James Ohlen tweeted that he is leaving BioWare to pursue personal endeavors After 22 years I have retired from BioWare. I’ve loved my time with Anthem, Star Wars, Dragon Age and Dungeons and Dragons. But I need to take a break from the industry and work on something a little smaller and more personal. — James Ohlen (@JamesOhlen) July 12, 2018 James Ohlen is one of the main reasons that kotor and dragon age origins were so great. He is a hardcore DnD/RPG fan. It Seems like the pressure of anthem is hitting a lot of people at BioWare. Its almost a shame that BioWare got so popular and then bought out by EA. Their original games with a heavy focus on rpg elements is what made them great. They lost their touch as they were forced to make more “modern” titles leading to generic game play and less RPG elements….
James Ohlen
BioWare Says the MMO Market Has Never Been Bigger
Are people still playing MMOs? The director of Star Wars: The Old Republic insists that the MMO market has never been bigger. While some of the biggest hitters in the industry, like Blizz’s World of Warcraft, are seeing declining numbers, James Ohlen says it’s a good time to be in the MMO business. “The MMO genre is much bigger than it ever has been before – it’s just that people misunderstand what the genre actually consists of now,” James Ohlen said in an interview with MCV. He goes on to talk about how people once thought MMOs were just for hardcore PC games but the genre has expanded. We see MMO games that don’t call themselves that in the traditional sense. We also see MMOs on different platforms, which wasn’t so common in the past. When you look at things from this perspective, it’s easy to see why one would say the MMO…
SWTOR Celebrating Our Five Year Saga
Director of Design at Bioware, James Ohlen, has posted a new blogpost containing an infographic celebrating 5 years of SWTOR. Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ celebrates its fifth year, December 20, 2016 – thanks to you, our fans. We started on this journey ten years ago. Our vision was to build a game that would give gamers, who are Star Wars™ fans, the experience of stepping into the Star Wars universe at the center of their own saga. And it did. We built the largest Star Wars universe ever and then brought it to life online. We wanted to give fans the chance to become a Jedi, a dark and deadly Sith Lord or a snarky Smuggler. We wanted to bring our love of this great IP to life in a way that let players shape their own story making meaningful choices along the way that made the experience your…
MMORPG Interview with James Ohlen
It has been an amazing year for Star Wars fans. With the new movie release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens arriving late this year and the new Star Wars: Battlefront game launching around the same time, it couldn’t get any better. Also, the latest expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic Knights of the Fallen Empire, will open on October 27th. Once the expansion launches, players will have nine new chapters of new episodic content to dig their teeth into and even more updates are planned after the holiday season. Gareth Harmer from mmorpg.com, caught up with James Ohlen, the Game Director on SWTOR over on Gamescom, to talk about more information on the new expansion. But, before we dig into that information, let’s talk about what has already been discovered. During the event in Cologne, he was shown content from Chapter 3, and this includes the Carbonite defrosting…
SWTOR Climbing Since Going Free to Play
So has changing their game model to free to play had any impact on SWTOR for BioWare? , creative director on Star Wars: The Old Republic says yes at GDC. He revealed that the number of players has now increased to 4.5 million, up from 2 million, which makes it a rate of 10,000 new players each day. This switch to F2P has been a real game-changer for SWTOR, that was losing its player base. Ohlen goes on to explain how SWTOR had more problems on launch than just its subscription model (ya, think?) He explains that the lack of a group finder was a major downside to the game and also the poor implementation of the Public Test Realm (PTS). No group finder meant it was hard to players to get together to experience much of the content in the game and the poor PTS meant there were a…
Game Update 1.4: Terror from Beyond developer blog and launch trailer
With all the excitement around game update 1.4 , we forgot to update you about a new Developer Blog by James Ohlen and a new laucnhed trailer for Terror From Beyond just released. In the Developer Blog James Ohlen writesabout the release schedule for new content going forward for Star Wars: The Old Republic. This Game Update is also the start of a new release cadence. Our strategy so far has been to release big updates every few months. But this leaves long periods of time where you, our fans, don’t have anything new. So we’re moving to a model where we release Game Updates on a much more regular cadence. Our initial aim is for something as close to every six weeks as we can get. I’d promise an exact schedule, but in a live game we need some flexibility as the stability of the service trumps the release of an…
James Ohlen want’s your Feedback on story
It’s been a while since James Ohlen been active on twitter, but today he asks Star Wars: The old republic players for feedback regarding the story elements the game. Here is the question: So I took a break from Twitter, but now I’m back with more questions. What is your favorite type of storytelling in #SWTOR? Flash points, class stories or world story arcs (i.e. Revanite story on Dromund Kaas). Interesting question really. Also remember to let us know in the comments below if you are plan on answering. YOu can Check out James Twitter profile here.
