As Parkland, Florida shooting incident dominates the national headlines, America is once again caught in mass hysteria over high school killings that seem to take place on a weekly basis. Statistics show there have been over 18 gun violence incidents on high school grounds in 2018 alone, where students, teachers and passersby were either killed or injured by a gun-wielding minor. The latest in the string of these deadly events, the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, took seventeen lives and sent fourteen more people to hospitals. The perpetrator was revealed to be one Nikolas Jacob Cruz who, at the time of the shooting, was just 19 years old. Adam Lanza was 20 when he slaughtered twenty children and six teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. It was one of the worst massacres in the US history that took place in 1999, at Columbine High School in Colorado, when Dylan Klebold,…
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What Truly Makes a Game Last?
This is a magical question that video game developers have been trying to figure out for some time. Just how do you create that magic formula that creates a great game that players stick with for years and years, that is also profitable and expandable and can make the company money? How do you stay relevant in an industry that is rapidly changing constantly? Bored Brit Gamer brings us this great post that focuses on the players and what really makes a game last. It’s long but well-written and it’s worth the read. He says it’s all about the fans: Yet despite the negative points, I don’t think anyone can really complain about the story content that BioWare has been releasing. Perhaps you could say that each chapter could have been longer and there will of course be those who lament the loss of the individual class stories but when…
SWTOR Dark vs. Light Event Angers Some Vets
Star Wars: The Old Republic is getting ready to introduce their biggest event yet. The Dark vs. Light Event will unite the galaxy in one way or another, or it will tick off vets and confuse new players. There seems to be a little bit of all that going around. So we brought you the news of the latest (and seemingly biggest) event of SWTOR, the Dark vs. Light event and if you’ve been reading the forums, Reddit, and other places where SWTOR fans lurk, you may have noticed that there are some very disgruntled veteran players. So what is that all about? It’s a new event, right? This should be a good thing, right? Well, the short of it is that this huge event was clearly designed to entice new players only. There’s nothing wrong with enticing new players. This means we keep the game live, there are more…
Crafting Ideas: Component Conversion
Those who know me as a gamer will observe that I have this thing about game economics… I like to make currency, save currency, and understand currency. I like to see how the currency will shape a game and its economics. I like comparing it to real-world situations and finances. I like finding ways to make more money so I can hoard it up or buy whatever I want. It’s weird, right? Well, I’m not alone. There are many other players out there like me who find video game economics fascinating and one of those people has a website dedicated completely to SWTOR economics. We’ve linked to it here on the site before but if you’ve missed those posts, you can check it out at swtoreconomics.com. So today, we want to talk about one post in particular. A new one from a couple of weeks ago titled “Crafting Ideas: Component Conversion”….
Star Wars Perfume: Has Merchandising Gone Too Far?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Star Wars is hot right now. The new films have created a surge in the franchise’s popularity and we’re seeing Star Wars everywhere. This can be a good thing for the Star Wars fan but can it go too far? While buying groceries this past week, I noticed all the Star Wars branded foods. This is typical of cereals and snack foods, more than anything else, at least here in the US. I saw Star Wars cereals, yogurt, Cambell’s soup cans, and even Cheez-Its with Yoda on the front. They’re on Pringles cans and ice cream, and even coffee creamers. But the Star Wars craze doesn’t end with food. Of course, there are toys and clothes. This is to be expected. However, there has also been Star Wars makeup and now, we have Star Wars perfume. Yes. Star Wars perfume….
Is SWTOR Still Relevant?
With all the new Star Wars hype out there today, after the new movie released and the others in the works, is Star Wars The Old Republic still relevant? As most of our readers probably know already, the game launched in December of 2011. Since then, we’ve seen five expansions which added more content, with the latest coming in October of 2015. How popular has the game been since? While it’s had ups and downs, there have been over 57 million characters created, 17 million of them Jedi. The game has over 104 hours of voiced cinematics. Players have played more than 645 million hours playing this game. That sounds pretty successful if you ask me. Still, Forbes contributor, Neil Herndon, wanted to ask the question, “Is SWTOR still relevant?” In this piece, he explores the topic and while his answer is a “yes”, there’s a lot more to it…
SWTOR PvP Hacking – Serious Issue?
