You sound exactly like the people that call Diablo 3's graphics cartoony/rainbow, graphics are not everything, gameplay and storyline are far more important....period.
the thread is asking if swtor is next gen, nothing out this year especially swtor is close to being next generation, as everyone knows it is a tweaking of an existing format. Storylines is important, but its not next gen, its compulsary for any good mmorg.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
I dont think it is next generation its more like the best of this generation (only talking about themepark games)
I feel like GW2 is going to be the game to copy once it comes out.
but we will have to wait and see
Playing: PO, EVE Waiting for: WoD Favourite MMOs: VG, EVE, FE and DDO Any person who expresses rage and loathing for an MMO is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae.
I said it in my gameplay video, SWTOR gameplay, its how I felt while playing it. It just overflowed my sences, I thought to my self, any mmos that are going to be made after SWTOR are going to look at this game the most when making there mmo.
People who dont see ToR potential do not understand the MMO genre at all. Tor in its current state is much further along then WoW was at launch. It has more features and foundations set then any MMO to be released in the last 4 years. People need to understand that MMOs need to be released in stages, first the foundation of the game has to be perfect, all the expected features should be in place and flawless, which is what Bioware has done, they have a solid foundation laid for them to add WHATEVER nexgen features they want. This time next year, SWTOR will be the one to beat, i will put money on that.
Lucky Vanguard was released more than four years ago then,it has more fearures and game machanics than swtor could even dream of.
I think the only mmo that might qualify for "next gen" might be The Secret World. I'm not a hater or a fanboy of SWTOR but calling it next gen is silly.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing. -Robert E. Howard
For now I'll say "no". The story, VO and cutscenes were nice, but I already saw that in the first 10 levels of AoC a few years back.
If there was one thing that was surprinsingly fun to me, it was companions. At first I thought I would hate them, but I found using them properly allowed me to do things I might not be able to normally do. Unfortunately, I don't think that companions are enough for me to consider it next-gen... maybe "next-to-next-gen".
Enter a whole new realm of challenge and adventure.
For now I'll say "no". The story, VO and cutscenes were nice, but I already saw that in the first 10 levels of AoC a few years back.
If there was one thing that was surprinsingly fun to me, it was companions. At first I thought I would hate them, but I found using them properly allowed me to do things I might not be able to normally do. Unfortunately, I don't think that companions are enough for me to consider it next-gen... maybe "next-to-next-gen".
TY for mentioning companions also I think the light vs dark choice that we get gives it a point in the right direction of being a "Next Gen" MMO Acualy come to think aobut it TOR can also be called a "Next Gen" MMO just as some stated early in this thread is the simple fact that ones who never played a MMO before will play TOR so in a very real since there is a Generation of gamers that with TOR being a first for them will take on the role "Next Gen."
I think SWTOR can be accurately described as a "trans-generation" MMO. It does not deviate enough from the old generation to be considered fully "Next Gen" but it DOES introduce some concepts not yet seen in most MMO's.
These features are of course full VO, quest cutscenes and branching story lines.
As other have said, if GW2 succeds it could be considered the start of the next generation of MMO's as it deviates so much from the norm and contains many features which were virtually unheard of in MMO's until it came along as well as those introduced by "trans-gen" MMO's (Skills defined by weapons, complete replacement of traditional questing, VO, branching storylines, etc).
I thought "Next Gen" was a term used to refer to consoles in the late 20th century.
For the formost ya it dose refer to consoles. If you think about it a next Gen console is a improvment to the prior. So I would conceder TOR a "next gen" MMO is a improvment to prior MMO's
I think the use of VO to the extent that TOR uses it is next gen. Other mmos have used VO but sparingly. AOC used it in Tortage, the starter area, to great affect and it was well received. TOR definitely takes VO to the next level and then gives options and light/dark points for different responses. Definitely next gen in this regard.
Perhaps next gen in its ability to allow you to have npcs do quests or chores for you. Other mmos have had henchmen or companions, but none that have done this that I know of. Definitely next gen.
