Eric posted an update on the official forums regarding The Contraband Slot Machine. Apparently there is no bugs with this item, but how it would effect the economy on some servers took BioWare by surprise. Check it out below: The Contraband Slot Machine | 01.16.2015, 09:41 AM Hey folks, We know that there have been many questions about the Contraband Slot Machine and its intent. Here are a few notes on it: The Contraband Slot Machine is not bugged. It is 100% not an exploit to use the Slot Machine. If you feel the desire to sell access to your Stronghold, that’s totally up to you. As a reminder, do not scam people as that is against ToS. We added the Slot Machine as a fun idea based on the positive feedback from the Nightlife event, so spend those credits to your heart’s content! With that being said, we do…
SWTOR PTS 3.1 Patch Notes – Update 2
Here are the SWTOR 3.1 PTS patch notes for the second round of game testing. If you didn’t catch the first patch notes, we have them for you here Check them out below: TaitWatson Game Update 3.1 PTS Update 2 | 01.15.2015, 10:48 AM Hey everyone! Below are the Patch Notes for the second patch to the PTS. They will also be merged into the “main” notes. -Tait Highlights Two new Hard Mode Flashpoints! Hard Mode Battle of Rishi and Hard Mode Blood Hunt are now available. General The Improved Mounting Legacy Unlock now applies Legacy-wide. Classes + Combat Jedi Knight Guardian Defense Reduced the Blade Storm damage increase from Dust Storm to 40% (down from 50%). Lunge now takes Riposte off the GCD while in Soresu Form and reduces the rage cost of Riposte by 1 (instead of making it free). The 50% critical chance boost to Riposte has…
SWTOR Ranked PVP Seasons in 2015
Alex Modny Updated the community on SWTOR PVP season 4 and Season 5 which will happen in 2015. Players can expect Season 4 to launch with game update 3.1 in a month. Check out the full announcement below: Ranked Seasons in 2015 | 01.15.2015, 11:31 AM Hello PvPers!Season 4 is planned to last roughly 3 months, starting with Game Update 3.1 and ending with Game Update 3.2. As of right now, Game Update 3.1 is planned to go live in about a month (and is already on PTS, so please check it out!). However, as always, this is subject to change. After the end of Season 4, we would normally have a Pre-Season lasting a few weeks to a few months. However, for Season 5 there will be no Pre-Season – we will go straight from Season 4 to Season 5. We decided to nix the Pre-Season because there will…
Star Wars Battlefront has Zombie Death Troopers? Here are the Changes We Want
With the latest news and rumors about Star Wars: Battlefront comes many hopes and expectations. With the game being set to release sometime late this year many are praying that there are some major improvements and additions to the series. Campaign Style: Take it to the next level Many players want the new Star Wars installment to have more focus on the campaign mode. Many players enjoy multiplayer shootouts, but for those who enjoy the story and “mission” style, we think EA should focus more on the story portion of the game. It seems that gaming developers are starting to slack on the campaign modes and are focusing more on the online multiplayer experience. This is all great, but there are many people out there who want to play single style; solo. Hopefully, EA will put enough focus on both parts of the game for the sake of every type…
Changes to the Cartel Market — January 13 – 20 2015
Here are the weekly cartel market items on sale for the week of Jan 13-20. New Items Price APPEARANCE OPTION: VIBRANT GREEN EYES 100 APPEARANCE OPTION: DOUBLE BRAIDS 240 APPEARANCE OPTION: DREADLOCKS 240 APPEARANCE OPTION: BRIGHT YELLOW EYES 100 HYPERCRATE: ACOLYTE’S SHADOW PACKS 5400 ACOLYTE’S SHADOW PACK 250 Items No Longer Available FIRST GRAND ACQUISITION PACK Price Change Old Price New Price NEWCOMER BUNDLE 202 405 CZERKA CZK-4 ASSAULT CANNON 250 500 STRONGHOLD UTILITY DECORATION BUNDLE 682 1018 STRONGHOLD LUXURY DECORATION BUNDLE 1020 1632 MALEVOLENT INTERROGATOR ARMOR SET 1440 720 CZERKA CZX-4 SNIPER RIFLE 500 250 W4-K2 ASTROMECH DROID 280 70 INTERSTELLER PRIVATEER ARMOR SET 1440 720 IMPERIAL ESSENTIALS BUNDLE 500 357 REPUBLIC ESSENTIALS BUNDLE 500 357
Ravagers Exploit Action Update
