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Star Wars: The Old Republic: Two Years and Counting
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
In his latest column regarding Star Wars: The Old Republic, MMORPG.com Community Manager Michael Bitton talks about the game's two year journey to where it is today. The official site debuted almost exactly two years ago and Mike questions whether or not Bioware and LucasArts tipped their developmental hands a bit too early. Check out Mike's thoughts and then tell us what you think.
The official SWTOR forum community is a real melting pot of MMO gamers and Bioware fans, all who have been hopeful that the game would deliver in certain features that attract them to MMOs, and with so many different subsets of gamers making up the community, many ideas are often diametrically opposed. This fact has led to many interesting discussions over the past two years, some of which consisted of totally wild speculation on the game, with just about any idea, however unrealistic, easily garnering (hundreds of) pages upon pages of discussion, often leading to the moderator team having to create a “part two” or even “part three” thread for the discussion to continue.
Read more SWTOR: Two Years and Counting.
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Comments
Well considering this is at best a 2012 release, that is a good enough reason to have few details about this game.
My concern for this game is that EA has thrown so much money at it, anything other than Wow success will make it a money loser. This is an excellent example of how not to develop a game. Of course Bioware has never developed a MMO so a lot of that investment was a learning exercise, but I still think at least half the budget was wasted.
If you are going to invest in a MMO, you had better secure stringent cost controls and make someone responsible for enforcing them because it is quite evident that these software developers have little clue how to do that.
"Has your enthusiasm for Star Wars: The Old Republic waned at all in recent months?"
No, no it hasn't. I've been fired up since I heard abou this game when the website launched, and I'm just as fired up now. Granted, I've not let myself get so built up that I can only go down with my anticipation, but still, my eagerness to see this game in action has not waned a bit. I think Bioware's reveal "schedule" has been just about right for me. The last thing I want is to hear all about a game and have to wait another 6 months to play.
I want a mmorpg where people have gone through misery, have gone through school stuff and actually have had sex even. -sagil
1. Nothing has been officially announced, but BioWare says Spring 2011. If they change their estimate, we'll know about it.
2. The only way you're going to have a chance to compete with WoW is launching a polished, finished game. What's the saying... "Why play a WoW clone when you have WoW", right? WoW has 6 years of content and improvements. TOR has none, so it must start at a higher quality level than, say, an indie developer making a sandbox who will definitely get subs simply because they're "different". It also has to offer its own spin, even if the basic gameplay is similar to WoW, but we all know what that is by now.
Would you really want BioWare to underspend and miss the mark, or overspend and have a better chance of achieving their (lofty) goals? Even with their budget, they might not make it, but the most important part now is how to handle all that cash. They seem to be doing that well enough. Yes, the more you spend the riskier it is. EA thinks it's a sound investment and so does BioWare, and I think we (who give the game a real chance) will reap the benefits in the end.
I am more than willing to wait but I pray they cn deliver the final product. Its not just he "next" mmo for me, the lore and universe surrounding the game has me pumped.
Saying it's "at best a 2012 release" is kind of silly since they've stated they'll be releasing in 2011. :
Still, I don't think my interest has waned, I just wish they'd put info out that doesn't concern NPC's or companion characters. Like the article says, they haven't really posted anything about the mechanics involved in the game, and while we can see that it controls a lot like any other current-gen MMO, we don't know about guild systems, crafting, PvP, etc. I'd like to see and hear a lot more over the next few months before their (supposed) 2011 launch.
However, considering it's BioWare, I'm not too sure we will hear anything much.
"So, I’d like to leave you all with a question, and this is for the fans. Has your enthusiasm for Star Wars: The Old Republic waned at all in recent months?"
Simple answer, no.
I never had high hopes or expectations for SW:TOR, as a fan of the single player RPG (and BioWare in general) I am only looking for something that will cover the basics of that game and add online elements so as you can see my expectations are very low and as an old MMO gamer I don't let the fan boy hype get to me as I know better.
So I view SW:TOR as an evolution of the single player game and my expectations are geared as such.
If there is any game that I can say my expectations are even mildly high for then the honest truth is I am looking forward to Guild Wars 2 more so than any other title. As the old MMO gamer craves for something different and with depth (though it also craves a sandbox like the old SWG days but that's okay as long as it's fun.)
Because flying a Minmatar ship is like going down a flight of stairs on an office chair while firing an Uzi.
I've been keeping my expectations as grounded as possible, at best I expect to see a solid mmo all around, at worst I expect a decent continuation of KOTOR. AS long as one of these tends to be the case I'll be happy. With that said, nope I'm stil looking forward to it as much as I was before.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
What some fail to realize is, the point isn't how much information has or has not been released in the time frame, its, what out of the information that has been released can they deliver on.
