Star Wars: The Old Republic - Out Dec 20th WORLDWIDE [Archive] - Page 2

Crusader

Aug 24th, 2010, 10:37:32 AM

Ahhh.. so it is on rails.

Yeah, it's disappointing. While it looks impressive, I could tell right away that there was something missing and for big space action it doesn't seem very dynamic, and I think this is due to the linear approach they have taken.

Well it will look a lot more "epic" this way since they can have multiple battlecruisers in a battle.

I think the pros and cons for on rails vs free flight are pretty obvious

On Rails
A lot less CPU power for AI is needed therefore you can have a lot more space crafts on screen without having to simulate their decisions all the time.
As a little reminder the last few missions in X-Wing Alliance only featured the rebel fleet and 2 or 3 star destroyers to create the illusion of being inside the battle over Endor. The rest of the imperial fleet was painted on the sky map.
The on rails approach is much more easy to balance from a gameplay perspective.
One of the biggest cons is that you can't have good computer generated generic missions. The experience looks handcrafted and so building a level will mean a lot more effort for the designer

Free Flight
First of all you can automaticly generate an infinite amount of challenges: Spawn 5 Sith whatever ships in 5 clicks and let them assault the player.
Building a Vs mode for PVP is easy but "VERY" hard to balance.
Space Battles are very dynamic but very limited in the presentation since only the servers from Bioware are going to calculate the AI for all the players on a server. So everything that involves multiple fleets and is instanced is going to be a lot less epic.
On the other hand it allows a good coop gameplay but dividing the enemy forces over multiple players sometimes leads to inbalanced gameplay for some players.
The last pro/con is the exploration aspect. Flying through space can be very intresting if it is done right...flying through space can be extremly boring as well since normaly 99.999% of space is empty.

So my take on this one is that Bioware wants to impress with their space system as a diversion and not as a real gameplay aspect. I guess I will prefer this over two unfinished gameplay worlds that feature underconstruction signs everywhere.

Captain Untouchable

Aug 24th, 2010, 10:59:19 AM

The fact that it's on rails kinda harkens back to the gun turrets thing - and I agree with Jenny's guess. It wouldn't surprise me, either, if you have to "pilot a fighter through the Sith blockade to land on the planet" at the beginning of some quests, or something similar.

Also, it's probably worth pointing out that on rails is easier for them to operate in a 'dice roll' type system. With a normal, free play piloting system, how fast your reactions are, how good you are at pulling evasives, and all that jazz is almost completely based on the personal skill of the player. When it's on rails, you can effectively give your craft a dodge score, and calculate most of the evasives like regular combat.

Since it sounds like the quests are going to be very story-intensive though, it makes me wonder how much choice you're going to get with piloting. In the KOTOR games, you had to make it past the gun turret levels, else you couldn't continue - shooting your way off of Onderon is the example that springs to mind. That didn't help you to level up your character: you just had to do it, in order to progress. Will there be quests like that, where you have to fly whether you like it or not? Will there be quests where all you do is fly?

I guess we don't know enough about that sort of thing to answer that yet.

Tear

Sep 1st, 2010, 01:59:31 AM

Okay, so while not technically on rails it's still on a 'tunnel' system. Which is a fancy way of saying it's on a rails but you have a limited amount of space to move left, right, up and down.

<div style="width: 480px;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" width="480" height="392"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=703853"/><param name="quality" value="high" /> <embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?mid=703853" swLiveConnect="true" name="gtembed" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="392"></embed> </object><div style="font-size: 10px; font-family: Verdana; text-align: center; width: 480px; padding-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 2px; background-color: black; height: 32px;"><div><a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com" title="GameTrailers.com">Video Games</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com/game/star-wars-the-old-republic/10449" title="Star Wars: The Old Republic">Star Wars: The Old Republic</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gc-10-star-wars/703853" title="GC 10: Space Combat Interview">GC 10: Space Combat Interview</a></div><div style="padding-top: 3px;"><a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://xbox360.gametrailers.com/" title="XBox 360">XBox 360</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://ps3.gametrailers.com/" title="PS3">Playstation 3</a> | <a style="color:#FFFFFF;" href="http://wii.gametrailers.com/" title="Wii">Nintendo Wii</a></div></div></div>

Captain Untouchable

Sep 1st, 2010, 08:39:16 AM

Y'see, hearing him explain it like that, I actually kinda like it. It's obvious that they've gone about doing it in a thoughtful way; and from his passing comment about getting experience and unlockables from PvP and battlegrounds as well, it looks like they've really thought about catering to a variety of different gamers.

Also, if stuff like PvP and space combat comes with achievements, but isn't essential to the story, it sounds like it will be around to offer content for you once you hit the level cap. I generally don't do PvP all that often, but if there are added insentives, and if I make it to level cap... *shrug* I'm probably more likely to give it a go.

People have been making space shooters in tunnels for eons - it's one of the classic game types. Okay, so I can't zoom around all over the place when I'm bored, like I did in JTL... but meh. I'm cool with that, provided it's fun. Sounds like it'll be good for variety when you want a break from the standard quests, anyhow.

Edit:

Am I the only one sat comparing the silhouettes from the Starships section on the TOR site to the game footage from that video, and playing "match the ship"? ^_^;

Tear

Sep 5th, 2010, 11:09:38 AM

The Penny Arcade Expo is going down. So new footage of various content is being released. Some including old fan favorites. Revan (http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/mysteries-knights-old-republic)anyone?
*Edit* I think I fudged the embed code on the first hop. Doesn't show up for me. So I put a link above.<object height="330" width="580"><object height="330" width="580"> OH there is someone who made a master list of all the new stuff revealed at PAX. You can find it here (http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=197869).
Then there is a Q+A session

<object height="385" width="640">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pyShopOcV0M?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></object>

Part deux.

<object height="385" width="640">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jxBaV80SVDQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></object></object></object>

Dai

Oct 10th, 2010, 01:50:22 PM

From what I've heard from the Beta Community, the Character Creation is like Dragon Age.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ShexlTrurg

Which isn't that bad.

Morgan Evanar

Oct 11th, 2010, 04:00:28 PM

http://darthhater.com/2010/10/11/gdco-interview-damion-schubert/

Great interview with the main systems designer, who is responsible for stuff like crafting.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 12th, 2010, 04:34:01 PM

http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/crew-skills

"The Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ galaxy is rich with valuable resources, high-tech schematics, and intriguing opportunities, but what hero has time to devote themselves personally to so many pursuits? That’s where your crew comes in. The Crew Skills system allows you to take advantage of everything the galaxy has to offer without getting in the way of your adventure! You’ll assign your crew of companions to gather resources, craft useful and valuable items, and even to undertake their own missions, bringing you and the rest of the crew a variety of benefits and rewards. Crew skills keep you in the action while you take advantage of all the galaxy has to offer!"

Captain Untouchable

Nov 12th, 2010, 04:40:04 PM

If I can't have that little Jawa dude as part of my crew, I will cry.

Acacius Blade

Nov 13th, 2010, 03:16:22 AM

Not yet watched the video (in work = crap PC) but I really like the sound of those crew skills. I wonder whether there's some sort of restriction in place to prevent people from abusing the system - ie will there be a rate of acquisition for scavenged items such as three items per hour logged in, or an item per day regardless of whether you play that day or not; similar to WoW cooldowns ticking even when logged off. Maybe it'll be based on how much you 'do' directly. Such as every mission you do and enemy you kill contributes to a quota which, once met, grants you a success in one of the crew skills.

Also, I wonder how big a payout such acquisitions will be. When a crew member reports they've scavenged some materials, will it be one or two items to put towards crafting an armoured vest, or will there be a crate-worth of items in a lump sum. I guess that'll depend on the frequency of acquisitions. I'd prefer less-frequent windfalls to constant trickles, so that you can do crafting in batches rather than the odd item here and there.

I imagine you'll be able to acquire crafting materials from mob drops as well to supplement the crew skills, so there'd still be a capacity to farm materials if thats your cup of tea.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 13th, 2010, 04:15:03 AM

Based on the information so far, it seems like a good system. For people who want to gather materials and craft themselves, they have the option - and for those of us who think gathering is tedious, we can have our minions do the tedious stuff!

Drin Kizael

Nov 14th, 2010, 01:10:19 PM

The game looks awesome, but DCU Online has a release date. Even though it got pushed back again, it's still a date. SWTOR doesn't even have that. It's depressing.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 14th, 2010, 01:12:43 PM

Honestly, I'd rather they took their time and got the game right. I'll be playing it, regardless of when it comes out.

Drin Kizael

Nov 14th, 2010, 01:57:57 PM

My depression stems from the fact that I might be so into DCUO that I'll have to make an impossible decision when SWTOR finally comes out. I don't have the time or money for two MMO's. Unless SW comes out sooo late that I'm ready to move on. :D

I know game delays are par for the course, but I hope they are working on stability and speed, and not trying to add crap that we really don't need before launch. It's never a safe assumption that the delay is for a "good" reason.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 14th, 2010, 02:01:39 PM

Based on the fact that they just announced how the gathering/crafting system works, it does seem like they are still actually working on the key content and game mechanics.