Eric Musco updated the community on the Ravagers exploit. BioWare will be be taking actions on this before end of next week. Ravagers Exploit Action Update | 01.13.2015, 03:56 PM Hey folks,Let’s talk a bit about the Ravager’s exploit. There are two stages to the process of removing an exploit and handling actions for players who participated. Stage 1 – fix the issue and ensure players can no longer partake in the exploit. That change is out as of today in patch 3.0.2. Stage 2 – With the exploit removed, we can work towards finalizing our data review and assigning appropriate actions. We have a lot of information! We know who used it, who they invited, how many times they exploited, when they participated, credits gained, and whether they gained a crafting pattern from reverse-engineering. We are still reviewing the data and determining the appropriate action for those who took…
The Spin-Off Movies: What Do We Know?
Ever since we found out that there were going to be standalone movies that focus on a single character in the Star Wars universe, we’ve had tons of questions—who would they center on? Who would be attached to write and direct? Who would be playing our favorite Star Wars characters? Although the first major announcement about these spin-offs came almost two years ago, we still haven’t learned a lot. We have managed to gather a few rumors, though. We’re confident that one of the films will focus on Han Solo, will take place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Gary Whitta, writer of The Book of Eli and After Earth, was attached to the project, but left after completing the first draft of the script—though the split seems to be an amicable one, judging by Whitta’s support of Disney and Lucasfilm and director Gareth Edwards‘ public thanks to him for writing….
Game Update 3.0.2 Patch Notes
Here are tomorrows Patch Notes for patch 3.0.2. This patch has many great fixes indeed. Check it out below: Game Update 3.0.2 Patch Notes Long-forgotten Sith spirits have awakened on Yavin 4. This convergence of dark side energies could give rise to a powerful and ancient threat within the moon’s already-treacherous jungles… Highlights New Guild Flagship Destinations! Rishi and Yavin 4 have been added as Guild Flagship destinations, and Flagship Orbital Support and Transport are now available for those locations. New Conquest Event! The “Revenge of the Revanites” Conquest Event has been added to the Conquest rotation. Improved Weekly Reward! Companion Outfit Lockboxes are now awarded for completing the Mission “[WEEKLY] Spirit of Cooperation.” Each lockbox contains a full set of rating 192 armor for its specified companion. General It is no longer possible to loot or complete the Weekly Mission for the final boss of The Ravagers without completing…
Massively’s Prediction for SWTOR in 2015
Everyone listen up! We have found an awesome story by Massively and their predictions of the Star Wars: The Old Republic game that is said to be releasing sometime this year by BioWare. They have made five awesome predictions and we are crossing our fingers that they are true! If you love Star Wars, which you must if you are reading our post, you NEED to read this story. Here is an excerpt and a link at the bottom. Have fun! It’s that time again to make my educated guesses on what BioWare will attempt to accomplish in the coming year with Star Wars: The Old Republic. In the last Hyperspace Beacon, I gave my grade card for how I think 2014 went, but now I extinguish the Force ghost of Christmas past and get a visit from the blue-glowy of Christmas yet to come. I don’t always get everything…
The Five People You Meet In A Bioware Game
BioWare is known for their huge open-world games with to-die-for graphics, unique characters, and long stories. The bottom line is that you go on missions, long journeys, boss fights, and then you are able to return to your spaceship, castle, or camp to talk to your recruits and friends you made along the way. Keeping this in mind, here are the top five characters that best stand for what BioWare is and shows off their games the best. Bastila Bastila is a beautiful Jedi that and she makes video game relationships seem quite real, plucking your emotional heartstrings along the way. She is the perfect example of how video games can make you feel like you’re actually falling in love. I’m not here to state that Bastila was a particularly unique character. She was, and is, some moonlit, sultry-toned lady Jedi existing solely to pluck the heartstrings of young men slowly…