In that aspect BioWare is going the safe route and releasing what they know they can deliver on. Perhaps in some sense they did begin releasing information too early.
I think whats been the most detrimental is that they continue to release tidbits of information weekly despite much of it having no actual information about game mechanics.
I can understand their reasoning. They want to build an entire universe, and a setting behind that, and a story that goes with it. They are playing to their strengths. Most MMO gamers just want raw information, while BioWare seems content in biding their time and taking things slow.
I perceive information will pick up drastically at the end of the year unless they decide to push back. With a matter of a few months before even a suspected launch you tend to find developers releasing a bounty of information.
As with everything else with this title the only real thing to do is "wait and see".
Has my enthusiasm waned?
Yes, it has.
It has waned to the point where I don't know if I want to play a game where the developing company refuses to interact with their potential customers.
I give it until the end of this year for them to start talking about the game. If the info still isn't out, I will find a game that will interact with the customers.
I'm curious as to whether or not the question regarding enthuiasm has anything to do with the fact that the Hype-level for this game has dropped almost a full point or so in recent months.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still very excited for this game. However, I realize that most gamers with their instant-gratification, impulsive and impatient behavior may not share that same enthusiasm, considering the length of time involved in development.
Your fail comment, failed.
Er, no it's not silly to say 2012, unless you are saying the MMORPG developers historically hit their 1st release dates?
A better indicator is in fact how much information they are willing to share, and right now the GW 2 is putting more on the table and I'm thinking they've got a real shot at a 2011 release.
SWTOR in 2011, not a bad thing to bet against at this stage.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
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Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
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"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Just my enthusiasm is gone for tor, I might buy it just to get to be a sith. Otherwise it offers nothing to pull me away from my current game
Playing: Smite, Marvel Heroes
Played: Nexus:Kingdom of the Winds, Everquest, DAoC, Everquest 2, WoW, Matrix Online, Vangaurd, SWG, DDO, EVE, Fallen Earth, LoTRo, CoX, Champions Online, WAR, Darkfall, Mortal Online, Guild Wars, Rift, Tera, Aion, AoC, Gods and Heroes, DCUO, FF14, TSW, SWTOR, GW2, Wildstar, ESO, ArcheAge
Waiting On: Nothing. Mmorpg's are dead.
No, I feel the same about the game as I always have. I'd rather have a slow release date than have them deliver an unfinished game like so many other games have. Unfinished generally equals complete failure. Tabula Rasa and Age of Conan anyone?
My enthusiasm has not waned, but I have gotten tired of wading through the constant negativity on the forums. I used to look forward to coming here or to the official forums and discussing things, but it is very hard to take part in forum discussions about a game when there are SO MANY negative posts every day. I think Bioware is largely to blame for this since they are not answering the questions that most of these people are asking. If they were a little more open about some of these things, I think it might put a lot of people's worries to rest. As it is, there is a large backlash due to the slow release of info.
Hopefully this just means that they are trying to keep some of these things under wraps so that other game companies like Blizzard don't jack things before the game is released. I think a lot of people are worried that the slow release of info is indicative of problems with the design. It still remains to be seen whether or not this is the case...
I agree.
I think they are "doing it right".
if they release a buggy or seemingly unfinished product then they are damned. If they announce somehthing that they are unsure of and they change it they are damned.
In the end they can't win so they might as well release info as they have it and then players can then decide if the game is right for them.
then whne the game launches it will be seen if their investment paid off.
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I totally agree. Its good to be optmistic but some people are optmistic about things and facts they have totally wrong.
I'm pretty sure they've announced 2011 as a release year and since i pre ordered it from Play.com 7 months ago the release date has only changed once. from late 2011 to 25th March 2011. game have the release date as 1st March 2011, so i think it's safe to say that even if they are both wrong, it's sometime in march 2011 for release.
Once they start talking about PvP, I'll start seriously considering playing an MMO again.. the heavy story element sounds fun too, I'd love to play a multiplayer KOTOR.. but it's gotta have it where it counts in the PvP department.
"So, I’d like to leave you all with a question, and this is for the fans. Has your enthusiasm for Star Wars: The Old Republic waned at all in recent months? If so, what is on the top of your list as far as things you’d like to hear about in order to get yourself fired up about the game again?"
My enthusiasm for this MMO has not diminished in the slightest.
Even in the ever growing face of hatred for all things SWTOR, my enthusiasm still grows.
We see a trend of troll posts after troll posts stirring up anti-SWTOR feelings yet even with the same old names spewing the same old tired crap I am not in the least bit put off.
