Star Wars: The Old Republic

[eldargal]

So, SW:TOR early access starts on the 13th with the full release a week after that. Any BoLSlets going to be playing? I shalll be, pre-ordered a collectors edition in July, I've been waiting for a great SW mmo since they destroyed SWG in 2005.

I'll also be playing on US servers (bad experiences on EU servers in SWG and WoW led me to give up on them).

[Necron2.0]

Ach. Unfortunately my group is backing out on me for real-world reasons, and without them to act as a "social imperative" I too cannot justify spending the amount of time a MMO demands sequestered from my family. It is for this very reason that I haven't been able to play any video games in something like 3 years.

[Jambo]

it going to be amazing i was on the beta test for it. Got my clan set up already lol :D

[Chronowraith]

So, SW:TOR early access starts on the 13th with the full release a week after that. Any BoLSlets going to be playing? I shalll be, pre-ordered a collectors edition in July, I've been waiting for a great SW mmo since they destroyed SWG in 2005.

I'll also be playing on US servers (bad experiences on EU servers in SWG and WoW led me to give up on them).

I'll be playing (US Servers). I'll have both Jedi and Sith but will likely focus on Sith since most of my friends are going that route.

Been in the Beta since October and had a blast trying out various classes and builds up the last beta weekend. Looking forward to being able to level past 15ish (highest I managed to make it since they wiped the servers from week to week).

[eldargal]

I plan on making an Imperial Agent and Sith Inquisitor, might make some Republic characters too I've not decided.:rolleyes: Getting quite excited, invites to early access start going out on the 13th now and apparently collector edition purchasers get in on the first day. Should let me reserve the names I want.

[Chronowraith]

The Inquisitor story line is hilarious (in a good way).

I'll be playing a Sith Warrior (Juggernaut) primarily with a Bounty Hunter as my backup.

I'm not worried about names, my usual MMO names are pretty non-standard so I doubt they will be taken within the first month, much less the first week ( I certainly never had problems in the Beta).

[eldargal]

Good to hear, I like the idea of a sneak Sith more than a 'rawrgh, me kill' sith so hopefully the story reflects that. I actually received a beta invitation but when I went to sign up the server was down, then I forgot until a few days after the closing date.:rolleyes: Rather pleased in a way, I hate it when my character gets wiped.

I'm not too fussed about names, and one of them certainly won't be taken but one of the others might so I'm hoping early access gives me a better chance.

Is there a biography tab where you can write a bio for your character and people can read it when they inspect it? I always like that feature from a low level RP perspective.

[scadugenga]

I unfortunately need to rebuild my gaming computer before I can think about it.

I haven't even been able to play Skyrim yet.

The horror...

[Chronowraith]

I don't recall a bio tab. Then again, I really wasn't looking for one either so it's possible it is there.

[eldargal]

Some videos of space combat from the beta:

First (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4k_S96wcbvg) is just a clip, the second (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qFjHdipvL30#!)has a chap explaining what is going on.

Looks pretty nifty.

[Chronowraith]

Some videos of space combat from the beta:

First (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4k_S96wcbvg) is just a clip, the second (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qFjHdipvL30#!)has a chap explaining what is going on.

Looks pretty nifty.

I wasn't real impressed with ship combat. Your ship is essentially on rails while you shoot things. I'm hoping that is one of the first things they change with a future patch or, if comprehensive enough, with an expansion.

I just don't want people going into Old Republic with really high expectations. It's a great game and it's set to have a fairly flawless launch with a diverse amount of content available but some areas you can tell they were running out of time when implementing. (However this is far less evident than other MMOs of recent years like Warhammer Online, Champions Online, DC Online, etc).

[eldargal]

Well, as much as I loved SWGs Jump to Lightspeed for its free-flying combat, much of it was spent flying too and from combat, it was rather boring. From what I've seen the SWTOR system will give a fairly action packed flying experience without detracting from the depth of the ground game. In SWG the space combat was so much more time consuming and, in some ways, interesting than ground combat that the planets were virtually deserted. The combat also tended to devolve into two ships chasing each other about big chunks of space, from what I've seen the rail system will keep it a bit more fluid and interesting.

