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Star Wars: The Old Republic: Night School for Advanced Classes
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com Star Wars: The Old Republic columnist Eric Barnett writes this look at the recently announced advanced classes for the upcoming game and talks about how their advent opens up a new world of playable possibilities.
Choose your own adventure! Back in the days when I used to drink Hi-C Ecto Cooler juice boxes and read Goosebumps books, I always enjoyed the parts where the story would ask me to make a choice. Do I skip to page forty eight and head into the woods, or do I go to page seventy two and pick up the phone to call for help? The announcement of Advanced Classes in The Old Republic delivers the same question to players; which path will you choose?
This new class system allows players to choose a sub specialization for their main archetype. The community site used the Sith Warrior as its example class while shedding first light on this system. Basically, classes are broken down into new distinct archetypes, much like Age of Conan's original spec system. Players have the ability to choose one of possibly multiple paths, (two are only displayed as examples in the original article) to better suit their play style. In regards to the Sith Warrior, one skill tree could be a tank archetype, focusing on having the player in the thick of battle, swinging his light saber into the nearest skull. Players could also take a different route and put points into another tree that grants them abilities to maneuver around the battle, striking enemies while they are most vulnerable. From the information currently presented to us, we see that this system will most likely provide players with their main class abilities; then two sub trees for focused point allocation. The third tree displayed in their example is called the Shared Skill Set.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
/drool
i like it in the way that its like daocs skill trees. now if only swtor could have a third ( realm ).
In response to the questions, i really don't "feel" anything. It really is going to depend on how the system works live. One thing i have enjoyed tinkering with were skill trees in past games. The problem that eventually rises is that these archtypes turn into a "must have" build and essentially hamoginize the entire class. This can lead further to, "why didn't you take x skill noob, you can't tank this without it." those are the sort of things I have grown so tired of in this genre. I have seen it happen with talent trees and i've seen it happen in skill based games ie taris kasi, rifle, medic or whatever the set was everyone rolled with pre NGE. So implementation is key.
Further, the biggest turnoff for me with these trees is some companies (cough blizzard) use them as an excuse or crutch to not add real content to games over time. Instead you get monthly or quarterly "balance" updates which to me, aren't content and have the capacity to alienate your player base. I think by now we've all had a beloved toon get hit by the nerfbat or revamped to the point that we rerolled or quit the game entirely. Lots of shortfalls with this type of set up imo.
I equate it to the AoC brand of sub-classes.
What I *really* hope for though, is that the sub classes are equally engaging and productive. With AoC, while some classes have equality in both trees, some sub-class trees just arent' up to snuff... forcing the choice on the player.
I don't really like playing the same game twice
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Im not really big fun of set in stone sub classes but they dont bother me much either. I just hope it will be applied in a good way..
As for AoC comment, may of the issues with the sub-class choices there where because people expected every class be equally good at everything. Its silly. The reason of sub-classes is to add diversity and et people moaned that one type of assassin is good against mages and other is good against armor - Why not both pwn everything?? - was the question. What would be the point of sub classing then?
If the Force was with you, you would feel it. However it seems obvious it is not.
Dual monitors, two accounts, light side, dark side, two class branches, SIMULTANEOUS LOVIN BABY!
Stop crying in my beer.
I don't feel pigeon holed primarily because skills aren't based solely on classes but alignment as well.
"If you go totally Dark Side you will have some abilities that are available to you that aren't available to players in your same class who took a kindlier route,"
This means apart from each sub class, talent tree and shared tree you also have alignment skills ranging across 3 aligments, Lightside/Darkside/Neutral.
I think that gives players more than enough choices to make meaningful and varied classes.
Sounds like EQ2 and WoW all over again... Honestly though, I've enjoyed that type of class system with those two games, and I'm glad to see it incorporated in TOR..
Rallithon Oakthornn
(Retired Heirophant of the 60th season)
It's Aion as well. Start off as a fighter, then spread to paladin or barbarian. Scout becomes rogue or ranger. Not rocket science, not new, not really different.