I'm looking forward to a new MMO coming out next year, I don't believe it's the second messiah, or that it will solve world poverty or bring peace and harmony, I just want a new challenge, I want an MMO with a fully encomapassing story that will swallow me up and spit me out when it's finished with me, hopefully a few years down the line.
My enthusiasm has remained the same today as it has the day of the games announcement.
I think their holding off simply because they want enough new information to advertise with leading up to release next year. This article shows they've been tight lipped, as anyone who's been following TOR can see.
However, they've also updated us every week since when? Like almost two years ago. There's only so much release information to give out, I think the fact they've been able to update us this long shows there's a lot going into this game.
From releasing info on the many planets, races/classes and to housing, they've been interacting with us. The only thing they haven't been showing are MMO elements. Which seems they're saving for last.
It could simply be because those are the things that have as of yet not been finalized, or it could be in their eyes saving the best features for last. Who knows really, as I've said before, what they release now means little to me, as I'm in no rush to buy this game or any game. I'll as always see how the recepetion is before running out to the store, so personally I can wait as long as it takes, as I wouldn't be a launch day player anyway.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
Well Michael, I'm glad you asked...
If the younger gamer in me answered the question, he would say hell yeah! Release the game. What's the deal? Why the hold up? Why the secrecy? I'm tired of waiting on pins and needles for this game already!
The current gamer in me says, it'll come out when it comes out and I'll enjoy the games that are already here until it does. I have too much other crap gamewise and in RL to worry about...
But isn't it better to release more info to either critical praise or critical panning than to drop the game on us all at once and find out what you have made? I think Bioware let info slip to early, but weren't they forced to? Wasn't there some group disgruntled employees that was going to do it anyway?
Like most of the things I talk about, I'm just not sure...
Gutlard Out!
What, me worry?
While it is true they continue to have Friday releases, the information contained in those releases is worthless in terms of actual gameplay.
Lets look at the last couple months of release information.
August 20, 2010: Fan friday and Player Ships
August 27, 2010: Blood of the empire
Sept 3, 2010: Space combat (which had already been released from another source)
Sept 10, 2010: Blood of the empire and Corellia
Sept 17, 2010: Fan friday and "Designing the light side"
Sept 24, 2010: Blood of the empire and Smuggler ACs (no new info on ACs)
Oct 1, 2010: "Designing the ACs"
Oct 8, 2010: Ilum
Oct 15, 2010: Timeline
Oct, 22, 2010: Fan friday and Biographies
Other than planets, there has been no new info in 2 months.
Also, you don't advertise by saying simple things that we should know by now. For instance, crafting - all we know is that it exists. We don't know how many professions you can have, how many exist, will they be limited to classes, are there gathering type professions or just crafting type?
These are simple things that should already be known but aren't. And that is just crafting - I could think of another batch of simple questions for PvP.
dang they sucked all the spacing out of my comment - sorry it looks so bad
Don't read me wrong I wasn't arguing against what you said. Just offering my two cents on why it is how it is. There's a wealth of info we have as of yet to recieve anything concrete on, like crafting and pvp as you pointed out.
Same with Raids and what they plan on having in place to keep those entertained who do not want to re-roll alt's over and over. They've mentioned things like raiding, warzones, wow like crafting etc.. yet haven't shown as much as a screen-shot of these aspects.
Like I said though it would seem they're saving these aspects for last minute advertising, or we may not even see them at launch at all, it's hard to say at this point.
I've even given thought that maybe they don't even intend on releasing with those elements intact. It's hard to say what will come in the next few months and early next year.
BTW your spacing looks fine to me.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
The more I learn about this game, the less I tend to like it.
First was a great concept video of Sith attacking Jedi. From that point forward I've been less impressed and now, based upon what I know today, probably wont buy the game. Obviously things could change, but what "ruins" it for me is that this game appears to be all about a "choose-your-adventure" story kind of game rather than sandbox, make it as you go kind of game. Sure, the story branches into different plots depending on the actions/decisions I make, but it's still a pre-defined story and they have put voice over acting into everything, which to me slows the game down. It looks like watching a movie more than playing a game.
I'm sure there are a lot of people who are going to be interested in the story. I liked the story of KOTOR, but once you play it it certainly loses it's replayability appeal. I suppose each type of character can have a different story, but it's just not for me personally. Plus, your friends will all be on their own "story" with thier characters, and after 1-2 months everyone will know how every story plot/ending because people on the internet will tell how their class/actions story worked. And if the story is the primary thing, and you know the story ahead of time, it just kills replayability.
I don't see how there can be any balanced PvP in a game like this and keep it any way realistic.
I'm sure there are a lot of people just dying to have a good story told to them that involves Star Wars. But after the story is told, then what?