I have high expectations that SWTOR will be a polished MMO that builds upon the successful format exemplified by WoW in a number of ways (crew skills, different approach to classes, story driven, fully voiced etc.). I'm not expecting it to be wildly innovative or original, but as I've said before quality trumps originality nine times out of ten.:)

[eldargal]

Well early access has been going or 90 minutes now, so excited. Redeemed my code two days after pre-orders went up and that is supposed to get me in on the first day ie today. Going to spend the next, well, however long it takes to be frank, waiting for my early access email.:rolleyes:

Official forums are back up after their official purge of beta stuff, but don't go into Customer Service. Place is like a warzone, lot of people annoyed they haven't got in to early access. I think I may have found a group of people whose sense of self entitlement outweighs that of GW haters.;)

Edit: Gah, just had an email pop up in my inbox subject 'SW:TOR early access' and I nearly had a heart attack. Then I saw that thesender was one of my brothers and the message was' so are you in yet?', *******.

[Lord Azaghul]

I'm so staying away from that game...I'm concerned I would enjoy it far too much, and never get back to painting and building minis :p

[eldargal]

It is a legitimate concern. I got my early access at 7pm last night and I've been playing it ever since, it is now 11am.:rolleyes: Loving it. It reminds me of WoW, in the sense that WoW brought all the best bits of mmos together in one enjoyable and easy to play package, SWTOR has done that with the developments in mmos of the past eight years.

[scadugenga]

Heh,

Those are not words my wife will want to hear. :)

Ah well, new drive's coming in soon. Mayhap I'll give it a try. I know my group is bugging me incessantly about it.

[MarneusCalgar]

No one here plays Space Marine??

[Lord Azaghul]

No one here plays Space Marine??

Tried the demo - didn't care for it. I'm much more tempted by a starwars themed game!

[MarneusCalgar]

Me too!!

But I still play Space Marine hehehe if someone does too, tell me!!

[eldargal]

Just got my spaceship, so nifty. Enjoying the space combat, one mission is an assault on a space station and that was really nifty, sort of like a mix of Tie Fighter and SW: Empire at War style space combat.

Some of the dialogue is really clever, too, poking fun at mmo tropes and conventions nicely. Did one quest early on for a Sith Lord and said something like 'Don't forget to tell all your friends how awesome I am' and he replied something along the lines of (paraphrasing heavily) 'For gods sake woman, I'm a Sith Lord and you just killed some vermin for me, I'm hardly going to tell my friends about it'.

[Lord Azaghul]

Just got my spaceship, so nifty. Enjoying the space combat, one mission is an assault on a space station and that was really nifty, sort of like a mix of Tie Fighter and SW: Empire at War style space combat.

Some of the dialogue is really clever, too, poking fun at mmo tropes and conventions nicely. Did one quest early on for a Sith Lord and said something like 'Don't forget to tell all your friends how awesome I am' and he replied something along the lines of (paraphrasing heavily) 'For gods sake woman, I'm a Sith Lord and you just killed some vermin for me, I'm hardly going to tell my friends about it'.

Did the sith lord ask you to kill dungeon rats? :p

Its always nice to hear that SW maintains its sense of humour in new mediums.

[eldargal]

No they were big insectoid rhinoceros things, I forget what their name was. It struck me as a very Bioware moment, but you are quite right, in keeping with some of the better Star Wars EU stuff I've read where there is an element of humour.

[MarneusCalgar]

Where did you acquire that beta game for SW??

[eldargal]

What beta? I missed the SWTOR beta, got early access because I pre-ordered quite early on, three days after pre-orders went up.:)

[MarneusCalgar]

Ok, so it´s by preorder, everything clear then

[eldargal]

SWTOR is really messing up my sleeping pattern.:rolleyes: Definitely addicted, so grumpy when servers were down that I wrote my name in Aurebesh (which is the galactic scripts of the Old Republic and Empire):
http://www.warseer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=123614&d=1324053161

[Jambo]

yip im addicted aswell the servers were packed today with the official launch

[Aenir]

am playing an alliance smuggler... Got short buzzed hair with the muttonchops into the full moustache... I need a monocle!

Soresu server!

[eldargal]

I have the following characters:

Sith Empire

27 Human Imperial Agent
23 Tw'lek Sith Inquisitor
11 Human Sith Marauder
3 Chiss Bounty Huner

Republic

11 Twi'lek Jed Knight
3 Twi'lek Smuggler
1 Human trooper

Having a bit of trouble with the Agent, think I need to work on her crafting and get some better gear as I may have lt the quality slip a bit, really struggling with one of the tatooine class quests. The Sith Inquisitor is just so fun, especially the story. Dark Side b*tch ftw. Sith Marauder is fun too but a bit simple in playstyle, just smash things a lot. Still fun, though, and the first companion is really great.