BioWare’s Shadow Realms In Flux, Possibly Rebooted
Last year BioWare Austin had a surprise announcement about Shadow Realms but there is word that it may have some large changes, possibly being completely rebooted. The Austin branch of BioWare is famously known for making Star Wars: The Old Republic had originally announced the news of Shadow Realms to be an online 4 vs. 1 action style role playing game and it was to be released in the beginning of 2015. However, this is all changing. There are two different industry sources that are stating they heard Shadow Realms would be cancelled but another third source that is familiar with news about BioWare Austin, states that the game became overhauled in the later part of October. Now the latest plans for Shadow Realms is that it’s to be released in 2017 for the Xbox One, PC, and PS4. Shadow Realms, last year’s surprise announcement from BioWare Austin, is going…
SWTOR Bioware explains Jugg/Guardian changes in 3.1
System Designer John Jarynowski, took some time explaining the upcoming Juggernaut/Guardian changes coming with game update 3.1. Defense Guardian Feedback Thread | 01.09.2015, 03:35 PM The team is actively discussing taking Retaliation/Riposte off the GCD. Normally, we do not want damage abilities to be off the GCD, however, both the Shield Tech/Shield Specialist and Darkness Assassin/Kinetic Combat Shadow already have major rotation skills (Dark Ward/Kinetic Ward and Heat Blast/Energy Blast) off the GCD. If these changes are made, we will definitely readdress the current changes to the Immortal Juggernaut/Defense Guardian. To those confused by the Immortal Juggernaut/Defense Guardian changes: We found that the Discipline was not performing to our DPS goals for tanks. The current changes are simply for balancing and maintaining our vision for the class. Concerning balancing/changes for other classes, tanking or otherwise: Keep an ear and eye open for upcoming news. This is just the start of…
Scheduled maintenance and Patch 3.0.2
The SWTOR servers will be going offline a 4 hr maintenance on Jan 13 from 3 AM PST to 7 AM PST to deploy patch 3.0.2. Below are the details: Scheduled Maintenance: January 13, 2015 | 01.09.2015, 07:43 PM Hey everyone! We will be taking the servers offline on January 13th in order to apply Game Update 3.0.2. The website will also be unavailable during this time. Details: DATE: Tuesday January 13th, 2015 TIME: 3AM PST (11AM GMT) – 7AM PST (3PM GMT) VERSION: 3.0.2 This update includes numerous bug fixes, including the “Ship Bolster” bug and itemization fixes, as well as performance updates, Operation balancing, and more! Full Patch Notes will be posted on January 12th. Please note that the release of 3.0.2 marks the end of the Third Anniversary discounts on the Dromund Kaas and Coruscant and the removal of the Third Anniversary vendor – get your Decorations…
SWTOR Performance Status Update
As promised last week, the SWTOR team is releasing more details on the ability delay and server lag, we all have been experiencing since game update 3.0 . Below wall of text is a good example of being transparent and informative without going overboard. Thank you Eric, now let’s keep it up all year. EricMusco Performance Status Update | 01.09.2015, 04:11 PM Hey folks, As I mentioned in my post last week, we have been working hard on assessing and figuring out how to address the “lag” issues which have been prominent since Game Update 3.0 went live. After speaking with our engineers, we thought the following would help explain what’s happening and what we are doing to address the issues: What The Problems Are Here are some of the issues that players have been experiencing since the launch of Game Update 3.0: Server performance: Ability delay, Latency issues Client performance:…
Episode 7 Hype Escalating – Hasbro Reportedly Working on Line of Toys