Drin Kizael

Nov 14th, 2010, 02:08:16 PM

I do love the idea that your NPCs can do the grinding for you, so you can just focus on the fun part. This game is looking better and better, at least on paper.

Dai

Nov 20th, 2010, 10:34:09 PM

I still wonder how this'll pan out on a MMO stage. Everything seems 1 player focused.

Tear

Mar 14th, 2011, 07:30:13 PM

New Video (http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/taral-v-developer-walkthrough)up showing some instance. Looking fun.

Figrin D'an

Mar 14th, 2011, 07:44:58 PM

I'm seeing a good level of polish in the tidbits of gameplay being shown, which is very encouraging. The default UI looks pretty decent, although I wonder how much customization will be allowed.

I'm curious what the endgame content is going to be like. Solo and small group content looks pretty good so far.

As much as I really want to get my hands on this as soon as possible, I'm appreciative of the time Bioware is taking to get things right.

Tear

Mar 15th, 2011, 07:46:25 PM

More space combat!

<object height="390" width="640">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Nf36KlvhmKI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="390" width="640"></object>

Atreyu

Mar 18th, 2011, 05:46:49 AM

Looks like it's coming along really well. Still a bit disappointing that the space battles are on rails, but that video still impressed me. :)

Atreyu

May 8th, 2011, 02:33:49 AM

Nothing certain at this stage, but apparently there's now a small possibility that TOR will be delayed until 2012:

EA: Possibility That Star Wars: The Old Republic Could Slip To 2012 (http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/05/ea-possibility-that-star-wars-the-old-republic-could-slip-to-2012/)

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 6th, 2011, 01:35:38 PM

Rossos Atrapes

Jun 6th, 2011, 03:18:03 PM

Choirs of angels could be heard singing around me as I watched that video.

Captain Untouchable

Jun 6th, 2011, 04:35:19 PM

Is that FemShep narrating at the start?

FemShep voiced Bastilla Shan in the first KOTOR game. The narrator is the same character as the female Jedi - Satele Shan, one of her descendants. Not only does she have the same voice, she's got the same badass lightsaber skills. :3

I think that was arguably the best five minutes of Star Wars I've ever seen. Not just breathtaking in terms of graphic quality... did you see how many of the in-game moves, classes, and abilities they showcased in that? Heck, the ship was even flying on "rails", like the game footage. If we're going to be treated to that sort of quality of story... wow. :eee

Also, can we play good guys instead of Sith? I want to be a badass Smuggler with an awesome hat. :ohno

Loklorien s'Ilancy

Jun 6th, 2011, 04:36:49 PM

Smuggler gunslinger FTW. I want this game :eee

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 6th, 2011, 04:40:28 PM

I'm rolling a Jedi Knight so hard if she'll be voiced by Jennifer Hale :swoon:

Droo

Jun 6th, 2011, 05:01:56 PM

Then I will see you on the battlefield! >D

Atreyu

Jun 6th, 2011, 06:27:03 PM

Oh wow. :eek

Atreyu

Jun 7th, 2011, 12:01:33 AM

Funny comic I found on the interwebz:

http://jedigambit.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/discarded_swtor_classes.jpg?w=497&h=715

Dai

Jun 10th, 2011, 10:40:29 PM

E3 has revitalized my interest, and I can't help but smile a little as I check out www.swtor.com (http://www.swtor.com) to find new updates nearly everyday. I am just waiting for the release date now. What is the hold-up? The game looks great. Well, beside the obviously failed attempt at upgrading from the pop-up, haggard drive of speeders in SWG.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 11th, 2011, 04:59:27 AM

There's a series of E3 videos on the SWTOR website now: http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20110610-0

Includes the 'Return' cinematic, a walkthrough of a mission on Tatooine, a video of one of the games raids (called Eternity Vaults) and a preview of some in-game features.

I haven't posted them all up here because I can't figure out how to get the Lucasarts videos to embed without autoplaying ^_^;

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 12th, 2011, 04:51:56 AM

http://www.starwars.com/games/videogames/razer_swtor/index.html

Razer have designed a keyboard (which has Aurebesh letters on it!), mouse and headset specifically for this game.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 13th, 2011, 12:06:24 PM

http://www.pcgamer.com/tag/old-republic-carousel/

PC Gamer has a series of previews, including indepth previews on the Agent and Bounty Hunter classes.

Travis North

Jun 13th, 2011, 12:21:53 PM

I finally cracked open the covers of my hardcover copy of The Old Republic: Fatal Alliances today. I stopped at page 45 and so far have liked what I read.

Really can't wait to jump in the game at launch.
<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

Peter McCoy

Jun 13th, 2011, 02:17:10 PM

Those Razer headsets look very cheap.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 13th, 2011, 02:25:48 PM

Is there really any merit to buying a gaming headset anyway? I can understand the keyboard and mouse to a degree, if they can improve/streamline the way you control the game, but you could get any pair of 5.1 surround sound headphones and have the same experience, surely?

Figrin D'an

Jun 13th, 2011, 04:40:04 PM

There's merit to having a good quality headset, particularly if you use any type of verbal communication system like Ventrillo or TeamSpeak. However, one could get a good quality Sennheiser headset for the same price or less than one of the those ridiculous-looking Razor atrocities.

It's a bit difficult to tell from those pictures, but that keyboard design looks like it would really uncomfortable for any longer gaming session. The key depth looks incredibly shallow. The LED macro hotkeys on the upper right just seems like a lot of fail to me. And a touchscreen track pad is such a lame gimmick.

On the positive, the PC Gamer preview articles were good reads.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 13th, 2011, 04:42:28 PM

They were! It's great to hear that story does seem to be as important in the game as Bioware is making it out to be, and that they have taken steps to give you the feel of playing through your own epic story, even though you are going to be just one of millions.

Figrin D'an

Jun 13th, 2011, 05:05:27 PM

This is the paragraph from those articles that caught my eye the most.

Each class’s story arc is huge. They’re divided into three stories, each as long as the entirety of the original Knights of the Old Republic RPG. That makes The Old Republic 24 times as big, for anyone who’s not keeping count. And since every class and gender combination has a different voice actor, it features 16 lead performances. The scale is mind-blowing

So, just the individual class story for one character, from start to finish, is 3 times as long as KOTOR. That doesn't include optional questing content, optional flashpoints (instances), end-game content, space combat, gathering/crafting, PvP and whatever else they might add later. And their are eight character classes at launch.

It's very clear the audience that BioWare is targeting with this game. This will be the MMO for the KOTOR/Dragon Age/Mass Effect fanbase. It's just a matter of if they'll draw in significant numbers long term from the WoW/Guild Wars/Everquest fanbase. (And yes, I acknowledge there is cross-over between those two groups. Like me.)

Dai

Jul 1st, 2011, 12:05:24 PM

From another forum I frequent:

I've been playing it in beta form, probably not supposed to say anything, but it's a lot like KOTOR, just taken to an MMO level. It does contain a lot of the typical MMO [censored], can't really say any more of that for fear of being legally pursued by Bioware. It's great, but I wouldn't say revolutionary. Music is [censored] incredible, though.

Also, the "Bounty Hunter Character Progression" (http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20110701) trailer has been released.

Droo

Jul 19th, 2011, 03:15:56 PM

Taken from the forums at swtor.com:

Box Cover
http://goo.gl/fzUVD

Unofficially pre order will start this thursday, July 21,2011

Original Preorder Leak
http://goo.gl/S9VaS

This was the polish site that originally gave the leak about preorder

CE Info
http://www.xtralife.es/im/portadas/portada9401.jpeg

Currently it is priced at 150 Euros, below is more info at a spanish site, including the pricing.

http://goo.gl/pILQZ

According to the SWTOR CE Picture and spanish site, the items included in the CE are:

*30-day subscription to the game
*Speeder (digital content, unique vehicle, available at level 25)
* Exclusive Gentle Giant Darth Malgus statue
* Star Wars: The Old Republic game discs in collectible metal case
* The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural annotated by Satele Shan
* Old Republic galaxy map
* Custom Security Authentication Key (i.e. Authenticator)
* Exclusive Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic CD
* High-Quality Collector's Edition Box

INCLUDES 7 ADDITIONAL DIGITAL ITEMS:
* Flare Gun: Fire flares into the air
* Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance
* HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer
* HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures
* STAP: Sleek and unique in-game vehicle
* Exclusive Mouse Droid: Spun-ky droid to join your adventures
* Exclusive Collector's Edition Store: Unique in-game vendor with a dynamic assortment of items

There are questions being raised regarding authenticity but it looks like the real deal to me. And with pre-order info on the way, the game itself can't be far behind, and this makes me every shade of happy! :D

Although I'm a bit gutted about the alleged cost of the collector's edition: 150 euros!? That's mental!

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 19th, 2011, 03:19:50 PM

Daaaamn that sounds awesome, but hella expensive. That has to be the most expensive video game I've ever heard of!

