Star Wars: The Old Republic: Hands On With the Smuggler

Stradden

MMORPG.com's Garrett Fuller got some hands on time with a Smuggler during his recent visit to the Star Wars: The Old Republic folks at this year's E3.

In playing Star Wars: The Old Republic there are a few things that continue to stand out. The storylines that are created for characters are by far the most intricate seen in a game, especially in an MMO. There is also the Star Wars feel to the game. The sounds, the music, the planets and design, heck it reminds me of Star Wars Galaxies in that respect. So in this hands-on article we wanted to talk about the Smuggler class. Personified by Han Solo and viewed as one of the most iconic Star Wars characters in the universe, the Smuggler is a rogue of sorts that relies on quick reflexes and duck and roll combat techniques to get the job done. I wonder if there will be any actual smuggling in the game.

The Smuggler we had a chance to play was doing missions on Ord Mantell when we stepped in to run around. The character was female and Twi'lek.

Read Hands On With the Smuggler.

MurlockDance

There's a smuggler in this game? Hurrahhhh!!!!

I was only just posting in another SW:ToR thread how much I like smugglers in the Star Wars universe.

erictlewis

Well this game still has me interested. Hopefully I will get a beta invite one of these days.  I need something to do thats new and fun

apocalance

This is going to sound like ancient Galaxies talk, but I'd like to see the smuggler doing some smuggling as well. Combat is cool and all, but Bounty Hunters need bounties, and smugglers need to smuggle.

AlienShirt

I am hoping they making it easier to find cover without having to have an enemy targeted first.

sapphen

Do those pistols look like little hair dryers to you?

SomeOldBloke

Originally posted by apocalance

This is going to sound like ancient Galaxies talk, but I'd like to see the smuggler doing some smuggling as well. Combat is cool and all, but Bounty Hunters need bounties, and smugglers need to smuggle.

I read in another article that the the destruction of this cannon is midway trhough a mission chain that starts with the smuggling of weapons so you may get your wish.

Vladan

Look here: http://tor-aid.com/20100620234/TOROcast/brandons-hands-on-impressions-round-2-speeders.html

The previewer mentions (in the 7th paragraph) that there are bounty terminals that let you take on bounties. If those are unique to Bounty Hunter class, then it's quite probable that smugglers (and all other classes) will be getting some unique gameplay element for themselves too.

So, smugglers, you may actually get to do some smuggling

takayi

Originally posted by sapphen

Do those pistols look like little hair dryers to you?

"Gah, my eyes! HOT AIR!"

 

If I can call it, I call this Hands On quite... normal? As i've heard pretty much the same stuff I read from here from other sites already. However, still excited about the game.

McGamer

BW really should of made smuggler and a couple other classes apart of a neutral faction. Smugglers by nature don't usually choose sides and only using two factions is boring and cliche' to say the least.

Elikal

Originally posted by sapphen

Do those pistols look like little hair dryers to you?

LOOOL, yes indeed! XD

Well, I dont expect revolutions from TOR, but solid MMO gameplay with good quality and some cool novelties. If I defend myself with a hair dryer... it just adds to to fun. ^^

someforumguy

First having to select a target before knowing where you can look for cover makes sense. Because its dependant on the position of your target. Without a target, the game cant figure out what suitable locations for cover are.

Izure

Originally posted by Czanrei

BW really should of made smuggler and a couple other classes apart of a neutral faction. Smugglers by nature don't usually choose sides and only using two factions is boring and cliche' to say the least.

 

Neither do Bounty hunters, this game is a non sandbox, why they call it a smuggler and bounty hunter? well because they know they will trick the 12-17 yr olds in playing it, but its just a combat profession in a themepark world.

thats my 2 cents

plescure

Originally posted by sapphen

Do those pistols look like little hair dryers to you?

 

lol. now they do. thx!!

Hordedog

Since each class has it's own specific story arc, it is safe to say that yes, Smugglers will get to smuggle contraband, Bounty Hunters will take on bounties, Imperial Agents will spy and assassinate, etc, etc.  

As for the Smuggler and/or Bounty Hunter being neutral in this game, I think it would be interesting. And as someone mentioned, having a 3rd faction would spice things up a bit, especially if that 3rd faction were able to play both sides of the conflict (think Clint's "man with no name" character in "A Few Dollars More"). 

But we have to remember that, for good or ill, some of, if not all of the classes in this game, are based on a particular character in the SW stories and thus are somewhat pigeon-holed into being on one side or the other of the conflict.

Drakynn

If stealth in this game is technology driven story wise rather thna some innate ability of a class...it would be awesome if for the Smuggler to get stealth technology they had to do a class quest to steal the tech from the Imperial Inquisitors or the Imperial lab rats that supply them.

GreenLanternFan

Another interesting article on SWTOR. I love the constant barrage of information on this game, as of late.

Now, I do love the articles here at MMORPG. However, for the love of God and all that is holy, could you please hire someone to do some proofreading? If you currently have someone in that position, fire that person, immediately.