E3: James Ohlen Interview b y TorWars
I guess I was wrong when I wrote we were nearing the tales end of E3 interviews. Our friends over at TorWars got to interview James Ohlen about all the upcoming stuff we have discussed the last week. The interview is in two parts and you can read what TorWars had to say about it here and here and you can also check it out below. Good stuff ahead:
Coming Soon to STAR WARS: The Old Republic
Yesterday we updated you on what to expect with Patch 1.3 which will be titled ” Allies”. Today, same day as BioWare goes public with there layoffs, BioWare get a small video with a patch Overview. See what the future holds for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, as Game Director James Ohlen highlights some of the new game systems coming in Game Update 1.3, as well as some of the playable content that will be released in the coming months. In this ‘Coming Up’ video, you will learn about the new Group Finder and Character Transfer systems, as well as new Legacy Perks and other features that are coming in the next Game Update, Allies. Side note. I feel bad for him having to read off those scripts. They need to give their developers time to read over scripts before putting them in front of a camera. It makes them sound like William Shatner: “And…the new…features…
PAX East 2012: SWTOR Interview with James Ohlen
James Ohlen had a lot to say at PAX Easter about SWTOR, the Legacy System, future game updates and more. It’s really interesting to take the time to listen and read these interviews because we get insider information about what’s coming up in the game. This is great for those who are playing it and loving it and also interesting to those who have possibly quit SWTOR or grown bored with the content already. There is a lot of new stuff coming with game update 1.2 as well as other future updates throughout the end of the year. BioWare wants to gauge the fan reaction on this content to see what needs to be changed, upgraded or nixed altogether. It just makes sense to check out the new content and other upcoming future features. If you’ve already spent money on the game, why quit before you’ve even seen what’s coming?…
Another James Ohlen Interview: Challenges of Creating SWTOR
James Ohlen is pretty good about talking to the press and fan sites. In another of many interviews he has done, he talks to IGN about the challenges of creating SWTOR. Ohlen, Game Director, has a huge part in the game and his work doesn’t end now because the game is launched. He also has to oversee updates, future content and more. But with this title comes great responsibility and Ohlen shares with IGN some of the challenges he has faced. Here’s a snippet: IGN: What were you trying to accomplish with this first BioWare MMO? James Ohlen: I really wanted to bring in the three BioWare pillars to the online space. Those are represented by story, by the player’s choice in story, and by characters. Those are the three big things that I felt weren’t really well represented in the MMO space. I felt that it was the smartest…
New Video for what’s to come in SWTOR over the coming months!
It’s just about time to pay up for another month of SWTOR subscription, and BioWare has started teasing us with what we have to look forwarder to in upcoming patches. Personally I’m impressed, it all looks really really promising. Check it out below: See what the future holds for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ in this brand new video which showcases some of the new game content and game systems that we will release in the coming months. In it, you will be able to take your first look at upcoming game content, including new Warzones and Flashpoints. You will also have the chance to get a sneak peek at the expanded Legacy system that’s coming to the game, UI customization, as well as new Guild features!