Crusader

Jul 19th, 2011, 04:12:48 PM

If my brother had not started to reproduce himself he would have been buying this instead of baby stuff at the end of the year.

He still has got his SWG CE and LOTRO CE standing next to his PC and claims that SWG was at it's best after launch.

Yog

Jul 20th, 2011, 12:34:45 AM

Collector Editions have always been a manifestation of video game publishers greed, so I try to stay away from those on principle. Not to mention, they usually foist toys, statues, various plastic, cardboard and crap that you don't need, and only serves to take up space or litter the environment. So I would not buy it even if it was priced at 50 euros. At 150 euros though, they deserve some kind of greed award. It is almost enough to turn me away from the game completely.

Edit - question, how many of these digital items are CE exclusive and how many are pre-order exclusive?

According to the SWTOR CE Picture and spanish site, the items included in the CE are:

*30-day subscription to the game
*Speeder (digital content, unique vehicle, available at level 25)

INCLUDES 7 ADDITIONAL DIGITAL ITEMS:
* Flare Gun: Fire flares into the air
* Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance
* HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer
* HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures
* STAP: Sleek and unique in-game vehicle
* Exclusive Mouse Droid: Spun-ky droid to join your adventures
* Exclusive Collector's Edition Store: Unique in-game vendor with a dynamic assortment of items

Yog

Jul 20th, 2011, 01:34:40 AM

Haha, so the only thing you get in the pre-order is a 'color stone' to change the color of your lightsaber, while in the CE, you get vehicles, holodancer, flaregun, holocam and droids? This reminds me of the $2M WoW virtual horse (http://www.switched.com/2010/04/17/world-of-warcraft-virtual-horse-nets-2-million-in-just-four-h/). I would not be surprised if those items becomes available later as in-game purchases.

Much of the $150 / 150 euro price tag could be explained by the Gentle Giant statue. Those statues tend to start from $80 and upwards (http://www.gentlegiantcollectors.com/registry/priceguide/printprices.php?typeid=2&brandid=3). In addition comes the soundtrack CD and other stuff. From what I hear, the 150 tag is a placeholder though

Pre-order looks authentic enough:

http://i.imgur.com/V2zFL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/06O8k.jpg

System requirements:
OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4000 or better / Intel Core2 Duo Processor 2.0 Ghz or better
RAM: At least 1.5 GB or better for XP / 2 GB or better for Windows Vista/7 / PC's using built in graphic chipsets 2 GB RAM is recommended.
Hard Drive: 8x DVD-ROM or better
Video: ATI XT800 or better / NVIDIA 7800 or better / Intel 4100 or better. 256 MB minimum video RAM, shader 3.0 or better fully compatible graphics card.

Crusader

Jul 20th, 2011, 05:30:43 AM

To quote a Lucas Arts employee in Leipzig at 7:30AM infront of the showroom for an exclusive look on SWG: Trials of Obiwan plus a big breakfast for free (Yes, I sometimes get lucky at games com):
"Why so sleepy faces? Smile guys it's Star Wars"

This reminds me that if I ever run into the producer of the Force Unleashed 1&2 again I have to punch him in the face for fucking up 3 SW titles in a row.

Yog

Jul 21st, 2011, 03:58:24 AM

Now we got some official confirmation and clarity of what pre-order will contain:

http://www.swtor.com/preorder

There is a Collector's Edition, Pre-order Standard Edition and Pre-order Digital Deluxe Edition.

The Digital Deluxe edition pretty much addresses my concerns, because it has all the digital items CE has except for the mouse droid and the store.

(standard & CE can also be preordered on amazon.com)

Think I will wait a bit, and weigh my options first. Hope it comes up on Steam.

Update: Ugh.. think I found answer to my own question.

The Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic is only available for purchase and download at Origin.com.

http://www.swtor.com/preorder/faq

However, I will probably have to do some VPN trickery and / or collaborating with americans to get the price in dollars which is much cheaper than in kroner.

This is good news though:

Q: I live in North America but my friend lives in Europe. Will we be able to play together on the same server?

A: Yes, it will be possible to play on the same server as your friends. Any player of Star Wars: The Old Republic can choose to play on any server. However, if you choose to play on a server outside of your own region (i.e., – playing on European servers from North America, and vice versa), because of natural latency caused by the distance between your client and the game servers, you may find your game performance is impacted.

Yog

Jul 21st, 2011, 04:23:57 AM

http://www.swtor.com/preorder/faq

Standard Edition
The Standard Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic includes the Game software and thirty days of game time.
The physical and digital versions of the Standard Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic have identical contents.
The digital Standard Edition is only available for purchase and download at Origin.com.

Estimated price $59.96

Digital Deluxe Edition
The Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic includes the Game software and thirty days of game time, as well as the following five digital items:
Flare Gun: Fires flares into the air.
Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance.
HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer.
HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures.
STAP (Single Trooper Aerial Platform): Sleek and unique in-game vehicle.

The Digital Deluxe Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic is only available for purchase and download at Origin.com.

Estimated price $79.99

Collector's Edition
The limited Collector’s Edition of Star Wars: The Old Republic (which is only available as a physical edition, at retailers) includes the Game software and thirty days of game time, as well as the following items:
The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural: 111 pages of notes and sketches by the revered Jedi Master from the early years of the Great Hyperspace War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Features never-before-seen artwork and all-new information.
Darth Malgus statue: The villainous Darth Malgus comes to life with this exclusive 9 in. collectible statue from Gentle Giant studios.
The Old Republic Galaxy Map: 14 x 20 inch at-a-glance look at the known galaxy.
Security Authentication Key Fob: Keep your Lightsaber and credits safe with this custom Security Authentication Key Fob for your game account.
Music of Star Wars: The Old Republic CD: Seventeen orchestral music tracks from Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Star Wars: The Old Republic Game: The Star Wars: The Old Republic game on DVD-ROM in a collectible metal case.

Includes seven additional digital items:
Flare Gun: Fires flares into the air.
Training Droid: Hovers at your side for combat assistance.
HoloDancer: Project your own holographic dancer.
HoloCam: Keep visual records of in-game adventures.
STAP (Single Trooper Aerial Platform): Sleek and unique in-game vehicle.
Exclusive Mouse Droid: A faithful Droid to join you on your adventures.
Exclusive Collector’s Edition Store: Unique in-game store with an array of items to assist you from your humble beginnings through your journey to become a galactic legend.

Estimated price $149.99

Droo

Jul 21st, 2011, 05:20:06 AM

Yog

Jul 21st, 2011, 05:31:33 AM

Pre-ordered my copy of the standard game from Game because as much as I would love the metal case, the journal, and the music, I simply refuse to fork out all that dosh for what is essentially a statue I have no desire to own.

Yeah, I am leaning towards standard edition myself. 150$ for a game is outrageous, CE or not. And the $20 extra for the deluxe edition is basically visual fluff. I have not decided whether to pre-order though. I think they overpriced the whole range of products, so I am not eager to pull the trigger yet (I don't really care about early access).

Droo

Jul 21st, 2011, 06:42:00 AM

Amazon are offering it at a discounted price but with pre-orders, especially games, I've known people who have found themselves waiting a few days for the delivery to arrive, missing its release. Naturally, I'm looking forward to the early access so I'll be picking my copy up in store as soon as its available. :ohno

Jedi Master Carr

Jul 21st, 2011, 01:25:38 PM

So when is the game coming out? I didn't see a release date on the webpage.

Yog

Jul 21st, 2011, 01:28:21 PM

No one knows. But if I were to make a guess, I'd say end of november, just in time for Christmas sales.

Jedi Master Carr

Jul 21st, 2011, 01:35:19 PM

No one knows. But if I were to make a guess, I'd say end of november, just in time for Christmas sales.

That would make sense.

Dai

Jul 21st, 2011, 10:39:47 PM

I'll pre-order the Standard Issue this week.

Peter McCoy

Jul 22nd, 2011, 01:30:14 AM

I've also just pre-ordered the standard edition from GAME - saved £2.50 on it too :)

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 27th, 2011, 04:22:27 AM

I preordered the normal edition today. Got my early-access code by email about a minute later :D

What is everyone's username on the Old Republic site? Mine is JenWofl :)

Also, new trailer from SDCC

<object width="580" height="330"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn-www.swtor.com/sites/all/themes/swtor/en/assets/mediaPlayerInterior.swf" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="flashvars" value="title=undefined&description=undefined&source=http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight.flv&fullscreen_source=/&comment_url=/media/trailers/join-fight#comments&download_1=header|Windows Media Video (.wmv),thumb|null,filesize|82M,resolution|1280x720 ,url|http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight_wmv.zip&download_2=header|Quicktime (.mov),thumb|null,filesize|259M,resolution|1280x72 0,url|http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight_mov.zip&lang=EN&age_gate=0" /><embed src="http://cdn-www.swtor.com/sites/all/themes/swtor/en/assets/mediaPlayerInterior.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="330"flashvars="title=undefined&description=undefined&source=http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight.flv&fullscreen_source=/&comment_url=/media/trailers/join-fight#comments&download_1=header|Windows Media Video (.wmv),thumb|null,filesize|82M,resolution|1280x720 ,url|http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight_wmv.zip&download_2=header|Quicktime (.mov),thumb|null,filesize|259M,resolution|1280x72 0,url|http://cdn-www.swtor.com//sites/all/files/en/vc/20110722_gt2/TOR_Join-the-Fight_mov.zip&lang=EN&age_gate=0" /></object>

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 29th, 2011, 09:51:11 AM

We've got another developer walkthrough: http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/esseles-developer-walkthrough

The Esseles, a Republic transport that carries some of the most high-profiled members of the Galactic Senate across the galaxy, has come under siege from the opportunistic Grand Moff Kilran. Dallas Dickinson guides you along as a group of Republic heroes must band together to repel the Imperial boarding parties and retake their ship in this Developer Walkthrough.