As the release date of Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens (and of the new Battlefront title) approaches, everyone is looking to get in on the action. Toymaker Hasbro has apparently prepared an extensive line of Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys, which includes blasters, light sabers, action figures and remote controlled droids. The company hasn’t exactly been keen on making its efforts public, but fans have dug up a list of toys Hasbro are allegedly working on right now. The figurines will be mostly 3.75-inch ones, and there will be a special “Black Series” line of action figures too, aimed at collectors. Alleged photographs of some of the toys were leaked as well, although they’re of somewhat questionable quality, and some of the figurines featured (like that of Chewbacca) are apparently older releases from Hasbro. There are other inconsistencies with the Chewbacca toy featured in the photos: apparently, the…
SWTOR Gree events returning end of Feb/March
Eric Musco just informed the community that the Gree events will be returning end of February/March. They team is still working out the exact timing, but they will update that information on our events page when we have it. Hey folks! When we started the Life Day event, we got questioned on two things almost immediately. Where is the Gree event and why is the Cyan Sphere on this vendor without it? Two valid questions. As I mentioned before the end of the year, it is our intent that the next time you see the Gree event it will be scaled to level 60. I am here to deliver news on both of these fronts! First, it is our plan right now that the Gree event will return end of February/March timeframe. We are still working out the exact timing but we will update that information on our events page…
Game Update 3.1 PTS Patch Notes
BioWare have updated the Public test servers with game update 3.1. All content and features on the Public Test Server are not final and are subject to change. Below are the patch notes: Game Update 3.1 Last Updated: January 8, 2015 Highlights New Legacy Perk – Improved Mounting! With this perk, you may summon any vehicle or creature mount while moving. Classes + Combat Jedi Knight Guardian General Single Saber Mastery now increases the threat generated by Slash and Riposte by 15% while in Soresu Form, but the increased threat generation it grants to Force Sweep and Cyclone Slash has been reduced to 15% as well (down from 30%). Defense In addition to its current usage, Stasis Mastery now also increases the damage dealt and threat generated by Force Stasis by 100%. Beacon of Might no longer reduces the cooldown of Riposte and now only increases the damage dealt by Guardian…
Star Wars: Battlefront vs EA’s Open World Star Wars Game!
The new and upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront has not received a release date as of yet, but we do know that the date of “Holiday 2015” means that we have something to look forward to. Hopefully we will have some excellent gaming before we get our hands on the new Battlefront game. The question we want to ask today is would you rather play Star Wars: Battlefront or EA’s Open World Star Wars game? The only information that has been released for Star Wars: Battlefront is that there should be a small connection to the Star Wars: Episode VII-The Force Awakens, something in the likeness of easter eggs or characters and ships. Kotaku confirmed that EA was in development of an open world style game set in the Star Wars universe, but there are no details about what the game will include. We think that it will not be another…
A Few Bug Fixes Coming in Patch 3.0.2
BioWare will be fixing a few bugs with the upcoming patch 3.0.2. The next patch will hit the servers on January 13 2015 Post #1 TaitWatson We finally getting a fix on Tython (dev answer) | 01.07.2015, 02:43 PM The shield not dropping issue is being addressed in 3.0.2! Post #2 TaitWatson {BUG] Shae Vizla tells Bounty Hunter he/she is not a Mandalorian | 01.07.2015, 02:22 PM Quote: Originally Posted by Darth_Wicked It’s a bug. They already acknowledged it as such. It will be fixed. Eventually. “Eventually” has a date in this case: look for this to be fixed in 3.0.2! Post #3 TaitWatson {BUG] Shae Vizla tells Bounty Hunter he/she is not a Mandalorian | 01.07.2015, 02:50 PM Quote: Originally Posted by ronniehenlau That’s not a date, it’s a patch number we havent gotten a date for yet. Touchè. We’re aiming for Tuesday the 13th. Post #4 TaitWatson Any…
Star Wars Battlefront business forecasts