Whenever there is a game to be beat, there will be someone who wants to cheat or hack their way through it. Video games are no exception. I still remember growing up as a girl in the 90s when “cheat codes” were a big thing for console games. Fast-forward to online games today and we seen new ways for people to cheat, hack , or exploit games. While the old fashioned “cheat codes” of a single player game or other console game were less harmless (especially in single player mode – who is it really hurting?) the hacks that exist in multi-player gaming environments today can be brutal. They can completely destroy the integrity of the game and ruin the experience for everyone involved. Counter-Strike is a great example of that. So what happens now that hackers are taking SWTOR PvP by storm? There are hacks that can make you fly which…
Did SWTOR Miss an Important Opportunity?
Recently, over three weekends (26-27th February, 4-5th March, 11-12th March), Bioware organised playtesting sessions, on the PTS, for players to test the new Warzone, and the new Arena, Rishi Cove. This is typical of when they want to test new zones and other areas of the game. However, some players believe they may have missed out on a valuable opportunity when it comes to playtesting this time around. BioWare announced the times for the play sessions on the forums and also played along with players incognito, but they never did anyting else to advertise the PTS or to try to get more players to join so they could test these new areas. Xam Xam is one of these players and she explains what she sees as a missed opportunity for BioWare on her blog: The three weekends of playtesting sessions were inadequate to test the new Warzone. There were too few…
Does Episodic Content Belong in an MMORPG?
So Den of Geek asks an interesting question in a recent post on their site: Does Episodic Content Belong in an MMORPG? If you’ve played a lot of games, one thing you will know to be true is that episodic content is not a new concept. There are many games across many genres that use this. Basically it’s chapter-based content that is staggered throughout the game and while it’s been around a long time, it’s gaining in popularity today due to certain hit games like Telltale’s The Walking Dead (a favorite of mine) and Life is Strange. But Den of Geek looks at a genre of gaming that has not seen a a lot of episodic content – the MMORPG. So it definitely makes a lot of sense for certain types of games. The story-driven content will keep players coming back for more and waiting to see what happens next. But does it make sense…
Player Harassment in SWTOR – Inaction and Consequences
We’ve talked about player harassment here before. It’s an issue in SWTOR. It’s an issue in MMORPGs. It’s an issue in video games. It’s an issue on the Internet. But what can be done about it? Now that is a question that has a lot of different answers. When we look at all the different ways in which harassment can occur, it becomes and even more complicated issue. So let’s look at SWTOR alone for the sake of this post. How can player harassment in SWTOR be handled better? There are some players who will say the current system in place is working as intended and that you just need to get used to it and move on if you encounter problems while playing the game. Then there are others who will disagree and say that more needs to be done about player harassment in the game. Xam Xam has…
An Open Letter to the Creators of the SWTOR Cartel Packs
Hyperspace Beacon has a few things to say to BioWare. Actually, they have a bit of a bone to pick with the SWTOR team. And he’s not alone in this one. There are many people out there who agree, as the comment section will show and I have to say that while I am a fan of the game and have been since the beginning, he makes very valid points on this one. There are some seriously annoying flaws with Cartel Packs and while this isn’t the first time it’s been said, the points are presented rather well. So what’s the beef? Well, here’s part of it: “I am disappointed by the execution of the latest cartel packs on many, many levels. It was difficult enough for me to accept these lottery boxes in the first place. It concerns me that the best looking and most desired items in the…
Will We See Another Star Wars MMORPG?