Peter McCoy

Jul 30th, 2011, 07:34:59 AM

Jusat got this email from Amazon:

--------------
Hello,
We have received new release date information related to the order you placed on July 22 2011 (Order# blahblahblah).

Please be advised that we have a revised delivery date for the items you ordered on July 22 2011 (Order# blahblahblah)

"Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC DVD)"
Estimated arrival date: December 31 2011
--------------

I know it's an estimate but New Years Eve!? I won't even be home to play it if it comes out then! Better be sooner than that!

Bryna Belargic

Jul 30th, 2011, 07:39:27 AM

Ahhh I got that too :eee

I'm not a fan of going out on NYE anymore so I'll definitely be in to play it.

Figrin D'an

Jul 30th, 2011, 08:35:18 AM

All vendor release dates are just guesses at this point. I'm still saying that, barring any major setbacks that make them delay the game, a mid-late November/early December release is the goal. They want this out for the holiday shopping season.

Crusader

Jul 30th, 2011, 10:46:34 AM

Yeah releasing a MMO at any cost for a certain release date never went wrong :D

Droo

Jul 30th, 2011, 12:55:34 PM

What is everyone's username on the Old Republic site? Mine is JenWofl :)

Mine is Droog. Also, me and Peter, along with a number of our gaming friends, have started up our own guild in anticipation of release day. Currently we have sixteen members, including our very own Jace, and would like to extend an invitation to all our European posters here: off the top of my head, that's Jenny, Crusader, and Yog, who have expressed interest in the game. Anyone else is, of course, welcome to join (sadly, I think US and EU players will be segregated).

If interested, you may join our guild here (http://www.swtor.com/guilds/121117/guns-reckoning) and are welcome to visit our new forums here (http://www.gunsofreckoning.com/). Also, our Teamspeak server is up and running, replacing the old Ventrilo one, and if you'd like the details I'll gladly PM them your way. :)

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 30th, 2011, 01:01:33 PM

I think I just applied to the guild! Checking out the forums now :)

Droo

Jul 30th, 2011, 01:12:27 PM

Huzzah! The forums are a bit bare at the moment but we're going to get a few class guides up first and keep them updated with every delicious crumb of information we can find.

Sanis Prent

Jul 30th, 2011, 01:12:38 PM

Why does the Imperial Agent in that video have Kanye West sunglasses on? :lol

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 30th, 2011, 01:40:29 PM

Huzzah! The forums are a bit bare at the moment but we're going to get a few class guides up first and keep them updated with every delicious crumb of information we can find.

:eee

could you send me over the teamspeak details?

Tom Harriman

Jul 30th, 2011, 01:44:15 PM

Ditto on the teamspeak details, please!

Droo

Jul 30th, 2011, 06:56:56 PM

Sorry guys, I was completely oblivious to your posts. I'll PM the details right away.

Yog

Jul 31st, 2011, 02:32:06 AM

Sent a guild application as Zancle.

(sadly, I think US and EU players will be segregated).

No, they won't. From the pre order FAQ:

Q: I live in North America but my friend lives in Europe. Will we be able to play together on the same server?

A: Yes, it will be possible to play on the same server as your friends. Any player of Star Wars: The Old Republic can choose to play on any server. However, if you choose to play on a server outside of your own region (i.e., – playing on European servers from North America, and vice versa), because of natural latency caused by the distance between your client and the game servers, you may find your game performance is impacted.

Droo

Jul 31st, 2011, 04:17:55 AM

That's awesome! Well, in that case, anyone is welcome to join. Although, I'm fairly sure the guild will be rolling on an EU server.

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 31st, 2011, 04:26:30 AM

I'm pretty sure that we will automatically get assigned to an EU server. At least that's what it looks like, based on the information to do with pre-launch guild creation. http://www.swtor.com/guilds/faq#q3

Tom Harriman

Jul 31st, 2011, 09:09:48 AM

Even if we do get stuck on a particular server, I wouldn't be surprised if we can have additional characters on another one anyway. Worst case, we might have to reach a compromise with any fans gamers from the US: Dark Side characters on the EU server; Light Side characters on the US one?

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm bound to set up at least one alt at some point: I have the urge to try out a Trooper, a Jedi Knight, and a Smuggler/Gunslinger at some point.

Jedi Master Carr

Aug 1st, 2011, 06:52:20 PM

Dasquian Belargic

Aug 8th, 2011, 01:12:30 PM

Jedi Consular class video! http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/jedi-consular

Tear

Aug 16th, 2011, 12:12:59 PM

Some new gameplay videos coming out of Gamescon.
<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RPsuhyN9fTU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RPsuhyN9fTU?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Inyos Aamoran

Aug 16th, 2011, 02:05:37 PM

"I have been armed with 24 distinct weapons systems..."

Fuuuuuuuu. :ohno

Droo

Aug 19th, 2011, 02:58:17 PM

Dai

Aug 19th, 2011, 03:02:39 PM

Better late than never; I am now a tester. Yes, I came here just to brag about it, because I can't say much more than that - due to legalities - but I can say this: The wait is worth it.

Droo

Aug 19th, 2011, 03:15:19 PM

I hate you... :grumble

Daria Nytherciria

Aug 20th, 2011, 09:54:34 AM

Ahhh jealous! :ohno

Dasquian Belargic

Sep 24th, 2011, 05:57:52 AM

http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20110924

BioWare and LucasArts are pleased to announce that Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ will launch on December 20, 2011 in North America and on December 22, 2011 in the European Launch Territories!

:eee

(two days later than America? whyyyyyy :shakefist)

Droo

Sep 24th, 2011, 06:17:08 AM

Holy shit! Finally! :eee

Morgan Evanar

Sep 24th, 2011, 07:11:12 AM

Server infrastructure reasons, probably.

Captain Untouchable

Oct 3rd, 2011, 04:46:48 PM

Pretty snazzy new feature on the website, for looking at the galaxy map (http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/galaxy-map).

Taris in particular is looking pretty awesome. There seems to be a pretty good mix of canon, EU, and KOTOR mythos getting woven into the game, particularly in regards to the locations they've picked. Bioware most definately has done their homework: and even the gimmick canon locations (Hoth + Tatooine) look like they've got a decent amount of thought put in.

Unfortunately, the UI looks enough like ME2 that my brain misses Tricia Helfer's voice. >_<

Crusader

Oct 4th, 2011, 01:31:27 AM

Unfortunately, the UI looks enough like ME2 that my brain misses Tricia Helfer's voice. >_<

Don't we all miss Tricia Helfer's voice in our head now and then?

Dasquian Belargic

Oct 14th, 2011, 01:50:32 PM

Amazing news today! SW:TOR will be available EVERYWHERE on Dec 20th, so no extra wait for Europeans :eee http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20111014-1

We also have a new gameplay trailer: http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20111014 (narrated by Jennifer Hale, I believe :3)

Peter McCoy

Oct 14th, 2011, 04:33:43 PM

Pre-order people get the early access too!

Captain Untouchable

Oct 14th, 2011, 09:41:59 PM

Do we know how early the early access is?

I now have the 22nd December to the 3rd January off as holiday, just to make sure that pesky Christmas travelling won't interfere with SWTOR time. :3

Peter McCoy

Oct 15th, 2011, 01:26:26 AM

AFAIK they have not released information about when the early access will begin.

Dasquian Belargic

Oct 22nd, 2011, 11:05:31 AM

I wish I could afford the Collectors Edition: http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/collectors-edition-unboxing-video

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 3rd, 2011, 02:40:50 PM

Phase 3 of the Pre-Launch Guild Program is now active

Phase 3: Deployment will see any guild that meets the pre-designated criteria be transferred into the game for launch. Before we begin this process, though, we want to give all of you who are in guilds the opportunity to make sure your guild meets the following requirement for transfer:

Four members of the guild must have pre-ordered the game and redeemed their Pre-Order Code at the Code Redemption Center.
(NOTE: We have removed the additional requirement for the guild leader to log in to the website and verify that their guild remains active and wants to be imported.)

To help clear up any confusion as to whether or not your guild is ready for deployment, we have now given each guild page a small status indicator. This indicator will show you the number of people in your guild who have pre-ordered the game, and will inform you whether or not your guild meets the criteria for deployment into the game.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 4th, 2011, 01:59:44 AM

On the basis of Fans members alone, I'm pretty sure we qualify for that, right? :ohno

Peter McCoy

Nov 4th, 2011, 02:15:50 AM

We certainly do - the guild is ready and waiting!

