Developer Blog

SWToR Developer Blog: Remnants

Bioware released recently yet another developer blog post titled “Remnants”. The short story paves the way for the upcoming SWToR expansion and takes place at Rakata Prime

The protagonist is a smuggler named Kaya who’s “re-purposing” antiques out of the hands of the natives of the planet. Her droid and her ship barely manage to escape their pursuers before running into more trouble…

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Dev Blog – WANTED: DEAD AND DISMANTLED

BioWare just posted a new developer blog, in there usual story telling fashion.  This one is a conversation between the Assassin droid BH-7X, witch was used by the Bounty Brokers Association, and a guy named Kern. Story is really starting to build up for Forged Alliances. Like the last one, this one is also written by Charles Boyd You can read the full story over at the official Star Wars: The old Republic website, or you can read our copy paste of the full blog post below: “Your ambush failed.” The droid’s voice almost sent Kern out of his seat. He’d been lost in thought, hadn’t heard it come in. One more lapse he could blame on getting old. Make that two more, if the thing was telling the truth. It got impatient for an answer and continued: “Four dead, seventeen injured. Jakarro and C2-D4 escaped.” Kern didn’t look at the droid,…

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Developer Blog: Welcome to Galactic Strongholds Early Access

Sorry we didn’t post this yesterday, but Lisa have been in an accident, and have quite a family emergency. Our thought are with her and her family. If you have enough, please consider helping her out. Now back to the story. With game update 2.9 – Star Wars: The old Republic: Galatic strongholds that wen online yesterday, Bioware posted a new developer blog, highlighting what to expect with this expansion. The Galactic Strongholds expansion is the newest content introduced in Star Wars: The Old Republic where subscribers can build their own “houses” and design it the way they want. Those who are looking forward to show off their mount collection can now do it as they can easily just place them at their houses and invite their friends over to see them. In addition to the new SWTOR housing, a new flashpoint is also available for level 55 players. The…

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Dev Blog: Lana Beniko’s Journal: Darth Arkous

BioWare posted a new story telling developer blog post yesterday. This one is pretty bad ass. Apparently – this guy:  Darth Arkous (from the forged alliances quest ) – got in a spacesuit, jumped of a spacecraft to a fleeing escape pod, punctured the hull of it with his light saber, and killed a spy. It almost sounds like what M1-4X would have done, except M1-4X don’t need no space suit. He breathes pure Republic liberty. You can read the whole blog post on the official Star Wars: The old Republic website here, or our copy pate below: Observation of my subject continues. It’s entirely business as usual. Oversight, consultations, strategy discussions. A good deal of his time is spent behind closed doors without my presence. It’s always been that way with us, but it used to be I had no reason to question the reason for his privacy. Working with him from…

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Developer Blogs: The Story of SWTOR, 2014

Lead Writer, for Star Wars: The old Republic, Charles Boyd has posted a new blog post over at the official SWTOR Website. This time he talks about the game’s story and what we can expect to see in the upcomming game updates. Aparretnly the first chapter of the next major storyline is currently available via the Assault on Tython and Korriban Incursion flashpoints. The first chapter in our next major storyline is already available: Forged Alliances, Part I. Comprised of two flashpoints, Assault on Tython and Korriban Incursion, Part I will introduce you to some key new allies as well as the central mystery of the content yet to come. While you can always jump straight into these flashpoints with Group Finder whenever you’re looking for some action, the best way to experience the storyline is to find A7-M1 on Vaiken Spacedock or T3-G2 on Carrick Station—they’ll point you toward…

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Star Wars: The Old Republic Manaan INFO!

From the develop blog, we have some very interesting info about Manaan. The Shuuru Datalog details as follows: It is not a foolish endeavor to try and anticipate one’s future path, or even the path of an entire civilization. But it can be. If we do not first take stock of that which lies in our wake, we can never truly know how to negotiate the currents ahead. It is with this concern in mind that I indulge in this analysis of the ebb and flow of my dear home, Manaan. For a long time–longer than we have records for–the Infinite Empire ruled our world. They enslaved us until their eventual fall, and we Selkath vowed we would never be placed in servitude again. As offworld explorers eventually arrived on our world, they came to see our kolto as a vital resource in their contest for dominion over the galaxy….