March Update Will be Huge for SWTOR
While we were all awaiting Patch 1.1, which was delayed, there is news that in the not-too-far future, there will be a huge update for SWTOR. The second release, planned for March, is expected to be much bigger in scope- “huge” in fact, in terms of what it will add to the game. SWTOR Game director James Ohlen, who told CVG in a recent interview that Game Update 2 will include three major pieces of content, as well as “full” Legacy game content. He tells CVG: “Game Update 2 is much bigger in scope. It’s further out from launch, so we can have much more of the team focused on it. There’s Part 2 of Rise of the Rakghouls, a brand new planet called Denova which has an 8-16 man Operation and a new Warzone. “We might also be able to get some new space game missions into it. In…
Ohlen to Eurogamer: SWTOR More Innovative Than an FPS
Some people don’t believe that SWTOR is all that innovative in terms of the gaming industry but game director James Ohlen begs to differ. He says to Eurogamer that SWTOR is more innovative than an FPS and then discusses the ways they have made strides in the industry but also why as an MMORPG, SWTOR is not too different. “It’s been a little bit of an unfair characterisation,” Ohlen remarked to Eurogamer. “”Because if you look at other game genres, if you look at a Battlefield or a Call of Duty or a Gears of War or even a Half-Life – those games use the same tried and true interface and the same tried and true game mechanics of the first-person shooter genre that’s been around for 20 years. Again, all very valid points. So many comparisons have been made between SWTOR and WoW and some believe that SWTOR is…
Ohlen Shares Details of SWTOR Legacy System
Lots of people are talking about the SWTOR Legacy System and I have to admit myself that it is a pretty cool implement to the game. I have seen far too many people (on my server, at least) trying to abuse it by creating names that are in violation but other than that, I really like the idea of it and the concept itself. But if you have questions about the Legacy System, you are not alone. Due to this, James Ohlen took some time to sit down with the guys over at GameSpot and answer some questions about the Legacy System now and plans for it in the future as well. Here’s a snippet: GS: In terms of the legacy system, how much can you say about the features we can expect out of that? JO: So the legacy system, it’s kind of inspired by the fact that the…
BioWare’s James Ohlen on SWTOR’s launch and beyond
ZAM Editor-in-Chief Chris “Pwyff” Tom spoke to SWTOR Game Director James Ohlen about launch day preparations, legacy system updates, SWTOR’s short-term development plans, and much more and they have brought us this fun interview so we all can share in the news and excitement. We’re getting closer to the days of Early Game Access, many of us are looking for ways to contain our excitement and find something to occupy us until we get in the game for ourselves. Interviews like this are one way to do that and it won’t be long now until we can say “see you in game!” ZAM asked James Ohlen if he was nervous about the big launch day. His reply? Not at all! It’s been six years of working on MMORPGs down here in Austin, so it’s been a big part of my life. Biggest I’ve ever worked on! SWTOR is definitely BioWare’s…
IGN’s SWTOR Interview: Bioware Spills about Star Wars MMO
Starting today, those who preordered BioWare’s Star Wars: The Old Republic will be rolled into in the live game before the official launch date of December 20. The time has officially come. There will be no more beta testing, no more character wipes and no more waiting. We are down to the wire and it’s nearly time to being playing. With that said, it begs the question “What has Bioware learned from this experience?” In this exclusive interview with IGN, Bioware’s James Ohlen talks SWTOR, lessons learned, future changes in SWTOR and more. The interview is over 2,000 words long but well worth the read (or at very least a skim over the questions that interest you most). Here’s a snippet from the start of the interview: GN: During beta, which are some of the elements that changed the most and in ways you didn’t expect? I mean I saw…
Legacy System Revealed
The Legacy System was officially revealed yesterday as James Ohlen made a forum post about it. While the details given thus far aren’t too in depth, they provide a good idea of what to look forward to from the system: Hey Everyone, This build has our first iteration of the Legacy System! At its core the Legacy system is about allowing players to create a family tree of characters. Family is pretty important to the Star Wars universe, with the Skywalker family having one of the most interesting dynamics in movie history. This version is just the foundational components that we will use to build upon in the future. Here are the features of this iteration: Once your character has completed their Chapter 1 storyline, they will be able to choose a Legacy Last Name. This Legacy Last Name must be unique and is shared across all characters, on all…