Crusader

Nov 4th, 2011, 03:28:38 AM

I more and more start to like EA's Steam clone. Origin and battlelog are pretty awesome. Maybe EA really knows what they are doing.

Yog

Nov 4th, 2011, 04:18:30 AM

I more and more start to like EA's Steam clone. Origin and battlelog are pretty awesome. Maybe EA really knows what they are doing.
Really? I have heard nothing but terrible things about it, especially after BF3. What is good about it?

Crusader

Nov 4th, 2011, 06:00:24 AM

1. You can manage clans like a facebook group. (the like button is a "hoah" :D)
2. It is full of statistics for your platoon and your personal progress and I simply love numbers
3. The gamebrowser is your browser
4. Playing with friends is as comfortable as it is on Xbox live
5. Built in voice chat for the game browser
6. Although the gamebrowser is your browser the ingame UI works like steams "shift+tab" so it features the best of both worlds
7. The quickmatch button works. Not a big deal for some games but for a lot of games the quickmatch button should be called random match button since it puts you in a game with horrible pings or it let's you load a game although the server is already full.

Droo

Nov 4th, 2011, 06:03:50 AM

I have to admit I'm not a fan of Origin. Fortunately, it isn't required to play TOR.

Crusader

Nov 4th, 2011, 08:35:42 AM

I think the big issue most people have with Origin is that they have to use it instead of steam. Sure it is still rough around the edges but for a new service battlelog and origin work fine and I guess the competition for Valve and Steam is a good thing since competition normally forces inovation and so Origin is a real WIN WIN situation for the gamers.

Imagine that one day Bobby Kotick replaced Gabe Newell as the Valve CEO this is the time where we would want to have a Steam alternative.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 4th, 2011, 01:24:35 PM

I had a bunch of hassle trying to get my Mass Effect (1) DLCs via Origin. I haven't tried any of the clan style features, but I prefer Steam as a tool for buying and downloading games, based on the experience I had.

Morgan Evanar

Nov 4th, 2011, 07:09:06 PM

Bioware stuff has always been a pain in the ass to use with DLC.

Droo

Nov 4th, 2011, 07:43:41 PM

Early access details revealed:

One of the benefits to pre-ordering Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is that you will gain Early Game Access before launch on December 20th. This is a chance to start your epic Star Wars saga early, as you’ll be able to create and play your character ahead of the official live game launch.

Many of you have been wondering how long Early Game Access will last, and we are now happy to announce that depending on when you redeem your Pre-Order Code, you will gain Early Game Access up to five days before the official game launch date.

Early Game Access is staggered over five days to ensure a quality experience for players at launch. Staggering access aids server stability and a gradual increase in player population through the game...
Hopefully, considering I pre-ordered on the second day (it was on the first, but Game had a problem with their pre-order codes :shakefist), I'll still get the full five days of early access. So we could all be playing as early as 15th December. :D

Edit: It has been pointed out on the forums that Bioware failed to mention in their announcement that your location and internet connection also play a part in how early you get your early access. This crucial information was conveniently omitted from their big announcement on the website. This annoys me, because I checked and discovered I did in fact pre-order on day one. If I don't get my five days, why I'll... I'll... :mad

When does Early Game Access begin?

Early Game Access may be up to five days prior to the official release of Star Wars: The Old Republic. The length of your Early Game Access period will vary depending on the date and order in which you redeemed your Pre-Order code, as well as where you live and your Internet service.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 5th, 2011, 05:04:47 AM

What day did you register your pre-order code on, Droo? The site tells me I reg'd mine on July 27, 2011.

Can't wait to get into this game. To think we'll be playing in little over a month! :eee

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 5th, 2011, 05:05:35 AM

Captain Untouchable

Nov 5th, 2011, 05:27:50 AM

Bioware stuff has always been a pain in the ass to use with DLC.

This is true. Installing the DLC for Dragon Age was a pain in the arse. I don't like that you have to buy 'Bioware Points' then trade those points for content. Just let me buy the content directly!

I had zero problems with the Mass Effect 2 DLC stuff, which came through their own ME portal doodad, rather than Origin. Haven't had any experience with Dragon Age, but for me the process went smoothly when Origin wasn't involved.

Hopefully, considering I pre-ordered on the second day (it was on the first, but Game had a problem with their pre-order codes :shakefist), I'll still get the full five days of early access. So we could all be playing as early as 15th December. :D

Edit: It has been pointed out on the forums that Bioware failed to mention in their announcement that your location and internet connection also play a part in how early you get your early access. This crucial information was conveniently omitted from their big announcement on the website. This annoys me, because I checked and discovered I did in fact pre-order on day one. If I don't get my five days, why I'll... I'll... :mad

How does that relate to guilds getting early access? Does that overwrite / supercede your personal start date, or will the guild exist in game from Day T -5, with the players popping in as and when they earn the early access?

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 5th, 2011, 05:45:57 AM

It's the players who have early access, not the guild itself. The guild FAQs says:

Once the Pre-Launch Guild Program has ended, all guilds will be contacted via email about their import status into the game. Guilds that were successfully imported will be notified of which server they have been placed on. Once Early Game Access begins, the first character you create on the assigned server will be automatically invited to join your guild. You can choose to accept or decline the invite. If declined, you will be invited again each time you create a character on that server, unless you select the option to ignore future invites.

So whenever you get your early access, you will automatically be able to join the guild.

Droo

Nov 5th, 2011, 06:49:40 AM

What day did you register your pre-order code on, Droo? The site tells me I reg'd mine on July 27, 2011.

I registered my pre-order on July 21st. That was day one. But considering what Stephen Reid said, those who pre-ordered after the first week or two should only expect to be about a day behind the others, so with any luck you'll still get your five days.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 10th, 2011, 08:04:57 AM

Guess what just popped through my post box!

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 10th, 2011, 11:33:08 AM

I got good news this morning, I was invited to test the game. I haven't played it yet but will. I am really excited to get an early look at the game.

I just found out it is only for this weekend, but still it should be a lot of fun and will get an idea what to expect of the game.

Yog

Nov 11th, 2011, 02:45:48 PM

I too got invited to the beta. :)

Atreyu

Nov 11th, 2011, 04:07:27 PM

I too got invited to the beta. :)
Niiiiice. :cool:

Droo

Nov 11th, 2011, 04:59:04 PM

Pretty much everyone has, I think. Well, anyone who applied for beta testing prior to today has been invited, following the latest announcement:

When we started our Beta Testing Weekends, we told you that each weekend would include more testers than the last. We’re excited to announce that later this month we will be conducting our largest Beta Testing Weekend yet, specifically designed to help us stress test our servers in preparation for the launch of Star Wars™: The Old Republic™.

How can you take part in this coming Beta Test Weekend? Well, for starters we are happy to announce that anyone who has signed up for our Game Testing Program prior to today, November 11th, will get invited! Invites will be sent in the coming weeks.

Katrin Laran

Nov 11th, 2011, 05:44:01 PM

Where do we download the client for this?

I got in the beta as well.

Droo

Nov 11th, 2011, 05:52:52 PM

We'll be emailed when our turn is up.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 11th, 2011, 06:21:28 PM

Got the email too. :ohno

In other news, has anyone else seen the Imperial Agent trailer (http://www.swtor.com/media/trailers/imperial-agent-character-progression)?

I'm getting a little torn between Operative and Sniper. On the one hand, invisibility. On the other... shooting a Jedi in the face. How do I choose? :(

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 11th, 2011, 08:44:53 PM

Where do we download the client for this?

I got in the beta as well.

When you log in to the website you should be directed to it.

Katrin Laran

Nov 11th, 2011, 11:42:50 PM

On the other... shooting a Jedi in the face. How do I choose? :(

That was freaking awesome!!!

Of course I'm going to have to go with Sith Inquisitor.

Droo

Nov 12th, 2011, 10:40:18 AM

Where do we download the client for this?

I got in the beta as well.

When you log in to the website you should be directed to it.

I'm fairly sure the invite you received is a normal one, probably for this actual weekend, as the mass invite didn't occur until the day after, on the 11th. Those in the mass invite will be informed, via email, when the beta (and consequently, the client) will become available to them in the future.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 21st, 2011, 06:45:08 AM

I was so excited when I got my 'beta confirmation' on the 11th... but there doesn't appear to have been any follow up since that date :(

Droo

Nov 21st, 2011, 06:27:22 PM

I was so excited when I got my 'beta confirmation' on the 11th... but there doesn't appear to have been any follow up since that date :(

Go here (http://www.swtor.com/tester). You should be able to download the client. Everyone in the guild appears to have access to this now, even though it has been poorly (read: not at all) advertised to us via our accounts or email.

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 21st, 2011, 10:13:59 PM

I got an emailed about it tonight, so I am re downloading it now. It also looks like that NDA has been lifted. Also, should we all play on the same server since their are so many of us in now?