The fact that the game servers were so massively populated yet they performed as well as they did under such tremendous load, also next gen. How many other mmos could have performed so well, especially in beta. Even years after publish, I bet many mmos would have been forced to their knees under such load.
In other aspects, it draws on other games already out. It's good, safe, practical, and in many ways smart, but in this aspect not next gen. WOW did the same thing, drawing from different games to become a successful amalgamation that many enjoyed.
So I think it's a mixed bag. Maybe as I play it I will discover more next gen aspects.
People who dont see ToR potential do not understand the MMO genre at all. Tor in its current state is much further along then WoW was at launch. It has more features and foundations set then any MMO to be released in the last 4 years.
People need to understand that MMOs need to be released in stages, first the foundation of the game has to be perfect, all the expected features should be in place and flawless, which is what Bioware has done, they have a solid foundation laid for them to add WHATEVER nexgen features they want. This time next year, SWTOR will be the one to beat, i will put money on that.
Lucky Vanguard was released more than four years ago then,it has more fearures and game machanics than swtor could even dream of.
Anywho is it the fact that TOR plays both liner and open world? Is it the fact that pvp has been reinvented with "Huttball" yes I do realize they have your basic captor the flag and hold your base theme pvp but lets face it "Hutball is unique for pvp.
You haven't heard of Goblinball in Allods then I guess. Old news, and similar enough. Besides you can't really reinvent with something as old as CTF...
And no TOR does not qualify as next-gen, it's the first time I even hear someone thinking that. Even the devs stated it's just a unambitious clone, after all - not with so many words but the name of the game they said they revered above all else was mentioned way too many times in way too embarassing statements.
What TOR is is a big budget game that doesn't look it, thats all. All the so called 'inventions' like cinematics and VO, are simply a result of more money invested. If every MMO could afford that even Minecraft would be voiced by Anthony Hopkins.
Anywho is it the fact that TOR plays both liner and open world? Is it the fact that pvp has been reinvented with "Huttball" yes I do realize they have your basic captor the flag and hold your base theme pvp but lets face it "Hutball is unique for pvp.
You haven't heard of Goblinball in Allods then I guess. Old news, and similar enough. Besides you can't really reinvent with something as old as CTF...
And no TOR does not qualify as next-gen, it's the first time I even hear someone thinking that. Even the devs stated it's just a unambitious clone, after all - not with so many words but the name of the game they said they revered above all else was mentioned way too many times in way too embarassing statements.
What TOR is is a big budget game that doesn't look it, thats all. All the so called 'inventions' like cinematics and VO, are simply a result of more money invested. If every MMO could afford that even Minecraft would be voiced by Anthony Hopkins.
That would be freakingawesome if Anthany Hopkins voiced anything. Back on track I do feel that perhaps maybe VO could be the main thing that leads me to still believe that TOR took a right direction to being a next MMO after reading some thoughts in this thread my mind did change a little on it may not be the next "Next Gen" for now but it has potential to be in the future depends on the DEVS.
I do not think the game is 'truly" next gen, but I think it raises the bar in terms of its production value far as a fully voiced and story driven MMO goes. I also give them props for taking systems that already exsisted and giving them a unique but fun twist.
People who dont see ToR potential do not understand the MMO genre at all. Tor in its current state is much further along then WoW was at launch. It has more features and foundations set then any MMO to be released in the last 4 years.
People need to understand that MMOs need to be released in stages, first the foundation of the game has to be perfect, all the expected features should be in place and flawless, which is what Bioware has done, they have a solid foundation laid for them to add WHATEVER nexgen features they want. This time next year, SWTOR will be the one to beat, i will put money on that.
Lucky Vanguard was released more than four years ago then,it has more fearures and game machanics than swtor could even dream of.
How did Vanguard do again?
Vanguard didnt tank due to its features and game mechanics though...
People who dont see ToR potential do not understand the MMO genre at all. Tor in its current state is much further along then WoW was at launch. It has more features and foundations set then any MMO to be released in the last 4 years.
People need to understand that MMOs need to be released in stages, first the foundation of the game has to be perfect, all the expected features should be in place and flawless, which is what Bioware has done, they have a solid foundation laid for them to add WHATEVER nexgen features they want. This time next year, SWTOR will be the one to beat, i will put money on that.