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Developer Update: Introduction to Galactic Strongholds

More Star Wars: The Old Republic Galactic Strongholds content is revealed today, as BioWare posted a new developer diary. The post details everything from decorating hooks to the decorations for your brand new apartment will be available via loot drops and from crew skills, reputation and PvP rewards and off course the Cartel Market. All housing decorations will be available across your entire Legacy by default. It seems like crafters will play a big part in the process, as BioWare says that tradeskillers “of all levels will provide the components required to obtain these decorations.” But how much it really is, remains to be seen. Another thing that is really cool is the possibility to invites guest home to you apartment to show off your stuff. Also the furniture placement method in below gif looks outstanding. Needing to unlock a second of the same chair to place it again may…

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Developer Update: Spoils of War

Game update 2.8 Spoils of War is now live, and with it, BioWare posted 3 developer updates and a developer blog.  in These designer Chris Schmidt, PvP Designer Alex Modny, Lead Flashpoints and Operation Designer George Smith and Associate Producer Andrew Horwitz ( many new names here? ), outlines what to expect with the new update. You can read them all in there original form over at the official Star Wars: The old Republic website here and here, or you can read it all below as we have shamelessly copy pasted it all for you viewing pleasure. Developer Update: Spoils of War 06.09.2014 With Game Update 2.8: Spoils of War right around the corner, the developers wanted to give you some more details about some of this update’s major features. We hope you are as excited as we are to reap rewards through Story Mode Operations, Galactic Starfighter, Warzones, and…

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Developer Update: Quesh Huttball Pit

SWTOR Associate Designer, Alex Modny posted a Developer Update regarding Quesh Huttball Pit today. The blog post was followed up by a forum post were he talks about player concerns regarding the map. People that have played the map once on the Public Test Server, says it is hard to play but a pretty fun map. There are a lot of places to get lost in, but it seems like that whoever can keep a slinger/sniper on the ball spawn will win most of the time. Alex Modney’s reply to this is below the blog post: Developer Update: Quesh Huttball Pit The most brutal game in the Galaxy is back! The magnanimous Giradda the Hutt has graciously opened up his latest Huttball Pit on the noxious planet Quesh and is currently looking for deaths participants to entertain him! The new Pit, built especially for Giradda, is a different layout than…

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Blog: EMERGENCY ALERT: Rakghoul Plague Outbreak on Alderaan

BioWare posted a short role playing blog post about the Rakghoul Plague Outbreak yesterday. The event is live and kicking in SWTOR now, and another highly contagious outbreak seems to be spreading from Alderaan and has possibly made it top the Imperial fleet. Both the Empire and the Republic governments are seeking assistance so be sure and visit you local GSI representative. EMERGENCY ALERT: Rakghoul Plague Outbreak on Alderaan – AVOID ALDERAAN! 01.22.2014 The Hyland Organization for Rakghoul Neutralization (T.H.O.R.N.) has issued an official level-2 emergency alert concerning an outbreak of the Rakghoul plague on Alderaan. Wide-spread infections have been reported near both House Organa and House Thul, while scattered reports of infection traceable to Alderaan are now flooding in from across the galaxy. Quarantines have been put in place to restrict traffic of the plague off-world, but exceptions will be made for individuals with priority clearance. T.H.O.R.N. is recruiting qualified…

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Developer Blogs – RE: Kuat Drive Yards

Here is a new role playing Developer Blog from the BioWare crew. This one is journal entries were logged by Shroud SF-4 in advance of the mounting situation concerning Kuat Drive Yards, and he seems to be quite concerned which side will win the battle of Kuat. Makes me wonder if the Shroud is possibly working with the Star Cabal, as they are notoriously known for putting the republic and empire at each other. For those who may not know who the Star Cabal is, play the agent’s story 😉 The original blog post can be read here or you can read our copy paste below: Developer Blogs – RE: Kuat Drive Yards 01.17.2014 ### 21.7 // Kuat City // Observation of embedded Imperial asset K-33 continues. Recent marriage into the Kuat family further integrates K-33 into the planet’s political power structure. Appointment to Kuat Drive Yards oversight panel imminent. Analysis:…

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Developer Update: Bomber Class Starfighter

BioWare have posted a new developer update. This time, senior game designer on Star Wars: The Old Republic, Jason Attard tell us about the first new ship being added to the game with game update 2.6. — The Bomber! This ship makes alot of new strategies possible. Personally I expect to see: Scout rushes to a cap a point super quick, defended by a strike fighter. Once they successfully cap the point, and the strike fighter is in place to properly defend the point, the scout intentionally crashes so they can respawn as a bomber. Then they get the bomber on the point they control and spawn mines on it to further entrench that point. You can read the original post in its full here, or our copy pate below: Developer Update: Bomber Class Starfighter 01.09.2014 Greetings Starfighters! I am Jason Attard, a senior game designer on Star Wars™: The Old Republic™, and today I’m…