Not done so much on republic side, clearly, but the first Jedi world was fun and quite immersive. Its a bit of a jar going from British RP accents on the Empire side to American accents on the Republic side, didn't realise how much I'd become accustomed to it.:rolleyes: Not so impressed with the smuggler dialogue so far but I've not exactly seen much.

[Aenir]

I have the following characters:

Sith Empire

27 Human Imperial Agent
23 Tw'lek Sith Inquisitor
11 Human Sith Marauder
3 Chiss Bounty Huner

Republic

11 Twi'lek Jed Knight
3 Twi'lek Smuggler
1 Human trooper

Having a bit of trouble with the Agent, think I need to work on her crafting and get some better gear as I may have lt the quality slip a bit, really struggling with one of the tatooine class quests. The Sith Inquisitor is just so fun, especially the story. Dark Side b*tch ftw. Sith Marauder is fun too but a bit simple in playstyle, just smash things a lot. Still fun, though, and the first companion is really great.

Not done so much on republic side, clearly, but the first Jedi world was fun and quite immersive. Its a bit of a jar going from British RP accents on the Empire side to American accents on the Republic side, didn't realise how much I'd become accustomed to it.:rolleyes: Not so impressed with the smuggler dialogue so far but I've not exactly seen much.

smuggler has Been hilarious, Ive been cracking wise whenever ive gotten the chance, Was in a party with 3 jedi, and when I win the social roll, I make the "party" look bad :D

Wheres my creds?

No I wont help get your cat out of the tree

Why do you random people bother me so much... etc!! :D (not word for word, but the tone at least)

up to 13 Human Smuggler, on Coru... chasing after the scum who stole my ship!! :D

[eldargal]

I'm finding Sith Inquisitor pretty fun in that regard, too. Did one of the flashpoints with a lightside RPing group, and I ended up winning all the rolls for the life and death decisions.:rolleyes: So this good group ended up executing half a dozen people, I ended up with five hundred or so dark side points. Of course they get light side points for selecting that option I believe, but from an RP perspective they still helped murder them.

Actually its really fun even when soloing:

'Here is the top secret information you needed that only I now posess and no one else must know about, thank you so much for saving my life from those republic commandos!'

'Yes, about that...' /force lightning

Servers are down for the end of early access and the grace period, so until my collectors edition arrives I can't play anymore.:( Wish I had selected the express shipping now, past experience with Christmas/post-Christmas Royal Mail tells me I will be lucky to get my copy within a week of the 28th Dec estimate.

[Aenir]

hey, if you ever findyourself on soresu, lemme know, I will play with ya! :D

I need a lackey... I mean, Fellow hero to help me ship goods from point A to B :D

[eldargal]

My Collectors Edition finally arrived a few hours ago, so pleased to be able to play again. Found a really pretty dancers outfit for my Twilek at the security key vendor as well. They seem to have sorted out the queue issue, if not completely it is much better than it was a few weeks ago despite player numbers in the instance being 2-3 times what they were the last time I played.

[Aenir]

good to have you back and sith-ing! :D

[Chronowraith]

My Collectors Edition finally arrived a few hours ago, so pleased to be able to play again. Found a really pretty dancers outfit for my Twilek at the security key vendor as well. They seem to have sorted out the queue issue, if not completely it is much better than it was a few weeks ago despite player numbers in the instance being 2-3 times what they were the last time I played.

Bioware intentionally kept the server populations limited during pre-launch so as not to stress the servers too much. As the pre-launch event went on they scaled up the populations slowly. When launch hit they were at the same population levels and Bioware slowly increased the allowed populations again to minimize queues.

[eldargal]

I know, but after the official launch I was getting 4-6 hour waits to log on from 6am in the morning onwards, that isn't happening anymore.:) In other words Biowares approach has worked. Best MMO launch I've experienced (SWG,WoW,LOTRO,AoC,DDO and some others I've forgotten).

[bones_taw]

I'm playing on TheFatman server.

Smuggler/Scoundrel

[eldargal]

SW:TOR has enabled anti-alising, thank god. Game looks 100% better now in my opinion.

[eldargal]

So, still playing SW:TOR, still enjoying it. New patch coming in a month or so which adds mailboxes to playerships, flash point group finders and lots of other things.

Australians also now have their own servers physically located in Australia. Good for them, bad for me, both my Australian friends have decided playing with 25ms is the way forward and want to move permanently to an Australian server.:( 'course if I move too it I'll be getting like 400ms or whatever they were getting on a European server.