There won't be more than 2 for each class man, it wasn't just an example, the Sith Warrior will have Juggernaut and Marauder, the other classes that have been revealed are for the smuggler (Scoundrel / Gunslinger).
For the rest I agree, nothing earthshattering, but just a solid system that works well.
Feel free to use my referral link for SW:TOR if you want to test out the game. You'll get some special unlocks!
I will have to see it in action and with all classes for me to pass judgment.....
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Brieen - UO,DAOC,WOW,SB,EQ,EQII,EVE,LOTR,D&D,Rift,FFXI and some others I dont care to list......
Bioware never reallly innovated mechanically any of the games (and their play systems) they've put out. What they've excelled at and are known for is storytelling and building a convincing atmosphere. That's going to be the make or break for TOR, and honest we all know that's what they're banking on.
If some of this type of information seems bland or done before; that's probably true. But think about what generation of this system TOR is being built in. I think the level of polish will make up for "the lack of origitinalty" as stated in the article.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
It's a solid system that allows for some tweeking of your class to further compliment your personal gameplay style. Sure, it's been done before but 'there's nothing new under the sun'. With Bioware, and the Star Wars IP for that matter, I'm not looking for innovation so much as I am just looking for a game that is fun to play.
That's the same feeling I got. While this particular class system has been seen in numerous mmos, it's a system that works and is appealing to a large number of gamers. Familiarity can be both a boon and a bane, the delivery of the game is what is the determining factor. Bioware's mastery is storytelling, and that could be the difference in SW:ToR. If they can achieve a high level of immersion, then they'll do well.
Depending on how far the players have to go before the choice of sub-class (and by the sounds of it it's quite far in the story) this system is going to cause a lot of headache for the devs.
EQ2 launched with a similar system and later scrapped it because it essentially punishes you for rolling alts. If you want to play the other sub-class option for a class you're already playing then you're going to have to play the exact same class all the way through from the start again. I guarantee this will be the focus of a great deal of whining within the community.
Supposedly you pick a sub class at level 20.
No idea if respecs will be allowed.
If anything we could probably expect talent choice changes in lieu of an entire sub class change.
I think this sounds more like EQ2's AA system than it's 'base play style' then 'class selection later' launch system.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
I've noticed that in many games, class/skill specialization trees tend to feel like "more ways to do things wrong".
Why have classes at all? It needs to be skill based. More freedom, less pigeonholing.
Funny how BW reveals a whole lot of nothing in their updates lately...I have no opinion on the skill system because BW didn't even go into yet any adv class names, attributes, requirements, etc...a whole lot left out and they expect intelligent gamers to drool over what? more hype? meh
This page on the SWTOR site explains advanced classes well. It is interesting to note that each class has access to two advanced classes, and if you take one, you no longer have the option of taking the other. The author of the article didn't seem to be aware of this fact...
I like this system. I think it essentially expands the game into 16 unique classes instead of just 8 and it ensures that each player will have a pretty unique character mechanics-wise.
Probably because Luke Skywalker wasn't the captain of a smuggling ship and Han Solo couldn't use the force or weild a lightsaber.
Sure I read an article saying that the sub classes had additional specialisation , let me look for it ?
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Sorcery must persist, the future is the Citadel
Just more of the same,reinforcing the thought that biowares only real hope here,is story.That limiting what a char can do by class,ever became the norm is a real shame.That people bought into the whole "break all the skills into groups, and only allow certain "classes" of characters to do certain things,as if is was some kind of advancement of the system is a bigger shame.
Mage:Hey fighter man,why are you just staring at that chest ?
Fighter:Well, because im not a thief i cant open it ..........
Mage: How about that door over there ?
Fighter: Nah man,its locked an hence i cant open it either......
Mage:When did you become such a one dimensional character ,that you cant perfom basic skills,because they are "outside your class" ?
Fighter: sobbing... i dont know man... sobbing .. I really dont know....
The whole thing just proves you can convince someone of just about anything....no matter how inane