Yog

Nov 21st, 2011, 10:34:12 PM

All information I get is slow as molasses on a frosty morning loading of webpages and this message when I try to update my testing page "There has been a disturbance in the force". I am not even close to get to the download link for the client.

I guess this is a preview of launch experience stability. :)

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 21st, 2011, 10:52:28 PM

The download is slow for me. I think it must be server overload.

Yog

Nov 21st, 2011, 11:02:18 PM

Connection closed by remote server

Page Not Found

This page is not available. This may be because you do not have permission to access it or the page may not exist. If you feel you should not be receiving this error, please contact us.

Woohoo!

I love it when they say in the email:

Respond now! Tester start dates are determined by order of acceptance

then they follow up with:

Please note that SWTOR.com will be undergoing maintenance from 6:00 PM CST on Monday, 11/21 until 6:00 AM CST on Tuesday, 11/22. During that time, you will not be able to visit the Game Tester Portal to accept your invitation. Please visit the website before or after this window to accept your invitation, and thank you for your understanding!

It is like saying "hurry up to confirm your participation to secure a spot! In the meanwhile, we will pull down our servers, so you won't be able to confirm your participation for 12 hours!".

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 21st, 2011, 11:10:20 PM

Strange I was able to accept the invitation at 9PM EST. Maybe the maintenance started later, I have noticed the downloading for the game is going even slower for me now, so that could be why for me. I hope you can get it started soon.

Droo

Nov 22nd, 2011, 03:42:19 AM

I have to admit, the entire process was as smooth as silk for me, and the download speed hardly dipped below my maximum capacity. I imagine it was because a much smaller percentage of Americans were using the service at the time when I and other guildies were using the service. It should be fine this morning if you give it a go. :)

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 22nd, 2011, 04:21:03 AM

^ Same here. It took me abut 40 seconds to download and another 40 install. Hooray for GMT!

Edit: I take that back. The installer keeps hanging at 99% of Main Assets 4. Meh.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 22nd, 2011, 11:16:20 AM

Just tried to download now, but the site is too overstressed to even log in: guess I'll leave it running during the day tomorrow. :ohno

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 22nd, 2011, 11:34:21 AM

Yeah, I guess I'll take another stab at it tomorrow morning too >_<

Yog

Nov 22nd, 2011, 10:53:36 PM

This morning (as of this moment), the website is acting responsive for once, so I was able to log in, verify, download installer, and now patching client.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 23rd, 2011, 05:05:48 AM

I'm having another go with the client now. I always get to 99% of Main Assets 4 verified then the client hangs. Fingers crossed...

Yog

Nov 23rd, 2011, 09:58:49 AM

The NDA has been lifted btw, so feel free to talk about your experience in SWToR, or post screenshots for the upcoming weekend test.

Edit - I have now installed and fully patched the client. Unless there are further shenanigans, I should be able to test it this weekend.

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 23rd, 2011, 04:58:48 PM

I have had problems getting it to finish. Had to start the download over but unless I have further problems I should be able to test this weekend.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 23rd, 2011, 05:57:57 PM

I'm good to go with the client installed as well. I've also recieved an email informing me of the time I will have access to the beta. Now I need to work out what the offset for CST is...

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 23rd, 2011, 06:27:40 PM

My testing period starts on Friday, Nov. 25 at 10:00AM CST

I have plans for Friday evening/night so I'm not sure how much testing I'll actually get to do on Friday, especially since the client still isn't playing ball... but maybe I'll get some playtime over the weekend :)

Figrin D'an

Nov 25th, 2011, 11:18:15 AM

In game and playing. Very WoW-like in the basics thus far. The voice acting is nice. Interface is tolerable, although hopefully Bioware will allow 3rd party mods at some point.

Servers are of course full across the board since this is a stress test, so expect servers to be up and down all weekend.

Katrin Laran

Nov 25th, 2011, 12:15:39 PM

Haven't been able to access any of the servers for some reason. Hmmm...

Crusader

Nov 25th, 2011, 12:33:13 PM

I just got a 20% off code for purchases on Origin because I complained that my preorder was not visible at the my games window after the purchase. The only problem is that I have to purchase the game this month. So if you like something at Origin send me a PM since I do already have most of the games for my Xbox that are listed there.

Katrin Laran

Nov 25th, 2011, 04:07:12 PM

Y'know now that you mention it my pre-order isn't visible either.

Morgan Evanar

Nov 25th, 2011, 08:23:36 PM

It takes forever for a server list but the game is fine once in.

Droo

Nov 25th, 2011, 09:35:05 PM

Apart from an hour in the queues earlier, the whole experience has been smooth and great fun. The combat as a bounty hunter just makes me grin ear-to-ear. A couple of things have annoyed me, such as how switching between the zone instances (ie. Hutta 1, 2, 3, etc.) uses up your fast travel cooldown, and you consequently have to wait 30 mins before being able to do it again. Now, when in a group of only two people as I was, this was a problem when we were relocated in different zones after relogging a couple of times, so I can only imagine how needlessly complicated and frustrating that will be in a group of four or more people. Hopefully, this will be addressed soon. Also, I found textures were a little slow to load in sometimes, when transitioning to a dialogue scene. But on the whole, I'm hugely impressed with the degree of polish in the game, it looks and sounds fantastic, and most importantly, with the evolution of the story and questing elements, it does feel like the next step in MMORPG's and not some gimmick. Prior to TOR, I raced through the quests in MMO's, uninterested by the story and content, but here I find myself looking forward to the opening and closing dialogue sequences of a quest more than I do the actual quest itself.

Karl Valten

Nov 25th, 2011, 10:16:52 PM

Peter McCoy

Nov 26th, 2011, 02:11:20 AM

Just the fact that you can have them go make a trash run to a vendor is very, very nice.

Torchlight allowed you to do this with your pet. I never knew it was in TOR. Cool!

I really like the effects. Laser blasts and explosions look very nice indeed, and the environment is bursting with detail that blows WoW out of the water. While that might be expected for a game thats coming out 7 years afterwards, it doesn't make it any less better.

Music is epic, and I'm really impressed with the voice acting!

Katrin Laran

Nov 26th, 2011, 01:11:58 PM

Huh, the missions change (and therefore the bosses/loot/titles/rewards etc) depending on if you choose the light side or darkside route for Flashpoints. Makes it worth running two time through.....of course the commendations required for the specialty items means you have to run through 3 times in most cases.....I see what you're doing there, bioware.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 26th, 2011, 01:17:24 PM

I initially found the controls a little baffling - I think it's because they're console-esque. Once I worked out what controls I needed and got them bound to something more familiar though, it's been pretty smooth sailing. The cover system took some getting used to - you're supposed to be able to dive behind cover, but I haven't quite worked out how to pull that off yet; I've managed a few times, but it was mostly fluke.

In general though, I'm thoroughly enjoying being a sniper / Imperial Agent; I don't have any cool forcefields or anything yet, but being able to ownage people in one or two shots is pretty sweet. I haven't died yet either, which is pretty good going for me!

I'm a little confused by the skill system. A while back, I remember doing one of those skill generator doodads to plan out my build; but now I'm in the game, I haven't noticed any sort of counter or restriction on my learning (though admittedly I've not really looked) - I've just been learning everything thus far. Have they changed the way that skills work, or does that only enter into it once you pick your specialism thing?

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 26th, 2011, 01:17:56 PM

I still haven't been able to get the client to patch everything to the point that the game will play :(

Crusader

Nov 26th, 2011, 01:38:24 PM

Not only do I not know if my preorder worked, apparently the game did not register my beta code correctly... so more battlefield 3, Dead Island, LA Noire, Crysis 2, Fallout 3, Skyrim and Assassins Creed Revelations. Well I guess I do not have time for SWTOR yet.

Figrin D'an

Nov 26th, 2011, 02:10:05 PM

Did the first flash point (Republic side, rolled a Jedi Sentinel), the Esselles. Was pretty fun, good flow of action and story. I can see myself actually rolling multiple alts in this game for the storylines, something that I abhorred doing in WoW.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 26th, 2011, 02:46:05 PM

Hmm. The "fast" travel system is interesting... cruising around on a speeder bike from place to place. Quicker than walking certainly. I guess as long as the worlds don't get too big, it shouldn't end up taking too long either.

Really liking how smoothly stuff flows from place to place. Being able to just walk into a building and suddenly be in an Agent-only quest area thingy is pretty cool.

And like Peter said earlier - the voice acting is fantastic, especially with the companions. It really feels like a KOTOR game, but with multiplayer team-up bits thrown in. And I gotta say... given that the servers are apparently full to capacity, I'm not tripping over other players too much. I've occasionally had to jog around to another spawn because there weren't quite enough mobs to go around, but all in all it's been pretty good.

Edit:

"Either you work with me... or I shoot you in the face." :lol

Katrin Laran

Nov 26th, 2011, 03:40:12 PM

Do we have a collective server that people are going to be rolling on when the full game comes out?

Morgan Evanar

Nov 26th, 2011, 04:11:13 PM

I honestly wish that the actual combat felt a bit more KOTORish than the MMO system they have.