People love Star Wars. The recent stats of the latest film show us this without question. The popularity of the franchise is one that has crossed generations. People will likely continue to love and follow Star Wars. We also know that fans love Star Wars games. It’s something we talk about every day here on the site. Sometimes we struggle, as fans, to find decent Star Wars games. To find those iconic games that still with you for many years. The types of games that truly shape your life. It’s no surprise that Star Wars fans like MMOs with a Star Wars theme. Who wouldn’t want to be put right in the driver/pilot seat of their favorite thing? This is why Star Wars Galaxies was so popular. Then we have SWTOR. But will this be the end of the road for Star Wars MMORPGs? As we see the new films coming to…
This guys talks about why he can’t get into SWTOR’s housing. ( Discussion)
Not all MMO’s are made the same, as we all definitely know. However, most of the time we really get into the housing that goes along with them, all of the upgrades and house drops that you redeem after a battle drive us to want to keep our pad looking cool. However, Star Wars: The Old Republic seems to be hard to get into as far as housing goes for some fans. Here is a list of the reasons why. There is no convenient “go to my house” button the screen. Now this is all about laziness but many gamers want convenience when it comes to games, so why the heck could they not make it more efficient? Players have to open up a menu and then click another button in order to teleport to their house. In LOTRO, RIFT, and WildStar, the house warp button is always on the…
Massivelyop: swtors upcoming expansion builds on the legacy of KOTOR
Recently, Massivelyop.com sat down with BioWare at E3 to talk about the new Knights of the Fallen Empire expansion. They were also lucky enough to see some of it in action. So, what is Fallen Empire you might ask? It’s much more than just an expansion, it’s a return to BioWare’s amazing storytelling adventure in the Star Wars galaxy. The best part of all is that Knights of the Fallen Empire is only the very beginning. The new expansion is called a season because there are more seasons on the way. In Knights of the Fallen Empire, you will see that every choice and decision you make, matters. There have been many choices in SWTOR but they didn’t really have much of an effect. When your character makes a choice in Knights of the Fallen Empire, it has immediate consequences and long-term ones as well. One choice that they…
If EA Created a New Star Wars Game
We love Star Wars games around here and most of you will know that there has been no shortage of ideas for them but very few that make it to completion and then stick around for any period of time for people to actually enjoy them. This can be very frustrating for the Star Wars gamer fan. How many games in the past couple of years have we seen scrapped? (Stop it already developers!) So here is a question to ponder: If EA was to create a new Star Wars game that isn’t part of an existing series (like Battlefront, Rogue Squadron, etc.) what would you want it to be about? If you could write the plot and script for a new Star Wars game, what would your game be about? Would you be looking for something with more of a Star Wars Galaxies feel to it or would you…
SWTOR as eSport – Can It Happen?
So this is not the first time this question has been proposed but we want to open it up for a bit of discussion here. Could SWTOR make it as an eSport? With the growing popularity and demand on esports, it doesn’t seem far-fetched to think about other games getting into the scene. But is SWTOR a good choice? What aspects of SWTOR could be made into an eSport? We’d clearly be looking at PvP options, right? There is a sect of players who love SWTOR solely for the PvP side, despite this not being what the game is specifically made for and branded to. There will always be players who love PvP and want to get specifically into that style of play. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at what might work for SWTOR in an eSports environment. SWTOR PvP tournaments played out on Twitch? This…
My Thoughts On 12x Experience In SWTOR!
Is the bonus for Shadows of Revan a good idea? Is BioWare making the right move by offering this 12x experience bonus to those who subscribe and preorder? Here we have an interesting video from Zach Sharpes that presents this question and then looks to answer it by trying it out. Not everyone likes the 12x experience, actually. Here is one post as an example that brings up a very good point. What if it were on a toggle? Not everyone wants to take advantage of the 12x experience. You shouldn’t be forced to it if you really didn’t want it. So a toggle option would be a good way to give the best of both worlds. Here’s a quote from that post in the forums linked above: Customer Support Team: If you could pass on the impressions of a big fan who really wishes she had never pushed that…
SWTOR Players- What Keeps You Coming Back?