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Developer Blogs: IMPERIAL EDICT GR-1NC4

BioWare have posted a new role-playing developer blog on the Life Day event. I got a good laugh out of this, so Props to whomever wrote this. Really looking forward to Life Day/Return of the Gree later today! You can read the full post here, or if you are blocked by a firewall, you can read our copy paste below: BTW: GR-1NC4 = Grinch. IMPERIAL EDICT GR-1NC4 12.16.2013 Immediate Notice and Compliance Demanded. It has come to the Empire’s attention that dissident elements engaging in a tawdry and potentially dangerous seasonal event are planning to infect Imperial space with their insipid notions. This so-called “Life Day” encourages activities unbecoming of an Imperial citizen, including but not limited to: Dancing in inclement weather Singing unpatriotic carols Nonviolent physical contact with Wookiees This disgraceful menace of a “holiday”, during which time you are expected to comply fully with this edict, will last approximately…

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Developer Update: Scout Class Starfighter

Associate Designer, on Star Wars: The old Republic, Bret Hoffman posted a small developer update yesterday on Galactic Starfighter. In this he talks about his personal favorite type of ship, the Scout Class Starfighter. The Scout Class Starfighter comes in a few shapes and sizes and are not all the same. Read all about it over at the official swtor website, or read our copy paste below: Developer Update: Scout Class Starfighter 11.18.2013 Welcome Pilots. My name is Bret Hoffman. I am a Designer on the Galactic Starfighter™ digital expansion for Star Wars™: The Old Republic™. I am here to discuss my personal favorite type of ship, the Scout Class Starfighter. The Scout’s sleek design and speedy gameplay harkens back to classic Star Wars™ ships like the A-Wing and TIE Interceptor. Scouts, as the fastest of all of the Galactic Starfighter crafts, are often the vanguard of any battle. Their light-weight hulls…

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Developer Blogs: PvP Season One Blog

Senior System Designer Rob Hinkle posted a blog regarding the upcoming season 1 of ranked warzones. The blog post doesn’t contain  a ton of new info, but it’s nice to see the 6 month timeframe officially stated. It does feel like they’re doing a lot of stuff on the fly which seems scary but hopefully it provides them latitude to adapt as they go instead of screwing up season 1 and having to wait until season 2 to make changes. You can read the full blog post on the official website right here, or our copy paste below: Developer Blogs: PvP Season One Blog 11.07.2013 Greetings PvPers! I’m happy to say that a long awaited and promised time is finally upon us! With the launch of Game Update 2.4.3, the longest pre-season will be over and the inaugural Ranked PvP season will begin. We know it has been a long haul and…

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New SWTOR dev blog talks about Galactic Starfighter (Sorta)

BioWare have posted a new new Star Wars: The Old Republic dev diary on the official website. This time it’s about the the recently announced Galactic Starfighter expansion. Lead designer Michael Backus is the blog author, and he writes the first of what surely is going to be many posts about the background and development of Galactic Starfighter. This first blog on the subject doesn’t contain much in the way of gameplay info, but hopefully we get to read much more about this in the future. Check it out over at the official website, or read it here below: Galactic Starfighter Development, Introduction: Part I 10.18.2013 Introduction Greetings Starfighters, Let me welcome you to what will be the first of many Developer Diaries delving into the background and development of Galactic Starfighter™ and its place within the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ experience. Before I get into the details of…

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Developer Blog – Welcome to Game Update 2.4: The Dread War

As with all major game patches, A BioWare dev posted a Developer Blog welcoming all players to the new game update.  This time Senior Producer Bruce Maclean takes it on, explaining some of the new big additions to the game. Awesome stuff I have to add. Check it out below: Welcome to Game Update 2.4: The Dread War Hi there! We are very excited to release Game Update 2.4: The Dread War today. This is our biggest Game Update since 2.0 and includes a story mission area with new missions on a new moon, two entirely new Operations, all new 4v4 Warzone gameplay and Arenas, class balance changes, three new sets of gear comprising some of the most powerful equipment in the galaxy, and new vehicles and mount rewards! Of course this all comes along with the normal assortment of bug fixes, game tweaks, and continued under the hood optimization tweaks. Located in…