Lucky Vanguard was released more than four years ago then,it has more fearures and game machanics than swtor could even dream of.
How did Vanguard do again?
Vanguard didnt tank due to its features and game mechanics though...
Well then you do agree that features and game mechanics are not enough to save a MMO if it has a piss poor launch and zero support from the company. Luckily SWTOR has full support of Bioware / EA and plenty of features and game mechanics to keep people interested.
How many servers SWTOR will launch with on release?
ShredderSE - Umm how many do they need? Maybe 6. US, EU, Asian, France, German and Russian. Subs will be so low there is no need for more Snoocky-How many servers? The first 3 months a lot...after that 2 i guess, one for PVE and 1 for PVP...
Thorbrand - SWTOR doesn't have longevity at all. Might be one of the shortest lived MMOs.
If you wan't it to be next gen, then its next gen.
~whatever floats your boat~
This sums up the answer I'm going to give...pretty much. If you want it to be then it is, if you don't then it's not.
Next-gen is a term made up by people trying to sell games or by the multitude of MMO fans and their need to categorise everything. It's as bad as themepark and sandbox.
I know I'm probably making up terms, but I like to call SWTOR a MMO. Fancy that.
It's probably a DSBOAKIPFMMORPG...in fact I'm sure it is.
Voice acting wise, nope..EQ2 beat them two it six years ago. EQ2 was nearly all voiced and even today it has as much VO as swtot. SWTOR is not fully voiced,it's not even close. Many NPC stand around waving their hands at each other.Having played GW2 for two years running at gamescom i can say that every npc was talking even if they were nothing to do with what i was doing at the time.ArenaNet have not really promoted its VO like BioWare,they have many other features that it really is not the be all their game.
Next-gen? Not really. Actually, with its strong reminscient feeling of WoW vanilla, TOR is everything but next-gen. Unless you count VA as a vital part of that, which I don't.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
Voice acting wise, nope..EQ2 beat them two it six years ago. EQ2 was nearly all voiced and even today it has as much VO as swtot. SWTOR is not fully voiced,it's not even close. Many NPC stand around waving their hands at each other.Having played GW2 for two years running at gamescom i can say that every npc was talking even if they were nothing to do with what i was doing at the time.ArenaNet have not really promoted its VO like BioWare,they have many other features that it really is not the be all their game.
Come on man. You think people around haven't played EQ2? i have been playing EQ2 for 5years and no it is not even close to levels of SWTOR. Not every single NPC in EQ2 uses V.O and there are no elaborate cut scenes. So saying EQ2 has as much VO as SWTOR is just pure bull crap.
How many servers SWTOR will launch with on release?
ShredderSE - Umm how many do they need? Maybe 6. US, EU, Asian, France, German and Russian. Subs will be so low there is no need for more Snoocky-How many servers? The first 3 months a lot...after that 2 i guess, one for PVE and 1 for PVP...
Thorbrand - SWTOR doesn't have longevity at all. Might be one of the shortest lived MMOs.
TOR do have some nice features, but adding stuff that Bioware themselves already used in "Neverwinter nights" 10 years ago (which technically ain't a MMO but well a multiplayer online game) and adding voice acting just isn't enough to be called next gen any more than Rift is.
That does not mean it is a bad game or anything but adding some ideas like that does not really change how we play the game enough.
Sure, dialogue options are nice but AoC did already have a crude version of them (where the options rarely mattered, but it still isn't a new MMO feature, they are just doing it better).
We seen the companions in Guildwars already and while we can discuss if it is a MMO it is surely close enough.
If it also would have had a new combat system or anything it would have been different, but now it is a "slightly unconventional MMO", not a next gen.
If we count MMO standard features it will still have almost all of them.
That is if we think that a next game MMO is a game that changes how we play the games, if it just means something others will copy it is very possible that it is one, but I prefer the first definition.
Comments
the thread is asking if swtor is next gen, nothing out this year especially swtor is close to being next generation, as everyone knows it is a tweaking of an existing format. Storylines is important, but its not next gen, its compulsary for any good mmorg.