When there are so many grammatical errors and misspellings, it detracts from the article. Please understand, I mean no disrespect toward the writer, nor the company. I realize it's hard when so many articles are being written and added to the site in so little time. It is simply that I have noticed the errors becoming more of a problem as of late and figured I would give some feedback that may help to improve my favorite site

Korithian

From what I have seen the cover system almost works too well. Crazy yes but bare with me. From the videoes we have seen, much of the combat appeared to be standing still and shooting or swinging, very standard MMO combat. People don't have the hands to worry about moving and targeting and using specials. The big difference to this appeared to be the two cover classes who rolled and dived and sprinted to cover through the fights. Suddenly you have the real action adventure combat from star wars for these two classes. Where as your trooper just stands up the front like a lemon trading shots your smuggler is ducking down and poping up with special attacks.

 

 This is far more the sort of combat that makes the fighting good and fun. But will this detract from the other ranged classes. Where instead of being able to use the terain to your advantage this is restricted to the cover classes. And the none cover classes are going to be your more traditional stand and trade blows game play. Now not knocking the smuggler cause I think they look great but it is the sort of thing I would love to see more of, rather than the stand and get hit  a lot combat.

kcypher2000

"The dialogue was a bit tedious, something we have found throughout the game. Though it is Bioware's style and has served them well in the past, I am just not sure how well it will do in an MMO when you are trying to get your work done quickly. Just remember speed gamers, the space bar is your friend."

I don't get it.  i often see people on this site even complain about the lack of immersion or story in most mmos where you basically skip all the quest text and jump right to killing X rats.  Finally a game has the depth, hell more depth, and decisions than most single player games and now people whine about it? 

Give me more dialog bioware.  Set yourself apart from all the other EQ/WoW clones and make my character more than just a fancy barbie doll i collect gear for.

KrAv3

Originally posted by kcypher2000

"The dialogue was a bit tedious, something we have found throughout the game. Though it is Bioware's style and has served them well in the past, I am just not sure how well it will do in an MMO when you are trying to get your work done quickly. Just remember speed gamers, the space bar is your friend."

I don't get it.  i often see people on this site even complain about the lack of immersion or story in most mmos where you basically skip all the quest text and jump right to killing X rats.  Finally a game has the depth, hell more depth, and decisions than most single player games and now people whine about it? 

Give me more dialog bioware.  Set yourself apart from all the other EQ/WoW clones and make my character more than just a fancy barbie doll i collect gear for.

 

 This!

Kuatosune

Originally posted by sapphen

Do those pistols look like little hair dryers to you?

 

 Yes... now that you mention it...

Senadina

Originally posted by AlienShirt

I am hoping they making it easier to find cover without having to have an enemy targeted first.

 It sounds to me like this is a compromise to MMO auto-targetting and skill bar. In a FPS, manual-aim game, you can take cover first, because missing is an option. In an auto-target game, the game needs to know the target first, so it can extrapolate what cover you can fire from and definitely hit with your auto-target skills. Make sense?

Vladan

Originally posted by KrAv3

Originally posted by kcypher2000

"The dialogue was a bit tedious, something we have found throughout the game. Though it is Bioware's style and has served them well in the past, I am just not sure how well it will do in an MMO when you are trying to get your work done quickly. Just remember speed gamers, the space bar is your friend."

I don't get it.  i often see people on this site even complain about the lack of immersion or story in most mmos where you basically skip all the quest text and jump right to killing X rats.  Finally a game has the depth, hell more depth, and decisions than most single player games and now people whine about it? 

Give me more dialog bioware.  Set yourself apart from all the other EQ/WoW clones and make my character more than just a fancy barbie doll i collect gear for.

 

 This!

 

Thirded.

TARDISjunkie

Speaking as a pre-CU SWG vet, I can only hope & pray that Smugglers will /finally/ be able to smuggle.  To the best of my knowledge, they /still/ can't over at that 3-legged mutant horror SOE still keeps on life support.  Hell, I remember the in-depth information the devs posted on the forums, giving all kinds of info on "you'll be able to do this" and "it'll work like this"...only none of it was ever implemented, ever.  (Not sure they ever intended to, honestly.)

I have ginormously high hopes for this game--but then again, Bioware has never let me down.  If their Smugglers can smuggle, then SW:TOR will /automatically/, by that capacity alone, stand head-and-shoulders over SWG.

Unknown

But... what would they smuggle? Why would they do it? And how would it be real?

 

You'd have to introduce trading as a part of gameplay, a bit like EVE, and have contraband. You'd then further have to give Smugglers special skills that other classes do not have.

 

You'd ALSO have to introduce a risk of being caught and implications of being caught, otherwise it would be completely silly.

 

So, it could be brilliant fun, but I can only see it happening in an artificial sense of being part of the storyline.

Tokken

The smuggler seems to be the most interesting class for me so far.