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Developer Blog: Color Palette Update

BioWare posted a new developer blog on the subject of the recent changes made to the game’s color palette. Game update 2.3 Features more vibrant colors, as well as a palette that suits the various settings, the game is looking more amazing than ever if you ask me. The blog post outlines the culmination of hundreds of manhours from extremely talented industry professionals. Artists, graphic designers, software engineers and production staff. He outlines how this team developed a custom set of tools and then used those tools to modify the game. This is an extremely challenging project, that was well managed and performed by some of the best in the industry. You can read the full developer blog, over at the official site and check out the .GIF animations that show the differences from before the update and after, or check out snippet below: Several months ago, our engineers added a…

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Developer Update: Macrobinoculars and Seeker Droids

BioWare just posted two small Developer Updates on new items available in Star Wars : The old republic Rise of the Hutt Cartel. In the first Developer Update, World Designers, Steven Chew and Michael Ammer, discuss Macrobinoculars, a new system in Rise of the Hutt Cartel. This new system allows players to scan and analyze objects far out in the distance, uncovering hidden objects and revealing interesting details about them. There may even be a reward for finding certain hidden objects. A brand new storyline will come with this new system, as players use the macrobinoculars to track down a dangerous new enemy known only as the Shroud. Players will return to previously explored planets and discover new threats, as they seek more information on the Shroud’s intricate plan. What is the Shroud up to? How will it affect the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire? Be prepared to put on your thinking cap, as the…

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Developer Blog: PvP in Game Update 2.0: Scum and Villainy

Assistant Designer Alex Modny made a developer blog Friday,  about the upcoming PvP changes coming with Game Update 2.0. SWTOR’s current bolster system is receiving a complete overhaul as part of the 2.0 update. It should fix issues of fairness which are encountered when players turn from level 49 to 50. Now, rather than a universal buff to their abilities, players will receive a boost determined by the equipment they have attiring their character. With Bolster, the most important change is that the stats are no longer granted on an assumption of stat power based on character level. Rather we look at each one of the Item Ratings (including the Mods, Augments, Armorings, etc. that go into the armor/weapon) of the current equipped gear and base the amount of stats given based on these values. The worse your items are the more stats you are given to get you to the base value we want…

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Developer Blog: Key locations overview of the planet Makeb

Yesterday BioWare posted a new   new developer blog on the official Star Wars: The old republic website. The focuses on this blog post was on the key locations from around Makeb in the form of an SIS report. It highlights many interesting new locations,  and is most definitely worth a read. You can read the whole developer update here, and see the amazing new screenshots just below:

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Developer Update: Legions of Scum and Villainy

BioWare posted a new Developer update yesterday. From the title, I thought it was going to be a post about the official forums, but apparently it’s about the new Operation players can try out with game update 2.0: Rise of the Hutt Cartel.   Legions of Scum and Villiany will be for level 55 players and continues the story line from  the trail of the Dread Masters after Operation: Terror from Beyond. Both the Republic and the Empire have heard rumors of a gathering of mercenaries, arms traders, and war beast handlers on the remote desert planet of Darvannis. Intelligence points to the Hutt Cartel as the organization that is gathering an army for an unknown purpose. Both Republic and Empire forces know that the Hutt Cartel must be stopped. Read all about it at the official website.  Players arrive outside of a city built into a protective canyon, in the midst of…

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Developer Update: The Art of Makeb

This week has sees a number of news releases from Bioware about the upcoming expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel, focusing specifically on details relating to making planet Makeb. As you might remember from previous posts, Makeb is the new planet included in the expansion and it’s the main focus of the expanded story line.

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Developer Update: Overview of the Planet Makeb

BioWare posted a new Star Wars: The Old Republic developer blog yesterday, that detailed the process of creating the planet Makeb, an all-original addition to the Star Wars universe coming in the Rise of the Hutt Cartel digital expansion. Makeb will be  a beautiful world peppered by towering geological formations, but it has been ravaged by ecological disaster and is a hostile environment. The Hutt Cartel are the main antagonists on Makeb, and the story takes in a rare instance of the Republic overcoming the Empire. For the official blog post, please visit this link or check out a snip below: Early on, we seized on the idea of a beautiful planet that’s being ravaged by ecological disasters. A place that would normally seem serene and welcoming, transformed into an environment that feels like it could fall out from under you at any second. With that goal in mind, we designed the entire…

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