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
I dont think it is next generation its more like the best of this generation (only talking about themepark games)
I feel like GW2 is going to be the game to copy once it comes out.
but we will have to wait and see
Playing: PO, EVE
Waiting for: WoD
Favourite MMOs: VG, EVE, FE and DDO
Any person who expresses rage and loathing for an MMO is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae.
ye seems reasonable statement. My real dilemna is when Archeage comes out, how will i make time for my beloved GW2 then? - good times
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
I said it in my gameplay video, SWTOR gameplay, its how I felt while playing it. It just overflowed my sences, I thought to my self, any mmos that are going to be made after SWTOR are going to look at this game the most when making there mmo.
Lucky Vanguard was released more than four years ago then,it has more fearures and game machanics than swtor could even dream of.I think the only mmo that might qualify for "next gen" might be The Secret World. I'm not a hater or a fanboy of SWTOR but calling it next gen is silly.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can
be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard
For now I'll say "no". The story, VO and cutscenes were nice, but I already saw that in the first 10 levels of AoC a few years back.
If there was one thing that was surprinsingly fun to me, it was companions. At first I thought I would hate them, but I found using them properly allowed me to do things I might not be able to normally do. Unfortunately, I don't think that companions are enough for me to consider it next-gen... maybe "next-to-next-gen".
Enter a whole new realm of challenge and adventure.
TY for mentioning companions also I think the light vs dark choice that we get gives it a point in the right direction of being a "Next Gen" MMO Acualy come to think aobut it TOR can also be called a "Next Gen" MMO just as some stated early in this thread is the simple fact that ones who never played a MMO before will play TOR so in a very real since there is a Generation of gamers that with TOR being a first for them will take on the role "Next Gen."
I think SWTOR can be accurately described as a "trans-generation" MMO. It does not deviate enough from the old generation to be considered fully "Next Gen" but it DOES introduce some concepts not yet seen in most MMO's.
These features are of course full VO, quest cutscenes and branching story lines.
As other have said, if GW2 succeds it could be considered the start of the next generation of MMO's as it deviates so much from the norm and contains many features which were virtually unheard of in MMO's until it came along as well as those introduced by "trans-gen" MMO's (Skills defined by weapons, complete replacement of traditional questing, VO, branching storylines, etc).
Considering that next gen themepark mmos come action oreentated movement/combat. I would say SWTOR is not next generation. Sadly...
I thought "Next Gen" was a term used to refer to consoles in the late 20th century.
For the formost ya it dose refer to consoles. If you think about it a next Gen console is a improvment to the prior. So I would conceder TOR a "next gen" MMO is a improvment to prior MMO's
I think the use of VO to the extent that TOR uses it is next gen. Other mmos have used VO but sparingly. AOC used it in Tortage, the starter area, to great affect and it was well received. TOR definitely takes VO to the next level and then gives options and light/dark points for different responses. Definitely next gen in this regard.
Perhaps next gen in its ability to allow you to have npcs do quests or chores for you. Other mmos have had henchmen or companions, but none that have done this that I know of. Definitely next gen.
The fact that the game servers were so massively populated yet they performed as well as they did under such tremendous load, also next gen. How many other mmos could have performed so well, especially in beta. Even years after publish, I bet many mmos would have been forced to their knees under such load.
In other aspects, it draws on other games already out. It's good, safe, practical, and in many ways smart, but in this aspect not next gen. WOW did the same thing, drawing from different games to become a successful amalgamation that many enjoyed.
So I think it's a mixed bag. Maybe as I play it I will discover more next gen aspects.
How did Vanguard do again?
You haven't heard of Goblinball in Allods then I guess. Old news, and similar enough. Besides you can't really reinvent with something as old as CTF...
And no TOR does not qualify as next-gen, it's the first time I even hear someone thinking that. Even the devs stated it's just a unambitious clone, after all - not with so many words but the name of the game they said they revered above all else was mentioned way too many times in way too embarassing statements.