My main:
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p127/nikephorusLB/EGSWTORscreenshot.jpg

[eldargal]

No comments about the scantily clad Twi'lek? For shame, you people call yourselves geeks.:p

Anyway, three months into the game and I just tried PvP for the first time last night. Not usually a huge fan of PvP in mmos, it always seems too random, chaotic and boring if you aren't into competition. But the PvP in TOR was really, really fun. Got absolutely slaughtered but it was still fun.

[Aenir]

I learned my lesson, The Feminism thread has taught me better! :P

maybe later I shall post a pic of my smuggler with 1800s sideburn 'stache :D

[scadugenga]

No comments about the scantily clad Twi'lek? For shame, you people call yourselves geeks.:p

Anyway, three months into the game and I just tried PvP for the first time last night. Not usually a huge fan of PvP in mmos, it always seems too random, chaotic and boring if you aren't into competition. But the PvP in TOR was really, really fun. Got absolutely slaughtered but it was still fun.

Nah, a hot female Twi'lek is really the norm.

Though oddly enough, there is a preponderance of obese male Twi'leks running around my server.

It's eerie.

[eldargal]

Hoist with my own petard.:rolleyes: Do post a picture, I want to see the stache.

I learned my lesson, The Feminism thread has taught me better! :P

maybe later I shall post a pic of my smuggler with 1800s sideburn 'stache :D


I've noticed that male and fat male twi'lek seem to be in equal numbers to attractive females. Which is ironic because heaps of people were predicting the servers would be overrun with female twi'lek.

Nah, a hot female Twi'lek is really the norm.

Though oddly enough, there is a preponderance of obese male Twi'leks running around my server.

It's eerie.

[Aenir]

Not that good, one with helmet, one without

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a59/kg26Sharkiee/SWTOR.jpg

[eldargal]

Love the 'tache.

So, SWTOR is stealing WoW subs according to Blizzard (http://www.gamezone.com/products/world-of-warcraft/news/blizzard-admits-that-swtor-has-impacted-wow-s-subcribers), and WoW devs are playing it too. I like this article, shows the partisan fanboy nonsense for what it is. It is like members of the PP team still playing GW products while some of the more idiotic members of their fanbase preach the total annihilation of GW.

And some more details of the upcoming content heavy 1.2 patch for TOR here (http://feature.mmosite.com/swtor/patch_1.2_new_armors.shtml) (armour) and here (http://feature.mmosite.com/swtor/upcoming_1.2_update_in_swtor_and_beyond.shtml) (legacy and general).

[Aenir]

i havent touched it in a while, Ive been really frustrated with it :)

Must just be the mid game doldrums!

[Lady Fenris]

I really love SWTOR. It's a great game. I'm loving the plot line stuff, I'm just hoping that it doesn't fizzzle out when I get to the Endgame material.

Consular tank is like the class made for me: tanky, stealthy, with a really big weapon. <3

[eldargal]

I've not tried consular yet, I'm holding off in the hope that they will make Togruta a playable species. I want a togrutan consular. I do enjoy its dark counterpart, though, the Sith Inquisitor. I have a levl 40 twi'lek Sith Inquisitor Assassin.:)

Apparently things do slow down more in end-game, Bioware have admitted they were taken by surprise at how fast so many players reached 50 so the story updates are a bit further off than they would like. Personally I feel this is why god invented alts.:rolleyes: I mean we have an mmo with eight stories, why limit yourself to just one or two while waiting for your mains story to be updated.

A new story update is due later in the year (along with same-sex relationships with companions either with it or after)

[Aenir]

Just played the Smuggler Quest "Distressed" Freakin Hilarious!! :D

Still in the doldrums a bit, but I gotta love the wise-assness of some of the options :)

[eldargal]

I just reached the early 40s with my main (I have so many alts I level slow in general:rolleyes:) and I'm a little burnt out. Not so much from levelling but I'm actually having trouble killing groups of mobs as easily as I used too. Not sure if it is because I'm a Jedi Sentinel in modded light armour instead of medium (20% less armour wouldn't make MUCH of a difference to protection I think...) or if I'm missing something in how I play.:(

Really looking forward to patch 1.2, trying to hit 50 with my twi'lek so I can have twi'lek in all classes! Foresee a great alt purge I do.