I am pretty much playing the game for the story, which is excellent.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 26th, 2011, 04:12:09 PM

Do we have a collective server that people are going to be rolling on when the full game comes out?

Whichever server our guild gets assigned to.

Peter McCoy

Nov 26th, 2011, 05:14:05 PM

And I gotta say... given that the servers are apparently full to capacity, I'm not tripping over other players too much. I've occasionally had to jog around to another spawn because there weren't quite enough mobs to go around, but all in all it's been pretty good.

The servers are instanced. Meaning there are multiple copies of each area with a set maximum number of players allowed in it. Droo and I could be doing the same quest, grinding the same mob spawns and never run into each other because we're in a different instance to each other.

A lot of games do that now. I remember Guild Wars being one of the first, and more recently the awful Star Trek Online.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 26th, 2011, 05:28:46 PM

^ Ahh, that makes a lot of sense. Does that not make meeting up with people difficult, though? Presumably you have to invite them to a party, and they'll switch onto the same instance or somesuch?

In other news... either I'm being completely moronic, or I'm experiencing a bug with the chat system. I keep typing stuff in the chat box, hitting Enter, and nothing happens. I've tried clicking the little button in the bottom-right of the chat box too, but the stuff just won't send. Have I missed something ridiculously obvious, or have things just gone squiffy for me?

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 26th, 2011, 05:31:39 PM

The storylines are great. I really enjoy that part of the game so far. I have played most of the day and played a Jedi and Imperial Agent and both were great. I am curious about the different companions you can get. So far, I have found a droid and that was cool. I imagine there are multiple companions that you can find throughout the game.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 26th, 2011, 06:27:57 PM

There are five companions per class, I think? The list got released on the interwebs a few months ago. They all become part of your crew, so you can mix and match between the melee tank, the ranged healer, and what not depending on the mission you're doing.

I just rolled a Republic Trooper to see what it's like. My character sounds like Carth Onasi. :3

Katrin Laran

Nov 26th, 2011, 07:03:09 PM

Still rolling with a Sith Inquisitor (speced to be an assassin) and having a lot of fun. Weird as hell. I can DPS or tank with this sucker.

Lightning Charge increases my offense decently and has a DoT that does some pretty massive damage.

But holy crap Dark Charge is nuts. Nearly triples my armor.......I just tanked the second flashpoint........and Assassins only get light armor. Even a specific specialization can do a variety of things.

PvP I'm actually enjoying (except for Huttball). Gets you a boatload of experience and credits per run and the warzone commendation gear is nice. Lag is a bit annoying.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 26th, 2011, 10:39:22 PM

I'm definately going to need alts for this. Almost to level 10 with by Republic Trooper, and the gameplay is so completely different. It's not just the skills and attacks that have changed, or even the tactics: the starting world and the quests are totally different too.

Ord Mantell is really linear - there are specific paths that you go down to reach specific locations, you do the quests that are there, and come back. Nal Hutta on the other hand is almost entirely open, and you're constantly going back and forth to get to your objectives. I may have to roll a Smuggler or a Bounty Hunter, just to see how different the experience is for a different class on the same starting world.

The Republic Trooper seems to be very noob friendly. There are a couple of cool abilities - there's an attack that does a ton of damage, but only when the target is status-affected - but for the most part it's a typical tank. The Imperial Agent on the other hand is much harder to manage - I'm having to be a lot more careful to pay attention to my health and energy/stamina/mana/whateveritis bar, and to where else there's a cover point so that I can move if someone lobs a fire grenade at me; stuff like that.

Is it the same with Knight/Warrior vs. Consular/Inquisitor - one is fairly straight forward, while the other requires a lot more power/skill/ability management?

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 27th, 2011, 01:13:52 AM

Yog

Nov 27th, 2011, 04:50:13 AM

I only played the beta a little bit, enough to see it is an enjoyable, smooth and polished experience. So I am going to pre-order.

Katrin Laran

Nov 27th, 2011, 01:13:04 PM

Is it the same with Knight/Warrior vs. Consular/Inquisitor - one is fairly straight forward, while the other requires a lot more power/skill/ability management?

Not quite sure about the jedi classes or the sith warrior. But the Inquisitor is weird....especially the Assassin. You have some tank abilities (I can get well above the armor value of some mercs/heavy troopers.....but don't have near the HP to match), you have some control abilities (extended stuns that heal the target and break when the target is attacked or even cause an ally to generate less threat) and you have some DPS abilities (Stealth + Maul and a ton of electrical based attacks).

But it doesn't excel at any of the three. In groups I usually start in DPS 'mode' and switch over to tank 'mode'

Figrin D'an

Nov 27th, 2011, 09:50:05 PM

Managed to get through Coruscant and get my ship, so I got to try out space combat. Was an okay change of pace, but it's not very involved or interesting really. Experience gain was decent for the character level. Each space combat scenario is also repeatable it seems, but not sure if there's an experience drop off beyond the first completion.

Not sure what I'm going to play at launch though.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 28th, 2011, 12:53:38 AM

I tried out Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior (briefly) yesterday. In terms of abilities it seems to be very like-for-like with those two: they both have a basic attack that builds rage/focus, then a powerful attack, a jumping attack, a PBAOE attack, and so on. The animations are very different though: the Jedi moves seemed very graceful, whereas the Sith ones were much more brutal. The Jedi has some ellegant twirling leap; the Sith is much more Hulk Smash.

In terms of the starting worlds and quests though, they're totally different. Korriban feels pretty much like it did in the earlier KOTOR games. You've got your "go into a tomb and get something" quest like you had in KOTOR, and the Light Side / Dark Side choices are thrown in as a quest where you decide the fate of some prisoners; stuff like that.

While Korriban makes you feel like you're part of some big, grandious organisation, Tython makes you feel like you're part of something small. You're one of the few grown-up Padawans, and you're instantly saving the day. It seems to follow the same path-style layout as Ord Mantell did - there are mountains and valleys that guide you to the next quest activity, and all the quests you pick up seem fairly local, without many "travel to the other side of the map" type requirements. Maybe it's just me, but it reminded me of Jedi Academy, only instead of being on Yavin IV you're in Yosemite National Park. (pretty sure Captain Kirk was climbing one of the mountains in the background)

I'll definately be playing an Imperial Agent and a Republic Trooper at launch. I honestly can't choose between the two in terms of which one I enjoyed more, especially once I'd become a Sniper and a Commando (Repeating Blaster :love). I really felt like the character that I was when I played those games: Hutta made me feel like an awesome super-spy, whereas Ord Mantell made me feel like a big damn hero.

Knowing me though, I'll definately end up with at least one Jedi and one Sith at some point. And now I think about it, I may have to give a Smuggler or a Bounty Hunter a go, given how class-specific a lot of the story elements were. While the side quests are presumably shared, it'll be interesting to see how different the main story is between classes on the same planet.

Katrin Laran

Nov 28th, 2011, 03:06:14 AM

The Republic Trooper storyline is just great! Love it!

Also, is it just me or is the female republic trooper voiced by Jennifer Hale.....because I am seriously getting a femeshep vibe off of her.

Peter McCoy

Nov 28th, 2011, 09:14:03 AM

I really enjoyed my Bounty Hunter experience on Hutta. After doing some quests to build on the reputation my companions had fabricated about me, I met with Nem'ro the Hutt and started working for him to prove myself worthy of sponsorship into the Great Hunt. Several quests, brawls and blaster bolts later, I find myself on the Sith Fleet and choosing a specialisation. Powertech for the tanky win!

That's as far as I got in the Beta what with working on Saturday and spending time with the missus. It saw me to Level 10 and I really really enjoyed the content. The best thing was that it allowed me to play a complete bastard, screwing people over and refusing to help if the money wasn't good enough or it was too inconvenient. Selfish and greedy - that's how a Bounty Hunter should be played in my opinion and that's exactly how I'll behave when the full game is released.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 28th, 2011, 10:44:10 AM

I tested the Smuggler and the Jedi Consular today.

- Repeating Ord Mantell was surprisingly not boring. I went to the same places, and did (most of) the same side quests, but the main storyline was massively different. Rather than feeling I was repeating the same story as a different character, it felt more like I was playing through a different story that was happening at the exact same time. While my smuggler was sneaking around in the basement, my Trooper could easily have been responsible for the gunfire I kept hearing overhead!

- The Smuggler didn't feel like a rehash of the Imperial Agent either. The pistol versus rifle gave a lot more scope than the Knight/Warrior's shared lightsaber, so there was plenty of different in the names/concepts/animations of attacks. Combat felt different too though - I don't know if it was the animations, the missions, the opponents, the music, or what: but while combat with my Agent felt very calculated and methodical, fighting as my Smuggler felt very fast-paced and scrappy.