SWTOR has been out for awhile now and like many games today, it has had its changes since the early days. Not only has the payment model changed from subs to free-to-play, there have been many content updates and expansions and even graphical changes to keep the game fresh and new. But, as with any game that has been out awhile, some people get tired of it. It is not usual at all to find fans who quit for periods of time (months, even) and then return. So this brings up the question: what keeps you coming back? As most of us who have been gaming for a long time know, even an excellent game can get tiring or boring. Even if we love it and we play it every day, we are not immune to burn out. Some players realize that it helps to plan ahead for game fatigue…
Should SWTOR be transitioned to Consoles?
A little more than a week ago, the company behind Star Wars: the Old Republic, BioWare, got around to making what seemed like a major announcement at the EA Gamescom Press Conference. Indeed, those who attended the conference could rightfully hope for something huge to be announced, like the porting of SWTOR to consoles…a console version of the 2-year of MMO…Alas, those who had their hopes up would be inevitably disappointed, as the announcement so carefully hyped and set up turned out to be nothing more than one concerning Galactic Strongholds, and it ended up delivering no relevant new information at all. Still, the idea of SWTOR making the jump to consoles is a pretty good one, especially from the point of view of fans of the 2012 MMO. Other Star Wars gamers may just shrug and say they’d be better off with KOTOR 3, but for those who actually…
Can SWTOR Help You Land a Job?
Here’s an interesting topic to ponder. It’s one that I was discussing with some fellow gamer friends just a week or so ago. We were talking about how we are leadership members within our gaming community and how this experience translates to the “real world” and also how our real life experience helps us be better leaders in the games we play. It’s so common in gamers today but it’s not always a topic we hear people talk about. So leads us to another question: Can SWTOR help you land a job? We’ve heard of people putting World of Warcraft on their resumes. We’re not certain how that worked out for them but with how mainstream WoW has become, it’s not a surprise if it helped a bit if they were able to put the game-work connection in it. So why can’t SWTOR experience be the same? We believe it…
Old School Jedi Tanking- Does It Still Exist?
It isn’t very often that a moment in a video game catches us off guard again, makes us appreciate the true value of our game experiences and makes us want to tell others about the experience. But when they do happen, they usually remain in our memories for awhile. Such is the case with Massively writer Jef Reahard when he played with a “real Jedi” named Nayelii
Should SWTOR Be More Like WoW?
Should SWTOR be more like WoW? If you ask the wrong person this question, you’re likely to get your head taken off. Seriously, some SWTOR fans are very anti-WoW. That being said, World of Warcraft has made it as long as it has in the industry because it is, in fact, doing something right. So maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to bash on the game. Are there things about World of Warcraft that SWTOR could use to improve? Possibly. While there are already similarities between SWTOR and WoW, it’s also very important to remember that SWTOR is SWTOR and WoW is WoW. If you want more WoW gameplay in SWTOR, then maybe you just need to go play WoW. That being said, there are some good points to be made about the success of WoW and how it could help Star Wars: The old Republic. Here are some things…
What Ideas Can Other MMOs take from SWTOR?
SWTOR is a game that has sprung some controversial ideas over the years. It is a game that many called a failure but that actually has succeeded in many ways. For many reasons, there are things that other MMOs can learn from SWTOR and the game history so far. Other MMOs can learn from both the successes and the failures of SWTOR. In some ways, this game has paved the path for those that will come after, just like games before opened doors for SWTOR to be what it is today. So let’s take a look at some of the ideas that other MMOs can take from SWTOR. One very big point is the voice acting. The type of voice acting SWTOR had was unique. Never before has it been done in this way in a video game. All the live voice acting adds a different element and level of…
Can the Dark Side of the Force be Used for the Greater Good?
Star Wars lore and The Force is something that has been written, discussed, debated and analyzed since the first film’s debut. One topic of the Star Wars story that has been questioned and debated over the years is that of the Force and Light and Dark side. In this video, we can explore the question “Can the Dark Side of the Force be used for the greater good?” Some will argue that the Dark Side itself is inherently evil and that simply by choosing to act on the Dark, you cannot do good, and that you will become evil. The same is said of the Light Side and good. But if we really break down the story, we see that even the Light Side sometimes questions their goodness or makes choices that could be considered “evil”. Maybe it is not really as black and white as we’d like to think….