The upcoming first person shooter Star Wars: Battlefront is predicted to be a huge seller for EA Games and the Star Wars franchise. With the release of Star Wars Episode VII during the New Year, it should help raise the popularity of the new game even more. Taking a look back to 2005 when the first Battlefront game was released it was a hit amongst many and rated 6th in overall sales, according to NPD. The new Battlefront game should be much better in comparison to the 2005 version with the new updated technology we have now. It will most likely be appealing to casual gamers and hardcore gamers alike, making the number of potential sales to rise even more. It could surpass the sale of other major first person shooters, such as Battlefield 4 and Destiny, which will release this year. Seeking Alpha has some insight on how they believe the…
BioWare responds to the current exploit “going around”
Eric Musco has taken on the forums, and explained that BioWare are aware of an exploit taking place in game, and that they will be taking appropriate action against those who have abused it. It is BioWares current plan to implement a fix for this issue next Tuesday, January 13, 2015. The Current Exploit “Going Around” | 01.07.2015, 07:28 PM Hey folks, Normally when an exploit exists, it is our policy to remain quiet until the issue is fixed. The reasoning behind that policy is that if we talk about or acknowledge an exploit, it can create a situation where we draw more attention to it. This can include people who didn’t previously know about it and can unintentionally make the issue more widespread. Without being specific, there is an exploit which has been present for a couple of weeks, that unfortunately has become more widespread than we typically see. It is being…
Changes to the Cartel Market — Tuesday January 06 2015
The Cartel market in Star Wars: The old Republic have new good deals on stock this week Jan 6 to 13. Below are all the updates: Stronghold Utility Decoration Bundle – 682 CC (50% OFF) 1 Item Modification station, 4 Mailboxes, 2 GTN (wall), 1 Appearance Mod, 1 Cargo Bay, 1 GTN (Kiosk), 1 Gbank, 1 Legacy Bank Stronghold Luxury Decoration Bundle – 1020 CC (50% OFF) 2 Luxury Bed (black), 4 Luxury Highback Chairs, 4 Luxury Loveseats, 2 Luxury Hutches, 2 Decorous Cafe Tables, 4 Luxury Cafe Tables, 2 Luxury Hanging Lamp, 4 Luxury Wall Sconces, Czerka CZX-4 Blaster Pistol – 250 CC (50% OFF) Czerka CZX-4 Assault Canon – 250 CC (50% OFF) Newcomer Bundle – 202 CC (75% OFF) Quick Travel Pass, 1 Czerka Cruiser, 5 Minor XP boosts, 1 Legacy Perk Speeder Piloting I Appearance Option: Sith Pale Eyes – 100 CC First Grand Acquisitions Pack…
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga for Android arrives for $6.99
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga for Android is currently available on Amazon, and hasn’t shown up on the Play Store yet. This usually means a period of exclusivity, and it’s probably a good thing as the App Store listing shows it’s only compatible with around seven smartphones and nine tablets. More devices should be added, but you’ll want to check the list first and keep in mind it’s a big download as well. [Via androidpolice.com] When gamers first met LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game in 2005, it was a multi-platform title available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Gamecube, and PC (along with an isometric 2D version for the Game Boy Advance). It applied the virtual toy block treatment to worlds and events from the three Star Wars prequels, and sprinkled on some of the humor we’ve since come to expect from LEGO over the years. The game was a…
SWTOR: Ability Delay Update
Eric Musco took on the forums to speak about the ability delay issue, that many players are facing after game update 3.0. Check it out: EricMusco 01.02.2015, 08:35 PM Ability delay and the wearing thin of patience | 01.02.2015, 02:35 PM First off, Happy New Years everyone! I apologize if you feel a lack of communication around this issue. Unfortunately, I haven’t provided much since I do not have a status update as of yet. Here is what I can tell you. We definitely have not forgotten about this and the team is still assessing what the cause is, and how we can begin to address it. What I am going to do is to work with the team to get a status update with as much detail as I can, by next Friday (although hopefully before then!). Thank you again for your continued patience. We know that dealing with…