release.
[...]
I'm beginning to think Bioware should rethink advertising this as an MMO, even ArenaNet stated that Guild Wars wasn't one.
I have no problem with that - if the use the same business model (Pay only content boxes), then it could be a great and huge game.
But i will not pay a monthl. sub for an 80% instanced game.
GW is not marked as an MMOPRG because its main focus is on competative combat in pvp - so i thing Bioware CAN use the MMOPRG, but better whould be some sort of "SDMORPG" (story driven multiplayer online RPG) or else ^^
Currently it looks like a Massively Singleplayer RPG.
My main problem is: What do we after we finished all the Quests and storys? (so after the first month for the core gamers)
How do they plan to add new (fully voiced over!) content for more than 100 hours every 30-60 days?
Yes maybe we will have raids and pvp, but currently i cant see that the spend a huge focus on that - so what will be left after we finished the primary storyline?
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Playing: Overwatch, Genshin Impact, Black Desert Mobile, Hundred Soul, Cyberpunk 2077
Inactive: WAR, DAoC, RIFT, GW1/2, TSW, Age of Wulin, Black Desert, Blade & Soul, Skyforge
I have no problem with that - if the use the same business model (Pay only content boxes), then it could be a great and huge game.
But i will not pay a monthl. sub for an 80% instanced game.
GW is not marked as an MMOPRG because its main focus is on competative combat in pvp - so i thing Bioware CAN use the MMOPRG, but better whould be some sort of "SDMORPG" (story driven multiplayer online RPG) or else ^^
Currently it looks like a Massively Singleplayer RPG.
My main problem is: What do we after we finished all the Quests and storys? (so after the first month for the core gamers)
How do they plan to add new (fully voiced over!) content for more than 100 hours every 30-60 days?
Yes maybe we will have raids and pvp, but currently i cant see that the spend a huge focus on that - so what will be left after we finished the primary storyline?
I have no problem with the game being a 'Massively Single Player RPG' either. The single player parts will, no doubt, be very good given Bioware's record but if that's all it really is then they are misleading fans by claiming it to be an MMO. We'll just have to wait and see for now I suppose, hopefully I'll be proven wrong.
As for added content, I've had the exact same concern. Either new content is going to be lower quality than the rest of the game or new content is going to take a lot longer to produce.
The way the article addresses raids and crafting as secondary concerns is worrying as well, although that's probably just the wording and I'm reading too much into it.