What TOR is is a big budget game that doesn't look it, thats all. All the so called 'inventions' like cinematics and VO, are simply a result of more money invested. If every MMO could afford that even Minecraft would be voiced by Anthony Hopkins.
My Guild Wars 2 First Beta Weekend "reviewette" : http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/4944570/thread/349125#4944570
That would be freaking awesome if Anthany Hopkins voiced anything. Back on track I do feel that perhaps maybe VO could be the main thing that leads me to still believe that TOR took a right direction to being a next MMO after reading some thoughts in this thread my mind did change a little on it may not be the next "Next Gen" for now but it has potential to be in the future depends on the DEVS.
I do not think the game is 'truly" next gen, but I think it raises the bar in terms of its production value far as a fully voiced and story driven MMO goes. I also give them props for taking systems that already exsisted and giving them a unique but fun twist.
Voice acting wise? YES
Graphics wise? NO
Innovation wise? NO
Vanguard didnt tank due to its features and game mechanics though...
Well then you do agree that features and game mechanics are not enough to save a MMO if it has a piss poor launch and zero support from the company. Luckily SWTOR has full support of Bioware / EA and plenty of features and game mechanics to keep people interested.
How many servers SWTOR will launch with on release?
ShredderSE - Umm how many do they need? Maybe 6.
US, EU, Asian, France, German and Russian.
Subs will be so low there is no need for more
Snoocky-How many servers?
The first 3 months a lot...after that 2 i guess, one for PVE and 1 for PVP...
Thorbrand - SWTOR doesn't have longevity at all. Might be one of the shortest lived MMOs.
This sums up the answer I'm going to give...pretty much. If you want it to be then it is, if you don't then it's not.
Next-gen is a term made up by people trying to sell games or by the multitude of MMO fans and their need to categorise everything. It's as bad as themepark and sandbox.
I know I'm probably making up terms, but I like to call SWTOR a MMO. Fancy that.
It's probably a DSBOAKIPFMMORPG...in fact I'm sure it is.
.
Voice acting wise, nope..EQ2 beat them two it six years ago. EQ2 was nearly all voiced and even today it has as much VO as swtot. SWTOR is not fully voiced,it's not even close. Many NPC stand around waving their hands at each other.Having played GW2 for two years running at gamescom i can say that every npc was talking even if they were nothing to do with what i was doing at the time.ArenaNet have not really promoted its VO like BioWare,they have many other features that it really is not the be all their game.Next-gen? Not really. Actually, with its strong reminscient feeling of WoW vanilla, TOR is everything but next-gen. Unless you count VA as a vital part of that, which I don't.
Come on man. You think people around haven't played EQ2? i have been playing EQ2 for 5years and no it is not even close to levels of SWTOR. Not every single NPC in EQ2 uses V.O and there are no elaborate cut scenes. So saying EQ2 has as much VO as SWTOR is just pure bull crap.
How many servers SWTOR will launch with on release?
ShredderSE - Umm how many do they need? Maybe 6.
US, EU, Asian, France, German and Russian.
Subs will be so low there is no need for more
Snoocky-How many servers?
The first 3 months a lot...after that 2 i guess, one for PVE and 1 for PVP...
Thorbrand - SWTOR doesn't have longevity at all. Might be one of the shortest lived MMOs.
TOR do have some nice features, but adding stuff that Bioware themselves already used in "Neverwinter nights" 10 years ago (which technically ain't a MMO but well a multiplayer online game) and adding voice acting just isn't enough to be called next gen any more than Rift is.
That does not mean it is a bad game or anything but adding some ideas like that does not really change how we play the game enough.
Sure, dialogue options are nice but AoC did already have a crude version of them (where the options rarely mattered, but it still isn't a new MMO feature, they are just doing it better).
We seen the companions in Guildwars already and while we can discuss if it is a MMO it is surely close enough.
If it also would have had a new combat system or anything it would have been different, but now it is a "slightly unconventional MMO", not a next gen.
If we count MMO standard features it will still have almost all of them.
That is if we think that a next game MMO is a game that changes how we play the games, if it just means something others will copy it is very possible that it is one, but I prefer the first definition.