[Harmonious Borealis]

You guys have a lot more time on your hands than I. My main, a guardian that suffers less from the stuttery movement my laptop provides, is only level 27. Then again, I'm only playing once or twice a week, with people I know irl.

So everyone, best classes to play with minimum specs? :D

I'm in it mostly for the storylines anyway, which are pretty sweet.

[eldargal]

The storylines are great, mind you I've only taken Imperial Agent, Jdi Knight and Sith Inquisitor past level 15 or so thus far so I can't say I've experienced everything they have to offer.

Good write up on the Legacy system here (http://feature.mmosite.com/swtor/patch1.2_legacy_system_review.shtml).

[eldargal]

Biggest SW:TOR collectible ever, a life size Darth Malgus:
http://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/jpg/400109_press01-001.jpg
http://www.sideshowtoy.com/mas_assets/jpg/400109_press02-001.jpg
Now if they make a life-size Eleena Daru (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110104034752/starwars/images/f/f9/EleenaDaruHS-TOR.jpg) statue to go with it I might be interested. OH, and it is only six thousand US dollars.:rolleyes:

[eldargal]

Boo, triple post, where did all the other SWTOR fans go?:(

Just hit 50 with my twi'lek Jedi knight which means come Patch 1.2, twi-lek alts for all (classes)! Also, Corellia is stunning. Really beautiful, particularly the shipyard with all these huge half constructed ships everywhere.

Also, best April Fool ever: Ship Droid Minnigame (http://www.swtor.com/news/news-article/20120401).

[scadugenga]

I haven't had time to play much lately.

Had my vid card die, so I needed a replacement.

Need to get back soon. I have 6 toons in the 20's. I think I need to get my smuggler done and then revist the others. :)

[eldargal]

I can relate to your PC hardware troubles.:)

Really loving SWTOR, and it will only get better with 1.2. Even if some of the new armour graphics are a bit weird.

[scadugenga]

I can relate to your PC hardware troubles.:)

Really loving SWTOR, and it will only get better with 1.2. Even if some of the new armour graphics are a bit weird.

Aye, when the hardware goes, it's a huge steaming pile of frustration to go through.

At least a new video card doesn't mean having to retrieve lost/corrupted files. Hopefully you got everything back. My h-drive went bad last year. Lost all my Dragon Age files. Was mightily annoyed.

Well, not so much about the DA:2 files. DA:2 was a huge disappointment compared to the story/options/gameplay of the original DA.

[eldargal]

I actually liked DA2 storywise, the graphics and gameplay were a bit of a let down in parts. The DLC was superb, though. I loved having a story where the hero was treated like just another prominent citizen instead of being able to bend the world to their will just by virtue of being The Protagonist.

"'I'm sorry, you may be a great warrior/mage/thief and a very important person but thing is we have God on our side and we really want to do this so sod off"


Speaking of stories, and getting back to SWTOR, I just completed the main storylines, class and general, with my Jedi Knight.:) Both endings suitably epic and I now have a bunch of fun unlocks when 1.2 goes live.

[scadugenga]

I actually liked DA2 storywise, the graphics and gameplay were a bit of a let down in parts. The DLC was superb, though. I loved having a story where the hero was treated like just another prominent citizen instead of being able to bend the world to their will just by virtue of being The Protagonist.

"'I'm sorry, you may be a great warrior/mage/thief and a very important person but thing is we have God on our side and we really want to do this so sod off"


Speaking of stories, and getting back to SWTOR, I just completed the main storylines, class and general, with my Jedi Knight.:) Both endings suitably epic and I now have a bunch of fun unlocks when 1.2 goes live.

The story was good, the lack of options and the streamlining of gameplay and party outfitting was a huge letdown. :)

Nice! I'm nowhere near that yet. It also seems as if the game popularity is dying down. Servers seem fairly low lately. I do really dig the personal storylines, though. A nice touch.

[eldargal]

I agree the party stuff was dissapointing, shopping and searching for gift upgrades was rather boring. I missed most of them on my first playthrough.:rolleyes:

Well subscriber numbers are rising, according to EA and Xfire (no idea what that is, read an article about it) but with 1.2 just around the corner (10th of April speculated as liekly date) it seems a lot of people are holding off 'til then. I am too, in a way. I really want to make some more alts and work on them but I'm waiting 'til I can make them twi'lek with 1.2. So now I'm mostly working on my twi'lek smuggler.

[eldargal]

Yay, the big new content patch is coming tomorrow (http://www.swtor.com/blog/scheduled-maintenance-game-update-1.2-april-12-2012).