James Ohlen Twitter Status
There could be more big changes coming to SWTOR as we near the release date in December. We know that the staff is working very hard to get the game in tip-top shape and ready to go for launch. This is why it’s fun to hear posts like this one from James Ohlen about the game. James Ohlen says via Twitter: “Writers finished a major milestone for post release content. We’re going to keep half of the voice actors in Hollywood employed for years.” What do you think it means? BioWare is touting the voice acting as one of the most important parts of their new MMORG and one of the biggest things that sets it apart from other similar games. Ohlen is the Game Director of SW:TOR. He’s also Lead Designer of Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 (I loved those games), NWN (my husband played this one a lot),…
Interview with Gabe Amantangelo and James Ohlen
During last weekend’s PAX, MMORPG.com Managing Editor Bill Murphy managed to corner Bioware’s James Ohlen and Gabe Amantangelo to talk about PvP in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The interview covered a wide range of interesting topics and brought us a few tidbits of info we didn’t already have. The interview is a good one and is listed in its entirety on their website. Here’s what James had to say in general about PVP in TOR. James Ohlen: But all the really cool stuff we’ll show off at the panel and into the next few weeks too. I think people will be really pleased with world PVP in TOR. The interview talks about Warzones and what we as players can expect to see when the game is released and another great question they ask, “Warzones are the more structured form of PVP, so will you guys be doing anything with…
PAX Prime 2011: James Ohlen Interview
FORCE Junkies got an interview with James Ohlen at PAX Prime. If you have been living under a rock, James Ohlen is Game Director of Star Wars the old republic. James and force junkies talks about wide range of topics spreading from combat, to flashpoints and operations to crafting. Check out the video below:
James Ohlen Interview
Ten Ton Hammer posts a really interesting interview with James Ohlen that’s worth the read if you have yet to see it. Reuben Waters of Ten Ton Hammer has the opportunity to sit down with Ohlen, creative director for Star Wars: The Old Republic, and ask him some questions about the game. Highlights include companions, grouping with other players, banking and money systems, PVP and chat functions and the mail system as well as whether or not you can check your mail while on your ships. There’s a lot of great info in here, some of which I don’t remember ever hearing being covered in another interview or article to date, making it well worth the time to read it over. Here’s a snippet I found interesting as I had been wondering about this myself: Ten Ton Hammer: That brings up a very good point in terms of how things…
James Ohlen Q&A: More SWTOR Info
Many great things came out of SDCC and of the exciting news and interviews, we found one with James Ohlen. An in-depth question and answer session that answers so many questions. This Q&A posted over at Newsrama, is well worth the read. They spoke with Game Director James Ohlen about the new features, release dates, and how fan feedback affects development. The interview starts off with a reference to and question about the incredible success of the pre-order. Newsarama: James, obviously the big news of the convention for you guys was the pre-order going live. Were you expecting any level of the response you got from the pre-order, with Origin.com and Amazon.com selling out in one morning? James Ohlen: The truthful answer is, yeah. Yeah, we know we have a ton of hype. Right now, we have a ton of hype and that puts a lot of pressure on…
James Ohlen: Companions, Release Date Talk
James Ohlen says large component of SWTOR still un-announced and he explains to Newsarama why this is the case. With all the hype and anticipation that’s been building for this game since it was first revealed, BioWare wants to make sure it lives up to its expectations. The director says “it would be terrible if something went wrong just as the game was getting going,” especially after BioWare has put so much work into TOR for several years. They want to ensure the launch goes smoothly without any major issues. Ohlen also states that any catastrophe such as the games servers going down would be upsetting and disappointing for everyone from the players to the team developing the game, which has worked diligently to get things ready for the big release day. He also said there is more to The Old Republic than what gamers know about so there will…