- The Consular was a lot better than I expected. To clarify: I expected it to be a bit rubbish, and it was actually awesome. Ripping boulders out of the ground and throwing them at people was great: especially since you can do some of those attacks on the move (I may have walked casually forward throwing giant rocks at people for a while :uhoh). There was a big difference from the Jedi Knight too - while the Knight built focus/mana with it's basic attack that was then spent on advanced attacks, the Consular had a more typical pool of Force points that was depleated by force powers, while the basic lightsaber attack was free. That's a much bigger difference between Knight and Consular than I was expected - and I'm very pleased.

- It seems like the Agent and Smuggler got their first companion earlier than the other classes: before the final mission on the starting world, rather than after. Do any of the other classes get their companion before the final mission, and is it different from the other class on that planet, or is it just willy-nilly as fits best with the story? It worked out quite well story-wise in any case; it meant I was plesantly surprised when one of the NPCs I'd been dealing with as a Trooper wound up following me to Coruscant.

I didn't get to test a Bounty Hunter or a Sith Inquisitor, unfortunately. As it stands, I will probably end up playing five of the six classes I did test, though with a bias towards my Imperial Agent and my Republic Trooper. I had too much fun with my bloodthirsty Sith Warrior, my Jedi Consular with near-Vulcan emotional restraint, and my Smuggler who'll do anything for money (:mischief) to not dabble with them from time to time.

And yeah, while it's not exactly difficult to make me want multiple characters, Bioware did a damned good job of it! :lol

Karl Valten

Nov 28th, 2011, 11:20:27 AM

I tested the Smuggler and the Jedi Consular today.

- Repeating Ord Mantell was surprisingly not boring. I went to the same places, and did (most of) the same side quests, but the main storyline was massively different. Rather than feeling I was repeating the same story as a different character, it felt more like I was playing through a different story that was happening at the exact same time. While my smuggler was sneaking around in the basement, my Trooper could easily have been responsible for the gunfire I kept hearing overhead!

Nice! I've been enjoying the experience as a trooper and teamed up with a smuggler to do the heroic area at the start. Was kind jealous of his cover-hugging ability and silly shenanigans. I like the smuggler's idle animation of flipping a coin about then shooting it with a blaster.

- It seems like the Agent and Smuggler got their first companion earlier than the other classes: before the final mission on the starting world, rather than after. Do any of the other classes get their companion before the final mission, and is it different from the other class on that planet, or is it just willy-nilly as fits best with the story? It worked out quite well story-wise in any case; it meant I was plesantly surprised when one of the NPCs I'd been dealing with as a Trooper wound up following me to Coruscant.

The companion for the Inquisitor is done well before the final mission at the starting area. The companion is woven into the story quite well and you actually have an entire series of quests to get the companion. It's impossible to try and please this companion, though.

Sometimes he like you doing darkside stuff, sometime lightside stuff.....the affection gain not being limited to the light/dark route is kinda cool. The Inquisitor companion doesn't like it when you humble yourself to others (even the your Master) or if you appear to lack resolve. But on the other hand like you being a general arrogant douche and lording you position as a Sith......but also likes when you uphold the Sith code over the scheming of other Sith. Kinda cool

Question here for those of you who run the Sith characters. Is anyone really, really annoyed by how many 'Lords' and 'Darths' are out there? I mean I swear I've run by well over two dozen lords......some of them doing relatively menial tasks. Hell I've even killed a few of them as well as a Darth.......solo......as an apprentice.

Doesn't that just seem wrong?

Granted I like being a coniving, manipulative bastard.......though my companion prefers the blunt route.

P.S. Fig, please, please tell me that the Trooper companion is Lt. Jorgan.....I like that guy.

And yeah, while it's not exactly difficult to make me want multiple characters, Bioware did a damned good job of it! :lol

Hellz yeah. There are still a lot of glitches and bugs.....plus some of the voice acting is choppy (though excellent in the most part) and you can tell the recordings were made in completely different sessions.

For example Lord Zash alternating the pernounciation of 'Darth Skotia' over several sentences with some noticable breaks in tone.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 28th, 2011, 11:34:17 AM

Turns out the Beta is still going. Yay.

I has a Bounty Hunter now. Two words: Missile Blast. :eee

Looks like I've got six characters now. :D

Oh, and you're 50% right about Lieutenant Jorgan... (cue mysterious music)

Edit:

I just looted someone's head. :cyduck

Lilaena De'Ville

Nov 28th, 2011, 12:29:48 PM

Sounds like fun, guys.

*presses nose to the window and watches wistfully*

;)

Katrin Laran

Nov 28th, 2011, 12:33:17 PM

Oh, and you're 50% right about Lieutenant Jorgan... (cue mysterious music)

Curse you!!!!!!

I already have a guess about Havok Squad......

Unfortunately I'll have to wait until launch to find out as I have seriously been neglecting school work between skiing and this. >_<

Jedi Master Carr

Nov 28th, 2011, 12:47:22 PM

I tested the Smuggler and the Jedi Consular today.

- Repeating Ord Mantell was surprisingly not boring. I went to the same places, and did (most of) the same side quests, but the main storyline was massively different. Rather than feeling I was repeating the same story as a different character, it felt more like I was playing through a different story that was happening at the exact same time. While my smuggler was sneaking around in the basement, my Trooper could easily have been responsible for the gunfire I kept hearing overhead!

Nice! I've been enjoying the experience as a trooper and teamed up with a smuggler to do the heroic area at the start. Was kind jealous of his cover-hugging ability and silly shenanigans. I like the smuggler's idle animation of flipping a coin about then shooting it with a blaster.

- It seems like the Agent and Smuggler got their first companion earlier than the other classes: before the final mission on the starting world, rather than after. Do any of the other classes get their companion before the final mission, and is it different from the other class on that planet, or is it just willy-nilly as fits best with the story? It worked out quite well story-wise in any case; it meant I was plesantly surprised when one of the NPCs I'd been dealing with as a Trooper wound up following me to Coruscant.

The companion for the Inquisitor is done well before the final mission at the starting area. The companion is woven into the story quite well and you actually have an entire series of quests to get the companion. It's impossible to try and please this companion, though.

Sometimes he like you doing darkside stuff, sometime lightside stuff.....the affection gain not being limited to the light/dark route is kinda cool. The Inquisitor companion doesn't like it when you humble yourself to others (even the your Master) or if you appear to lack resolve. But on the other hand like you being a general arrogant douche and lording you position as a Sith......but also likes when you uphold the Sith code over the scheming of other Sith. Kinda cool

Question here for those of you who run the Sith characters. Is anyone really, really annoyed by how many 'Lords' and 'Darths' are out there? I mean I swear I've run by well over two dozen lords......some of them doing relatively menial tasks. Hell I've even killed a few of them as well as a Darth.......solo......as an apprentice.

Doesn't that just seem wrong?

Granted I like being a coniving, manipulative bastard.......though my companion prefers the blunt route.

P.S. Fig, please, please tell me that the Trooper companion is Lt. Jorgan.....I like that guy.

And yeah, while it's not exactly difficult to make me want multiple characters, Bioware did a damned good job of it! :lol

Hellz yeah. There are still a lot of glitches and bugs.....plus some of the voice acting is choppy (though excellent in the most part) and you can tell the recordings were made in completely different sessions.

For example Lord Zash alternating the pernounciation of 'Darth Skotia' over several sentences with some noticable breaks in tone.

Well at this point there should be 100s to 1000s of Sith Lords running around. Before Bane, any force sensitive darksider could obtain that name.

Dasquian Belargic

Nov 28th, 2011, 12:56:26 PM

Lilaena De'Ville

Nov 28th, 2011, 01:15:18 PM

Sounds like TSO. ;)

Karl Valten

Nov 28th, 2011, 01:49:17 PM

During the Brotherhood of Darkness era, Lord Kaan was handing out the title of Sith Lord like Halloween candy. Some of them deserved it, others he just gave it to them to shut them up / make them follow his lead.

True enough. And I guess in this time-frame the emperor has been in seclusion for several decades and isn't around to bash heads into line.

The dark council is running rampant with their shenanigans.

Still, though......some of these "Lords" are pretty incompetent.

Captain Untouchable

Nov 28th, 2011, 03:46:59 PM

Well at this point there should be 100s to 1000s of Sith Lords running around. Before Bane, any force sensitive darksider could obtain that name.

During the Brotherhood of Darkness era, Lord Kaan was handing out the title of Sith Lord like Halloween candy. Some of them deserved it, others he just gave it to them to shut them up / make them follow his lead.
Sounds like TSO. ;)

Sounds like the last Labour government. :uhoh

Seriously though, it's worth bearing in mind the context of the game. The Empire is going through a massive expansion phase, and the darksiders are their main officer class. They've relaxed the entry requirements at the Academy so that any Force sensitive can get in (something it explains during the Sith Warrior quests - dunno if anyone else gets told that), so they're having a huge increase in their newbie population.

They'll need more Lords and Darths in order to manage and command their increased Force user army. Anyone who was worthy of being a Lord or Darth is probably one already, so they'd have to start looking at the people who weren't worthy before - weaker, less powerful candidates, and so forth - in order to make up those numbers.

Kind of a "Hey, you're not dead! Congratulations, have a peerage," thing.

At least, that'd be my guess. :uhoh